THE SUN
SCIENTISTS have found it is safest for women to have a child in a specific nine-year window.
Giving birth between the ages of 23 and 32 reduces the chances of the child being born with birth defects, Hungarian researchers found.
Heart problems were the most common issues in those born outside that window, as well as nerve problems for mothers under 20 and cleft palates for those born to mums in their late 30s and 40s.
Researchers said the findings could help ensure women having children at older ages are taken care of appropriately.
Professor Boglarka Petho, of Semmelweis University, said: “Non-genetic birth disorders can often develop from the mothers’ long-term exposure to environmental effects.
“Since the childbearing age in the developed world has been pushed back to an extreme extent, it is more important than ever to react appropriately to this trend.
“Our research can play an important role in establishing modern and safe pregnancy care and screening protocols.”
The average age women choose to have children has been increasing for years, with the need to balance careers and finances leading many to do so later in life.
Data from the Office for National Statistics shows the average age a mother gave birth in England and Wales was just under 31 in 2021 — the highest average age on record.
For comparison, it was just 26 years old in 1973.
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