A new Centers for Disease Control survey released today shows that the rate of women waiting until their 40s to have their first child has more than doubled in some states, and has increased overall.
Washington, DC was number one on the list of statewide data of women having their first kid between the ages of 40 and 44 with New York second and Massachusetts third.
The rate of women having their first child after 40 more than doubled from 1990 to 2012, the CDC said. And in 2012, there were more than 9 times as many first births to women 35 and older than 40 years ago.
The data was compiled from U.S. state birth certificates nationwide, taken from the Natality Data File of the National Vital Statistics System. The analysis includes data on all births occurring in the United States, including maternal and infant demographics, and health characteristics for babies born in the country.
There were differences in race as well with Asian American women showing the biggest increase in delayed first time pregnancy.
The data shows Asian/Pacific Islanders’ rate of first birth in 2012 was almost double that of the next highest group.
And Black women too have started waiting longer. Among those 40 to 44, increases in first birth rates rose 171 percent among blacks and 130 percent among whites.
A couple of things to realize about this information:
1. The US population will decrease overall given that delayed pregnancy comes with some fertility complications for some which also means that women will usually have just one to two children when they start so late. Depending on your world view that may be a good or bad thing.
2. It also means that the children of those women may be better off given that women who wait until their 40s are usually more financially stable, educated, mature and have more resources and support to provide a better life for their children, experts say.
Your thoughts?