Children of older mothers tend to be healthier and taller and gain more education than children born to younger mothers, according to a new study.
Researchers claim societal conditions, public health and educational opportunities steadily and significantly improve every year, implying it is better to be born later.
Imagine a woman in her 20s who gave birth to a child in 1985, for instance. The kid would be exposed to the lifestyle, societal and educational opportunities that prevailed at the time.
However, if the same mother gave birth to a child in 2005, the kid in turn would be exposed to advanced opportunities presented by the 21st century.
The new study was carried out by researchers Mikko Myrskylä, director of the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR), and colleague Kieron Barclay from the London School of Economics.
Other studies have suggested that giving birth to children at an older age poses health risks to both the mother and child. Children born to older women are believed to be at a higher risk of developing genetic disorders such as Down syndrome. These kids are also believed to be at a greater risk of developing serious health conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and Alzheimer's later in life.
The researchers propose that, despite the risks associated with delayed childbirth, children may also savor the benefits it offers. They believe the negative risks are "counterbalanced or outweighed" by the positive environmental changes of childbearing being delayed.
The importance of these macro-level environmental changes has largely been ignored in earlier studies on the link between maternal age and childbearing, explained the researchers.
The study is published in the journal Population and Development Review.
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