Today I want to give a twist (I do not say if tightening or loosening) to the issue of conception and reproduction with another of the factors that generates social debate, what is The best age to have children.
The average age of maternity in Spain is 29'3 years, a figure that places us in the antepenultimate position of Europe, and 30% of women have their first child with more than 35 years.
This figure could be explained with several reasons that have caused the average age has been growing to date:
- Labor and economic instability: we are in the era of temporary work and the need for a broad curriculum to find a position. This has meant that few couples have had the financial security they needed to have a child.
- The abusive price that the floors have had so far: a point that can be associated with the previous one and that has made it difficult for many couples to access a home.
- The generalized stress of the population: a pace of life too fast dedicated to work and consumption that has made us enter a wheel of "I need more, I spend more, I work more to pay what I have bought".
- The decrease in sperm quality: associated with stress, food, sedentary lifestyle, etc.
- The "first let's live life": in which many couples decide to travel and enjoy their first years as a couple delaying the time to have children.
- Work as the only source of personal fulfillment: women and men base their personal status on their level of employment status. Work at home and the time spent raising children has passed to a secondary level in society that sees it as a burden or a Brake to work and personal progression.
- The emotional stability of a couple: which may not occur until advanced ages. I understand, as is the male market (I am included in the criticism, not in the market) it is hard to decide to spend the rest of life with what individual.
And biologically how is the subject?
The probability of becoming pregnant decreases with age. A woman in her 20s who is trying to get pregnant on her fertile days has a 25% chance of getting it, around 30 years has a 15%, from 35 the possibilities decrease to 8% and 3% from 38 years.
This decrease in fertility is causing many couples to reach the unexpected and desperate situation of not having any children (it is estimated that 44,000 couples are added to the "collective" of sterile couples every year).
So when is it better?
The young people defend (I position myself here because I had my first child with 26 years) that having the children before the age of thirty the energy is greater. It means saying no to many pleasures of life that we could enjoy at this age, but we understand that they are postponeable or directly unnecessary.
Once children grow up and have some autonomy (for example 7-10 years) we will continue to be relatively young (say about 35-40 years) to resume hobbies or travel with or without them.
As a counterpoint, many of us notice a vertiginous maturation, almost at blows, with almost no time to digest it (adolescence comes every time before and every time goes later) and it is possible that at some moments let's miss more vital experience That could come in good times.
Those who decide to have children later, when the waters are calmer, defend (and I agree) that they are in a state of superior emotional maturity, more calm and dedicated.
There is more economic stability and a more defined social position that make a break to have children generate less concern about "what will happen next when I return to work."
There is also greater self-knowledge distinguishing virtues and limitations and greater autonomy in general, since the experience of life provides greater decision-making capabilities.
As disadvantages I would say that the same factor that brings experience and wisdom, age, is a handicap in terms of physical strength. It is not a sine qua non condition, since there are women and men over 40 years old with an enviable energy and there are many, however the adolescence of the children comes when the parents are around 50 years old and the probability of lack of connection or the feeling of being in two communication planes too far apart for mutual understanding.
Another disadvantage is social criticism. Having children from 35-40 years of age means being labeled "high risk pregnancy" at the health level and "selfish" for many sectors of society.
Deep down, I feel you do what you do "it never rains to everyone's taste", so the decision, of course, depends on each couple.
What do you think it is the best age to have children?
