Women Who Have Kids Later In Life May Live Longer
For those of you females who are 30+ and plan to have kids later on in life, a new study says it may help you live longer!
Like many women pushing 40, I feel that I’m still at a point in my life where I’m not quite ready for having children. Now does this mean I won’t ever have them? No, not at all. I’m pretty healthy and would love to someday, just not now. After reading the study from The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) I now have a viable excuse to give my mother when she brings up the topic (LOL).
Here’s what the study found…
Following the delivery of a woman’s last child, certain measurements may be linked with her projected lifespan. It found a woman’s age at the birth of her last child may affect telomere (a compound structure at the end of a chromosome) length, ultimately impacting long-term health, the research said.
Longer telomeres are thought to be beneficial for long-term health, while shorter ones can signify “various chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, some neurologic conditions, and various cancers,” past studies have suggested, according to the news release.
The studies, included more than 1,200 perimenopausal and postmenopausal women of “various ethnicities and backgrounds.”
The findings were also limited to women who had one or two live births or those who had used birth control orally, they said.
(Photo by Rob Stothard/Getty Images)
Besides a longer life, other benefits of waiting to having children later in life include:
-More financial/job stability. Older parents who are less stressed about income or job security tend to be more patient and can spend more time with their children.
-Time to focus on their education. Parents who have more secondary education can also offer more specific stimulation to their children, which can be helpful for development.
-Higher maturity level. Maturity and life experience level is at a point that allows you to make smarter decisions when it comes to your child’s life.
-The opportunity to travel and experience life. This will avoid that feeling of having “missed out” on things that many younger people without kids would be able to experience.
(Photo by Jean Berton/BIPs/Getty Images)
When it comes to deciding to have children later on in life – let these perks remove some of the time pressure you may be feeling. If nothing else, let these benefits give you the ammo to counter critics you end up running into along the way.
