The women are now having babies in their 30s

30.06.2015

Advanced maternal age. These three words that would make Laura Byrne cringe.

At 35 Byrne, of Tampa will give birth to her second child next month, making her an "older mom" in the eyes of her doctor. But she doesn't regret having waited to have a family, she said. It enabled her to pursue a fast-paced career in TV news, meet the right husband and achieve financial stability.

Besides, said Byrne, who is taking some time off from her career, "being an 'older mom' is the new norm."

She might be on to something, according to a new study from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

According to reports, a total of 3,985,924 babies were born in 2014 — an increase of 53,743, or about 1 percent, from the previous year. The birthrate dropped for teenagers and women in their early 20s, and held steady for women in their late 20s. But it increased for women in their 30s and early 40s.

But this trend doesn't surprise Tampa Bay area obstetricians. As stated by Dr. Catherine Lynch, a practicing obstetrician and professor at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, many of her patients put off having children during the economic downturn.

"It was mainly due to job stability concerns, either for themselves, their partners or both," she said.

The women are now having babies in their 30s.

"It is a definite indication that there's a much more positive outlook on the economy," Lynch said. "Either that, or the biological clock is just ticking louder."

For some women, the decision to delay childbirth is driven more by career ambitions. Experts also credit the technological advances that have made it easier for women to conceive later in life.

"Our ability to help someone have a child has greatly increased, whether it's prescribing medication to stimulate the patient's ovaries to produce more eggs (or) using intrauterine insemination techniques," Lynch said.

Over the time the success rates for in vitro fertilization have significantly improved. But obstetrics and gynecology specialists have cautioned women against developing a false sense of security and waiting too long.

Unfortunately, there are other potential complications.

Babies born to women in their 30s and 40s are far more likely to have chromosomal abnormalities than babies born to younger women — irregularities that can lead to conditions such as Down syndrome. What's more, women in their 30s and 40s are at a higher risk of developing diabetes or high blood pressure because of their pregnancy.

Based on: tampabay.com