Pregnancy tips Having Babies Over 40, Will I Be Around To See My Children Grow Up?

One common criticism I hear about getting pregnant over 40 is, "You may not be around to see your children grow up..." Well, I realize that none of us can predict the future, but I just don't think that is a valid argument. Granted some people may die young, but that' s true of women having children at any age.

Here is an article that cites a study that says older women actually live longer:

Study Says Older Moms Live Longer (families.com)

From the article:

"In the February 25, 2006 issue of the newspaper, The Daily Mail, scientists at the University of Manchester report that the bodies of older mothers are also likely to suffer less wear and tear than younger mothers because we tend to have fewer children. By having children late, we give our bodies a burst of estrogen which in turn helps keep skin, hair, bones and blood vessels healthy and also protects again osteoporosis.

What's interesting to note is that older parents often become older healthier parents because they want to make sure they are around for their young offspring. This means making healthy lifestyle changes such as when an older mother stops smoking, starts eating healthier, loses weight, gets more exercise, etc. These factors all add to increased longevity.

Several other studies also support this idea that older mothers may live longer than their young counterparts. The British Geriatric Society reports that there is scientific evidence that women who have children late in life live longer than young mothers. They cite better diet and lifestyle as the reason. Thomas Perls, a geriatrician at Harvard Medical School found that a "surprising number of women who gave birth in their forties were more than four times as likely to live to 100."