Ministry for Reproduction says "Breed younger, its healthier"

[BobbyBunny]

I can't say I strictly *was* a teenage mother, I was 20 when I gave birth. I know a number of families with children with SB, about 150. There are 1.5 thousand people in the UK with SB. Out of all the families I know, I am the youngest of all the mothers of children with SB. I think perhaps it is "more common" in teenage mothers - or at least WAS more common - I have only ever seen that mentioned in ONE article which was copied and pasted onto a lot of different websites, never anywhere reputable - because they are more likely to have a folic acid deficiency because their pregnancies are very often unplanned. SB generally occurs in pregnancies of women who have a gene which stops their body absorbing folic acid. My pregnancy was planned, I took Folic acid, I just didn't take enough (I took 0.4mg, the reccomended dose for the general population, not knowing at the time I needed a much higher dose, 5mg, recommended for women with FA deficiency or a history of NTDs.)

[vwkittie]

My mum was an 'older mother' as she was 40 when she had me. She was back at work 6 weeks later and I was raised mainly by my stay at home dad. We were a very modern family at the time (25 yr ago)!

 

Anyway I think I would strive to have children before the age of 30 personally, but then I'm getting married soon, we have our own home, decent jobs and all that stuff. I totally appreciate that not everyone is in this position at my age.

 

Overall I would have thought that people's own personal circumstances (stable relationship, financial security, housing, job etc) being right for having children would outweigh the risks of older motherhood, in terms of the long term welfare of the child.

 

I wouldn't agree with trying to put an 'ideal age' into teenagers heads as to when is the 'best' time to have children, as I believe factors such as being in a stable relationship, ideally married, to be far more important then whether you're 30 or 36.

 

I would think that emphasising the importance of planned pregnancies as being the ideal with good health advice would be better. Another poster has shown the importance of folic acid for example. So educating people about a good diet, supplements, exercise, healthy weight, smoking, drinking etc.

[bob1]

After 35 the rate of birth problems and defects increases.

 

Well yes, but the vast majority of babies born to women of this age still do not have issues.

 

Also, the average age of marrige in the UK is currently around 30 so alot of people are not meeting the person with whom they want to have children until later than they used to. Are you suggesting that all these people should just abstain from having children at all, or alternatively should have grabbed the first offer they come across?

[espadrille]

I agree with the OP. I will be 50 this year and with a 20 year old and a 15 year old, I am positively worn out!

[Vague_Boy]

This is welcome advice to the population, for too long now people have been putting off having children when they are at the best age in their life to have them.

 

Except that one of the reasons that people have been putting off having children is that they cannot afford them due to the high cost of houses.

Couples putting off marriage as they cannot afford to buy homes

 

Plans to have children shelved due to housing costs

 

Millions putting off children due to housing costs

 

Two million Britons delay having a family due to high housing costs

 

Family life delayed by housing cost

 

Another example of the socially corrosive effects of our unsustainable house price bubble.

 

If only Gordon "I will not let house prices get out of control" Brown had lived up to his empty promises.