Do older parents have smarter children? The further along the calendar year, the greater the risk a woman runs when becoming pregnant. Having a pregnancy in her 40s makes women more prone to obesity, gestational diabetes, and hypertension. Babies are also at greater risk for Down syndrome and autism, among other problems.
However, a study conducted at the London School of Economics concluded that women who give birth in their 30s have more intelligent babies than those born to mothers in their 20s.
These researchers followed 8,000 British children to analyze the impact of maternal age at the time of pregnancy. They found that children of women who gave birth in their 30s performed better on cognitive tests than those whose mothers were in their 20s or 40s.
At 30, life is calmer, more stable and healthier
Researchers profiled women who become mothers at age 30. They tend to have a higher level of education, take better care of their health, have more stable emotional and financial situations, and usually have planned pregnancies. In short, many of them are experiencing a period of personal and professional fulfillment, so it’s not surprising that this is reflected in their children, who not only exhibit greater cognitive development but also greater psychological well-being.
It’s worth clarifying that children’s intelligence, understood solely in terms of IQ, depends on numerous factors, including the stimulation the child receives in their environment. In fact, these researchers found that mothers over 40 didn’t spend much time playing with their children.
At 30, women are psychologically, socially, and physically prepared to give their best to their children. They can devote more time to early stimulation and establish a more relaxed emotional bond, as they typically have the support of their partners and are less under financial pressure.
The researchers also delved into the other side of the coin: many of the women who became mothers in their 20s had unplanned pregnancies and reported higher levels of stress, due to, among other factors, the fact that they had not yet solidified their relationships, some had yet to finish their studies, and others saw their professional careers cut short as they had barely begun.
Maternal stress affects babies from the moment they are in the womb.
The stress that very young or older mothers are exposed to is likely to work against their children. A study conducted at Imperial College London revealed that the stress mothers experience during pregnancy can affect their babies as early as the 17th week after conception.
These researchers analyzed the levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, in 267 pregnant women, in addition to taking amniotic fluid samples. They found that maternal cortisol was also found in the amniotic fluid, a correlation that was even greater the older the mother was. In other words, as the calendar advances, maternal stress has a greater impact on the baby.
Maternal stress is also known to affect brain development, lowering children’s IQs. These scientists conducted another study in which they assessed the intelligence of 100 children and discovered that, in cases where mothers had experienced significant stress during pregnancy, their IQs were 10 points lower.
These results have been validated by researchers at the University of Konstanz, who confirm that maternal stress causes biological changes that can be seen even in adolescence. The children of women who had been subjected to significant stress during pregnancy showed changes in the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), the gene that regulates the hormonal response to stress and which normally develops while babies are in the womb.
Neuroscientists believe that maternal stress and exposure to cortisol influence the expression of this gene, determining their children’s response to stress. In fact, it was found that these adolescents were more impulsive and had lower Emotional Intelligence. In practice, it’s as if they received a signal that the world is a hostile place, which makes them more sensitive to stress.
What is the ideal age to have a baby?
It’s difficult to talk about an “ideal age” because every woman is unique. From a physiological perspective, the ideal age would be between 20 and 25 years old, as this is when fertility peaks, women have more energy, and are in excellent physical shape. However, from a social and psychological perspective, most women feel ready to have a child after age 30.
Starting at age 40, fertility declines sharply, and some health problems begin to appear, along with a decrease in energy. However, every woman must find her best moment, the moment when she feels confident enough to take a step she’s truly excited about. After all, we mustn’t forget that many of the problems caused by a lack of experience or any other condition can be resolved with a lot of love.
References:
Serpeloni, F. et. Al. (2017) Grandmaternal stress during pregnancy and DNA methylation of the third generation: an epigenome-wide association study. Translational Psychiatry ; 17(8): e1202.
Goisis, A. (2015) How Are Children of Older Mothers Doing? Evidence from the United Kingdom. Biodemography and Social Biology ; 61(3): 231-251.
Michael, T. et. Al. (2009) Impact of Maternal Stress, Depression & Anxiety on Fetal Neurobehavioral Development. Clin Obstet Gynecol ; 52(3): 425–440.
Bergman, K. et. Al. (2007) Maternal stress during pregnancy predicts cognitive ability and fearfulness in childhood. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry ; 46(11): 1454–1463.
Glover, V. (2007) The Effects of Maternal Anxiety or Stress During Pregnancy on The Fetus and The Long-Term Development of The Child. Nutrition and Health 19(1-2).
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