Tunde Ajaja
In the present-day world, it suffices to say people now seem to be
more inclined to getting married at an early age, have children
as quickly as possible, so they could ‘move on’ with life. That
is often the explanation provided by such persons.
That is admirable and it has its merits. But on the other hand,
women who give birth at an older age seem also to have reasons
to be happy. Some scientists have said that there are some
derivable benefits when women have kids at a later age, like when
they are above 40. They note that such women tend to raise happier
children.
In the study, researchers
from Aarhus University
in Denmark observed 4,741
children of old and young
mothers. They examined the
children born to these two divisions of parents when they clocked
7, 11 and 15. They did comparison between children born to older
women and those born to younger women.
At the end of the exercise, they found that children of older
parents tend to have lesser behavioural, social and emotional problems
because of the more tender and loving way their mothers tend to relate
with them, including the less likelihood to scold them. These, according
to the researchers, could make the children happier than those being
raised by parents who are likely to see scolding and corporal punishment
as the way to go.
One of the researchers, Professor Dion Sommer, said on Mail Online,
“We know that people become more mentally flexible with age, are
more tolerant of other people and thrive better emotionally themselves.
That’s why psychological maturity may explain why older mothers
do not scold and physically discipline their children as much.
“This style of parenting can thereby contribute to a positive
psychosocial environment which affects the children’s upbringing.”
Some others who reacted to the study linked it to greater experience,
maturity and possibility of having more time for the baby, which
might not be when they were younger and probably still new in the
workforce.
Although the associated pain and risks of pregnancy at old age could
make it a somewhat painful experience, in yet another study, some
researchers at the University College London and Birkbeck,
University of London, also found that older mothers tend to make
better mothers.
The study involved 1,100 children born to older women, aged 40
and above and 38,000 children born to younger women, all in
Britain. The children were aged between nine months and five years.
At the end of the study, one of the researchers, Dr. Alastair Sutcliffe,
said they found that children of older women are treated with more
maturity and they turn out to be better in certain things. He said
even though older mothers may not have the strength to run after
the children, they tend to be better at identifying and avoiding
potentially risky situations. He told Mail Online.
He said, “We have clear evidence that there are more desirable
outcomes for children of older mothers compared with younger
ages. We can reassure older women that their children are probably
better off.
“Also, we found a continuum which showed a link between the
older ages of mothers and better outcomes. It was the effect of
age per se. The big question is why? Older mothers appear to have
good parenting skills, they may be less impulsive, calmer and
have more life experience that better equips them for the role.
“More women are giving birth at older ages, this isn’t going to
go away, for many reasons. The evidence suggests that when
the enormous difficulties of pregnancy and birth are over, they
can make better mothers.”
While this is particularly beneficial to the children, another study
has also shown that such older women have something to benefit
if they give birth at that later age. A study by the American
Geriatrics Society showed that when women have a baby after
they clock 35, it helps to boost their brain power. This difference
was traced to an increase in certain hormones that flood their system
during pregnancy, which was found to have an effect on their brain’s
chemistry and function.
Such women were also found to have an increased ability to acquire
knowledge and understanding through thought, experience and the
senses and they were said to have better verbal memory.
The lead researcher, Dr. Roksana Karim, in a post on Mail Online,
said, “While it is not enough to suggest that women wait until
after 35 years of age to close their family growth, our finding of
a positive effect of later age at last pregnancy on late-life cognition
is novel and substantial.
“It has been suggested that functional brain changes induced by
reproductive experiences have lifelong effects, particularly in
terms of improvement in memory and learning. Therefore it is
biologically plausible that a late pregnancy might offer protection
against cognitive decline in later life.
“There are robust changes in the sex steroid hormonal environment
during pregnancy and in the post-partum period. Pregnancy
induces a tremendous surge in oestradiol and progesterone levels.”
Copyright PUNCH.
Tunde Ajaja
In the present-day world, it suffices to say people now seem to be
more inclined to getting married at an early age, have children
as quickly as possible, so they could ‘move on’ with life. That
is often the explanation provided by such persons.
That is admirable and it has its merits. But on the other hand,
women who give birth at an older age seem also to have reasons
to be happy. Some scientists have said that there are some
derivable benefits when women have kids at a later age, like when
they are above 40. They note that such women tend to raise happier
children.
In the study, researchers
from Aarhus University
in Denmark observed 4,741
children of old and young
mothers. They examined the
children born to these two divisions of parents when they clocked
7, 11 and 15. They did comparison between children born to older
women and those born to younger women.
At the end of the exercise, they found that children of older
parents tend to have lesser behavioural, social and emotional problems
because of the more tender and loving way their mothers tend to relate
with them, including the less likelihood to scold them. These, according
to the researchers, could make the children happier than those being
raised by parents who are likely to see scolding and corporal punishment
as the way to go.
One of the researchers, Professor Dion Sommer, said on Mail Online,
“We know that people become more mentally flexible with age, are
more tolerant of other people and thrive better emotionally themselves.
That’s why psychological maturity may explain why older mothers
do not scold and physically discipline their children as much.
“This style of parenting can thereby contribute to a positive
psychosocial environment which affects the children’s upbringing.”
Some others who reacted to the study linked it to greater experience,
maturity and possibility of having more time for the baby, which
might not be when they were younger and probably still new in the
workforce.
Although the associated pain and risks of pregnancy at old age could
make it a somewhat painful experience, in yet another study, some
researchers at the University College London and Birkbeck,
University of London, also found that older mothers tend to make
better mothers.
The study involved 1,100 children born to older women, aged 40
and above and 38,000 children born to younger women, all in
Britain. The children were aged between nine months and five years.
At the end of the study, one of the researchers, Dr. Alastair Sutcliffe,
said they found that children of older women are treated with more
maturity and they turn out to be better in certain things. He said
even though older mothers may not have the strength to run after
the children, they tend to be better at identifying and avoiding
potentially risky situations. He told Mail Online.
He said, “We have clear evidence that there are more desirable
outcomes for children of older mothers compared with younger
ages. We can reassure older women that their children are probably
better off.
“Also, we found a continuum which showed a link between the
older ages of mothers and better outcomes. It was the effect of
age per se. The big question is why? Older mothers appear to have
good parenting skills, they may be less impulsive, calmer and
have more life experience that better equips them for the role.
“More women are giving birth at older ages, this isn’t going to
go away, for many reasons. The evidence suggests that when
the enormous difficulties of pregnancy and birth are over, they
can make better mothers.”
While this is particularly beneficial to the children, another study
has also shown that such older women have something to benefit
if they give birth at that later age. A study by the American
Geriatrics Society showed that when women have a baby after
they clock 35, it helps to boost their brain power. This difference
was traced to an increase in certain hormones that flood their system
during pregnancy, which was found to have an effect on their brain’s
chemistry and function.
Such women were also found to have an increased ability to acquire
knowledge and understanding through thought, experience and the
senses and they were said to have better verbal memory.
The lead researcher, Dr. Roksana Karim, in a post on Mail Online,
said, “While it is not enough to suggest that women wait until
after 35 years of age to close their family growth, our finding of
a positive effect of later age at last pregnancy on late-life cognition
is novel and substantial.
“It has been suggested that functional brain changes induced by
reproductive experiences have lifelong effects, particularly in
terms of improvement in memory and learning. Therefore it is
biologically plausible that a late pregnancy might offer protection
against cognitive decline in later life.
“There are robust changes in the sex steroid hormonal environment
during pregnancy and in the post-partum period. Pregnancy
induces a tremendous surge in oestradiol and progesterone levels.”
Copyright PUNCH.
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