Countries With The Oldest Average Mother's Age At First Birth

Late or delayed pregnancy is very common among the working class women around the world today. Most women get married at an early age but go for years without getting their first pregnancy. While some delayed pregnancies are a result of medical conditions, the majority of delayed pregnancy in women is a personal choice. Education is one of the leading causes of delayed pregnancy since women would want to concentrate on their schooling before they can get their first baby. Women who have jobs that involve a lot of traveling or jobs that consume a lot of their time will probably delay their pregnancy until the job becomes more flexible. Society and social class have also influenced the age a woman gets married and by extension get their first baby. In some countries, a woman’s mean age at first birth is as high as 31 years. Some of the countries with the greatest mother’s average age at birth include Greece, Australia, South Korea, Japan, and Italy among others.

Countries With The Highest Mother's Mean Age At First Birth

Greece

Greece is considered the 19th best country in the world to give birth, according to Save the Children. Traditional conservative family values are still unyielding in Greece just like in other Mediterranean countries. Gender inequality in Greece is still very high especially in employment while divorce rate remains low. Fertility levels in women continue to dwindle while most women delay pregnancy until late in their life. With an average of 31.20 years, Greece has the highest average age of attaining the first motherhood. The highest average age is attributed to lack of proper and formal childcare, inflexible working environment and social transformation. These challenges facing women have forced them to make a choice between family and work, but with the crisis in the country, most women settle for work.

Australia

Australia bureau of statistics shows that most women in Australia wait until late in life to become mothers. The number of first mothers aged between 25 and 45 continues to increase every year in the country. In fact, first-time mothers over the age of 40 are more common than teenage mothers. Most women in Australia have their first pregnancy at an average age of 30.50 years. The delay or late pregnancy is attributed to education, employment opportunities, and economic status. As they become empowered, women have considered babies as hindrances in their pursuit of a career, education, and other interests.

South Korea, Japan, Italy

Conservative working environment, inflexible working conditions, and education are holding women in South Korea, Japan, and Italy from becoming mothers. Most women in these countries join motherhood at an average age of 30.30 years. In South Korea, a pregnant woman is considered a burden in some workplaces because someone will have to carry out her duties in her absence. In Italy, apart from the inflexible working conditions, a change in social lifestyle has considerably contributed to delayed motherhood. Most young women see babies as a hindrance to reaching certain social levels.

Conclusion

Most mothers who delay their motherhood have been able to achieve a lot of success in career and education compared to early moms. Their average education levels are higher compared to their age-mates who gave birth at an early age. The older mothers have a lot of time to care for their babies since they have a very little distraction. However, pregnancy risks increase with age with most premature births and Down syndrome common among older mothers.