Parents getting older and older

Many couples are choosing to have children when they are more financially stable

THE average age of parenthood in the UK has risen to record highs. New data from the Office for National Statistics has revealed that the average age both men and women are having children is higher than ever before.

The average age of a woman who gave birth in 2019 was 30.7 years old - the highest figure since records began in 1938, when the average age was 29.0 years.

The figure is up from the threeyear low seen between 1973 and 1975, when the average woman who gave birth was 26.4 years old.

However, it remains more than three years younger than men who had a child in 2019, with the average age of fathers standing at 33.6 when their child was born.

Data for fathers only stretches back to 1964, when the average age was 30.3 years old.

The figure also dipped in the mid70s, falling to 29.4 years old in 1974, but has been rising ever since.

The average age of men when they had a child in 2019 was the same as in 2018, making it the joint-highest figure on record.

The data includes all births, not just those of first children.

Experts say that having children later on in life has several advantages, such as feeling more ready to take care of them and being more financially stable.

However, there can also be risks associated with having children later in life.

While the average age of mothers in the UK has risen, the rate of stillbirths in England and Wales has dropped to its lowest point on record, with 3.9 stillbirths per 1,000 births in 2019.

The highest rate was seen in women aged 40 years and over, with 5.5 per 1,000.

But the next-highest rate was in women under 20 years old, with 4.4 per 1,000, meaning the highest stillbirth rates are found in the youngest and oldest mothers.

The safest period for women to have children according to this metric was between 30 and 34 years old, as there were only 3.6 stillbirths per 1,000 births within this age group.

Elizabeth Duff, senior policy advisor at the National Childbirth Trust, said: “While there are slightly higher risks of complications for some pregnant women in their late 30s and 40s, the majority are fit, healthy and likely to have straightforward births and healthy babies.

“Getting pregnant at an older age can have its advantages.

“Feeling ready to have a baby is important for the ability to enjoy parenthood. And older mums may be more prepared financially and socially than they were at a younger age.

“Although cases of stillbirth are low overall, they are slightly higher in older pregnant women. “These mums-to-be should try not to worry too much though - stillbirth is rare even in women over 40.”