I don't think men or women should be conceiving children in their 50s or later. I think if you want children you should make it a priority and get it done earlier. I do think there are cases when older parenting is great --- i.e. adopting a grandchild the parent can't care for or fostering a child. But I don't think anyone should aim to be a first-time parent after they've hit 50 or even 40.
It's not just risk of parental death or fetal abnormalities that should discourage people from having children so late in life, but quality of life. I look at my three living grandparents, the youngest of whom is 80, and I see all sorts of health problems. All have mobility issues. Two haven't driven in years. Two have dementia. All have had major surgery. All have assistance through in-home care or nursing care. Two have major back problems.
Many diseases or disabilities can be harder for relatives to deal with than death. Given the increased risks of serious ailments with age, it's very hard for me to understand why someone would want to become a first-tome parent so late. The older parent have a good quality of life for the time being, but what happens when the kid is ten and the parent can't drive anymore? What happens when the child is 15 and the parent has to move in to a nursing home?
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I don't think men or women should be conceiving children in their 50s or later. I think if you want children you should make it a priority and get it done earlier. I do think there are cases when older parenting is great --- i.e. adopting a grandchild the parent can't care for or fostering a child. But I don't think anyone should aim to be a first-time parent after they've hit 50 or even 40.
It's not just risk of parental death or fetal abnormalities that should discourage people from having children so late in life, but quality of life. I look at my three living grandparents, the youngest of whom is 80, and I see all sorts of health problems. All have mobility issues. Two haven't driven in years. Two have dementia. All have had major surgery. All have assistance through in-home care or nursing care. Two have major back problems.
Many diseases or disabilities can be harder for relatives to deal with than death. Given the increased risks of serious ailments with age, it's very hard for me to understand why someone would want to become a first-tome parent so late. The older parent have a good quality of life for the time being, but what happens when the kid is ten and the parent can't drive anymore? What happens when the child is 15 and the parent has to move in to a nursing home?
August 24, 2009 - 7:22amThis Comment
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