When Gu Ailing won two golds and one silver at the Winter Olympics, many people said that the reason why Gu Ailing was so good was because her mother, Gu Yan, gave birth to her late, and she was born to an elderly mother. The baby is smarter, and the mother has laid good genes for the baby from the womb.
I thought it was funny when I saw this remark. Does that mean that all people as good as Gu Ailing have mothers of advanced age? In that case, wouldn’t children born in their sixties or seventies be smarter?
The fact that a child born is healthy or not, smart or not is determined by many factors.
Statistically
The optimal reproductive age is 25-35 for women and 27-35 for men. Parents in this age group have a lower risk of having children.
But this is only a matter of probability. It does not mean that the children born to parents who are not in this age group are not good, nor does it mean that parents who have children in this age group must not have children. Problems will arise.
From a medical perspective
Women who become pregnant between the ages of 25 and 34 have a lower risk of complications during pregnancy; if all fetal abnormalities are considered, pregnancy between the ages of 25 and 29 is more ideal.
In 2009, the United States conducted a study on the relationship between maternal-related complications and age. The data show that both very old and very young are associated with an increased risk of complications during pregnancy, while the middle age group has a relatively lower risk of complications.
Complications mentioned here include: preterm birth, intrauterine infection, puerperal infection, low birth weight, postpartum hemorrhage, fetal asphyxia, hypertension, mild preeclampsia, severe preeclampsia , eclampsia, placenta previa.
In the case of hypertension, the older the age, the higher the incidence; in the case of preterm birth, the incidence is higher in the younger pregnant women.
If you look at the risk of complications during pregnancy, 11-14 years of age have the highest risk, and 30-34 years of age have the lowest risk.
From the perspective of chromosomal abnormalities, 19-21 years old is the age with the lowest incidence, and then it increases slightly year by year. After the age of 35, the incidence begins to increase. At the age of 49, the incidence rate can be to one-sixth.
On the whole, when a woman is 25-35 years old, her body has matured, and the quality of her eggs is the best. At this time, her bones are also more completely calcified, her pelvis is wider, and her physical fitness is better. , the probability of an accident during childbirth is relatively low, and the postpartum recovery is faster.
A man’s age also plays an important role in gestation, with a US study showing that babies with older fathers are at increased risk of preterm birth, low birth weight and low Alzheimer’s scores. Increase.
Men 25-34 had a 14% lower chance of having a baby prematurely and an 18% lower chance of epilepsy than men over 45.
A man’s sperm count decreases with age, and sperm quality also changes with age. Older men also have changes in the genetic material in their sperm that can increase the risk of offspring diseases such as autism, autosomal dominant disorders and tumors.
With age, the quality of men’s semen will also gradually decline, the sperm concentration will become lower, the vitality will be insufficient, fertilization will not be easy, and the deformity rate will increase.
Other aspects
Pregnancy and childbirth are not only related to the physical health of the parents, but also to the family background, economic conditions, and career plans of the parents.
Generally, in the age group of 25-35 years old, women are psychologically mature, have relatively stable jobs, relatively good economic conditions, and relatively stable husband and wife relationships. At this time, women will have more energy to conceive a baby, and can better accompany and educate their children.
Therefore, if you want to conceive a healthy and smart baby, age alone is not enough, you must first have good living habits, don’t stay up late, don’t smoke or drink, because tobacco and alcohol will seriously affect sperm and egg quality.
Secondly, exercise properly, mix diet scientifically, control weight and blood sugar, and keep your body in a good state.
Finally, both husband and wife should adjust their mentality and prepare psychologically. They don’t have to worry too much about age, and make appropriate plans according to their own circumstances, and everything will come naturally.