Who are the late mothers?

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Sociology
• Demography

Background:

• The incidence of late births (maternal age 35+) has risen since the 1980s.
• Shifting demographics include an increase in women of childbearing age and their fertility.
• Characteristics of late mothers have evolved, with more first-time mothers, those in second unions, and highly educated individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze trends in late births by comparing characteristics of mothers aged 35+ with those under 35.
• To investigate fertility patterns among different subgroups of women over 35.
• To examine the proportion of late births across various birth orders, marital histories, education levels, and occupations.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of births to mothers aged 35+ versus those under 35.
• Examination of fertility trends within specific demographic groups of women aged 35+.
• Analysis of late birth proportions based on birth order, marital status, education, and occupation.

Main Results:

• Late births are increasingly first births due to higher fertility among childless women over 35.
• An increase in births within second unions is observed, linked to the rising prevalence of such unions.
• Late mothers exhibit higher educational attainment and occupational status, reflecting broader societal trends and delayed career progression.

Conclusions:

• Late mothers are more numerous and possess higher social status compared to previous decades.
• The perception of age as a pregnancy risk factor may be evolving.
• While primiparity is more common among late mothers, their pregnancies are increasingly planned.