Older Mums as capable as Younger Mums

A study carried out by the University of Southern California has found that older mothers, ie those over 50 years, are just as capable as younger mothers. They do not have higher stress levels or health risks.

This will be welcome news to the 62 year old mother from the UK and the 66 year old mother from Romania who both had children within the last couple of years.

However, Bill Ledger, professor of obstetrics at the University of Sheffield says:

“The problem I have is not what happens to mothers at 50 to 55. What worries me is what happens when their children are 18 and they are in their 70s and 80s. I am not in favour of banning things, but I am concerned for the welfare of a child whose parents are as old as its peers’ grandparents.”

Our society in general is still against the concept of older mothers. As Deannie reports in her blog post about the 62 year old UK mother, Dr Rashbrook, Josephine Quintavalle, founder of Comment on Reproductive Ethics, said that Rashbrook had “totally distorted nature”.

“What she has done is selfish, it is an example of putting her own wants ahead of those of the child,” she said. “I am sure the reaction from most of the population to this is one of revulsion and distaste.”

and Deannie herself said:

Why yes, as a matter of fact, I was repulsed.

[Read the full BBC news report here]

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