The average age of new mothers and fathers has not stopped growing in recent years. In fact, experts believe that we are heading towards a future in which it will be more and more frequent to have children at 50 instead of 40. Something that assisted reproduction techniques have facilitated. However, it is inevitable that the question arises. What is the age limit to be a father or mother?
In Spain, in legal terms there is no maximum age limit to be a father or mother. Just as it is not specified in the Law on assisted reproduction techniques, where only the minimum is contemplated, this being at 18 years of age. Although in practice, the clinics for the application of these techniques do set a maximum age. In the case of those attached to the National Health System, this is 40 years for women. While, in private, the age limit to be a mother rises to around 50 years.
In the case of adoption, certain bands are also established. In order to be an adopter, you must be at least 25 years old and at most 45. In addition, it is not allowed for the adopter and the adoptee to present an age difference of more than 45 years.
All the complicated set of economic, social, personal and emotional factors that are dealt with today, especially in the case of women, causes mothers and fathers to grow older. Financial possibilities and the difficulty in reconciling work with personal life are some of the main causes. A problem from the point of view of nature.
Biology makes it clear that the best age for motherhood is between 25 and 30 years. The scientific investigations carried out around this topic ensure that it is the ideal moment, because it is when there is less risk of complications in pregnancy and in the postpartum period.
One of the most significant is that babies are at increased risk for developmental problems. This is because older mothers and fathers have an increased chance of transferring genetic mutations. A pregnancy beyond 40 also implies risks for the mother, since they will be more prone to diabetes and high blood pressure. Too wide an age difference could also affect the relationship between the child and her parents, both socially and emotionally.
