Getting pregnant at any age results in significant changes to your body and life. There are certain symptoms you can expect no matter how old you are, and there is no perfect age for pregnancy. That being said, there are some differences between being pregnant in your 20s and 30s that may influence your decision about when to start thinking about visiting a birthing center and starting a family.

What Is Pregnancy Like in Your 20s?

Physically speaking, your 20s are an ideal time to get pregnant. Not only is it generally easier to conceive a baby in your 20s, but your risk of miscarriage is also significantly lower than when you are older. Women in their 20s often have easier pregnancies as well, as the risk of complications such as gestational diabetes and preeclampsia is lower when you are younger.

Labor and delivery also tend to be easier in your 20s. Generally, younger women tend to be more physically fit, allowing most to give birth vaginally in a birthing center. The risk of needing a cesarean section is lower than average for younger mothers, and women between the ages of 24 and 29 have the lowest risk of delivering a low birth weight or preterm baby. Either way you deliver, though, you’re more likely to have an easy recovery when you are younger.

What Is Pregnancy Like in Your 30s?

Turning 30 doesn’t automatically mean that you will struggle to conceive or automatically have a challenging pregnancy. While it is true that the older you are, the more challenging it can be to get pregnant, many women successfully conceive well into their 30’s. Women in their 30’s may also experience more complications in pregnancy, often because they already have chronic health conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes when they get pregnant. These increased risks also include a slightly higher risk for a miscarriage as well as a higher risk for a baby with chromosomal abnormalities.

Mothers in their 30s may be more likely to give birth on the operating table in the birthing center than their younger counterparts; however, research indicates that women who have babies in their 30s live longer and are healthier than those who started families when they were younger.

What Are Some Sociological Factors?

Although getting pregnant in your 20s may be optimal physically and biologically, many researchers agree that, sociologically, waiting to have a child is a better decision. Not only do older mothers tend to be healthier, but babies born to older women also tend to be healthier. Women in their 30s also tend to be more stable financially than younger women and are better prepared emotionally for the demands of motherhood, even if they have less energy than they did previously.

Serving families in the Southwest Georgia area, Colquitt Regional Medical Center offers state-of-art medical care to patients of all ages as well as a comfortable, compassionate environment for you to welcome your new baby. The Moultrie-based facility specializes in orthopedic surgery, women’s health, weight loss procedures, and emergency services. To learn more about their providers and services, visit them online. Or, call (229) 985-3420 with questions about their birthing center and to schedule a tour.