Should I have kids if I'm over 40?

Statistics show many more women now are leaving it till later to have kids. As I've mentioned before in this blog, we are extending our period of 'youth' often way into our 30's. This is not a bad thing of course! But unfortunately, our biology still means it is more difficult (despite advances in reproductive technology) to get pregnant after 40. There is a great deal of unfair judgement on women who have children later in life ~ after all, it's fairly acceptable for men to have children well into their 50's and 60's!

Although the majority of my clients are in their 30's, I have worked with a number of clients over 40 who are seeking to resolve the question of whether they have kids or not. My feeling, like this article points out, 'In the debate over “how old is too old,” many say the benefits for children of older parents are too often not taken into account, financial security and wisdom chief among them.'

I also suggest that clients take a long, through look at options like adoption or fostering. There is no longer an age limit on adoption (other than that there should be no more than 50 years between yourself and a child you adopt) and this might be an excellent option for those who don't want to go through the trials of IVF or who have found it hasn't worked for them.