30-Something Women Having More Babies Than 20-Something Women

By Kathy Walsh

DENVER (CBS4)- It used to be in the U.S., women in their late 20s had the most babies. Not anymore. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for the first time women in their early 30s are having more babies than younger moms.

"Oh my gosh, we just love him so much," said new mother Megan Mann.

Baby Wake is 6-weeks-old.

From day one, Mann has loved being a mom.

"It's amazing. It's the best thing that's ever happened, absolutely," Mann told CBS4 Health Specialist Kathy Walsh.

Wake was born on Mann's 34th birthday. Mann and husband, Perry, had already been married for three years. They were in no hurry to become parents.

"We just waited because we were really just enjoying our life," said Mann.

The couple spent time with friends, established their careers, then started a family.

"I tell my friends 'Just don't feel any pressure, you have plenty of time,'" said Mann.

Mann is not unusual. According to 2016 data from the CDC, for the first time women in their 30s in the U.S. are having more babies than younger moms. The birth rate for women 30 to 34 was about 103 per 100,000; the rate for women 25 to 29 was 102 per 100,000.

"I definitely see more moms in their thirties and even their later thirties," said Dr. Joyce Gottesfeld, obstetrician-gynecologist with Kaiser Permanente Colorado.

"I think women want to complete their education. They want to get a job. They want to have some financial security," said Gottesfeld.

But Gottesfeld cautions there are biological facts women can't ignore.

"Your risk of miscarriage goes up as you get older. It does become harder to get pregnant," she said.

Mann wants to wait two or three years before having another baby. For now, she is happy to dote on her darling baby boy.

Kathy Walsh is CBS4's Weekend Anchor and Health Specialist. She has been with CBS4 for more than 30 years. She is always open to story ideas. Follow Kathy on Twitter @WalshCBS4.