Saed News: While doctors consider the best reproductive age to be between 20 and 24 years old, according to statistics from the Population Monitoring Center of the Civil Registration Organization, the average age of mothers this year is around 27 years.
According to the Science and Technology Service of Saed News, citing Fars, researchers at Seoul University in South Korea conducted a study on 4,000 women and found that those who have children at the ages of 24 or 25 tend to have the longest lifespan.
Meanwhile, on December 11, the Population Monitoring Center of the Civil Registration Organization announced that the average age of mothers at the birth of their first child across the country in the first eight months of 2024 was approximately 27.4 years.
In recent years, due to the increasing age of marriage and delayed pregnancies, infertility rates have risen. Experts say the best reproductive age is between 20 and 24 years, while infertility rates rise to 26-46% after age 35 and reach approximately 90% after age 40.
The average maternal age at first childbirth is 28.2 years in urban areas and 24.4 years in rural areas. Among the provinces, Tehran has the highest average maternal age at first childbirth (30.5 years), while Sistan and Baluchestan has the lowest (22.6 years). However, scientifically, specialists define the reproductive age range as 15 to 45 years.
According to research, some women believe that having children after age 35 provides them with more stability, preparedness, and financial security. However, these parents often lack the energy needed to keep up with their children. For instance, by the time their child is ready for university, they are already over 52 years old. This also affects later milestones, such as witnessing their children's marriage or meeting their grandchildren.
Dr. Saeed Moeidfar, a sociologist, states that having children in today’s world has become a challenging issue. In the past, raising children was neither burdensome nor costly for parents. However, today, with increasing awareness, families are no longer willing to have children at any cost:
"Parents need to foresee their child’s future, and as a result, we have no choice but to go through this phase of an aging population."
Conversely, Ebrahim Nowrouzi, a social psychologist, argues that contrary to popular belief, economic challenges are not the primary obstacle to having children. Both international and national studies indicate that the most significant factor influencing fertility patterns is lifestyle and attitudes toward family. That is,
"Young people prioritize their own comfort and personal activities over raising children."
Dr. Nasrin Saharkhiz, a population expert and specialist in obstetrics and gynecology, asserts that reproductive health issues, such as genital diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, are at their lowest levels between the ages of 20 and 25. She explains:
"From a chromosomal perspective, eggs are at their healthiest at a young age, leading to the birth of healthier children."
Thus, if individuals become more aware of societal concerns such as population decline, they may be more inclined to alter fertility patterns and even consider planned pregnancies. However, achieving this shift requires personal growth, value-based perspectives, and a collective sense of responsibility.
