The average age Ohio mothers give birth
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Almost 50% of Ohio babies born in 2023 had birth mothers in their 30s and older, according to provisional CDC data.
Why it matters: In the last few years, age 35 has gone from the start of "geriatric pregnancy" to potentially a maternal-age sweet spot.
By the numbers: Today, 28.9 is the average age of a woman giving birth in Ohio, just below the national average of 29.6.
Between the lines: Regions with higher income and education levels "are correlated with increased advanced maternal age," partly because women there are deliberately delaying pregnancy for economic reasons, Jane van Dis, OB-GYN and assistant professor at the University of Rochester, tells Axios.
The intrigue: 35-year-olds received more prenatal monitoring and had a small decrease in prenatal mortality compared with even those a few months younger, according to a 2021 JAMA Health Forum study.
- And some research suggests that being 35+ and pregnant could lead to better brainpower after menopause and a smaller gender wage gap.