Motherhood after 40: when life choices meet biological reality

However, this social trend faces biological realities. Dr. Ayman Aït Haj Kaddour, a lecturer, notes that while medical advancements like assisted reproductive technology and egg freezing have expanded possibilities, they do not negate the natural decline in female fertility with age. This trend is particularly noticeable in urban areas and among women with higher education levels in Morocco.

Societal changes, including extended education and women's entry into the workforce, contribute to delaying marriage and first pregnancies. Dr. Aït Haj Kaddour explains that medical progress has sometimes created a perception that technology can fully compensate for biological decline, encouraging some women to postpone parenthood further. While 35 is traditionally considered advanced maternal age, the risk significantly increases after 40, classifying such pregnancies as high-risk and requiring heightened medical surveillance from preconception through pregnancy.

The primary challenge remains fertility, as women are born with a finite ovarian reserve that diminishes over time, accelerating after 40. The quality of oocytes also declines with age, impacting fertilization chances, implantation, and increasing the risk of chromosomal abnormalities like Trisomy 21, which is 50 times higher at 45 than at 20.