The Pros and Cons of Postponing Children

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Here's something for everyone to chew on. Earlier this month Duke University researchers released a scientific model they've created to help women decide when its optimal for them to give birth, depending on their career and life aspirations. One tidbit that's getting plenty of feedback is this snippet from the official news release:

The model suggests that, especially in cases where both family life and career are important to the woman, having a child much earlier may be a better long-term solution than waiting until she is more established in her career.

"It may seem surprising to suggest having a child at a younger age, even if the woman places no importance on having a child until a certain age," Vernik said. "But the model takes into account the fact that taking a maternity leave has less impact on the future career of a woman who is a student or in the beginning of her professional life. This woman’s child will also be older and slightly more independent by the time the woman has reached the critical years of her career."

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