Parenthood Postponed: Characteristics of Older First-Time Mothers in New Zealand

Bryndl Hohmann-Marriott, University of Otago

In New Zealand, as in most developed countries, age at first-time parenthood is rising. This postponement of parenthood has major consequences for the population as well as for individuals, but it has not yet been described in New Zealand. This analysis describes the characteristics of first-time New Zealand mothers of advanced maternal age. Data are from the new study Growing Up in New Zealand, which follows a cohort born in 2009/10. Data include 2,850 first-time expectant mothers, and those aged 32-36 and 37+ are compared with those aged 24-31 on a number of sociodemographic measures. This comparison reveals that advanced-age mothers are socioeconomically advantaged relative to the comparison group. Those 37+ stand in contrast to all other ages in their high use of ART and differ from those 32-36 in the relatively higher numbers who are unpartnered and of Pacific Island ethnicity.