30s are now the new 20s.

三十幾歲就是新的二十幾歲。

In 2016, for the first time ever, more American women had babies in their early 30s than in their 20s.

2016 年，史上第一次，在三十初歲生小孩的美國女性比二十幾歲生小孩的多。

And women are now 25% older when they give birth compared to 50 years ago.

與五十年前相比，女性平均生小孩的年齡大上了百分之二十五。

But isn't having kids at an older age harder on your body?

但年紀越大，生小孩越傷身，不是嗎？

And couldn't that mean more risk to the baby?

那不就代表小孩子會有更多風險嗎？

Come to think of it, what is the difference between giving birth in your 20s versus your 30s?

這樣想想，在 20 幾歲生小孩跟在 30 幾歲生小孩有什麼差別呢？

Giving birth at any age is a big change.

不管在幾歲生小孩對人生都是很大的改變。

For one, you'll have a child to support.

其中一點，妳會有一個小孩要撫養。

They cost the average household around $230,000 to raise, but there are some major differences based on when you give birth.

一般的家庭撫養小孩平均要花 23 萬美金，但根據妳生小孩的時間會有巨大的不同。

Take fertility; between the ages of 20 and 24, women have an 86% chance of conceiving after trying for a year.

以繁殖能力來說， 20 歲到 24 歲之間，嘗試懷孕一年的女性大概有百分之八十六的機率可以成功受孕。

But that chance falls to around 50% in your late 30s.

但妳的年紀邁入 30 末尾時，懷孕機率就會降至百分之五十。

And then there's your health.

再來還有你的健康。

20-somethings have a lower chance of miscarrying and of conditions like gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and high blood pressure.

20 幾歲的女性有比較低的流產率以及罹患妊娠糖尿病、子癎前症和高血壓的機率。

But when it comes to your health later in life, waiting until your 30s to give birth is better.

但對妳晚年的健康來說，等到 30 幾歲在來生小孩是比較好的。

Research shows that moms who first gave birth in their early 30s report higher energy, better fitness, and fewer aches and pains compared to moms who first gave birth in their early 20s.

根據研究， 30 歲才成為新手媽媽的女性精力更好、更健康，而且比起 20 初歲就生小孩的女性更少腰痠背痛。

And that might help explain another scientific finding.

這也可以解釋到另一個科學上的發現。

Women who have kids in their 30s might also live longer.

在 30 多歲生小孩的女性或許可以活更久。

According to a paper published in 2015, women who had their last child after age 33 were twice as likely to live past 95 compared to women who had their last child before their 30th birthday.

根據 2015 年的研究發現， 33 歲後才生最後一個小孩的女性比起 30 歲以前就生最後一個小孩的女性有雙倍的可能性可以活超過 95 歲。

And perhaps they'll also have more money to spend in those extra years.

她們多活的那幾年還可能有更多錢可以花。

A Danish study found that college-educated mothers who were 31 to 34 when they gave birth earned around $5,000 more income over their lifetime compared to the average woman with a college degree, whereas college-educated women who had their first kid before 25 earned around $80,000 less.

一個丹麥的研究顯示， 31 到 34 歲具大學學歷的新手媽嗎們比起一般大學畢業的女性在人生中多賺了 5000 元美金，而 25 歲之前就生第一胎的大學畢業女性則少賺了大約 8 萬美金。

Of course, that's just moms. What about the kids?

當然，那只是在說媽媽們而已，那小孩子呢？

If their moms gave birth in their 30s instead of their 20s, those kids might be safer, smarter, or even taller.

如果媽媽們在 30 幾歲生小孩而不是 20 幾歲，那些小孩或許更安全、更聰明、甚至長更高。

On top of that, there might be more of them.

再加上，小孩可能會更多。

That's right, because if you wait until your 30s, you're more likely to have twins.

沒錯，因為如果妳等到 30 歲再生小孩的話，妳就更有可能會生雙胞胎。

Older women have higher levels of a hormone called FSH, which stimulates the ovaries.

年紀較大的女性有更多叫濾泡刺激素的賀爾蒙，它們會刺激子宮。

Normally, women release just enough FSH to ovulate or release one egg, but near menopause, they produce a ton of it, which can cause two eggs to ovulate and ultimately result in twins.

通常，女性濾泡刺激素的量剛好可以讓她排一個卵，但接近更年期時，濾泡刺激素會增多而導致女性排兩個卵，因而懷雙胞胎。

Now, whether having twins is a benefit, that's up to you.

不過，生雙胞胎是不是個好處就取決於你怎麼認為了。

But one thing's for sure, whether you have kids at 21 or 35, you will never be the same again.

但有一件事是確定的，無論妳在 21 歲還是 35 歲生小孩，妳永遠都不會一樣了。