More Mass. babies being born to moms in their 30s

68% of Massachusetts babies born in 2023 had birth mothers in their 30s and older, while 30% of babies were born to mothers over 35, 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, 31.53 is the average age of a woman giving birth in Massachusetts, the second highest in the country next to Washington, D.C.

• 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, says Jane van Dis, OB-GYN and assistant professor at the University of Rochester.

The intrigue: 35-year-olds received more prenatal monitoring and had a small decrease in prenatal mortality compared even to 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 .