Wanting to have children: age limit only for women?

Whether Michelle Hunziker, Halle Berry, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy or Uma Thurman – all of these women became pregnant late. While fatherhood is considered completely normal beyond the age of 40, women don't just have to put up with strange looks. Isn't that unfair? Why do late mothers take much more criticism than late fathers?

More and more do not become fathers until they are 50

Mel Gibson, David Bowie, Michael Douglas, Franz Beckenbauer – they were all over 60, sometimes 70, when they became fathers again. Not to mention the celebrity and non-celebrity fathers who were "only" 50 plus when their children were born. In 2011, 117,000 fathers were older than 40 when their child was born. The proportion of fathers who were older than 70 increased by 20 percent in the same period. That doesn't cause much excitement.

On the other hand, there are women who have to be asked in their early 40s why they become mothers so late. And beyond 50? Does not work! Or is it? In a current forsa study for ELTERN (2/2016), 37 percent stated that no one would find a mother to be exceptional at 50 in 20 years. Since this will not work even then without medical help, 31 percent of those surveyed stated that they could personally imagine social freezing. 54 percent have nothing against egg donation if they do not wish to have children. However, only 15 percent can imagine becoming a late mother in this way.

Nature gives men more time – that's that?

While women over the age of 40 have to hope for the support of fertility medicine more and more often, it is easier for men. Nature gives them more time and old age offspring is often celebrated as an expression of great joie de vivre. Injustice – but that's it?

This article originally appeared on Eltern.de.

Eva Becker