More Minnesota babies are being born to moms in their 30s

Women giving birth in Minnesota are getting older.

The big picture: Close to 60% of babies born in the state in 2023 had birth mothers in their 30s or older, according to preliminary CDC data.

• That's a 38% increase from 1997, when just over 40% of birth moms were 30+.

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: 30.35 is the average age of a woman giving birth in Minnesota — slightly higher than the national average of 29.58.

• Connecticut, Washington, D.C., Massachusetts, and New Jersey have some of the highest ages, with averages above 31.

Zoom in: Regions with higher income and education levels tend to see older first-time moms 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.

• Some research suggests that being 35+ and pregnant could lead to better brainpower after menopause and a smaller gender wage gap .

Between the lines: The decades-old idea that 35 is " advanced maternal age " is a "dated paradigm," Alison Cahill, professor and associate dean at the University of Texas at Austin's Dell Medical School, told Axios.

• "There's nothing really particularly magic" about age 35, she said.

Yes, but: Risks, including of miscarriage, increase much more after age 40.

• New American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists guidelines emphasize that pregnancy risks should be considered among patients in five-year age groups instead of a big advanced maternal age group.

Carly's thought bubble