Older moms' kids... any advice?

Are kids born to moms over 35 just as healthy and "normal" as those born to younger women?
Lately, I’ve been reading stuff suggesting that children of older mothers face higher risks for autism, followed by asthma, or even more serious issues like childhood leukemia—things you just can't spot through standard genetic screening during pregnancy.
Of course, things like Down syndrome and the other eleven chromosomal disorders are caught via amniocentesis, but they’re still heavily linked to maternal age.
Based on what these studies are saying, should women over 35 even be considering having children at all?
What do you all think? I'm 36 myself and currently three months pregnant... so, naturally, I've fallen down this rabbit hole of overthinking everything.😢

My mom had me when she was 35, I had my kid at 36, and even my husband's mom was 39 when she gave birth—all of them totally fine and healthy. You’re honestly overthinking this way too much. Just go for a walk or something 😉

Oh, please—having kids at that age is completely normal. I know plenty of women who had babies later in life, and everything turned out just fine, both for them and the kids. Honestly, you have nothing to worry about. 🙂

Wishing you all the best during this exciting wait!
There is a certain statistical grain of truth to the idea that some health issues might pop up more frequently when parents are older—though nowadays, doctors don't just look at the mother's age as the sole factor anymore—but...
"If I eat steak every day while someone else eats cabbage, then statistically speaking, we’re both eating stuffed cabbage rolls every single day!"
I actually had my own baby at 34, and if everything stays as wonderful as it has been, I would love to have another child, which would put me past that 35-year mark.
My line of work brings me into contact with quite a few children dealing with various health challenges, and from what I see firsthand, my personal experience doesn't really support a direct link between parental age and those specific issues.
Besides, medical consensus seems to shift constantly anyway. To be honest, I was actually a little disappointed when I was treated like any other "standard" pregnant woman; I was expecting a much more intensive battery of tests and... well, all that extra stuff.
I should probably mention that I already have one beautiful, energetic older child.
Sending you so much luck!

Look, based on what we learned back in college, sure—there’s a link between certain genetic issues and maternal age, meaning things get a bit riskier after 35. BUT—and this is a huge but—that doesn't mean women over 35 should just write off having kids entirely. Good grief. That tiny statistical bump doesn't always play out in real life. To give you a similar example, the risk of blood clots or a pulmonary embolism goes up for women on birth control, and jumps even higher during pregnancy, yet most women on the pill or expecting a baby deal with zero issues.

My mom had me when she was 36 and I'm healthy as a horse. 😍

Thanks for the input, everyone. I know I’m probably overthinking this—maybe even being a bit irrational—but sometimes fear just feels more real than logic ever could. I'll try to find some more substantive reading material to clear my head.

My mother gave birth to my brother when she was forty. The man is as sharp as a tack. 😍

Nancy Grant77 said:My mom had my brother when she was 40—guy’s built like a tank. 😍

Man, you really nailed this one.🤣

Look, the fact is, there are more risks for women over 35... but that just means getting a little extra attention from your OBGYN, nothing more.

My mom, for instance, had me when she was 41.
And I turned out to be Kevin Bailey2... if you think that's such a bad thing.
So what?
Nobody's perfect.