The perfect age to have your first child is 29, scientists say

"The findings show that the younger someone is when they become a parent, the more likely they are to experience long-term challenges, including not finishing high school, reporting poorer health, and having lower income across the lifespan. These patterns were similar for teen and young fathers and teen and young mothers."

"Based on the findings of the present study, the ideal age [to have your first child] is between 26 and 31. It is between these years that self-rated health and mental health, income and education appear to be stable."

"For the study, the University of New Brunswick's team analysed data on 6,282 adults who had children. They calculated the exact age each participant was when their first child was born and collected information on their life outcomes. The age people became parents was heavily linked to educational success, analysis showed."

"As the age of first-time parenthood increased, the likelihood of completing post-secondary education - for example, going to university - rose rapidly. The probability of earning a higher income also increased significantly as people delayed having children, and levelled off between the ages of 26 and 31."

Becoming a parent at a younger age is associated with lower long-term income, worse physical and mental health, and reduced educational success. Those who have children in their early twenties, including teen and young fathers and mothers, show higher likelihood of long-term challenges such as not finishing high school, reporting poorer health, and earning less across the lifespan. Health and wealth increase as the age of first parenthood rises, with benefits leveling off as people approach age 30. Analysis of 6,282 adults who had children found that educational completion and higher income become more likely as first-time parenthood is delayed, stabilizing between ages 26 and 31.

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