Hyderabad: Urban women delaying motherhood, study flags rising pregnancy risks

A Hyderabad-based study reveals a sharp rise in women delaying motherhood beyond 35 years in urban centres. While reflecting changing priorities such as education and careers, doctors warn that delayed pregnancies are linked to higher rates of diabetes and thyroid disorders.

Hyderabad: The traditional timelines of a woman’s journey from marriage to parenthood is shifting rapidly, with women in urban centres like Hyderabad prioritizing education, financial independence and professional growth over early motherhood.

A landmark study titled ‘Maternal Risk Factor Stratification and Outcomes of Births at Tertiary Referral Centre in India’ by doctors from Hyderabad, published in the prestigious Springer (20 December, 2025), reflects the significant shift of reproductive choices among women.

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The percentage of women, according to the study taken-up by doctors from Hyderabad-based Fernandez Hospital between January 2013 and December 2023, covering 1, 02, 683 births, conceiving after 35 years of age nearly doubled in a decade, rising from 5.7 percent in 2013 to 11.5 percent in 2023.

The percentage of women conceiving after 40 years also doubled, increasing from 0.6 percent in 2013 to 1.3 percent in 2013. The study clearly highlights these shifting trends in maternal characteristics as key factors that help in planning pregnancies and encouraging healthy lifestyle changes.

“It is a fact that preferences among women, especially educated women in urban centres are changing. Pregnancies are getting delayed, as women seek to become financially independent first. We have in our practice noticed the domino effect on women’s health due to delayed marriages and pregnancies,” says Professor, Paediatrics, Government Medical College and Hospital, Nagarkunrool, Dr T Usha Rani.

As a result of delayed marriages and pregnancies, the study has indicated that there is a significant increase in pregnancy-related Diabetes (now 30.5 percent and Thyroid disorders, which is at present 27.5 percent. The study indicated that 41.5 percent of women who start their pregnancy as ‘low-risk’ become ‘high-risk’ by the time of child birth.

“Educated women want to be well established financially before they get into marriage. It takes at least five-years i.e. usually between 24 years and 26 years or even more to gain a solid 5 years of experience. As a result, motherhood is delayed,” doctors said.

The Hyderabad-based study also reflects the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), covering the 2019-2021 period, the urban trends. The NFHS has said the median age of women at first birth is significantly higher in urban populations.