A growing share of Americans are opting to start parenthood later in life, having their first children in their late 20s, 30s and even 40s. Federal data shows steady growth of the number of older first-time parents over at least the past two decades. By 2021, the mean age for first birth hit 27.3, a record high. The share of people in their 30s and 40s giving birth has continually increased since 2000. The shift is emblematic of other lifestyle changes. Americans are marrying later, with many waiting until then to have children. These changes indicate strides toward greater gender equity, experts said. But health care hasn’t necessarily kept up. ✍️: Shefali Luthra, health reporter for @19thnews 📸: @camille.lenain for The 19th