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| Photo credit: Pancia, by Fabrizio Morroia |
This week, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists begins recommending every pregnant woman, regardless of age, be offered a choice of tests for this common birth defect.
Age 35 was always a somewhat arbitrary threshold for urging mothers-to-be to seek testing.
Yes, the older women are, the higher their risk of having a baby with Down syndrome.
But it's a gradual increase in risk — from one in 1,200 at age 25 to about one in 300 at age 35.
Nothing suddenly changes at the 35th birthday.
Indeed, because more babies are born to younger women than older ones, women under 35 actually give birth to most of the nation's children with Down syndrome.
It's clear there's no magic jump at 35,said Dr. James Goldberg of San Francisco Perinatal Associates, a member of the ACOG committee that developed the guideline.
We've done away with age 35, because the screening tests have gotten much better.
Read more: All pregnant women should get Down syndrome test
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Inconceivable: Winning the Fertility Gameby Julia Indichova
-- One in six couples in America will experience reproductive problems. Julia Indichova and her husband were part of that statistic.
According to several fertility specialists, Julia's high FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) level was an indication that her body was no longer producing fertilizable eggs.
Her only chance of conceiving, they said, was in-vitro-fertilization with a donor egg.
After a futile quest for a more hopeful prognosis, Julia searched through a variety of holistic alternatives and finally decided upon a personal healing regimen.
She followed it as single-mindedly, as one would follow a doctor's prescription of antibiotics. Her daughter Adira was conceived naturally, eight months later, and was born on April 29, 1994.
Hardcover: 201 pagesClick to order/for more info: Inconceivable
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| Photo credit: Beautiful, perfect boy, by David Donachie |
The survey asked an unusual question: How were they told that their child had Down syndrome?
One woman said that after her baby was born in 2000,
the doctor flat out told my husband that this could have been prevented ... at an earlier stage.
Of 141 women who learned through prenatal testing, many said they felt urged to terminate the pregnancies.
One said that after learning her amniocentesis results, the doctor told her
our child would never be able to read, write or count change.
Mr. Skotko, whose sister has Down syndrome, saw his project swept up in a complicated debate over the termination of fetuses diagnosed with disabilities.
It raised a provocative question: Can what a doctor says influence how a woman chooses?
Full article: A Brother's Survey Touches a Nerve
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Gifts: Mothers Reflect on How Children with Down Syndrome Enrich Their Livesby Kathryn Lynard Soper (Author), Martha Sears (Foreword)
-- Having a baby with Down syndrome is not something most parents would willingly choose. Yet many who travel this path discover rich, unexpected rewards along the way.
In this candid and poignant collection of personal stories, sixty-three mothers describe the gifts of respect, strength, delight, perspective, and love, which their child with Down syndrome has brought into their lives.
The contributors to this collection have diverse personalities and perspectives, and draw from a wide spectrum of ethnicity, world views, and religious beliefs. Some are parenting within a traditional family structure; some are not.
Some never considered terminating their pregnancy; some struggled with the decision. Some were calm at the time of diagnosis; some were traumatized. Some write about their pregnancy and the months after giving birth; some reflect on years of experience with their child.
Their diverse experiences point to a common truth: The life of a child with Down syndrome is something to celebrate. These women have something to say--not just to other mothers but to all of us.
Paperback: 326 pages;Click to order/for more info: Gifts: Mothers Reflect on How Children with Down Syndrome Enrich Their Lives
It is happening! Pregnancy after 40 is no more as rare as it used to be. Congratulations, if you have already conceived.
It is not an easy journey when you get pregnant after the age of 40. There are extra precautions to be taken, more tests to be carried out, and there is always the fear of something going wrong.
Miscarriage, premature delivery, delivering a baby with a genetic defect and the list goes on and on.
To top it all you have to put up with comments and questions from your
well meaningfriends and relatives. But believe in yourself, pray, and read the right kind of books. This will help you through the various stages.
Reasons For Pregnancy Over 40
Maybe you were career-oriented and feared that child rearing will come in the way, or you may have had a late marriage. Divorce and remarriage could be yet another reason. Maybe you were undergoing infertility treatment.
Maybe even a psychological buildup due to a neglected childhood affected your decision to have a baby earlier on in life. Now it is anyways not the time to ponder over the reasons but to go ahead and do whatever possible to nurture your unborn baby.
Getting pregnant over 40 is difficult as the reproductive capacity slowly decreases after 35. If you are one of those who are trying to balance a high-stress job and your pregnancy, I am telling you that you are only adding to your risks.
Take up something less stressful and yet fulfilling. Eat healthily, avoid alcohol and caffeine. Have reasonable physical activity and take adequate rest. Try to practice meditation.
Prenatal Tests
You should undergo all the routine blood, urine and blood pressure tests. In addition, you can opt to get additional tests done as applicable for late pregnancies. These tests are done to detect defects like Down's syndrome. Although not fully accurate, a normal result can be a great relief. If the results are not good, prepare for the arrival of a baby with special needs.
You can also decide not to get these additional tests done. The risks involved in getting pregnant above the age of 40 are similar to that of a late after the age of 35 but are definitely more pronounced. Gain more insight on the subject by reading books. Get yourself a pregnancy wheel< to keep track of your progress.
Social Aspects Of Pregnancy After 40
Whom all to tell and when to tell that you are pregnant? As you missed your period and felt the early symptoms, you must have already told your partner. After the medical tests confirm that you are pregnant, you may want to confide in one or two of your friends and relatives. Since it is a pregnancy over the age of 40, you might want to wait until the end of the first trimester also.
If the additional prenatal tests are normal, you may feel more confident in telling others. In any case, be prepared for some disapproving comments. Maintain your calm and peace. Let your pregnancy after 40 be safe for you and your baby.
Congratulations for getting pregnant over 40. If you are worried over what others will say, don't. Although you have to be extra cautious as the risks increase, there is no reason why you should not enjoy your pregnancy. Get the required prenatal tests done and maintain a healthy routine throughout your pregnancy, study the pregnancy wheel for the different pregnancy stages, and all will be great.
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
It Starts with the Egg:How the Science of Egg Quality Can Help You Get Pregnant Naturally, Prevent Miscarriage, and Improve Your Odds in IVF
by Rebecca Fett
-- Whether you are trying to conceive naturally or through IVF, the quality of your eggs will have a powerful impact on how long it takes you to get pregnant and whether you face an increased risk of miscarriage.
Poor egg quality is emerging as the single most important cause of age-related infertility, recurrent miscarriage, and failed IVF cycles. It is also a major contributor to infertility in PCOS.
Based on a comprehensive investigation of a vast array of scientific research, It Starts with the Egg reveals a groundbreaking new approach for improving egg quality and fertility.
With a concrete strategy including minimizing exposure to toxins such as BPA and phthalates, choosing the right vitamins and supplements to safeguard developing eggs, and harnessing nutritional advice shown to boost IVF success rates, this book offers practical solutions to will help you get pregnant faster and deliver a healthy baby.
Paperback: 304 pagesClick to order/for more info: It Starts with the Egg
Start reading It Starts with the Egg on your Kindle in under a minute!Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
 |
| Photo credit: Grandma Julia and David - 4 days old, by Jessica Merz |
Although it is a fact that as women get older, they are more likely to have a child with Down Syndrome, other factors also play a role.
According to Markus Neuhäuser and Sven Krackow, from the Institute of Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology at University Hospital Essen, in Germany, the risk of a child being born with Down Syndrome is also dependent on how many existing siblings the child has and how big the gap is between the child and his immediate preceding sibling.
The research is published in Springer's journal Naturwissenschaften this week.
Neuhäuser and Krackow reviewed and analysed data from 1953 and 1972 (before abortion was widespread). They found that other factors, besides the mother's increasing age, were linked to the number of Down Syndrome cases.
Down Syndrome rates were significantly higher in older mothers in their first pregnancy than in older mothers who had already had children. Only late first pregnancies were more likely to produce a Down Syndrome baby, not late second or third pregnancies. In addition, the larger the gap between pregnancies, the higher the rates of Down Syndrome.
Down Syndrome is the result of the genetic abnormality Trisomy 21. Trisomy has been the focus of extensive medical research but the exact mechanism is still not understood. One feature common to most trisomies is an increase in frequency of trisomic pregnancies with increasing maternal age.
There is strong evidence for uterine selection against genetically disadvantaged embryos. However, as women approach the menopause and the risk of future infertility increases, this selection, or filtering stringency, is expected to relax.
Neuhäuser and Krackow's paper provides evidence that older mothers, who give birth to children with Down Syndrome, have a relaxed stringency of quality control of embryos (or relaxed filtering stringency), which increases the probability these women will bring children with developmental defects to full term.
They believe that this relaxed filtering stringency is an adaptive maternal response and it might explain why the rate of Down Syndrome accelerates with increasing maternal age.
These findings have important implications for the prevention of abnormal fetal development. The authors conclude that
clearly, identification of the relaxation control mechanisms and therapeutic restoration of a stringent screen holds promise not only for Down Syndrome.
1. Neuhäuser M & Krackow S (2006). Adaptive-filtering of trisomy 21: risk of Down Syndrome depends on family size and age of previous child. (Naturwissenschaften, DOI 10.1007/s00114-006-0165-3)
Read more
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Gifts: Mothers Reflect on How Children with Down Syndrome Enrich Their Lives
by Kathryn Lynard Soper (Author), Martha Sears (Foreword)
-- Having a baby with Down syndrome is not something most parents would willingly choose. Yet many who travel this path discover rich, unexpected rewards along the way.
In this candid and poignant collection of personal stories, sixty-three mothers describe the gifts of respect, strength, delight, perspective, and love, which their child with Down syndrome has brought into their lives.
The contributors to this collection have diverse personalities and perspectives, and draw from a wide spectrum of ethnicity, world views, and religious beliefs. Some are parenting within a traditional family structure; some are not.
Some never considered terminating their pregnancy; some struggled with the decision. Some were calm at the time of diagnosis; some were traumatized. Some write about their pregnancy and the months after giving birth; some reflect on years of experience with their child.
Their diverse experiences point to a common truth: The life of a child with Down syndrome is something to celebrate. These women have something to say--not just to other mothers but to all of us.
Paperback: 326 pages;Click to order/for more info: Gifts: Mothers Reflect on How Children with Down Syndrome Enrich Their Lives
With special thanks to my friend Jillian from FertilityFriend.com:
Jillian wrote: Here are some statistics that I found on Down's Syndrome and maternal age. Personally I find the statistics we get somewhat confusing. So I translated them into percentages.
I think it is all too easy to think of 1-80 as 1-80%, but it is not. 1-80 translates to 1.25 % for Down's Syndrome, or 98.75% chance of a child without Down's Syndrome.
So here is a table I made:
Maternal age as a risk factor for occurrence of Down Syndrome
Age (years).......Stats......Percentage DS........Percentage Normal
36.................... 1/200.......0.5% DS................... or 99.5% normal
37.....................1/150.......0.666667%DS..........or 99.333333% normal
38.....................1/120.......0.833333% DS.........or 99.166667% normal
39.....................1/100.......1%DS.........................or 99% normal
40.....................1/75 ........1.33333%DS.............or 98.66667 % normal
41.....................1/60........1.66667%DS..............or 98.33333 % normal
42.....................1/45........2.22222%DS.............or 97.77778 % normal
43.....................1/35 ........2.85714% DS............or 97.14286 % normal
44.....................1/30........3.33333% DS............or 96.66667 % normal
45 & Older.........1/20........5% DS ......................or 95% normal
This is from: http://udaan.org/downsynd/downgene.html
What I get from that is that the chances of having a baby with Down's Syndrome does not go up as drastically as I had originally thought. The one in whatever numbers makes things look very bad for us. When I translated them however to percentages they look a lot better.
We have a better chance of having a baby without Down's Syndrome. If I had an illness and was told I had a 95% chance of getting better, I would not plan my funeral. Would you?
I think all too many doctors are giving misleading statistics for a couple of reasons. The first being that OB/GYN’s are the highest sued doctors in the US. So they pay the highest premiums. They do not want to take any chances of anyone saying they were not warned about Down's Syndrome so they push for Amnio’s. Second they get paid a lot to do Amnio’s.
Unlike NT’s and Level Two sonograms, the OB/GYN that recommends them usually does them as well. I got a bill for my amnio because the hospital miss filed it as “elective surgery”. I cleared it up and did not have to pay. The total was about 10,000 US dollars. Six thousand of which was going to my OB/GYN alone.
So money is a factor as well. Who do you think ends up paying that high insurance rate?
Photo credit: vinvalenti
Some rights reserved
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Forgotten Secrets of Natural Conception - How your Mind Affects your Fertilityby Martina Pangrazzi
-- Though analysis of true stories of conception, including her own, Pangrazzi takes the reader on a journey to show them how their mind affects their ability to conceive as well as the connection we all have with the universe.
The book explores the fact that infertility appears to be on the rise, regardless of the scientific knowledge and information available about conception.
By helping the reader to recognize the signs of fertility that our own bodies give us every month, rather than relying on expensive kits, this book aims to remind women that they are a part of their own body and to listen to their inner voices.
By explaining how the subconscious mind works and how to dissolve inner blocks, Martina teaches the reader how to accept help and be more positive.
Through various simple mental exercises she reveals how to replace damaging, detrimental thoughts (such as
I will never be able to have a baby) with a more harmonious state of mind.
The book also explores the concept that pregnancy is a highly spiritual matter, and that the whole universe is involved in creating each life. By understanding that like attracts like, readers are shown how to resolve the pressure and desperate longing for a baby.
In addition to relaxation methods and positive affirmations presented throughout the chapters, Martina also discusses different natural healing methods that help with fertility and giving the reader a better understanding of what’s available out there—and
inthere—to help with conception concerns.
Start reading Forgotten Secrets of Natural Conception on your Kindle in under a minute! Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
New research will soon enable couples with in-fertility and pregnancy loss and those carrying genetic disease and abnormalities to access advanced embryo screening.
Termed “preimplantation genetic screening (PGS)” the process involves a full chromosome count of embryos to ensure only the healthiest are implanted.
It has a 99 per cent accuracy rate, giving hopeful parents the best chance to conceive and carry a healthy baby to term.
Embryos can be screened for a range of genetic conditions, including Down Syndrome, Huntington's disease and spinal muscular atrophy, before pregnancy.
Read more
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Rewinding Your Biological Clock: Motherhood Late in Lifeby Richard J. Paulson M.D., Judith Sachs
-- In 1996, Dr. Richard Paulson assisted a 63-year-old woman to conceive using in vitro fertilization with a donor egg, and she became the oldest woman in the world to give birth.
This incredible example of how assisted reproductive technologies, or ART, can change the course of nature, raises tough biological, emotional, and ethical issues.
Rewinding Your Biological Clock is a unique exploration of each of these issues, especially the "how-to" of peri- and post-menopausal pregnancy.
Written by a leading fertility specialist and a health educator, this original and daring book rethinks society's most fundamental beliefs about motherhood, aging and life itself.
Paperback: 356 pagesClick to order/for more info: Rewinding Your Biological Clock
For more than a decade, thousands of older women undergoing in-vitro fertilization have relied on an expensive embryo-screening procedure to boost their chances of getting pregnant. But mounting evidence suggests that the procedure doesn’t help people become mothers.The technique, known as pre-implantation genetic screening, or PGS, is performed in dozens of fertility clinics across the country. Most medical experts agree that embryo screening can significantly reduce the risk of serious chromosome-related illnesses, such as Down syndrome. But for older women trying to have a baby, the weight of evidence is now shifting against current PGS techniques.
Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203366604574237912351241156.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Life Begins... - Miscarriage stories of loss, hope & help
Pregnancy Stories by Age - Daily blog of hope & inspiration!
Stories of Pregnancy over 44 years old - sharing stories I find online, for inspiration!
Pregnancy Stories by Age - Daily blog of hope & inspiration!
Stories of Pregnancy over 44 years old - sharing stories I find online, for inspiration!
Recent Keyword Searches: is it possible to get pregnant at 45, positive 40 pregnancy stories, having children in your 40s, conception at 40, pregnancy post 40
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The old adage "we are what we eat" received further support this week, and may even suggest "we are what our parents ate" when a new study by researchers in the US revealed that healthy men who have a diet low in folate have a higher risk of chromosomal abnormalities in their sperm. Chromosomal abnormalities in sperm are known to cause a range of congenital conditions such as Down syndrome and learning and development disorders.
The study is the work of scientists at the University of California (UC), Berkeley, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and is published in the 19th March issue of the journal Human Reproduction.
Women of childbearing age are encouraged to maintain a healthy intake of folate because it is essential for healthy fetal development, and to prevent neural tube birth defects such as spina bifida or anencephaly (severe type of brain damage). That is why folic acid is now added to bread, cereal, flour and other grain products in the US.
But this is the first study to suggest that folate intake in men may affect their children.
Researcher at UC Berkeley's School of Public Health and coordinator of the study, Suzanne Young, said:
"Recent studies have suggested that paternal diet affects sperm count and motility, which is important for conception, but this new study takes it further to say that male diet may be important for healthy offspring as well."
Young said their study was the first to examine the effects of diet on chromosomal abnormalities in sperm.
"These abnormalities would cause either miscarriages or children with genetic syndromes if the sperm fertilized an egg," explained Young.
The researchers said that about 1 to 4 per cent of healthy male sperm has an abnormal number of chromosomes, or aneuploidy. These abnormalities arise when cells divide (meiosis) in the testis, but their cause is not well understood.
If an aneuploidic sperm fertilizes a normal egg, the fetus would either miscarry or develop a chromosomal disorder, such as trisomy, where cells have three copies of each chromosome instead of the more usual two (one from each parent).
In this study the investigators looked at three chromosomes linked with common types of aneuploidy in live births: X, Y and chromosome 21. Down syndrome, for example, is caused by having an extra chromosome 21. Klinefelter syndrome, which can affect language and learning development, is caused by an extra X chromosome in boys, and boys carrying an extra Y chromosome have XYY syndrome, also linked to learning and behavioral difficulties.
The participants were 97 non-smoking men with no previous history of reproductive or fertility problems. The aged from 22 to 80 and were either still working at or had retired from a government research laboratory.
The men filled in questionnaires about their diet and supplements like multi-vitamins and other nutrients. Semen samples were taken up to a week later.
After taking out the effects of age, alcohol and medical history, the results showed that men who reported the highest folate intake had a 19 per cent lower rate of aneuploidic sperm that men with moderate folate intake, and 20 per cent lower than men with the lowest folate intake.
The analysis did not show any links between aneuploidy and other nutrients such as zinc, calcium, beta-carotene and other vitamins, said the researchers, who concluded that:
"Men with high folate intake had lower overall frequencies of several types of aneuploid sperm."
Co-principal investigator of the study, professor of epidemiology and maternal and child health at UC Berkeley's School of Public Health, Brenda Eskenazi, said:
""The emphasis related to the birth of a healthy baby has been weighted towards the health and diet of women, not just during pregnancy, but before."
"What we're finding now is that a nutritious diet, specifically folate intake, may be beneficial for men as well when it comes to producing healthy offspring," she added.
Folate, which occurs naturally in a range of foods such as liver, leafy green vegetables, peas, beans, lentils and citrus fruits, is a water soluble vitamin of the B group.
Folate is essential for DNA, RNA and protein synthesis and the development of new cells. It also helps to control homocysteine, an amino acid that has been linked to heart disease.
But before men hoping to become dads rush out to buy folic acid or start maxing out on lentils, they should take note, as the researchers themselves suggested, that this study only found a link between folate and healthy sperm, it did not establish for certain that there is a cause and effect relationship.
Study co-principal investigator and chair of the Radiation Biosciences Department at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Andrew Wyrobek, cautioned:
"We can't yet say that increasing folate in your diet will lead to healthier sperm."
"But we did come up with enough evidence to justify a larger, clinical and pharmacological trial in men to examine the causal relationships between dietary folate levels and chromosomal abnormalities in their sperm," added Wyrobek.
This information will help us set dietary folate levels that may reduce the risk of miscarriage or birth defects linked to the fathers," he said.
If further research supports these findings, the researchers suggest it might be a good idea to increase the current recommended 400 micrograms daily allowance of folate for men hoping to become dads.
"The association of folate, zinc and antioxidant intake with sperm aneuploidy in healthy non-smoking men."
Hum. Reprod. Advance Access published on March 19, 2008.
DOI:10.1093/humrep/den036
Click here for Abstract.
Sources: Journal abstract, press statement from University of California, Berkeley. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/101208.php
Life Begins...
Miscarriage stories of loss, hope & help
http://born2luv.blogspot.com/
Stories of Pregnancy & Birth over 44y
- Daily blog of hope & inspiration!
http://pregnancyover44y.blogspot.com/
4,550 Stories of Pregnancy & Birth over 44y
Daily blog of hope & inspiration!
http://pregnancyover44y.blogspot.com/
Recent Keyword Searches: can a women get pregnant after 50 ?, vitex to stimulate ovulation dose, i got prenant on the first try at age 40, a woman 43 and a man 50 can we get pregnant, now you can also conceive after your menopause, can i get pregnant while taking hrt?, is it over for 45 years olds to get pregnant through vitro fertilization, adopt or get pregnant, mums in their 40's, too late to have a baby
The old adage "we are what we eat" received further support this week, and may even suggest "we are what our parents ate" when a new study by researchers in the US revealed that healthy men who have a diet low in folate have a higher risk of chromosomal abnormalities in their sperm. Chromosomal abnormalities in sperm are known to cause a range of congenital conditions such as Down syndrome and learning and development disorders.
The study is the work of scientists at the University of California (UC), Berkeley, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and is published in the 19th March issue of the journal Human Reproduction.
Women of childbearing age are encouraged to maintain a healthy intake of folate because it is essential for healthy fetal development, and to prevent neural tube birth defects such as spina bifida or anencephaly (severe type of brain damage). That is why folic acid is now added to bread, cereal, flour and other grain products in the US.
But this is the first study to suggest that folate intake in men may affect their children.
Researcher at UC Berkeley's School of Public Health and coordinator of the study, Suzanne Young, said:
"Recent studies have suggested that paternal diet affects sperm count and motility, which is important for conception, but this new study takes it further to say that male diet may be important for healthy offspring as well."
Young said their study was the first to examine the effects of diet on chromosomal abnormalities in sperm.
"These abnormalities would cause either miscarriages or children with genetic syndromes if the sperm fertilized an egg," explained Young.
The researchers said that about 1 to 4 per cent of healthy male sperm has an abnormal number of chromosomes, or aneuploidy. These abnormalities arise when cells divide (meiosis) in the testis, but their cause is not well understood.
If an aneuploidic sperm fertilizes a normal egg, the fetus would either miscarry or develop a chromosomal disorder, such as trisomy, where cells have three copies of each chromosome instead of the more usual two (one from each parent).
In this study the investigators looked at three chromosomes linked with common types of aneuploidy in live births: X, Y and chromosome 21. Down syndrome, for example, is caused by having an extra chromosome 21. Klinefelter syndrome, which can affect language and learning development, is caused by an extra X chromosome in boys, and boys carrying an extra Y chromosome have XYY syndrome, also linked to learning and behavioral difficulties.
The participants were 97 non-smoking men with no previous history of reproductive or fertility problems. The aged from 22 to 80 and were either still working at or had retired from a government research laboratory.
The men filled in questionnaires about their diet and supplements like multi-vitamins and other nutrients. Semen samples were taken up to a week later.
After taking out the effects of age, alcohol and medical history, the results showed that men who reported the highest folate intake had a 19 per cent lower rate of aneuploidic sperm that men with moderate folate intake, and 20 per cent lower than men with the lowest folate intake.
The analysis did not show any links between aneuploidy and other nutrients such as zinc, calcium, beta-carotene and other vitamins, said the researchers, who concluded that:
"Men with high folate intake had lower overall frequencies of several types of aneuploid sperm."
Co-principal investigator of the study, professor of epidemiology and maternal and child health at UC Berkeley's School of Public Health, Brenda Eskenazi, said:
""The emphasis related to the birth of a healthy baby has been weighted towards the health and diet of women, not just during pregnancy, but before."
"What we're finding now is that a nutritious diet, specifically folate intake, may be beneficial for men as well when it comes to producing healthy offspring," she added.
Folate, which occurs naturally in a range of foods such as liver, leafy green vegetables, peas, beans, lentils and citrus fruits, is a water soluble vitamin of the B group.
Folate is essential for DNA, RNA and protein synthesis and the development of new cells. It also helps to control homocysteine, an amino acid that has been linked to heart disease.
But before men hoping to become dads rush out to buy folic acid or start maxing out on lentils, they should take note, as the researchers themselves suggested, that this study only found a link between folate and healthy sperm, it did not establish for certain that there is a cause and effect relationship.
Study co-principal investigator and chair of the Radiation Biosciences Department at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Andrew Wyrobek, cautioned:
"We can't yet say that increasing folate in your diet will lead to healthier sperm."
"But we did come up with enough evidence to justify a larger, clinical and pharmacological trial in men to examine the causal relationships between dietary folate levels and chromosomal abnormalities in their sperm," added Wyrobek.
This information will help us set dietary folate levels that may reduce the risk of miscarriage or birth defects linked to the fathers," he said.
If further research supports these findings, the researchers suggest it might be a good idea to increase the current recommended 400 micrograms daily allowance of folate for men hoping to become dads.
"The association of folate, zinc and antioxidant intake with sperm aneuploidy in healthy non-smoking men."
Hum. Reprod. Advance Access published on March 19, 2008.
DOI:10.1093/humrep/den036
Click here for Abstract.
Sources: Journal abstract, press statement from University of California, Berkeley. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/101208.php
Life Begins...
Miscarriage stories of loss, hope & help
http://born2luv.blogspot.com/
Stories of Pregnancy & Birth over 44y
- Daily blog of hope & inspiration!
http://pregnancyover44y.blogspot.com/
4,550 Stories of Pregnancy & Birth over 44y
Daily blog of hope & inspiration!
http://pregnancyover44y.blogspot.com/
Recent Keyword Searches: can a women get pregnant after 50 ?, vitex to stimulate ovulation dose, i got prenant on the first try at age 40, a woman 43 and a man 50 can we get pregnant, now you can also conceive after your menopause, can i get pregnant while taking hrt?, is it over for 45 years olds to get pregnant through vitro fertilization, adopt or get pregnant, mums in their 40's, too late to have a baby
Kim Cabral of Brewster thought she was in early menopause. Instead, she found out she was pregnant.
In April 2006, Cabral gave birth to her third child, William, at age 45. During the pregnancy, she was "shocked and scared," so convinced was she that at her age the baby would be born with birth defects. She also discovered that childbearing is a different story after 40.
"I was preparing myself for (birth defects) by talking to friends and doing research," says Cabral. "I can tell you that having a child in my 20s, 30s and 40s had extreme differences each time."
Cabral is hardly alone in learning that lesson. On March 16, Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry, 41, gave birth to her first child, a girl. The number of U.S.-born women ages 40 to 44 giving birth has tripled since 1982, according to a recently published report from the Public Policy Institute of California. The numbers rose during that period from 3.5 to 10.5 births per 1,000 women.
Sally Goldberg, a parenting specialist and author of "Constructive Parenting" (Allyn & Bacon, 2001), points to an "increasingly complex society" for those escalating figures, with women getting married later and waiting longer to have children.
"A major reason for waiting longer is getting their careers under way. Another is the rise in infertility," she says. "It takes a while to determine that infertility is a factor and then even more time to treat it. A third reason is finances. It costs a lot to raise a child, and many couples need the time to save up for the responsibility."
But women have so many responsibilities these days that having young children can be especially stressful for women in their 40s.
Besides full-time jobs outside the home, Goldberg says, "Moms also have the mom-full-time job — basically 40 hours of work plus the additional 24/7 responsibility." Many moms are also students, full time or part time, plus "we all know it takes hours of work to take care of a home, and hours of work to love, honor and cherish a mate." Mom care — the hairdresser, clothes shopping, doctor visits, etc. — "all take time, so the list goes on."
Different decades
In her 20s, Cabral had had tons of energy, bodysurfing waves off Wellfleet the day her water broke with the first baby. And it was a good thing she had that energy.
"My son Rob was and still is my most active child. He could do a running flip from the ground at 3," she says. "I was also very socially active and took Rob to a lot of (political) demonstrations."
While carrying her second child at age 33, Cabral was "thrilled." As director of Kit Anderson House shelter in Hyannis, she worked until three days before her due date.
"I gave Rob a birthday party at an arcade — and that night, delivered Autumn. She was born in less than three hours, and Rob and Autumn have the same birth date! But I was so exhausted being a working mom, I didn't get to enjoy her babyhood like I wanted."
Time went on, and Cabral became a preschool teacher. Life changed when she started feeling strange.
"I figured out I was pregnant with William by the second month because my period hadn't come and I was tired and dizzy all the time," she says. "With William, it was entirely different from the beginning, mostly from the fatigue factor and I had morning sickness from the second month throughout the rest of the pregnancy. ... Then I had an ultrasound — and there he was — it looked like his hand was waving."
Cabral's doctors immediately let her know she had beaten the odds: There is only a 7 percent chance that a woman in her 40's can conceive naturally. Most women that age conceive through artificial insemination or donor eggs. There were also warnings.
"The OB-GYN laid it down for me," she explains. "At this age there was a huge risk factor. Down syndrome is the biggest risk for women in their 40s." In addition, the risk of miscarriage increases with age.
So it should come as no shock that this most recent pregnancy was hard for Cabral.
"I left my job two months early. I was so exhausted I just knew I couldn't do both."
Benefits, too
Being an at-home mom has been a different experience. Cabral acknowledges, "I felt isolated at first, but as William grew, we joined baby yoga and play groups. It's true I don't meet many women my age that are mothers, but that's OK. I have to also say this time around is very tiring, but I love every minute."
Stacey Horton, 43, of South Yarmouth is the mom of Will, 6, and Olivia, 3. She agrees with Cabral.
"Universally, our children are a gift," she says. "They bring us joy and teach us our most valuable lessons. They allow us to stay youthful and express our heart's desires."
There are definite benefits to having a baby later in life. The chief one that Cindy Horgan, family support coordinator at Cape Cod Children's Place in Eastham and co-creator of its parenting station, sees is that women over 40 "have a good sense of who they are and tend to be focused on guiding a young child because they aren't focusing on their own identities."
But, like Cabral, Horton feels having young children later in life can be challenging:
"My energy level is not what it used to be, and my stress level has begun to soar. Although our children get along very well, there are typical sibling rivalry issues. These can be extremely challenging, especially being someone who doesn't handle conflict very well. Again, a lesson for me."
Since Will had been born three months prematurely, her second birth was meticulously monitored.
Fortunately, Horton says, "Other than the typical three months of nausea, my pregnancy was fairly easy. Our daughter was born three weeks early, which was perfect for me."
Advances in medicine that allow that monitoring have helped more women conceive after age 40 and stay healthy during those later-in-life pregnancies. While there are more risks for that age group now, the risks were even greater a generation or two ago.
Taking a chance
One mother of six — who did not want her name used, but is affectionately called "Mama Jean" by friends and family — had her sixth child at age 41, in 1964.
"I was lucky to have six kids without any problems back then, especially since my blood was RH negative, which could cause health problems to the baby," she says. "I only stopped having children at 41 because the doctor told me I'd be taking a chance at my age to have more."
Back then, Mama Jean shares, "I would have kept having children if I'd been younger."
But nowadays, with priority on education and career before kids, women are willing to wait to give birth. And Cabral offers encouraging words:
"Doctors use new ultrasounds now that trace every physical aspect of the baby to determine the baby's health. So they know early on of any serious developmental and/or physical delays."
Using these new techniques, Cabral was given an ultrasound when she was less than four months pregnant, and then another when she was seven months along. She went through a variety of other medical monitoring, including a stress test, and doctors finally decided to induce labor to encourage the birth. William was a healthy, 9.4-pound baby.
More risks, more stress, more physical challenges — yet over-40 moms say the prize of the tiny life is worth it.
"My daughter has brought me such joy from the moment she was born," Horton says. "Although having one child would have been more manageable, I can't imagine our lives without my daughter. She is a beacon of light and a great sibling."
Cabral agrees. She marvels: "Each child is special, but when you're older, you cherish each little thing. My husband and I were at the playground the other day and he said, 'What would we be doing now without William?' I answered, 'We'd be home watching TV.'"
Source: http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080330/LIFE/803300305/-1/NEWS
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
What I Thought I Knew: A Memoir
by Alice Eve Cohen
--A personal and medical odyssey beyond anything most women would believe possible
At age forty-four, Alice Eve Cohen was happy for the first time in years.
After a difficult divorce, she was engaged to an inspiring man, joyfully raising her adopted daughter, and her career was blossoming. Alice tells her fiancé that she's never been happier. And then the stomach pains begin.
In her unflinchingly honest and ruefully witty voice, Alice nimbly carries us through her metamorphosis from a woman who has come to terms with infertility to one who struggles to love a heartbeat found in her womb - six months into a high-risk pregnancy.
What I Thought I Knew is a page-turner filled with vivid characters, humor, and many surprises and twists of fate.
With the suspense of a thriller and the intimacy of a diary, Cohen describes her unexpected journey through doubt, a broken medical system, and the hotly contested terrain of motherhood and family in today's society.
Timely and compelling, What I Thought I Knew will capture readers of memoirs such as Eat, Pray, Love; The Glass Castle; and A Three Dog Life.
Paperback: 208 pages
Click to order/for more info: What I Thought I Knew: A Memoir
Start reading What I Thought I Knew: A Memoir on your Kindle in under a minute!
Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
In April 2006, Cabral gave birth to her third child, William, at age 45. During the pregnancy, she was "shocked and scared," so convinced was she that at her age the baby would be born with birth defects. She also discovered that childbearing is a different story after 40.
"I was preparing myself for (birth defects) by talking to friends and doing research," says Cabral. "I can tell you that having a child in my 20s, 30s and 40s had extreme differences each time."
Cabral is hardly alone in learning that lesson. On March 16, Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry, 41, gave birth to her first child, a girl. The number of U.S.-born women ages 40 to 44 giving birth has tripled since 1982, according to a recently published report from the Public Policy Institute of California. The numbers rose during that period from 3.5 to 10.5 births per 1,000 women.
Sally Goldberg, a parenting specialist and author of "Constructive Parenting" (Allyn & Bacon, 2001), points to an "increasingly complex society" for those escalating figures, with women getting married later and waiting longer to have children.
"A major reason for waiting longer is getting their careers under way. Another is the rise in infertility," she says. "It takes a while to determine that infertility is a factor and then even more time to treat it. A third reason is finances. It costs a lot to raise a child, and many couples need the time to save up for the responsibility."
But women have so many responsibilities these days that having young children can be especially stressful for women in their 40s.
Besides full-time jobs outside the home, Goldberg says, "Moms also have the mom-full-time job — basically 40 hours of work plus the additional 24/7 responsibility." Many moms are also students, full time or part time, plus "we all know it takes hours of work to take care of a home, and hours of work to love, honor and cherish a mate." Mom care — the hairdresser, clothes shopping, doctor visits, etc. — "all take time, so the list goes on."
Different decades
In her 20s, Cabral had had tons of energy, bodysurfing waves off Wellfleet the day her water broke with the first baby. And it was a good thing she had that energy.
"My son Rob was and still is my most active child. He could do a running flip from the ground at 3," she says. "I was also very socially active and took Rob to a lot of (political) demonstrations."
While carrying her second child at age 33, Cabral was "thrilled." As director of Kit Anderson House shelter in Hyannis, she worked until three days before her due date.
"I gave Rob a birthday party at an arcade — and that night, delivered Autumn. She was born in less than three hours, and Rob and Autumn have the same birth date! But I was so exhausted being a working mom, I didn't get to enjoy her babyhood like I wanted."
Time went on, and Cabral became a preschool teacher. Life changed when she started feeling strange.
"I figured out I was pregnant with William by the second month because my period hadn't come and I was tired and dizzy all the time," she says. "With William, it was entirely different from the beginning, mostly from the fatigue factor and I had morning sickness from the second month throughout the rest of the pregnancy. ... Then I had an ultrasound — and there he was — it looked like his hand was waving."
Cabral's doctors immediately let her know she had beaten the odds: There is only a 7 percent chance that a woman in her 40's can conceive naturally. Most women that age conceive through artificial insemination or donor eggs. There were also warnings.
"The OB-GYN laid it down for me," she explains. "At this age there was a huge risk factor. Down syndrome is the biggest risk for women in their 40s." In addition, the risk of miscarriage increases with age.
So it should come as no shock that this most recent pregnancy was hard for Cabral.
"I left my job two months early. I was so exhausted I just knew I couldn't do both."
Benefits, too
Being an at-home mom has been a different experience. Cabral acknowledges, "I felt isolated at first, but as William grew, we joined baby yoga and play groups. It's true I don't meet many women my age that are mothers, but that's OK. I have to also say this time around is very tiring, but I love every minute."
Stacey Horton, 43, of South Yarmouth is the mom of Will, 6, and Olivia, 3. She agrees with Cabral.
"Universally, our children are a gift," she says. "They bring us joy and teach us our most valuable lessons. They allow us to stay youthful and express our heart's desires."
There are definite benefits to having a baby later in life. The chief one that Cindy Horgan, family support coordinator at Cape Cod Children's Place in Eastham and co-creator of its parenting station, sees is that women over 40 "have a good sense of who they are and tend to be focused on guiding a young child because they aren't focusing on their own identities."
But, like Cabral, Horton feels having young children later in life can be challenging:
"My energy level is not what it used to be, and my stress level has begun to soar. Although our children get along very well, there are typical sibling rivalry issues. These can be extremely challenging, especially being someone who doesn't handle conflict very well. Again, a lesson for me."
Since Will had been born three months prematurely, her second birth was meticulously monitored.
Fortunately, Horton says, "Other than the typical three months of nausea, my pregnancy was fairly easy. Our daughter was born three weeks early, which was perfect for me."
Advances in medicine that allow that monitoring have helped more women conceive after age 40 and stay healthy during those later-in-life pregnancies. While there are more risks for that age group now, the risks were even greater a generation or two ago.
Taking a chance
One mother of six — who did not want her name used, but is affectionately called "Mama Jean" by friends and family — had her sixth child at age 41, in 1964.
"I was lucky to have six kids without any problems back then, especially since my blood was RH negative, which could cause health problems to the baby," she says. "I only stopped having children at 41 because the doctor told me I'd be taking a chance at my age to have more."
Back then, Mama Jean shares, "I would have kept having children if I'd been younger."
But nowadays, with priority on education and career before kids, women are willing to wait to give birth. And Cabral offers encouraging words:
"Doctors use new ultrasounds now that trace every physical aspect of the baby to determine the baby's health. So they know early on of any serious developmental and/or physical delays."
Using these new techniques, Cabral was given an ultrasound when she was less than four months pregnant, and then another when she was seven months along. She went through a variety of other medical monitoring, including a stress test, and doctors finally decided to induce labor to encourage the birth. William was a healthy, 9.4-pound baby.
More risks, more stress, more physical challenges — yet over-40 moms say the prize of the tiny life is worth it.
"My daughter has brought me such joy from the moment she was born," Horton says. "Although having one child would have been more manageable, I can't imagine our lives without my daughter. She is a beacon of light and a great sibling."
Cabral agrees. She marvels: "Each child is special, but when you're older, you cherish each little thing. My husband and I were at the playground the other day and he said, 'What would we be doing now without William?' I answered, 'We'd be home watching TV.'"
Source: http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080330/LIFE/803300305/-1/NEWS
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
What I Thought I Knew: A Memoirby Alice Eve Cohen
--A personal and medical odyssey beyond anything most women would believe possible
At age forty-four, Alice Eve Cohen was happy for the first time in years.
After a difficult divorce, she was engaged to an inspiring man, joyfully raising her adopted daughter, and her career was blossoming. Alice tells her fiancé that she's never been happier. And then the stomach pains begin.
In her unflinchingly honest and ruefully witty voice, Alice nimbly carries us through her metamorphosis from a woman who has come to terms with infertility to one who struggles to love a heartbeat found in her womb - six months into a high-risk pregnancy.
What I Thought I Knew is a page-turner filled with vivid characters, humor, and many surprises and twists of fate.
With the suspense of a thriller and the intimacy of a diary, Cohen describes her unexpected journey through doubt, a broken medical system, and the hotly contested terrain of motherhood and family in today's society.
Timely and compelling, What I Thought I Knew will capture readers of memoirs such as Eat, Pray, Love; The Glass Castle; and A Three Dog Life.
Paperback: 208 pagesClick to order/for more info: What I Thought I Knew: A Memoir
Start reading What I Thought I Knew: A Memoir on your Kindle in under a minute!Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
Photo by http://news.bbc.co.uk 
Life Begins...
Miscarriage stories of loss, hope & help
http://born2luv.blogspot.com/
Stories of Pregnancy & Birth over 44y
- Daily blog of hope & inspiration!
http://pregnancyover44y.blogspot.com/
4,500 Stories of Pregnancy & Birth over 44y
Daily blog of hope & inspiration!
http://pregnancyover44y.blogspot.com/
Recent Keyword Searches: 48 year old fertility, how frequently do you have sex to get pregnant, marijuana affect on conception, can pregnancy occur during menopause?, can i get pregnant in my late 40's, pregancy in your late 40s, trying to get pregnant at 48, trying to get pregnant at age 50, having a baby in your forties, how many woman get pregnant over 46
An IVF technique which lets eggs develop in the womb rather than the test-tube straight after fertilisation is to be trialled in the UK.
Researchers hope that the natural environment of the womb will help produce stronger embryos.
At present, an embryo is transferred to the womb after a few days growing in special liquid in a laboratory.
But this new technique would see fertilised eggs placed in a device which is then planted in the womb.
After a few days the device is taken out and the embryo deemed to have the best chances of survival reimplanted.
Initial, anecdotal evidence from pilots in Belgium suggests the embryos produced in vivo rather than in vitro are of a higher quality - and therefore have a better chance of survival.
In addition to establishing whether the technique improves the chances of pregnancy, researchers are also keen to find out whether these embryos have fewer chromosomal abnormalities - which can lead to conditions such as Down's Syndrome.
"We have often wondered whether the rate of abnormality is higher with in vitro embryos, but we have never been able to establish this," says Dr Simon Fishel, head of the Care Fertility group of clinics which is carrying out the study.
"Hopefully this trial will at least provide a partial answer."
Multiple births
The group is recruiting 40 women under the age of 37 to take part in the trial, which will be carried out in Nottingham.
There is currently intense interest in developing new techniques which produce better quality embryos, and thus minimise the need for several embryos to be transferred to the womb in the hope that one will survive.
This technique is producing large numbers of multiple births, which can put the lives of both mother and baby at risk.
Reproductive specialists were cautious about the trial.
"It's an interesting idea, but it's not entirely clear what they are trying to do," says Professor Adam Balen of the British Fertility Society.
"Even in natural conceptions the eggs do not spend those first days in the womb, but in the fallopian tubes.
"I'd like to see a bit more science before I got too excited about this."
Richard Kennedy of the Centre for Reproductive Medicine in Coventry agreed.
"Of course the more you can circumvent artificial systems the better, but one of my concerns about this would be that you have to put it in, remove it, before then putting it in again. "
Care Fertility says it hopes to have an initial results by May or June, and a clearer picture of how successful the technique is by the end of year.
At present, an embryo is transferred to the womb after a few days growing in special liquid in a laboratory.
But this new technique would see fertilised eggs placed in a device which is then planted in the womb.
After a few days the device is taken out and the embryo deemed to have the best chances of survival reimplanted.
Initial, anecdotal evidence from pilots in Belgium suggests the embryos produced in vivo rather than in vitro are of a higher quality - and therefore have a better chance of survival.
In addition to establishing whether the technique improves the chances of pregnancy, researchers are also keen to find out whether these embryos have fewer chromosomal abnormalities - which can lead to conditions such as Down's Syndrome.
"We have often wondered whether the rate of abnormality is higher with in vitro embryos, but we have never been able to establish this," says Dr Simon Fishel, head of the Care Fertility group of clinics which is carrying out the study.
"Hopefully this trial will at least provide a partial answer."
Multiple births
The group is recruiting 40 women under the age of 37 to take part in the trial, which will be carried out in Nottingham.
There is currently intense interest in developing new techniques which produce better quality embryos, and thus minimise the need for several embryos to be transferred to the womb in the hope that one will survive.
This technique is producing large numbers of multiple births, which can put the lives of both mother and baby at risk.
Reproductive specialists were cautious about the trial.
"It's an interesting idea, but it's not entirely clear what they are trying to do," says Professor Adam Balen of the British Fertility Society.
"Even in natural conceptions the eggs do not spend those first days in the womb, but in the fallopian tubes.
"I'd like to see a bit more science before I got too excited about this."
Richard Kennedy of the Centre for Reproductive Medicine in Coventry agreed.
"Of course the more you can circumvent artificial systems the better, but one of my concerns about this would be that you have to put it in, remove it, before then putting it in again. "
Care Fertility says it hopes to have an initial results by May or June, and a clearer picture of how successful the technique is by the end of year.
VIDEO AND AUDIO NEWS
Life Begins...
Miscarriage stories of loss, hope & help
http://born2luv.blogspot.com/
Stories of Pregnancy & Birth over 44y
- Daily blog of hope & inspiration!
http://pregnancyover44y.blogspot.com/
4,500 Stories of Pregnancy & Birth over 44y
Daily blog of hope & inspiration!
http://pregnancyover44y.blogspot.com/
Recent Keyword Searches: 48 year old fertility, how frequently do you have sex to get pregnant, marijuana affect on conception, can pregnancy occur during menopause?, can i get pregnant in my late 40's, pregancy in your late 40s, trying to get pregnant at 48, trying to get pregnant at age 50, having a baby in your forties, how many woman get pregnant over 46
Michele Borunda didn't intend to become part of a risky trend when she gave birth at 43. She just wanted a baby with her new husband, who was six years younger than she.
She was already the mother of two teens -- a 16-year-old daughter and a 14-year-old son -- and figured the odds were against her conceiving naturally. So as soon as the couple returned from their Italian honeymoon, they began exploring fertility treatments.
"We went to this specialist in Beverly Hills," Borunda recalled. "She's probing and drawing blood and taking all these tests. We got a price list: $10,000 for this, another $5,000 for that. Then we found out, hey, I'm already pregnant."
But the Woodland Hills couple's joy was quickly tempered by the reaction of Borunda's doctors, who saw the pregnancy as a minefield to be navigated.
"We had to sit down with a genetics counselor to talk about all the horrible things that could happen -- the birth defects, the complications. 'We're going to test you for this; there's another test for that.' It was so nerve-wracking, I cried my eyes out some days," she said.
Then she gave birth to Shane, "the sweetest, most perfect baby you've ever seen."
Now he's 7 months old and she's 44. And the doctors can get ready to start testing again, because the couple are trying for another child.
Maybe young women are having too much fun or working so hard launching careers they're just not ready for procreating. Whatever the reason, twentysomething women are having fewer babies these days. And fortysomething moms are picking up the slack.
In California, the birthrate among women in their 40s has tripled in the last two decades, thanks to advances in reproductive technology, societal acceptance of single parents and that whole "40-is-the-new-30" way of life.
But according to an article in The Times on Monday by my colleague Mary Engel, doctors are alarmed by the childbearing shift, calling it a "risky trend" that can jeopardize mother and baby.
"Virtually every complication associated with obstetrics is increased with increased maternal age," fertility specialist Dr. Richard Paulson told Engel. Doctors offer up a laundry list of risks: high blood pressure, diabetes, pre-term labor for the mom; spina bifida, Down's syndrome, premature birth for the infant.
But the mothers I talked with said the worst thing about having a baby after 40 was not heartburn or an aching back, but the doctors' gloom-and-doom warnings.
"It wasn't the happiest pregnancy," said Pam Richman, who gave birth at 45 -- without fertility treatments -- to a daughter, who's now 3.
Richman had had several miscarriages since giving birth to her son eight years earlier. This time, "everything seemed to be going right," she said, except that doctors wouldn't stop reminding her of all that could go wrong. "I felt like I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop."
Valerie Red-Horse Mohl was just about to turn 40 when she found out she was pregnant with her third child.
She was perpetually tired, her feet hurt, and she still hasn't lost her pregnancy weight, although "baby Chelsea" is now in fourth grade.
But what she hated most was the way doctors "put the fear of God in you. 'Your advanced maternal age,' they keep saying. It makes you feel like you're too old to do this."
It's not that they don't recognize the risks or appreciate their doctors' concern. But these women know that giving birth is only the first, and maybe the least, of their challenges. Because most new mothers in their 40's are not starting families, but completing them. They know what they're facing.
"It's nine more years sitting on Little League benches," said Borunda.
It's hustling back from a college fair with your oldest child so you can get your middle kid to driving lessons, and still make the baby's Gymboree class. It's being mistaken for Shane's grandma.
But it's also rediscovering something so sweet, it leavens everything and everyone else in your family.
"You remember how much you loved your first kids?" asked Borunda. "They might be horrible teenagers now. But I look at the baby and think about them . . . 'I used to kiss your feet and nuzzle your ear and hold you until you went to sleep just like I do him.' "
"Having a baby makes you fall in love with your teenagers again."
Source
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Rewinding Your Biological Clock: Motherhood Late in Life
by Richard J. Paulson M.D., Judith Sachs
-- In 1996, Dr. Richard Paulson assisted a 63-year-old woman to conceive using in vitro fertilization with a donor egg, and she became the oldest woman in the world to give birth.
This incredible example of how assisted reproductive technologies, or ART, can change the course of nature, raises tough biological, emotional, and ethical issues.
Rewinding Your Biological Clock is a unique exploration of each of these issues, especially the "how-to" of peri- and post-menopausal pregnancy.
Written by a leading fertility specialist and a health educator, this original and daring book rethinks society's most fundamental beliefs about motherhood, aging and life itself.
Paperback: 356 pages
Click to order/for more info: Rewinding Your Biological Clock
She was already the mother of two teens -- a 16-year-old daughter and a 14-year-old son -- and figured the odds were against her conceiving naturally. So as soon as the couple returned from their Italian honeymoon, they began exploring fertility treatments.
"We went to this specialist in Beverly Hills," Borunda recalled. "She's probing and drawing blood and taking all these tests. We got a price list: $10,000 for this, another $5,000 for that. Then we found out, hey, I'm already pregnant."
But the Woodland Hills couple's joy was quickly tempered by the reaction of Borunda's doctors, who saw the pregnancy as a minefield to be navigated.
"We had to sit down with a genetics counselor to talk about all the horrible things that could happen -- the birth defects, the complications. 'We're going to test you for this; there's another test for that.' It was so nerve-wracking, I cried my eyes out some days," she said.
Then she gave birth to Shane, "the sweetest, most perfect baby you've ever seen."
Now he's 7 months old and she's 44. And the doctors can get ready to start testing again, because the couple are trying for another child.
Maybe young women are having too much fun or working so hard launching careers they're just not ready for procreating. Whatever the reason, twentysomething women are having fewer babies these days. And fortysomething moms are picking up the slack.
In California, the birthrate among women in their 40s has tripled in the last two decades, thanks to advances in reproductive technology, societal acceptance of single parents and that whole "40-is-the-new-30" way of life.
But according to an article in The Times on Monday by my colleague Mary Engel, doctors are alarmed by the childbearing shift, calling it a "risky trend" that can jeopardize mother and baby.
"Virtually every complication associated with obstetrics is increased with increased maternal age," fertility specialist Dr. Richard Paulson told Engel. Doctors offer up a laundry list of risks: high blood pressure, diabetes, pre-term labor for the mom; spina bifida, Down's syndrome, premature birth for the infant.
But the mothers I talked with said the worst thing about having a baby after 40 was not heartburn or an aching back, but the doctors' gloom-and-doom warnings.
"It wasn't the happiest pregnancy," said Pam Richman, who gave birth at 45 -- without fertility treatments -- to a daughter, who's now 3.
Richman had had several miscarriages since giving birth to her son eight years earlier. This time, "everything seemed to be going right," she said, except that doctors wouldn't stop reminding her of all that could go wrong. "I felt like I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop."
Valerie Red-Horse Mohl was just about to turn 40 when she found out she was pregnant with her third child.
She was perpetually tired, her feet hurt, and she still hasn't lost her pregnancy weight, although "baby Chelsea" is now in fourth grade.
But what she hated most was the way doctors "put the fear of God in you. 'Your advanced maternal age,' they keep saying. It makes you feel like you're too old to do this."
It's not that they don't recognize the risks or appreciate their doctors' concern. But these women know that giving birth is only the first, and maybe the least, of their challenges. Because most new mothers in their 40's are not starting families, but completing them. They know what they're facing.
"It's nine more years sitting on Little League benches," said Borunda.
It's hustling back from a college fair with your oldest child so you can get your middle kid to driving lessons, and still make the baby's Gymboree class. It's being mistaken for Shane's grandma.
But it's also rediscovering something so sweet, it leavens everything and everyone else in your family.
"You remember how much you loved your first kids?" asked Borunda. "They might be horrible teenagers now. But I look at the baby and think about them . . . 'I used to kiss your feet and nuzzle your ear and hold you until you went to sleep just like I do him.' "
"Having a baby makes you fall in love with your teenagers again."
Source
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Rewinding Your Biological Clock: Motherhood Late in Lifeby Richard J. Paulson M.D., Judith Sachs
-- In 1996, Dr. Richard Paulson assisted a 63-year-old woman to conceive using in vitro fertilization with a donor egg, and she became the oldest woman in the world to give birth.
This incredible example of how assisted reproductive technologies, or ART, can change the course of nature, raises tough biological, emotional, and ethical issues.
Rewinding Your Biological Clock is a unique exploration of each of these issues, especially the "how-to" of peri- and post-menopausal pregnancy.
Written by a leading fertility specialist and a health educator, this original and daring book rethinks society's most fundamental beliefs about motherhood, aging and life itself.
Paperback: 356 pagesClick to order/for more info: Rewinding Your Biological Clock
Questions Asked During the Podcast:
* I’ve read that pregnancies in women over-35 and over-40 are a lot more common than even 10 or 20 years ago. Is this true, and if so, how fast is this trend growing?
* Do older women have a greater risk of miscarriage?
* How can I increase my chances of delivering a healthy baby even though I’m older?
* Which prenatal tests should I have if I’m over 35?
* I’m in my 30s now, but not yet ready to have a baby. What can I do now to help my chances of conceiving in the future?
* Is there a correlation between older pregnant moms and multiples?
* What medical conditions are more prevalent in older pregnant moms?
* Are older mothers more likely to have to have C-sections than younger mothers?
* Is post-partum depression any more or less prevalent in older mothers than in younger mothers?
* Have any studies been done to look at long-term outcomes for children born to older mothers? How, if at all, does it impact their emotional development, their educational development, etc.
* Have we reached the biological limits of maternal age, or do you think new advances will make it possible to have kids even later in life than we’re now seeing?
* I know that Downs Syndrome becomes more likely the older the mother. Is the same true for congenital heart defects? What are some other fetal disorders that become more likely as a mother’s age increases?
Listen to the pregnancy podcast.
Source: http://www.revolutionhealth.com/healthy-living/pregnancy/experts/podcasts?msc=A62846
* I’ve read that pregnancies in women over-35 and over-40 are a lot more common than even 10 or 20 years ago. Is this true, and if so, how fast is this trend growing?
* Do older women have a greater risk of miscarriage?
* How can I increase my chances of delivering a healthy baby even though I’m older?
* Which prenatal tests should I have if I’m over 35?
* I’m in my 30s now, but not yet ready to have a baby. What can I do now to help my chances of conceiving in the future?
* Is there a correlation between older pregnant moms and multiples?
* What medical conditions are more prevalent in older pregnant moms?
* Are older mothers more likely to have to have C-sections than younger mothers?
* Is post-partum depression any more or less prevalent in older mothers than in younger mothers?
* Have any studies been done to look at long-term outcomes for children born to older mothers? How, if at all, does it impact their emotional development, their educational development, etc.
* Have we reached the biological limits of maternal age, or do you think new advances will make it possible to have kids even later in life than we’re now seeing?
* I know that Downs Syndrome becomes more likely the older the mother. Is the same true for congenital heart defects? What are some other fetal disorders that become more likely as a mother’s age increases?
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Source: http://www.revolutionhealth.com/healthy-living/pregnancy/experts/podcasts?msc=A62846
For many women, the scan which shows their unborn squirming, kicking and sucking its thumb is one of the important milestones of pregnancy.
For the vast majority it provides reassurance that all is well, and it enables parents to prepare if all is not.
But an eminent ultrasound specialist is determined to kickstart a debate on the value of the scan within an NHS increasingly strapped for cash.
In a paper published in Ultrasounds this week, retired Dr Hylton Meire not only argues there is no scientific evidence to prove the 20-week scan is worthwhile, he also casts doubt on the reliability of the principal method of testing for Down's Syndrome - the nuchal fold measurement.
These tests do not give a yes or no answer to whether a baby has Down's, but an indication of risk. Those deemed to have a higher possibility are offered an amniocentesis, where a needle is inserted into the womb to give a much more accurate analysis.
Every amniocentesis carries a small risk of miscarriage, so women who are not carrying a disabled foetus in the first place can end up losing a perfectly healthy baby.
Using various figures, Dr Meire, formerly of King's College Hospital, calculates that as many as 3,200 healthy babies are lost in this way each year.
For every 50 live births of children with Down's Syndrome prevented, he says 160 women miscarry non-affected babies.
'Muddled measurements'
Dr Meire has reservations about aborting babies with Down's Syndrome in the first place, and admits this forms part of his hostility to testing for the condition.
The nuchal fold test involves measuring the fluid at the back of the neck of an 11-13 week old foetus.
Babies with abnormalities tend to accumulate more fluid at the back of their neck during the first three months after conception, causing this clear space to be larger than average.
Age of the mother is one of the factors taken into account when risk is being calculated, and many hospitals also carry out blood tests to give an even more accurate picture.
Low risk is a result where the chances of having a baby with Down's syndrome is less than one in 800, while high risk is anything greater than one in 300.
Dr Meire argues that blood tests notwithstanding, the test is hugely problematic because of the difficulties of measuring anything accurately on a blurry ultrasound screen.
"Women are being referred on to amniocentesis on the basis of a very flimsy test," he says.
"And I think they need to understand just how inaccurate it can be."
Jane Fisher from Antenatal Results and Choices (ARC) says Dr Meire does have a point, but that most parents are all too aware the test is fallible.
Weighing up the various risks - a one in 200 chance of carrying a child with Down's syndrome against a one in 200 chance of miscarrying after an amniocentesis - is an immensely difficult decision.
"The problem is Dr Meire wants absolutes," she says.
"The technology isn't there to provide that yet, and in the absence of it, we have to make do with what there is. But of course counselling is important, and a proper discussion about what the risks are."
Spending money
In any event, ARC stresses that screening now means fewer older mothers have an amniocentesis as a matter of course, as was the case all the way up until 2001 when the scans became available nationally.
The test is offered in around three quarters of hospitals, but not necessarily to all women. Older women are at greater risk of having a child with Down's Syndrome, and some hospitals only screen those over the age of 35 or even 38.
But the vast majority of women in the UK - 95% - are offered the 20 week anomaly scans which Dr Meire also targets in his paper.
Costing between £25 and £50 a go, the specialist says there is no evidence to prove they are worth the money.
"There's no data that shows - in regard to children living or dying or succumbing to serious illness - that these scans have any effect in population terms. No-one has been able to prove otherwise," he says.
"We need to really think about why we do these, and the money we spend on them, and ask ourselves if it's really worthwhile."
Conditions detected at 20 weeks include serious problems such as heart defects, as well as more minor conditions like cleft palate.
Obstetrics consultant Patrick O'Brien says it is very important to know in advance if a child has heart defects, as it means preparations can be made for delivery in a specialist unit if need be.
But he concedes that viewed at the level of pure statistics, it is possible to argue that scans only benefit a small minority of people. Often parents learn information which they do not necessarily need to know before the birth.
But while finding out a child is to be born with a cleft palate may not be necessity, learning through a scan means parents can be prepared for what can be a huge shock at delivery.
"They are shown pictures of what can be done and understand how easy it is to treat," says Mr O'Brien.
"I certainly wouldn't want to go back to the pre-scan days when horrified parents simply shunned the child when it was born."
"But sometimes you've also got to look at things from an individual perspective, and what it means for the parents.
"Maybe the pure joy of parents seeing their unborn child is something that's worth paying for."
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6948015.stm
For the vast majority it provides reassurance that all is well, and it enables parents to prepare if all is not.
But an eminent ultrasound specialist is determined to kickstart a debate on the value of the scan within an NHS increasingly strapped for cash.
In a paper published in Ultrasounds this week, retired Dr Hylton Meire not only argues there is no scientific evidence to prove the 20-week scan is worthwhile, he also casts doubt on the reliability of the principal method of testing for Down's Syndrome - the nuchal fold measurement.
These tests do not give a yes or no answer to whether a baby has Down's, but an indication of risk. Those deemed to have a higher possibility are offered an amniocentesis, where a needle is inserted into the womb to give a much more accurate analysis.
Every amniocentesis carries a small risk of miscarriage, so women who are not carrying a disabled foetus in the first place can end up losing a perfectly healthy baby.
Using various figures, Dr Meire, formerly of King's College Hospital, calculates that as many as 3,200 healthy babies are lost in this way each year.
For every 50 live births of children with Down's Syndrome prevented, he says 160 women miscarry non-affected babies.
'Muddled measurements'
Dr Meire has reservations about aborting babies with Down's Syndrome in the first place, and admits this forms part of his hostility to testing for the condition.
The nuchal fold test involves measuring the fluid at the back of the neck of an 11-13 week old foetus.
Babies with abnormalities tend to accumulate more fluid at the back of their neck during the first three months after conception, causing this clear space to be larger than average.
Age of the mother is one of the factors taken into account when risk is being calculated, and many hospitals also carry out blood tests to give an even more accurate picture.
Low risk is a result where the chances of having a baby with Down's syndrome is less than one in 800, while high risk is anything greater than one in 300.
Dr Meire argues that blood tests notwithstanding, the test is hugely problematic because of the difficulties of measuring anything accurately on a blurry ultrasound screen.
"Women are being referred on to amniocentesis on the basis of a very flimsy test," he says.
"And I think they need to understand just how inaccurate it can be."
Jane Fisher from Antenatal Results and Choices (ARC) says Dr Meire does have a point, but that most parents are all too aware the test is fallible.
Weighing up the various risks - a one in 200 chance of carrying a child with Down's syndrome against a one in 200 chance of miscarrying after an amniocentesis - is an immensely difficult decision.
"The problem is Dr Meire wants absolutes," she says.
"The technology isn't there to provide that yet, and in the absence of it, we have to make do with what there is. But of course counselling is important, and a proper discussion about what the risks are."
Spending money
In any event, ARC stresses that screening now means fewer older mothers have an amniocentesis as a matter of course, as was the case all the way up until 2001 when the scans became available nationally.
The test is offered in around three quarters of hospitals, but not necessarily to all women. Older women are at greater risk of having a child with Down's Syndrome, and some hospitals only screen those over the age of 35 or even 38.
But the vast majority of women in the UK - 95% - are offered the 20 week anomaly scans which Dr Meire also targets in his paper.
Costing between £25 and £50 a go, the specialist says there is no evidence to prove they are worth the money.
"There's no data that shows - in regard to children living or dying or succumbing to serious illness - that these scans have any effect in population terms. No-one has been able to prove otherwise," he says.
"We need to really think about why we do these, and the money we spend on them, and ask ourselves if it's really worthwhile."
Conditions detected at 20 weeks include serious problems such as heart defects, as well as more minor conditions like cleft palate.
Obstetrics consultant Patrick O'Brien says it is very important to know in advance if a child has heart defects, as it means preparations can be made for delivery in a specialist unit if need be.
But he concedes that viewed at the level of pure statistics, it is possible to argue that scans only benefit a small minority of people. Often parents learn information which they do not necessarily need to know before the birth.
But while finding out a child is to be born with a cleft palate may not be necessity, learning through a scan means parents can be prepared for what can be a huge shock at delivery.
"They are shown pictures of what can be done and understand how easy it is to treat," says Mr O'Brien.
"I certainly wouldn't want to go back to the pre-scan days when horrified parents simply shunned the child when it was born."
"But sometimes you've also got to look at things from an individual perspective, and what it means for the parents.
"Maybe the pure joy of parents seeing their unborn child is something that's worth paying for."
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6948015.stm
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