Objective: To describe live birth rates and predictors of success in 1-year age increments for women 40 years when initiating assisted reproductive technologies (ART).

Patient(s): One thousand two hundred sixty-three women undergoing 2,705 ART cycles at age 40 or above.

Main Outcome Measure(s): Pregnancy and live birth rates per cycle start were determined based on 1-year increments in women aged 40. Predictors of success, including number of embryos transferred, number of fetal heartbeats, availability of embryos for cryopreservation, and cycle day 3 FSH levels, were analyzed.

Result(s): The overall live birth rate per cycle start was 9.7%. Cumulative live birth rates in women ranged from 28.4% if starting ART at age 40 to 0 by age 46. The overall spontaneous abortion rate was 32.6% (range, 23.9%–66.7%). Higher pregnancy rates were predicted by the greater number of embryos available for transfer, by the availability of excess embryos for cryopreservation, and by the presence of two fetal heartbeats on ultrasound. The outcome of the first IVF cycle did not predict the outcome of subsequent cycles.

Conclusion(s): Assisted reproductive technology has a reasonable chance for success (5%) up until the end of the forty-third year. Twins on initial ultrasound, large numbers of embryos available for transfer, and the presence of excess embryos for cryopreservation predict higher live birth rates.

(Fertil Steril
2005;84:435– 45. ©2005 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.)

Abstract & Full study: http://www.karandeivf.com/Over40.pdf


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Photo by www.untangledlife.com
PHILADELPHIA, March 18 (UPI) -- A particular sex chromosome -- meiosis-specific gene -- has been linked to infertility by researchers in the United States, Sweden and Germany.

The study, published in Genes & Development, finds disrupting the TEX11 gene located on the X chromosome in mice renders the males sterile and reduces female fecundity.

The TEX11 is also located on the human X chromosome, and the researchers say mutations may be responsible for non-measurable sperm levels in men. Like other X-linked disorders, such as color blindness, genetic mutation could be passed on from the mother. The researchers hypothesize that a screening of the TEX11 gene may provide a prebirth diagnosis for infertility in men.

This is the first meiosis-specific factor ever found on the X chromosome, the researchers say. Meiosis is the process of cell division whereby chromosomes exchange paternal and maternal genetic material to produce genetically diverse gametes -- sperm or eggs. Defects in meiosis are a leading cause of both infertility and birth defects.

The study was conducted by Jeremy Wang of the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine in Philadelphia with involvement by researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Washington State University, Karolinska Institute in Sweden and the University of Wurzburg in Germany.

Source: http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Health/2008/03/18/sex_chromosome_gene_link_to_infertility/5141/


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Vitex or chasteberry is not a hormone; however, vitex works by acting on the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, which in turn secrete hormones or send signals to other parts of the body to trigger the production of reproductive hormones.

Vitex has been shown to help increase the level of luteinizing hormone (or LH) while gently suppressing the secretion of FSH (follicle stimulating hormone). In effect, Vitex stimulates the hormones involved in ovulation and assists in restoring overall hormonal balance.

More specifically, vitex is effective in regulating pituitary gland function and in normalizing the balance of progesterone to estrogen levels. Vitex is particularly supportive in maintaining progesterone levels during the "luteal phase", or second half, of a woman's cycle.

A large percentage of menstrual problems and infertility issues are related to insufficient progesterone production during the luteal phase, which can result in a shortened luteal phase and may possibly contribute to PCOS. With regard to the former, a "short" luteal phase is often referred to as corpus luteum insufficiency or LPD (luteal phase defect). Luteal phase defect is characterized by low progesterone levels during the second half of your cycle.

With regard to PCOS, hormonal imbalance (namely insufficient levels of progesterone) may also contribute to the formation of cysts on your ovaries, or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. As Vitex agnus castus has been shown to support progesterone production, Vitex may be suggested as a treatment for menstrual cycle imbalances, luteal phase defect, and possibly PCOS (as normalized progesterone levels and cycle regularity may suppress the development of ovarian cysts associated with estrogen dominance).
Clinical studies now support the fertility-enhancing claims associated with Vitex agnus castus - as well as its facility in treating common fertility disorders. In one commonly-cited study, sixty-seven women with fertility or ovulatory disorders were given a vitex agnus castus preparation, which resulted in a marked improvement of progesterone levels during the luteal phase, earlier ovulation, and thirty-eight achieved pregnancies (Bergmann, 2000).
In another study (Milewicz, 1993), vitex agnus castus was administered to hyperprolactinaemia female patients. The use of vitex resulted in reduced prolactin levels, as well as the normalization of luteal phase progesterone levels for women with luteal phase defect. Shortened luteal phases were therefore normalized (lengthened).

An earlier German study by Amann (1982) reveals that vitex exerts a favorable, positive effect on women with amenorrhea (the absence of menstrual cycle or period), further establishing the efficacy of vitex in restoring hormonal balance and cycle regularity. In another clinical trial conducted at Stanford, women with fertility disorders benefited from using a vitex-containing supplement, with more pregnancies in the vitex group than in placebo groups. Each of these studies demonstrates the fertility-enhancing properties of this unique herb.

Vitex is also recognized as a safe herb. It has no known side-effects, and chasteberry can be taken for up to 18 months continuously. When pregnancy is achieved, discontinue use of vitex-containing supplements, as well as any other herbal-nutritional supplements not specifically approved by your doctor. The benefits of vitex will increase over time, and maximum benefits are typically achieved after a few months of use. It is suggested to not take vitex or fertility supplements while you are using prescription fertility drugs.

Full article: http://www.early-pregnancy-tests.com/vitex.html
 

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility
by Sami S. David and Jill Blakeway
-- MAKING BABIES offers a proven 3-month program designed to help any woman get pregnant. Fertility medicine today is all about aggressive surgical, chemical, and technological intervention, but Dr. David and Blakeway know a better way.

Starting by identifying fertility types, they cover everything from recognizing the causes of fertility problems to making lifestyle choices that enhance fertility to trying surprising strategies such as taking cough medicine, decreasing doses of fertility drugs, or getting acupuncture along with IVF.

MAKING BABIES is a must-have for every woman trying to conceive, whether naturally or through medical intervention. Dr. David and Blakeway are revolutionizing the fertility field, one baby at a time.

Paperback: 384 pages
Click to order/for more info: Making Babies - US | CDN | UK

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---

Johanna wrote: I am researching a story about the very thing you wrote about on your blog. The fact that women undergoing menopause can still conceive (though it is more difficult) so they need to keep using birth control if they want to avoid a pregnancy.

I am looking to interview women who either had to deal with an unplanned pregnancy during perimenopause or were surprised to discover they still needed to use birth control. If you know of anyone willing to share their story, could you forward my contact information. Unfortunately, I am under the gun with my deadline. I have to submit the piece to my editor at the Wall Street Journal (it is a freelance story) by April 1. Can you help me?

Johanna Bennett
Barron's Online
(212) 416-2243
johanna.bennett@barrons.com

Photo by Baltar
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – New research shows that the plant estrogens in soy don't impair fertility in monkeys. The study was designed to test a theory that high-soy diets can compromise fertility in women.

The results, from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and Emory University School of Medicine, were reported today at the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine in Philadelphia, Pa.

"Our results suggest that a high-soy diet probably won't compromise fertility in women," said Jay Kaplan, Ph.D., lead researcher, from Wake Forest Baptist. "But our results confirmed earlier findings that fertility may be affected by stress levels."
Women in Asian countries where a lot of soy is consumed have dramatically lower rates of breast cancer than women in the United States. One explanation is that plant estrogens, called isoflavones, increase menstrual cycle length or reduce ovarian hormones – both which would reduce lifetime exposure to estrogen. However, these changes in the menstrual cycle could also impair fertility.

In a study of monkeys, which have menstrual cycles similar to those of women, Kaplan and colleagues tested the hypothesis that the estrogen in soy can affect menstrual cycles.

"Our study was designed to determine whether a soy supplement containing twice the level of plant estrogen consumed by Asian women would alter any aspect of the menstrual cycle or ovarian function in monkeys," he said.

For one year, half of the monkeys were fed a high-soy diet and half got their protein from animal sources. All monkeys were evaluated during this period for changes in ovarian hormones and menstrual cycles.

"Soy treatment did not change any characteristics of the menstrual cycle, including length, amount of bleeding or hormone levels," said Kaplan. "This suggests that any protection that soy may provide against breast cancer does not come from changes in the menstrual cycle."
He said consumption of a high-soy diet probably would not compromise fertility, although further research is warranted to evaluate effects of soy on placenta function and on the fetus.

The study did confirm earlier findings by Kaplan – that high levels of stress can affect ovarian function.

The monkeys in the study were housed in groups, where they naturally form a social hierarchy. In previous research, Kaplan found that the stress of being subordinate in the group impairs ovarian function, which means that lower levels of estrogen are produced. In both monkeys and people, reduced levels of estrogen can make menstrual cycles more variable and affect fertility.

In the current study, subordinate monkeys had reductions in ovarian hormones and changes in the menstrual cycle pattern that were observed in the earlier research.
Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center

Article from EurekAlert! : http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-10/wfub-sld101504.php

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:

Ready: Why Women Are Embracing The New Later Motherhood
by Elizabeth Gregory

-- Over the past three decades, skyrocketing numbers of women have chosen to start their families in their late thirties and early forties.

In 2005, ten times as many women had their first child between the ages of 35 and 39 as in 1975, and thirteen times as many had their first between 40 and 44.

Women now have the option to define for themselves when they're ready for family, rather than sticking to a schedule set by social convention.

As a society, however, we have yet to come to terms with the phenomenon of later motherhood, and women who decide it makes sense for them to delay pregnancy often find themselves confronted with alarmist warnings about the dangers of waiting too long.

In Ready, Elizabeth Gregory tracks the burgeoning trend of new later motherhood and demonstrates that for many women today, waiting for family works best.

She provides compelling evidence of the benefits of having children later -- by birth or by adoption.

Paperback: 336 pages
Click to order/for more info: Ready - US | CDN | UK

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---

From: Journal of Clinical Investigation
Public release date: 14-Sep-2006

Complications in pregnancy can arise because of both fetal deficiencies and maternal deficiencies. Previous studies in the Caron laboratory have shown that mouse embryos lacking both copies of the gene encoding a protein known as adrenomedullin (AM) die at embryonic day 14.5 (E14.5).

But now, Kathleen Caron and colleagues at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill show that female mice expressing reduced levels of the gene encoding AM have severely decreased fertility. It is therefore possible that modest alterations in human expression of the gene encoding AM might have implications for fertility.

In the study, which appears online on September 14 in advance of publication in the October print issue of the The Journal of Clinical Investigation, it was shown that female mice with only one copy of the gene encoding AM (AM+/- mice) crossed with wild-type male mice have smaller litters than wild-type female mice crossed with either AM+/- or wild-type male mice.

Reduced litter size was associated with fetal-growth restriction and embryo loss at E9.5–E12.5, which is when the placenta develops. Indeed, the placentas of growth-restricted embryos were closely spaced and showed morphologic and histologic defects.

This study shows that in female mice a reduction in the level of AM severely decreases their fertility by affecting implantation and placental development, and suggests that in humans a small decrease in AM expression could negatively impact a woman's fertility.

###
TITLE: Reduced maternal expression of adrenomedullin disrupts fertility, placentation, and fetal growth in mice

AUTHOR CONTACT: Kathleen M. Caron The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. Phone: (919) 966-5215; Fax: (919) 966-5230; E-mail: Kathleen_caron@med.unc.edu .

View the PDF of this article at: https://www.the-jci.org/article.php?id=28462

Posted from "EurekAlert! , a service of AAAS"


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Photo by mje362
Researchers urge -- Quit smoking long before Father's Day

PHILDALPHIA -- The science has long been clear that smoking causes cancer, but new research shows that children could inherit genetic damage from a father who smokes.

Canadian researchers have demonstrated in mice that smoking can cause changes in the DNA sequence of sperm cells, alterations that could potentially be inherited by offspring. The results of their study are published in the June 1 issue of Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

“Here we are looking at male germline mutations, which are mutations in the DNA of sperm. If inherited, these mutations persist as irreversible changes in the genetic composition of off-spring.” said Carole Yauk, Ph.D., lead author of the study and research scientist in the Mutagenesis Section of Health Canada’s Environmental and Occupational Toxicology Division. “We have known that mothers who smoke can harm their fetuses, and here we show evidence that fathers can potentially damage offspring long before they may even meet their future mate.”

Males, whether they are mouse or man, generate a constant supply of new sperm from self-renewing spermatogonial stem cells. Yauk, along with colleagues at Health Canada and McMaster University, studied the spermatogonial stem cells of mature mice that had been exposed to cigarette smoke for either six or 12 weeks to look for alterations in a specific stretch of repeated portions of DNA, called Ms6-hm, which does not contain any known genes. The “smoking” mice were exposed to two cigarettes per day, the equivalent – based on blood levels of tobacco by-products – of an average human smoker, according to research previously published by one of the study's co-authors.

More here: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-06/aafc-csa053107.php


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Before you consult an infertility specialist to enable you to wind up pregnant, inquire as to whether you ought to be offered antibiotics to treat a group of germs called mycoplasma.

A report from Germany (1) affirms numerous different studies (2,3,4) demonstrating the most widely recognized reason for infertility is a uterine infection. Of ladies being assessed for barrenness, 40% between the ages of 26 and 35 had chlamydia or other mycoplasma, as were 36% of those with a past history of a uterine infection, and half of those with tubal blockage. In another study, over 60% had a past disease. (5)

These infections cause both male and female barrenness. The uterus is shaped like a bull's head with two horns. The ovaries are situated outside of the uterus at the tip of each horn. An egg starts in the fallopian tube into the horn and after that into the body of the uterus itself. Little hairs called cilia clear the egg down the tubes into the body of the uterus. A past mycoplasma infection can harm the cilia (4) so the egg stays in the horn or an infection can obstruct the tubes so the egg can't reach the body of the uterus.

Mycoplasma can cause male barrenness by harming sperm so they can't swim toward the egg and fertilize it. People can be tainted with mycoplasma, despite the fact every accessible test can't find it (5,6) and they may have no symptoms. They may have burning when peeing, distress when the bladder is full, or a strong need to void. Ladies may have just spotting between periods. (7)

Treatment with the more up to date erythromycins, clarithromycin, and azithromycin, can fix mycoplasma infections and help numerous ladies to get pregnant before they burn through  thousands of dollars on infertility evaluations.

Note: Azithromycin is generally known as a Z-pack and is a 5-day course of antibiotics.

---

TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Pregnancy Miracle
by Lisa Olsen

-- A 279-page, instantly downloadable e-book presenting a 5-step, sure-fire, 100% guaranteed, clinically proven holistic and ancient Chinese system for permanently reversing your infertility and your partner's infertility disorders and getting pregnant quickly, naturally and safely within 2-4 months without drugs, dangerous surgeries, side effects, or expensive infertility treatments.

It's probably the most powerful infertility reversal system ever developed, and currently the best-selling e-book of its kind on the entire Web!

Here's what the author Lisa Olson had to say about her incredible program:
After 14 years of trial, error, and experimentation, I finally discovered the answer to infertility and developed a fool-proof system to getting pregnant the natural way - no drugs, or surgery necessary.

It took a lot of research to get to where I am today, to know exactly what works and what doesn't. Yes, after desperate trial and error, countless of useless treatments, disappointments, and agony, a simple holistic system opened the door to my new and much brighter life of motherhood.

I was also excited to see that my other infertility related symptoms had diminished. After years of waiting, I was finally free from Infertility! I have become a proud mother of two.

And now I'm finally revealing my secrets in this new 'encyclopedia' of pregnancy called, Pregnancy Miracle.

I will be your own personal coach, take you by the hand, and lead you through the lousy advice, hype and gimmicks... and directly to the sort of inner balance perfection that will end your battle with infertility forever and help you become a proud mother of your healthy children.


Click to order/for more info on this helpful program:
Pregnancy Miracle

Vitamin E deficiency may cause miscarriage. Taken with vitamin C may improve ovulation. Taken with vitamin C and selenium creates a healthy endometrium. Vitamin E has anticoagulant properties, so caution if taking blood thinners.

Also used for slowing the aging process, anticlotting factor, blood cholesterol reduction, blood flow to the heart, capillary wall strengthening, fertility, male potency, lung protection from pollution, muscle and nerve maintenance.

Acubalance recommends avoiding synthetic dl-alpha tocopherol. Ideally you would use a natural type that consisted of mixed tocopherols that included gamma tocohperol gamma-tocopherol.

For proper absorption ensure: adequate intake of inositol and manganese.

For proper absorption avoid: birth control pills, chlorine, mineral oil, rancid fats and oils.

Deficiency symptoms: dull dry or falling hair, enlarged prostate, gastrointestinal disease, heart disease, impotency, miscarriages, muscular wasting, and sterility.

Dietary sources: cold pressed oils, wheat germ, organ meats, molasses, eggs, sweet potatoes, leafy veggies, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and avocados.
Source: http://www.acubalance.ca/Infertility

Vitamin E is required for balanced hormone production. Vitamin E is known as the 'sex vitamin' because it carries oxygen to the sex organs.
Source: http://au.health.yahoo.com/041101/25/1ub3.html


Good for men too:

Vitamin E is another powerful antioxidant and has been shown to increase fertility when given to both men and women. Men going for IVF treatment with their partners have been given vitamin E, and fertilisation rates have, as a result, increased from 19 to 29 percent. It has been suggested that the antioxidant activity of vitamin E might make the sperm more fertile.
Source: http://www.marilynglenville.com/infertility.htm

Essential for fertility and reproduction. Deficiency in rats has shown that it leads to absorption in the female and loss of fertility on the male. This potent antioxidant plays important roles in male sperm production. It is known that a lack of vitamin E inhibits the formation of sperm. Low vitamin E levels can cause a decline in the formation of key sex hormones and enzymes responsible for sperm production.. Although potency is not affected, fertility is improved due to its protective effect on sperm cell membranes. Supplementation with Vitamin E may also aid in improving sperm motility. Dose: 400 IU daily. Talk to your doctor prior to starting Vitamin E, particularly if you are currently taking aspirin or other blood thinners.
Source: http://thefertilityshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=63&osCsid=558ceceb4624c2e2b72ad9c2fdc0cebe



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Fertility Centers of Illinois is often asked to participate in studies because we are one of the nation’s leading infertility treatment practices, providing advanced reproductive endocrinology services in the Chicago area for over 30 years. FCI has more babies born than the next ten centers combined with high success rates that are recognized throughout the nation.

Please know that not all patients will qualify for the studies offered due to strict inclusion and exclusion criteria set by the pharmaceutical organizations that we work with to provide the study.

If after you read more about the study and feel that you do not qualify, FCI has other financial options that can limit the amount of financial stress and strain of fertility treatment such as our Shared Risk program.

Click here to explore these Financial Options or contact our Patient Services Department to schedule an appointment with one of our physician who can help you decide which options are best for you.

At FCI, we are committed to providing the most comprehensive, advanced fertility treatment available in a compassionate, caring environment. We appreciate your interest, and we hope that we will hear from you again in the near future.

Click here to read more about the study.


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Photo by www.news.com.au
LITTLE Dylan Shipp is a symbol of hope for thousands of couples around the world who are trying to conceive.

The 14-week-old is the first baby born from an Australian IVF technique that claims to drastically increase the chance of falling pregnant compared to the standard procedure.

The method involves using a sperm sorter to rapidly separate healthy sperm from those that have damaged DNA - allowing only the best specimens to fertilise an egg.

Research shows that in 40 per cent of infertile couples it is DNA-damaged sperm - due to age, smoking or exposure to toxins in the workplace - that often accounts for the inability to fall pregnant.

In eliminating damaged sperm from the IVF procedure, doctors are also predicting a higher rate of healthier babies.

For six years Dylan's parents Kim and Richard Shipp tried a variety of methods, including artificial insemination, to have a baby before turning to IVF.

"We would have sacrificed anything - even sold our house - for the opportunity to have something so beautiful," Mrs Shipp, 31, said.

The Dubbo couple were excited to be invited to take part in the clinical trial of the NuSep sperm sorter at Westmead Hospital's Fertility Centre.

Seventeen other couples took part in the trial, which has recorded a 40 per cent pregnancy rate - much higher than most standard IVF procedures.

The trial involved scientists dividing samples of eggs and sperm into two lots. Using the sperm sorter, they graded the sperm and placed only the healthiest specimens with eggs.

The ungraded sperm was then placed with the second lot of eggs.

In the Shipp's case, baby Dylan was conceived from the sorted sperm sample.

Most importantly, the babies born from the trial are healthy, proving that processing sperm - which takes just five minutes - does not, in itself, damage the baby's DNA.

Director of the Westmead Fertility Centre Dr Howard Smith said the results of the sperm sorter were encouraging.

"The sperm separated by this method have very low levels of DNA damage and are expected to improve the chance of a couple having a healthy child," Dr Smith said.

He said the clinic was now preparing to conduct a larger trial with the aim of learning more about the relationship between the sperm sorter and increased pregnancy rates.

Mrs Shipp found out she was pregnant with Dylan within weeks of completing the trial.

"I laughed, I cried and then I started shaking," she said.

"I was ecstatic. I kept asking (husband) Richard to check the pregnancy test to make sure.

"Going through the IVF process was an emotional rollercoaster but it was worth it to have Dylan."
The couple has opted to freeze another seven embryos conceived during the program.

Source: http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23369364-5001021,00.html

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:

Grade A Baby Eggs: An Infertility Memoir
by Victoria Hopewell

-- Victoria Hopewell was a forty-something divorced clinical psychologist when she met and married a longtime bachelor whose ninety-year-old parents were anxiously waiting for a grandchild.

Problem was, even though Victoria had two young daughters from a previous marriage, her intense desire to create a baby with her new husband was thwarted by her own body.

Her eggs were aging faster than her healthy hormones and youthful appearance would suppose.

Desperate to bear a child, willing to undergo every procedure from Lupron shots through egg harvesting and in vitro fertilization (IVF), she is blocked at every corner of medical protocol from achieving her dream of a successful pregnancy.

Finally she journeys toward acceptance of using a donor egg, much to the dismay of her growing daughters.

But no eggs are available, and she is placed on a lengthy hospital wait-list. Victoria and her husband then embark on a surrealistic egg hunt to find their own donor.

Follow her insider's account of the hidden world of egg donation-where women's eggs are bought and sold over the internet and a beautiful model with high SATs and a prior successful donation commands the highest prices.

Paperback: 214 pages
Click to order/for more info: Grade A Baby Eggs

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---

"Oh, you're so brave," said a friend. Brave? Me? Soldiers are brave. Firefighters are brave. Pioneer women were brave. Me - an average woman having her first child at 45 - brave? No way! Just fulfilling nature's call - my way!

The friend's comment was meant as a complement, and I took it as such. But I interpreted from her comment that the fear of having children late in life seems to be rooted more in social stereotype than in science. I wasn't just a woman having a baby; I was an "older" woman having a baby "late in life". My pregnancy at 44 going on 45 was the first time in my life that my age had an impact on what I was doing. Sometimes, I was almost apologetic to others when I received "deer in the headlight" reactions to others who were shocked that I was pregnant. People were nice, though. Many told me that they had no idea that I was so old!

Going back to my friend's "brave" comment: I suppose I was perceived as brave because society tells us that having a baby at the end of the child bearing years means that the baby is at increased risk of birth defects; and that at 45 mommy doesn't have the energy she had at 25 to cope with baby. It takes guts, therefore, to do something that we are not perceived as not having the physical stamina to do.

While statistics support general conclusions that older mothers run a higher risk of having babies with genetic abnormalities, it is also possible that the reason that the odds seem higher is because fewer women have babies later in life so that the chances for an "abnormal" child are higher. I am not a scientist nor a doctor. In fact, I am not very good with statistics. My husband and I just went with our guts and felt that my baby was out there in the universe just waiting for me to give him or her a chance to be born. My husband is nine years my senior - imagine the comments that he received and receives now that the baby is out and about with us. He shared my enthusiasm for the pregnancy, and I believe that support is vitally important for a mom of any age.

I have only one caveat for an older woman wanting to have a baby who is reading this story: I recommend that she seek counseling from her physician (and psychologist/psychiatrist if she is being counseled or treated for any emotional issue or mental illness) and base her decision whether to have a baby on her own unique case and her doctor's opinion - not mine!

For the purposes of this article, I can attest to my own story: I was extremely healthy and conceived the baby at 44 years on the cusp of turning 45. I had two prior unsuccessful pregnancies after the age of 40 but still had a burning desire to have a baby. Probably the most important motivators for me was that I had the gut feeling that everything was going to be all right and my husband was there for me and shared my desire. Guess what - my gut, once again, was correct - everything turned out all right. I gave birth to a healthy baby boy. He arrived by c-section 7 weeks early. His premature birth was not due to my "advanced" age - my amniotic fluid was low for unknown reasons. The baby sailed through NICU and was home, without monitors or medication, in 10 days. He is now a healthy 6 month-old weighing in at 16 pounds. I noticed that in the NICU I was the oldest mom. In my un-scientific mind, I thought that if older moms are supposed to have sick babies, why wasn't the NICU filled with older moms?

I encourage "older" women to explore their own possiblities and not to be debilitated by fear of the unknown or intimidated by the perceptions of friends and family. Only God, you and your doctor know what is right for you - which, in some cases, is motherhood at 45!

Learn more about this author, Lisa Gasbarre
Source: http://www.helium.com/items/254645-youre-brave-friend-brave



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Photo by www.bbc.co.uk
Women are leaving it later and later to have children, and thanks to advances in fertility treatments, women in their 60's or older now have the chance of giving birth. But should IVF be used in this way?

Older mothers
No one could deny the joy and love on the faces of Patricia Rashbrook and husband John Farrant as they presented their newborn baby, JJ, to the world in July 2006. A mother for the fourth time, aged 62, she earned the tabloid title of 'Britain's oldest mum'.

In December 2006, a 67-year-old Spanish woman was reported to have given birth to twins, and in January 2005, Romanian academic Adriana Iliescu became a mother at 66.

The verdict from most of the public and media was that sexagenarian parenthood was a step too far.

But whatever your opinion of Dr Rashbrook and Adriana, there's no doubt they're outriders in a growing trend towards late motherhood.

Waiting game
In 2004, more babies were born to women in their early 30s in England and Wales than to any other age group, overtaking 20-somethings for the first time. The birth rate is also rising fastest among women in their late 30s and early 40s.

In 2005, 22,246 women over the age of 40 gave birth, a figure that has almost doubled in a decade. Regardless of doctors' warnings about the risks of delaying childbirth, more women are choosing to fit in having babies when it suits their career and life plans.

As a result, women in their late 40s and 50s are turning to those same doctors for assistance in rewinding the biological clock.

Current age limits
There are no hard and fast rules governing age eligibility for assisted reproduction, and neither is being postmenopausal a barrier. The guidelines simply require clinicians to take account of the welfare of the child.

While the NHS imposes an age limit of 39, the financial reality is that only about 25 per cent of fertility treatments are state-funded. So it comes down to biology and finance - can the woman cope with the rigours of pregnancy and can she pay?

In vitro fertilisation (IVF) success rates decline with age and most clinics won't treat patients over 45, but a handful of British units take a more flexible approach. Since the 1990s, there has been a dramatic rise in IVF mums over the age of 50. Just three were treated in the UK in 1992, but by 2002 that figure had jumped to 96, resulting in 24 births. Women treated overseas aren't included in these figures.

Playing catch-up
While society is getting used to an increase in 40-something childbearing, it's the postmenopausal pregnancies that stir up media commentators. But are these women really going against the natural order, or is it Mother Nature who's failing to keep up with the pace of human development?

That's the argument of Mr Laurence Shaw from The Bridge Centre, a London fertility clinic. He points out that 150 years of improved nutrition, hygiene and medicine have extended our lifespan well beyond the menopause, to 80 and older.

But while our longevity has increased, the reproductive cut-off remains stalled at 50. "It's the menopause that's not natural," Mr Shaw argues. "Before we criticise 62-year-old women who want babies, we should remember that not so long ago women would only have had about 20 or 30 years to care for their offspring.

"Nowadays, 60-year-old women in many industrialised countries have a life expectancy of 80 or 90 [the average is 82], so there's no difference in terms of length of their survival after the birth of the baby."

News: Surge in older women seeking IVF
HFEA
NICE
British Fertility Society

Full article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/fertility/bigissues_age1.shtml

Photo by greyman
London, England (AHN) - More British women are becoming pregnant as they approach their menopausal years. According to the Office for National Statistics, overall conception rates in England and Wales went up by almost 3 percent between 2005 and 2006. But the rise was felt most in the 40 and above age group, which registered a 6 percent growth rate.

In 2005, British women between 40 and 44 who became pregnant was at 11.5 per 1,000 women. The following year, their number grew to 12.2 per 1,000 women.

Julie Bentley, chief executive of the Family Planning Association, told Guardian Unlimited, "The figures illustrate that the traditional approach of 'get married young and have children' isn't the reality for many British women. Improved education and career opportunities, different lifestyle choices and expectations mean their lives may take a different path."

Together with the spike in pregnancies among above 40 women is an increase in number of older fathers. According to the ONS, in 2004, one out of 10 children born had a father who was over 40. The delayed parenthood was attributed by Lindsey Harris, founder of a website for older mothers, to priority on careers, especially for those with higher educational qualification.

Harris added, "Majority of women I speak to either didn't meet the right man until later in life or they are on their second serious relationship and the two of them want to have a baby together."

Source: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7010178255



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