Protect your fertility: what you can do now to safeguard your chances of motherhood later - Reproductive Health

Shape, Sept, 2003 by Lisa Lombardi

The risk of miscarriage also increases with age: 10 percent for women in their 20s, compared with 18 percent for women ages 35-39, 34 percent for women 40-44, and 53 percent for women 45 and older. While you can't stop the clock, you can control your risk for STDs, your weight and the other factors cited above. You'll help protect not only your chances of conceiving, but your health for life.

fertility resources

Hoping to have a baby one day? Having trouble conceiving right now? The following resources will help answer your questions about conception:

* Conquering Infertility: Dr. Alice Domar's Mind/Body Guide to Enhancing Fertility and Coping With Infertility by Alice D. Domar, Ph.D., and Alice Lesch Kelly (Viking, 2002): an insightful and empowering exploration of the mind-body role in conception

* The American Society for Reproductive Medicine's Web site (asrm.org): Bookmark this site to stay up on the latest fertility research and locate an ASRM-member physician or infertility clinic in your area.

star moms over 40

These famous females all had babies in their 40s. The question on everyone's mind is: Did they have help conceiving? Only a few have discussed it publicly.

1. Emma Thompson At 40, the Brit thespian and her partner, actor Greg Wise, welcomed their first child, a girl named Gaia.

2. Julianne Moore gave birth to her second child, a daughter named Liv, with fiance Bart Freundlich when she was 41.

3. Madonna was five days short of 42 when she had her second baby, Rocco, her first child with her English director-hubby Guy Ritchie.

4. Christie Brinkley The former supermodel sought in vitro fertilization treatment and had three miscarriages before giving birth at 44 to her third child, daughter Sailor Lee, with husband Peter Cook.

5. Iman At 45, the model/actress wife of David Bowie gave birth to their daughter, Alexandria Zahra.

6. Susan Sarandon had her son Miles, her third child (and second with live-in love Tim Robbins), at 45.

7. Geena Davis Married four times, the Oscar winner was 46 when she delivered her first child, a girl named Alizeh Keshvar, with husband Reza Jarrahyo.

Lisa Lombardi is a health writer in Los Angeles.