South Texas women needed for infertility study

South Texas patients are helping to compare two oral drugs to boost fertility: a commonly-used pill called Clomid and a newer pill called Letrozole first used for breast cancer patients. Both lead to stimulation of egg growth, but they work in different ways.

“Because they work through different mechanisms, we’re hopeful that maybe certain women will benefit from one versus the other, or maybe all women will benefit from the new medication,” Brzyski explained. “There’s always that great hope.”

Women between the age of 18 and 40 who have eight or fewer periods per year are eligible to be screened for this study. For more information, contact the study coordinator at UTHSC, Carann Easton, R.N., at (210) 567-6245 or eastonc@uthscsa.edu .

Read more: http://www.kens5.com/news/health/stories/KENS20090911-PolycysticOvaryStudy.16dc48945.html

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Turning Back the Reproductive Clock

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Scientific dogma has long asserted that females are born with their entire lifetime supply of eggs, and once they're gone, they're gone. New findings suggest that in nematode worms, at least, this is not necessarily so.

Molecular physiologist Marc Van Gilst, Ph.D., and colleagues at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle report that during starvation, sexually mature adult worms stop ovulating and the germline component of their reproductive system – the sex cells, including mature and maturing eggs – dies off and leaves behind nothing but a few stem cells.

However, once normal food conditions resume, the conserved stem cells can produce a brand new crop of sex cells, complete with youthful fertile eggs. This turning back of the reproductive clock took place in tiny C. elegans soil worms that were up to15 times older than worms in their reproductive prime that were fed normally.

Read more: http://www.ivanhoe.com/channels/p_channelstory.cfm?storyid=22233

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Vegetables may boost fertility

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Men who eat healthier diets may also have healthier sperm, according to new research from Spain.

Mendiola and his team, who reported the findings in the journal Fertility and Sterility, compared the nutrient content of the diets of 30 men with poor semen quality and 31 men with normal sperm.

The men with poor semen quality had low sperm counts and relatively high percentages of abnormally formed sperm. All of the men provided at least two semen samples.

Read more: http://www.canada.com/Health/Vegetables+boost+fertility/1677133/story.html

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Forty percent of fertility issues male

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CHICAGO, June 18 (UPI) -- Fatherhood might be far from the minds of most young men, but their behavior when young can contribute to later male infertility, a U.S. researcher said.

Dr. Suzanne Kavic, a reproductive specialist at the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, said heat generated by hot tubs, excessive laptop use, or using boxers over briefs can impact sperm production, making it difficult to conceive down the road.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2009/06/18/Forty-percent-of-fertility-issues-male/UPI-19291245351601/

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New Fertility Treatment -- The Pregnancy Patch

Researchers are testing a new treatment for fertility – it’s a kind of "pregnancy patch."

Video: Heard About the Pregnancy Patch?

Melissa Willmarth describes her 6-week old son Brook as her “little miracle.” She said, “It was a long journey…a few years of infertility.”

Willmarth credits her “miracle” to a team of reproductive health specialists led by Dr. Mike Thomas. He’s part of a national team conducting one of the first trials in the country on a patch to help prepare the body for pregnancy.

"It's a patch that pumps hormones into the system every few minutes, primarily for women who have low hormone function, or a condition called polycystic ovary syndrome -- which can lead to irregular cycles,” Thomas said.

The patch is being studied in healthy women between the ages of 18 and 38 who want to become pregnant. There are very few restrictions with the trial, with the exception of not being obese, or having a body-mass index of greater than 35.

Thomas's team is comparing the patch to other approved fertility treatments, which means all women who qualify to be part of the study get free fertility care.

Willmarth said, “I couldn't imagine my life without him. He's the best thing that ever happened.”

Anyone interested can call the University of Cincinnati’s Pregnancy Patch Study at (513) 584-4100.

Source: http://www.13wham.com/guides/health/story/New-Fertility-Treatment-The-Pregnancy-Patch/jUfGg_V5mUSE6q8HS-Nbbg.cspx

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Fertility Advocate Pamela Madsen Launches Health Blog

At http://www.thefertilityadvocate.com/ , Ms. Madsen weighs in every day about rapidly unfolding scientific, medical, physical, political, social, environmental and economic aspects that affect every single person’s reproductive health and procreative capabilities. She tackles everything from the hidden effects of sexually transmitted diseases on fertility and the latest developments in reproductive medicine, to the fight for health care access and age-appropriate, scientifically accurate and culturally sensitive sex education.

Full story: http://enewschannels.com/2008/10/10/enc4383_125441.php

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Clue to cause of womb condition

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Scientists have identified a possible cause of the painful womb condition endometriosis.

The team at the University of Liverpool believe over-production of an enzyme, telomerase, which plays a role in cell division may be responsible.

Endometriosis results in patches of the womb's inner lining growing in other parts of the body.

It is hoped the Human Reproduction study may lead to new ways to diagnose and treat the condition.

Full story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7543492.stm

SEE ALSO
Endometriosis 'ups cancer risk' 03 Jul 07 Health
Hope for endometriosis treatment 27 Jul 06 Health

RELATED BBC LINKS
Endometriosis

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Human Reproduction
University of Liverpool
Endometriosis UK

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Researchers discover a gene that regulates, blocks ovulation

Montreal, July 17, 2008 – A group of Canadian and European researchers have unlocked the mystery of a gene with the potential to both regulate and block ovulation. The new study – a collaboration between the Université de Montréal in Canada and the Institut de génetique et biologie moléculaire et cellulaire of the Université de Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France – is published in the latest issue of the journal Genes & Development.

"Our findings demonstrate that the Lrh1 gene is essential in regulating ovulation," said Bruce D. Murphy, director the Animal Research Centre at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and an adjunct professor of and obstetrics and gynaecology at the Faculty of Medicine of the Université de Montréal. "Until this point, the role of Lrh1 in female fertility was unclear, but we have found the gene regulates multiple mechanisms of ovulation and may affect fertilization."

To reach their conclusions, the research team developed a new type of genetically modified mouse whose Lrh1 gene was selectively blocked in the ovary. They found that deletion of the Lrh1 gene effectively stopped ovulation. "This discovery means we can envision new contraceptives that selectively stop ovulation," said Dr. Murphy. "If created, these new contraceptives would be more effective and produce less side-effects than current steroid-based forms of birth control."

What's more, the findings could lead to the development of pharmaceuticals that activate the Lrh1 gene, which may prove critical in giving infertile couples hope in producing children. "This is an important development, since 15 percent of couples are infertile," said Dr. Murphy. "The widespread role of this gene in the ovary indicates that it may be targeted to stimulate ovulation and, eventually, conception."

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-07/uom-rda071708.php

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Luteal estrogen supplementation in pregnancies associated with low serum estradiol concentrations.

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The role of luteal phase estrogen in pregnancy outcome has been a matter of considerable debate.

In order to evaluate the effectiveness of estrogen supplementation in gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa)/human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG)-stimulated cycles associated with low luteal estrogen concentration, a study was performed comparing the ongoing pregnancy rates in cycles with serum concentrations of estradiol (E2)

Our results indicated that a subset of women losing pregnancies preclinically after GnRHa and FSH stimulation due to low luteal phase serum E2 level may benefit from luteal estrogen supplementation. More sensitive and specific markers are needed to identify prospectively women in this risk group.

Full article: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11727011

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Delayed sleep phase syndrome linked to irregular menstrual cycles, premenstrual symptoms in women

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Public release date: 10-Jun-2008[
Contact: Kathleen McCann kmccann@aasmnet.org
708-492-0930
American Academy of Sleep Medicine



WESTCHESTER, Ill. – Women with delayed sleep phase syndrome are more likely to report irregular menstrual cycles and premenstrual symptoms, according to a research abstract that will be presented on Tuesday at SLEEP 2008, the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS).

The study, authored by Kari Sveum, of Northwestern University in Chicago, Ill., focused on 13 females with delayed sleep phase syndrome and 13 healthy controls. The subjects responded to a questionnaire regarding their reproductive health, including irregularity of their cycle and premenstrual symptoms, either in the past or present.

According to the results, twice as many subjects with delayed sleep phase syndrome reported an irregular menstrual cycle compared to controls. For those not using birth control, three times as many subjects with delayed sleep phase syndrome reported irregular menstruation, compared to controls. Pre-menstrual problems, such as cramps and mood swings, were reported by 69 percent of those with delayed sleep phase syndrome, compared to 16.67 percent of controls.

“While the data is preliminary, these results suggest that women with delayed sleep phase syndrome may be at increased risk for menstrual irregularity associated with circadian misalignment,” said Sveum. “Further investigation with a larger group of subjects using prospective diary data would be useful to further establish the effects of circadian disruption on reproductive cycles in women with delayed sleep phase syndrome.”

Sleep plays a vital role in promoting a woman’s health and well being. Getting the required amount of sleep is likely to enhance a woman’s overall quality of life. Yet, women face many potential barriers – such as life events, depression, illness, and medication use – that can disrupt and disturb her sleep.

The hormonal and physical changes that occur during and after menopause can also affect a woman’s sleep. Sleep disturbances are more common, and sleep quality can decline. Insomnia related to menopause often occurs.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is much more common in postmenopausal women. This increase may be due in part to menopause-related weight gain. But it also appears to be hormone-related. Estrogen seems to help protect women against OSA.

It is recommended that women get between seven and eight hours of nightly sleep.

The following tips are provided by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) to help women get the most out of their sleep:

* Make your bedroom a comfortable and safe place. Reduce noises and extreme temperatures that might disturb you.

* Use light and comfortable bed linens and garments.

* Go to bed only when you are sleepy and use the bed only for sleeping and sex.

* Begin rituals to help you relax at bedtime, such as taking a soothing bath or enjoying a light snack.

* Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, including weekends and holidays.

* If you need to take a nap, keep it to less than one hour and take it before 3 p.m.

* Only drink caffeine in the morning, and avoid alcohol and cigarettes late in the day.

* Stay away from fatty, spicy foods that are likely to upset your stomach or cause heartburn.

* Set aside time during the day to get all of your worries out of your system.

* Increase vitamin E in your diet, or take a vitamin E supplement.

* Hormone replacement therapy may help you sleep better by relieving severe hot flashes related to menopause. Ask your doctor for advice about this kind of treatment.

* Only use sleeping pills when supervised by a doctor.

Those who suspect that they might be suffering from a sleep disorder are encouraged to consult with their primary care physician or a sleep specialist.

### More information on “women and sleep” is available from the AASM at http://www.SleepEducation.com/Topic.aspx?id=67 .

The annual SLEEP meeting brings together an international body of 5,000 leading researchers and clinicians in the field of sleep medicine to present and discuss new findings and medical developments related to sleep and sleep disorders.

More than 1,000 research abstracts will be presented at the SLEEP meeting, a joint venture of the AASM and the Sleep Research Society. The three-and-a-half-day scientific meeting will bring to light new findings that enhance the understanding of the processes of sleep and aid the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders such as insomnia, narcolepsy and sleep apnea.

SleepEducation.com, a patient education Web site created by the AASM, provides information about various sleep disorders, the forms of treatment available, recent news on the topic of sleep, sleep studies that have been conducted and a listing of sleep facilities.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-06/aaos-dsp050708.php

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Brighter outlook for IVF babies

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IVF pregnancy rates could double and the incidence of serious complications, such as miscarriage and pre-eclampsia, could be halved after a technological breakthrough in fertility research.

Scientists at the University of Adelaide have created a new type of culture which they say will help embryos better survive their five days out of the womb, and help the foetus and placenta develop more normally.

The head of the research team, Claire Roberts, said yesterday the culture, used successfully to grow mice embryos, was "absolutely fantastic" and could change the face of fertility treatments.

"Until now, the culture most commonly used has not been particularly conducive to the survival of embryos, which is one of the main reasons we don't have a very high success rate in IVF," she said.

Women in their 20's have about a 40 per cent chance of falling pregnant through IVF with that dropping to about 15 per cent for women in their late 30's.

But the new culture contains three molecules which exist in the birth tract fluids of all mammals, making it easier for embryos to grow and implant successfully in the uterus.

"It has long been thought that the culture used in IVF alters the way the embryo develops and affects the interaction between the embryo and the mother, which compromises the development of the placenta," Associate Professor Roberts said.

Poor placental growth results in miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction, haemorrhage and premature births. Women who have undergone IVF are three times more at risk of these complications than women who have conceived naturally.

Human trials are expected to begin within two years and if successful, could help the 15 per cent of couples who are infertile or suffer from recurrent miscarriages.

The new culture could also help researchers achieve the "holy grail" of IVF - a single embryo transfer, which reduces the incidence of multiple pregnancies and maximises the chance of a successful pregnancy.

A fertility expert with IVF Australia, Michael Chapman, said it was still difficult to artificially mimic the human body when creating embryo cultures.

"Mice are not men - or women, so we have to approach this with a fair degree of caution, but if it is proven safe in humans this is a great step forward," Professor Chapman said.

Source: http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/breakthrough-could-double-ivf-successes/2008/04/15/1208025189639.html

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Research Suggests New Way To Gauge A Woman's Fertility

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- New research suggests that measuring the levels of two specific ovarian hormones may help doctors better determine the reproductive potential of older women.

Researchers found that measuring the levels of the hormones inhibin-a and inhibin-b were a more sensitive test of a woman’s ovarian reserve -- or reproductive potential -- than the most commonly used test today. The current test measures the levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH).

“Measuring inhibin levels may be a more accurate way to assess a woman’s fertility,” said Douglas Danforth, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Ohio State University.

Production of inhibin-a and inhibin-b drops as a woman goes through perimenopause, the phase just before menopause. Because the inhibins are produced in the ovaries, they can serve as a direct measure of ovarian function.

The research appears in a recent issue of the journal Fertility and Sterility.

Danforth and his colleagues measured hormone levels in 25 women aged 39 to 52. Women in this age range are usually considered perimenopausal. All subjects still had normal menstrual cycles. Blood serum samples were analyzed for the hormone levels during specific times of the menstrual cycle.

The results showed that levels of inhibin-a and inhibin-b were lower in the women aged 46-52 than in the women aged 39-45. This is consistent with the fact that older women, who are nearer menopause, should have reduced ovarian function compared to younger women, Danforth said. However, the results showed no difference between the older and younger women in terms of FSH levels.

“This suggests that inhibin levels may be a more sensitive gauge of ovarian function than FSH levels,” Danforth said. “FSH levels alone may be a less reliable indicator of reproductive potential in older women.”

While researchers had speculated that inhibin levels may be directly associated with ovarian function, until recently there had not been specific and sensitive tests for inhibin, Danforth said.

Testing levels of inhibin-a, inhibin-b and FSH in older women may provide the best method to determine the viability of an aging ovary, Danforth said.

Eggs develop within the sac-like follicles contained in the ovary. Secreted by the pituitary, FSH attaches to the surface of cells in these ovarian follicles. Inhibins participate in controlling FSH levels, Danforth said.

“The decline in ovarian inhibins but not in pituitary FSH suggests that the inhibins may be a better and more direct marker of ovarian age than FSH,” Danforth said.

Contact: Douglas Danforth
Danforth.2@osu.edu
614-688-3391
Ohio State University

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Short Follicular Phase in Older Women

Is the Short Follicular Phase in Older Women Secondary to Advanced or Accelerated Dominant Follicle Development?

Abstract

This study sought to determine whether the shortened follicular phase in ovulatory older women is secondary to advanced (i.e. earlier) or accelerated (i.e. more rapid) folliculogenesis. Normal ovulatory women, aged 40–45 yr (n = 15) and 20–25 yr (n = 13), underwent daily venipuncture and transvaginal ultrasonography throughout the follicular phase of a spontaneous menstrual cycle (control cycle) and after pituitary down-regulation with a GnRH agonist (study cycle).

As expected, the older subjects in the control cycles demonstrated an elevated day 3 FSH and a shortened follicular phase compared with the younger subjects. After release from hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis suppression, the early follicular phase FSH peak occurred earlier (6.8 vs. 9.8 d; P greater than 0.01) and was of a greater magnitude (12.1 vs. 6.5 mIU/ml; P greater than 0.01) in the older subjects.

The time from release of suppression until the subsequent LH surge was also shorter (17.5 vs. 20.8 d; P greater than 0.01) in the older group. However, the time from FSH peak to LH surge was similar in the older and younger groups (10.7 vs. 11.0 d; P = 0.74). Compared with younger women, older subjects had normal follicular phase levels of estradiol and inhibin A and lower levels of inhibin B in both control and study cycles.

We conclude that the shortened follicular phase observed in older ovulatory women is due to earlier dominant follicle selection, independent of hormonal influences from the preceding luteal phase.

Full article: http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/full/87/12/5746?ck=nck
Source: http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/87/12/5746?ck=nck

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One last chance for pregnancy: a review of 2,705 IVF cycles

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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AM: A gene that affects female fertility

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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FCI Study

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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Better late...

Forget all the scare stories about loss of fertility - women who delay having children are on to a good thing, according to a controversial new book by this academic and older mother. Elizabeth Gregory tells Helena de Bertodano why...

When Elizabeth Gregory gave birth to her first child, Anna, a few weeks before her 40th birthday, she did not think of herself as particularly old to be a first-time mother - even though doctors categorised her as an 'elderly primigravida'. In the process of establishing her career, it had not occurred to her to start a family any younger.

'I wasn't ready until then,' says Gregory, the associate professor of English and director of the Women's Studies Program at the University of Houston, Texas. 'Like many women, I was so focused on what I was doing, so absorbed in my career, that it wasn't until my late thirties that I started to think about having a family.'

Now 50, with two children, one biological, one adopted, she has written a book about the growing tendency to postpone childbirth, Ready: Why Women are Embracing the New Later Motherhood. The book, out next week, offers compelling evidence that women who wait to start a family are making a good choice on several levels. Not only do they have the chance to pursue their own dreams before settling down, Gregory says; once they do start a family they are usually in solid marriages, command higher salaries and have the clout to shape their careers around their families' needs. They often make better mothers, claims Gregory. And the icing on the cake? Women who give birth after 40 even live longer.

The book was published in America in January and is being received with open arms by women who have been bombarded with frightening warnings about fertility waning dramatically through their thirties. Ann Crittenden, the author of The Price of Motherhood, describes it as 'a positive, optimistic message for women: you can wait until you are ready to be a good parent.'

'All the warnings about the dangers of waiting too long have led to a kind of catastrophising,' says Gregory when we meet at her home in Houston. 'The immediate response is: "Oh, no, that means no one can get pregnant after 35." Certainly fertility declines, but most women can still get pregnant.'

Gregory cites research that shows that 90 per cent of healthy 35- to 39-year-olds who try to conceive will succeed within two years if they have sex two days a week. Roughly 82 per cent will become pregnant within one year. Statistics show that in 2005 in America ten times as many women as in 1975 had their first child between the ages of 35 and 39, and 13 times as many had their first between 40 and 44. In the past decade the number of women in England having their first child over 35, and over 40, has doubled. Talking to 113 mothers, Gregory found that women who delayed motherhood were able to negotiate considerable flexibility in the workplace, and that a woman's average long-term salary increased by three per cent for every year she delayed having children.

This is compelling stuff, but doesn't she worry that some women will put off having children as a result of reading her book, only to find when they are 'ready' that their bodies will not co-operate? 'I'm not telling people what to do; I'm just looking at what people are doing,' she says. 'Of course, there's always the chance that [delaying childbirth] won't work for you, so you have to figure out what makes the most sense for you, but women are smart enough to do that.'

Some of the women she interviewed had indeed run into fertility problems and had opted either for egg donation or adoption. She herself had problems conceiving the second time around and adopted her youngest daughter, Sophie, from China two years ago. 'We didn't try to have a second child until later,' says Gregory, 'so we were not surprised at the result. And we were happy to adopt.'

Gregory sits at the table in a dining-room scattered with toys, photographs of her daughters in abundance. Dressed casually in a loose-knit maroon cardigan, dark trousers and turquoise top, with her reading glasses folded over the neckline, she has reddish shoulder-length hair and a passing resemblance to the actress Glenn Close. Anna is at school and Sophie, three, has gone to the cinema with Gregory's husband, Patrick, an architect. She married Patrick when she was 37, having had a previous marriage that lasted only 18 months. 'A number of things came together at the same time. I made professor at 36 and I married the person I wanted to have kids with.'

It wasn't until a few weeks after Anna's birth that it struck Gregory that she was part of a shift in society. 'I had just had a child and my associate director at work had just adopted a child at 46 - her first child. We were talking about it and realised that all of our acquaintances were having children on a similar timetable to us, whereas our mothers had had them much younger. There was a shift and we realised that there had been no research done on this at all.'

Gregory set about interviewing mothers who had had their first child at the age of 35 or over, polling dozens of women from a range of backgrounds. She found that the reasons for delaying motherhood were manifold. 'Some of it was to do with work. Sometimes women waited because they didn't meet the person they wanted to have a family with before then. Others wanted to do other things: to travel the world or go to parties every night. And when they had done all the things on their list, then they were ready. One woman I spoke to adopted her first baby at 56. For her that made sense.'

Although she had expected women to have conflicting feelings about late motherhood, she found the opposite. 'The overwhelming majority viewed the choice to have children after 35 as one of the most positive they had made in their lives.' Unlike their own mothers, they had had a chance to do something with their lives. Leslie, a new later mother, told Gregory: 'I'm not giving anything up when I spend time with [my daughter]… [My mother] felt that her life was being sacrificed to spend time with me.' What impressed her most was the independence and contentment of the women. 'They were very self-confident individuals. And they were all having a very good time.'

Because Gregory advertised - through schools, surgeries and community organisations - for women who fitted the profile to contact her, I wonder aloud whether the sample was atypical. Perhaps, I suggest, only women who felt good about postponing motherhood got in touch. 'That's certainly possible,' says Gregory equably. 'It's not like calling a random sample of people on the phone. But all the reasons they gave were reasons that made sense, in terms of how life unfolds and how careers unroll.'

Why is it, I ask, that women who have babies at 40 are four times more likely to live to 100? 'There have been two studies on this: one suggested that women's ability to become mothers later indicated something about their general vitality. But a more recent study suggests it might be to do with the birth and your body keeping you alive to look after your child.'

She is aware that, if the trend continues, there will be profound implications for society, not all of them beneficial. For one thing, children will often not meet their grandparents. 'If my younger daughter delays having children until she is 40, I will be nearly 90.' In her book she describes being mistaken for Anna's grandmother at the supermarket checkout. 'Oh, that happens to everyone,' she says, referring to all older mothers. Did she mind? 'No.' She is more forthcoming about what she calls the grandparent urge. 'I was talking the other day to somebody who was speculating that, if there is such a biological desire for grandchildren, maybe that's what's happening to later mothers: they are getting that urge for children at an age [where in the past] they would be becoming grandmothers.'

Gregory notes that women might revert to earlier motherhood if offices made it easier to incorporate children into demanding careers. She says she knows of several workplaces - including her own, where there is now a crèche - which are moving in that direction. But work is far from the only factor in delaying motherhood. As one woman, Allison, a businesswoman who had her first child at 37, told her: 'I think there should be a law against marriage and having children until you're 30! Because I just don't think you get it. Your twenties are all about you and finding out who you are.'

• 'Ready: Why Women are Embracing the New Later Motherhood' (Perseus, £15.99), by Elizabeth Gregory, published on Thursday, is available from Telegraph Books (0870 428 4115; books.telegraph.co.uk) at £15.99 plus £1.25 p&p

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/main.jhtml?xml=/health/2008/02/03/st_elizabethgregory.xml

Life Begins...
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