In the News November 12, 2007

News of Interest for late-in-life moms:

U.S. Rate of Infant Death Dropping, But Still High
Despite improvements, the U.S. ranks among the worst modernized states for infant mortality, according to the Center for Disease Control. In 2004, the most recent year for which statistics are available, approximately 7 babies died for every 1,000 live births before reaching their first birthday.

Pill Slightly Raises Cervical Cancer Risk
International researchers report that women taking birth control pills have a slightly increased risk of cervical cancer. According to a report in the British medical journal The Lancet, women who took the pill for at least 5 years had nearly double the cervical cancer risk than women who had never taken the pill.

Early HRT Protects a Woman's Heart
New research presented at the American Heart Associaton (AHA) annual meeting finds hormones pose heart issues for women.
One study reaffirmed that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) started earlier in a woman's life helps protect against coronary artery disease.
A second study found that women taking oral contraceptives run the risk of developing more arterial plaque in the carotid and femoral arteries

Celebrity Late-in-Life Parents: Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony
Jennifer Lopez, 38, (finally) confirmed that she and her husband, Marc Anthony, 39, are expecting their first child.