News of Interest for Late-in-Life Moms July 21, 2008

News to know:
Scientist predicts pregnancy at 100 and as a newborn possible in 30 years
Advancements over the next 30 years should make it possible for women at any age to give birth, according to an article in the journal Nature.
If scientists continue advancing germ cell technology means every person regardless of age will be able to have children. Newborn children could have children and 100-year-olds could have children, according to Davor Solter, a developmental biologist at the Institute of Medical Biology in Singapore.

Preemies may grow up to be shy, unmarried adults, studies say
Babies born early, even those without physical problems, are more likely to have problems socializing, including shyness, and taking risks, according to several studies.
A study in the New England Journal of Medicine, which looked at one million Norwegians ages 20 to 36, found that the earlier babies are born, the less likely they are to marry, have children and earn high salaries.
Preemies were less likely to leave home, live with a romantic partner or be sexually active, according to two studies of people in their 20s published in Pediatrics.

Low-fat milk recommended for some toddlers
Some babies as young as 12 months of age should be given reduced-fat (2 percent) milk instead of whole milk, according to newly revised guidelines issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
Reduced-fat milk would be appropriate for children between 12 months and 2 years of age who are at higher-than-normal risk of becoming overweight, or have a family history of high cholesterol, obesity, or heart disease.

Dietary fiber cuts risk of developing preeclampsia
Eating more fiber during the first trimester of pregnancy seems to reduce the risk of developing preeclampsia, a potentially fatal condition characterized by elevated blood pressure, according to a study published in the online edition of the American Journal of Hypertension.
More than 1,500 pregnant womem responded to a questionnaire. Those who consumed 21.2 grams a day or more of fiber were 72 percent less likely to develop preeclampsia compared with women who ate less than 11.9 grams a day, the researchers found.

Breast-feeding triggrs pulses of feel-good hormone
Breast-feeding triggers a flood of the hormone oxytocin, releasing milk from the mammary gland and a feeling of love and trust in the mother that ensures the baby's needs are met.
Researchers from China, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom say they now understand how this process works.
Their study suggests that breast-feeding not only taps the normal brain cells involved in secreting oxytocin.It also recruits dendrites -- used to create communication channels between brain cells -- into secreting the hormone.