Newsweek Examines Fertility Issues Among Women Older Than 40, Women In Developing Countries

Main Category: Fertility
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 18 Sep 2008 - 9:00 PDT

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Newsweek on Monday published two stories on fertility-related issues. Summaries appear below.

~ "Modern Maternity": The story examines the increasing number of women who are giving birth after age 40 and the medical issues and decisions confronting them. According to CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, the number of infants born to women older than age 40 has doubled over the past few decades despite the fact that only 5% of women in this age group in any given month can become pregnant without assisted reproduction, compared with 20% for 30-year-old women. According to Newsweek, even with fertility assistance, it can be difficult for some women over age 40 to become pregnant. According to a U.S. Census Bureau report released in August, 20% of women ages 40 to 44 have no children. The report does not note if women did not have children out of choice or if they were unable to become pregnant. Women who do become pregnant after age 40 might face a "laundry list of age-related medical issues," such as high blood pressure, and diabetes, which can affect pregnancies, Newsweek reports. Additionally, pregnancies in women over age 40 carry an increased risk of miscarriage. However, Alan Peaceman, chief of the division of maternal fetal medicine at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, said most women can "do fine" with a pregnancy after age 40 "assuming they can get out of the first trimester without a miscarriage." Peaceman noted the importance of a healthy lifestyle for women trying to become pregnant after age 40 (Raymond, Newsweek, 9/15).

~ "What it Means To Be a Woman": Infertile women in many developing countries experience social stigma and ostracism because of the emphasis placed on having children, Newsweek reports. Infertile women in developing countries also are often burdened economically because children are considered to bring greater economic security. In addition, legal adoption is usually "bureaucratically onerous" and not socially acceptable, Elizabeth Roberts, an assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Michigan, said. Roberts made the point that it is not surprising that even low-income people might go into debt to have a child, adding, "A family is only a family if there are children, basically. ... The biggest stumbling block is money." Infertility treatments are rarely covered by insurance in developing countries. Marcia Inhorn, professor of anthropology and international affairs at Yale University, said that infertility is an "issue of profound human suffering," adding, "It's a human rights issue." The issue recently has received more attention worldwide. The World Health Organization in 2004 stated that family planning services, including infertility services, should be accessible. By the end of the year, some physicians are attempting to offer $200 to $500 IVF treatments that use cheaper drugs and lab services to cities in some developing countries (Springen, Newsweek, 9/15).

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