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The offspring of eternal youth |
| ThealIneed/NC&T/UM |
As Dr Skelton explains on the National Geographic Channel programme "Animal Ageing Secrets", to be screened on March 12, research suggests women who raise a family late in life tend to die later.
"The baby boomers of today are doing the right thing by having children much later - because the evidence is that the later you produce children, the longer your life span will be," she says.
"After 30, there is a dramatic reduction of the oestrogen hormone in women. By leaving it longer before having our first child, we're giving ourselves a big burst of oestrogen, which helps in many ways - muscle, bone, nervous function."
And it seems women are about to find out for themselves - the pregnancy rate in women over 40 is rising faster than in any other age group. A total of 22,700 women over the age of 40 became pregnant in 2004, twice the number of 11,500 pregnancies in the age group in 1988.
Dr Skelton, a researcher at the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, adds: "A healthy sex life can have enormous benefits. Testosterone levels drop in men and women as they grow older. But sex produces more testosterone, which may help keep our hearts in good shape."
Recent research in support of older mothers found that a woman who had her last child aged 35 would reduce her risk of death in each subsequent year by 28 per cent compared to a woman who gave birth for the last time at a younger age. Scientists also say later pregnancy might mean a later menopause and the delayed onset of age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's.
But she reminds us, "the old adages, keep fit and active both physically and mentally, eat well, drink in moderation still stand for a healthier and longer life, even chocolate can help reduce the effects of ageing! Pure cocoa has antioxidants in it, like red wine, so a small piece of chocolate a day could also keep the doctor away!"
"Animal Ageing Secrets" examines why some animals live much longer than others and the implications of their longevity.
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