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RISK OF SURROGACY AT ADVANCED AGE
DEAR DR. ROACH: Would you please comment on common or uncommon issues that might be expected in a pregnancy at age 57? I am overall very healthy, with no issues other than slightly elevated LDL. I have not gone through menopause. I had four full-term pregnancies, the last at age 35 (after which I had my tubes tied), and no miscarriages. I asked my doctor two years ago if I would have an issue being a surrogate and was told there was no reason I couldn't be, but my current physician told me that it can be very dangerous at my age. I am concerned that the practice is just covering itself against any liability. I realize that this is my decision alone and I would not hold my doctors accountable, but I'd also like the real truth regarding any potential issues I would be likely to encounter. I appreciate your thoughts. -- M.V.
ANSWER: I admire your willingness to consider being a surrogate. However, the risks of pregnancy in a 57-year-old woman are significant. A study from the U.K. from 2016 quantified the risks pretty thoroughly; however, of the 233 women studied, only two of them were older than 57, so your risks are probably higher than the average risk for an older mother in the study (which was defined here as 48 years or older at the date of delivery). Before I go over the risks, let me point out that one major risk for older mothers, Down syndrome, may not apply, since the ovum (egg) you would be carrying would come from another woman and it is her age that determines the risk for the fetus. Older mothers also are more likely to carry twins (or more than two fetuses). Compared with younger mothers, older mothers have a higher risk for: high blood pressure during pregnancy (15% vs. 5%); pre-eclampsia, also called toxemia (6% vs. 2%); diabetes during pregnancy (18% vs. 4%); hemorrhage after delivery (26% vs. 15%); Caesarean section (78% vs. 33%); preterm delivery (22% vs. 8%); and admission of the baby to the intensive care unit (3% vs. less than 1%). Miscarriage rate (after 11 weeks) in women over 55 is estimated to be about 10%, compared with 1% in younger women. Maternal death is much more likely for older women than younger; however, that risk is small, less than 2 per 1,000 in a separate Swedish study of mothers over 45. Overall, these risks are not small. You should think through your risks before making a decision. I'm disappointed in the lack of advice you received. *** DEAR DR. ROACH: The 71-year-old woman from a recent column who finds sticking her finger to test her blood glucose too painful to be willing to do it likely was never told that while sticking her finger at the tip IS painful, sticking at the side of the end of the finger is barely painful, if at all. I find myself surprised that those who stick fingers for blood at the hospital don't seem to know this either. Shame on them. -- R.S. ANSWER: There are more nerve endings at the tip of the finger, so that is more painful for most. There often is better blood flow on the sides as well. Thank you for writing with this reminder. *** Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual questions, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu. (c) 2019 North America Synd., Inc. All Rights Reserved 
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CHRISTMAS TOYS
Christmas toys were popular in Victorian times. Hundreds of different family card and board games were manufactured and sold. Today they are collectible as complete games or parts. The box decorated with an attractive Christmas picture of Santa and snow scenes can be propped on a shelf. The board for the game can be framed or hung with removable hooks. The playing cards often picturing children, Christmas characters or decorations can be displayed in groups or slid under the protective glass top on a table. Just the 19-by-10-inch board of "Game of the Visit of Santa Claus" was auctioned for $275 by Soulis Auctions recently. The game was made by McLoughlin Brothers in 1897. *** Q: We have a wooden board that is 8 by 9 by 1 1/2-inch thick. In the center is a 7 1/2-inch round elaborately carved design that is 1 inch deep. The design looks like some sort of house with a figure on each side surrounded by falling leaves. The bottom and the border have repeating crescent patterns and the inner rim is fluted. We would like to know what this was used for. A: Your mold probably was made for lebkuchen, a soft ginger honey cake popular in Germany for centuries at Christmas. Lebkuchen dates back to 14th-century Germany. The earliest was made in monasteries, where, long before sugar, bakers kneaded flour and eggs with honey from local beekeepers. That gave lebkuchen its unique flavor and acted as a preservative. The dough was claylike and pressed into wooden molds that were delicately carved with pictures that told the stories of Christmas and the saints, like St. Nicholas. When trade routes opened, spices were added to the dough, making it more like it is today. Lebkuchen is still made around the holidays, and molds and recipes can be found online. Your mold is probably from the 19th century, and if clean, there is no reason why it couldn't still be used. *** Q: I have a collection of Avon pewter Christmas ornaments, but I'm missing the ornaments for 1998 and 2003. Were any made for these years? A: The first ornament in this series was issued in 1993. A different ornament has been issued each year since then, except in 1998 when none were sold because of "transportation problems." The 2003 ornament is a snowflake. It's harder to find than some others, but is available at some online sites. We saw one for $39.99. *** CURRENT PRICES
TIP: Chocolate molds can be used to make candy and other party food. Pour melted butter into the mold, put the filled mold into the freezer. Take the mold out and unmold the fancy-shaped pieces of butter for parties. For more collecting news, tips and resources, visit www.Kovels.com (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc. |
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