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A study of older new mothers in Israel found that 8 out of 10 experienced complications during their pregnancy, and almost half of their babies were smaller than average. New mothers over the age of 45 have more than tripled over the last decade in Israel, though they still represent a small fraction of all births. The study shows that there is downside risk to using assisted reproduction technologies to allow older women to become pregnant for the first time.

In the study group, four of every 10 women developed pregnancy-related diabetes, and two of 10 had preeclampsia, a dangerous condition that causes high blood pressure. One third of these women's babies were born prematurely, and almost all by C-section. The overall finding is that pregnancy after the age of 45 is quite risky. In the US, first-time births to mothers over 45 still make up a small percentage of all deliveries.

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Pregnancy puts extra stress on a woman's body, which makes pregnant women more likely to develop flu complications. In fact, pregnant women are 4 times more likely then non-pregnant women to be hospitalized for flu complications, and they are just as likely to have flu complications as those people who have chronic medical conditions. Even women who are in the early stages of pregnancy are at a high risk. If you are pregnant during flu season (early winter to early spring), there are some things you can do to reduce the risk of complications.

First, take steps to prevent getting the flu. Having a flu shot during pregnancy can help protect you and your baby once it is born by reducing the risk that you will get the flu and pass it on to the baby. If you have flu symptoms, you should see your doctor as soon as possible, and follow all instructions for flu treatment.

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The anti-malarial drug Malarone, like most anti-malaria drugs, are not approved for use in pregnancy. So when pregnant women want to travel to areas with a high malaria risk, they confront a difficult decision of whether or not to take preventive medications that could pose a risk to their fetus. Now a new study has found that pregnant women who take Malarone during the first trimester may not be increasing their baby's risk for birth defects.

Still, researchers say it is too soon to declare the drug safe for travel health use in pregnant women. A cheap and widely used alternative, chloroquine, is safe during pregnancy, but resistance to the drug has become too common worldwide. An estimated 10000 to 30000 travellers develop malaria each year, and of those there are about 150 deaths from the disease. Pregnant women travelling to high-risk countries should consult a doctor who is experienced in travel medicine to discuss the pros and cons of their anti-malarial options.