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New book supports women having children later in life

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More women are waiting longer to have children.

Birth rates for women 35 to 40 have increased 2 percent and for women 40 to 45 years old birth rates have increased by 4 percent.

Sharon P. Fisher, MS, APRN-BC is board certified as both a psychiatric and adult (primary care) Nurse Practitioner and co-author of the new book, "Beyond the Egg timer: A Companion Guide for Having Babies in your Mid-Thirties and Older."

Fisher acknowledges a big fear for many women is the risk associated with age and pregnancy.

"Relative risk is different than absolute risk, so certainly there are more risks compared to a younger woman. However, the absolute risk of these things happening to you or your baby are not necessarily as high as we're led to believe," said Fisher.

She said it's important to find a healthcare provider that supports older women having children and one you can have an honest discussion with about the actual risks.

During their research, Fisher said, the authors found three main reasons why women were waiting to have babies.

The first was indecision and not being sure if they wanted to be a mother.

The second was infertility.

The third reason was what they called "the way life happens," that could be finances or meeting a partner later in life.

You can find more information on the book here.