You CAN have sex through pregnancy without harming your baby, say experts (21+)

Passionate partner: Unfortunately sex can't trigger a long overdue labour

Pregnant women can enjoy sex without endangering their unborn baby, research shows.

There is no evidence that regular love-making increases the risk of a premature birth or other complications, a study says.

The latest findings also contradict the belief that intercourse can help induce a long-overdue labour.

Scientists have concluded that sex during pregnancy is both ‘common’ and ‘normal’, even if it can become a little tricky during the final few weeks.

They say most expectant mothers can carry on making love without risking going into labour early, blood clots or infections of the womb.

Only those who are expecting twins or triplets or have previously had a premature birth should abstain – and even then there is little evidence to show they are at increased risk.

Researchers in the U.S. and Canada looked at evidence from several previous studies which had all examined the possible risks of sex during pregnancy.

One study compared 11,000 pregnant women, half who were sexually active, the other half abstinent, and found no difference between the two groups.

Another looked at women who had previously had at least one premature birth and found regular sex did not increase the risk.

The research, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, also concluded that once they have given birth, women generally begin having sex within one or two months.

Dr Clair Jones, of the Department of Obstetrics, at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, said: ‘Sex in pregnancy is normal. Patients with low-risk pregnancies should feel comfortable engaging in sexual activity as they please.’

Real men must eat meat, say women as they turn their noses up at vegetarians

Preference: Women consider men who eat meat to be more manly

They may hope that their love of animals will make them a hit with the ladies.

But vegetarian men are seen as wimps and less macho than those who like tucking into a steak – even by women who do not eat meat themselves, research shows.

The finding will dismay the hundreds of thousands of single men who have given up meat for health, environmental or animal welfare reasons.

Researchers gave hundreds of young men and women descriptions of fictional students varying only according to diet, and asked them to rate aspects of their personalities.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the vegetarian characters were seen as being more virtuous.

Further questioning revealed that men who do not eat meat were also viewed as less masculine than the others – even by vegetarians.

Researcher Dr Steven Heine, of the University of British Columbia, told Appetite journal that meat and men have always gone hand in hand.

'Meat has been closely associated with power and privilege – a staple for gentry and a rare treat for the peasants,' he said.

'Through abstaining from meat, a widely established symbol of power, status and masculinity, it seems that the vegetarian man is perceived as more principled, but less manly, than his omnivorous counterpart.'

Co-author Matthew Ruby said single vegetarian men should not despair, as they may have other appealing traits.

Softer: Vegetarian men, such as Sir Paul McCartney, are considered more liberal

He added: 'Some people would prefer a more masculine partner, whereas others prefer a less masculine partner.'

Previous research has found that vegetarians are seen as pacifist, weight-conscious and liberal, while fast-food lovers are perceived as patriotic, pro-nuclear and conservative.

Three per cent of British adults do not eat any meat or fish and another five per cent describe themselves as 'partly vegetarian'.

The secret to a happy married life? Never forgive your partner when they misbehave

It is meant to be the cornerstone of any strong relationship.

But new research shows that forgiveness is more likely to tear a marriage apart than keep it together.

Those not so easily forgiven were less likely to repeat their behaviour, due to a loved one's criticism and the feelings of guilt and loneliness they experienced.

Doomed? Cheryl Cole initially forgave husband Ashley over his indiscretions, but they later split

The findings, published in the Journal of Family Psychology, showed partners who got away with being moody, abusive or sarcastic to their spouses were much more likely to do it again.

Those that were rebuked or shunned were more inclined to curb their bad habits.

The research, by psychologists at the University of Tennessee, calls into question the long-held belief that forgiving a partner's minor transgressions is one of the building blocks of a solid relationship.

Dr James McNulty, from the university's department of psychology, recruited 135 newly-wed couples and asked each partner to keep a daily diary for one week.

In it, they recorded every time their new husband or wife engaged in 'negative' behaviour. This ranged from arguing and snapping to nagging and being moody.

They also had to record whether they forgave the transgressions, or instead strongly criticised their partner for their behaviour.

Indiscretions: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton forgave her President husband

Finally, each participant had to document whether, having been forgiven, their spouse continued to behave in a similar fashion the next day.

The results showed that forgiveness nearly doubled the chance of a husband or wife doing the same again the next day.

Dr McNulty said: 'Spouses were almost twice as likely to report that their partners had behaved negatively on days after they had forgiven them than on days after they hadn't.

'These findings demonstrate that forgiveness may sometimes harm relationships.

'There is one plausible explanation - forgiveness allows relatively negative partners to continue their negative behaviours, ultimately harming the relationship.'

How a bad taste in music really CAN ruin a relationship

Ever wondered why a relationship may have ended on the wrong note?

The answer could be quite simple: it's because of your taste in music.

According to a new study music actually predicts sexual attraction. The most recent issue of Psychology of Music takes a close look at the connection between identity, music and what makes people 'click'.

Rock 'n' roll: If you like the blues you're more likely to be liberal but if you're into heavy metal you're rebellious with strong social awareness

This had led the LA Weekly blog to explore what it is about why we like, what we like, and perhaps more importantly, how this can make or break a relationship.

During adolescence, music becomes a symbol of your identity to help you belong.

Research duo North and Hargraves say that music functions as a 'badge' which people use to not only judge others but at the same time, to express their own ideas.

For example the child who wants to appear rebellious picks music that seems like it's made by people who rebel.

This symbol of identity also helps you strike a balance between belonging but also being original.

Classic: Guys are found to love girls who are into classical music but the same cannot be said for the reverse

You do this by liking a genre that your friends like, but to try and stand out while not becoming a total outcast, you find a performer within that genre which no-one else knows about.

Eventually however, you get into music that reflects your values.

Researchers believe that rock is associated with social awareness and rebelliousness while pop is connected to values about gender roles and conformity.

Scholars Rentfrow and Gosling discovered that people who like blues, jazz, classical, and folk are liberal and more open to experiences.

The blog also points to a study which found that a woman's devotion to country music diminishes her attractiveness to a potential male mate and a man's interest in country music make him less attractive to women.

But devotion to classical music and heavy metal rock has a different effect depending on if you're a man or a woman.

The study in the Communication Research journal says: 'A date's devotion to country music was found to diminish attraction in respondents of both genders.

'In contrast, devotion to classical music and to heavy metal rock proved to be gender specific.

'Fascination with heavy metal rock greatly enhanced the appeal of men, but it proved detrimental to that of women.

'Adoration of classical music produced the reverse consequences.

'It tended to facilitate the appeal of women, but to diminish that of men.

It also found that men were more strongly attracted to women with whom they shared musical tastes.

But for women, this had only a 'negligible effect' on their attraction to men.

Why touching a chap's arm is the best way to his heart as the art of physical contact is explained

Ladies, the secret of flirting isn’t fluttering your eyelashes, flicking your hair or laughing at his jokes.

Psychologists have shown the quickest way for a woman to gain a man’s interest is by gently touching his arm.

Researchers recruited a 20-year-old woman, rated ‘averagely attractive’ by a panel of 18 men, to approach 64 young, single males chosen at random in a bar.

Key contact: Researchers found women could attract a man's interest by touching his arm

She asked each of them to help her get a key into a key ring.

During half the encounters, the woman then touched the man for one or two seconds on his forearm before thanking him and returning to her table.

Observers found a third of the men who had been touched struck up a conversation with the woman, but that only 16 per cent tried to talk to her if they had no physical contact.

Referring to the power of touch, Dr Nicolas Gueguen from the University of South Brittany, who led study, said: ‘Numerous researchers have found that such brief non-verbal contact significantly increases compliance.’

It works the other way too. A previous study by Dr Gueguen found that women were more likely to dance with men if they were touched lightly on the arm beforehand.

Is this the unluckiest bride ever? Couple forced to cancel wedding ten times after catalogue of disasters

It is the biggest day of a girl's life, and often takes over a year to arrange. But Nicky Pretty was forced to cancel her wedding plans ten times before finally walking down the aisle.

Mrs Pretty, 41, from Bournemouth, was first due to marry fiancé Trevor, 43, three years ago, but a series of disasters prevented the couple from actually tying the knot.

Failed attempts included a double-booked venue and cancelling a home wedding after neighbours complained it would be too noisy.

Unlucky: Nicky and Trevor Pretty, who finally married in Edinburgh, were forced to cancel their wedding plans ten times

The pair called off their first wedding in Cyprus in 2008 because Nicky's brother and sister did not want to take their babies abroad.

THE TEN FAILED ATTEMPTS

Attempt 1 - February 2008
Due to marry in Cyprus but cancelled when Nicky's brother and sister both backed out because of their new-born babies.

Attempt 2 - April 2008
Booked Christchurch Captain's Club as they though it would be cheaper, but cancelled when it cost £140 a head.

Attempt 3 - August 2009
Flew to Hong Kong, but called the wedding off when they found out that it would take five days to process the marriage - and it was after they were due to come home.

Attempt 4 - June 2010
The couple decided to hire a hall for the wedding and reception, but were priced out by another couple.

Attempt 5 - July 2010
Planned a home reception, but cancelled after neighbours complained about the noise the party would create.

Attempt 6 - August 2010
Booked a ceremony in Fiji, but called it off at the last minute as no friends or family would be there.

Attempt 7 - September 2010
Booked a hotel, but called the wedding off as another couple had hired on the same day.

Attempt 8 - October 2010
Booked a nautical-themed wedding on a boat, but discovered low tides meant they couldn't use the boat.

Attempt 9 - November 2010
Tried to switch slots after discovering caterers were booked up, only to discover registrar was fully booked.

Attempt 10 - December 2010
Booked a registry office, but cancelled when they realised they couldn't get all their family and friends there.

The couple were also forced to scrap plans to marry on a boat because the tide was out, and had to abandon plans to marry on a picturesque island off Fiji.

Mr and Mrs Pretty finally married last month at Lothian Chambers in Edinburgh but only after snow threatened an 11th postponement.

Mrs Pretty, a market research project manager at Bournemouth University, said she was relieved to finally be married.

'I was beginning to think the wedding would never happen so I am relieved to be Mrs Pretty at last.

'Everything that could go wrong did go wrong but we got there in the end. I was so upset we made a pact not to talk about getting married any more as I kept bursting into tears.

'Unbeknown to Trevor I kept a stash of wedding magazines under our bed still dreaming of our big day.

'When we finally said our vows it was perfect. For some people things fall apart on the day but for me it came together and got better and better.'

One of Mrs Pretty's wedding cancellations was because their reception venue the Avonmouth Hotel, Mudeford, Dorset, had been doubled booked.

She added: 'We had hired a double decker to take the wedding party to the reception and Gary Rhodes has designed the menus.

'Then I got the bombshell call telling me owing to a ruling two brides could not be on site at the same time and as there was a wedding at the hotel itself I would not be able to wear my dress.'

The happy couple eventually got married in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle in sub-zero temperatures, surrounded by three feet of snow during a holiday with friends.

But their plans were almost thrown out after their flight from Bournemouth Airport was cancelled.

Relieved: The new Mr and Mrs Pretty share their first kiss as a married couple

They took a train to Southampton Airport, stayed overnight and were just about to board their flight to Scotland when that was also cancelled.

Despite serious weather warnings due to heavy snow, the foursome decided to drive the 365 mile journey instead, to ensure that the bride got to the venue on time.

Mrs Pretty, who wore a tailor-made white coat and trousers from Bangkok, had no time to get a bouquet.

The wedding cake was a giant cupcake iced with the words: 'Trevor and Nicky have finally done it'.

The couple exchanged personally-written vows in front of just a registrar and their two friends, accompanied by music from Mrs Pretty's iPhone.

How a spot of morning passion can make you glow all day long

Seeking a healthy boost to kick start your day? Look no further than the bedroom.

Adults who make love first thing in the morning apparently not only feel more upbeat for the rest of the day, but also benefit from a stronger immune system.

Research suggests that adults who begin their day this way are healthier and happier than those who simply opt for a cup of tea and some toast before heading out of the door.

Feel-good hormones: The chemicals released during morning intercourse can improve your health and mood for the whole day

Not only does it make them less likely to catch a cold or flu, it can also improve the quality of their hair, skin, and nails.

Dr Debby Herbenick, an American research scientist and sex advice columnist, said: ‘Having sex in the morning releases the feel-good chemical oxytocin, which makes couples feel loving and bonded all day long.’

Dr Herbenick, author of the book Because It Feels Good, added: ‘It makes you stronger and more beautiful too: Morning sex can strengthen your immune system for the day by enhancing your levels of IgA, an antibody that protects against infection.

‘And it releases chemicals that boost levels of oestrogen, which improves the tone and texture of your skin and hair.’

Other research suggests that the benefits do not end there. A study at Queens University in Belfast found that having sex three times a week could halve the risk of heart attack or stroke.

Despite the demands of work and a family, adults should still try to find time for lovemaking as soon as they stir.

Jane Greer, an American marital therapist, said: ‘Mornings are the perfect time to indulge because you’ll probably be in a rush, and the heart-pounding adrenaline of spontaneous sex will intensify the entire experience.’

'Mornings are the perfect time to indulge in a quickie, because you’ll probably be in a rush, and the heart-pounding adrenaline of spontaneous sex will intensify the entire experience,' she says.

And women worried their partner will not be willing to participate in an early morning session, may find it surprisingly easy to coax their men into a bout of passion.

'While he sleeps, the testosterone he’ll use for the upcoming day accumulates,' says Gabrielle Lichterman, author of 28 Days. 'From the time he wakes up, he has a three-hour window when he’s brimming with peak levels.'

The benefits do not end there for those who indulge in regular intercourse.

A study at Queens University in Belfast found that having sex three times a week could actually halve the risk of heart attack or stroke.

A 2009 study found that having sex every day improves sperm quality and could boost the chances of getting pregnant. In tests of men with fertility problems, daily ejaculation for a week cut the amount of DNA damage seen in sperm samples.

Research from Nottingham University also found that men who kept up a regular sex life in their 50s were also at lower risk of developing prostate cancer.

Abortion 'does not increase risk of mental health problems... but having a baby does'

Having an abortion does not increase the risk of mental health problems, but having a baby does, one of the largest studies to compare the aftermath of both decisions suggests.

The research by Danish scientists further debunks the notion that terminating a pregnancy can trigger mental illness - but does show postnatal depression to be much more of a factor.

The Danish study included 365,550 teenagers and women who had an abortion or first-time delivery between 1995 and 2007.

Seven per 1,000 women got mental health help within a year of giving birth compared with four per 1,000 women pre-delivery. But for those who had an abortion, the rate seeking help before and after the termination was the same

None had a history of psychiatric problems that required hospitalisation. Through various national registries, researchers were able to track mental health counselling at hospitals or outpatient facilities before and after an abortion or delivery.

The Danish study included 365,550 teenagers and women who had an abortion or first-time delivery between 1995 and 2007. None had a history of psychiatric problems that required hospitalisation. Through various national registries, researchers were able to track mental health counselling at a hospital or outpatient facility before and after an abortion or delivery.

During the study period, 84,620 had an abortion while 280,930 gave birth.

Researchers compared the rate of mental health treatment among women before and after a first abortion. Within the first year after an abortion, 15 per 1,000 women needed psychiatric counselling - similar to the rate seeking help nine months before an abortion.

Changes in hormone levels, sleep deprivation and other demands associated with having a baby could trigger mental problems, experts say

Researchers say women who seek abortions come from a demographic group more likely to have emotional problems to begin with. Statistics show that a large percentage struggle economically and they have above-average rates of unintended pregnancies.

While first-time mothers had a lower rate of mental problems overall, the proportion of those seeking help after giving birth was dramatically higher. About seven per 1,000 women got mental health help within a year of giving birth compared with four per 1,000 women pre-delivery.

The most common problems among women in both the abortion and the delivery groups were debilitating anxiety, severe stress and depression.

'A woman should know that her risk of having a psychiatric episode is not increased after an abortion,' said Trine Munk-Olsen of Aarhus University, who led the study.

The study did not examine why a pregnancy was terminated. Researchers also only studied mental problems serious enough to warrant admission to a hospital or outpatient clinic and did not look into the role of mild depression and other lesser symptoms.

In a previous study, published in 2006, Munk-Olsen found new mothers faced increased risks for a host of mental problems, not just postnatal depression.

Changes in hormone levels, sleep deprivation and other demands associated with having a baby could trigger mental problems, experts say. By contrast, women who have an abortion don’t experience similar changes.

'Anyone who’s ever had a baby knows it’s stressful. That stress doesn’t go away in a week or two after delivery,' said Dr. Robert Blum, who heads the department of population, family and reproductive health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

The latest findings echo an extensive review by the American Psychological Association in 2008 that found no evidence that ending an unwanted pregnancy threatens women’s mental health.

A separate review by Blum and his colleagues found that the most rigorous research on the topic did not find a relationship between abortion and long-term mental health problems. Previous studies that suggested such a connection were often poorly designed, had dropout rates or did not control for factors that could affect the conclusion.

The 'auto-cutie' effect: Men are so distracted by attractive newsreaders they can't remember the headlines

It won't come as much of a surprise to women, but men are distracted by attractive newsreaders.

In fact, the more attractive a female newsreader is, the less likely male viewers are to remember what she had been saying, according to a new study.

The research follows heavy criticism in recent years that many television newsreaders are simply overpaid 'auto-cuties' lacking in journalistic experience.

BBC newsreader Emma Crosby: The more attractive a female anchor is, the less likely male viewers are to remember what she had been saying, a study claims

The strategy of hiring attractive women to read the headlines boosts ratings figures, it is claimed.

But the flip side of this is many male viewers won't remember the news they have just been informed about.

Writing in the journal Communication Research, Indiana University students Maria Elizabeth Grabe and Lelia Samson staged two versions of their own news broadcast.

Both versions featured the same 24-year-old female newsreader. In the first, she wore a tight-fitting dark blue jacket, a skirt that 'accentuated her waist-to-hip ratio', bright red lipstick and a necklace.

In the second, the dressed in a shapeless and loose-fitting dark blue jacket and skirt, wore no lipstick or a necklace.

In both segments, she read local news and was filmed in a 'medium-long shot' revealing the top half of her body including her upper thighs.

Oh la la! It's doubtful many Frenchmen remember the headlines after watching Melissa Theuriau

Four hundred volunteers were then randomly asked to watch one of the versions and then filled out questionnaires revealing what they thought about the presenter.

Included were four multiple-choice questions about her appearance and ten about the news she had been reading.

Women remembered more about what the 'sexy' newsreader had been saying, than her less made-up counterpart.

Men, on the other hand, recalled 'significantly more information watching the unsexualised anchor deliver news than her sexualised version'.

The researchers concluded that we find it easier to process information visually, and that men's brains are overwhelmed when presented with sexual imagery, although they didn't study how women would react when confronted with an attractive male newsreader.

Last year, newsreader Katie Derham fiercely defended the role of newsreaders following criticism that they were 'auto-cuties'.

She said: 'With rolling news coverage nowadays you have to be on air constantly -and it is the overpaid airheads in the nice suits who have to hold everything together.

'We do have to think on our feet and we do have to have journalistic training, and professionalism, and common sense - because otherwise the product would be c*** and we would be taken off-air.'

'You're not going out dressed like that!' Mum's clothes are an embarrassment for a third of girls

Daughters are used to being chastised by mum over what they wear.

But it seems the tables have turned. Mothers are facing growing criticism about their fashion sense, with up to a third branded an embarrassment.

While a fifth of young women consider their mothers to be fashionable, a quarter say they dress too young.

Like mother, like daughter: Lourdes (left) and her mother Madonna (right) often dress more like sisters

One in four believes their mother wears clothes that are simply too revealing, and more than two thirds claim never to want to dress like them.

Less than a third think their mother dresses appropriately, with many claiming she shops in the wrong stores or simply tries to copy young fashions.

Liverpool was named as the city where older women try the hardest to appear young, followed by Newcastle and Birmingham.

One critical daughter, Charlotte Appleyard, moaned that her 49-year-old mother, Diana, wears tight tops and black leggings with ­platform shoes.

The 17-year-old, from Argyll, Scotland, said: ‘I don’t see why she can’t invest in some nice, anonymous navy blue linen trousers and a white V-neck long-sleeved top like other mothers.

‘Or an “age appropriate” dress which might make her look glamorous, instead of silly.

‘She’s trying to cling on to her youth and she hasn’t got the figure for it.’ But Mrs Appleyard, 48, did not care: ‘It’s a balance between dressing fashionably and looking like a dog’s dinner.’

Dressing young: Jerry Hall and Carol Vorderman have both been accused of wearing age-inappropriate outfits

Celebrity mums seem to be leading the trend. It has been said that Madonna, 53, and daughter Lourdes, 13, look more like sisters when they go out together.

Jerry Hall, meanwhile, was accused of dressing too young after appearing in the same outfit as daughter Lizzy Jagger when they opened the Harrods sale.

Miss Hall, 54, and Miss Jagger, 26, both wore knee-length black dresses and coats and the same bright red lipstick. TV presenter Carol Vorderman was upstaged by daughter Katie King, 19, at a charity function in London last year.

While the 50-year-old relied on fake diamonds and a tight-fitting dress for attention, her daughter shone in a short silver dress.

Retailer Mark Pearson, chairman of discount website MyVoucherCodes.co.uk, commissioned the survey and suggested shopping together could help.

‘Perhaps daughters should help their mum find clothing that suits her, rather than feel embarrassed,’ he said.

Marriage, the key to a better life: Study finds tying the knot means improved health and longer life expectancy

Commitment cure: Marriage can improve your mental and physical wellbeing, studies have found

Marriage cheers you up, improves your diet and helps you live longer, researchers say.

It brings better mental and physical health, reducing the chance of premature death by 15 per cent, according to major studies in seven European countries.

And the longer a marriage lasts the more the rewards accumulate – the only catch being that the relationship has to be loving and supportive.

John Gallacher, a Cardiff University academic who reviewed the European studies, said the happily married were more likely to eat healthily, have more friends and take better care of each other.

‘Marriage and other forms of partnership can be placed along a sliding scale of commitment, with greater commitment conferring greater benefit,’ he added.

‘That marriage generally indicates a deeper commitment might explain why marriage is associated with better mental health outcomes than cohabiting. Cohabiting relationships tend to be less enduring. The most widely accepted explanation is that being in a committed relationship means better social support is available.

‘Commitment seems to provide networks of supportive and helpful relationships, beginning with the spouse or partner, leading to more healthy lifestyles and better emotional and physical health.’

The research findings were reviewed by Dr Gallacher and his doctor son David in an editorial for the British Medical Journal.

Many married couples are often unaware of the advantages, they said, but a study of one billion ‘person years’ in seven countries found husbands and wives were 10-15 per cent less likely to die prematurely than the population as a whole.

Analysis of 148 studies of social relationships found their legal status and the amount of emotional support involved were linked to death rates, with marriage coming out on top. There is no evidence available to judge the health of people in civil partnerships, said Dr Gallacher.

Evidence shows the optimal time for men to marry seems to be after the age of 25, whereas for women it is between 19 and 25 years, he said, adding: ‘In terms of physical health, men benefit more from being in a relationship than women, but in terms of mental health women benefit more than men.

‘The physical health premium for men is likely to be caused by their partner’s positive influence on lifestyle.

‘The mental health bonus for women may be due to a greater emphasis on the importance of the relationship in women.’

The advantages keep growing over time, with studies followed up for 30 years showing longer relationships are linked to better mental health.

Advantages: Married people were found to be less likely to die prematurely

The difference in mortality rates in favour of marriage also increases with age, said Dr Gallacher.

But he warned that difficult and strained relationships were bad for mental health, and being single was better than being in a strained relationship.

‘The take home message is simple. Exclusive and supportive relationships confer substantial mental and physical health benefits that grow over time,’ he added.

‘Although failure of a relationship can harm health, that is an argument for avoiding a bad relationship rather than not getting into a relationship at all.

‘On balance, it is probably worth making the effort,’ he said.

Last year, a World Health Organisation study revealed marriage could reduce the risk of anxiety and depression and those who tied the knot were much less likely to suffer the blues than those who stayed single.

Don't wait too long for a baby: Women are SIX times more likely to suffer from fertility problems when 35 than at 25

Warning: Doctors have told couples not to leave it too late to try for a baby as they risk having problems conceiving

Doctors have issued a stark warning to couples not to leave it too late to try for a baby.

With more and more women pursuing careers, they and their partners are leaving parenthood to at least their late thirties.

But women aged 35 are six times more likely to have problems conceiving compared to those ten years younger, warns a major study from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

The report says older parents are making it harder for themselves to have children – and increasing the likelihood of serious medical complications for both mother and baby.

By the age of 40, a woman is more likely to have a miscarriage than give birth.

Men’s fertility also declines rapidly from the age of 25 and the doctors estimate that the average 40-year-old takes two years to get his partner pregnant – even if she is in her twenties.

The report is a clear and authoritative wake-up call on the dangers of late parenthood. However, increasing numbers of couples are doing just that without properly understanding the consequences – and the risks.

Separate figures show that the number of mothers giving birth after their 40th birthday has trebled in the last 20 years.

Almost 27,000 babies were born to mothers over 40 last year compared to with 9,336 in 1989.

The doctors insist women should be given clear reminders that ‘the most secure age for childbearing remains 20 to 35’.

Up to 30 per cent of 35-year-olds take longer than a year to get pregnant, compared to only 5 per cent of 25-year-olds, according to the figures in the report by the Royal College.

The research, which looked at several major studies on fertility, also shows that the average childbearing age has risen from 23 in 1968 to 29.3 today.

Expectant mothers in their late thirties and forties are far more likely to suffer complications such as pre-eclampsia, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage or stillbirth and they are also more likely to need a Caesarean.

Babies born to them are more likely to be premature, smaller or have Down’s Syndrome and other genetic disorders.

The number of mothers who have given birth after their 40th birthday has trebled in the past 20 years - 27,000 today compare with 9,336 in 1989

Doctors warn that government campaigns to cut teenage pregnancy and boost contraception uptake may have resulted in young people thinking they can delay parenthood indefinitely.

They also say that IVF has given women a ‘false sense of security’, despite major breakthroughs in recent years.

Fertility treatment has a 3 per cent success rate for women over the age of 44.

More than half of those having such treatment in their forties use donor eggs, because their own supply has diminished, or the quality of those remaining is not good enough.

The study, published in the medical journal Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, says that risks of prolonging parenthood should be taught at school alongside lessons on safe sex.

Highlighting problems: Jason Waugh said women should be given more information on the unpredictability of pregnancy and problems that occur

Researchers also say charts showing the decline of fertility with age should be put up in surgeries and family planning clinics.

David Utting, specialty registrar in obstetrics and gynaecology at Kingston Hospital NHS Trust and co-author of the review, said: ‘Clear facts on fertility need to be made available to women of all ages to remind them that the most secure age for childbearing remains 20-35.

‘However women and doctors should remain vigilant to prevent unplanned and unwanted pregnancies.’

Fertility experts say that there is not enough provision in the workplace to allow women to simultaneously have children while pursuing a career.

Gedis Grudzinskas, a consultant in infertility and gynaecology, said: ‘Many women I see say they find it very difficult to try to do everything.

‘Society has changed and there is now much more opportunity to follow exciting careers – especially with such inadequate provision of childcare.

‘Women achieve career satisfaction and decide they want to start a family but by this time it is too late and they can’t turn the clock back.’

He added: ‘We should be making it easier for women to start a family while they are at work.’

Jason Waugh, consultant in obstetrics and editor in chief of the Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, said: ‘This review highlights the problems associated with later maternal age.

‘There are a number of reasons why women are leaving it later to start a family, for example, career concerns, financial reasons and finding a suitable partner.

‘However, women should be given more information on the unpredictability of pregnancy and the problems that can occur in older mothers.’

Dads can keep the peace... by leaving childcare to mum

Dads, if you want to avoid rows with your wife, play with the children but let her do the caring.

Although many fathers would say they are often in trouble for doing just that, a study suggests that couples have a stronger relationship when the father spends more time playing with their child.

But when he participates in care-giving – such as giving baths – parents undermine each other.

Couples have a stronger relationship when the father simply sticks to playing with the children

The study involved 112 couples, most of whom were married, and who had a four-year-old child.

Fathers and mothers filled out questionnaires which asked how often they played with their children and how often they were involved in care-giving activities.

Researchers then observed the couple while they helped their child draw a picture of their family and build a house out of blocks.

The U.S. researchers looked for signs of supportive co-parenting, and for evidence of couples criticising each other’s parenting or trying to ‘outdo’ each other.

A year later, the couples returned and took part in a similar activity.

The results, reported in the Journal of Developmental Psychology, showed that when fathers played more with their child at the beginning of the study, the couple showed more supportive co-parenting in the second session.

But when fathers said they participated more in care-giving, the couples showed lower levels of supportive co-parenting a year later.

Woman, 44, suffers a stroke and partial paralysis after amorous partner gives her a love bite (21+)

Doctors reported a woman developed a blood clot as a result of receiving a hickey. This then led to a stroke (posed by models)

It's well-known to anyone in a relationship that love can hurt - but one woman was left partially paralysed after a romantic encounter went wrong.

In the first reported case of its kind, the 44-year-old from New Zealand suffered a stroke after her amorous partner gave her a love bite.

She was driven to hospital in Auckland, New Zealand, after she experienced loss of movement in her left arm after an amorous encounter.

Doctors suspected she had had a small stroke - but could not find any obvious cause.

Then they noticed a fading bruise on the right side of her neck - a love bite, also known as a hickey.

Underneath the bruise they found the cause of the stroke - damage to a major artery, where a blood clot had formed after the suction of the love bite.

The clot had then travelled to the woman's heart, causing the stroke. She then noticed the problem while she was sitting watching television.

'Because it was a love bite, there would be a lot of suction,' said Dr Teddy Wu, who treated the Maori woman at Auckland's Middlemore Hospital.

'To my knowledge, it's the first time someone has been hospitalised by a "hickey",' he said.

The 44-year-old was taken to the Auckland Middlemore Hospital after she lost the use of her arm

'Because of the physical trauma of the sucking, it had made a bit of bruising inside the vessel (the artery).

'The clot had gone into the woman's heart and caused a minor stroke that led to the loss of movement.

'We looked around the medical literature and that example of having a lovebite causing something like that hasn't been described before,'

The unnamed woman was treated with warfarin, an anti-coagulant, which resulted in the clot disappearing almost entirely within a week.

Dr Wu reported the case in the current edition of the New Zealand Medical Journal.

He told The Press newspaper in Christchurch that if the problem had not been treated quickly the woman could have suffered further strokes.

'Strokes have different levels of severity,' he said, 'but possibly patients can become paralysed.'

Genes May Link Friends, not Just Family

Study Suggests Friendships May Be Formed Among People Who Share Some Genetic Markers

Genes may link both your family and your friends, according to a new study.

Researchers found genetic links among groups of friends that suggest people tend to form friendships with others who share at least some genetic markers with them.

“People’s friends may not only have similar traits, but actually resemble each other on a genotypic level,” write researcher James H. Fowler, of the division of medical genetics at the University of California, San Diego and colleagues, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

In two separate groups, one comprised of adolescents and the other adults, researchers found correlations in two of six genetic markers tested in those who forged friendships.

The study showed those who carried the DRD2 genetic marker, which has been previously associated with alcoholism, tended to form friendships with others who shared the same marker. Similarly, those who lacked this gene formed friendships with others who also did not have the gene.

Researchers say this finding supports the notion that people are attracted to others with similar traits -- the “birds of feather flock together” theory.

In contrast, a second genetic correlation provided evidence to support the belief that “opposites attract.” The results showed that people who had a gene associated with an open personality, CYAP26, tended to have friends who did not share this gene.

Researchers say together these results could have important implications in explaining the role genes play in shaping human behavior.

“For example, a person with a genotype that makes her susceptible to alcoholism may be directly influenced to drink,” write the researchers. “However, she may also be indirectly influenced to drink because she chooses friends with the same genotype.”

Give your love life a lift - and live longer!

An active sex life is good for your heart, memory and immune system, and, as a new book reveals, you can boost yours just by drinking coffee and eating peanuts

A good sex life will not only help you feel and look younger — it will also help you live longer. That’s the claim being made in Younger (Sexier) You, a new book written by U.S. anti-ageing expert, Dr Eric Braverman.

He says sex not only raises your hormone ­levels (so keeping you young), but can also boost your metabolism, brain function, heart health and immunity.

And if your sex life is tepid rather than torrid? Don’t despair, says Dr Braverman. Whether you’re 30 or 100, a combination of good diet, nutritional supplements and some ‘natural’ hormones will restore your drive and ensure you enjoy the health benefits, too.

Good for you: Sex not only raises your hormone ­levels (so keeping you young), but can also boost your metabolism, brain function, heart health and immunity

Many sexual problems, says Dr Braverman, can be addressed by eating particular foods.

Drinking coffee can help boost a flagging libido, while snacking on peanuts can enhance arousal. Eating brown rice can help combat sexual coldness, while avocadoes might increase your capacity for pleasure.

Dr Braverman is based at the PATH Medical Center in New York, which he founded and which has been dubbed ‘Manhattan’s ­latest fountain of youth’ by Vogue magazine.

It’s the kind of place the rich flock to from all over the world. The doctor himself is a good advertisement for his work; at 49, he is slim and fit, exuding the energy and unlined looks of a man years younger.

But if this all sounds a bit glitzy and too good to be true, Dr Braverman has genuine credentials: he is currently an assistant professor of integrative medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College (part of Cornell University).

So, what of his claims about the health ­benefits of sex? Among those he cites are stronger ­muscles and bones — it seems a healthy sex drive helps the skin manufacture vitamin D (our main source of vitamin D is the sun). Sex also boosts our production of the ‘love’ ­hormone oxytocin — this helps brain function and memory.

Dr Braverman also points to a study by Queen’s University in Belfast that suggested having sex three or more times a week reduced the risk of heart attack or stroke in men by half.

And orgasms are thought to fight infection — increasing the number of infection-fighting cells by up to 20 per cent. Having regular sex could boost the levels of an antibody that fights colds and flu, suggested a U.S. study.

It’s also recently been found that greater­ ­sexual activity in older men might protect them against prostate cancer.

But this might all sound academic to many people for whom the real problem is a poor sex life.

Get closer: You can boost your sex drive by eating certain foods or taking supplements

Usually this is blamed on a tired relationship and other psychological issues. But Dr Braverman argues that the real issue is biological ageing.

Partly it’s down to disease: problems such as heart disease and kidney failure can cause erectile dysfunction, for instance, while diabetes can reduce desire and arousal because it kills sensitive nerves.

THE BEST APHRODISIACS

• Asparagus: Rich in vitamin E, which stimulates the hormone production needed for a more active sex life.
  
• Bananas: Contain bromelain enzyme, which is thought to improve male libido. They’re also a good source of potassium and riboflavin, which increase overall energy levels.
  
• Cabbage: Helps increase circulation.
  
• Celery: Contains andosterone, a male hormone said to turn on women.
  
• Damiana (wild yam): Contains chemicals that increase sensitivity in the genitals.
  
• Figs: Thought to increase libido and improve sexual stamina because they are high in amino acids, the building blocks of protein which is needed for the brain chemical dopamine.
  
• Oysters: Are high in zinc, necessary for the production of testosterone. Oysters also contain dopamine.
  
• Sea vegetables: Those such as kelp, dulse and nori — they contain calcium, iodine and iron, said to boost libido.

Medication — from antidepressants to blood pressure pills — can also have an effect.

Dr Braverman says the other great physical enemy of a healthy sex life is the menopause — and the male version, the andropause (both of which entail the loss of sex hormones which affect sex drive and function).

But it’s not just about the mechanics of sex. Healthy sexual function is also about how your brain reacts to the messages it’s receiving from your body, he adds.

When your brain is working at its peak, brain chemicals are produced and dispersed at the correct levels. A reduced sexual desire can apparently be the first sign there’s a ­problem with one of the four key brain ­chemicals.

These are dopamine, acetylcholine, GABA and serotonin. A deficiency in each will produce ­specific types of sexual problem, as outlined below.

Often, an inbalance is down to ­illness or simply normal ageing, says Dr Braverman.

Depending on which brain chemical you lack, there is a specific diet and supplement regimen.

Dr Braverman also prescribes his patients medications and so–called bioidentical hormones. These ­‘natural’ hormones are often plant-based, manufactured in a pharmaceutical lab. The claim is they have the exact same molecular structures as ­hormones produced by the body and are, therefore, more effective and safer than synthetic alternatives.

‘I believe that bioidentical hormone therapies are probably the key anti-ageing tool,’ says Dr Braverman.

Although some British doctors prescribe these hormones for treating the menopause and andropause, their use is controversial. The idea that such hormones could also be used on other age groups is even more so, as Dr David Sturdy of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists explains.

‘The public should be aware that bioidentical hormones are unregulated, unproven, and a lot of them are exactly the same as the ones we are already providing,’ he says.

‘There are no valid studies about bio-identical ­hormones at all, not about the safety, the efficacy or at what age they should be taken.’

However, even without the hormones, Dr Braverman believes it is possible to improve your sex life with diet and lifestyle advice.

First, you need to work out if you’re lacking one of the brain ‘sex’ chemicals. Read through the following list to work out which describes you best. Remember, always discuss ­taking supplements with your ­doctor, particularly if you have already been diagnosed with an illness or disease.

IS YOUR SEX DRIVE LOW?

This could be a sign that you lack dopamine. This is the brain chemical that keeps us moving, doing the activities that are necessary for ­survival, such as eating, reproducing and breathing.

If you have too much dopamine, you have a high sex drive; too little, and you may lack interest in sex.

SIGNS OF LOW DOPAMINE: Your performance at work suffers; you ­sometimes experience total exhaustion; sex isn’t as satisfying as it used to be; your skin is less sensitive to all types of touch; you have sex less than once a week.

ACTION PLAN: Eat foods that create more dopamine. The following ­contain proteins that are the building blocks of this chemical: meats, ­poultry, dairy products and wheatgerm. You need to include protein in each of your three daily main meals to keep your dopamine high throughout the day.

• The following spices can also boost dopamine levels: basil, black pepper, cayenne, chilli peppers, cumin, fennel, flax seeds, garlic, ­ginger, mustard seed, rosemary, sesame seeds, tarragon and turmeric.
• Coffee and tea are good for dopamine, and also enhance endurance. Tea is healthier, but loose tea has far more nutrients than tea bags. For double the dopamine, try steeping two green tea bags in two cups of boiling water and add a pinch of ­cayenne. Drink throughout the day.
• Many supplements might help with dopamine levels. Dr Braverman suggests these daily doses: folic acid (500mcg); ginseng (500-2,000mg), thiamin (100-500mg; the official recommendation in the UK is up to 300mg), zinc (30mg).

DOES TOUCHING LEAVE YOU COLD?

Acetylcholine is the brain chemical that helps determine how fast we think and how we retain information. While it’s not as ­important as dopamine in terms of sexual desire, it is key to arousal.

SIGNS OF LOW ACETYLCHOLINE: You’re no longer turned on by touch or massage; you misinterpret ­people’s emotions; your skin is dry and cracked; sometimes you don’t remember what you’ve eaten.

ACTION PLAN: An acetylcholine deficiency can make you crave foods high in fat because fat is the main source of choline, the building blocks of this brain chemical. The problem is that bad fats can clog your brain and ruin its natural mechanism for producing acetylcholine.

Healthy foods high in choline include liver, eggs, wheatgerm, beef, peanuts, almonds, broccoli and cabbage.

• Spices good for boosting ­acetylcholine include allspice, basil, cumin, peppermint, sage, thyme, turmeric.
• Supplements that can help include choline (200mg) and omega-3 (500mg).

DOES SEX MAKE YOU ANXIOUS?

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) controls the brain’s pace and ­communication with other parts of the body. It has a calm, stabilising effect, unlike dopamine and ­acetylcholine. Too little can create anxiety, and you can’t relax when it comes to sex.

SIGNS OF LOW GABA: Orgasm is nearly always impossible or less intense than it used to be; you’re too embarrassed to enjoy sex; you’re nervous and jumpy; your thoughts are confused.

ACTION PLAN: Anxiety and frigidity can be solved by balancing GABA — the easiest and most natural way for you to keep your levels even is by the food you eat.

In this case, your body needs ­complex carbohydrates to create a steady supply of glutamine, the amino acid that effectively turns into GABA in the body. The best foods include brown rice, whole grains, potatoes, halibut, broccoli, spinach, lentils, bananas and citrus fruits.

• Also try to get more of the following spices: caraway, cardamom, ­cinnamon, cloves, coriander, lemongrass, oregano, paprika, poppy seeds, rosemary and sage.
• Alcohol increases GABA ­levels, but make sure you stop at one or two glasses a day — a man might not be able to maintain an erection and a woman could nod off! Alcohol also depresses testosterone levels. Teas that boost GABA levels include chamomile and lemon balm.
• Supplements that might help include magnesium (300-1,000mg) and vitamin B6 (10mg).

TOO DEPRESSED FOR SEX?

This is a possible sign of a lack of serotonin, the brain chemical that allows you to experience pleasure and feel happy and relaxed.

SIGNS OF LOW SEROTONIN: You’re too unhappy to have sex; you’re easily irritated; you crave carbohydrates and salty snacks; you frequently take sleeping pills.

ACTION PLAN: The body needs ­tryptophan to make serotonin. This amino acid can be found in abundance in certain foods. These include pork, avocado, cottage cheese, duck, eggs, wheatgerm, turkey, chicken and chocolate.

• Good antidepressant spices include anise, dill, marjoram, nutmeg, peppermint, saffron, spearmint and turmeric.
• Some of the mood-boosting ­supplements that can help include magnesium (200-500mg) and vitamin D (1,000-1,500 IU).

Why irritating 'perfect' mums secretly don't think they're so great after all

For mothers consumed by ­feelings of inadequacy at the sight of friends juggling family demands with ease, hope is at hand.

Your smug friends are, it seems, fibbing about their ability to be perfect parents.

Research reveals that nine out of ten mothers constantly compare themselves with others, with 40 per cent believing their school-gate friends are better parents.

Supermum myth: Most mothers are under pressure to present an image that they are the perfect parent

Only one in four of the 5,000 mothers polled considered themselves to be better parents.

But the constant pressure to appear to be supermums is leading many to twist the truth, the survey revealed.

Popular topics for white lies are parenting problems, financial difficulties, television watching and the amount of quality time spent with children or partners.

The research was carried out for parenting website Netmums.

Siobhan Freegard, the website’s co-founder, said: ‘The research found that mums really do want to talk honestly with each other about the issues they all face but that many don’t because of this culture of “keeping up parenting”.

'But by telling white lies so as not to lose face, we are perpetuating the “perfect” myth, which in turn leads to more guilt and more lies.

‘No one is born knowing how to be a parent – you get along the best you can and it’s often the support of other parents that gets us through the tough times.

‘Mums need to be more honest with each other and come clean about the reality of being a 21st century parent.’

The research was part of the website’s Real Parenting Revolution campaign, which is backed by psychologists and aims to destroy the myth of perfect parents.

Television presenter Kate ­Garraway said: ‘The fibs mums tell to each other at the school gates may be more damaging than they realise.’

She added: ‘It can be difficult to admit that we need a helping hand but it’s important that we swallow our pride and do so because, despite appearances, there really is no such thing as the perfect parent.’

Christian therapist who claims she can help gay men go straight faces being struck off

A psychotherapist who agreed to ‘convert’ a gay man who said he wanted to change his sexuality could be struck off this week.

Lesley Pilkington, 60, will appear before a professional conduct panel and faces losing her accreditation with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

She agreed to help Patrick Strudwick become heterosexual without realising he was an undercover journalist and gay rights campaigner who had a tape recorder strapped to his stomach.

Controversial views: Lesley Pilkington, 60, will appear before a professional conduct panel and faces losing her accreditation with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy

Mrs Pilkington, a devout Christian who says she ‘understands the issues’ because her son is gay, has treated around ten patients using the controversial Sexual Orientation Change Efforts programme over the past decade.

In tapes of her sessions with Mr Strudwick he asks her if she views homosexuality as ‘a mental illness, an addiction or an anti-religious phenomenon’.

She replies: ‘It is all of that.’

He complained to the BACP and it launched disciplinary proceedings against her, accusing her of ‘praying to God to heal him [Mr Strudwick] of his homosexuality’ and having an ‘agenda that homosexuality is wrong’.

Mrs Pilkington, who is fighting the case, accuses him of entrapment. Her defence is funded by the Christian Legal Centre.

She said she wanted to help ­others who were in a ‘similar place’ to her 29-year-old son who, she insisted, was ‘heterosexual. He just has a homosexual problem’.

‘I am not in this because I am judging people,’ she said. ‘I am in it because I understand what the issues are.

‘I have been able to help my son. We have gone through a process.

‘[My son] is still gay... we are developing a relationship that was quite difficult for many years but is now coming back in a very nice way. I am confident he will come through this and he will resolve his issues and that he will change.’

Gay lifestyle: A small group of counsellors believe all men are born heterosexual, but some choose to live as homosexuals

She saw Mr Strudwick at her practice in Chorleywood, Hertfordshire. She said: ‘He told me he was looking for a treatment for being gay. He said he was depressed and unhappy and would I give him some therapy. I told him I only work using a Christian ­biblical framework and he said that was exactly what he wanted.’

She told the Sunday Telegraph: ‘We say everybody is heterosexual, but some people have a homosexual problem. Nobody is born gay. It is in the upbringing.’

But Mr Strudwick, who runs ­campaign group the Stop Conversion Therapy Taskforce, said: ‘Every major mental health organisation in Britain and America is opposed to attempts to change someone’s sexuality... because there is good evidence not only that it doesn’t work but that it is harmful.

‘If a black person goes to a GP and says, “I want skin bleaching treatment”, that does not put the onus on the practitioner to deliver the demands of the patient. It puts the onus on the healthcare practitioner to behave responsibly.’

A spokesman for the Christian Legal Centre said it was defending Mrs Pilkington because she was ‘lied to and misrepresented’.

Want the secret to a happy marriage? Don't have sex before the wedding

The Beckhams say that quality time is the secret behind their happy marriage, while Michael Douglas once credited Viagra with the secret to his.

But, according to a new study, it is couples who delay sex until after the wedding that enjoy a stronger relationship later in life.

Scientists at the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University, in Utah interviewed 2,035 married people about when they first had sex with their partner.

Analysis of the results showed that couples who waited until marriage before having sex enjoyed a much healthier relationship with their partner than those who started having sex in the early part of their relationship.

U.S. pop star Kevin Jonas with his wife Danielle on their first wedding anniversary. Before they married, the pair were both vigins

In particular, relationship stability was rated 22 per cent higher, relationship satisfaction was 20 per cent higher, quality of sex was 15 per cent better and even communication between partners was 12 per cent better.

For couples who became sexually involved later in their relationship, but before marriage, the benefits were about half as strong.

The research supports the decisions made by celebrities such as actress Lisa Kudrow, who had not had sex before she married her advertising executive husband Michel Stern, and pop stars The Jonas Brothers.

While it is common for couples to explore their sexual compatibility before making a long-term commitment, the researchers argued that too much emphasis is put on the physical side of a relationship, and too little on trust, loyalty and commitment.

Professor Dean Busby, who lead the study, said: 'Most research on the topic is focused on individuals' experiences of sex and not the timing within a relationship.

Friends star Lisa Kudrow, who had not had sex before she married her advertising executive husband Michel Stern

'There's more to a relationship than sex, but we did find that those who waited longer were happier with the sexual aspect of their relationship. I think it's because they've learned to talk and have the skills to work with issues that come up.'

Mark Regnerus, author of Premarital Sex in America, echoed Professor Busby's opinion.

He said: 'Couples who hit the honeymoon too early - that is, prioritise sex promptly at the outset of a relationship - often find their relationships underdeveloped when it comes to the qualities that make relationships stable and spouses reliable and trustworthy.'

Given that religious beliefs often play a role for couples who choose to wait, the researchers took any influence of religion into account.

'Regardless of how religious a couple are, waiting helps the relationship form better a communication process and this improves long-term stability and relationship satisfaction,' added Professor Busby.

Man faces five year prison sentence for reading his unfaithful wife's emails

Did he do the right thing? Leon Walker, 33, of Michigan, was charged with felony computer misuse after he logged onto his then-wife's email account on a shared computer and found out she was cheating

A husband who suspected his wife was having an affair faces up to five years in jail after reading her emails without her permission.

Leon Walker has been charged under tough anti-hacking laws aimed at preventing identity theft in the US.

The 33 year old had suspected his wife Clara was having an affair with her former husband.

He is alleged to have used his computer skills to gain access to her Gmail email account on the shared home computer.

Walker discovered a series of emails which confirmed his suspicions that Clara was being unfaithful to him.

As her second husband had previously been arrested for beating her in front of her son he handed the emails over to the boy's father.

The concerned father,Clara's first husband, sought sole custody of the boy and was forced into revealing Walker had leaked him the emails.

When his wife realised her emails had been read she went to the authorities to press charges. She later split up from Walker and the couple were divorced earlier this month.

Prosecutors in Oakland County, Michigan, charged Walker under the state's anti-hacking laws which were aimed at stopping identity theft and used to prosecute people who hack into Government computers.

Prosecutor Jessica Cooper dismissed Walker's claims that he had used his wife's password to log on to the computer.

She said Walker was nothing but a 'hacker' who used his skills as a computer technician to gain access to his wife's email account.

'It was password protected, he had wonderful skills, and was highly trained. Then he downloaded them and used them in a very contentious way,' she said.

Walker said he had become suspicious of his wife after she failed to return home one night.

He claimed he and his wife shared a laptop which he had bought after their marriage and maintained she often left the password to her email account lying about the house they shared in Rochester Hills.

Walker said he was worried as his wife was taking their one year old daughter to stay with her violent ex-husband.

'I started putting more thought into it, and thought she was very likely taking our daughter over to the guy’s house,' Walker said.

'So I said to myself, I bet you I can confirm that by reading her e-mail. She kept very simple passwords and she left them in notes and books throughout the house.'

He added: 'I was doing what I had to do. We're talking about putting a child in danger.'

Walker, who works as an IT technician for Oakland County, denied that he had hacked into the account. He insisted his wife kept the password to the account on a book near the home computer.

Walker also denied his ex-wife claims that she was the only one to use the laptop which he said he owned before their marriage.

His lawyer, Leon Weiss, has attempted to have the charges dropped, but failed.

'I have to ask, don't the prosecutors have more important things to do with their time?' said Weiss.

Legal experts say this will be the first time anti-hacking laws have been used in a domestic case.

'It's going to be interesting because there are no clear legal answers here,' said Frederick Lane, a nationally recognized expert who has published five books on electronic privacy.

The fact that the two still were living together, and that Leon Walker had routine access to the computer, may help him, Lane said.

'I would guess there is enough of a grey area to suggest that she could not have an absolute expectation of privacy,' he said.

About 45 per cent of divorce cases involve some snooping and gathering of e-mail, Facebook and other online material, Lane said.

But he added that those are generally used by the warring parties for civil reasons and not for criminal prosecution.

Walker is due to go on trial in February and could face a maximum of five years in jail if convicted.