RxPG News : Infertility

Should embryos with a hereditary disorder be transferred if no unaffected embryos are available?

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 04:00:00 PST

Barcelona, Spain: The numbers of cycles of preimplantation genetic diagnosis or screening are rising steadily in Europe with over 2,700 reported in 2004 (the most recent year for which data are available). Fertility centres are able to screen for a growing number of genetically related conditions, but what should doctors do if no embryos without the targeted condition are available for transfer and the parents request that affected embryos should be transferred instead?

New photo 'op' for ovaries may solve some mysteries of infertility

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

CHICAGO -- What causes a woman's eggs to deteriorate in quality with age, and can that be reversed?

Experts highlight gaps in knowledge on caring for survivors of teenage and young adult cancers

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

London, UK: Over 95% of patients with testicular cancer are cured nowadays, but this success has produced a new problem for cancer survivors, the medical profession and national governments, a cancer expert will tell Teenage Cancer Trust's Fifth International Conference on Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Medicine, which is meeting in London on Monday and Tuesday (June 9 and 10).

'Cancer was one of the best things to happen to me... but I worry about the future'

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PST

London, UK: For Dan Savage, surviving testicular cancer has been a spur to him making the most of his life and taking more adventurous decisions, and he says, that in retrospect, it was probably one of the best things that has happened to him. But as he approaches the end of his fifth year in remission from the disease, when he will be signed off as cured by the medical profession, he worries that from now on he will have no regular medical checks that might pick up early signs of the cancer returning. It will be down to him to contact the cancer clinic if he is worried about any new symptoms.

Just like penguins and other primates, people trade sex for resources

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PST

ANN ARBOR, Mich.---Female penguins mate with males who bring them pebbles to build egg nests. Hummingbirds mate to gain access to the most productive flowers guarded by larger males.

A new method to avoid multiple IVF pregnancies

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 16:03:51 PST

New York, March 16 - In a new study, scientists have identified genetic markers that allow the selection of eggs with the best chance of successful pregnancy after in vitro fertilisation -.

Fertility in developing countries: words into action

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 04:00:00 PST

For almost 30 years - since the world's first test-tube baby was born in July 1978 - the benefits of modern infertility treatments have been largely confined to couples in developed countries. There, we have seen more than 3 million babies born as a result of IVF and, in some countries, as many as 4 per cent of all babies born conceived by modern fertility techniques.

Teenage fathers are more likely to have babies affected by birth problems

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 17:00:00 PST

Teenage fathers are at increased risk of having babies born with birth problems ranging from pre-term delivery or low birth weight, through to death in or near to the time of delivery, according to new research published on(Thursday 7 February).

Congenital heart defects increasing among IVF twins

Sun, 03 Feb 2008 13:30:00 PST

The prevalence of congenital heart disease (CHD) among in vitro fertilization (IVF) pregnancies was similar to that of the general population, but there is an increasing risk of CHD among twins resulting from IVF, according to research by Yale School of Medicine researchers.

Wild chimpanzees appear not to regularly experience menopause

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 05:00:00 PST

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- A pioneering study of wild chimpanzees has found that these close human relatives do not routinely experience menopause, rebutting previous studies of captive individuals which had postulated that female chimpanzees reach reproductive senescence at 35 to 40 years of age.

Cow infections could provide clue to preventing infertility in women

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

Researchers at the Royal Veterinary College, London, have made a significant breakthrough in their understanding of how infection of the uterus damages fertility in cows. Their findings, which show that common uterine infections can damage the ovaries, may provide insights into how to treat infections such as Chlamydia in humans.

Immune cells promote blood vessel formation in mouse endometriosis

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

A discovery in mice of immune cells that promote the formation of new blood vessels could lead to new treatments for endometriosis, a painful condition associated with infertility that affects up to 15 percent of women of reproductive age.

In-vitro fertilization improved with 3-D/4-D-guided embryo transfer and new placement target

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

Beverly Hills, Calif. and Washington DC (ASRM Annual Meeting) - October 15, 2007 - The pregnancy rate for patients undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) is improved when doctors use advanced 3D/4D imaging to guide the placement of embryos to the point where the endometrium is most receptive to implantation, according to a study presented at the 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM).

In birds, expecting to mate leads to higher fertilization rates

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

From an evolutionary perspective, the primary task of an organism is to pass along its genes to future generations. Such genetic transmission is usually assumed to be instinctive. However, a new study shows that species also learn to adapt to their surroundings in order to increase their �reproductive fitness�� the likelihood that they will successfully reproduce.

Fetal cell 'transplant' could be a hidden link between childbirth and reduced risk of breast cancer

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

PHILADELPHIA � Some benefits of motherhood are intangible, but one has been validated through biostatistical research: women who bear children have a reduced risk of developing breast cancer. In Seattle, Washington, researchers at the University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center believe they have identified a source of this protective effect: fetal cells �transplanted� to the mother before birth.

IVF technique enables pregnancy without multiple births, Stanford researchers find

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

STANFORD, Calif. - An in vitro fertilization technique that can avoid multiple births appears to be effective for women older than 35, according to researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Of mice and men: new male contraceptives successful in rodents and humans

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

Pills, sponges, IUDs, diaphragms-- women have many options for planning their fertility, none of them quite perfect. But what if men want to help out? They have only two options -- vasectomy, which is usually permanent, and condoms, which are crucial for dating but get old in long-term relationships. Will men ever have a way to reliably make sure that nobody is every calling them Daddy before they are ready?

Primate sperm competition: speed matters

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

Researchers at UC San Diego and UC Irvine have found evidence that supports the theory that reproductive competition during the evolution of primate species has occurred at the level of sperm cell motility. In a paper published online by the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, a team led by Michael Berns, an adjunct professor of bioengineering at UCSD and a professor of biomedical engineering at the Beckman Laser Institute at UC Irvine, and UCSD Ph.D. candidate Jaclyn Nascimento reported that sperm cells from the more promiscuous chimpanzee and rhesus macaque species swim much faster and with much greater force than those of humans and gorillas, species where individual females mate primarily with only one male during a reproductive cycle.

Multiple corticosteroid injections in pregnant women may increase cerebral palsy

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

CHAPEL HILL -- When pregnant women are at high risk for preterm birth, giving them a single injection of corticosteroids has been shown to reduce the baby�s chances of having serious lung problems after birth.

Species still have more viable offspring if they can choose their best mate

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

Athens, Ga. -- When it comes to picking a mate, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young had an answer: �If you can�t be with the one you love, love the one you�re with.� As it turns out, that may be a cardinal rule in the animal kingdom, too.

Women prescribed drugs linked to birth defects not often advised to use birth control

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 17 � Although prescription medications that may increase the risk of birth defects are commonly used by women in their childbearing years, only about half receive contraceptive counseling from their health care providers, according to a large-scale study from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine reported in the Sept. 18 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

New cell death pathway involved in sperm development

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

Heavy and bulky sperm would not be good swimmers. To trim down, sperm rely on cell death proteins called caspases, which facilitate the removal of unwanted cellular material and radically remodel these cells into their sleek, light shape. New research from scientists at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Rockefeller University has now uncovered a new pathway that regulates these killer proteins, yielding new knowledge about caspase function as well as insights into the causes of human infertility. The findings are reported in the

UVA researchers find important clue to immune infertility

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (Sept. 12, 2007) � Most of us have never heard of immune infertility, yet it prevents many prospective parents from conceiving.

Scientists discover how to isolate stem cells in womb tissue

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

Scientists in Australia have found a way of identifying probable stem cells in the lining of women�s wombs. The finding opens up the possibility of using the stem cells for tissue engineering applications such as building up natural tissue to repair prolapsed pelvic floors. Pelvic floor prolapse is a common condition, affecting over 50% of women after childbirth; around one in ten women have surgery and a third of these women require repeated operations to correct the problem.

Low vitamin D during pregnancy linked to pre-eclampsia

Fri, 07 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 7 � Vitamin D deficiency early in pregnancy is associated with a five-fold increased risk of preeclampsia, according to a study from the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences reported this week in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

MU researchers to collaborate on $20 million project

Fri, 07 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- More than 10 million people in the United State have cancer, and more than half of them are women. For those who could still give birth, cancer treatments might signal the end of their fertility. Now, a new $20 million, 5-year program from the National Institutes of Health is creating a national team of scientists to investigate every aspect of fertility preservation for women with cancer. Part of that effort is being led by University of Missouri-Columbia researchers.

Drug could improve pregnancy outcomes in wider range of women with insulin resistance

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

St. Louis, Sept. 6, 2007 � Women who are obese, have type 2 diabetes or a family history of type 2 diabetes could one day have more successful pregnancies because of a study at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Choosing a mate: what we really want

Mon, 03 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- While humans may pride themselves on being highly evolved, most still behave like the stereotypical Neanderthals when it comes to choosing a mate, according to research by Indiana University cognitive scientist Peter Todd. In a new study, Todd and colleagues found that though individuals may claim otherwise, beauty is the key ingredient for men while women, the much choosier of the sexes, leverage their looks for security and commitment.

Auto immune response creates barrier to fertility; could be a step in speciation

Mon, 03 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PST

Plant biologists at the Max Planck Institute of Developmental Biology and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have discovered that an autoimmune response, triggered by a small number of genes, can be a barrier to producing a viable offspring.

Human testes may multiply mutations

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 04:00:00 PST

The testes in humans may act as mutation multipliers that raise the odds of passing improved DNA to offspring � but that can also backfire by increasing the frequency of certain diseases.

Risk of common vaginal infection linked to preterm birth appears higher for blacks

Sat, 11 Aug 2007 04:00:00 PST

BOSTON, Aug. 11 Risk of a common vaginal infection linked to preterm birth appears to escalate when even one partner is African-American, according to a University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine study presented today at the 34th annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society for Obstetrics and Gynecology in Boston.

Inflammation may cause preterm labor and fetal deaths

Wed, 08 Aug 2007 04:00:00 PST

CLEVELANDInflammation from bacterial infections is linked to preterm births and deaths, according to researchers from Case Western Reserve Universitys School of Dental Medicine and the Case School of Medicine. They found if receptors responding to the presence of dead or living bacteria in the placentas of mice can be blocked, the number of preterm deaths will decline by nearly half.

Macho men are seen as bad choice for long-term love

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 04:00:00 PST

Women see masculine men as unsuitable long-term partners, new research suggests. Conversely, the psychologists from Durham and St Andrews Universities found that men with feminine facial features are seen as more committed and less likely to cheat on their partners.

First case of successful ovarian tissue transplantation between two, nonidentical sisters

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 04:00:00 PST

A woman, whose ovaries had failed due to damage caused by chemotherapy and radiotherapy, has received a successful ovarian transplant from her genetically non-identical sister. The transplant restored her ovarian function, she started to menstruate and, after a year, doctors were able to recover two mature oocytes from her ovaries and fertilise them to produce two embryos.

Penn study shows lower Cesarean rates associated with preventive labor induction

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PST

PHILADELPHIA At a time when national rates of cesarean delivery have climbed above 30%, a four-year study of patients receiving an alternative method of obstetric care experienced a significantly lower rate of cesarean births, according to a study published in the current issue of the Annals of Family Medicine. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, reports that a cohort of women exposed to a safe, alternative method of maternity care had a 5.3 percent cesarean delivery rate compared to a 11.8 percent of women who received more traditional care.

Sperm banking before treatment preserves fertility in young male cancer patients

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PST

A recent study at Hamilton Health Sciences proves that sperm freezing and banking is an effective way to preserve fertility in adolescents and young adult (AYA) males with cancer.

Vaccine trials inject hope into koala's future

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PST

The first Australian trials of a vaccine developed by Queensland University of Technology that could save Australia's iconic koala from contracting chlamydia are planned to begin later this year.

Latest WHO handbook presents family planning options for women around the world

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PST

Washington, DC The recently released Family Planning: A Global Handbook for Providers includes a chapter on fertility-awareness based methods of family planning highlighting the Standard Days Method and the TwoDay Method, two family-planning methods developed by Georgetown University Medical Centers Institute for Reproductive Health, as effective, easy-to-use and without the health risks of chemically based family planning methods such as birth control pills.

Complementary therapy for infertile women may reduce chances of pregnancy

Wed, 04 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PST

Complementary therapies in assisted reproduction may diminish the effectiveness of medical treatment for infertility in women, a scientist will tell the 23rd annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Lyon, France, (Wednesday 4 July). Dr. Jacky Boivin, from the School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Wales, UK, will say that her research had also shown that women who used complementary therapies were more negatively affected by their fertility problems than non-users, and that this could account for the fact that they were willing to use complementary therapies that were not proven to improve fertility.

Germany's embryo protection law is 'killing embryos rather than protecting them'

Wed, 04 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PST

Lyon, France: Instead of preserving life, Germanys embryo protection law has had the unintended consequence of increasing the number of foetuses killed after fertility treatment according to new figures presented at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology today (Wednesday). A representative of the German IVF registry has called for the law to be changed urgently to ensure that this situation does not continue.

Complex ART procedures more likely to lead to umbilical cord abnormality

Wed, 04 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PST

Lyon, France: The more complex the assisted reproduction procedure, the more likely the umbilical cord develops in an atypical place or have other abnormalities, a scientist told the 23rd annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology today (Wednesday 4 July). Mrs. Ilse Delbaere, from Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium, said that the study, including over 4000 twin pregnancies, was the first to examine umbilical cord abnormalities in such a large population.

SNAP -- patches and stop

Wed, 04 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PST

1050 pregnant women are being recruited for the most extensive trial of its kind to establish the effect of using nicotine patches during pregnancy. The £1.3m clinical trial Smoking, Nicotine and Pregnancy (SNAP) trial will investigate whether nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is safe, effective and cost-effective for mums-to-be who want to give up smoking. It will also study the effect on the behaviour and development of the child.

Pre-implantation genetic screening reduces both ongoing pregnancy and live birth rates in over 35s

Wed, 04 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PST

Lyon, France: Preimplantation genetic screening (PGS), often considered to hold out the best chance for older women undergoing IVF to have a pregnancy and birth, does not increase on-going pregnancy or live birth rates, an embryologist told the 23rd annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology today (Wednesday 4 July). The research is published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine*. Sebastiaan Mastenbroek, M.Sc, from the Centre for Reproductive Medicine of the Academic Medical Centre of the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, said that the results of his teams research suggested that PGS should not be carried out routinely in women of advanced maternal age.

Cloning the male genome may help infertile men

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PST

Lyon, France -- Artificially replicating the male genome could help men with very low sperm counts become fathers, a scientist told the 23rd annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (Tuesday 3 July). Professor Takumi Takeuchi, of Weill Medical College, Cornell University, New York, USA, said that mouse experiments by his team, led by Professor Gianpiero D. Palermo, had shown that offspring born as a result of such replication had shown a level of abnormalities consistent with that shown in cloned animals.

New research holds promise for protecting cancer patients against infertility

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PST

Lyon, France: A promising new therapy for protecting the fertility of women with cancer and auto-immune diseases such as lupus was revealed at the 23rd annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology today (Tuesday 3 July 2007). Dr. Kate Stern, Research Director of the Royal Womens Hospital, Melbourne, Australia, told the conference that her pilot study had shown gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists were likely to be able to protect the ovary in women receiving potentially toxic doses of chemotherapy. We are now hoping to carry out a randomised controlled trial to assess the long term protective effect of this treatment, she said

Risk-taking in infertility treatment correlates with women's negative moods

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PST

Lyon, France -- A study of womens moods during IVF has found a strong relationship between negative mood and multiple embryo transfer, a scientist told the 23rd annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (Tuesday 3 July). Dr Christopher Newton of the University Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre, London, Canada, said that his work could lead to better understanding of the importance of couples emotional health during IVF treatment, and the effect this has on their decision-making.

Male or female factor infertility -- men suffer just the same

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PST

Lyon, France: Although most psychosocial research into infertility is centred round the unhappiness it causes women, men suffer just as much, a scientist will tell the 23rd annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology today (Wednesday 4 July). Ms Laura Peronace, from the School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Wales, UK, will say that, as compared to the use of formal counselling, the development of appropriate support networks for infertile patients is more likely to be used by couples and therefore lessen their unhappiness.

Europe struggles to meet the challenges posed by PGD patients travelling abroad

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PST

Lyon, France -- A new study has shown that increasing numbers of couples are travelling abroad for preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), and that the main reason for this cross-border movement is the legal position in patients countries of origin.

First baby is born after oocytes were matured in the lab and frozen

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PST

Lyon, France: The first baby to be created from an egg that had been matured in the laboratory, frozen, thawed and then fertilised, has been born in Canada. Three other women are pregnant by the same process. The research was presented to the 23rd annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology today (Monday 2 July).

Time-lapse recordings reveal why IVF embryos are more likely to develop into twins

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PST

Lyon, France: Evidence gathered from time-lapse recordings of the formation of early embryos (blastocysts) in the laboratory has revealed why embryos created via IVF and undergoing extended culture are more likely to develop into twins than those created via natural conception. Furthermore, the research has shown that the culture in which the IVF embryos are formed is possibly responsible for the embryos dividing into twins.

Endometriosis increases the risk of certain cancers

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PST

Lyon, France -- Doctors in Sweden have shown for the first time that although endometriosis is associated with an increased risk of various cancers, this risk does not depend on the number of times women with the condition have given birth.

Personalized approach to ovarian stimulation achieves high ART pregnancy rates

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PST

Lyon, France -- An international group of fertility specialists has developed an easy-to use mathematical formula that allows a personalised approach to ovarian stimulation therapy for women seeking fertility treatment. Clinical tests demonstrated that when clinicians used the formula (or algorithm) to calculate the best starting dose for each patient, both the number of oocytes retrieved and pregnancy rates rose.

New approaches to endometriosis treatment -- mouse experiments point the way

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PST

Lyon, France -- Possible new directions for the treatment of endometriosis, a painful condition associated with infertility that affects up to 15% of women of reproductive age, will be outlined in the presentation of two experimental studies at the 23rd annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (Tuesday July 3). Both concern targeting angiogenesis the formation of new blood vessels which is encourages endometriosis by providing a rich blood supply.

Extracting eggs from pre-pubertal cancer patients brings hope for future fertility

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PST

Lyon, France -- Scientists in Israel have been able to obtain and freeze eggs from the ovarian tissue of girls as young as 5 years old, the 23rd annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology will hear on Tuesday (3 July). Dr. Ariel Revel, from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel, said that the growing number of survivors of childhood cancers meant that such techniques would become increasingly important in preserving fertility in young patients.

Key to male infertility

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 04:00:00 PST

A factor in immune cells regulates human semen and seems to determine whether a man will be fertile, according to a new study.

Researchers find gene that spurs development of the epididymis

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 04:00:00 PST

Human sperm cells travel up to 6 meters in their transit from testes to penis, and most of that journey occurs in the epididymis, a tightly coiled tube that primes the cells for their ultimate task: fertilization. In a paper released this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers at the University of Illinois report that they have discovered a gene and related mechanism essential to the embryonic development of the epididymis.

SSRI antidepressants do not pose major birth defect risk

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 04:00:00 PST

Boston, MA -- Researchers from Boston Universitys Slone Epidemiology Center have found that certain selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors antidepressants do not appear to increase the risk for most kinds of birth defects. The findings, to be published in the June 28, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, suggest that individual SSRIs may increase the risk for some specific defects, but these are rare and the absolute risks are small.

Children born after PGD as healthy as those born after conventional IVF treatment

Sat, 16 Jun 2007 04:00:00 PST

Nice, France: Children born after embryo biopsy for preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) do not show any more major malformations than those born after artificial reproduction technologies (ART) without PGD, a scientist will tell the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics today. Professor Ingeborg Liebaers, from the Research Centre for Reproductive Genetics, Free University of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium, will say that the results of her study of 583 children born after PGD was reassuring.

Noninvasive screening in early pregnancy reduces Down's births by 50 percent

Sat, 16 Jun 2007 04:00:00 PST

Nice, France: Non-invasive screening of pregnant women with ultrasound early in pregnancy, combined with maternal blood analysis, has reduced the number of children born in Denmark with Down Syndrome by 50%, a scientist will tell the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics today. Professor Karen Brøndum-Nielsen, of the Kennedy Institute, Glostrup, Denmark, will say that another benefit of the introduction of this procedure in her country was a drop in the number of invasive pre-natal diagnostic procedures from 11% to approx. 6% of pregnancies.

Studies to find better ways to preserve human eggs, ovarian tissue under way

Wed, 06 Jun 2007 04:00:00 PST

The goal is to make human eggs, ovarian tissue, blood vessels, even whole organs available when needed.

Cigarette smoke alters DNA in sperm, genetic damage could pass to offspring

Sat, 02 Jun 2007 04:00:00 PST

The science has long been clear that smoking causes cancer, but new research shows that children could inherit genetic damage from a father who smokes.

No-scalpel vasectomies by skilled surgeons may speed recovery

Tue, 17 Apr 2007 04:00:00 PST

Although no-scalpel vasectomies are becoming more popular among physicians and patients, there are no definitive statistics to confirm the superiority of this choice, and a new review's main conclusion is to underline the importance of training.

Researchers find gene mutation that causes infertility in male mice

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 04:00:00 PST

Up to 15 percent of couples of childbearing age struggle with the heartache of infertility. Now there is the promise of new hope with Cornell researchers' identification of a mutation in a gene that causes male infertility in mice. Because this is the first time that a dominant mutation that leads specifically to infertility in a mammal has been discovered, the researchers say they can now look for similar mutations in the DNA of infertile men.

Too much weight spells double trouble for couples trying to conceive

Tue, 06 Mar 2007 05:00:00 PST

If both partners in a couple are overweight or obese, they are more likely to have to wait longer before successfully conceiving a child, according to new research published online in Europes leading reproductive medicine journal, Human Reproduction, today (Wednesday 7 March). [1]

Pregnant smokers raise their child's risk of stroke, heart attack

Fri, 02 Mar 2007 05:00:00 PST

ORLANDO, Fla., March 2 -- Women who smoke during pregnancy can cause permanent vascular damage in their children increasing their risk for stroke and heart attack, researchers said today at the American Heart Associations 47th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention.

Steroid use fails to boost pregnancy rates in infertility treatments

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 05:00:00 PST

There is no clear benefit from a hormone commonly prescribed to enhance the effectiveness of infertility treatments, according to a new review of studies.

Treating male infertility with stem cells

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 05:00:00 PST

Los Angeles, CA -- New research has examined the usefulness of bone marrow stem cells for treating male infertility, with promising results. The related report by Lue et al, Fate of bone marrow stem cells transplanted into the testis: potential implication for men with testicular failure, appears in the March issue of The American Journal of Pathology.

Eating ice cream may help women to conceive, but low-fat dairy foods may increase infertility risk

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 05:00:00 PST

Drinking whole fat milk and eating ice cream appears to be better for women trying to become pregnant than a diet consisting of low-fat dairy products such as skimmed milk and yoghurt, according to new research published in Europe's leading reproductive medicine journal, Human Reproduction, today (28 February). [1]

New research finds that a natural family planning method is as effective as the contraceptive pill

Tue, 20 Feb 2007 05:00:00 PST

Researchers have found that a method of natural family planning that uses two indicators to identify the fertile phase in a womans menstrual cycle is as effective as the contraceptive pill for avoiding unplanned pregnancies if used correctly, according to a report published online in Europes leading reproductive medicine journal Human Reproduction today (21 February). [1]

Vasectomy may put men at risk for type of dementia

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 05:00:00 PST

CHICAGO --- Northwestern University researchers have discovered men with an unusual form of dementia have a higher rate of vasectomy than men the same age who are cognitively normal.

Standard treatment more effective than diabetes drug for achieving pregnancy in fertility disorder

Wed, 07 Feb 2007 05:00:00 PST

Metformin, a drug used to treat diabetes and thought to hold great promise at overcoming the infertility associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), is less useful for helping women with the condition achieve pregnancy than is the standard treatment with the infertility drug clomiphene, report researchers in an NIH research network.

Brain's reward circuit activity ebbs and flows with a woman's hormonal cycle

Fri, 02 Feb 2007 05:00:00 PST

Fluctuations in sex hormone levels during women's menstrual cycles affect the responsiveness of their brains' reward circuitry, an imaging study at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has revealed. While women were winning rewards, their circuitry was more active if they were in a menstrual phase preceding ovulation and dominated by estrogen, compared to a phase when estrogen and progesterone are present.

Topical anaesthetic spray delays ejaculation by five times as long says new study

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 05:00:00 PST

Patients with premature ejaculation who used a topical anaesthetic spray were able to delay ejaculation for five times as long, according to a study in the February issue of the urology journal BJU International.

Young single men are more likely to bank sperm before testicular cancer treatment

Mon, 08 Jan 2007 05:00:00 PST

A quarter of men with testicular cancer banked their sperm before treatment, but only six per cent of those actually used the sperm to father a child, according to a study published in the January issue of the urology journal BJU International.

Sex ends as seasons shift and kisspeptin levels plummet

Thu, 28 Dec 2006 05:00:00 PST

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- A hormone implicated in the onset of human puberty also appears to control reproductive activity in seasonally breeding rodents, report Indiana University Bloomington and University of California at Berkeley scientists in the March 2007 issue of Endocrinology. The paper is now accessible online via the journal's rapid electronic publication service.

Durable critters providing insight for human egg preservation

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 05:00:00 PST

A tiny, six-legged critter that suspends all biological activity when the going gets tough may hold answers to a better way to cryopreserve human eggs, researchers say.

Binghamton University researcher to study declining US fertility rates

Tue, 12 Dec 2006 05:00:00 PST

In the United States, the total fertility rate the number of children a woman has in her lifetime fell from seven or eight in 1800 to slightly more than two today, says J. David Hacker, assistant professor of history at Binghamton University. And with a five-year $667,237 grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Hacker hopes to find out why.

Incontinence a common postnatal problem

Tue, 12 Dec 2006 05:00:00 PST

Almost a quarter of all mothers have problems with exertion incontinence one year after childbirth, according to a new doctoral thesis from Karolinska Institutet. However, despite many physical ailments, new mothers have better self-rated health than other women in the same age group.

World-class Biomedical Research Center to be in West London

Sun, 10 Dec 2006 05:00:00 PST

An international team of experts has judged the biomedical research conducted at The Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust, St Mary's NHS Trust and Imperial College London to be amongst the very best in the country.

Rochester study rolls out RU-486 to treat uterine fibroids

Wed, 06 Dec 2006 05:00:00 PST

Low doses of the drug mifepristone shrink uterine fibroid tumors and greatly improve the quality of life in women who suffer from pain and heavy bleeding, according to a University of Rochester study published in the December Obstetrics and Gynecology journal.

Synthetic cannabinoid may aid fertility in smokers

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 05:00:00 PST

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- A reproductive medicine specialist at the University at Buffalo has shown that a new compound may improve the fertility of tobacco smokers who have low sperm count and low percentage sperm motility.

US teen pregnancy rates decline as result of improved contraceptive use

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 05:00:00 PST

Eighty-six percent of the recent decline in U.S. teen pregnancy rates is the result of improved contraceptive use, while a small proportion of the decline (14%) can be attributed to teens waiting longer to start having sex, according to a report by John Santelli, MD, MPH, department chair and professor of Clinical Population and Family Health at the Mailman School of Public Health and published in the January issue of the American Journal of Public Health. The scientific findings indicate that abstinence promotion, in itself, is insufficient to help adolescents prevent unintended pregnancies.

Program to freeze women's ovaries to preserve fertility after cancer

Wed, 29 Nov 2006 05:00:00 PST

CHICAGO --- The Center for Reproductive Research at Northwestern University is launching a new, experimental research program for young women who may be at risk to lose their ovarian function and fertility following treatment for cancer.

Minimally invasive treatment helps infertile couples conceive

Tue, 28 Nov 2006 05:00:00 PST

CHICAGO -- Couples struggling with infertility face uncertain odds when considering various treatment options. But a new study reveals that embolization, a minimally invasive treatment for arguably the most common cause of infertility in men, can significantly improve a couples chances for pregnancy. Furthermore, the study identified the level of sperm motility (movement) prior to treatment as a key predictor of a successful pregnancy. The findings were presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

Pregnant women with lupus face higher risk of complications and death

Sat, 11 Nov 2006 05:00:00 PST

DURHAM, N.C. -- Women with systemic lupus who become pregnant are at significantly greater risk for death or other medical complications than are pregnant women without lupus, Duke University Medical Center researchers have found in a nationwide study of more than 18 million women.

Heavy smoking cuts women's chance of pregnancy -- even with donated oocytes

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 05:00:00 PST

Heavy smoking may reduce female fertility by directly affecting the uterus making it less receptive and reducing the chances the embryo will implant, according to research published on line (Thursday 9 November) in Europe's leading reproductive medicine journal Human Reproduction[1].

American research finds twins more likely to have premature menopause

Tue, 24 Oct 2006 04:00:00 PST

Twins are more likely to have a premature menopause than other women, according to research published on line today (Wednesday 25 October) in Europe's leading reproductive medicine journal, Human Reproduction[1] .

Mayo Clinic researchers recommend embryo transfer delay for at-risk women

Tue, 24 Oct 2006 04:00:00 PST

ROCHESTER, Minn. -- Mayo Clinic researchers have determined a method to achieve the best results for the mother's health and birth of a live baby for women who undergo in vitro fertilization who demonstrate risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Embryo transfer into the mother's uterus is delayed after the fertilization of the mother's eggs in the laboratory, and all embryos are frozen until the mother's risk subsides naturally with time. Findings will be presented as an abstract at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine in New Orleans on Tuesday, Oct. 24.

Sperm banks unpopular with patients MUHC researchers investigate why

Thu, 05 Oct 2006 04:00:00 PST

MONTREAL, 5 October 2006 -- Sperm banks are unpopular, even with patients suffering from cancer and facing treatments that may make them infertile. A new study led by McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) researcher Dr. Peter Chan examines why sperm banks are such an underused resource. The new study published in a recent issue of the scientific journal Human Reproduction highlights the need to improve doctor-patient communication about the benefits of sperm banking, and the need for accurate and personalized information about the high risk of infertility associated with treatment for testicular cancer and Hodgkin's lymphoma. It also reveals that Quebecers are less likely than patients of immigrant descent to choose sperm banking as an option to father children in the future.

Drug prevents postpartum hemorrhage in resource poor settings

Thu, 05 Oct 2006 04:00:00 PST

The drug misoprostol provides a safe, convenient, and inexpensive means to prevent postpartum hemorrhage, a major killer of women in developing countries. The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Missouri, India's Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, and the National Institutes of Health.

Study by LIJ obstetrician confirms taller women are more likely to have twins

Fri, 22 Sep 2006 04:00:00 PST

NEW HYDE PARK, NY -- An obstetrician who specializes in multiple-birth pregnancies has confirmed that taller women are more likely to have twins. The suspected culprit is insulin-like growth factor, which has been positively linked to both height and twinning. By comparing the heights of women who had given birth to twins or triplets with the average height of women in the United States, Gary Steinman, MD, PhD, an attending physician at Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Medical Center, found that the multiple-birth mothers averaged more than an inch taller. The study was published in the September issue of the Journal of Reproductive Medicine.

Study finds how organs monitor themselves during early development

Sun, 27 Aug 2006 04:00:00 PST

NEW YORK, August 27, 2006 How are you? In biological terms this question could involve a feedback loop that lets the body check in on itself and then act on that information. Although feedback loops are essential and they abound in biology, they aren't well understood. Feedback loops enable an organ such as the liver to detect if it is injured, ascertain if it is growing and developing normally, and if it needs to regenerate itself. When such loops derail, cancer and other diseases can arise.

Researchers develop novel mouse model to witness immune system attack on chlamydia

Mon, 24 Jul 2006 04:00:00 PST

Boston -- Using a novel mouse model that allows scientists to study how the immune system's fighter cells respond to invaders in the genital tract during the initial stage of infection, Harvard Medical School (HMS) researchers have found a way to track immunity against Chlamydia trachomatis. The new findings could help hasten the development of vaccines for Chlamydia the most common cause of bacterial sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the United States and other STDs. The study appears in the July 24 early edition online of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Spermatogonial stem cells could aid male infertility

Tue, 11 Jul 2006 00:05:00 PST

Scientists have shown for the first time that sperm grown from embryonic stem cells can be used to produce offspring. The experiment was carried out using mice and produced seven babies, six of which lived to adulthood. The breakthrough, reported today, Monday July 10, in the academic journal Developmental Cell, helps scientists to understand more about how animals produce sperm. This knowledge has potential applications in the treatment of male infertility.

Natural approach to immune regulation may help transplant patients

Mon, 10 Jul 2006 04:00:00 PST

Human leukocyte antigen G, or HLA-G, is a member of a gene family called major histocompatibility complex that provokes an immune response, says Dr. Anatolij Horuzsko, reproductive immunologist at the Medical College of Georgia.

Dopamine agonist can prevent ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome

Thu, 22 Jun 2006 05:07:00 PST

A class of drug widely used in a number of gynaecological conditions can prevent ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), an infrequent but serious complication of assisted reproduction treatments, a scientist told the 22nd annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Prague, Czech Republic, on Wednesday 21 June 2006. Dr. Claudio Alvarez, from the Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad, Valencia, Spain, said that his team's work, using the dopamine agonist cabergoline, was the first successful attempt to prevent this disorder.

Pre-scan warnings would have caused extra distress say women with problem fetuses

Thu, 22 Jun 2006 04:00:00 PST

Research published in the latest Journal of Advanced Nursing shows that although women wanted to be told immediately if a problem was detected, they didn't want a detailed list of possible problems flagged up in advance, especially as anomalies only affect about two per cent of pregnancies.

The risky business of having a baby: why birth interventions are on the rise

Thu, 22 Jun 2006 04:00:00 PST

The University is hosting, 'Risking birth: culture, technology, and politics in 21st century maternity care' - a conference organised by UWS, La Trobe and Deakin Universities. It's being held at UWS this Friday and Saturday,23-24 June.

Chromosomal abnormalities in sperm higher after vasectomy reversal

Wed, 21 Jun 2006 04:00:00 PST

Men who have had a vasectomy reversed have a very much greater rate of chromosomal abnormalities in their sperm than do normal fertile men, a scientist told the 22nd annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Prague, Czech Republic on Wednesday 21 June 2006. Professor Nares Sukchareon, of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, said that doctors needed to be aware of this problem and monitor carefully children born as a result, particularly if ART was involved.

Dopamine agonist can prevent ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome in IVF patients

Wed, 21 Jun 2006 04:00:00 PST

OHSS can occur when drugs are used to stimulate the ovaries to produce the eggs needed for fertilization in IVF treatment. The ovaries become larger than normal, and there can be a build-up of fluid in the abdomen. In severe cases there may also be hemoconcentration (decrease of the fluid content of the blood, with a resulting increase in its concentration), and kidney and liver damage; this can be life-threatening. Although OHSS has been known for many years, until now it has been treated empirically and the underlying causes have been little understood.