ScienceDaily: Fertility News

Directed in vitro technique may increase insulin resistance among offspring

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:28:28 EDT

A special type of in vitro fertilization, or IVF, may increase the risk for insulin resistance among children conceived in this way, according to a new study from Greece.

Preventing eggs' death from chemotherapy: Scientists discover cause of immature eggs' death from cancer drug and how to prevent it

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:23:23 EDT

Young women who have cancer treatment often lose their fertility because chemotherapy and radiation can damage or kill their immature ovarian eggs, called oocytes. Now, scientists have found the molecular pathway that can prevent the death of immature ovarian eggs due to chemotherapy, potentially preserving fertility and endocrine function. Scientists achieved this in mice by adding a currently approved chemotherapy drug, imatinib mesylate, to another chemotherapy drug cisplatin.

Naturally occurring hormone induces egg maturation

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:20:20 EDT

The naturally occurring hormone kisspeptin effectively induces egg maturation during infertility treatment, according to a clinical in vitro fertilization (IVF) study.

Menopause may be an unintended outcome of men's preference for younger mates

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 08:26:26 EDT

After decades of laboring under other theories that never seemed to add up, biologists have concluded that menopause is actually an unintended outcome of natural selection generated by men's historical preference for younger mates.

BPA linked to obesity risk in puberty-age girls

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 17:33:33 EDT

Girls between nine and 12 years of age with higher-than-average levels of bisphenol-A (BPA) in their urine had double the risk of being obese than girls with lower levels of BPA, according to a new study.

Newly discovered hormone makes ovaries grow

Thu, 30 May 2013 11:11:11 EDT

A newly discovered hormone produced by the eggs of human females may improve the effectiveness of current fertility treatments for women and possibly lead to entirely new treatments altogether. Researchers have identified a new hormone called "R-spondin2" that promotes follicle development and stimulates ovary growth.

Researchers shed new light on egg freezing success rates

Wed, 29 May 2013 15:46:46 EDT

Researchers have for the first time codified age-specific probabilities of live birth after in vitro fertilization (IVF) with frozen eggs. By conducting a meta-analysis of oocyte cryopreservation cycles using individualized patient data, researchers were able to report the probability of live birth from IVF cycles.

Breakthrough for IVF? Selecting the most promising embryos

Thu, 16 May 2013 21:54:54 EDT

A recent study on 5-day old human blastocysts shows that those with an abnormal chromosomal composition can be identified by the rate at which they have developed to blastocysts, thereby classifying the risk of genetic abnormality without a biopsy. Now, researchers have undertaken a retrospective study, using their predictive model to assess the likelihood of any embryo transferred resulting in a successful pregnancy, with very encouraging outcomes.

Slim women have a greater risk of developing endometriosis than obese women: study

Tue, 14 May 2013 21:30:30 EDT

Women with a lean body shape have a greater risk of developing endometriosis than women who are morbidly obese, according to the largest prospective study to investigate the link.

Economics influence fertility rates more than other factors

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:19:19 EDT

Based on a recent study by an anthropologist, economic changes have the greatest impact on reducing family size, and thus slowing population growth, compared to other factors. Understanding the causes of declining birth rates may lead to improved policies designed to influence fertility and result in reduced competition for food, water, land and wealth.

Identification of gene variants affecting fertility offers new treatment possibility

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 21:08:08 EDT

Identification of genetic variations in the genes coding for the hormone FSH may provide new treatments for male and female infertility, according to new work. Scientists have characterized gene variations which may improve treatment for almost half of infertile men, as well as allowing tailored treatment for women undergoing assisted reproduction.

Adults lack stem cells for making new eggs

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:41:41 EDT

Mammalian females ovulate periodically over their reproductive lifetimes, placing significant demands on their ovaries for egg production. Whether mammals generate new eggs in adulthood using stem cells has been a source of scientific controversy. If true, these "germ-line stem cells" might allow novel treatments for infertility and other diseases.

As people live longer and reproduce less, natural selection keeps up

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:26:26 EDT

In many places around the world, people are living longer and are having fewer children. But that's not all. A study of people living in rural Gambia shows that this modern-day "demographic transition" may lead women to be taller and slimmer, too.

Important fertility mechanism discovered

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:29:29 EDT

Scientists have discovered a new mechanism that controls egg cell fertility and that might have future therapeutic potential. They found that the blood protein fetuin-B plays an important and previously unknown role in the fertilization of oocytes. Fetuin-B, first identified in the year 2000, is formed in the liver and secreted into the blood stream.

Reproductive tract secretions elicit ovulation

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:41:41 EDT

Eggs take a long time to produce in the ovary, and thus are one of a body's precious resources. It has been theorized that the body has mechanisms to help the ovary ensure that ovulated eggs enter the reproductive tract at the right time in order to maximize the chance of successful fertilization. New research has shed light on how successful ovulation and fertilization are brought about by studying these processes in fruit flies.

New relief for gynecological disorders: Injectable protein to reverse symptoms of dangerous conditions

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 12:20:20 EDT

Researchers have discovered an injectable protein that reverses symptoms of two dangerous gynecological conditions, endometriosis and overian hyperstimulation syndrome. Because there are currently no treatment options for women suffering from these diseases, this breakthrough promises long-awaited relief from severe abdominal pain and infertility issues.

Sampling of embryonic DNA after IVF without biopsy

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 09:11:11 EDT

A new shows that fluid-filled cavity in 5-day old human blastocysts may contain DNA from the embryo, allowing diagnosis of genetic disease without a biopsy. Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) technologies allow identification of genetic disorders in human preimplantation embryos after in vitro fertilization (IVF) and before the embryo is transferred back to the patient. This technique allows couples with a high-risk of passing on inherited diseases, to increase their chances of having a healthy baby.

Functional ovarian tissue engineered in lab

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 15:11:11 EDT

A proof-of-concept study suggests the possibility of engineering artificial ovaries in the lab to provide a more natural option for hormone replacement therapy for women.

Increased time to pregnancy linked to child's neurological development

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 20:25:25 EDT

Taking a long time to get pregnant may be linked to minor neurodevelopmental problems in the child, suggests a small study published online in the Fetal & Neonatal Edition of Archives of Disease in Childhood.

New chemo drug gentler on fertility, tougher on cancer

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 11:45:45 EDT

A new gentler chemotherapy drug in the form of nanoparticles has been designed by scientists to be less toxic to a young woman's fertility but extra tough on cancer. This is the first cancer drug tested while in development for its effect on fertility using a novel, quick in vitro test designed by the scientists.

Fertility after ectopic pregnancy: first randomised trial finds reassuring evidence on the effect of different treatments

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 23:12:12 EDT

The first randomized trial to compare treatments for ectopic pregnancies has found no significant differences in subsequent fertility between medical treatment and conservative surgery on one hand, and conservative or radical surgery on the other.

Cancer doesn't change young girls' desire to have children, study shows

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 03:48:48 EST

Researchers have found that healthy adolescent females have predetermined expectations for becoming parents in the future, but have concerns about fertility and childbearing should they develop a life-threatening illness, such as cancer.

Extremely high estrogen levels may underlie complications of single-birth IVF pregnancies

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 13:16:16 EST

Researchers have identified what may be a major factor behind the increased risk of two adverse outcomes in pregnancies conceived through IVF. Their findings support the hypothesis that extremely high estrogen levels at the time of embryo transfer increase the risk of infants born small for their gestational age and the risk of preeclampsia. They also outline a protocol that reduced those risks in a small group of patients.

Better outcome for frozen embryo replacement vs IVF

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 10:22:22 EST

Perinatal outcomes of frozen/thawed embryo replacement better compared to fresh IVF, but worse than non-IVF general population.

Study prompts rethink of how ovaries develop

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 10:20:20 EST

New research will rewrite the textbooks on how an ovary is formed, as well as providing new insights into women's health and fertility.

Twenty hours of TV a week linked to almost half sperm count of those who watch little TV

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 18:45:45 EST

Healthy young men who watch TV for more than 20 hours a week have almost half the sperm count of men who watch very little TV, indicates a new study.

Early menopause may occur in women with BRCA gene

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 07:44:44 EST

Women with harmful mutations in the BRCA gene, which put them at higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer, tend to undergo menopause significantly sooner than other women, allowing them an even briefer reproductive window and possibly a higher risk of infertility, according to a new study.

Semen quality of young men in south-east Spain down by 38 percent in the last decade

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 11:17:17 EST

The first comparative study on the evolution of sperm quality in young Spanish men over ten years reveals that spermatozoid concentration in men between 18 and 23 years in the regions of Murcia and Almeria has dropped by an annual average of two percent.

Blood clots and artery blockage more likely during IVF pregnancies, study suggests

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 19:02:02 EST

In vitro fertilization is associated with an increased risk of pulmonary embolism (blockage of the main artery of the lung) and venous thromboembolism (blood clots) during the first trimester of pregnancy, a new study suggests.

An embryo that is neither male nor female: Impact of three unexpected sex determination factors analyzed

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 19:24:24 EST

Is it a girl or a boy? This is the first question parents ask at the birth of an infant. Though the answer is obvious, the mechanism of sex determination is much less so. Researchers attempt to shed light on this complex process by identifying the crucial role played by insulin and IGF1 and IGF2 growth factors, a family of hormones known for its role in metabolism and growth.

New strategies needed to encourage male cancer survivors to consider future fertility

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 13:11:11 EST

New strategies are needed to encourage men who have banked sperm prior to cancer treatment to engage with ongoing fertility monitoring programs, researchers in the UK have found.

Repeated miscarriage: Scientists pinpoint molecular signals that make some women prone to miscarriage

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 07:32:32 EST

Scientists have identified molecular signals that control whether embryos are accepted by the womb, and that appear to function abnormally in women who have suffered repeated miscarriages.

Global rates of infertility remain unchanged over past 2 decades

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 20:35:35 EST

In 2010, almost 50 million couples worldwide were unable to have a child after five years of trying. Infertility rates have hardly changed over the past 20 years, according to a new study.

Stem cell research provides hope for infertile cancer survivors: Transplanted stem cells could preserve male fertility

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 12:46:46 EST

A professor has demonstrated in rhesus monkeys that it is possible to remove testicular stem cells prior to chemotherapy, freeze them and later, after cancer treatments, transplant the cells where they can restart sperm production and restore fertility.

Death rate two to four times as high among childless couples

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 20:02:02 EST

Despite the popular belief among parents that having children shortens their lives, the reverse seems to be true, particularly for women, indicates a large study of childless couples, treated for infertility.

Children born after infertility treatment are more likely to suffer from asthma

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 19:59:59 EST

Asthma is more common among children born after infertility treatment than among children who have been planned and conceived naturally, according to new findings.

Semen concentration and quality fell in French men between 1989 and 2005

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 08:38:38 EST

New research shows that the concentration of sperm in men's semen has been in steady decline between 1989 and 2005 in France. In addition, there has been a decrease in the number of normally formed sperm.

Fitness for toad sperm: Secret is to mate frequently

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 08:11:11 EST

Fertility tests frequently reveal that males have problems with the quality of their sperm. The problems often relate to sperm senescence, which is a reduction in quality with age. Sperm senescence can arise either before or after the DNA in the sperm cells is produced by a process known as meiosis. So-called “pre-meiotic” senescence results from accumulated damage in the germline cells with increasing age and results in older males having sperm of lower quality. Post-meiotic senescence occurs after the sperm cells have been produced, either during storage of sperm by the male or after ejaculation and before they fertilize the eggs.

Fertility: Putrescine water may be fountain of youth for human eggs

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 13:11:11 EST

A scientist has discovered a critical reason why women experience fertility problems as they get older. The breakthrough also points to a simple solution that could increase the viability of egg cells for women in their late 30s and older -- putrescine water.

Class of RNA molecules protects germ cells from damage

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 17:22:22 EST

Passing one's genes on to the next generation is a mark of evolutionary success. So it makes sense that the body would work to ensure that the genes the next generation inherits are exact replicas of the originals. Biologists have now identified one way the body does exactly that.

High sperm DNA damage a leading cause of 'unexplained infertility', research finds

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 11:32:32 EST

New research has uncovered the cause of infertility for 80 per cent of couples previously diagnosed with 'unexplained infertility': high sperm DNA damage.

Sperm length variation is not a good sign for fertility

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 12:20:20 EST

A new study finds that the greater the inconsistency in the length of sperm, particularly in the tail (flagellum), the lower the concentration of sperm that can swim well. The finding offers fertility clinicians a potential new marker for fertility trouble that might trace back to how a patient's sperm are being made.

Synthetic biofilter removes estrogens from drinking water

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 12:27:27 EST

Conventional methods of filtering waste water in sewage treatment plants are unable to completely remove medicine residues such as the estrogens in birth control pills. These residues then find their way into rivers and lakes and also accumulate in our drinking water. For fish and other aquatic life, estrogens can lead to reproductive and developmental disorders and even to the formation of female characteristics in males. The potential long-term consequences for human beings -- declining sperm counts, infertility, various cancers, and osteoporosis -- are still largely unknown. Students have now identified enzymes from fungi growing on trees that can filter out medicine residues from sewage and drinking water.

Mothers’ age at menopause may predict daughters’ ovarian reserve

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 19:17:17 EST

A mother’s age at menopause may predict her daughter’s fertility in terms of the numbers of eggs remaining in her ovaries, according to the new research.

Male fertility can be restored after cancer treatment, researchers find

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 12:15:15 EDT

An injection of banked sperm-producing stem cells can restore fertility to males who become sterile due to cancer drug side effects, according to researchers. In their animal study, previously frozen stem cells restored production of sperm that successfully fertilized eggs to produce early embryos.

Too much risk associated with SSRI usage and pregnancy, research suggests

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 08:12:12 EDT

Elevated risk of miscarriage, preterm birth, neonatal health complications and possible longer term neurobehavioral abnormalities, including autism, suggest that a class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) should only be prescribed with great caution and with full counseling for women experiencing depression and attempting to get pregnant, say researchers.

Women undergoing IVF report problems with sexual relationship, study finds

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 06:24:24 EDT

A new study has found that women undergoing in-vitro fertilization report that the process of infertility treatment has many negative impacts on their sexual relationship with their partner. Little attention has been given to the sexual dynamics of couples as they navigate infertility and treatments such as IVF, despite the important role that sex plays in a couple's attempt to conceive a child.

Genetic causes of a male infertility disorder revealed

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 12:22:22 EDT

Severe spermatogenic failure is a genetic condition that causes low sperm count and infertility. Researchers have gained new insights into the genetic alterations that cause this disorder and their prevalence in populations of men around the world. The findings reveal which alterations are the greatest risk factors for the disease, and they could be immediately applicable in genetic counseling for assisted reproduction.

In vitro fertilization linked to increase risk for birth defects, research suggests

Sat, 20 Oct 2012 16:26:26 EDT

In vitro fertilization may significantly increase the risk of birth defects, particularly those of the eye, heart, reproductive organs and urinary systems, according to new research.

Weight loss does not improve fertility, but does improve sexual function, research finds

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 10:27:27 EDT

Losing weight does not necessarily lead to improved fertility in women, but it can improve sexual function, according to a recent study that followed morbidly obese women of reproductive age for up to two years after Roux en Y gastric bariatric bypass surgery

Infertility: How can ovulation function be restored?

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 13:20:20 EDT

It is well known that breast feeding increases the secretion of the prolactin hormone and inhibits ovulation in women. This prevents the onset of a new pregnancy too soon, and so breast feeding was used in the past as a method of contraception. In addition to this physiological condition, there are many other pathological conditions in which the production of prolactin is increased. Thanks to new research, the intimate mechanism of the hyperprolactinaemia alterations affecting reproduction in mice has been discovered.

Child-free women feel intense pressure to have kids, but rarely stress over it

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 12:18:18 EDT

A national survey of nearly 1,200 American women of reproductive age with no children sought to determine if the reason a woman had no children contributed to different types and levels of stress.

Sperm's swimming skills: Discovery shed light on male infertility, yields clues to development of male contraceptive pill

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 09:32:32 EDT

New insights into the swimming skills of sperm shed light on male infertility, which affects one in 20 men, and could provide a new avenue to the development of a male contraceptive pill.

Study tests potential new drug to reduce pain and symptoms of endometriosis

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 13:40:40 EDT

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), endometriosis, a gynecological disorder in which cells from the uterus lining grow in other areas of the body, is the number one reason for a hysterectomy in women ages 18-35. Current treatment options for endometriosis are severely limited by side effects of existing medications and surgical options have more risks. A nationwide clinical trial is testing an investigational drug as a potential new option for patients with moderate to severe pain from this disease.

Fear of treatment puts stress on women undergoing fertility therapy

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 11:11:11 EDT

Fertility treatment has a strong emotional impact on women who want to have children. A study of European countries with the highest number of assisted reproduction cycles identifies which aspects of reproduction treatment contribute to psychological stress. Inability to conceive is extremely stressful for women who want to have a family.

Balancing fertility and child survival in the developing world

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 08:29:29 EDT

Children in smaller families are only slightly more likely to survive childhood in high mortality environments, according to a new study of mothers and children in sub-Saharan Africa seeking to understand why women, even in the highest fertility populations in world, rarely give birth to more than eight children.

Surgeons recreate eggs in vitro to treat infertility

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 08:29:29 EDT

Regenerative-medicine researchers have moved a promising step closer to helping infertile, premenopausal women produce enough eggs to become pregnant. Surgeons have now reported that they were able to stimulate ovarian cell production using an in vitro rat model, and observed as the cells matured into very early-stage eggs that could possibly be fertilized.

Infertility treatments may significantly increase multiple sclerosis activity

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 08:29:29 EDT

Researchers report that women with multiple sclerosis (MS) who undergo assisted reproduction technology infertility treatment are at risk for increased disease activity. Study findings suggest reproductive hormones contribute to regulation of immune responses in autoimmune diseases such as MS.

New IVF breakthrough: Chemical can trigger egg maturation

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 08:02:02 EDT

Researchers have discovered that a chemical can trigger the maturation of small eggs to healthy, mature eggs, a process that could give more women the chance of successful IVF treatment in the future.

New ways to protect female fertility

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 08:58:58 EDT

New research offers hope to women whose fertility has been compromised by the side-effects of cancer therapy or by premature menopause. In a new study, researchers found that two proteins, PUMA and NOXA, cause the death of egg cells in the ovaries. Blocking the activity of the proteins may lead to new strategies to protect women's fertility.