Women who experience infertility but do not use fertility treatments have a higher risk of developing a group of conditions called systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARD) in the nine years after a naturally conceived birth compared to women without fertility problems. The new research, published in Human Reproduction [1], one of the world’s leading reproductive […]
Category: Fertility
Babies born after fertility treatment have higher risk of heart defects
The risk of being born with a major heart defect is 36% higher in babies who were conceived after assisted reproductive technology, such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF), according to results of a very large study published in the European Heart Journal [1]. Researchers say the finding is important since congenital heart defects are the […]
Women with premature ovarian insufficiency are at greater risk of severe autoimmune diseases
Severe autoimmune conditions such Type I diabetes, Addison’s disease, lupus and inflammatory bowel disease, are between two to three times more common in women who have been diagnosed with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) compared to the general population. The research, published in Human Reproduction [1], one of the world’s leading reproductive medicine journals, is the […]
Evidence-based information combats misleading and false claims on the internet and social media about the anti-Mullerian hormone test
Researchers in Australia have found that when women are given accurate information about a test that indicates the number of eggs in their ovaries, they have less interest in taking the test compared to women who viewed information available online. The researchers initiated the study, which is published in Human Reproduction [1], one of the […]
New research questions safety of cannabidiol for pregnant women
Mouse studies show alterations in brains and behaviour in offspring exposed to CBD during gestation Vienna, Austria: Cannabidiol (CBD), one of the active ingredients in cannabis, is thought to be safe as it does not cause a “high”. Increasing numbers of pregnant women take CBD, believing that it can help alleviate symptoms such as morning […]
Understanding how abnormal embryos self-correct may provide women with a better chance of IVF pregnancy
Berlin, Germany: Aneuploidy (the presence of an abnormal number of chromosomes) in embryos is a major cause of impaired embryo development, leading to conditions such as Down syndrome, as well as to pregnancy loss. The transfer of such embryos in women undergoing IVF is therefore usually avoided because of unfavourable pregnancy outcomes. But mosaic embryos, […]
Polygenic risk scores give inaccurate and highly inconsistent results in embryo selection
Berlin, Germany: Polygenic risk scores (PRSs) are estimates of an individual’s susceptibility to a specific complex trait obtained by aggregating the effects of dozens, thousands, and potentially millions of genetic variants associated with that specific trait into a single figure. Some private companies now market PRS embryo screening to prospective parents through the use of […]
Families of men with fertility problems show distinct patterns of increased risk for several types of cancer
For the first time researchers have identified patterns of risk for several different types of cancer in men with fertility problems and their families. The study, which is published in Human Reproduction [1], one of the world’s leading reproductive medicine journals, found that families of men who have very few or no sperm in their […]
Job loss is linked to increased risk of miscarriage and stillbirth
Researchers have found a link between a pregnant woman or her partner losing their job and an increased risk of miscarriage or stillbirth. The study, which is published in Human Reproduction [1], one of the world’s leading reproductive medicine journals, found a doubling in the chances of a pregnancy miscarrying or resulting in a stillbirth […]
More IVF babies born after egg collection in summer rather than in autumn
The time of year when eggs are collected from women’s ovaries during fertility treatment makes a difference to live birth rates, according to new research published in Human Reproduction [1], one of the world’s leading reproductive medicine journals. Researchers in Australia have found that transferring frozen then thawed embryos to women’s wombs from eggs collected […]