Glasgow, United Kingdom: Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for Down’s syndrome is feasible, acceptable to parents, and could be introduced into the National Health Service (NHS), UK researchers say. The results of a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) study carried out by the first NHS laboratory to provide NIPT testing were reported to the annual […]
Category: Fertility
Pesticides in fruit and vegetables linked to semen quality
The first study to investigate the relationship between eating fruit and vegetables containing pesticide residues and the quality of men’s semen has shown a link with lower sperm counts and percentages of normally-formed sperm. The study, which is published online in Human Reproduction [1], one of the world’s leading reproductive medicine journals, shows that men […]
Fifteen million unwanted pregnancies a year caused by underuse of modern contraception
Fifteen million out of 16.7 million unwanted pregnancies a year could be avoided in 35 low- and middle-income countries if women had the opportunity to use modern methods of contraception, according to a study that applies to about one-third of the world’s population. The authors of the study point out that women who become pregnant […]
Sugary drinks linked to earlier onset of menstrual periods
Girls who frequently consume sugary drinks tend to start their menstrual periods earlier than girls who do not, according to new research published online in Human Reproduction [1], one of the world’s leading reproductive medicine journals. In the first study to look at the relation between sugar-sweetened drinks and the age at which girls have […]
Largest study of babies born after infertility treatment shows significant improvements in health over past 20 years
The last two decades has seen a steady improvement in the health outcomes of children born after assisted reproduction (ART), with fewer babies being born preterm, with low birth weight, stillborn or dying within the first year of life. These findings come from the largest study to date to investigate the health of ART babies […]
Damaging legacy: mothers who smoke affect the fertility of their sons
Mothers who smoke while they are pregnant or breast feeding may be damaging the future fertility of their sons, according to new findings from research in mice published online in Human Reproduction [1], one of the world’s leading reproductive medicine journals. The study is the first comprehensive animal model to show the mechanism by which […]
Do children make you happier? Sustaining a desire for a child after failed fertility treatment is linked to worse mental health
Women who have difficulty accepting the fact that they can’t have children following unsuccessful fertility treatment have worse long-term mental health than women who are able to let go of their desire for children, according to new research. The study published online in Human Reproduction [1], one of the world’s leading reproductive medicine journals, is […]
New genetic sequencing methods mean quicker, cheaper, and equally accurate embryo screening
Milan, Italy: Results from the first study of the clinical application of next generation DNA sequencing (NGS) in screening embryos for genetic disease prior to implantation in patients undergoing in-vitro fertilisation treatments show that it is an effective reliable method of selecting the best embryos to transfer. The research was presented at the annual conference […]
Mothers of women with PCOS have increased risk of early death
Mothers of daughters with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have a significantly increased risk of death, particularly if they also have diabetes, when compared to the general population, according to new research. The Dutch study, published online in Human Reproduction [1], one of the world’s leading reproductive medicine journals, compared death rates of mothers and fathers […]
Freezing semen doubles the chances of fatherhood for men after treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma
Men with Hodgkin lymphoma who want to become fathers after their cancer treatment have greatly increased chances of doing so if they have frozen and stored semen samples beforehand, according to research published online in Europe’s leading reproductive medicine journal Human Reproduction [1]. In the first study to investigate the impact on fatherhood of freezing […]