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 […]

Endometriosis linked to reduction in live births before diagnosis of the disease

Endometriosis is linked to a reduction in fertility in the years preceding a definitive surgical diagnosis of the condition, according to new research published in Human Reproduction [1], one of the world’s leading reproductive medicine journals. In the first study to look at birth rates in a large group of women who eventually received a […]

Fertility may decline early in women treated for Hodgkin lymphoma in childhood, but most who try for babies when they are young are successful

Copenhagen, Denmark: Women treated for childhood Hodgkin lymphoma may face declining fertility at a younger age, according to research presented at the 39th annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) [1]. The research also found that women treated for Hodgkin lymphoma may have to try for longer to become pregnant; […]

Opting to freeze eggs can help women have babies when they are older, but many do not use their frozen eggs

Copenhagen, Denmark: More than 40% of women who chose to freeze their eggs in their 30s were able to have babies later in life when they returned to the fertility clinic, according to research presented at the 39th annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) [1]. However, many of the […]

Researchers urge caution in gene editing early human embryos following findings that it could have unexpected and dangerous consequences

Further research to refine gene editing technology is needed Copenhagen, Denmark: Scientists have discovered that the cells of early human embryos are often unable to repair damage to their DNA. The researchers say that this has important implications for the proposed use of gene editing techniques to remove serious inherited diseases from embryos, as well […]

Men experience a long-term drop in semen quality after COVID infection – even if the infection was mild

Copenhagen, Denmark: More than three months after suffering from mild COVID infection, men have lower sperm concentrations and fewer sperm that are able to swim, according to new findings presented at the 39th annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) [1]. Professor Rocio Núñez-Calonge, scientific advisor at UR International Group […]

Are more babies born if embryos are cultured for three or five days in the lab?

Largest randomised clinical trial to date suggests that age matters Copenhagen, Denmark: Women are just as likely to give birth to live babies after fertility treatment if embryos are transferred to their wombs three days after fertilisation in the laboratory rather than five. However, the women’s age can affect the outcomes, according to new research […]

Cheap and safe hormone treatment shows promise for couples with unexplained infertility

Copenhagen, Denmark: A small study with couples experiencing unexplained infertility suggests that a hormone treatment could increase the chances of having a baby. The trial, presented at the 39th annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) [1], compared couples trying to conceive naturally with couples where the woman used a […]

Air pollution, even at low levels, made Covid worse for patients and hospitals

Exposure to air pollution meant an average of around four extra days in hospital for Covid-19 patients, further increasing the burden on health care systems, according to a study published in the European Respiratory Journal [1]. The researchers say the effect of pollution on patients’ time in hospital was equivalent to being a decade older. […]

The chatbot will see you now: use of automation in the informed consent process for genomics research studies leads to wider reach and better understanding

Glasgow, UK:  The informed consent process in biomedical research is biased towards people who can meet with clinical study staff during the working day. For those who have the availability to have a consent conversation, the time burden can be off-putting. Professor Eric Vilain, from the Department of Paediatrics, University of California, Irvine, USA, told […]