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 […]
Category: Fertility
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 […]
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 […]