A large Scandinavian study that has been running for 30 years has finally provided convincing evidence that the combined oral contraceptive pill does, indeed, alleviate the symptoms of painful menstrual periods – dysmenorrhoea. The research is published online in Europe’s leading reproductive medicine journal Human Reproduction [1]. Although some previous studies and anecdotal evidence have […]
Category: Fertility
Stress in early pregnancy can lead to shorter pregnancies, more pre-term births and fewer baby boys
Stress in the second and third months of pregnancy can shorten pregnancies, increase the risk of pre-term births and may affect the ratio of boys to girls being born, leading to a decline in male babies. These are the conclusions of a study that investigated the effect on pregnant women of the stress caused by […]
Removal of fibroids that distort the womb cavity may prevent recurrent miscarriages
Researchers have found the first, firm evidence that fibroids are associated with recurrent miscarriages. They have also discovered that if they removed the fibroids that distorted the inside of the womb, the risk of miscarriage in the second trimester of pregnancy was reduced dramatically – to zero. The study, which is published online in Europe’s […]
Socioeconomic class and smoking linked to premature menopause
Stockholm, Sweden: Women from the lowest social class are almost three times as likely to have premature ovarian failure (POF) as those from the highest social class, a researcher told the annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology on Wednesday. POF is not only associated with infertility but also with significantly […]
Giving up smoking as soon as pregnancy is confirmed averts the adverse birth outcomes associated with tobacco
Stockholm, Sweden: Scientists have shown for the first time in a large population study that mothers’ stopping smoking around the time of getting pregnant can prevent the harmful effects of tobacco on their babies’ growth. Results from a study of over 50 000 pregnancies revealed that women who gave up smoking when their pregnancy was confirmed […]
New, non-invasive test for chromosome abnormalities may also shed light on genetic origins of faulty eggs
Stockholm, Sweden: Researchers are developing a new way to test a woman’s egg for chromosome abnormalities that avoids the need to manipulate and biopsy the egg itself. The research may also shed light on the crucial role played by certain genes in the development of chromosome abnormalities that are a major cause of miscarriages and […]
‘Vanishing twin’ explains increased risk of birth defects in surviving baby after infertility treatment
Stockholm, Sweden: Australian researchers have made the significant discovery that loss of a twin during very early pregnancy explains the increased risk of birth defects seen in multiple pregnancies after infertility treatment. Professor Michael Davies told the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology on Wednesday that the “vanishing twin” phenomenon, […]
Simple test gives accurate prediction of ovulation to help women become pregnant
Stockholm, Sweden: Using a widely available ovulation test is a more reliable method of predicting when a woman will be at her most fertile than the commonly used calendar method, the annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology heard on Tuesday. Researchers said that the ovulation test could cope with cycle […]
Gum disease can increase the time it takes to become pregnant
Stockholm, Sweden: Women who are trying to become pregnant should make sure they visit their dentist and brush their teeth regularly, after preliminary research revealed that gum disease potentially can lengthen the time it takes for a woman to become pregnant by an average of an extra two months. For the first time, fertility experts […]
Early embryos can correct genetic abnormalities during development: findings have significant implications for fertility treatment and stem cell therapies
Stockholm, Sweden: Researchers have found the first direct evidence that early embryos with genetic abnormalities can correct their faults as they develop, marginalising cells with an incorrect number of chromosomes, while allowing the growth of normal cells. Professor William G. Kearns told the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology that […]