Men who wear boxer shorts have higher sperm concentrations than men who wear tighter fitting underwear, according to new research published in Human Reproduction [1], one of the world’s leading reproductive medicine journals. The researchers also found that boxer shorts-wearing men had lower levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), compared to men who most frequently wore […]
Category: Fertility
Treatments for cancer and sickle cell disease deplete germ cells in young boys
Scientists have discovered that some treatments for cancer and sickle cell disease can destroy the germ cells that go on to develop into sperm in the testes of young boys. In some pre-pubescent boys, the treatment for sickle cell disease results in complete destruction of all their germ cells, which are called spermatogonia. The study, […]
Fatigue is a common but underestimated symptom of endometriosis
Fatigue is a common but underestimated symptom of endometriosis, according to findings from an international study of over 1100 women, published in Human Reproduction [1], one of the world’s leading reproductive medicine journals. The study found that the prevalence of fatigue was more than doubled in women diagnosed with endometriosis compared to those who were […]
Genomic testing for the causes of stillbirth, fœtal congenital abnormalities and neonatal death can provide hard-to-get answers and should be considered for routine use
Milan, Italy: Pregnancy loss and the death of a new-born baby are devastating events, and as of today around 25% of these perinatal deaths are unexplained despite autopsy. Discovering the cause of such a loss is of great importance for the bereaved parents, both in providing an explanation and in helping them to understand the […]
Women who eat fast food and little or no fruit take longer to become pregnant
Women who eat less fruit and more fast food take longer to get pregnant and are less likely to conceive within a year, according to a study published in Human Reproduction [1], one of the world’s leading reproductive medicine journals. During their first antenatal visit, research midwives in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Ireland […]
Ibuprofen taken in the first three months of pregnancy may harm the future fertility of baby girls
Pregnant women who take the pain killer ibuprofen in the first 24 weeks of their pregnancy may be reducing the store of eggs in the ovaries of their daughters. Researchers have found the first evidence in human ovarian tissue that exposure to ibuprofen during the crucial first three months of foetal development results in a […]
Mediterranean diet may help women receiving assisted reproduction treatment to achieve successful pregnancies
New research has found that women who follow a “Mediterranean” diet in the six months before assisted reproductive treatment have a significantly better chance of becoming pregnant and giving birth to a live baby than women who did not. Researchers asked women about their diet before they underwent in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment found that […]
Vitamin D linked with better live birth rates in women undergoing assisted reproduction treatment: researchers call for a randomised controlled trial to investigate
Researchers are calling for a randomised clinical trial to be carried out to investigate the potential role of vitamin D supplementation in improving live birth rates following assisted reproduction treatment (ART). This follows a review and meta-analysis published today (Wednesday) in Human Reproduction [1], one of the world’s leading reproductive medicine journals, that shows a […]
Underweight women are at greater risk of early menopause
Underweight women and women who were underweight as teenagers or in their mid-30s are at greater risk of experiencing an early menopause compared to lean or normal weight women, according to a study of nearly 80,000 women. In addition, underweight women who lost 20 pounds or more at least three times between the ages of […]
Asthma linked to increase in fertility treatment
Milan, Italy: Women with asthma are more likely to have fertility treatment before giving birth than non-asthmatic women, according to new research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress. Among 744 pregnant asthmatic women enrolled in the Management of Asthma During Pregnancy programme at the Hvidovre Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark, and who gave birth between […]