Embryo News and Research

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Study connects ultra-processed diets to fertility and embryo development

Eating large amounts of ultra-processed food (UPF) is linked not only to reduced fertility in men, but also to slower growth in early embryos, and smaller yolk sacs, which are essential for early embryonic development, according to new research.

24 Mar 2026

U.S. study links ultra-processed foods to lower odds of fertility

A cross-sectional NHANES study of 2,582 U.S. women found that higher ultra-processed food intake was associated with lower odds of being classified as fertile based on self-reported infertility history. Greater Mediterranean diet adherence was linked to higher odds of fertility in adjusted models, but that association was no longer significant after accounting for obesity.

22 Mar 2026

Weight-loss drugs linked to preterm birth risk in women with pre-existing diabetes

Weight loss drugs have been linked to an increased risk of premature births among women who took them inadvertently just before or during early pregnancy to treat pre-existing diabetes.

17 Mar 2026

New imaging method maps gene activity across entire zebrafish embryo

How does a tiny cluster of cells become an embryo with a head, trunk, and tail? And how do thousands of genes coordinate this development?

12 Mar 2026

Immune switch plays a critical role in successful pregnancies

Early pregnancy depends on a remarkable act of coordination. Before the placenta can nourish a growing fetus, the embryo must securely "land" and connect with the mother's blood supply - a process guided by a specialized group of immune cells called uterine natural killer cells, or uNK cells.

12 Mar 2026

Study maps how NF-κB regulates gene expression in cells

To further the quantitative understanding of cellular decision making, Dr. Gregory Reeves and his team in the chemical engineering department have worked to interpret how a transcription factor dictates the alteration of gene expression in cells.

27 Feb 2026

New method clarifies whether NOTCH1 variants cause congenital heart defects

One to two out of every 100 newborn babies are born with a Congenital Heart Defect (CHD), yet the exact cause remains unclear.

26 Feb 2026

New Pico C technology maps genome structure before activation

For decades, scientists viewed the genome of a newly fertilised egg as a structural 'blank slate' – a disordered tangle of DNA waiting for the embryo to 'wake up' and start reading its own genetic instructions.

24 Feb 2026

Embryonic reproductive cells reveal striking genomic architecture before development

Researchers at the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences (LMS) and Imperial College London have shown for the first time that, before they can start developing into egg and sperm cells, the embryonic precursors of these cells uniquely reshape the 3D organization of their genetic material.

20 Feb 2026

Optically invisible culture dishes improve embryo imaging in IVF

Selecting the healthiest embryo is one of the most important steps in in‑vitro fertilization (IVF), yet it remains one of the most uncertain.

4 Feb 2026

IVF study finds shorter insemination protects embryo availability without harming success

Short-term sperm–oocyte co-incubation during IVF cycles with only one or two retrieved oocytes produced cumulative live birth rates comparable to conventional overnight insemination. It also improved fertilisation metrics and reduced cancellation or no-embryo cycles, suggesting practical laboratory advantages without improving overall live birth probability.

4 Feb 2026

Natural ovulation offers a safer path to IVF success

Researchers compare the effects of natural ovulation and external hormone replacement regimens for preparing the uterus before frozen embryo transfer.

4 Feb 2026

PFOA exposure disrupts hormone signaling and impairs embryo implantation in mice

A new experimental study has found that perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a widely used industrial chemical, can interfere with key biological processes required for successful embryo implantation, raising concerns about its potential impact on female fertility.

27 Jan 2026

Targeted uterine mRNA treatment boosts fertility outcomes in mice

Researchers from the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Medicine Center for Nanomedicine - which designs nanotechnology-based platforms for clinical translation across specialties - developed a strategy for delivering therapeutic messenger RNA (mRNA) to the inner lining of the uterus (endometrium) in mice via modified lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), which are small capsules made of fatty molecules.

22 Jan 2026

Facial wound secrets revealed for scarless repair

Tweaking a pattern of wound healing established millions of years ago may enable scar-free injury repair after surgery or trauma, Stanford Medicine researchers have found.

22 Jan 2026

Sperm RNA aging shift that may explain paternal age effects

Study reveals an 'aging cliff' in sperm RNA, linking age-related changes to early development and highlighting risks associated with advanced paternal age.

22 Jan 2026

Natural ovulation matches hormone therapy success in frozen embryo transfer

Natural ovulation before frozen embryo transfer is as effective as hormone treatment for achieving a healthy baby by vitro fertilization (IVF), finds a clinical trial from China published by The BMJ today.

21 Jan 2026

Novel cell division mechanism discovered in early embryonic development

Cell division is an essential process for all life on earth, yet the exact mechanisms by which cells divide during early embryonic development have remained elusive – particularly for egg-laying species.

8 Jan 2026

Unveiling Hidden Potential: Organoids for Disease Modeling in Neuroscience Research

In our latest interview, News-Medical speaks with Rosanna Zhang from ACROBiosystems about utilizing organoids for disease modeling in the field of neuroscience research.

From ACROBiosystems 6 Jan 2026

Engineered womb lining model opens a window into embryo implantation

By engineering a system replicating the womb lining with high biological accuracy, researchers at the Babraham Institute and Stanford University have been able to study the implantation of human embryos, opening up this enigmatic process to investigation.

23 Dec 2025