Fertility News and Research

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Chemical reprogramming of granulosa cells to form functional oocytes

By introducing a chemical cocktail to granulosa cells, researchers in China induced the cells to transform into functional oocytes in mice.

26 Dec 2019

Fewer fats could be the key to boosting male fertility

A diet low in fat and high in egg whites could be the key to boosting male fertility according to a new pilot study.

23 Dec 2019

A new book on ovarian cancer

An opening discussion of contemporary management of this disease presents commentary on surgery and clinical trials: neoadjuvant, dose-dense, and heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC}, as well as immunotherapy, vaccine therapy, emerging therapies.

18 Dec 2019

Penn researchers track defective sperm epigenome linked to male infertility

One out of eight couples has trouble conceiving, with nearly a quarter of those cases caused by unexplained male infertility. For the past decade, research has linked that infertility to defective sperm that fail to "evict" proteins called histones from DNA during development.

16 Dec 2019

Important discovery about male infertility could lead to new treatments

Using a new mouse model, Penn Medicine researchers have identified defects in the sperm epigenome that cause male infertility.

16 Dec 2019

Boys born small at higher risk of infertility

A new study published in the journal Human Reproduction on December 13, 2019, shows that baby boys who don’t grow as well as expected in the womb may grow up to be infertile as adults. The study showed a 55% or 85% higher risk of infertility among this group of men compared to those born with appropriate weights.

15 Dec 2019

NCCN Patient Advocacy Summit closes gaps in perspective of value in cancer care

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) hosted an annual NCCN Patient Advocacy Summit: Delivering Value for Patients across the Oncology Ecosystem in Washington, DC, today.

11 Dec 2019

Study highlights lack of psychological support for people dealing with infertility in the UK

Psychological support for those dealing with infertility and its treatment is received by only just half of those who want it in the UK - with many left to suffer with anxiety, depression, or suicidal thoughts, according to a new study published in Human Fertility.

6 Dec 2019

Study pinpoints many misunderstandings about replacement level fertility

The percentage of the world’s population that is above or below the ‘replacement level of fertility’ has long been used as a measure of demographic development. A new study revisited how this metric is calculated and how useful it really is in terms of informing policy decisions.

6 Dec 2019

Experts condemn CRISPR babies research as original manuscript is made public

Scientists have criticized the gene-editing of the Chinese twins last year, following the first public release of the research.

4 Dec 2019

Why some sperm swim in circles – it’s a protein defect

A new study published in the journal PNAS shows that some sperm cannot swim straight because they lack a protein called VSP. This motility defect seriously impacts the rates of successful fertilization. In addition, VSP is also found to regulate the amount of calcium that enters the flagellum, the whiplike organelle that propels the sperm towards the waiting ovum or egg. This important discovery may help treat infertility more effectively.

3 Dec 2019

New project could mark a pivotal advancement in therapies to address male sterility

Researchers from the University of Georgia, Emory University School of Medicine and the University of Pittsburgh have received a $2.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to test a novel method of producing viable sperm cells from skin cells.

3 Dec 2019

Study finds it may be possible to treat endometriosis using an investigational cancer drug

Researchers have shown that painful endometriosis symptoms could be alleviated using an investigational cancer drug.

3 Dec 2019

Painful endometriosis symptoms could be reduced with a cancer drug

The painful symptoms of endometriosis - a chronic condition which affects millions of women - could potentially be reduced with a drug that had previously been investigated as a cancer treatment.

2 Dec 2019

Study shows perinatal outcomes following bariatric surgery between pregnancies

During 2002-2014, there was a 13-fold increase in weight loss surgeries among women aged 15-44 years in New South Wales, Australia, and undergoing such surgery between a first and second pregnancy was associated with lower risks of hypertension, preterm birth, and other outcomes in the second pregnancy.

2 Dec 2019

HIV positive sperm bank launched in New Zealand

In pursuit of greater acceptance for HIV positive people, an organization in New Zealand aspires to begin an HIV positive sperm bank called Sperm Positive. It will start by accepting sperms from 3 males who have HIV but are being treated such that their sperm is not capable of transmitting the infection at present. The treatment has reduced viremia (the viral load in the blood) to such a level that it is undetectable by standard methods.

27 Nov 2019

Study traces atmospheric source of super-toxic methylmercury in terrestrial food web

Marine fog brings more than cooler temperatures to coastal areas. Researchers at UC Santa Cruz have discovered elevated levels of mercury in mountain lions, the latest indication that the neurotoxin is being carried in fog, deposited on the land, and making its way up the food chain.

26 Nov 2019