Fertility News and Research

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KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Nutrition programs face their own shutdown

Health programs are feeling the pinch of the ongoing government shutdown. Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, and the food program for women, infants, and children, WIC, is likely to run out in November, and cuts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are keeping the agency from carrying out some of its primary public health functions.

23 Oct 2025

Study: Common test to assess viability of IVF embryos may be flawed

A test deployed in many fertility clinics to assess the viability of embryos for use in IVF is likely to overestimate the number of embryos with abnormalities, suggests a study published today.

23 Oct 2025

Mediterranean diet linked to dramatically lower odds of endometriosis

A new case–control study found that women with stronger adherence to the Mediterranean diet had dramatically lower odds of endometriosis. Diets rich in fruits, vegetables, fish, and legumes were protective, while higher intakes of meat, dairy, and refined whole grains were linked to increased risk.

22 Oct 2025

Gender-affirming hormone therapy rewrites body proteins to match gender identity

Melbourne researchers have discovered gender-affirming hormone therapy can alter body proteins to match a person's gender identity, potentially affecting susceptibility to certain health conditions.

21 Oct 2025

Review reveals how paternal lifestyle shapes sperm epigenetics and offspring health

A new review in Clinical Epigenetics synthesises growing evidence that paternal lifestyle and environmental exposures such as diet, obesity, smoking, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and stress alter sperm epigenetic marks (DNA methylation, histone retention, and small non-coding RNAs).

17 Oct 2025

What happens when microplastics reach the testes? Study shows autophagy and cell loss

Researchers found that microplastics from everyday plastic tableware accumulate in human semen and, although not linked to semen quality in the full cohort, were associated with altered sperm parameters in specific subgroups. Experimental models confirmed that 50 nm polystyrene particles trigger autophagy and apoptosis via the FOXA1/MAP3K1/p38 pathway, impairing sperm structure and function.

15 Oct 2025

Global drug addiction mortality rates double despite fewer new cases

The global drug use disorder deaths have more than doubled since 1990, even as new addiction cases declined, highlighting a widening gap in harm reduction and treatment access, especially in wealthy nations.

15 Oct 2025

Study uncovers key protein complex controlling sperm motility and male fertility

Infertility affects about one in six couples, and male factors account for roughly half of all cases-often because sperm don't swim well.

13 Oct 2025

New insights into sperm metabolism could transform infertility treatments

Michigan State University scientists have pinpointed the molecular "switch" that supercharges sperm for their final sprint to an egg - a breakthrough that could reshape infertility treatments and pave the way for safe, nonhormonal male contraceptives.

10 Oct 2025

Lifestyle choices and hormonal imbalances can impact men's reproductive health

A new research paper was published in Volume 12 of Oncoscience on September 30, 2025, titled "Lifestyle and hormonal factors affecting semen quality and sperm DNA integrity: A cross-sectional study."

10 Oct 2025

Women show peak cognitive performance during ovulation but exercise matters more

Women performed best on cognitive tests during ovulation but physical activity level had a stronger influence on brain function, according to a new study from researchers at UCL.

9 Oct 2025

Perlmutter Cancer Center experts shine light on the rise of breast cancer in younger adults

Currently, breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women age 20 to 49 in the United States. Compounding this concerning issue, younger patients are being diagnosed at more advanced stages, according to doctors at NYU Langone's Perlmutter Cancer Center, and this points to a greater need for screening, prevention, and breast cancer education.

9 Oct 2025

Second-hand smoke causes major health burden for children worldwide

Children lose 8.45 million days of healthy life each year globally due to second hand smoke, according to research presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

29 Sep 2025

Plant-based dog food cuts environmental impact by over 90% vs. red meat

Comparative research highlights the environmental benefits of plant-based dog food, showing reduced land use and emissions versus traditional meat-based diets.

29 Sep 2025

Clinical trial disproves claims that antioxidant supplement boosts male fertility

A large Dutch randomized clinical trial (SUMMER) found that a widely marketed antioxidant supplement (Impryl) did not improve ongoing pregnancy rates in men seeking fertility care. Instead, pregnancy success was significantly lower in the critical 4–6 month treatment window, raising safety concerns.

28 Sep 2025

Organophosphate pesticide exposure linked to reduced sperm quality in healthy men

This pilot study found that urinary metabolites of organophosphate pesticides were linked to reduced sperm motility in healthy young men, though results were preliminary. Oxidative stress did not explain the association, suggesting other biological pathways may be involved.

25 Sep 2025

Tiny DNA junctions provide feedback to control genetic crossovers

Every new life begins after a genetic shuffle. When organisms make eggs or sperm, maternal and paternal chromosomes pair up and swap pieces of DNA in a process called crossing over.

25 Sep 2025

Researchers uncover how chromosome crossovers protect fertility

When a woman becomes pregnant, the outcome of that pregnancy depends on many things - including a crucial event that happened while she was still growing inside her own mother's womb.

24 Sep 2025

Majority of parents disclose biological origins to their donor-conceived children

Four out of five parents tell their donor-conceived children about their biological origins, according to new research out of Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.

19 Sep 2025

Loss of key Y chromosome gene causes infertility in male mice

In a new study conducted at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, researchers from the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) have shown that the loss of a key male fertility gene leads to infertility and changes expression of hundreds of other important genes.

17 Sep 2025