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Pre-pregnancy maternal weight has significant impact on baby's immune system

Almost 60 percent of women of childbearing age in the United States are overweight or obese. Obesity is a major public health issue, and has been linked to health problems like heart disease, cancer and hypertension. It can complicate pregnancy by increasing the mother's risk of having gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, preterm birth or a baby with birth defects. Maternal obesity is also linked to several adverse health outcomes for the infant that can persist into adulthood, such as type-2 diabetes, heart disease and mortality.

19 May 2015

Linkam and Cambridge IVF work on the development of new protocols for sperm testing

IVF is becoming increasingly important as fertility and birth rates fall in developed countries. Ensuring patients get the right treatment is important both from an emotional and financial perspective...

From Linkam Scientific Instruments 18 May 2015

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany granted FDA Fast Track designation for development of evofosfamide

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading company for innovative and top-quality high-tech products in healthcare, life science and performance materials today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Fast Track designation for the development of evofosfamide (previously known as TH-302), administered in combination with gemcitabine, for the treatment of previously untreated patients with metastatic or locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer.

12 May 2015

Positive data from two studies analyzing Good Start's test for inherited diseases presented at ACOG 2015

Good Start Genetics, Inc., a commercial-stage molecular genetics information company, today presented data from two studies analyzing detection rates among patients at in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics who underwent carrier screening for inherited diseases. The studies were presented at the 2015 Annual Clinical and Scientific Meeting of The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists being held in San Francisco, Calif.

7 May 2015

Mayo Clinic provides expert guidance on fertility, conception

With Mother's Day being May 10 and May being Women's Health Month, Mayo Clinic offers expert guidance on fertility and conception.

7 May 2015

Scientists solve mystery about the origin of ovarian cell

Scientists at the National Institutes of Health have solved a long-standing mystery about the origin of one of the cell types that make up the ovary. The team also discovered how ovarian cells share information during development of an ovarian follicle, which holds the maturing egg.

7 May 2015

Kallistem achieves complete human spermatogenesis in vitro for treatment of male infertility

Kallistem, which develops innovative cell culture technologies in reproductive biology, today announces a world first: human spermatogenesis in vitro. At the end of 2014 the company was able to produce fully formed human spermatozoa in the laboratory setting, using patient testicular biopsies containing only immature germ cells, or spermatogonia.

5 May 2015

Better interventions needed to improve outcomes in young breast cancer patients

Breast cancer that occurs in young women is likely to be more aggressive and to require more intensive types of therapy with increased risk of long-term treatment-related toxicities. The unique and significant challenges and psychosocial concerns that women under 40 years of age with breast cancer face are discussed in a special article published in Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology, a multidisciplinary peer-reviewed publication from, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.

30 Apr 2015

Researchers develop new IVF technique to improve fertility treatment

For couples struggling to conceive the old-fashioned way, in vitro fertilization (IVF) provides an alternate route to starting a family. When eggs are mixed with sperm in test tubes, the fertilized eggs to grow into embryos that can be implanted inside the uterus of a woman who will carry them to term.

29 Apr 2015

Linkam stages used to study the effects of cryopreservation on the quality of Koala spermatozoa samples

Market leaders in temperature controlled microscopy, Linkam Scientific Instruments report on the use of their temperature controlled stages in the study of the effects of cryopreservation of Koala spermatozoa in Australia.

From Linkam Scientific Instruments 28 Apr 2015

OHTAC recommends MRgHIFU as possible cost-effective strategy for uterine fibroid treatment

The Ontario Health Technology Advisory Committee has recommended Magnetic Resonance-Guided High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (MRgHIFU or MRgFUS) as a possible "cost-effective strategy" and a "safe and effective, noninvasive, uterine-preserving" option for women seeking treatment for uterine fibroids.

27 Apr 2015

New pregnancy app for Apple Watch now available from The Bump

The Bump, a leading multiplatform pregnancy and parenting brand, today announced the launch of The Bump Pregnancy App for Apple Watch. The pregnancy app is a complement to the brand's mobile iOS app and offers a customized user experience, serving only the most relevant content and tools to match the user's week of pregnancy.

25 Apr 2015

Natera, LifeLabs sign new agreement for non-invasive prenatal testing in Canada

Natera, Inc., a global leader in non-invasive genetic testing, and LifeLabs Medical Laboratory Services today announced a new agreement that gives LifeLabs the rights to perform non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) in Canada using Natera technology.

From Natera 25 Apr 2015

Lilly receives fourth FDA approval for CYRAMZA (ramucirumab)

Eli Lilly and Company has received its fourth U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for CYRAMZA (ramucirumab). CYRAMZA (ramucirumab injection 10 mg/mL solution) is now also indicated in combination with FOLFIRI (irinotecan, folinic acid, and 5-fluorouracil) chemotherapy for the treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) with disease progression on or after prior therapy with bevacizumab, oxaliplatin, and a fluoropyrimidine.

25 Apr 2015

Alternative treatment options for uterine fibroids

A 47-year-old African-American woman has heavy menstrual bleeding and iron-deficiency anemia. She reports the frequent need to urinate during the night and throughout the day. A colonoscopy is negative and an ultrasonography shows a modestly enlarged uterus with three uterine fibroids, noncancerous growths of the uterus.

24 Apr 2015

Penn researchers find molecular bond between DNA damage, cellular senescence and premature aging

Like a beloved pair of jeans, human DNA accumulates damage over time, and older people's bodies can't repair it as well. Many scientists believe a build up of damage can cause cells to enter an irreversible dormant state known as senescence. Cellular senescence is believed to be responsible for some of the telltale signs of aging, such as weakened bones, less resilient skin and slow-downs in organ function.

24 Apr 2015

Smoking and genetics can increase women's likelihood of giving birth to twins

African American mothers who smoke and have a genetic profile that includes a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the TP53 gene have an increased likelihood of having twins, concluded a team of researchers from the University of South Florida and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

21 Apr 2015

Study: BPA exposure during pregnancy affects fertility, reproductive function

When scientists exposed pregnant mice to levels of bisphenol A equivalent to those considered safe in humans, three generations of female mouse offspring experienced significant reproductive problems, including declines in fertility, sexual maturity and pregnancy success, the scientists report in the journal Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology.

16 Apr 2015

Studies reveal that dietary supplement can improve reproductive health

Current statistics on U.S. birth rates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report a continued trend toward delayed motherhood. As fertility gradually declines in the 30s, particularly after age 35, the risk of experiencing difficulty conceiving may increase. In addition to age, there are other common reasons why women may experience difficulties conceiving, including: irregular ovulation cycles and poor egg quality, which may be associated with stress, lifestyle or poor diet.

13 Apr 2015