Fertilization News and Research

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Sens. Specter, Harkin say 'hype' surrounding Nature study harms chances of expanding Federal stem cell funding

"Hype" surrounding a study published in the Aug. 24 edition of the journal Nature describing a technique that could derive human embryonic stem cells without destroying the embryo is harming chances of approving legislation to expand federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, CQ HealthBeat reports (Reichard, CQ HealthBeat, 9/6).

7 Sep 2006

New York Times examines debate over preimplantation genetic diagnosis

The New York Times on Sunday examined the debate over preimplantation genetic diagnosis, a technique that allows physicians to identify embryos without genetic defects or chromosomal abnormalities and then implant the embryos most likely to result in a live, healthy infant.

5 Sep 2006

Washington Post examines 'Natural Family Planning' Centers

The Washington Post on Thursday examined "natural family planning" centers, which "tailor" the type of care provided with the religious beliefs of the physicians.

1 Sep 2006

Atp7a determines a hierarchy of copper metabolism essential for notochord development

A new study reveals the timing of developmental events that critically depend on copper. While copper deficiency is rare in humans, the findings suggest that suboptimal copper metabolism might contribute to birth defects, according to the researchers.

8 Aug 2006

FDA does an about turn on Plan B contraceptive pills

After years of dilly dallying over it's stand on over-the-counter sales of the "morning-after" contraceptive officials at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suddenly appear to be doing an about turn.

31 Jul 2006

Cheaper IVF deal on offer when women donate eggs for stem cell research

British women undergoing IVF procedures will soon be able to subsidise their treatment by donating some of their eggs to research.

30 Jul 2006

Major genetic breakthrough in understanding of Wolbachia infection

Scientists have made a major breakthrough in understanding the genetics of the insect parasite that is being targeted by researchers as a way of preventing the spread of malaria.

25 Jul 2006

Belfer Foundation funds new translational cancer institute

The Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Foundation has pledged $8 million to create the Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Weill Medical College of Cornell University.

25 Jul 2006

Researchers identify earliest neuron in the embryonic human cerebral cortex

Researchers at Yale School of Medicine and the University of Oxford have identified the very first neurons in what develops into the cerebral cortex, the part of the brain that makes humans human.

24 Jul 2006

$26 billion dollar bill for prem babies each year

According to experts one in every eight babies now is born prematurely and they are calling for earlier ultrasound examinations during pregnancy and tighter guidelines for infertility treatment as essential in the battle to control what they say is a growing problem.

17 Jul 2006

Vasectomies create abnormal sperm

Scientists are warning men to freeze some of their sperm before having a vasectomy because the procedure may damage sperm.

22 Jun 2006

New technology allows women to preserve their eggs for use later

Japanese scientists have come up with a new method of preserving human embryos which will make the process of freezing them safer and more reliable.

20 Jun 2006

In vitro fertilisation could be causing genetic errors in embryo

The conditions in which embryos are cultured in the laboratory during in vitro fertilisation could be causing genetic errors that are associated with certain developmental syndromes and other abnormalities in growth and development, such as low birth weight.

19 Jun 2006

New highly successful method of freezing human eggs

A new and highly successful method of freezing human eggs will help to even out the current inequality between men and women.

19 Jun 2006

New method of testing eggs for abnormalities could solve problems of embryo freezing

Italian researchers have shown for the first time that it is possible to test a woman's egg, before fertilisation, for chromosomal abnormalities that might make an embryo less likely to implant successfully or more likely to miscarry at a later stage.

19 Jun 2006

New technique will screen embryos for almost 6,000 inherited diseases

A powerful new method of testing embryos for inherited diseases, has been developed by fertility specialists in Britain.

19 Jun 2006

Circulating bone-marrow derived cells do not contribute to egg formation

Ovulated egg cells, or oocytes, in adult female mice are not formed from germ cells in the blood or bone marrow.

14 Jun 2006

Centrosomes may contain ribonucleic acid

Despite more than a century of study, scientists know relatively little about the inner workings of centrosomes - organelles essential to cell division in humans and animals.

7 Jun 2006

Researchers discover the presence of the genetic material RNA in the centrosome

Researchers have discovered the presence of the genetic material RNA in the centrosome, the organizing structure inside each cell that assures proper cell division.

6 Jun 2006

Single embryo transfer as successful as double transfer in older women

Research by fertility experts in Finland has demonstrated for the first time that in many cases transferring a single embryo to the womb in women undergoing IVF is just as likely to result in pregnancy and a live birth in those aged 36 to 39 as it is in younger women.

1 Jun 2006