infertility-news

Unfortunately, a significant decline in reproduction success occurs as women get older. This includes poor egg quality, reduction in recruitment of eggs, and a reduction in response to internal and external hormones. In some cases, there have been advances in fertility treatments to compensate for these losses in reproductive success. One commonly used treatment is…

Recurrent miscarriage is defined as 3 or more consecutive miscarriages . This condition affects 1% of fertile couples and in 50% of cases, the cause remains undiagnosed. Because of this, it remains one of the most distressing and stressful problems affecting couples trying to conceive. Recently, it has been suggested that body mass index (BMI)…

With an overall prevalence of 3%-5%, babies born with birth defects are the leading cause of infant death in the United States. Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal cause for birth defects. The most common non-chromosomal birth defects are congenital heart defects, cleft lip and palate, and abdominal wall defects (gastroschisis or omphalocele). New…

Numerous studies have been done in the past trying to determine the relationship between infertility and some types of cancer in women. Some of these suggest that the fertility medicines used during treatment are responsible for an increased risk in breast and ovarian cancer. Other studies contradict these findings and say that the drugs themselves…

A study done previously by a Danish recurrent miscarriage clinic observed patients referred from 1986 to 1999 and found that firstborn boys opposed to firstborn girls are far more frequent in mothers with secondary recurrent miscarriage. Also, a firstborn boy was correlated to a less favorable pregnancy potential. In the 14-year follow-up done by the…

With the changing environment and the continual development of new products with new materials, it is no surprise that people are more worried about their exposure to chemicals than ever. Chemicals are in everything we use. Some of these chemicals can have certain adverse effects on infertility, miscarriage or even the success of treatments such…

Women who undergo fertility treatments know how time consuming and sometimes unpredictable the process can be. Because of the need for frequent monitoring, blood checks, and sonograms, working women find their schedules at times hard to manage. It can be very frustrating trying to balance the frequent medical appointments with the stress of their normal…

Several studies have shown a link between female infertility and obesity. Female diabetes has been linked to miscarriage and birth defects. Little data has been published on the effect of male weight and infertility. A new study shows diabetes and being overweight has a negative effect on male fertility.Diabetes is a disease associated with high…

Background Approximately 10-15% of recognized pregnancies end in miscarriage. The main cause of miscarriage is attributed to chromosomal abnormalities in the embryos. Approximately 70-80% of miscarriages occur due to chromosomal defects in the embryo. Unfortunately, as women age, their eggs age as well. The older an egg gets, the greater the chance for chromosomal abnormalities…

Couples with fertility problems where the male is over 40 have increased difficulty in conceiving.We know reproductive health is associated with age. Most studies and findings focus on the female age as the determining factor for a successful, healthy pregnancy. While it is true that most miscarriages are due to chromosomal abnormalities and that this…

Over the last 20 years, there have been numerous studies that have looked at the impact of lifestyle on fertility and miscarriage. Several studies in the 1980s and 1990s have shown that caffeine reduces fertility, the ability to get pregnant and increases the risk of miscarriage . More recently, a large, well performed study found…

Background A recent study by the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey shows that herbal supplements appeared to cause an increase in blood levels of lead among women of childbearing age. The participants were men and women 20 years and older. With the widespread use of these so called “natural” alternative medicines in the United…

A recently published study found a relationship between female diet prior to conception and the "sex ratio" in humans. Sex ratio is the relative number of females born to males. Specifically, women who consumed a greater amount of calories prior to conception had a higher percentage of boys. In trying to identify specific foods, the…

For the last 30 years, the medications needed for IVF have been given by injection. Initially, the injections were intramuscular. More recently, more advanced fertility drugs are now given by subcutaneous injections . Subcutaneous injections use a smaller needle which is also thinner. This results in less discomfort to the patient. however, a needle is…

Recent research presented at the World Congress of Endometriosis suggests that women with freckles, moles and easily-burned skin are more likely to suffer from endometriosis .   Endometriosis is a problem in which the tissue which normally gows inside the uterine lining, grows outside of the uterus. It is estimated that 6% of reproductive aged…

A study published in March 2008 has determined that women with endometriosis who took high dose anti-oxidants did not show any improvement in their pregnancy rates. Oxidative stress is a condition which occurs when the production of free radicals in the human body exceeds the body’s ability to neutralize and eliminate them. Oxidative stress can…

Scientists claim that men who smoke, drink heavily or are exposed to pesticides while trying for a baby could harm generations of offspring. Researchers said animal studies showed abnormalities caused by environmental toxins were caused by genetic changes that were passed on through generations.

Washington, DC — Pregnant asthmatic women should continue to use their asthma medication in the lowest dose possible to manage symptoms during pregnancy, according to a new Practice Bulletin released today by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Women with moderate or severe asthma should also be monitored throughout pregnancy for fetal growth…

A recent study has identified a possible relationship between sperm counts in men and their mother’s consumption of beef during pregnancy. Of particular concern was whether administering hormones to cattle to increase their size and beef production could be the culprit leading to these findings.

Approximately one-third of reproductive aged women still believe that taking oral contraceptives cause infertility or difficulty in achieving pregnancy after the pills are stopped. This is despite the fact that several studies in recent years have shown no effect of birth control pills on fertility.