Fertility and pregnancy

Seventh state eases ‘morning-after’ pill access

New Hampshire on Thursday joined six other U.S. states in allowing pharmacists to dispense emergency birth control without a prescription, amid growing controversy over…    

Sterility following vasectomy may take time

Following Vasectomy, about half of the men who initially still have motile sperm will eventually stop producing sperm, according to a new…    

Drugs preserve fertility of girls receiving chemo

Although effective against various cancers, chemotherapy can damage the ovaries, possibly causing a permanent loss of fertility. Treatment with two drugs…    

Japan’s fertility rate hits postwar low

Japan’s fertility rate hit a postwar low of 1.288 in 2004 in a fresh sign of the country’s acute baby shortage, Japan’s…    

Moms of IVF-induced multiples often have the blues

Having twins or triplets following assisted reproductive therapy (ART) increases the risk of depression among new moms, a new study suggests.

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Scientists find molecule linked to infertility

An infertility molecule found in mice may help to improve the success rate of millions of women who have fertility treatments each…    

Obesity may raise risk of stillbirth, infant death

Women who are obese before becoming pregnant seem to have a higher risk of stillbirth and of having an infant die soon…    

Sexuality still intact after ovary removal

Removing the ovaries during hysterectomy does not negatively impact sexuality or psychological well being in women taking estrogen, the results of a…    

Fertility seen normal in women with celiac disease

Women with Celiac disease, a digestive disorder caused by sensitivity to gluten, have fertility and pregnancy experiences similar to women without celiac…    

Most IVF parents plan to tell kids: survey

The majority of parents who conceived through assisted reproduction plan to tell their children about their conception, but they’re often uncertain how to go…    

Smoking, extra weight decrease odds of IVF success

Smoking reduces the chances that women undergoing IVF fertility treatment will have a baby - equivalent to aging them ten years.

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Requested sterilization often not performed

Only about half of pregnant women who express a desire for sterilization following delivery actually undergo the procedure, according to a report in the…    

Barcodes may help protect couples seeking IVF

Sperm and eggs from couples seeking in vitro fertilization (IVF) could in the future be barcoded to avoid emotionally devastating mix-ups, according to Britain’s…    

Study finds anticonvulsant drug poses greater birth-defect risk than suspected

Use of the anticonvulsant drug valproate during pregnancy may pose a significantly great risk of birth defects than does use of other antiseizure medications.…    

Folate does not appear to increase chance of twins

Despite some evidence to the contrary, the folate supplements women are advised to take before getting pregnant do not appear to significantly boost the…    

Many infertile women want to choose baby’s gender

More than 2 out of 5 infertile women would use technology that enables them to choose the sex of their unborn babies if it…    

Treatment preserves fertility after uterine cancer

Treatments for cancer of the endometrium, or lining of the uterus, often prevent future pregnancy, but new research shows that a limited form…    

Sperm protein needed for fertilization is found

Japanese scientists said on Wednesday they have discovered a protein on sperm that is essential to fertilize eggs.

The protein, which they…    

Smoking in pregnancy damages baby’s chromosomes

Mothers who smoke when they’re pregnant may cause genetic damage in their babies, findings from a new study suggest. In fact, one common…    

Fertility technique doesn’t affect development

Children born following so-called intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) do not differ from children conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF) or children conceived naturally in…    

Women adopt frozen embryos, save them from science

A Spanish clinic that allows women to adopt frozen embryos to save them from scientific research said on Monday 14 women were pregnant with…    

‘Help needed for couples with conception problems’

More than nine in 10 couples who have problems conceiving do not receive the treatment they need to help them have a baby, according…    

Britain’s fertility watchdog fights back

It’s been described as outdated, bureaucratic, out of touch and at least one leading fertility expert has called for it to be scrapped.

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Couples in poor nations having fewer children - UN

Men and women in developing nations are marrying later, having fewer children and having them later in life, U.N. demographers reported on Tuesday.…    

US woman pregnant with wrong sperm gives birth

A Connecticut woman who was artificially inseminated with the wrong sperm gave birth to a healthy baby boy, her attorney said on Wednesday.

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