SpainFertility

Dr David Knight, a Sidney fertility expert has recently raised an important issue for pregnant women: they need to lose weight to protect their babies.

Dr Knight stated that not only does obesity affect the possibility of getting pregnant, but also that women with overweight have a much larger chance of experiencing miscarriages: they are 80 times more likely to have pregnancy issues, including stillbirth or death in the first month after birth.

Dr Knight confirmed other important facts. For example, that the children of obese mothers tend to be obese themselves, because they are genetically programmed to be fat, and therefore are more likely to suffer associated diseases such as diabetes.

Also, he stated that one in five couples had fertility issues due to obesity or pregnancy at an older age in life. He also analized the fact that in Australia, for instance, twenty years ago one in seven couples were infertile, whereas today that figure changed: one in five couples have fertility problems.

A healthy diet is therefore crucial not only for the mothers´health but also for their babies, and it is imperative that we understand the role that rational nutrition has in our lives.

Via | smh

Teenage fathers may experience more problems when having their babies, suggested a study by canadian experts in fertility published yesterday. Their babies have a larger chance of being born before time, have low birth weight and even die in their first year. Older fathers, 40 and above, however, do not face the same risks.

Dr Mark Walker, leader of the study, said this is a novel finding, and that it contradicts the common thought that older parents would be associated with these problems rather than younger ones. He said that this study can help recognize high risk pregnancies, and take actions to avoid any of the issues involved.

The research -the largest involving these questions up to now- studied more than 2.6 million US women in their 20s that became mothers between 1995 and 2000. Those newborns that had teenage fathers had a larger chance -15 %- of being born earlier than expected, were 13 percent more likely to have low birth weight, 17 per cent more likely to be small for gestational age, 13 per cent
more likely to have a low Apgar score (a measure of newborns’ health),
22 per cent more likely to die within the first four weeks, and 41 per
cent more likely to die within the first year.

Dr Shi Wu Wen, one of the specialists collaborating with the study, said that the mechanism that causes this is still not known, but that “regardless of the mechanism, you need to act because this group is in high risk, that´s for sure”.

Other studies performed previously actually show some results in that direction, stating that younger men have lower sperm counts and immature sperm which may contribute to birth problems. Other factors might be sociological: Dr Walker explained that “young fathers may not provide the same social support as older fathers, both financially and in terms of companionship. That may be why these pregnancies are more complicated”.

Women are trying to find all the information they can about infertility and related issues, a study confirmed this week. This comes as no surprise, given the fact that one in eight couples face the problem of infertility at some point in their lives.

The survey made by Fertility LifeLines(TM) adn Conceive Magazine in the US, showed that a large number of women seek information online and via blogs and other resources. Almost half of the women consulted thought that information about fertility available was enough, while the other half find it hard to gather the information they need to make decisions.

The study also shows that most women are waiting longer than recommended to consult a specialist. It is usually recommended that couples seek medical help when they have tried for a baby without success for more than a year, or 6 months if the woman is more than 35 years old. However, only one third of couples who have been trying to get pregnant for more than a year consult a fertility specialist.

Also, the fact is that most women are surprised when they find out they have fertility issues. About 70 percent of the women consulted said they were shocked when they found out they were having difficulties getting pregnant.

Regarding this survey, Dr Alice D Domar, Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School, said that “with current medical advances in fertility
treatments, women are having more success getting pregnant today than
they were just 10 years ago. Unfortunately, women are
waiting longer than necessary to seek medical help because they are
concerned with both the emotional and financial impact of treatment”

It is therefore important that women who have been trying for babies for more than a year now consult a specialist, so that the cause for the problem is detected and the couple assisted with the best method available for them.

Via | Commonvoice

Since anti-cancer medication can destroy the ovary´s follicles, hence women that go through chemotherapy often have trouble getting pregnant. A study developed by scientists in the UK have found a way of storing and growing a woman´s immature eggs in the laboratory, with the utilization of a specialized technique.

Some fertility centers in Great Britain are already offering a way of storing ovary tissue from women that have to go through chemotherapy with the speculation that the eggs will mature with further development and be used for IVF (In Vitro Fertilization)

Evelyn Telfer, from the University of Edinburgh, has led the study that made a big step towards growing stored human eggs. By adding artificial hormones in the laboratory, the eggs have grown and developed in the follicles.

With further research, Tefler stated, the eggs can get to be fully mature using this same technique, and use them for assisted reproduction procedures. This can also mean a faster development in egg growth, since with this method, it only took 10 days for an egg to mature.

Moreover, the technique that Tefler developed makes it possible for the procedures to be held without women having to take hormone injections, with the danger of over-production of eggs it carries.

Via | Hindu