GETTING pregnant is an easy process for some couples, but it can be a serious challenge for others. Obstetricians-gynaecologists say infertility is a widespread problem which affects up to 15 per cent of the reproductive age population, and is often due to a combination of factors. “Many men don't like the thought of the

A baby has been born in the Ukraine following the use of an experimental IVF procedure known as mitochondrial donation. Dr Valery Zukin, director of the Nadiya Clinic for Reproductive Medicine in Kiev, announced two pregnancies in October last year following use of a mitochondrial technique called pronuclear transfer that had been performed at the

The type of culture media used in IVF can more than double the chance of producing healthy embryos and significantly affect chances of successful conception. Between 50 and 80 percent of embryos created through IVF have abnormal numbers of chromosomes. This was believed to be caused by errors in the DNA of the egg or

The 250,000th IVF baby was born in February last year, according to figures released by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). The British Fertility Society welcomed the milestone, saying it was great news for patients and their families. The figures show a sharp rise in the number of IVF and other assisted-reproduction treatments over

Babies born to women aged 40 and over from assisted reproduction have fewer birth defects compared with those from women who conceive naturally at the same age, according to new research from the University of Adelaide. This is contrary to widespread belief that the greater risk of birth defects after assisted conception is due to

A cost and live birth analysis of six conventional IVF treatment strategies against six similar, corresponding strategies using modified natural cycle IVF showed significant savings with the latter method. This lowers the barriers of access, particularly for young couples who tend to have fewer resources, that may not be able to afford conventional fertility treatment.

Moderate exercise improves sperm quality and quantity, according to new research. Previous research showed that some types of exercise, such as long distance running, can have a negative effect on sperm, but this study suggests that moderate exercise three times a week improves sperm quality. 'Our results show that doing exercise can be a simple,

An increase in the frequency of polymorphic variants among infertile patients compared with fertile donors suggest they have an impact on fertility. Chromosomal polymorphisms have an impact on fertility, increasing the chromosomal abnormalities in male gametes and embryos. While previous studies have reported a higher incidence of chromosomal polymorphisms in infertile patients, the relationship between

Later this week some of the world’s leading scientists will gather at University College London to debate a simple but highly controversial notion: that it is time to scrap the 14-day limit on embryo research. Thanks to recent scientific breakthroughs, researchers have reached a point where they can begin to think of experimenting on embryos

Seventeen children conceived through ooplasmic transplantation have all matured with regular health and cognitive abilities, according to a study. The experimental IVF technique was conducted as part of a previous study led by embryologist Dr Jacques Cohen between 1996-2001 at the Saint Barnabas Medical Centre in Livingston, New Jersey. Dr Cohen told Medical Xpress that