Young men conceived using an assisted reproductive technique may inherit sperm problems
Young men conceived by an assisted reproductive technique called ICSI, in which sperm is injected directly into the egg, seem to have lower sperm quantity and quality than those conceived...
A world without Down’s Syndrome?
The field of fetal medicine has spent the last thirty years developing technology to identify Down’s syndrome pregnancies. A new test, non invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), has just been...
Men are leaving it too late to have children
Are men waiting too long to have children? Hopefully we are all aware that a woman’s fertile years decline rapidly after 30 and significantly after 35, making it very difficult to become...
Mom hopes to give birth to her own grandchild in surrogate pregnancy
Kristie Coffey, 22 was born without a womb, but she produces eggs. When doctors told her at the age of 16 that she could never become a mother, her mum, Katrina offered to carry her grandchild as a...
Bioethicists eye designer babies and CRISPR cows
The implications of gene editing in human reproduction and livestock will be examined by UK bioethicists. In a preliminary report the Nuffield Council on Bioethics announced that two applications of...
The importance of sleep position during pregnancy
An increasing amount of data now shows that poor sleep – such as sleep disordered breathing and insomnia – has a negative impact on pregnancy outcomes. One study investigating placental...
Why do women need folic acid in pregnancy?
Did you know that a daily supplement of 400 micrograms of folic acid is recommended when women are trying to conceive? According to the British Department of Health the same dose should be taken for...
Moderate drinking may not affect female fertility
Drinking fewer than 14 servings of alcohol per week does not affect female fertility, according to a new study published in the British Medical Journal. Researchers looked at the drinking habits of...
Caesarean section babies at risk of obesity
A new study from Harvard gives more evidence for the link between C section deliveries and obesity in children. The study, published in the journal JAMA Paediatrics, looked a children in the...
Potential ‘Cuckoo Kids’ Law’ forces German women to reveal their child’s biological father
A new law has been proposed to the German government where women will be required to name the biological father of a child at the request of the partner who is paying child support, therefore forcing...
The creation of ‘artificial ovaries’ – new advances bring us closer than ever
Though fertility preservation is classified as a relatively recent field, the field of fertility restoration has made many advances since the first experiments carried out in 1994. Here, ovarian...
Unhealthy diet in pregnancy linked to ADHD
Early onset conduct problems (such as lying and fighting) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are the leading causes of child mental health referral. There are many scientific studies...
Australia: ‘Magic doll’ programme failing
Studies in Australia, the USA and 88 other countries have given teenagers a ‘magic doll’ to simulate what it would be like to look after a real baby. The dolls cry when they need...
Should we be able to choose the sex of our children?
Since 1992 I have been working on preimplantation genetic diagnosis – a technique developed to help couples at risk of transmitting a genetic disease to their children. The couple go through...
Baby kicks- what is normal movement and when to be worried
Count the kicks is a charity promoting the importance of keeping track of the regular pattern of your baby’s movements. The website provides information on pregnancy for mums and...
Drinking alcohol when pregnant – important information
In the UK a powerful video has been produced by NOFAS-UK (national organisation for fetal alcohol syndrome) called ‘No Alcohol No Risk‘. It has been produced for midwives to explain the...
Madeline Stuart – the worlds first Down’s syndrome model
“Madeline Stuart is changing society’s perceptions of beauty – one photo shoot at a time. Madeline Stuart is an 18 year old aspiring model from Brisbane, Australia with Down Syndrome. As...
Should women have a fertility check before they reach 30?
I have been to a growing number of talks that suggest that we should be offering women a fertility check before they reach 30 or as soon as they are thinking about starting a family. This topic is...
