September 23, 2014

Good ideas don't always work.

September 23, 2014/ Luk Rombauts

The U.S. research group of Richard Scott Jr. has published a well-designed randomised controlled study that looked at the potential benefit of a small intra-uterine infusion of the pregnancy hormone, hCG.

The idea behind this study was that the embryo secretes hCG to tell the endometrium to become more receptive. The researchers hoped that by infusing extra hCG in the uterine cavity they could make the endometrial lining even more receptive.

A logical and promising idea but ...

Exercise without weight loss still a winner

March 29, 2014/ Luk Rombauts

A new Italian study has shown that women who are obese can achieve a 3-fold higher chance of a live birth if they do regular physical exercise before they start an IVF cycle. What was really surprising is that this was true even if no weight was lost following the exercise.
This is very good news for many women with a weight problem because it means that their efforts will be rewarded even if they don't manage to shed some kilos.

Young IVF adults are healthy

February 22, 2014/ Luk Rombauts

A new study, the largest one of its kind so far, has confirmed that the long-term health outcomes of children conceived following IVF are good. This research was carried out in collaboration with Monash IVF and concluded that the physical and mental health of more than 500 young 'IVF' adults was generally the same as the naturally conceived control population. Their educational achievements were also similar.
The study, led by Prof Halliday, did find that IVF-conceived offspring had higher rates of asthma, hay fever and hospitalisation in their first 18 years of life. It is at this stage unclear whether this is due to the IVF treatment per se or perhaps to different parenting behaviours. It has indeed been suggested that the rising number of asthma sufferers worldwide is perhaps linked to a drop in the exposure to germs in the environment (the hygiene hypothesis).

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