Young IVF adults are healthy

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).

Read more ...

Not all lubricants are the same

Intimate lubricants are often used by couples during sexual intercourse to reduce friction and to make penetration less uncomfortable. In this recently published study, researchers looked at a variety of different lubricants and their effect on sperm function in laboratory conditions.
Sesame oil and synthetic coital lubricants, such as Astroglide and KY products, were found to impair sperm movement and may thus reduce fertility. Pre-Seed and canola, mustard and baby oils showed no such harmful effects and may therefore be considered more sperm-friendly lubricants.
After exposure to mustard oil the sperm showed signs of hyperactivation, which is a much more active type of swimming that may help the sperm to penetrate the egg. If sperm is exposed to mustard oil lubricant, this hyperactivation would happen in the vagina. It is not clear whether this is a good thing because normally sperm hyperactivation is believed to occur in the Fallopian tube, which is much further up in the genital tract.

Read more...

Embryo 'looks' are deceiving

A large study was published recently comparing embryo morphology and the genetic make-up of human embryos. The research shows that the visual appearance of an embryo (or morphology) only weakly predicts the health of the embryo.
Many embryos with a healthy appearance were shown to have an abnormal chromosome pattern (or aneuploidy). Embryos with an abnormal chromosome number generally fail to implant, lead to miscarriages or may cause serious abnormalities in the baby.
Embryos of optimal morphological quality on day 3 of development were significantly more likely than day 5 embryos to have chromosome abnormalities.

Read more...

Uterine infusion to stimulate stem cells doesn't work.

A new randomised controlled trial has shown that a drug used to stimulate stem cells in the endometrium (uterine lining) has no effect on the thickness of the lining or the chance of getting pregnant with IVF.
Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, sold under the name Filgrastim, was injected as a solution into the uterine cavity. Compared to women who were injected with a saline solution there was no improvement in the thickness of the lining or the pregnancy rates.

Read more ...

Blood test for natural killer cells

A recent study in the journal of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine has shown that there is no diagnostic value in measuring natural killer cell activity in the peripheral blood. In a large study, 552 women with between 2 and 6 previous miscarriages had their level of peripheral natural killer cell activity measured, but the study showed that this did not predict whether they would have another miscarriage.

Read more ...

Caution urged for fertility test results

The egg timer test, a popular fertility test designed to tell a woman how long she has left to fall pregnant, is providing inaccurate and misleading results, creating a wave of panic among women in their 30s and 40s, according to Dr Anne Clarke from Fertility First in Sydney.

Read more ...

Ethics worry over 'designer' babies

 A US company that has patented a method of creating "designer" babies has been slammed by Australian genetics experts as "dodgy". Monash IVF Research Director Luk Rombauts said he worried some people seemed to forget "the true value" of parenting did not lie in creating "the perfect child".

Read more ...

Shift work linked to reduced fertility

Dr Linden Stocker from the University of Southampton, UK, recently presented the conclusions of a meta-analysis that pooled data from research studies published between 1969 and January 2013 that looked at the effect of shift work on health.
The analysis, which covered nearly 120,000 women, found those working shifts had an 80% higher rate of fertility problems, and a 33% higher rate of disrupted menstrual periods compared to women working regular hours.

Read more ...

Caesarean section linked to endometriosis

Caesarean sections may be associated with an increased risk of endometriosis compared with vaginal deliveries, a Swedish study suggests. Women who had caesarean sections had an 80% higher risk of endometriosis after their first delivery compared with those who had vaginal deliveries.

Read more ...

IVF success is a team effort

Monash IVF clinical research director Associate Professor Luk Rombauts said many patients unrealistically saw IVF as the "silver bullet" to solving lifestyle-related infertility problems.

"It's often the expectation people have that the doctor will pour a little bit of fairy dust over and it will fix them very quickly," Associate Prof Rombauts said. "The way I put it to my patients is this is not one person's efforts. It takes a whole team of fertility specialists, nurses and scientists to get them pregnant with IVF.  But the patients need to play an important part in that process as well."

Read more ...

Major scientific prize awarded

A team of Melbourne scientists, headed by leading Australian fertility researcher Professor Lois Salamonsen from Prince Henry’s Institute (PHI), has received international praise for their fertility research as one of nine winners recognised in Merck Serono’s 2012 Grant for Fertility Innovation (GFI) awards in Istanbul this week. The awards, now in their third year, support innovative fertility research to improve take home baby rates for IVF.

The Prince Henry’s Institute and Monash IVF research team are the first non-European scientists to be honoured in the awards. The award will help fund the group’s collaborative investigation to identify endometrial receptivity markers.

IVF specialist and Director of Clinical Research at Monash IVF, Associate Professor Luk Rombauts, a key collaborator on the project along with Professor Salamonsen and senior scientist Dr Tracey Edgell, believes the investigation represents the final frontier of IVF research.

“During the past twenty years IVF has seen dramatic improvements. The final piece of the puzzle is determining how we can improve endometrial receptivity to the good embryos we are already creating, “Professor Rombauts said.

“If we can improve understanding of what is optimal endometrial receptivity, we may be able start looking at improving elements of IVF treatment including drugs in order to get better results, “ said Professor Rombauts.

First twin-to-twin ovarian transplant in Australia

Dr Luk Rombauts at the Epworth Hospital yesterday completed one of the world's first such transplants, between identical twins Mercedes and Cintia, 33.

The ground-breaking operation and the generosity of her twin, a mother of three, may allow Cintia to fall pregnant within months.

Read more ...

Bad period pain hits 25% of schoolgirls

A quarter of senior Australian schoolgirls suffer from period pain so severe it damages their livelihood and their class attendance record, research shows.

A new study by a team of specialists led by Dr Anne Sneddon shows that a "significant proportion" of these teenagers may be suffering early symptoms of endometriosis, a debilitating reproductive condition which can cause lifelong distress and infertility.

 Read more ...