Fertility News

Treating male infertility

Nicole — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:32:32 +0000

It’s easy to describe pregnancy: it occurs when a sperm fertilizes an egg. But the process that brings it about is not so simple. For a man to get his partner pregnant:

He must produce a large number of healthy sperm and deliver them close to the woman’s cervix.

The sperm must be active enough to reach the egg and then strong enough to penetrate the egg.

Infertility can result if there’s a hitch in sperm quality, production or delivery. People often assume that infertility is solely a woman’s problem. But male factors account for about 40 percent of infertility cases. Luckily, treatment can help a couple overcome male-factor infertility.

Treatments for male infertility

The right treatment will depend on what is causing infertility. Often surgery or medication may be tried first.

Surgery can be done to fix common problems such as a:

Surgery can often be done using tiny incisions that cause only minimal pain and scarring.

Medications may be used to treat some men. For example, hormones can be used to correct a low testosterone level. And antibiotics may help if infertility is caused by an infection.

Study Finds Soy Safe for Men

Nicole — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:10:26 +0000

Press Release:

Literature Review Finds No Indication that Soy Decreases Testosterone Levels

ST LOUIS, July 20 /PRNewswire/ — A new study published by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine finds that soyfoods and soy isoflavone supplements have no significant effect on male reproductive hormone levels in men. The literature review indicates that soy does not decrease testosterone levels.

Led by Jill M. Hamilton-Reeves, PhD, RD, of St. Catherine’s University, St. Paul, Minnesota, researchers assessed the effects of soy protein and soy isoflavones on measurements of male reproductive hormones. Findings, just published online in Fertility and Sterility, a publication of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, demonstrate no significant effect of soy protein or soy isoflavone intake on circulating levels of testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin or free testosterone in men.

The comprehensive meta-analysis examined the existing scientific literature including all clinical studies examining soy’s effect on male reproductive hormones published before July 1, 2008. Fifteen placebo-controlled treatment groups with baseline and ending measures were analyzed. Thirty-two reports involving 36 treatment groups were also assessed in simpler statistical models. Studies published after July 1, 2008, which were not included in the meta-analysis, support the conclusions of the meta-analysis.

Reproductive endocrinologist William R. Phipps, MD, of the University of Rochester Medical Center, a co-author of the analysis stated, “As a high-quality source of protein that is relatively low in saturated fat, soy can be an important part of a heart-healthy diet and may contribute to a decreased risk of coronary heart disease.” He noted that some men have been reluctant to consume soyfoods due to concerns about estrogen-like effects of soy isoflavones, often referred to as phytoestrogens. But according to Phipps, “it is important for the public to understand that there is no clinical evidence to support these ideas. After conducting a comprehensive review of the existing literature, we found no indication that soy significantly alters male sex hormone levels.”

Men can benefit from soyfood consumption as a means to meet daily protein requirements and at the same time possibly also reducing their risk of heart disease.

Citing the research study, Lisa Kelly, MPH, RD, of the United Soybean Board, added, “Soy is often praised for the positive role it can play in the diets of women. But, years of clinical research have shown that men stand to benefit from soy, too. I encourage men to incorporate soyfoods into a balanced and varied diet and talk to their healthcare provider about their own unique nutritional needs.”

Link to Article

Increasing female fertility

Nicole — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:07:26 +0000

If you have been trying to get pregnant but have been unsuccessful, there are a number of things that can be done to increase your chances if conception. While it takes most women an average of 6 months to 1 year to become pregnant, female fertility may be enhanced by simply living a healthier lifestyle.

No more caffeine. Studies have shown that women who drink excessive amounts of caffeine have delayed conception. In one study, women who drank more than one cup of coffee per day had a 50% reduction in fertility compared to those who did not consume coffee.
Stop smoking. It is common knowledge that smoking is bad for your health, but studies have also shown that women who smoke are less fertile than those who do not. Also, women whose mothers smoked during their pregnancies are less likely to conceive.
Reduce alcohol intake. Drinking alcohol, even in moderation, can decrease fertility. The results of once study show a greater than 50% reduction in the probability of conception when the participants consumed alcohol.

Court upholds Blue Cross limit on infertility treatment

Nicole — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:03:17 +0000

LOS ANGELES—Blue Cross of California complied with state law when it offered only $2,000 in annual coverage for fertility treatments and was not obligated to cover the entire cost, a California appellate court ruled. At issue in Wednesday’s ruling by the state appellate court in Los Angeles was a renewal package offered by Thousand Oaks, Calif.-based Blue Cross of California to Santa Barbara, Calif.-based Westmont College. The offer included paying a maximum of $2,000 a year for half of the cost of treating a group member for infertility, which complied with a state mandate that obligates insurers to offer infertility coverage, according to the ruling in Deborah Dunn Yeager vs. Blue Cross of California.

Westmont refused to buy the coverage, in part because of its high cost. Ms. Yeager, a Westmont employee, was unable to become pregnant without medical assistance and could afford only limited infertility treatment, which proved ineffective, according to the decision.

She sued Blue Cross in 2006, alleging unfair competition and false advertising. Ms. Yeager sought recovery for her out-of-pocket expenses for the infertility treatment above Blue Cross’s $2,000 annual limit and “for her pain and suffering from losing her chance to bear a child.”

Should you get pregnant if you’re 50 or older?

Nicole — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:01:09 +0000

(CNN) — The average American woman can live long enough to celebrate her 80th birthday, so if a woman is able to become pregnant using in vitro fertilization with a donor egg at 56, she could still watch her child grow into an adult. But just because it’s possible, does that mean she should?

Some feel that having children after 45 is unfair because the parents might not live to see the kids become adults.

The death of 69-year-old Maria del Carmen Bousada of Spain, who used in vitro fertilization with a donor egg to have twin boys at 66, has the fertility treatment community bracing for a backlash. It could rival the fallout from octuplet mom Nadya Suleman — and it seems to have already started.

In a national online survey about fertility conducted in May by Johnson & Johnson’s Babycenter.com, 7 out of 10 moms who responded wanted tougher regulation laws for IVF treatments, and half of the 1,095 respondents thought it was bad for the children if a parent conceived past 45.

Fertility specialists understand those concerns, but they say it’s not that simple. Although it’s rare for anyone older than 55 to get the go-ahead for IVF, that guideline is peer-enforced rather than mandated, and decisions typically are made on a case-by-case basis.

Biostar Pharma Wins Approval for Three New TCM Products

Nicole — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:36:36 +0000

Biostar Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (BSPM.OB) received local approval for three TCM products, which it expects to begin selling later this month. The company projects a total of $3.5 million in revenues from the three products in 2009, and $7.4 million in 2010. Biostar anticipates they will produce net income of $1 million this year and $2 million in 2010.

Biostar has built a rural cooperative medicine supply network to distribute these products alongside its existing drugs. The network currently consists of about 1,320 sales outlets in rural areas, which Biostar plans to expand into 10,000 sales outlets in two years.

The three new products are:

Yizi Capsules – a TCM aimed at infertility in women and believed to aid in healthy fetal development during pregnancy. It is one of only a few nutritional supplement products marketed for infertility

Fertility 101: How old is too old to become a mother?

Nicole — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:34:54 +0000

Seems like a terrible and heartless thing to ever say, right? The death of the oldest woman to give birth from in vitro fertilization (IVF) was announced this week; she was 69 years old and is survived by her twin sons. This naturally brings up a lot of questions I hear from women on a regular basis concerning IVF and assisted reproduction technologies (ART).

Women are waiting longer on average to begin having children in the last 20-30 years due to careers, education and other opportunities not traditionally available to women. As a result, more women are finding that natural conception has become increasingly difficult. On the opposite side of this coin is the “Octomom” fiasco in which a woman with no medical need for IVF was given a rather radical treatment resulting in the birth of 8 children.

Why the difficulty?

It is common knowledge that women over the age of 30 begin to experience marked declines in potential fertility. The primary reason for this decrease in fertility is the age of the eggs which her body is supporting to maturation.

California Doctors Reject BPA Findings

Nicole — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:21:59 +0000

UPDATE: There were some questions as to the science that was presented. Research had been released by California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. The scientists presented their evidence before the “science advisory board’s developmental and reproductive toxicant identification committee,” which composed of eight doctors from various fields of medicine. The doctors heard testimony from almost 30 people, including myself — an environmental advocate — and members of the canned goods industry. -Elisa

OAKLAND, Calif. — Despite day-long presentations of scientific data and heartfelt testimony by breast cancer survivors and concerned mothers, a panel of eight doctors unanimously voted against listing the chemical bisphenol A as a neurological and reproductive toxin under the state’s Proposition 65.

Proposition 65, which was passed by voters in 1986 to protect people from chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects and reproductive harm, requires the governor to publish at least annually a list of these toxic chemicals.

Elisa’s diary :: ::

At least a dozen studies have suggested bisphenol A, or BPAs that are found in numerous plastic products, including baby bottles, sippy cups and the inside linings of cans, can cause infertility problems like low sperm count and miscarriage and increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer. But the doctors sided with the industry, saying the animal sample sizes of these studies were too small and that the doses of BPAs were inconsistent to demonstrate a clear link between the chemical and these dire illnesses.

Scientists can create human sperm from stem cells; use in fertility treatment still uncertain

Nicole — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 22:32:47 +0000

Researchers at the Northeast England Stem Cell Institute have come up with a way to create human sperm from embryonic stem cells. The journal Stem Cells and Development last week published research led by Karim Nayernia, of Newcastle University.

The research isn’t intended to make men obsolete. On the contrary, the science behind it could someday give couples struggling with fertility hope for starting a family.

What Nayernia and his team of scientists did was come up with a way to turn embryonic stem cells with male chromosomes into reproductive cells.

They then divided the cells, which in turn produced sperm.

Groundbreaking Fertility Testing for Embryo Abnormalities Now Available in Illinois

Nicole — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 22:28:34 +0000

Press Release:

Fertility Centers of Illinois Becomes the First IVF Center in Illinois to Offer Advanced Embryo Selection Techniques, Testing All 24 Chromosomes

CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Fertility Centers of Illinois (FCI) is one of the first centers in the U.S., to offer a new and more advanced method of Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD), a technique that can detect and eliminate abnormalities and genetic disorders in children such as Down Syndrome, Turners Syndrome, Kleinfelters Syndrome and more. The new technology called Microarray, is far more thorough and accurate than previous methods of testing.

Used in conjunction with In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), PGD is a cutting-edge technique that screens embryos for chromosomal abnormalities and genetic disorders prior to implantation. Such genetic conditions can interfere with Embryo Implantation, result in pregnancy loss, or the birth of a child with physical problems, developmental delay or mental retardation.

This new technology screens all 24 chromosomes and provides rapid results, eliminating the need to freeze embryos which can sometimes harm viability. Previous methods of PGD could only test a maximum of 9 – 12 chromosomes, leaving 12 or more untested. This caused 1 in 4 cases of aneuploidy – a chromosome abnormality - to be missed and if transferred, embryos that were unlikely to create healthy pregnancies.

Dr. Angeline Beltsos, reproductive endocrinologist with Fertility Centers of Illinois explains that this new PGD technology will provide better information to help select the best embryos for transfer during IVF. “The ability to test all 24 chromosomes and more accurately identify abnormal embryos may drastically improve pregnancy outcomes for ‘at risk’ couples, as well as significantly increase their odds of a healthy pregnancy and baby,” she adds.

Candidates for PGD testing include those experiencing recurrent miscarriage, previous unsuccessful IVF cycles, unexplained infertility, male factor infertility, or women of advanced maternal age.

Link to Article