Melissa Brown survived breast cancer at 26. Advised not to get pregnant afterward, she accepted with joy and trepidation her sister’s offer to be her gestational surrogate.
Infertility
The Link Between Infertility Treatments and Birth Defects
A new study seeks to answer a longstanding chicken-or-egg question: do infertility treatments raise the risk of birth defects, or is the risk linked to infertility itself?
Donor-Conceived Children: As Adults, They Don’t Stop Wondering Who They Are
Donor conception is certainly more popular these days, but its origins can be traced to the 1400s.
Frozen Assets: Why American Sperm Is a Hot Commodity
While in Australia visiting family for the holidays, I heard a story on the radio about how almost all Australian sperm — yes, the human kind — is imported from the U.S. How odd, I thought, I wonder why?
Most Young Women with Cancer Don’t Try to Preserve their Fertility
Just 4% of women of childbearing age with cancer take steps to mitigate the risks of infertility inherent in many treatments.
Who Is a Child? The Supreme Court Decides
Should children conceived after a father’s death be eligible for government benefits? The Supreme Court’s not sure.
Does Your Sperm Need a Diet? Fatty Foods Linked to Poor Sperm Quality
Gentlemen, you may want to hold the bacon. A new study suggests that eating a high-fat diet may be associated with lower sperm quality.
Why a New IVF Technique Won’t Help Boost Pregnancy Rates in the U.S.
British researchers have developed an embryo-incubating system that they say improves odds of conception by 27%. But larger fertility clinics in the U.S. are already ahead of the game.
I’ll Take a Sperm Test, to Go: First At-Home Male-Infertility Test Debuts
Why should women bear the brunt of infertility testing? A new at-home sperm-analysis test allows men to assess their babymaking abilities.
Pfizer Birth Control Recall: Could Women Who Get Pregnant Sue?
If women wind up pregnant from faulty pill packets, product liability lawsuits or “wrongful pregnancy” cases — reminiscent of medical malpractice — could be filed.
Is It Selfish to Pursue Fertility Treatments Instead of Adoption?
Should infertile couples forgo their desire for biological children and turn instead to adoption?
Pfizer Recalls 1 Million Birth Control Pills
Women with recalled packets are at greater risk of pregnancy and should use back-up contraception. Is your pill on the list?
Gingrich Wants Scrutiny of IVF Clinics: Why That’s Not the Worst Idea
When IVF creates excess embryos, women are faced with a choice: store them indefinitely, donate them to others or offer them to research.
