Abortion is one of those topics that gets people fired up. Everyone’s got an opinion, but one thing pretty much everyone agrees on is that it would be great if the abortion rate were lower. One thing that may help: call it the
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Infertility
You’re Kidding! Medical Clown Increases Pregnancy Rates with IVF
A study of 229 Israeli women undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) to treat infertility found that a 15-minute visit from a trained “medical clown” immediately after the embryos were placed in the womb increased the chance of …
Predicting IVF Success: There’s an App for That
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a money-, time-, and dignity- gobbling exercise with lower than a third chance of success.
Sale Alert! Holiday Savings on Sperm
While it’s far from a traditional gift, vials of sperm may be at the top of the list for couples and single women facing infertility. A sale on sperm from two branches of the world’s largest group of sperm banks could at least …
The Mouse That Had Two Dads
Reproduction is getting so complicated. In the old days, you had only two biological parents — Mom and Dad. But now, up to two women (three if you count a surrogate carrier) can be the biological mothers of one baby. As far as …
Putting to Rest Fears that IVF May Be Linked to Cancer
In the wake of Elizabeth Edwards’ death, many women are wondering whether the fertility treatments the former Senator’s wife underwent to bear children late in life — she leaves behind two young children, ages 10 and 12 — …
Don’t Feel Like Calling Dad? You May Be Ovulating
Here’s a curious data point for those who are obsessed with plotting their fertility: at their most fertile times of the month, women are half as likely to call their fathers, according to a new study published in the prestigious …
Study: New Genes Linked to Puberty and Body Weight in Women
Scientists have found 30 genes that control the timing of puberty in girls. Many of the newly identified genes also contribute to body weight and metabolism.
Sperm on Steroids: 6 Inches Long and Raring to Fertilize
Call them sperm on steroids, these 6-inch (15 cm) long wriggly organisms that Australian fertility specialists have magnified more than 7000x to help determine which are most likely to fertilize that lucky egg.
Why Laptop Computing Might Not Be Great for Fertility
Sitting too long with a laptop computer on your lap may do more than cause toasted skin syndrome. New research suggests that men who hold a computer on their lap may create unsafe levels of testicular heat, which can potentially …
Want to Freeze Your Biological Clock? One Doc Says, Go for It
After 10 years of marriage ended in divorce and no children, Julie Lorber knew she had to take extreme measures if she ever hoped to become a mother.
Analyzing Eggs and their Genetic Junk Offers Clues to Fertility
We know that egg + sperm = baby, but the nitty-gritty of how women get pregnant is largely a mystery. Now researchers at Brown University have discovered a new way to gather more information about egg cells: by sifting through …
Are You Fertile? Don’t Rely on a Drug-Store Fertility Test to Tell You
We women are accustomed to peeing on chemically-treated sticks to learn what our bodies are up to. Pregnancy tests administered in the confines of the master bathroom are more accurate than ever, but new research indicates that …