Endocrine Society urges passage of the Right to IVF Act

The Endocrine Society endorses the Right to IVF Act, which was introduced by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Patty Murray (D-WA) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) to protect and expand nationwide access to fertility treatment, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), and urges the Senate to pass the Right to IVF Act on June 12th to ensure that the freedom to start and grow a family is protected and accessible to everyone in the United States.

NIH awards $3.4M to Wayne State University to investigate biomarkers for better reproductive success

A new $3.4 million award to the Wayne State University School of Medicine from the National Institutes of Health aims to overcome the limitations of conventional semen analyses by examining mitochondrial DNA levels in sperm as a novel biomarker of sperm fitness.

Endometriosis Awareness Month: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

It is one of the most common and painful disorders, affecting more than 6 million women in the United States. Endometriosis is often difficult to diagnose and effectively treat. But Cedars-Sinai experts find patients can now benefit from minimally invasive procedures, medications and integrative medicine.

Bar-Ilan University researchers produce “laboratory testicles”

Dr. Nitzan Gonen, a Bar-Ilan University researcher specializing in the process of fetal sex determination, together with research students Aviya Stopel, Cheli Lev and Stav Dahari, has succeeded in creating “laboratory testicles” that may significantly advance understanding of the mechanisms involved in sex determination and provide solutions for male infertility, which affects one in 12 men worldwide.

Researchers discover way to reverse infertility by reducing HDL cholesterol

Houston Methodist scientists reversed infertility in sterile mice by reducing HDL cholesterol with a bacterial protein in a promising development that shows further evidence linking high cholesterol to female infertility. The researchers worked with a protein called serum opacity factor that lowered cholesterol levels by over 40% in three hours.

Department of Defense Grants University of Miami Researcher $3.25 Million to Study Male Infertility after Spinal Cord Injury

Emad Ibrahim, M.D., director of the Male Fertility Research Program at The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and the clinical andrology lab at the Desai Sethi Urology Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, has been awarded a $3.25 million grant by the Department of Defense for a four-year study on the use of an oral medication to treat an infertility issue that affects most men with spinal cord injury.

‘Urology on the Beach’ Conference Highlights Advances in Research and Patient Care

From urologic cancers to female urology to male infertility to kidney stones and sexual health, top urologists from throughout the nation shared their insights and practical tips at “Urology on the Beach,” a conference hosted January 13-15 by the Desai Sethi Urology Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

Desai Sethi Urology Institute Draws Renowned Urologists, Researchers to Inaugural ‘Urology on the Beach’ Meeting, January 2023

The Desai Sethi Urology Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine will be hosting urology clinicians and scientists from today’s most prominent academic centers at the institute’s inaugural in-person “Urology on the Beach” meeting, January 13 to 15, 2023, at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach.

Suppressed ovarian follicle development in women with obesity may explain reduced fertility

Women with obesity, even those with regular menstrual cycles, have suppressed ovarian follicle development and reduced production of reproductive hormones, which may underlie reduced fertility, according to a new study being presented Saturday at ENDO 2022, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Atlanta, Ga.

Minimally Invasive Treatment Could Allow More Women to Conceive Without Fertility Treatments

A simple diagnostic procedure, followed by an interventional radiology treatment known as fallopian tube recanalization, could allow a high percentage of women struggling with infertility from blocked fallopian tubes to conceive with less involved or, in some cases, no further invasive fertility procedures, according to new research to be presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology Annual Scientific Meeting.

Experts Provide Hope and Treatment Options during Infertility Awareness Week

Infertility is a common problem affecting millions of Americans. The National Center of Health Statistics estimates 1 in 8 couples of reproductive age has problems conceiving. Infertility refers to the inability to produce a pregnancy after 12 months of unprotected…

How many tests after vasectomy? Guideline update leads to change in practice

A change in evidence-based guidelines for vasectomy may have led to a reduction in the number of follow-up tests to confirm the procedure was successful, reports a study in Urology Practice®, an Official Journal of the American Urological Association (AUA). The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

New Survey Reveals How to Build Stronger Fertility Patient-Provider Relationships

A new survey from pregnantish, co-sponsored by EMD Serono and CooperSurgical, uncovers the key reasons why patients leave their fertility clinics and reveals the importance of doctor-patient relationship-building as a key factor to patient retention.

Genetic mutations may be linked to infertility, early menopause

A new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis identifies a specific gene’s previously unknown role in fertility. When the gene is missing in fruit flies, roundworms, zebrafish and mice, the animals are infertile or lose their fertility unusually early but appear otherwise healthy. Analyzing genetic data in people, the researchers found an association between mutations in this gene and early menopause.

Rutgers Study Finds Abnormal Puberty Onset Related to Long-Term Health Outcomes, Including Infertility

Puberty is a critical stage in child development and can be a trying time for both children and parents. For some adolescents, however, a delay or early onset of puberty can have long-term negative effects, including future infertility. A study by principle investigate Sally Radovick, MD, explores these implications.

As Evidence of “Hormone Disruptor” Chemical Threats Grows, Experts Call for Stricter Regulation

A growing number of chemicals in pesticides, flame retardants, and certain plastics have been linked to widespread health problems including infertility, diabetes, and impaired brain development, a set of reviews of hundreds of studies concludes.

UC San Diego Health (@UCSDHealth) Reproductive Expert Talks about COVID-19 and Fertility

During the novel coronavirus pandemic, many couples have concerns about reproductive consequences related to COVID-19. Experts say when it comes to the impact of infections similar to coronavirus — such as influenza — on female and male fertility, the evidence…

Pregnancy Complications in Assisted Reproduction Linked to a Specific Process

An experimental study from researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania links a specific procedure – embryo culture – that is part of the assisted reproduction process (ART) to placental abnormalities, risk for preeclampsia, and abnormal fetal growth. The team, led by Marisa Bartolemei, PhD, a professor of Cell and Developmental Biology, published their findings today in Development.

Split Ends: New studies show how DNA crossovers can drive healthy, abnormal sperm, egg cell division

Human genetic diversity wouldn’t be possible without DNA crossovers in egg and sperm cells. Two Harvard Medical School studies provide new insights into how crossovers go right–and wrong, leading to infertility, miscarriages and birth defects.

Study suggests marijuana may impair female fertility

Female eggs exposed to THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, have an impaired ability to produce viable embryos, and are significantly less likely to result in a viable pregnancy, according to an animal study accepted for presentation at ENDO 2020, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting. The abstract will be published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

Fracking chemical may interfere with male sex hormone receptor

A chemical used in hydraulic fracturing, commonly called fracking, has the potential to interfere with reproductive hormones in men, according to research accepted for presentation at ENDO 2020, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting, and publication in a special supplemental section of the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

Coronavirus’ Binding Action May Also Cause Kidney Damage and Infertility; Researchers Consider Potential Treatment Paths

Article title: COVID-19 infection and mortality – A physiologist’s perspective enlightening clinical features and plausible interventional strategies Authors: Zaid A. Abassi, Karl Skorecki, Samuel Noam Heyman, Safa Kinaneh, Zaher Armaly From the authors: “Cleavage of the S-glycoprotein by furin and its…

BREAK POINT

At a glance:

Experiments in worms reveal the molecular damage caused by DEHP, a chemical commonly used to make plastics flexible
DEHP interferes with proper cell division during egg formation, leads to excessive DNA breakage, alters chromosome appearance
Abnormalities help explain known link between DEHP and human birth defects, male infertility
If replicated in further research, the insights can help inform regulatory changes, consumer choice

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Zinc, Folic Acid Supplements Fail to Enhance Male Fertility

Zinc and folic acid, a pair of dietary supplements long touted as an effective treatment for male infertility, failed to improve pregnancy rates, sperm counts, and sperm potency in a new study conducted at University of Utah Health and other medical centers in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health. According to the researchers, the finding presents the most definitive evidence to date that so-called fertility supplements do not live up expectations.