Showing 20 articles starting at article 1
Categories: Fertility, Gynecology
Published Exposure to air pollution in utero may affect reproductive system development
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source From invisible wafts of diesel exhaust to sun-choking plumes of orange smoke, air pollution is known to damage respiratory well-being. Now, research suggests another reason to hold our breath: Polluted air also may hurt reproductive health. In a study of air pollution data in relation to markers of reproductive development in infancy, Rutgers researchers found certain pollutants may negatively alter anogenital distance, a measure of prenatal exposure to hormones.
Published New study finds association between insecticide exposure and lower sperm concentration in adult men
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have found in a new systematic review that there is a strong association between insecticide exposure and lower sperm concentration in adult men globally.
Published Blood clotting risk quickly drops after stopping hormonal contraceptives
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Using birth control pills and other hormone-based contraceptives is known to elevate the risk of blood clots, but a new study suggests that this risk largely goes away within two to four weeks after one stops using these contraceptives. The findings can help patients and doctors weigh the benefits and risks of hormonal contraceptives and guide when to stop using them ahead of events that could further increase the risk of dangerous clots, such as major surgery, prolonged periods of immobility, or when tapering anticoagulant medications after a blood clot.
Published Visualizing fungal infections deep in living host tissue reveals proline metabolism facilitates virulence
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have published the first successful application of 2-photon intravital microscopy (IVM) to image the dynamics of fungal infections in the kidney of a living host. The study reveals that the opportunistic human fungal pathogen Candida albicans requires the ability to metabolize proline, an amino acid obtained from the host, to mount virulent infections.
Published Mobile phone use may affect semen quality, study shows
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Does electromagnetic radiation emitted by mobile phones affect semen quality? While various environmental and lifestyle factors have been proposed to explain the decline in semen quality observed over the last fifty years, the role of mobile phones has yet to be demonstrated. A team has now published a major cross-sectional study on the subject. It shows that frequent use of mobile phones is associated with a lower sperm concentration and total sperm count.
Published Sperm adjust their swimming style to adapt to fluctuating fluid conditions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Sperm can modulate their energetics by regulating their flagellar waveform -- how the sperm oscillate their tails -- in order to adapt to varying fluid environments, potentially optimizing their motility and navigation within the reproductive tract, according to new research.
Published COVID vaccination in female, male partners does not increase risk of miscarriage, study finds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study provides deeper insight into the safety of COVID-19 vaccines for people planning to become pregnant. The study found no increased risk of early or late miscarriage as a result of male or female partners getting a COVID-19 vaccine prior to conceiving.
Published Possible cause of male infertility
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Mature spermatozoa are characterized by an head, midpiece and a long tail for locomotion. Now, researchers have found that a loss of the structural protein ACTL7B blocks spermatogenesis in male mice. The cells can no longer develop their characteristic shape and remain in a rather round form. The animals are infertile.
Published Membrane transporter ensures mobility of sperm cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Special proteins -- known as membrane transporters -- are key to the mobility of sperm cells. A research team has, with the aid of cryo-electron microscopy, succeeded in decoding the structure of such a transporter and its mechanism. These findings will enable a better understanding of the molecular foundations of reproductive capacity and could, in the long term, contribute to developing new approaches to treating fertility disorders and new methods of specific contraception.
Published Study suggests that having common ancestors can jeopardize fertility for generations
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research provides rare direct evidence showing that increased homozygosity -- meaning two identical alleles in a genome -- leads to negative effects on fertility in a human population.
Published Bacteria can enhance host insect's fertility with implications for disease control
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research reveals how the bacteria strain Wolbachia pipientis enhances the fertility of the insects it infects, an insight that could help scientists increase the populations of mosquitoes that do not carry human disease.
Published Why do some men not produce sperm?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Millions of couples worldwide experience infertility with half of the cases originating in men. For 10 percent of infertile males, little or no sperm are produced. Now, new research is shedding light on what may be going wrong in the process of sperm formation, leading to potential theories on possible treatments.
Published Study finds men's antidepressant use did not negatively impact IVF success
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a time-intensive and often stress-inducing fertility procedure. Yet how does that stress impact its success? Investigators have now assessed the effects of anxiety and depression in men on fertility and IVF outcomes.
Published Researchers uncover mechanism that links NAD+ to fertility problems
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A woman's fertility normally decreases by her late 30s with reproductive function eventually ceasing at menopause. It is known that a small molecule called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) plays a critical role in this decline, and scientists have revealed how this happens and have identified potential new approaches to enhance reproductive longevity.
Published Fungal infection in the brain produces changes like those seen in Alzheimer's disease
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered how the fungus Candida albicans enters the brain, activates two separate mechanisms in brain cells that promote its clearance, and, important for the understanding of Alzheimer's disease development, generates amyloid beta (Ab)-like peptides, toxic protein fragments from the amyloid precursor protein that are considered to be at the center of the development of Alzheimer's disease.
Published Brain is 'rewired' during pregnancy to prepare for motherhood
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have shown that pregnancy hormones ‘rewire’ the brain to prepare mice for motherhood. The findings show that both estrogen and progesterone act on a small population of neurons in the brain to switch on parental behavior even before offspring arrive. These adaptations resulted in stronger and more selective responses to pups.
Published Researchers studied thousands of fertility attempts hoping to improve IVF
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source By genetically testing nearly one thousand embryos, scientists have provided the most detailed analysis of embryo fate following human in vitro fertilization.
Published Mature sperm lack intact mitochondrial DNA
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research provides insight about the bedrock scientific principle that mitochondrial DNA -- the distinct genetic code embedded in the organelle that serves as the powerplant of every cell in the body -- is exclusively passed down by the mother.
Published When it comes to starting a family, timing is everything
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new review of methods to increase chances of successful conception suggests that timed intercourse using urine ovulation tests probably improves live birth and pregnancy rates in women under 40 who had been trying to conceive for less than 12 months, compared to intercourse without ovulation prediction.
Published New device rapidly controls postpartum hemorrhage
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A study led by obstetricians has shown that a new device can rapidly control postpartum hemorrhage, a major cause of severe maternal morbidity and death, in a wide range of patients.