Groundbreaking research shows that as men age, harmful genetic mutations in sperm become more common—not just from random chance, but because some are naturally favored. Advanced sequencing revealed dozens of genes under selective...
President says plans will lead to ‘many more beautiful American children’ but unclear if companies will sign up The Trump administration announced on Thursday that it is urging US employers to create new fertility benefit options to...
We are raiding the Guardian long read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2022: I assumed I would be part of the first generation to have full agency over my...
Scientists say their early-stage work could help older women or same-sex male couples have children Researchers have created human eggs from skin cells, potentially transforming IVF treatment for couples who have no other options. The...
It started as a gag, but Eric Zhu’s sperm races are doing good work in putting male fertility under the microscope – literally Remember when Elon Musk challenged Vladimir Putin to physical combat and Mark Zuckerberg to a cage fight ?...
Human fertility hinges on a delicate molecular ballet that begins even before birth. UC Davis researchers have uncovered how special protein networks safeguard chromosomes as eggs and sperm form, ensuring genetic stability across...
When artist Krishna Istha and their partner went to sperm banks they were told ‘eye colour, height, PhD or no PhD’; wanting to know a donor’s values led to the creation of their live show First Trimester Get our weekend culture and...
On some level, I realised it was a bit unhinged, writes the author and podcaster Elizabeth Day. But what did I have to lose? On 29 December 2022, I received a text. ‘Hi mum I’m texting you off a friends phone I’ve smashed mine and...
Survey of 12,000 women also revealed severity of long Covid symptoms rose and fell across menstrual cycle Women with long Covid are prone to longer, heavier periods, which could put them at greater risk of iron deficiency that...
After years of miscarriages, I had abandoned the prospect of giving birth. Then, as we prepared to conceive using a surrogate, the impossible happened The first time I miscarried, I blamed myself. After getting pregnant early on in our...
Queensland woman says its time for clinic to destroy 30-year-old samples as state and federal health ministers meet to push for reform Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily...
Thousands of women are using GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic for weight loss without contraception, leading to unintended pregnancies and potential risks for unborn babies. Experts warn clearer medical guidance is urgently needed.
Scientists have developed a groundbreaking cryo-optical microscopy technique that freezes living cells mid-action, capturing ultra-detailed snapshots of fast biological processes. By rapidly immobilizing cells at precise moments,...
Conservatives are promoting ‘restorative reproductive medicine’ instead of Trump’s promise to support IVF. Doctors are worried For Erica L and her husband, in-vitro fertilization was the “nuclear option”. After two years of trying to...
Amid collapse of global pollution treaty, scientists highlight environmental factors causing fertility crisis Action must be taken to curb the use of plastic additives linked to plummeting sperm counts, a leading reproductive scientist...
Groundbreaking footage shows ‘surprisingly invasive’ process and may help to improve infertility treatments A human embryo being implanted into a uterus has been pictured in real time and in 3D footage for the first time by a team of...
A study finds that people are more open to plant-based eggs when they’re part of familiar foods, like pancakes, rather than served plain. While taste and appearance still favor regular eggs, vegan eggs score higher on environmental and...
Parents of boy born in Ohio, US, used ‘adopted’ IVF embryo that had been stored away for more than 30 years The world’s “oldest baby” has been born in the US from an embryo that was frozen in 1994, it has been reported. Thaddeus Daniel...
They don’t do it for money, and pregnancy takes a toll. So why do women lend their wombs to carry a baby for strangers they’ve met online? Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email As I walk out of Hobart airport’s small arrivals hall,...
In a groundbreaking UK first, eight healthy babies have been born using an IVF technique that includes DNA from three people—two parents and a female donor. The process, known as pronuclear transfer, was designed to prevent the...
Human eggs stay dormant for decades by slowing down their waste disposal systems, according to new research involving over 100 freshly donated eggs. This clever energy-saving strategy appears to help protect the eggs from damage over...
Jenny Kleeman reports on the IVF clinic in the US that stole women’s eggs to get other women pregnant In 1995, Renée Ballou received a call from a reporter at the Orange County Register. The reporter asked if she was alone, and suggested...
Report finds more than a third have considered leaving their job due to the physical and emotional strain People undergoing fertility treatment should have the legal right to take time off for their appointments, according to research...
Costing up to $10,000 a cycle, in vitro fertilisation is big business. Calls are growing across Australia to make treatment more affordable Australia news live: latest politics updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news...
Proportion of women giving birth after fertility treatment up by more than a third in a decade, figures reveal The proportion of women giving birth after fertility treatment in the UK has increased by more than a third in a decade, with...
New device can give peace of mind and reduce anxiety for breastfeeding moms. It uses bioimpedance, which is currently used to measure body fat, and streams clinical-grade data to a smartphone or tablet in real time. Developed by...
Researchers have conducted a clinical study to show how a woman's genetic profile provides information on which hormone treatment is most effective for in vitro fertilization (IVF). The researchers have now developed a simple oral swab...
New research has uncovered how lipid-rich fluid in the abdomen, known as ascites, plays a central role in weakening the body's immune response in advanced ovarian cancer. The findings offer new insights into immune suppression in ovarian...
A new study turns long-held conventional wisdom about a certain type of polymer on its head, greatly expanding understanding of how some of biochemistry's fundamental forces work. The study opens the door for new biomedical research...
A study followed the development of children's motor skills over a three-year period, from early childhood education to school age. The study showed that independent outdoor time and multisport activities support the development of motor...
The success of in vitro fertilization depends on many factors, one of which is sperm viability. A recent study documents a new way to select viable sperm and prolong their viability in the laboratory, reducing one source of variability...
Researchers have found that the small intestine grows in response to pregnancy in mice. This partially irreversible change may help mice support a pregnancy and prepare for a second.
Women with blood pressure levels in a range considered clinically normal during pregnancy but no mid-pregnancy drop in blood pressure face an increased risk of developing hypertension in the five years after giving birth. These women --...
Higher levels of the minerals copper and manganese in pregnant women were associated with lower blood pressure and a reduced risk of developing high blood pressure decades later, according to a long-term study.
Researchers found that TEX38 and ZDHHC19 co-localize on the plasma membrane of spermatids and mediate S-palmitoylation of ARRDC5, a crucial protein for spermatogenesis. Disrupting either TEX38 or ZDHHC19 inhibited cytoplasm removal from...
A research team has uncovered how a naturally occurring biological mechanism found in mammals is able to prevent sperm cells from interacting with an egg, preventing fertilization. The discovery, identified in rodent models, offers a new...
Identifying and treating risk factors for depression, anxiety and other psychological health conditions during pregnancy and postpartum may improve short- and long-term health outcomes for both mother and child, according to a new...
The research team has developed a theoretical framework that quantitatively predicts menopause timing. By analyzing how ovarian follicles transition through different stages, the researchers' model explains why menopause occurs and sheds...
Our cells constantly receive DNA damage from factors such as ultraviolet rays, irradiations, toxins and chemicals. For women, that can lead to poor egg quality, which in turn can cause infertility, miscarriage, birth defects or genetic...
Maternal stress could leave epigenetic imprints on genes in the placenta associated with cortisol -- a necessary hormone for fetal development -- and this would affect the baby's development from very early stages. The study suggests...
It's a little pill with big responsibilities. But despite its primary role to prevent pregnancy, the contraceptive pill (or 'the Pill') could also help reduce the risk of ovarian cancer, according to new research.
The risk of being admitted to the hospital with heart disease is twice as high the year after birth for mothers of twins compared to singleton births, according to new research. The risk is even higher in mothers of twins who had a high...
Maternal vitamin D levels in the first trimester were related to both prenatal growth and pregnancy outcomes, according to a new study. Low vitamin D levels during the first trimester of pregnancy were associated with higher rates of...
A mathematical modeling study suggests that ovarian cancer incidence could be reduced and healthcare savings boosted if women who have already completed their families were offered fallopian tube removal during any other suitable...
By analyzing almost 10,000 pregnancies, researchers discovered previously unidentified combinations of risk factors linked to serious negative pregnancy outcomes, finding that there may be up to a tenfold difference in risk for infants...
A new study has highlighted the potential of resveratrol, a natural compound found in grapes, blueberries, and raspberries, to enhance female fertility. The systematic review found that resveratrol can improve the quantity and quality of...
Researchers have uncovered which genes on the Y chromosome regulate the development of sperm and impact fertility in male mice. This research could help us understand why some men don't produce enough sperm and are infertile.