Young people are aware that negative lifestyle factors reduce fertility but falsely believe in fertility myths and the benefits of healthy habits, say researchers.
The UK-based team used a 21-item questionnaire to assess fertility knowledge in 110 female and 39 male under- and postgraduate university students, with an average age of just over 24 years.
Participants were far better at identifying fertility risks than myths, and better at identifying the latter than illusory benefits of healthy habits, with average correct scores of 90.70 percent, 41.53 percent, and 26.46 percent, respectively.
All risk factors, such as smoking and being overweight, were correctly identified, report Laura Bunting and Jacky Boivin from Cardiff University.
However, participants mistakenly believed that they could increase their fertility, for example by moving to the countryside, using specific coital techniques, eating fruit and vegetables, or adopting a child.
They also believed that "not doing" something unhealthy, for example never drinking alcohol, could increase fertility instead of simply reducing exposure to risk and its effects.
"Together these results would suggest that people could, if faced with a fertility problem, engage in ineffective behaviors that could delay seeking effective interventions," the researchers conclude.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Sunday, June 29, 2008
One In Ten
A South Carolina couple, both rednecks, had 9 Children. They went to the doctor to see about getting the husband 'fixed'. The doctor gladly started the required procedure and asked them what finally made them make the decision. Why after nine children would they choose to do this.
The husband replied that they had read in a recent Article that one out of every ten children being Born in the United States was Mexican, and they Didn't want to take a chance on having a Mexican Baby because neither of them could speak Spanish.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Tired old dog
An older, tired looking dog wandered into my yard. I could tell from his collar and well fed belly, that he had a home and was well taken care of. He calmly came over to me and I gave him a few pats on the head, whereupon he followed me into my house, slowly walked down the hall, curled up in a corner and went fast asleep.
An hour later he went to the door and I let him out. The next day he was back, greeted me in my yard, walked inside and resumed his spot in the hall and slept for about an hour.
This continued off and on for several weeks. Curious, I pinned a note to his collar: 'I would like to find out who the owner of this wonderful sweet dog is, and ask if you are aware that almost every afternoon your dog comes to my house to take a nap'.
The next day he arrived for his nap, with a different note attached to his collar: 'He lives in a home with 6 children, two under the age of three - he's just trying to catch up on his sleep.'
Friday, June 27, 2008
HDL linked to oocyte health and embryo development
High-density lipoprotein (HDL) in follicular fluid (FF) and its component proteins appear to have protective roles in the health of oocytes and early embryo development, US study findings indicate.
R. Browne, from University at Buffalo, State University of New York, and colleagues determined HDL lipids, apolipoprotein (Apo)AI, paraoxonase (PON)1, and PON3 activity in serum and FF samples obtained from 60 women undergoing IVF.
Embryo cell number (ECN) and embryo fragmentation score (EFS) were used as embryo morphology parameters and surrogate markers of oocyte health.
In FF, all biochemical parameters were significantly lower than in serum, aside from PON3 levels, which were significantly higher in FF than in serum.
EFS was negatively predicted by HDL and ApoAI levels in FF, at respective odds ratios of 0.66 and 0.13. However, their effects were not independent, with levels of one moderating the effects of the other.
In addition, when the analysis was restricted to day 3 embryo transfers, PON1-arylesterase activity in FF was a significant predictor of ECN, at an odds ratio of 1.09.
"Our pilot study establishes the possibility that HDL and/or its component proteins have the potential to predict embryo fragmentation and cell number in women undergoing IVF," the team concludes.
R. Browne, from University at Buffalo, State University of New York, and colleagues determined HDL lipids, apolipoprotein (Apo)AI, paraoxonase (PON)1, and PON3 activity in serum and FF samples obtained from 60 women undergoing IVF.
Embryo cell number (ECN) and embryo fragmentation score (EFS) were used as embryo morphology parameters and surrogate markers of oocyte health.
In FF, all biochemical parameters were significantly lower than in serum, aside from PON3 levels, which were significantly higher in FF than in serum.
EFS was negatively predicted by HDL and ApoAI levels in FF, at respective odds ratios of 0.66 and 0.13. However, their effects were not independent, with levels of one moderating the effects of the other.
In addition, when the analysis was restricted to day 3 embryo transfers, PON1-arylesterase activity in FF was a significant predictor of ECN, at an odds ratio of 1.09.
"Our pilot study establishes the possibility that HDL and/or its component proteins have the potential to predict embryo fragmentation and cell number in women undergoing IVF," the team concludes.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Sildenafil shows pregnancy benefits in women with recurrent miscarriage
Vaginal sildenafil may be a therapeutic option for improving the chances of successful pregnancy in women with a history of recurrent miscarriage, study findings show. Malgorzata Jerzak (Military Institute of Health Sciences, Warsaw, Poland) and colleagues found that sildenafil citrate improved the quality of the endometrium and the immunologic environment in these patients.
For the study, 38 nonpregnant women with a history of recurrent miscarriage and 37 healthy women with previous successful pregnancies self-administered sildenafil suppositories 25 mg intravaginally, four times a day for 36 days. Peripheral blood natural killer (NK)-cell activity was significantly increased in the miscarriage patients compared with controls before treatment, at 15.67 versus 8.29 percent. But after vaginal sildenafil therapy, NK-cell activity was significantly reduced in the miscarriage patients by an average of 5.45 percent.
Endometrial thickness, which was significantly reduced in the miscarriage group compared with the control group, increased significantly after sildenafil therapy, from 8.06 mm to 9.25 mm.
"The mechanism of sildenafil's influence on NK cells is unknown; however, it can not be excluded that improvement in uterine artery flow has efficient influence on the local endometrial NK-cell population, and the diminished NK cell activity may promote successful pregnancy outcome," say Jerzak et al.
"Additionally, sildenafil significantly improves endometrial thickness, which is especially important in successful implantation."
For the study, 38 nonpregnant women with a history of recurrent miscarriage and 37 healthy women with previous successful pregnancies self-administered sildenafil suppositories 25 mg intravaginally, four times a day for 36 days. Peripheral blood natural killer (NK)-cell activity was significantly increased in the miscarriage patients compared with controls before treatment, at 15.67 versus 8.29 percent. But after vaginal sildenafil therapy, NK-cell activity was significantly reduced in the miscarriage patients by an average of 5.45 percent.
Endometrial thickness, which was significantly reduced in the miscarriage group compared with the control group, increased significantly after sildenafil therapy, from 8.06 mm to 9.25 mm.
"The mechanism of sildenafil's influence on NK cells is unknown; however, it can not be excluded that improvement in uterine artery flow has efficient influence on the local endometrial NK-cell population, and the diminished NK cell activity may promote successful pregnancy outcome," say Jerzak et al.
"Additionally, sildenafil significantly improves endometrial thickness, which is especially important in successful implantation."
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
AFC predicts ovarian response in egg donors
Antral follicle count (AFC) is a noninvasive and simple tool that can predict ovarian response among women who donate their eggs, a study indicates. In an effort to find a prognostic predictor that can improve the selection process of oocyte donors with normal baseline endocrine determinations, Spanish researchers assessed the value of AFC in predicting ovarian response and IVF outcome.
AFC was determined on the first day of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation in 1,074 donors, after pituitary down-regulation had been confirmed. Donors with an AFC of less than 10 had lower estradiol levels and fewer mature retrieved oocytes than others. These donors also had significantly higher cancellation and no-donation rates; almost 50 percent of cycles were cancelled in this group, with poor or insufficient response the cause in 82 percent of cases.
However, there were no differences between donors regarding embryo development parameters and IVF outcomes in 975 oocyte recipient cycles.
Marco Antonio Barreto Melo and colleagues conclude: "This study suggests that the AFC is a good predictor of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation in oocyte donors but that it cannot predict oocyte/embryo quality or, consequently, IVF outcome."
AFC was determined on the first day of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation in 1,074 donors, after pituitary down-regulation had been confirmed. Donors with an AFC of less than 10 had lower estradiol levels and fewer mature retrieved oocytes than others. These donors also had significantly higher cancellation and no-donation rates; almost 50 percent of cycles were cancelled in this group, with poor or insufficient response the cause in 82 percent of cases.
However, there were no differences between donors regarding embryo development parameters and IVF outcomes in 975 oocyte recipient cycles.
Marco Antonio Barreto Melo and colleagues conclude: "This study suggests that the AFC is a good predictor of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation in oocyte donors but that it cannot predict oocyte/embryo quality or, consequently, IVF outcome."
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Limiting IVF cycles may deny women the chance to conceive
Researchers from Israel believe that limiting the number of IVF cycles can deny women the right to the possibility of having a baby.Raoul Orvieto (Barzilai Medical Center, Ashkelon, Israel) and colleagues found that, although the number of pregnancies achieved in cycles 1 to 3 is significantly greater than that in subsequent cycles, the number remains constant through cycles 4 to 20.
The researchers note that in most countries couples are limited as to how many cycles they can undergo, mainly due to financial constraints.To see if the chances of pregnancy decline with increasing number of cycles, they surveyed women in Israel, where IVF is completely covered by medical insurance allowing couples to perform as many cycles as they want.
A total of 2,760 cycles were studied, which resulted in 602 clinical pregnancies.In cycles 1 to 3, 25.2 percent of clinical pregnancies were achieved per cycle. This was significantly greater than the 17.8 percent rate per cycle for cycles 4 to 6. However, there was no further decline for cycles 7 to 9, 10 to 12, and 12 or more, at 17.5, 13.0, and 11.2 percent per cycle, respectively.
Orvieto et al conclude: "The number of attempted cycles available in the vast majority of countries severely and unjustly denies women the right to the possibility of having a baby."
The researchers note that in most countries couples are limited as to how many cycles they can undergo, mainly due to financial constraints.To see if the chances of pregnancy decline with increasing number of cycles, they surveyed women in Israel, where IVF is completely covered by medical insurance allowing couples to perform as many cycles as they want.
A total of 2,760 cycles were studied, which resulted in 602 clinical pregnancies.In cycles 1 to 3, 25.2 percent of clinical pregnancies were achieved per cycle. This was significantly greater than the 17.8 percent rate per cycle for cycles 4 to 6. However, there was no further decline for cycles 7 to 9, 10 to 12, and 12 or more, at 17.5, 13.0, and 11.2 percent per cycle, respectively.
Orvieto et al conclude: "The number of attempted cycles available in the vast majority of countries severely and unjustly denies women the right to the possibility of having a baby."
Monday, June 23, 2008
IVF success unaffected by ovarian stimulation after natural cycle technique
The overall success rate of IVF does not appear to be reduced by sequential treatment with modified natural cycle IVF (MNC-IVF) and controlled ovarian stimulation IVF (COS-IVF), and the twin pregnancy rate is low, conclude Dutch researchers.
M. Pelinck, from University Medical Center Groningen, and colleagues followed-up 268 patients from an earlier study who had been offered nine cycles of MNC-IVF, assessing ongoing pregnancy and live birth rates, along with time-to-pregnancy after COS-IVF following MNC-IVF.
By the start of COS-IVF, 109 patients, aged an average of 34.2 years, remained in the study.
For COS-IVF following MNC-IVF, the actual observed cumulative ongoing pregnancy, live birth, and term live birth rates were 51.5 percent, 50.0 percent, and 43.3 percent, respectively, of which 8.0 percent, 6.7 percent, and 2.6 percent, respectively, were twins.
In addition, the cumulative ongoing pregnancy rate, including treatment-independent pregnancies, was 56.7 percent. The median time to ongoing pregnancy was 28.8 weeks.
The team says: "In conclusion, sequential treatment with MNC-IVF followed by COS-IVF does not appear to compromise overall success rates, while twin pregnancy rate is very low. Because of the patient-friendly and low-risk profile of MNC-IVF, this seems an appropriate strategy."
M. Pelinck, from University Medical Center Groningen, and colleagues followed-up 268 patients from an earlier study who had been offered nine cycles of MNC-IVF, assessing ongoing pregnancy and live birth rates, along with time-to-pregnancy after COS-IVF following MNC-IVF.
By the start of COS-IVF, 109 patients, aged an average of 34.2 years, remained in the study.
For COS-IVF following MNC-IVF, the actual observed cumulative ongoing pregnancy, live birth, and term live birth rates were 51.5 percent, 50.0 percent, and 43.3 percent, respectively, of which 8.0 percent, 6.7 percent, and 2.6 percent, respectively, were twins.
In addition, the cumulative ongoing pregnancy rate, including treatment-independent pregnancies, was 56.7 percent. The median time to ongoing pregnancy was 28.8 weeks.
The team says: "In conclusion, sequential treatment with MNC-IVF followed by COS-IVF does not appear to compromise overall success rates, while twin pregnancy rate is very low. Because of the patient-friendly and low-risk profile of MNC-IVF, this seems an appropriate strategy."
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Indian Traffic From A Dutch Point-of-view
A rather well researched article......you'll like it!
Here's an article written by a Dutch gentleman about Indian traffic.
Driving in Bangalore / India
For the benefit of every Tom, Dick and Harry visiting India and daring to drive on Indian roads, I am offering a few hints for survival. They are applicable to every place in India except Bihar ,where life outside a vehicle is only marginally safer...........
Indian road rules broadly operate within the domain of karma where you do your best, and leave the results to your insurance company. The hints are as follows: Do we drive on the left or right of the road? The answer is 'both'. Basically you start on the left of the road, unless it is occupied. In that case, go to the right, unless that is also occupied. Then proceed by occupying the next available gap, as in chess. Just trust your instincts, ascertain the direction, and proceed. Adherence to road rules leads to much misery and occasional fatality. Most drivers don't drive, but just aim their vehicles in the generally intended direction.
Don't you get discouraged or underestimate yourself except for a belief in reincarnation; the other drivers are not in any better position. Don't stop at pedestrian crossings just because some fool wants to cross the road. You may do so only if you enjoy being bumped in the back.
Pedestrians have been strictly instructed to cross only when traffic is moving slowly or has come to a dead stop because some minister is in town. Still some idiot may try to wade across, but then, let us not talk ill of the dead.
Blowing your horn is not a sign of protest as in some countries. We horn to express joy, resentment, frustration, romance and bare lust (two brisk blasts),or just mobilize a dozing cow in the middle of the bazaar. Keep informative books in the glove compartment. You may read them during traffic jams, while awaiting the chief minister's motorcade, or waiting for the rainwater to recede when over ground traffic meets underground drainage.
Occasionally you might see what looks like a UFO with blinking colored lights and weird sounds emanating from within. This is an illuminated bus, full of happy pilgrims singing bhajans. These pilgrims go at breakneck speed, seeking contact with the Almighty, often meeting with success.
Auto Rickshaw (Baby Taxi): The result of a collision between a rickshaw and an automobile, this three-wheeled vehicle works on an external combustion engine that runs on a mixture of kerosene oil and creosote. This triangular vehicle carries iron rods, gas cylinders or passengers three times its weight and dimension, at an unspecified fare. After careful geometric calculations, children are folded and packed into these auto rickshaws until some children in the periphery are not in contact with the vehicle at all. Then their school bags are pushed into the microscopic gaps all round so those minor collisions with other vehicles on the road cause no permanent damage.
Of course, the peripheral children are charged half the fare and also learn Newton 's laws of motion enroute to school. Auto-rickshaw drivers follow the road rules depicted in the film Ben Hur, and are licensed to irritate.
Mopeds: The moped looks like an oil tin on wheels and makes noise like an electric shaver. It runs 30 miles on a teaspoon of petrol and travels at break-bottom speed. As the sides of the road are too rough for a ride, the moped drivers tend to drive in the middle of the road; they would rather drive under heavier vehicles instead of around them and are often 'mopped' off the tarmac.
Leaning Tower of Passes: Most bus passengers are given free passes and during rush hours, there is absolute mayhem. There are passengers hanging off other passengers, who in turn hang off the railings and the overloaded bus leans dangerously, defying laws of gravity but obeying laws of surface tension. As drivers get paid for overload (so many Rupees per kg of passenger), no questions are ever asked. Steer clear of these buses by a width of three passengers.
One-way Street: These boards are put up by traffic people to add jest in their otherwise drab lives. Don't stick to the literal meaning and proceed in one direction. In metaphysical terms, it means that you cannot proceed in two directions at once. So drive as you like, in reverse throughout, if you are the fussy type. Least I sound hypercritical, I must add a positive point also. Rash and fast driving in residential areas has been prevented by providing a 'speed breaker'; two for each house. This mound, incidentally, covers the water and drainage pipes for that residence and is left untarred for easy identification by the corporation authorities, should they want to recover the pipe for year-end accounting.
Night driving on Indian roads can be an exhilarating experience for those with the mental make up of Genghis Khan. In a way, it is like playing Russian roulette, because you do not know who amongst the drivers is loaded. What looks like premature dawn on the horizon turns out to be a truck attempting a speed record. On encountering it, just pull partly into the field adjoining the road until the phenomenon passes.
Our roads do not have shoulders, but occasional boulders. Do not blink your lights expecting reciprocation. The only dim thing in the truck is the driver, and with the peg of illicit arrack (alcohol) he has had at the last stop, his total cerebral functions add up to little more than a naught. Truck drivers are the James Bonds of India, and are licensed to kill. Often you may encounter a single powerful beam of light about six feet above the ground. This is not a super motorbike, but a truck approaching you with a single light on, usually the left one. It could be the right one, but never get too close to investigate. You may prove your point posthumously.
Here's an article written by a Dutch gentleman about Indian traffic.
Driving in Bangalore / India
For the benefit of every Tom, Dick and Harry visiting India and daring to drive on Indian roads, I am offering a few hints for survival. They are applicable to every place in India except Bihar ,where life outside a vehicle is only marginally safer...........
Indian road rules broadly operate within the domain of karma where you do your best, and leave the results to your insurance company. The hints are as follows: Do we drive on the left or right of the road? The answer is 'both'. Basically you start on the left of the road, unless it is occupied. In that case, go to the right, unless that is also occupied. Then proceed by occupying the next available gap, as in chess. Just trust your instincts, ascertain the direction, and proceed. Adherence to road rules leads to much misery and occasional fatality. Most drivers don't drive, but just aim their vehicles in the generally intended direction.
Don't you get discouraged or underestimate yourself except for a belief in reincarnation; the other drivers are not in any better position. Don't stop at pedestrian crossings just because some fool wants to cross the road. You may do so only if you enjoy being bumped in the back.
Pedestrians have been strictly instructed to cross only when traffic is moving slowly or has come to a dead stop because some minister is in town. Still some idiot may try to wade across, but then, let us not talk ill of the dead.
Blowing your horn is not a sign of protest as in some countries. We horn to express joy, resentment, frustration, romance and bare lust (two brisk blasts),or just mobilize a dozing cow in the middle of the bazaar. Keep informative books in the glove compartment. You may read them during traffic jams, while awaiting the chief minister's motorcade, or waiting for the rainwater to recede when over ground traffic meets underground drainage.
Occasionally you might see what looks like a UFO with blinking colored lights and weird sounds emanating from within. This is an illuminated bus, full of happy pilgrims singing bhajans. These pilgrims go at breakneck speed, seeking contact with the Almighty, often meeting with success.
Auto Rickshaw (Baby Taxi): The result of a collision between a rickshaw and an automobile, this three-wheeled vehicle works on an external combustion engine that runs on a mixture of kerosene oil and creosote. This triangular vehicle carries iron rods, gas cylinders or passengers three times its weight and dimension, at an unspecified fare. After careful geometric calculations, children are folded and packed into these auto rickshaws until some children in the periphery are not in contact with the vehicle at all. Then their school bags are pushed into the microscopic gaps all round so those minor collisions with other vehicles on the road cause no permanent damage.
Of course, the peripheral children are charged half the fare and also learn Newton 's laws of motion enroute to school. Auto-rickshaw drivers follow the road rules depicted in the film Ben Hur, and are licensed to irritate.
Mopeds: The moped looks like an oil tin on wheels and makes noise like an electric shaver. It runs 30 miles on a teaspoon of petrol and travels at break-bottom speed. As the sides of the road are too rough for a ride, the moped drivers tend to drive in the middle of the road; they would rather drive under heavier vehicles instead of around them and are often 'mopped' off the tarmac.
Leaning Tower of Passes: Most bus passengers are given free passes and during rush hours, there is absolute mayhem. There are passengers hanging off other passengers, who in turn hang off the railings and the overloaded bus leans dangerously, defying laws of gravity but obeying laws of surface tension. As drivers get paid for overload (so many Rupees per kg of passenger), no questions are ever asked. Steer clear of these buses by a width of three passengers.
One-way Street: These boards are put up by traffic people to add jest in their otherwise drab lives. Don't stick to the literal meaning and proceed in one direction. In metaphysical terms, it means that you cannot proceed in two directions at once. So drive as you like, in reverse throughout, if you are the fussy type. Least I sound hypercritical, I must add a positive point also. Rash and fast driving in residential areas has been prevented by providing a 'speed breaker'; two for each house. This mound, incidentally, covers the water and drainage pipes for that residence and is left untarred for easy identification by the corporation authorities, should they want to recover the pipe for year-end accounting.
Night driving on Indian roads can be an exhilarating experience for those with the mental make up of Genghis Khan. In a way, it is like playing Russian roulette, because you do not know who amongst the drivers is loaded. What looks like premature dawn on the horizon turns out to be a truck attempting a speed record. On encountering it, just pull partly into the field adjoining the road until the phenomenon passes.
Our roads do not have shoulders, but occasional boulders. Do not blink your lights expecting reciprocation. The only dim thing in the truck is the driver, and with the peg of illicit arrack (alcohol) he has had at the last stop, his total cerebral functions add up to little more than a naught. Truck drivers are the James Bonds of India, and are licensed to kill. Often you may encounter a single powerful beam of light about six feet above the ground. This is not a super motorbike, but a truck approaching you with a single light on, usually the left one. It could be the right one, but never get too close to investigate. You may prove your point posthumously.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Infertility & Psychiatric Disorders
Infertile couples are at increased risk of psychiatric disorders, with many already having developed such disorders at the time of their first contact with specialized fertility services, research indicates.
Arianna Goracci (University of Siena School of Medicine, Italy) and colleagues assessed the presence of Axis I psychiatric disorders in 81 infertile couples before fertility treatment and 70 fertile couples.
Current psychiatric disorders were significantly more likely among infertile than fertile couples, in particular adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood (16 vs 2 percent) and binge eating disorder (8 vs 0 percent).
Each of these disorders occurred more frequently in infertile women than in infertile men.
The researchers also note that adjustment disorders with mixed anxiety and depressed mood tended to be more common in women with "functional," anatomic, and endocrine infertility than among women with infertile male partners. Binge eating disorder was more common among women with "functional" infertility and endocrine infertility than among women with anatomic infertility or infertile partners.
Infertility in men was associated with subclinical obsessive-compulsive disorder and subclinical social phobia.
Psychiatric comorbidity was positively associated with length of infertility, with patients who had experienced reproductive problems for 2 or more years more likely to be diagnosed with adjustment disorder and depression than other patients.
The researchers recommend that "gynecologists screen for clinical or subclinical psychiatric disorders in infertility patients and offer treatment accordingly."
Arianna Goracci (University of Siena School of Medicine, Italy) and colleagues assessed the presence of Axis I psychiatric disorders in 81 infertile couples before fertility treatment and 70 fertile couples.
Current psychiatric disorders were significantly more likely among infertile than fertile couples, in particular adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood (16 vs 2 percent) and binge eating disorder (8 vs 0 percent).
Each of these disorders occurred more frequently in infertile women than in infertile men.
The researchers also note that adjustment disorders with mixed anxiety and depressed mood tended to be more common in women with "functional," anatomic, and endocrine infertility than among women with infertile male partners. Binge eating disorder was more common among women with "functional" infertility and endocrine infertility than among women with anatomic infertility or infertile partners.
Infertility in men was associated with subclinical obsessive-compulsive disorder and subclinical social phobia.
Psychiatric comorbidity was positively associated with length of infertility, with patients who had experienced reproductive problems for 2 or more years more likely to be diagnosed with adjustment disorder and depression than other patients.
The researchers recommend that "gynecologists screen for clinical or subclinical psychiatric disorders in infertility patients and offer treatment accordingly."
Thursday, June 19, 2008
PCOS & Gestational Diabetes
A history of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a significant risk factor for the development of gestational diabetes, researchers have reported.
Previous studies have produced conflicting results about the link between PCOS and gestational diabetes, with some finding a significant association and others not.
For the new study, researchers from the departments of obstetrics and gynecology, and midwifery, at the Iran University of Medical Sciences, in Tehran, conducted a case-control investigation of cases of gestational diabetes occurring at the center between April 1996 and March 2004.
They identified a total of 732 cases of gestational diabetes (the diagnosis made based on the results of an impaired glucose tolerance test). After exclusions based on criteria such as maternal age greater than 36 years, a history of diabetes mellitus in a first-degree relative, a history of gestational diabetes, and a history of preterm labor or delivery, the final population consisted of 94 women, who were compared with an age-matched control group of 94 pregnant women without gestational diabetes.
In their new paper published in the journal Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, the researchers say the prevalence of a history of PCOS was significantly higher in the gestational diabetes group than in the women without gestational diabetes (16 percent versus 6.4 percent, respectively).
The women in the gestational diabetes group also had a significantly higher body mass index and neonatal weight, a significantly lower gestational age, a significantly higher rate of cesarean delivery, and were significantly more likely to have a history of oligomenorrhea, compared with the women without gestational diabetes.
The researchers found that among overweight women (with a body mass index between 25 and 30 kg/m2), 12.5 percent of those with a history of PCOS had gestational diabetes, compared with only 1.9 percent in the control group. This difference was also statistically significant.
They conclude their analyses by stating: “In the present study, the risk of gestational diabetes increased in patients with a history of PCOS” (odds ratio 2.78).
After reviewing the conflicting findings from previous studies investigating PCOS and gestational diabetes, the researchers advise: “Regarding the above mentioned studies and in spite of the conflicting results, the screening of women with PCOS for gestational diabetes is suggested, especially if these women are obese.”
Previous studies have produced conflicting results about the link between PCOS and gestational diabetes, with some finding a significant association and others not.
For the new study, researchers from the departments of obstetrics and gynecology, and midwifery, at the Iran University of Medical Sciences, in Tehran, conducted a case-control investigation of cases of gestational diabetes occurring at the center between April 1996 and March 2004.
They identified a total of 732 cases of gestational diabetes (the diagnosis made based on the results of an impaired glucose tolerance test). After exclusions based on criteria such as maternal age greater than 36 years, a history of diabetes mellitus in a first-degree relative, a history of gestational diabetes, and a history of preterm labor or delivery, the final population consisted of 94 women, who were compared with an age-matched control group of 94 pregnant women without gestational diabetes.
In their new paper published in the journal Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, the researchers say the prevalence of a history of PCOS was significantly higher in the gestational diabetes group than in the women without gestational diabetes (16 percent versus 6.4 percent, respectively).
The women in the gestational diabetes group also had a significantly higher body mass index and neonatal weight, a significantly lower gestational age, a significantly higher rate of cesarean delivery, and were significantly more likely to have a history of oligomenorrhea, compared with the women without gestational diabetes.
The researchers found that among overweight women (with a body mass index between 25 and 30 kg/m2), 12.5 percent of those with a history of PCOS had gestational diabetes, compared with only 1.9 percent in the control group. This difference was also statistically significant.
They conclude their analyses by stating: “In the present study, the risk of gestational diabetes increased in patients with a history of PCOS” (odds ratio 2.78).
After reviewing the conflicting findings from previous studies investigating PCOS and gestational diabetes, the researchers advise: “Regarding the above mentioned studies and in spite of the conflicting results, the screening of women with PCOS for gestational diabetes is suggested, especially if these women are obese.”
LaVaSa = A Walk in The Clouds
I read a poster about Lavasa sometime in the past which read:"Enter a world of extraordinary scale & reach". Welcome to Lavasa, an idea so colossal, so visionary & fantabulous that I am convinced this will be a feather-in-the-cap of free India. I met Mr Nathan Andrews at an RCI dinner a month ago & upon exchanging visiting cards, we started talking about free India's largest hill-station. He invited me to visit Lavasa; it took me more than a month to take up his offer & drive down 190 Kms last weekend on a typical Mumbai Monsoon Weekend - the best time to visit the Western Ghats. I have been to almost all the "known" weekend retreats around Mumbai including Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, Matheran, Lonavla, Khandala & almost all the beach resorts within driving distance from Mumbai. I was not prepared for what I saw & felt after driving into the Mose Valley near Pune.
Situated in the sprawling lap of nature, Lavasa is "A Walk In The Clouds"- a beautiful world of peace & calm. It offers tranquil surroundings and its only guest-house presently is called "Ekaant" (Sanskrit for Solitude). Everything about this hillstation is very contemporary, yet truly timeless.Lavasa is a dynamic swirl of opposites. One is far far away from the madding crowd, yet close to the bustling metropolis of Pune (Only 35 Kms)... side by side with nature, but right in the midst of technology - We had wireless broadband at Ekaant (I could not believe it and had not carried by notebook with my logical thought-process!). At Lavasa, one is caught up in the lively spirit of enterprise, but soothed by the gentle hand of spirituality. International in execution and bursting with possibilities!
At 3000 feet above sea level, Lavasa offers a vibrant self-contained world encircling 25,000 acres of lakes and hills with a concept design that seamlessly evolves living spaces around a central water body.Let me tell you what impressed us the most- 40 Kms of a two lane motor-way from Chandni Chowk to Ekaant - this road can put the best roads in Switzerland or North America to shame. This road was laid down by the parent company that is backing the Lavasa project - HCC or Hindustan Construction Company three years ago!!! There is not a single pot-hole or even a small 2 inch efect in the road after three Monsoons in the Western Ghats!!! Roads in Mumbai -the financial capital of India do not last one month & are likened to craters on the moon within a few days of being inaugurated. It was a pleasure to drive on this 'Made-in-India" by Indians motor-way but even this feel-good feeling was superceded by the "Drive In The Clouds" that followed when I almost reached the summit after a lush-green drive through the Maharashtra countryside. The clouds walked into our car, into our hair & into our Lungs - This was the best pollution free experience of my life in India!!!!
From the main entry-gate, it is a 6 Km drive with waterfalls all around to Ekaant, their guest-house (now open to the public) which is at one of the highest points of Lavasa! Ekaant is modern architecture at its best with two storeyed twin glass-walled buildings made of stone with balconies that overlook the Mose Valley (see pictures!). You open the sliding doors of the rooms and again - The Clouds walk in!!!! Yes, Folks... I am writing like an excited child, but Lavasa did make me feel like a child. (The Lavasa Logo has the concept of man breaking away from the bonds of earth by becoming airborne, is based on the liberating idea of transformation. Transformation that frees the soul from within, promoting self-discovery for a fuller, richer life. So one can soar, and have more time for the self and family.... see www.lavasa.com).
From our balcony, we could get a bird's eye view of the development going on by the lakeside - The ITC Fortune is almost ready and due to open this September, the Novotel & Pullman with its Convention Center will be ready by 2010.The entire hill station has been imaginatively laid out along the valley's water confluences to promote elegant lakeside living. Dasve, the first of the town centers (see photos) will offer a choice of elegant housing, from Portofino-inspired lakeside apartments (which I personally did not quite like - too tiny for my liking with tinier windows) to a multiple array of villas in Goan-Mediterranean design, providing a unique standard for living in India.
It was aound 7pm when we checked in at Ekaant - took us all of 4 hours from Mumbai. We had taken the journey non-stop & were hungry- courteous room-dining staff got us hot pakoras & Masala Chai. Close your eyes and imagine the aroma of Onion Bhajias, Masala Chai & Rain Clouds flooding your nostrils - believe me, this is Nirvana:)
Dish-TV with Sharukh Khan broke the solitude and I watched some cricket being played at Dacca. 8.30pm, we were hungry again:), and marched down with our umbrellas to the multi-cuisine restaurant on the ground level. A sumptuous multi-country buffet with chilled Fosters beer rounded off the evening & facilitated a slow release of pent-up endorphins. There was just the sound of rain on the glass windows all through the night. For someone like me who likes water, this was the most beautiful way to go to sleep with nature.
A late Sunday morning rising and a courteous call from the reception at 9.15am saying the breakfast closes at 9.30am - for all of us who usually have no breakfast in Mumbai, we were surprised at our own gastric wants. We rushed down to have a nice hot Indian breakfast with Fresh watermelon juice & mouth-watering Upma! Then came the walks & discovery that bamboo is native to the Mose valley (see photos). Sunday morning saw a whole lot of tourists who had driven up from Pune for Lunch to Ekaant. It was a pleasure to meet up with the friendly team behind LaVaSa including Mr Pillai & Mr Saxena. Our original plan of driving down before Lunch to Mumbai was shot down by the Lavasa staff who insisted we try their Sunday Lunch Buffet. Food was wonderful - I liked the amazing Cottage Cheese & Pokchoy salad(Must ask the chef where did he get the Pokchoy leaves from?). Hats off to the Executive Chef!
On our way back home, we all unanimously thought we were going back home from a fairy-tale world. I remembered the Sunday morning presentation on Lavasa by Shalini-one of the customer care executives. "Lavasa indeed is setting a new paradigm for India in urban and infrastructure planning. Central to the project are robust systems managed by professional service providers. High speed internet, comprehensive landline & mobile phone services and first-class roads will ensure that one is always connected.An artificial dam (see photo) will create a reservoir - more than sufficient to meet the demand. In addition, Lavasa provides state-of-the-art water sewage treatment plants and uninterrupted power supply to its resients. with the support of effective e-governance systems, the Hill Station is facilitating the all-round growth of the region"
Lavasa's infrastructure will also help develop the surrounding areas and provide opportunities to the locals of the region. A commitment to ensuring that everyone in Lavasa lives life on their own terms. Once again, I was proud to be an Indian, proud that I did not migrate to the USA after my MBBS, proud that our children will live in a a new India being moulded by a few visionary Indians. I am convinced that India is the future of civilization. I hope to contribute part of my being & knowledge in some form to LaVaSa...More later... Jai Hind! Jai Maharashtra!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Endometriosis Associated Infertility
Women who fail to conceive spontaneously within 9-12 months of surgery for endometriosis-associated infertility should be entered into an IVF program, according to specialists.
The researchers from the Department of Gynaecology, Perinatology and Human Reproduction at the University of Florence, Italy, conducted a study to determine whether IVF and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) can significantly increase the overall pregnancy rate in infertile patients with endometriosis who did not conceive spontaneously after laparoscopic surgery (the ‘gold standard’ treatment for endometriosis).
They analyzed their center’s medical records to identify 154 women with infertility associated with endometriosis of at least 1 year’s duration who underwent laparoscopic surgery. After excluding women with additional factors affecting fertility, the final study group comprised 107 women with endometriosis-associated infertility. These women had been followed up for periods ranging from 1 year to 11 years.
Writing in a paper in the current issue of the European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, the researchers report that 40 of the 107 women (37.4 percent) achieved a spontaneous pregnancy.
The fecundity rate for spontaneous conception was found to be significantly higher in the 6 months immediately after laparoscopy (23.2 percent) than in subsequent time periods.
The remaining 67 women who did not become pregnant after surgery subsequently underwent IVF-ET, and 20 became pregnant (producing an overall pregnancy rate of 56.1 percent for the study group as a whole).
As expected from previous research findings, the likelihood of pregnancy was significantly higher in women with stage I or II endometriosis (70.2 percent overall) than in women with stage III or IV disease (45 percent overall). In addition, the pregnancy rate was significantly higher in women aged 35 years or younger (54.1 percent) than in women who were older than 35 years of age (23.2 percent).
The researchers write: “IVF-ET after surgery increased the overall probability of pregnancy (56.1 percent as compared with 37.4 percent for spontaneous pregnancies alone, p = 0.009)”.
They suggest in their paper that if, following laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis, spontaneous pregnancy does not occur within 9-12 months in women seeking to become pregnant, the women should be entered in an IVF-ET program. The researchers conclude: “When patients fail to conceive spontaneously, after a maximum of 1 year from laparoscopic surgery, IVF should be suggested.”
The researchers from the Department of Gynaecology, Perinatology and Human Reproduction at the University of Florence, Italy, conducted a study to determine whether IVF and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) can significantly increase the overall pregnancy rate in infertile patients with endometriosis who did not conceive spontaneously after laparoscopic surgery (the ‘gold standard’ treatment for endometriosis).
They analyzed their center’s medical records to identify 154 women with infertility associated with endometriosis of at least 1 year’s duration who underwent laparoscopic surgery. After excluding women with additional factors affecting fertility, the final study group comprised 107 women with endometriosis-associated infertility. These women had been followed up for periods ranging from 1 year to 11 years.
Writing in a paper in the current issue of the European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, the researchers report that 40 of the 107 women (37.4 percent) achieved a spontaneous pregnancy.
The fecundity rate for spontaneous conception was found to be significantly higher in the 6 months immediately after laparoscopy (23.2 percent) than in subsequent time periods.
The remaining 67 women who did not become pregnant after surgery subsequently underwent IVF-ET, and 20 became pregnant (producing an overall pregnancy rate of 56.1 percent for the study group as a whole).
As expected from previous research findings, the likelihood of pregnancy was significantly higher in women with stage I or II endometriosis (70.2 percent overall) than in women with stage III or IV disease (45 percent overall). In addition, the pregnancy rate was significantly higher in women aged 35 years or younger (54.1 percent) than in women who were older than 35 years of age (23.2 percent).
The researchers write: “IVF-ET after surgery increased the overall probability of pregnancy (56.1 percent as compared with 37.4 percent for spontaneous pregnancies alone, p = 0.009)”.
They suggest in their paper that if, following laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis, spontaneous pregnancy does not occur within 9-12 months in women seeking to become pregnant, the women should be entered in an IVF-ET program. The researchers conclude: “When patients fail to conceive spontaneously, after a maximum of 1 year from laparoscopic surgery, IVF should be suggested.”
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Ovulation moment caught on camera
A doctor about to perform a partial hysterectomy on a patient has inadvertently caught the moment of ovulation on camera. The pictures have been published in the New Scientist magazine, and will also be reproduced in Fertility and Sterility.
Observing ovulation in humans is very difficult, and previous images have been very fuzzy. Jacques Donnez, of the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium, observed the process, and commented, 'the release of the oocyte from the ovary is a crucial event in human reproduction'.
The pictures have changed the perception of human ovulation, which was thought to be an explosive affair, whereas, in reality, the process takes about 15 minutes. The follicle, a fluid-filled sac on the surface of the ovary, contains the egg. Prior to the egg's release, enzymes are released that break down the tissue in the follicle, causing a red protrusion to appear. A hole becomes visible in the protrusion out of which an egg is released. The egg then moves to the fallopian tube, which transports it to the uterus. When the egg is released it is only about the size of a full stop.
There are no immediate scientific findings resulting from the pictures, but they do give a greater insight into the ovulation process. Professor Alan McNeilly, of the Medical Research Council's Human Reproductive Unit, said 'it really is a pivotal moment in the whole process, the beginnings of life in a way'.
Monday, June 16, 2008
The USB Ovulation Detector
Finding out when you're ovulating may be a lot easier thanks to this upcoming DuoFertility device. Designed by Cambridge Temperature Concepts, a spin-off by Cambridge University PhD students, it consists of a small stick-on patch device that goes under your arm, and a handheld reader.
The patch is a small rubberized gizmo (with a new efficient battery that lasts eight months) and it sticks to your skin and measures your basal body temperature way more accurately than other systems: this temperature rises minutely during ovulation.
When the wireless reader unit gets the info on your temperature change, it then lets you know the best time to try out some baby-making with symbols on its display, or a readout on your PC— it's got a USB connection. Easy peasy, and no pee samples or early wake-ups for manual temp measurements that similar devices require. Human trials are scheduled for next month, and the device may be on sale as soon as the Fall.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Babies with three parents
Designer babies with three parents could be born within three years. The controversial technique screens an embryo created by a man and a woman for incurable genetic diseases. Defective DNA is replaced with that from another woman, effectively giving the baby two mothers and a father.
Scientists at Newcastle University in the UK have already created embryos using the method and are perfecting it for use in IVF clinics.They say it could free children from diseases including some forms of diabetes, blindness and heart problems. Critics say it could lead to genetically-modified babies being designed to order. UK law says embryos created using the technique must be destroyed, but scientists hope this can be overturned.
The research focuses on mitochondria "batteries" inside cells, which turn food into energy. Each mitochondrion has its own DNA, which is passed from mother to child. Defects in this DNA affect more than one in 5000 babies and cause around 50 genetic diseases, some of which kill before adulthood. The researchers have managed to swap the damaged DNA with healthy genetic material.
The first step is fertilisation of an egg through IVF. The embryo is screened for defects. When it is a few hours old, the nucleus containing genetic information from the parents is removed and put into another woman's healthy egg. Mitochondria are outside the nucleus so the baby is free of defects and will look like its "real" parents.
US biologist Professor Jonathan Van Blerkom says it would be "criminal" not to allow the technique to be used. There are fears that the influence of mitochondria on areas including longevity, IQ and fertility could lead to GM babies being made to order.
Scientists at Newcastle University in the UK have already created embryos using the method and are perfecting it for use in IVF clinics.They say it could free children from diseases including some forms of diabetes, blindness and heart problems. Critics say it could lead to genetically-modified babies being designed to order. UK law says embryos created using the technique must be destroyed, but scientists hope this can be overturned.
The research focuses on mitochondria "batteries" inside cells, which turn food into energy. Each mitochondrion has its own DNA, which is passed from mother to child. Defects in this DNA affect more than one in 5000 babies and cause around 50 genetic diseases, some of which kill before adulthood. The researchers have managed to swap the damaged DNA with healthy genetic material.
The first step is fertilisation of an egg through IVF. The embryo is screened for defects. When it is a few hours old, the nucleus containing genetic information from the parents is removed and put into another woman's healthy egg. Mitochondria are outside the nucleus so the baby is free of defects and will look like its "real" parents.
US biologist Professor Jonathan Van Blerkom says it would be "criminal" not to allow the technique to be used. There are fears that the influence of mitochondria on areas including longevity, IQ and fertility could lead to GM babies being made to order.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
New Method to Diagnose Blockage that Causes Male Infertility
Almost as common as diabetes, male infertility affects 15% of reproductive age men in India. Many cases of infertility are caused by blockages within the male sex organs that result in low sperm counts or no sperm counts. These blockages are often reversible and therefore important to diagnose as couples may be able to conceive naturally afterward. To date, one such type of blockage, termed ejaculatory duct obstruction, has been difficult to diagnose as a cause of infertility. Last month, Dr. Paul Turek, a Professor Emeritus in Urology at UCSF, published a paper in The Journal of Urology that dramatically simplifies this diagnosis. "All prior tests for this diagnosis involve simply looking at the system and trying to guess how it works, but this new test actually 'pokes' at the system and watches how it responds," says Dr. Turek, a nationally recognized microsurgeon and male infertility specialist.
"We simply applied the same principles that have been used to assess urination issues in urology for the past 30 years, termed urodynamics, to the male sex organs, and call it 'vasodynamics.'"
For the study, 2 groups of men were compared: normal fertile men and infertile men suspected of having ejaculatory duct obstruction. In addition to taking ultrasound pictures of the reproductive tract system in both groups, which is the current standard diagnostic test, he did something else. By injecting harmless, colored dye into the system through a fine needle and measuring the pressure and flow characteristics of the dye as it progressed through the ejaculatory ducts, he found large differences between the fertile and infertile groups of men.
In fertile men, it took 33 cm of water pressure to cause flow in the ejaculatory ducts, whereas in the infertile men with suspected obstruction, it took 4 times that pressure or 116 cm water pressure. "With this hydraulic technique, we can actually measure the degree of blockage in the male sex organs, which has never been done before," says Dr. Turek of the new technique. Not only that, after surgery was performed to relieve the obstruction in the blocked men, the injection procedure was repeated and the water pressures fell into the range of the normal fertile men. This response also corresponded well with improvements in semen quality after the treatment.
"For several decades, the diagnosis of ejaculatory duct obstruction has involved a lot of guesswork. Vasodynamics now removes the guessing and replaces it with real information that can be used to reliably improve male fertility potential," says Dr. Turek.
"We simply applied the same principles that have been used to assess urination issues in urology for the past 30 years, termed urodynamics, to the male sex organs, and call it 'vasodynamics.'"
For the study, 2 groups of men were compared: normal fertile men and infertile men suspected of having ejaculatory duct obstruction. In addition to taking ultrasound pictures of the reproductive tract system in both groups, which is the current standard diagnostic test, he did something else. By injecting harmless, colored dye into the system through a fine needle and measuring the pressure and flow characteristics of the dye as it progressed through the ejaculatory ducts, he found large differences between the fertile and infertile groups of men.
In fertile men, it took 33 cm of water pressure to cause flow in the ejaculatory ducts, whereas in the infertile men with suspected obstruction, it took 4 times that pressure or 116 cm water pressure. "With this hydraulic technique, we can actually measure the degree of blockage in the male sex organs, which has never been done before," says Dr. Turek of the new technique. Not only that, after surgery was performed to relieve the obstruction in the blocked men, the injection procedure was repeated and the water pressures fell into the range of the normal fertile men. This response also corresponded well with improvements in semen quality after the treatment.
"For several decades, the diagnosis of ejaculatory duct obstruction has involved a lot of guesswork. Vasodynamics now removes the guessing and replaces it with real information that can be used to reliably improve male fertility potential," says Dr. Turek.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Children of older fathers' more likely to die early
A new study has shown that becoming a father after the age of 45 increases the likelihood that the resulting child will die before reaching adulthood. The researchers, based at the University of Aarhus in Denmark, who published their findings in the European Journal of Epidemiology, say that the reason for this is the decline in the quality of sperm as men age.
The research shows that children born from older fathers are more likely to suffer from a number of birth defects and conditions such as autism, schizophrenia or epilepsy. The majority of deaths were found to be caused by congenital defects that increased the risk of infant mortality, such as heart problems.
Children born to men aged 45 and above were found to be up to 88 per cent more likely to die before adulthood than those born to men aged between 25 and 29, the researchers found. The researchers looked at 100,000 children born between 1980 and 1996 using data taken from the Danish Fertility Database, and found that 831 of these had died before reaching the age of 13 - 601 of these died in their first year. Similar results were found for men who fathered children while still in their teens, but could perhaps be explained by their mothers also being young and often therefore disadvantaged, say the researchers.
Jin Liang Zhu, from the Danish Epidemiology Science Centre, and lead researcher in the study, said that 'the risks of older fatherhood can be very profound, and it is not something that people are always aware of'. People tend to be far more aware of the risks associated with older mothers, such as the increased prevalence of Down Syndrome, although it has also previously been shown that this may be affected by the father's age as well.
Speaking to the Melbourne Herald Sun, Professor Les Sheffield, a clinical geneticist from Melbourne's Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, explained that genetic errors in sperm increase by half a per cent when a man reaches 40, by 2 per cent when he is 50, by 5 per cent when he is 60 and by 20 per cent by the time he is 80. He added that on the basis of this, 'men around 40 ought to be thinking about the increased risk to their children, the same as women do'.
The research shows that children born from older fathers are more likely to suffer from a number of birth defects and conditions such as autism, schizophrenia or epilepsy. The majority of deaths were found to be caused by congenital defects that increased the risk of infant mortality, such as heart problems.
Children born to men aged 45 and above were found to be up to 88 per cent more likely to die before adulthood than those born to men aged between 25 and 29, the researchers found. The researchers looked at 100,000 children born between 1980 and 1996 using data taken from the Danish Fertility Database, and found that 831 of these had died before reaching the age of 13 - 601 of these died in their first year. Similar results were found for men who fathered children while still in their teens, but could perhaps be explained by their mothers also being young and often therefore disadvantaged, say the researchers.
Jin Liang Zhu, from the Danish Epidemiology Science Centre, and lead researcher in the study, said that 'the risks of older fatherhood can be very profound, and it is not something that people are always aware of'. People tend to be far more aware of the risks associated with older mothers, such as the increased prevalence of Down Syndrome, although it has also previously been shown that this may be affected by the father's age as well.
Speaking to the Melbourne Herald Sun, Professor Les Sheffield, a clinical geneticist from Melbourne's Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, explained that genetic errors in sperm increase by half a per cent when a man reaches 40, by 2 per cent when he is 50, by 5 per cent when he is 60 and by 20 per cent by the time he is 80. He added that on the basis of this, 'men around 40 ought to be thinking about the increased risk to their children, the same as women do'.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Mother freezes her own eggs to give her daughter the chance of having a baby
A mother whose young daughter will never be able to conceive naturally has frozen her own eggs to give the girl a chance of starting a family when she grows up.
The girl, aged ten, was born with a rare genetic condition which means she is infertile. Her mother had several eggs frozen in 2005 which could be used by her daughter for IVF treatment. Under the procedure, which is legal and has been approved by Government ethics committees, the girl could use her mother's eggs to give birth to her own half-sister or half-brother. But legislation limiting the amount of time eggs can be frozen means Mollie - not her real name - will have to decide before her 18th birthday whether to use the eggs.
They were harvested from her mother in 2005 when Mollie was seven. They can be stored for a maximum of ten years, so she will be only 17 when the time limit expires. If she does not use them by the end of 2015 then, by law, all the eggs would have to be destroyed. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority does allow for the ten-year limit to be extended, but only if the eggs are intended for the donor's own treatment.
Now Mollie's mother is campaigning for a reform in the law which would give her daughter more time to make the life-changing decision. The mother, from Hazel Grove, Stockport, said: 'We only want to give Mollie the same chances as everyone else to have a child of her own. 'I don't want to put my daughter under pressure and I don't think she should be having to make that choice at that age.
'We feel real sadness that for no particularly justifiable reason our daughter is going to be put in an impossible situation.'
Mollie has Turner's syndrome, a chromosome abnormality which affects around one in 2,500 girls born every year. The condition causes growth problems, heart defects and physical abnormalities including infertility, a higher risk of diabetes, and ear and urinary infections. The eggs, which are stored in liquid nitrogen at minus 196 degrees Celcius, do not deteriorate and can be stored indefinitely because they are in a state of suspended animation at the temperature-at which all cellular activity ceases.
Mollie's mother said: 'She already knows that she is different. We have tried to keep her as informed as we can. 'We have talked to her about how when she has children it might be different. We just want our daughter to have the same chances as our son.
'People might think there is something strange about it but really it is no different from people who donate to their sisters.
'It is to ensure the closest possible genetic match. It has been considered by ethics committees and they have no objection to it.'
Embryology rules state that only women under the age of 36 can freeze eggs because after that the risk of birth defects increases. At least half a dozen British mothers have frozen their eggs to allow their infertile daughters to conceive at a later date.
The girl, aged ten, was born with a rare genetic condition which means she is infertile. Her mother had several eggs frozen in 2005 which could be used by her daughter for IVF treatment. Under the procedure, which is legal and has been approved by Government ethics committees, the girl could use her mother's eggs to give birth to her own half-sister or half-brother. But legislation limiting the amount of time eggs can be frozen means Mollie - not her real name - will have to decide before her 18th birthday whether to use the eggs.
They were harvested from her mother in 2005 when Mollie was seven. They can be stored for a maximum of ten years, so she will be only 17 when the time limit expires. If she does not use them by the end of 2015 then, by law, all the eggs would have to be destroyed. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority does allow for the ten-year limit to be extended, but only if the eggs are intended for the donor's own treatment.
Now Mollie's mother is campaigning for a reform in the law which would give her daughter more time to make the life-changing decision. The mother, from Hazel Grove, Stockport, said: 'We only want to give Mollie the same chances as everyone else to have a child of her own. 'I don't want to put my daughter under pressure and I don't think she should be having to make that choice at that age.
'We feel real sadness that for no particularly justifiable reason our daughter is going to be put in an impossible situation.'
Mollie has Turner's syndrome, a chromosome abnormality which affects around one in 2,500 girls born every year. The condition causes growth problems, heart defects and physical abnormalities including infertility, a higher risk of diabetes, and ear and urinary infections. The eggs, which are stored in liquid nitrogen at minus 196 degrees Celcius, do not deteriorate and can be stored indefinitely because they are in a state of suspended animation at the temperature-at which all cellular activity ceases.
Mollie's mother said: 'She already knows that she is different. We have tried to keep her as informed as we can. 'We have talked to her about how when she has children it might be different. We just want our daughter to have the same chances as our son.
'People might think there is something strange about it but really it is no different from people who donate to their sisters.
'It is to ensure the closest possible genetic match. It has been considered by ethics committees and they have no objection to it.'
Embryology rules state that only women under the age of 36 can freeze eggs because after that the risk of birth defects increases. At least half a dozen British mothers have frozen their eggs to allow their infertile daughters to conceive at a later date.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Why Do Some Men Wear Ear-rings?
I have often wondered how this trend got started, I now have the answer.
A man is at work one day when he notices that his co-worker is wearing an earring. This man knows his co-worker to be a normally conservative fellow, and is curious about his sudden change in "fashion sense."
The man walks up to him and says, "I didn't know you were into earrings."
"Don't make such a big deal, it's only an earring, "he replies sheepishly.
His friend falls silent for a few minutes, but then his curiosity prods him to say, "So, how long have you been wearing one?"
"Ever since my wife found it in my car."
A man is at work one day when he notices that his co-worker is wearing an earring. This man knows his co-worker to be a normally conservative fellow, and is curious about his sudden change in "fashion sense."
The man walks up to him and says, "I didn't know you were into earrings."
"Don't make such a big deal, it's only an earring, "he replies sheepishly.
His friend falls silent for a few minutes, but then his curiosity prods him to say, "So, how long have you been wearing one?"
"Ever since my wife found it in my car."
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Friday, June 6, 2008
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
The Half Ton Dad
At a massive 73-stone, Kenneth Brumley must lose weight, or die. His daily intake of 30,000 calories is the same as a regular-sized man eats in two weeks.
For four years he's been confined to a bed which buckled under his weight and powerless to move his gigantic legs. Only deliveries of fast food from his partner Serena break the monotony of the day. Because of this weakness for junk food, Kenneth is among two million Americans who are over 40-stone, and classed as super morbidly obese. Kenneth, 40, from Texas, says: "I got into this shape over the last seven years. "They've been the worst of my life.
"It is like I'm a prisoner to myself.
"I just sit here, watch TV and eat.
"That's all I do, every day."
The volume of food Kenneth consumes is truly shocking. He says: "I'd wake up and get chilli cheese fries for breakfast.
"It's basically fast food 24 hours a day, seven days a week
"That and a case of super-strength lager. "At my heaviest I ate three or four cheeseburgers at a time, maybe a half gallon of orange juice or apple juice. "Two litre bottles of soda would last about 30 minutes. "If I feel like Chinese, McDonalds or Mexican, that's what I get." "I don't know if it's an addiction. But once that weight gets on you, it's hard getting it off '
Amazingly, Kenneth, a dad-of-four, used to be a sports fanatic. But his weight problem started at 19, when he temporarily moved to California from Texas. He says: "I was constantly playing basketball, baseball, football. "I ate a lot when I was a child, a whole lot. "But I burnt all that off with the activities I was doing.
"In California the lifestyle wasn't good. "When I got there I didn't know anybody and all the sports I was doing stopped.
"So many times I went to buy new pants and would have to return two weeks later for a bigger size. "I was just picking up the weight unbelievably quickly. "The weight stopped me enjoying life with my kids. I've missed most of their young lives '
Unsurprisingly, Kenneth's had little success with fad diets. But gastric bypass surgery, to reduce the size of his stomach, could be the answer. He says: "I've tried low calorie, low carbs and the Greek food diet.
"I did what exercise I could from my bed, but you lose 20 to 30 pounds, and that's it. "Then you gain it back twice more.
"I'd like to have a gastric bypass because I think that would be a big help and would change my life. "There is no way I'm going to improve like this." After being accepted as a gastric bypass patient at the prestigious Renaissance Hospital in Houston, a fire crew had to hammer down a wall in Kenneth's house to get him out.
As their biggest ever patient, before he could undergo surgery he had 15-stone of fatty tumours cut away from his body. Meanwhile his diet was reduced from 30,000 calories a day to just 1,200. Despite the horrendous effort required to shrink his size, Kenneth remains determined to succeed. He says: "It might take a few months but I'm going to be back on my feet.
"It's been a long time since I had fresh air. "I'm looking forward to being outside.
"The weight also stopped me enjoying life with my kids. "I've missed most of their young lives, so now they're young ladies.
"It won't be long before they're getting married. "I want to be sure I'm walking with them proudly down the aisle."
Must watch my own weight:(
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Male painters and decorators at risk of infertility
A joint study carried out by researchers from Britain and Canada has found that exposure to certain chemicals found in paint can make men infertile.
The researchers from University of Alberta, in Canada and the Universities of Manchester and Sheffield and have linked fertility problems in men to their exposure to certain paint chemicals.
The study of 2,118 men undertaking treatment at 14 fertility clinics in the UK found that 874 were working with organic solvents, particularly glycol ethers.
They say this translates to men working with glycol solvents having a 250 percent chance of losing the ability to produce "healthy" sperms.
In the joint research project, the men were questioned about their lifestyles and occupations in order to establish possible causes of sperm motility problems.
The research revealed that painters, decorators, and those who are regularly exposed on glycol ethers, chemicals commonly used as solvents for water-based paint are two-and-a-half times more prone to fertility problems.
Glycol ether solvents are widely used in many products, including popular water-based emulsions.
A man's ability to father a baby is affected by sperm motility, the amount of movement seen in individual sperm, which serves as a part of measuring male fertility.
The researchers say glycol ether exposure was related to low motile sperm count in men attending fertility clinics and are a hazard for male fertility but other chemicals found in paint had no impact on fertility.
The researchers from University of Alberta, in Canada and the Universities of Manchester and Sheffield and have linked fertility problems in men to their exposure to certain paint chemicals.
The study of 2,118 men undertaking treatment at 14 fertility clinics in the UK found that 874 were working with organic solvents, particularly glycol ethers.
They say this translates to men working with glycol solvents having a 250 percent chance of losing the ability to produce "healthy" sperms.
In the joint research project, the men were questioned about their lifestyles and occupations in order to establish possible causes of sperm motility problems.
The research revealed that painters, decorators, and those who are regularly exposed on glycol ethers, chemicals commonly used as solvents for water-based paint are two-and-a-half times more prone to fertility problems.
Glycol ether solvents are widely used in many products, including popular water-based emulsions.
A man's ability to father a baby is affected by sperm motility, the amount of movement seen in individual sperm, which serves as a part of measuring male fertility.
The researchers say glycol ether exposure was related to low motile sperm count in men attending fertility clinics and are a hazard for male fertility but other chemicals found in paint had no impact on fertility.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Oocyte-Specific Gene Mutations Cause Premature Ovarian Failure
Mutations in a gene called FIGLA cause premature ovarian failure in at least a percentage of women who suffer from the disorder, said researchers from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and Shandong University in China in a report that appears online in the American Journal of Human Genetics.
"We hope to use the information from this study and others that identify genes associated with this problem to find biomarkers in blood that can help us determine a woman's risk of early infertility," said Dr. Aleksandar Rajkovic, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at BCM and senior author of the paper. Premature ovarian failure, which means that the ovaries lose function before age 40, not only causes infertility but also bone and heart problems, he said.
"It affects 1 percent of women," he said. "While most people associate it with infertility, women with premature ovarian failure face an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and premature death. Ovarian reserves are important for women's health."
In looking for genes that cause the disorder, Rajkovic and his colleagues here and in China concentrated on those that are most likely to function in the ovary. A gene mutation does not totally halt gene activity, but Rajkovic believes it can accelerate the loss of eggs (or germ cells). When all the eggs are lost, the ovaries stop producing estrogen, leading to menopause symptoms. In this study, Rajkovic and his collaborators screened 100 Chinese women with premature ovarian failure for mutations in FIGLA and found three different kinds of mutations in the FIGLA genes of four.
FIGLA is one of four transcription factors found to control the differentiation of egg cells early in development. Transcription factors govern the activity of genes, turning them off and on and modulating the extent to which they are active.
The other genes involved include NOBOX, GDF9 and BMP 15, said Rajkovic. Mutations in these can lead to premature ovarian failure as well, he said.
"We hope to define majority of the genes that are part of the cellular pathways involved in ovarian failure," said Rajkovic. "Ideally in the future we will offer a test to women to look at all the genes involved in premature ovarian failure."
He anticipates that a gene chip would be helpful in such diagnosis, which can help in counseling women or their children about the risk of early ovarian failure.
"We hope to use the information from this study and others that identify genes associated with this problem to find biomarkers in blood that can help us determine a woman's risk of early infertility," said Dr. Aleksandar Rajkovic, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at BCM and senior author of the paper. Premature ovarian failure, which means that the ovaries lose function before age 40, not only causes infertility but also bone and heart problems, he said.
"It affects 1 percent of women," he said. "While most people associate it with infertility, women with premature ovarian failure face an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and premature death. Ovarian reserves are important for women's health."
In looking for genes that cause the disorder, Rajkovic and his colleagues here and in China concentrated on those that are most likely to function in the ovary. A gene mutation does not totally halt gene activity, but Rajkovic believes it can accelerate the loss of eggs (or germ cells). When all the eggs are lost, the ovaries stop producing estrogen, leading to menopause symptoms. In this study, Rajkovic and his collaborators screened 100 Chinese women with premature ovarian failure for mutations in FIGLA and found three different kinds of mutations in the FIGLA genes of four.
FIGLA is one of four transcription factors found to control the differentiation of egg cells early in development. Transcription factors govern the activity of genes, turning them off and on and modulating the extent to which they are active.
The other genes involved include NOBOX, GDF9 and BMP 15, said Rajkovic. Mutations in these can lead to premature ovarian failure as well, he said.
"We hope to define majority of the genes that are part of the cellular pathways involved in ovarian failure," said Rajkovic. "Ideally in the future we will offer a test to women to look at all the genes involved in premature ovarian failure."
He anticipates that a gene chip would be helpful in such diagnosis, which can help in counseling women or their children about the risk of early ovarian failure.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)