Husband discovered he was a father of two after estranged wife forged his signature in IVF deception

A UK man has two children he did not know existed, born after his estranged wife conceived using the IVF embryos they had created together, the Sunday Times has reported. The couple were treated for infertility at Bourn Hall clinic, near Cambridge, and the resulting embryos - created using the man's sperm - were frozen. Following the couple's separation, the woman forged her husband's signature on consent forms so that she could have the embryos thawed and returned to her womb, becoming pregnant on two separate occasions.
UK law states that consent from both parties is needed for the continued storage of frozen embryos, or for their use. However, although clinics must have written permission from the father to use an embryo created using his sperm, there is no requirement for him to attend in person. Muiris Lyons, a partner in the law firm Irwin Mitchell, commented that 'This is the first case of its kind that I have been aware of and it underlines the importance of IVF clinics ensuring they obtain proper consent'.
The husband only became aware of the children's existence when one became seriously ill, and a relative contacted him to break the news. He has since sought legal advice about suing the clinic, according to the Sunday Times. Dr Kamal Ahuja, director of the London Women's Clinic, said that they almost had a similar case two years ago - they were about to implant embryos into a woman when they discovered she had lied to them about her husband's consent. 'We were almost hoodwinked and I would imagine this is not rare', he said.
The current situation is in stark contrast to that of Natallie Evans, the UK woman who last year lost her European court appeal to use stored frozen embryos against the wishes of her former partner. Ms Evans underwent IVF with Howard Johnston in 2001, before Ms Evans had treatment for ovarian cancer that left her infertile. Mr Johnston later withdrew his consent for the six embryos to be used when the couple split up. In April 2007, the Grand Chamber of the European Court ruled unanimously that there had been no breach of the right to life (Article 2) of the European Convention on Human Rights. On the right to respect for private and family life (Article 8) and the prohibition of discrimination (Article 14), the judges ruled 13 to four against Ms Evans.

Test-Tube Babies Start Inside Mom, Thanks to Anecova Silicon Womb

Human trials are about to begin on a new device that goes inside a woman's body for up to four days, holding fresh IVF embryos in place like an artificial fallopian tube. Developed by Swiss company Anecova, the 5mm-long "silicon womb" is pierced with hundreds of 40-micron holes, the better to expose the embryos to the natural environment of the uterus, rather than having to be developed artificially in an incubator. Scientists hope this will improve the chances of successful pregnancy from in-vitro fertilization.

Billiards

The Heart-Warming Story About A Little Girl & Her Goldfish

Sperm damage 'passed to children'

Sperm defects caused by exposure to environmental toxins can be passed down the generations, research suggests. Scientists say fathers who smoke and drink should be aware they are potentially not just damaging themselves, but also their heirs. Tests on rats showed sperm damage caused by exposure to garden chemicals remained up to four generations later. The US study was presented to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). It suggests that a father's health plays a greater role in the health of future generations than has been thought. A team from the University of Idaho in Moscow tested the effects of a hormone-disrupting fungicide chemical called vinclozolin on embryonic rats. The chemical altered genes in the sperm, including a number associated with human prostate cancer. Rats exposed to it show signs of damage and overgrowth of the prostate, infertility and kidney problems.The defects were also present in animals four generations on. The scientists admitted that the rats were exposed to very high levels of vinclozolin.

But they argued that their work shows that once toxins cause defects in sperm they can be passed down the generations. Professor Cynthia Daniels, from Rutgers University in New Jersey, said men who drank a lot of alcohol had been shown to have increased rates of sperm defects; and nicotine from tobacco found its way into seminal fluid as well as blood.Professor Daniels said: "We need to open up our eyes and look at the evidence. "My advice to young couples would be moderation. Substances that have an impact on reproduction are often also carcinogenic. "If I was a young man I would not drink very heavily and not smoke two packets of cigarettes a day while I was trying to conceive a child."

Professor Neil McClure, a fertility expert at Queen's University Belfast, UK, said the DNA in sperm cells was more tightly packed than in other cells, and so, to some extent, was protected from damage. However, once sperm cell DNA was damaged, it had no mechanism by which to effect repairs. He said: "There is no doubt that if you smoke like a chimney or drink vast amounts of alcohol it will result in sperm damage, and probably damage in the DNA of the sperm. "My advice to any man trying for a baby would be to lead as healthy a lifestyle as possible."

The Great Indian "i-store" rush

There's a huge push in India right now by Reliance Digital to open 60 iStores across the nation's top twenty cities. The iStores will sell Apple products exclusively, and carry the full line, from consumer products to pro hardware.

Expect to see all sixty stores up and running within the next 18 months. We wonder how the interior design will look, and if it will resemble official Apple Stores.

If you visit one of these stores, please let us know! We'll be happy to share your photos and stories. More so, because we are an exclusive "Apple" clinic!

Aquafit Gymnasium-Spa Hybrid is Watery, Ironic

Apparently, sitting at your chair all day whilst blogging about gadgets is not supposed to be so good for your health. That's where Dimension One Spas' Aquafit 19 Dual Temp comes in. The $40,000 gymnasium/spa allows users to have a full, underwater cardiovascular workout by using the included rower, tricep pull down and simulated jogger or swimming facilities.

The exercise area maintains the water temperature at levels that are ideal for the body's thermoregulation during an intensive workout, whilst the spa area heats up to get things steamy and soothing. Additionally, the spa area is positioned so close to the gymnasium portion of the tub, you won't have to expend any more calories than is necessary to get there, which is kind of ironic for a gym. So ironic, it's giving us muscle ache just thinking about it.