Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation in infertility?

In 2005, the Center for Human Reproduction (CHR) first introduced dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation to the infertility field and reported that DHEA had increased egg numbers in women with “older” ovaries going through IVF treatment (Fertility and Sterility). CHR researchers have since reported that DHEA treatment has much broader benefits in the treatment of female infertility - a finding recently confirmed by a study from Israel.

A recent worldwide survey of in vitro fertilization (IVF) centers concluded that approximately one-third have introduced DHEA supplementation into their treatment regimens for women with so-called diminished ovarian reserve.

Investigators at CHR now report to have elucidated at least one of the mechanisms by which DHEA exerts beneficial effects on egg and embryo quality, thereby improving pregnancy chances and reducing miscarriages after IVF. The mechanism involves improvement of chromosomal integrity of embryos.

It is well known that as women age, the risk of chromosomal abnormalities in pregnancies and offspring increases. Most chromosomal abnormalities in embryos result in miscarriages. Collaborating in 2009 with colleagues from Toronto, Canada, investigators from CHR reported unexpectedly low spontaneous miscarriage rates in pregnancies conceived on DHEA supplementation. They suspected that such low miscarriage rates had to be the consequence of lower aneuploidy (chromosomal abnormalities), but proof was lacking.

In a recently published study, investigators from CHR now, for the first time, confirmed that DHEA reduces chromosomal abnormalities (aneuploidy) in embryos through preimplantation genetic screening (PGS). The greatest reduction in aneuploidy (22%) was observed with 4-12 weeks of DHEA supplementation prior to IVF.

Norbert Gleicher, CHR’s Medical Director, comments: “This is the first direct evidence that DHEA beneficially affects egg and embryo quality by reducing chromosomal abnormalities.” He continues: ”It appears likely, however, that this is not the only way by which DHEA exerts its positive effects on older ovaries. Indeed, DHEA may only be a forerunner for a whole new family of infertility drugs, which, ultimately, still may allow older women to conceive through well-designed infertility treatments.”

David H. Barad, Clinical Director of CHR’s IVF Program, adds: “Our finding may have implications far beyond infertility because it suggests that beneficial effects of DHEA supplementation on embryos' chromosomal health could also be extended to normally fertile older women.” DHEA supplementation, like taking folic acid to prevent neural tube defects, could become routine in prenatal care.

Football Freaks!

And You Want To Travel To The USA?

Epic Parental Fail

Triplets land their dad behind bars!

Hong Kong police were on Thursday investigating a surrogacy case believed to involve the son of a land tycoon who recently announced the birth of triplet sons by a California-based woman.
47 year old Henderson Land Company's Executive Director Peter Lee Ka Kit gets double happiness within a month. First it was rumored that he has intentions on acquiring TVB, the news wasn't even been confirmed yet and he's already been promoted to a father of boy triplets, fulfilling his father's 4th Uncle Lee Shau Kee's dream. 4th Uncle even took out HK$1 million to give out to his employees. Also, 4th Uncle's three grandsons are named Lee Chi Sun, Lee Chi Yan and Lee Chi Yung are all very lucky, matching well with their grandfather and father.
Have always kept a low-profile, recently Peter suddenly comes into the spotlight, stealing his sister-in-law and also actress Cathy Tsui's limelight. In 2006, when 4th Uncle's second son Lee Ka Shing married Cathy, he opened his golden mouth and said he wanted a grandson, unfortunately Cathy only gave him two grand daughters.
Peter's 3 sons are born Year of the Tiger, and Peter is a rabbit, born in 1963. According to fortune teller master Mak Ling Ling, rabbit matches tiger very well, the father-son relationship will be really good. The babies were born in July, which makes them the summer tigers, very good fortune. As tigers are loners, but they are triplets and will be very independent. When the triplets get older, they can develop very well on their own. Mak Ling Ling saw the pictures of the triplets, they all have long ears attached to cheeks and wide foreheads, is a face of good blessings.
The 47-year-old millionaire bachelor said the babies had been born in the United States to a surrogate mother but kept the birth mother's identity secret. News reports claimed the surrogacy had been arranged by a Californian surrogacy agent, prompting public discussion and some criticism. Commercial surrogacy, in which a woman is paid to carry and give birth to a baby, is outlawed in Hong Kong.Police have also confirmed an investigation is under way but declined to give further details.
The investigation came to light after lawmaker Cyd Ho raised the issue at a meeting of the Legislative Council Wednesday.
Ho asked Chow if it was illegal for a Hong Kong resident to hire a surrogate mother overseas, referring specifically to a Hong Kong man who had issued a press release announcing the birth of three sons by a surrogate mother in the United States.
In response, Chow pointed out the law prohibited the making and receiving of any payment relating to a surrogacy arrangement regardless of whether it was made or received in Hong Kong or elsewhere.
"While we will not comment on individual cases reported in the media, we can confirm that referral concerning suspected surrogacy arrangements has been made to the police for consideration as to whether investigation and law enforcement action are required," Chow said.

From The London Times: A Well-Planned Retirement

Outside England 's Bristol Zoo there is a parking lot for 150 cars and 8 buses. For 25 years, it’s parking fees were managed by a very pleasant attendant.

The fees were for cars (£1.40),for buses (about £7).

Then, one day, after 25 solid years of never missing a day of work, he just didn't show up; so the Zoo Management called the City Council and asked it to send them another parking agent.

The Council did some research and replied that the parking lot was the Zoo's own responsibility.

The Zoo advised the Council that the attendant was a City employee.

The City Council responded that the lot attendant had never been on the City payroll!

Meanwhile, sitting in his villa somewhere on the coast of Spain or France or Italy ... is a man who'd apparently had a ticket machine installed completely on his own and then had simply begun to show up every day, commencing to collect and keep the parking fees, estimated at about £560 per day -- for 25 years.

Assuming 7 days a week, this amounts to just over 7 million pounds ... and no one even knows his name!

A perfect example of government mismanagement.

Couple have baby boy after being first to conceive using 'fertility sat nav'

A delighted couple revealed last week they were the first to conceive with an IVF alternative dubbed the 'fertility sat nav'.
Marie and Mirco Martinelli believed they would never be able to have children after suffering three miscarriages in just two years.
They signed up for IVF but were told there was a two-year waiting list for treatment.
So they took part in a trial for DuoFertility, a ground-breaking temperature measuring device that promised pregnancy within 12 months.
They began using the £495 device in January 2009 and were delighted when Marie became pregnant after just seven months.
Baby Alec was born on March 20 this year and is the first baby to be born through the device - which claims to be statistically as good as IVF.
Secretary Marie, 29, who lives in Italy with Mirco, 37, and little Alec, now seven months, said she was "so happy" they had used the device.
She said: 'I was very worried and sad when I kept having miscarriages. The whole world was pregnant and had babies and I struggled to get pregnant and couldn't stay pregnant.
'DuoFertility stopped me thinking of myself as having a problem, and suddenly I was able to sleep more normally and feel a great deal calmer.
'Where the product calculates your fertile days after a few months, it was impossible for me to have been able to do that properly without proper scientific approaches, because my cycle was different all the time.
'In the past I had tried ovulation tests, but if you have to use them for a long time it becomes very expensive.'
Dutch Marie - who met Italian Mirco in Italy in Summer 2002 - suffered her first miscarriage after six weeks of pregnancy in March 2005.
n May 2005, the couple visited a fertility clinic, which broke the news that Marie had abnormal hormone levels.
They lost another baby at 13 weeks in February 2006 and another at 11 weeks in September the same year, before deciding to take a break from trying.
In May 2008 Marie and Mirco married in Italy and decided their only option was to use fertility treatment - but lost hope when they were told of the lengthy waiting list for IVF.
Shortly after, Marie noticed an advert for DuoFertility - a small patch the size of a coin which takes 20,000 temperature readings every night to pinpoint the exact moment of ovulation.
She began using the product in January 2009 and was delighted when she fell pregnant just months later.
Alec was born in Italy at 1.54am on March 20 after a gruelling 19 hour labour.
Marie added: 'When they showed me Alec I couldn't believe he was my son. I remember he was so warm and soft.
'Micro was full of joy and happiness and also could not believe that this was his son. Still now we can't believe that this little person is our baby.
'When they brought me back to my room and laid Alec at my breast I was so proud. Finally, my little boy.'
DuoFerility was developed by scientists and fertility experts at Cambridge Temperature Concepts in 2008.
The non-invasive device comprises of a tiny patch thermometer - the size of a £1 coin - that is worn under the arm.
It promises to alert a woman to the moment her temperature rises half a degree as a result of ovulation.
A small wireless hand-held reader processes data from the patch to tell the wearer whether she has ovulated in the last two days and whether she is likely to in the next six.
Women are most fertile on the day of the temperature spike and on the few days before - meaning chances of conception are massively increased by trying on those days.
Information from the reader can be loaded onto a computer, which allows couples - and experts in Cambridge - to analyse the monthly fertility cycle.
Dr Shamus Husheer, who invented the device said the company was "delighted" with their success and the birth of baby Alec.
He said: 'What we now know as a result of our work, is that for certain causes of infertility, DuoFertility is as effective as IVF.
'Clearly there are some infertility issues where the use of the device is unable to aid pregnancy such as a complete lack of sperm, however for a range of common causes such as moderate male factors, cycle irregularity, secondary or unexplained infertility, our monitoring device is achieving great results.'