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Low AMH levels linked to reduced chance of conception

2 months ago | progress.org.uk | lynne smit |Anna Wernick

Low levels of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) decrease the chances of becoming pregnant, independently of age or duration of time spent trying to conceive. Although at-home fertility tests have soared in popularity, their reliance on AMH levels as an accurate fertility indicator has been debated in the literature.
Genetic link to recurrent miscarriage identified

Jan 13, 2025 | progress.org.uk | lynne smit

The causes of recurrent miscarriage (RM) are not fully understood, although stress in the cell's endoplasmic reticulum (ERS) may play a role. In order to develop a diagnostic tool, researchers at the Beijing Obstetrics and Gynaecology Hospital investigated recurrent miscarriage- and endoplasmic reticulum stress-related genes and identified some which could serve as important markers to help diagnose RM in the future. Read the paper in Scientific Reports.
Tracing the development of CRISPR/Cas genome editing

Jan 13, 2025 | progress.org.uk | lynne smit

The ability to easily and accurately edit DNA in cells and organisms has transformed basic biology research, medicine and biotechnology. The CRISPR/Cas9 system as a genome editing method was discovered in 2012 by Professor Jennifer Doudna, of UC Berkely and Professor Emmanuel Charpentier, of the Max Planck Institute, Berlin, Germany.
Overpopulation, underpopulation and IVF

Jan 13, 2025 | progress.org.uk | lynne smit

There should be a greater public investment in IVF because, according to Professor Roger Gosden, supporting IVF is a 'win-win' for individuals and society, addressing unmet reproductive needs while contributing to future population stability. He contrasts past fears of overpopulation with today's concerns about ageing populations and lower birth rates and says that expanding access to IVF could both fulfil the hopes of people who have fertility challenges, and mitigate population imbalances.
AI could identify optimal follicle size for IVF success

Jan 13, 2025 | progress.org.uk | lynne smit

Preparing follicles for egg retrieval may be most effective when they are sized between 13 and 18mm, a new study has found. In a retrospective study, researchers from Imperial College Healthcare and Imperial College London analysed data from more than 19,000 patients who had completed IVF treatment to find out which follicle sizes were associated with improved rates of babies being born.
Egg maturation supported by stem cells results in first live birth

Jan 6, 2025 | progress.org.uk | lynne smit

The first live human birth using a novel technology that uses induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to support egg maturation outside the body has been reported. During in vitro maturation (IVM), immature eggs are removed from a woman's ovaries and cultured in vitro until they mature and can be fertilised and implanted. This technique is not new (see BioNews 431), but so far it has been less efficient, with lower pregnancy and implantation rates than IVF.
USA woman receives world's third pig-to-human kidney transplant

Jan 6, 2025 | progress.org.uk | lynne smit

Towana Looney, from Alabama, has become the third person to receive a kidney from a genetically modified pig. The first pig-to-human kidney transplant took place in March 2024 (see BioNews 1232). Looney, who donated a kidney to her mother in 1999, had been highly ranked on the waiting list for a human kidney.
New Zealand man granted adoption order after illegal Thai surrogacy

Dec 16, 2024 | progress.org.uk | lynne smit

A New Zealand man who circumvented strict surrogacy laws in Thailand to father a child has been granted permission to adopt his son. The man, who has not been named, paid a fertility clinic worker to arrange a commercial surrogacy agreement, which is illegal in Thailand. The baby – a boy – was conceived using the man's sperm and a donor egg.
Denmark expands free IVF to those wanting a second child

Dec 9, 2024 | progress.org.uk | lynne smit

State funded IVF treatment is now available to Danish women wanting a second child. Danish women and couples wanting to use IVF to conceive a second child will now be able to access free treatment. The new initiative, which came into effect on 1 December, fulfills a commitment made by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in her 2024 New Year message to the nation.
Filipino surrogates convicted by Cambodian court

Dec 9, 2024 | progress.org.uk | lynne smit |Ruth Retassie

Thirteen Filipino surrogates have been convicted of human trafficking in Cambodia. The women were convicted of human trafficking for intending to sell the babies they are carrying. Surrogacy is illegal in Cambodia, and the women were sentenced to four years in prison, with two years suspended. The Kandal Provincial Court said there was strong evidence that the pregnant women intended 'to sell to a third person in exchange for money, which is an act of human trafficking,' the BBC reported.