Monday, June 19, 2006
Opera about birth
From London - an experimental opera about labour and birth, including a scene with an IVF mother expecting quintuplets (it's always the sensational angle...).
No physical health problems for ICSI children - conference paper
From BioNews:
Bionews reports from the the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) annual conference about a Belgian study that shows that children born from intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) are still developing well 8 years after birth (ICSI was introduced in 1991). This study looks at physical development.
Read more...
Bionews reports from the the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) annual conference about a Belgian study that shows that children born from intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) are still developing well 8 years after birth (ICSI was introduced in 1991). This study looks at physical development.
Read more...
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Secondary infertility
Secondary infertility or subfertility is an often ignored or misunderstood aspect of infertility. And yet, over three million Americans are affected by the condition.
What is it?
Secondary infertility is the inability to conceive after one or more successful pregnancies. It can happen to both couples who have struggled with primary infertility in the past or couple who were previously fertile. Technically, some couples are classed as subfertile as they may be able to fall pregnant naturally or have done so in the past. These couples may feel as though their doctors or other infertile couples do not take them seriously.
How does it affect couples?
Some women who have gone through primary infertility and assisted conception to have their first child may have embraced all the 'normal' parenting experiences such as playgroups believing that they have left the experience of infertility behind them. However, when other mothers begin falling pregnant easily with their second or even third child- either by accident or design- they may begin to feel isolated and resentful. Flippant references to only children, ideal age gaps or being super fertile can also be hurtful to someone struggling with secondary infertility.
Parents can experience a range of emotions including guilt about wanting another child (especially if they know other couples struggling with primary infertility), guilt about not being able to give their existing child a sibling, and resentment and jealousy of other fertile couples.
Undergoing fertility treatment with a child at home add complications - particularly if no childcare is available. Couples may find it hard to hide or explain disappointment over failed cycles or grief over lost pregnancies and worry about the impact on their existing child.
Finding support.
Finding support for secondary infertility can be a challenge. Fertile friends and relatives often do not understand and previous support outlets (for primary infertility) may now be inappropriate. Joining a support group specifically for secondary infertility or couples with IVF children - either online or in person- may be a better option.
For an indepth discussion of SECONDARY INFERTILITY see this article by RESOLVE on secondary infertility
What is it?
Secondary infertility is the inability to conceive after one or more successful pregnancies. It can happen to both couples who have struggled with primary infertility in the past or couple who were previously fertile. Technically, some couples are classed as subfertile as they may be able to fall pregnant naturally or have done so in the past. These couples may feel as though their doctors or other infertile couples do not take them seriously.
How does it affect couples?
Some women who have gone through primary infertility and assisted conception to have their first child may have embraced all the 'normal' parenting experiences such as playgroups believing that they have left the experience of infertility behind them. However, when other mothers begin falling pregnant easily with their second or even third child- either by accident or design- they may begin to feel isolated and resentful. Flippant references to only children, ideal age gaps or being super fertile can also be hurtful to someone struggling with secondary infertility.
Parents can experience a range of emotions including guilt about wanting another child (especially if they know other couples struggling with primary infertility), guilt about not being able to give their existing child a sibling, and resentment and jealousy of other fertile couples.
Undergoing fertility treatment with a child at home add complications - particularly if no childcare is available. Couples may find it hard to hide or explain disappointment over failed cycles or grief over lost pregnancies and worry about the impact on their existing child.
Finding support.
Finding support for secondary infertility can be a challenge. Fertile friends and relatives often do not understand and previous support outlets (for primary infertility) may now be inappropriate. Joining a support group specifically for secondary infertility or couples with IVF children - either online or in person- may be a better option.
For an indepth discussion of SECONDARY INFERTILITY see this article by RESOLVE on secondary infertility
Friday, June 16, 2006
IVF babies
It's been 25 years since the first IVF baby was born. Since that time the success rates have improved dramatically and IVF and other ART related procedures such as ICSI have become more accessible. IVF births now comprise around 1% of annual live births in the US and up to 2% of annual live births in Australia. While this is not an overly large number, it does mean that many people now know or know of an IVF baby in their social circle or family.
So who do IVF babies belong to? In recent years the media has played up the stereotype of career driven women who have deliberately put off childbearing until their late 30s because they are obsessed by monetary gain and indulgent lifestyles. These women, who have gone against the "natural" order of starting a family at an early age, find that they cannot conceive naturally and need intervention in the way of fertility treatments. Such coverage may even go so far as to state that these women use IVF as something that they can always count on - a way of escaping the natural consequences of ageing. In countries such as Australia where a large proportion of the cost of IVF is funded by the government through the national health system (Medicare), this stereotype has been used by politicians and social commentators to justify seeking limits on funding individual IVF attempts.
It is important to realise that infertility is a medical condition and not a lifestyle choice. Although fertility decreases with advancing age there are often many other factors that may influence infertility - both known and unexplained. Infertility is not restricted to any age group and many younger couples utilise IVF to achieve a pregnancy.
Looking beyond the media stereotype we can see the diversity of people that pursue IVF such as:
* younger couples
* couples with male factor issues such as low or no sperm count
* couples where the male had a vasectomy is a previous relationship or at an earlier time
* lesbian couples
* couples where one partner has suffered a spinal injury
* single women
* couples with secondary infertility who may have had an existing child either conceived naturally or through IVF
* older couples
So who do IVF babies belong to? In recent years the media has played up the stereotype of career driven women who have deliberately put off childbearing until their late 30s because they are obsessed by monetary gain and indulgent lifestyles. These women, who have gone against the "natural" order of starting a family at an early age, find that they cannot conceive naturally and need intervention in the way of fertility treatments. Such coverage may even go so far as to state that these women use IVF as something that they can always count on - a way of escaping the natural consequences of ageing. In countries such as Australia where a large proportion of the cost of IVF is funded by the government through the national health system (Medicare), this stereotype has been used by politicians and social commentators to justify seeking limits on funding individual IVF attempts.
It is important to realise that infertility is a medical condition and not a lifestyle choice. Although fertility decreases with advancing age there are often many other factors that may influence infertility - both known and unexplained. Infertility is not restricted to any age group and many younger couples utilise IVF to achieve a pregnancy.
Looking beyond the media stereotype we can see the diversity of people that pursue IVF such as:
* younger couples
* couples with male factor issues such as low or no sperm count
* couples where the male had a vasectomy is a previous relationship or at an earlier time
* lesbian couples
* couples where one partner has suffered a spinal injury
* single women
* couples with secondary infertility who may have had an existing child either conceived naturally or through IVF
* older couples
Monday, June 12, 2006
IVF division of labour (humour)
If you don't know much about the IVF process the division of labour between the two parties goes a bit like this:
WOMAN - may start by taking a birthcontrol pill (ironic, eh?!) then she moves on to either a disgusting nasal spray or self-injections. After about 2 weeks she adds more injections to stimulate the follicles for another 2 weeks or so. During this time ther are regular blood tests and the fun of vaginal u/s (aka dildocam). When it's time to harvest the eggs (or oocytes if you want to be technical) she takes an hCG injection (yep - the pregnancy hormone, if you pee on a pregnancy test it will show up as a positive result) and 36 hours or so later she goes in for an egg retrieval and depending upon the clinic this is done under sedation or general anaesthetic. After all this probing she starts using progesterone pessaries or gel every day. Progesterone is an evil drug that makes you feel like you are PMSing x 1000. It's also highly messy. After 2-5 days she goes back for the embryo transfer and gets to ride in the special chair so that the dr can replace the embryos back into the uterus via a catheter - all very romantic. Then it's another 2 weeks of progesterone - some women also have hCG booster shots - before her period arrives or she gets a positive pregnancy blood test. During this time there are all sorts of protocols to follow and you must remember to take the right amount of drugs at the right time.
MAN- has a few preliminary blood tests which often make him nauseous and then provides a "sample" on egg retrieval day. Some clinics even provide private rooms complete with alcohol and pornos to help him perform, others have to do it at home and have to transport it leading to all sorts of comical situations. The most important thing for him to remember is to give it to the right person. In our clinic handbook this was highlighted in pink and bolded so you knew it was important - although who else were you going to give it to?
WOMAN - may start by taking a birthcontrol pill (ironic, eh?!) then she moves on to either a disgusting nasal spray or self-injections. After about 2 weeks she adds more injections to stimulate the follicles for another 2 weeks or so. During this time ther are regular blood tests and the fun of vaginal u/s (aka dildocam). When it's time to harvest the eggs (or oocytes if you want to be technical) she takes an hCG injection (yep - the pregnancy hormone, if you pee on a pregnancy test it will show up as a positive result) and 36 hours or so later she goes in for an egg retrieval and depending upon the clinic this is done under sedation or general anaesthetic. After all this probing she starts using progesterone pessaries or gel every day. Progesterone is an evil drug that makes you feel like you are PMSing x 1000. It's also highly messy. After 2-5 days she goes back for the embryo transfer and gets to ride in the special chair so that the dr can replace the embryos back into the uterus via a catheter - all very romantic. Then it's another 2 weeks of progesterone - some women also have hCG booster shots - before her period arrives or she gets a positive pregnancy blood test. During this time there are all sorts of protocols to follow and you must remember to take the right amount of drugs at the right time.
MAN- has a few preliminary blood tests which often make him nauseous and then provides a "sample" on egg retrieval day. Some clinics even provide private rooms complete with alcohol and pornos to help him perform, others have to do it at home and have to transport it leading to all sorts of comical situations. The most important thing for him to remember is to give it to the right person. In our clinic handbook this was highlighted in pink and bolded so you knew it was important - although who else were you going to give it to?
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
UK couple speak out about IVF clinic mix up
A mistake by a British IVF clinic six years ago resulted in the birth of mixed race twins. There have been a number of stories in British newspapers about the case. Bionews has a good synopsis of their story and links to the main newspaper articles.
National Infertility Day - UK
June 10th is National Infertility Day in the United Kingdom. A conference will be hosted by the National Infertility Network.
Embryo quality and IVF success
The quality of the embryos created and not the quantity put back is the key to IVF success according to a study from Finland.
Read more...
Read more...
Friday, May 26, 2006
Placenta Previa risks for IVF pregnancies
A study from Norway has found that women who have IVF treatment are six times more likely to suffer a potentially dangerous condition (placenta praevia) during pregnancy than those who conceive naturally.
Interestingly there was also a finding that there is "a threefold risk among mothers who had given birth twice, once conceiving naturally and once IVF, or ICSI, in which a sperm is injected directly into an egg."
Read more in the Australian newspaper
Interestingly there was also a finding that there is "a threefold risk among mothers who had given birth twice, once conceiving naturally and once IVF, or ICSI, in which a sperm is injected directly into an egg."
Read more in the Australian newspaper
Thursday, May 18, 2006
"Designer babies" in the news
Over the last week there have been several newspaper stories, mainly from the UK, about "designer babies".
The Sun (UK) proclaims its sensational headline Designer tot is world first. On closer examination we learn that the couple in question screened their embryos to produce a baby free from a hereditary illness that has inflicted their first child.
Even The Times (UK) published an article entitled First baby in Britain designed cancer free about a couple who have again used PGD to screen their embryos for a form of eye cancer.
The use of the words "design" and "designer" evokes images of people using these technologies to screen embryos not only for disease but for positive attributes such as intelligence and preferred hair or eye colour. It is this Gattaca like image that fuels debates over the ethics of using PGD to screen embryos.
Dr Alan Thornhill, Scientific Director, London Fertility Centre and Honorary Lecturer, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College London via Bionews has a more realistic view:
"To get the desired combination of high intelligence alleles in just one baby, more than 5000 embryos would need to be tested. It would take a woman 40 years of continuous IVF with PGD to achieve this. In short, 'designing' babies using PGD is a non-starter."
The Sun (UK) proclaims its sensational headline Designer tot is world first. On closer examination we learn that the couple in question screened their embryos to produce a baby free from a hereditary illness that has inflicted their first child.
Even The Times (UK) published an article entitled First baby in Britain designed cancer free about a couple who have again used PGD to screen their embryos for a form of eye cancer.
The use of the words "design" and "designer" evokes images of people using these technologies to screen embryos not only for disease but for positive attributes such as intelligence and preferred hair or eye colour. It is this Gattaca like image that fuels debates over the ethics of using PGD to screen embryos.
Dr Alan Thornhill, Scientific Director, London Fertility Centre and Honorary Lecturer, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College London via Bionews has a more realistic view:
"To get the desired combination of high intelligence alleles in just one baby, more than 5000 embryos would need to be tested. It would take a woman 40 years of continuous IVF with PGD to achieve this. In short, 'designing' babies using PGD is a non-starter."
Monday, May 08, 2006
Folic acid link to multiple births
Increasing dietary intake of folic acid could result in more women giving birth to twins after IVF treatment, UK researchers report.
Read more ...
Read more ...
Encouraging openess in egg donor families
Encouraging openness in gamete donation families from BioNews
A report on a study about donor families.
A report on a study about donor families.
Woman in her 60s pregnant after IVF
There have been a lot of news stories this week about a 63 year old woman who is now 7 months pregnant after IVF treatment. Debates have centred around ethical issues:
Briton in her 60s pregnant after IVF from 'clone' medic from The Scotsman
'Oldest mum': We have thought this through from The Daily Mail
Briton in her 60s pregnant after IVF from 'clone' medic from The Scotsman
'Oldest mum': We have thought this through from The Daily Mail
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Baby Envy. Dealing with Infertility
Baby Envy. Dealing with Infertility
A rare article about the psychological effects of infertility. Several women talk of the strain that infertility has placed on friendhships with fertile friends.
A rare article about the psychological effects of infertility. Several women talk of the strain that infertility has placed on friendhships with fertile friends.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
in vitro maturation - new technique
from The Age (Melbourne, Australia)
"WOMEN who get seriously sick from IVF treatment will soon be offered a
less invasive technique - in vitro maturation"
Read more -
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/technique-gives-new-ivf-hope-
for-women/2006/04/12/1144521401729.html
Newspaper defends IVF competition
<excerpt>A follow up to our previous report:
</excerpt>http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/article/130406/birmingham_post_defends_ivf_competition
<excerpt><color><param>6666,6666,6666</param><smaller>
</smaller></color></excerpt>from The Press Gazette (UK)
<excerpt><bold><smaller>
</smaller></bold></excerpt>"The Birmingham Post has said its
controversial IVF treatments competition was "never about getting more
readers", following the birth of twins to a winning couple."
The newspaper claims that it was hilighting the inequity of the
"lottery" of NHS infertility funding (depending on where people live)
- however critics claim that it was promoted as a 'win a baby'
competition.
One wonders if the newspaper would have reported unsuccessful cycles -
which are more likely to occur.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Egg sharing to reduce IVF costs (UK)
from the Yorkshire Post Today - Leeds,Yorkshire,UK
'Helping someone desperate for a child to realise their dreams is a wonderful thing'
A story from the UK about egg sharing. After egg collection, the eggs
are shared equally between the egg sharer and the recipient.
'Helping someone desperate for a child to realise their dreams is a wonderful thing'
A story from the UK about egg sharing. After egg collection, the eggs
are shared equally between the egg sharer and the recipient.
"With relatively limited NHS funding for IVF available nationally,
many couples with fertility problems cannot afford to pay for the
treatment that they need. Egg sharing provides IVF treatment for
infertile couples who are prepared to share some of their eggs, at a
drastically reduced the cost."
New DVD on Emotional Journey of In Vitro Fertilization
"Technostorks (www.technostorks.com) is the first documentary that goes
inside the lives of couples to explore the emotions, expectations and
physical demands that IVF visits on those who want to conceive. Sitting
alongside them, viewers witness three couples unveil their greatest
hopes and fears. From their living rooms to the operating room,
Technostorks documents their journey beyond medical textbooks and
sensational headlines about sextuplets. It is a personal journey and
one with no single destination."
Monday, April 10, 2006
Newspaper funds IVF treatment
Newspaper funds IVF treatment - a story from the UK about a successful IVF birth of twins. The couple's IVF treatment was funded by a newspaper.
This was worth all the agony, tears and upset
Birmingham.co.uk - Birmingham,UK
Not only are they little miracles, they are also the first to be born...
This was worth all the agony, tears and upset
Birmingham.co.uk - Birmingham,UK
Not only are they little miracles, they are also the first to be born...
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Australia to plan fertility ad campaign
"The Fertility Society of Australia (FSA) is planning an advertising campaign warning of the factors that can affect fertility, the Age newspaper reports. The society says the ads, the first of their kind in the country, will be about 'IVF doctors stopping people from having IVF'. It hopes to draw attention to the difficulties faced by older women trying to get pregnant, and to raise awareness of the effect factors such as obesity, smoking and Chlamydia infection can have on fertility."
This story originally appeared in The Melbourne Agenewspaper.
You can read more about it on Bionews- the free weekly news digest of the top stories in assisted reproduction and human genetics, published by Progress Educational Trust.
This story originally appeared in The Melbourne Agenewspaper.
You can read more about it on Bionews- the free weekly news digest of the top stories in assisted reproduction and human genetics, published by Progress Educational Trust.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)