The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) has removed the “experimental” label from egg freezing techniques used to preserve a woman’s fertility. But it still isn’t recommending the procedure for widespread use, saying it may give women “false hope,” and encourage them to delay childbearing.
Fertilized embryos have long been frozen and used to help infertile couples conceive, but the freezing of unfertilized eggs has only been closely studied as a reproductive technique since around 2001. It has mainly been used in women who were facing cancer treatment or other health issues that would damage their eggs. The ASRM’s previous report on egg freezing in 2008 called the technique experimental, and recommended that it only be offered in that context.
When used with in vitro fertilization, the new report, released at the society’s annual meeting Oct. 22, concludes that previously frozen eggs are as likely as fresh to produce healthy babies. But the society’s statement urges caution.
The quality of a woman’s eggs declines with age, making this an important factor. ASRM also cited a lack of data on safety, effectiveness, cost and emotional risks. “Patients who wish to pursue this technology should be carefully counseled,” says the report.
With the U.S. on its way to a record-breaking number of whooping cough cases this year, an advisory panel for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended Oct. 24 that all pregnant women be vaccinated against the illness – even if they had already received the vaccine before they became pregnant.
Fathers-to-be should keep their ears open at night and listen for snoring from the other side of the bed. It turns out that women who begin snoring during pregnancy are also at risk for high blood pressure and dangerous pregnancy complications.
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is a dangerous side-effect of the inactivity and obesity crises plaguing the U.S. The condition can cause heart, kidney and other serious health problems, and is treated with a host of different medications. But what if the person being treated is pregnant?
Circumcision was once standard procedure for baby boys in the U.S. But as parents began to question whether it was really necessary, rates began to fall. And the practice continues to be controversial.
Mama’s milk clearly reigns as the best diet for all babies, and its benefits are especially important to babies born early or at very low birth weight (VLBW). VLBW and preemie babies fed breast milk are less likely to get infections, including a sometimes-fatal illness that kills intestinal tissue.
The link between preterm birth and risk of lower academic achievement has been established in a number of studies. But new research suggests that – when it comes to brain development – even for full-term babies, every week counts. Scientists have now found that babies born at the earlier end of the “full-term” range are more likely to have lower reading and math scores in third grade than those born just a few weeks later.
While mothers are generally a brave lot, the prospect of becoming mothers – specifically childbirth – terrifies some women. And a study out this summer shows that these women tend to spend longer in labor than women approaching delivery without fear.
Researchers from the UC Davis MIND Institute have linked untreated fever during a mother’s pregnancy with increased risk of autism or developmental delays in her child. In a large study including detailed information on participants, they found that women who reported fever had 2.12 times higher odds of having a child with autism and 2.5 times higher odds of having a child with developmental delay than women who reported no fever during pregnancy, or those who took anti-fever medication.
