Stress delivers double whammy to reproductive system, fertility

September 15th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A dietary ingredient derived from a melon, which is rich in antioxidant superoxide dismutase enzymes, could relieve stress, according to a study. In the double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial, researchers found that the supplement decreased the signs and symptoms of perceived stress and fatigue in healthy volunteers.

August 19th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new study from Denmark has revealed that the success of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment is 30 percent lower among women who have used alternative fertility medicine. For the study, the researchers included over 700 IVF users over a 12-month period.

August 6th, 2009 LONDON - A new study has challenged one of the most established and accepted standards in the social sciences - human fertility levels tend to decline as countries advance towards high levels of social and economic development. It has shown a reversal of fertility decline in highly developed countries once they reach a certain level of wealth.

July 14th, 2009 SYDNEY - Scientists have discovered a 400 million-year-old reproductive organ in an ancient fish specimen, which is the oldest penis-like structure found yet. According to a report by ABC News, earlier this year, the team, led by Australian palaeontologist Dr John Long, predicted some ancient fish from the Devonian era, had an attachment to their pelvic bone, which were used by males to fertilize females.

June 16th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Environmental contaminants have led to an increase in birth weight and frequency of genital malformations in male newborns (e.g., un-descended testes) as well as a decrease in male fertility, according to a study. The scientists behind this study say that the growing presence of contaminants in the environment leads to reduced male hormone action, which in turn causes the above problems.

June 3rd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Men who eat large amounts of fruits and vegetables have good seminal quality, a new study has found. According to the research, which was carried out in two infertility centres in Alicante and Murcia, low antioxidant intake is associated with low reproductive capacity in semen.

May 21st, 2009 WASHINGTON - One of the two studies conducted in Australia and UK suggests that twins born after fertility treatment are at a greater risk of developing problems in their first three years of life. The first study cited that twins born as a result of assisted reproductive technology (ART) are more likely to be admitted to neonatal intensive care, and to be hospitalised in their first three years of life than spontaneously conceived twins.

April 25th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The long standing belief that men are promiscuous and females are selective when choosing a mate is a myth, claims a new study. The research, published by Cell Press in the April issue of the journal Trends in Ecology and Evolution, suggests that human mating strategies are not likely to conform to a single universal pattern and provides important insights that may impact future investigations of human mating behaviors.

April 17th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The size of male feather crests in a particular breed of northern seabird may be more than a matter of simple ornamentation and mean low levels of stress hormones, according to a new study. Low levels of stress hormones in males with larger crests indicate that they cope better with the stresses of reproduction, such as finding food, competing with thousands of other birds for mates and nest sites, and helping rear chicks.

April 13th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Fertility specialists heralded the birth of a baby girl who was conceived through in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) at their lab with sperm frozen 21 years ago, a world record. Chris Biblis, 38, of Charlotte (US) was treated for leukemia from age 13 to 18.

April 2nd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Radiation therapy directly over the ovaries should be avoided because they could lead to fertility problems in women, according to a review study. Radiation therapy of the pelvic region can cause ovarian failure or result in damage that makes the uterus unable to accommodate the growth of a foetus.

March 26th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Personality at adolescence predicts reproductive success later in life, according to a new study. The study findings showed that male and female teens with socially dominant personalities were more likely to have children as adults.

March 17th, 2009 WASHINGTON - British researchers claim that hormone kisspeptin shows promise as a potential new treatment for infertility. The study, led by Dr Waljit Dhillo from Imperial College London, has shown that giving kisspeptin to women with infertility can activate the release of sex hormones, which control the menstrual cycle.

January 22nd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Mating with a female can boost the male's sexual longevity by a dramatic 20 percent, according to a study. A team, headed by Ralph Brinster, of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, found that male mice housed with females maintained fertility levels until 32 months - a six-month increase in fertility over solitary males.

January 10th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Young women might not like to have a baby now, but will they be able to have one by the time they decide? For women in 20s, preventing infertility is ignored until it's too late. Most young women are advised to do everything possible to keep pregnancy at bay, without thinking about its long term consequences.