Wednesday 22 October 2008

High-pitched voices mark ovulation

Well, here's a novel way of testing whether you're ovulating - check the pitch of your voice... New research has found that a woman's voice gets higher when she is closer to ovulation.

A team at the University of California monitored and recorded women's voices at different times during their menstrual cycle. They found that the pitch rose when a woman was close to ovulation, and was significantly lower during less fertile times of the month.

The research is published in the Royal Society Journal Biology Letters, and you can read more about it on the Royal Society website

Tuesday 14 October 2008

HFEA conference

I had the pleasure of speaking at the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority conference yesterday, where the regulation of IVF treatment was up for discussion. I'm always pleased when the HFEA want to hear patient views but I must admit, I'd been rather daunted when I was given the title of the talk - "What patients want from a regulator". The reality is that most people going for IVF treatment are only concerned with one thing - whether they are going to be successful - and the role of the regulator is one of the last things on their minds.

However, it made me realise how much of what the HFEA does we take for granted as patients. We expect clinics to be inspected and treatments monitored, we expect to be able to feel confident that our eggs, sperm and embryos are kept safe, we expect to be able to get accurate information about clinic success rates. In the UK, our fertility treatment is quite tightly regulated, and it can seem that the pendulum has swung too far and that the regulation has become interference. Many fertility doctors complain openly about the HFEA, about the paperwork and the endless requests for information but for us as patients, it is absolutely crucial that we can feel secure and know we will be safe at any licensed clinic.

Meanwhile the HFEA has just published the latest national figures on IVF success - the numbers of patients having IVF has risen once again and the success rates have also gone up slightly. You can read more on the HFEA website

Tuesday 7 October 2008

Procreation vacations

I've just been reading about the latest fertility-enhancing idea from the States - the procreation vacation! Yes, seriously...

They range from weekend breaks in luxurious and romantic hotels to full-on holistic fertility treatment extravaganzas with acupuncture and dietary supplements thrown in. We all like to imagine that maybe a bit more of this, or a bit less of that, accompanied by a few sessions of acupuncture or reflexology could make us fully fertile. Unfortunately, the reality is that for many people no amount of complementary therapy or romance is going to make a difference - unless it is accompanied by some medical treatment.

I'm not against complementary therapies - far from it - but I do worry that some people end up feeling they're never going to get pregnant if they don't opt for every fertility-enhancing offering available. The cost of many of these procreation vacations runs into hundreds of dollars a night - fine for those who have the spare cash, but that's not many of us in the current economic climate. If you can afford it and it will help you relax, then a procreation vacation may be for you. For most of the rest of us, there are probably far less expensive ways of helping ourselves feel suitably calm and relaxed - try a yoga class, or even a glass of wine!

Friday 3 October 2008

What to do with spare embryos?

Couples going through IVF are sometimes left with spare embryos that they may not want to use themselves, and deciding what to do with them can cause all kinds of ethical dilemmas.

Now, researchers at the University of Ilinois have conducted a study to see what IVF patients think about the issue. It showed that 73% of the 1,350 women surveyed were in favour of their spare embryos being donated for stem cell research, and 56% would be happy for them to go to another couple for their fertility treatment. The researchers found that younger women, and those with less money, were more likely to be resistant to donating their spare embryos for reearch.

The findings are published in the journal Fertility and Sterility, and you can read more on the University of Ilinois website.

Thursday 2 October 2008

Autism link for older dads

We're always hearing about the female biological clock, and the risks for mother and baby of trying to get pregnant later in life. Now, new research from Japan has found a link between paternal age and autism.

The researchers found that children born to older dads had an increased risk of having an autistic spectrum disorder. However, when they looked at children born to older mothers, they didn't find any corresponding link. The research is published this month in the British Journal of Psychiatry

IVF pioneer wins award

Professor Robert Edwards, the pioneer whose work led to the birth of the world's first IVF baby, was given a lifetime achievement award at this year's Pride of Britain event. He may be in his early eighties, but Professor Edwards still maintains an active interest in infertility and treatment.

He faced condemnation when he began experimenting with in vitro fertilisation, and even after the birth of Louise Brown, the first IVF baby, in 1978 there was still widespread criticism from many other scientists as well as in the press. He weathered the storms, and was soon treating patients from across the world at the clinic he set up in Cambridgeshire. It wasn't long before others were achieving success with IVF, and more than three million babies have been concevied using the methods he perfected. This award is a much-deserved recognition of his pioneering work.

Back again

It's been a long time... Fertility Matters has had a very extended break - waiting for the Summer that never came. I'm pleased to tell you we are now back in business, and ready to bring you all the latest news and views on issues related to infertility and treatment. It's good to be back!