News: IVF

Updated: Jul 13/10

Age
• IVF works well in women under 35, study finds (Jan 19/09. BioNews #491)

Assisted hatching
• Assisted Hatching May Not Improve IVF Outcome in Women below 38 Years (Apr 21/09. IVF News Direct)

Cost of treatment
• USA: Couples take novel approach to IVF fundraising (Mar 15/10. BioNews)

Environment

Genetic Risks of IVF
• Picture Emerging on Genetic Risks of IVF (Feb 16/09. New York Times) 
• New Study on Genetic Risks of IVF (Feb 23/09. BioNews #496)
• Doctors must alert patients to IVF risks to children (Mar 23/09. BioNews #500)
• IVF children may have altered gene activity (Jan 11/10. BioNews)
• IVF babies risk major diseases in later life (Jan 14/10. BioEdge)
• Birth defect risk higher for IVF babies (Jun 16/10. BioEdge)

Genetic Screening
• Comparative Genomic Hybridisation (CGH) screening technique for eggs 'may improve success rate' (Feb 1/09. BioNews #493)
• Comparative genomic hybridisation (CGH) screening technique to improve IVF success rates (Oct 19/09. BioNews 530)
• Evidence Challenges Effectiveness of PGS for [increasing pregnancy rates in] Older Women (Jul 1/09. National Partnership for Women & Families)

ICSI
• ICSI reverses baby gender ratio (Dec 05/09. BioEdge)
• Test-tube boys may inherit fertility problems (Sunday Times, Feb 7/10)
• ICSI is overused, says its inventor (Mar 1/10. BioNews)

IVM (in vitro maturation)
• No-Drugs IVF (in-vitro maturation) just as effective for under 35s (Nov 16/08. BioNews #484)

Lifestyle issues
• Overweight women risk their IVF chances (Oct 21/09. BioNews 531)
• Alcohol reduces IVF success (Oct 22/09. BioNews 531)
• Report recommends refusing IVF to women with unhealthy lifestyles (Jan 25/10. BioNews)

Multiple Births
• Birth of Octuplets Raises Ethical Debate Among Fertility Experts (Feb. 4, 2009. Daily Women's Health Policy Report. )
• Worse health for IVF twins; no harm in embryo freezing (May 26/09. BioNews #509)
• IVF costs increasing Australian multiple births (May 10/10. BioNews 557)

Single Embryo Transfer (SET)
• Potential fall in success under SET (single embryo transfer) (Oct 20/08. BioNews #420)
• Higher Pregnancy & Birth Rate wth Single Embryo Transfer (Mar 30/09. BioNews #501)
• Single Embryo Transfer: Why Not Put All Your Eggs In One Basket? (May 5/09. American Fertility Association)
• One embryo as good as two for IVF success (Nov 1/09. BioNews 532)
• Single embryo transfers on the rise (Feb 22/10. BioNews)
• New fees boost single-embryo transfer  (May 17/10. BioNews 558)

Success rates
• Cumulative pregnancy probabilities among couples with subfertility: effects of varying treatments (Mar 31/09. Fertility & Sterility)

Miscellaneous
• Life on Ice (Jun 19/09. Newsweek)
• Couple endures 25 years of IVF before baby arrives (Jan 22/10. BioEdge)
• Risk of stillbirth 4 times higher after IVF/ICSI (Feb 22/10. Oxford Journals)
• IVF less successful for Asian women, study finds (Mar 1/10. BioNews)
• Pioneer Reflects on Future of Reproductive Medicine (Mar 22/10. New York Times)

Canada
• Ontario: Raising Expectations: Recommendations of the Expert Panel on Infertility & Adoption (Aug 26/09)
• 2009 Live Birth Rates (Dec 3/09. Canadian Fertility & Andrology Society)

Australia
• VIC: IVF couples must undergo police checks under new Australian law (Sept 14/09. Bionews 525)
• Australia reports drop in multiple births as more women opt for single embryo transfer (Sept 28/09. BioNews)
• Mobile tech helps IVF patients (Jun 15/10. Science Alert)

UK
• Grandparents financing British IVF (Aug 5/09. BioEdge)
• First baby conceived from screened (via Array CGH) egg is born (Sept 7/09. BioNews 524)
• Revised rules allow couples to store embryos for longer (Sept 14/09. Bionews 525)
• UK watchdog to disclose IVF errors (Oct 06, 2009. BioEdge)
• Top IVF clinic mistakenly uses genetically abnormal sperm to treat infertile couples (Nov 2/09. BioNews 532)
• British IVF clinic makes worst mistake possible, says industry watchdog [HFEA] (Nov 7/09. BioEdge)
• Clinic offers repeat IVF cycle in exchange for lifestyle improvements (Nov 30/09. BioNews 536)
• The lucrative business of baby-making (Mar 15/10. BioEdge)
• IVF doctors to raffle human egg (March 14/10. The Times)
• HFEA updates its clinic ratings (Mar 14/10. BioNews)
• IVF blunders doubled in one year (May 4/10. BioNews)
• New fees boost single-embryo transfer  (May 17/10. BioNews 558)
• More blunders put spotlight on IVF watchdog (May 22/10. BioEdge)

USA
• University of California settles missing embryo lawsuits (Sept 21/09. BioNews 526)
• Embryo mix-up mother will give child to biological parents (Sept 28/09. Bionews 527)
• US IVF clinic scandals come to light  (Oct 07/09. BioEdge)
• New Orleans IVF clinic shuts its doors (Nov 21/09. BioEdge)
• Fertility doctor accused of using own sperm (Nov 28/09. BioEdge)

See also News about:
• PGD/PGS