Contraceptive News and Research

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Potential therapeutic target for infertility and contraception

The multiple “litter” births of mice, versus the normal singleton pregnancy of humans, is due to defective processing in mice of a common mammalian protein called bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP-15), according to new research from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine.

5 Apr 2005

HIV/AIDS impacts on population dynamics and economic growth

Top officials at the United Nations Commission on Population and Development, at its yearly meeting are focussing on the negative effects of HIV/AIDS on population dynamics, including population losses and decreased life expectancy, as well as the pandemic's links to increased extreme poverty, stalled economic growth and poor reproductive health in many parts of the world.

5 Apr 2005

Late developers more at risk from sexually transmitted disease

Researchers at the Academic Unit of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, UK, have found that late developers may run a higher risk of infection than sexually mature younger teens.

From The University of Manchester 3 Apr 2005

New drug approved for treating endometriosis

Drug manufacturer Pfizer announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given approval for the release of depo-subQ provera 104 to be prescribed for the management of pain associated with endometriosis, a gynecological condition that affects one in ten women of reproductive age.

30 Mar 2005

Pharmaceutical reproductive rights in the United States

The battle over reproductive rights in the United States has taken another turn with some pharmacists refusing to fill prescriptions for birth control and morning-after pills on the grounds that dispensing the medications violates their moral or religious beliefs.

29 Mar 2005

Mutated BRCA1 genes cause ovarian cancer indirectly

Mutated BRCA1 genes cause ovarian cancer indirectly, by interfering with the biochemical signals one ovarian cell sends to another, according to a team of researchers led by scientists at the USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California.

28 Mar 2005

Latest findings in male reproduction research

The XVIII North American Testis Workshop, chaired by Population Council senior scientist Matthew Hardy, will be held 30 March - 2 April in Seattle, Washington. Participants will discuss findings from the large body of recent research on male reproduction.

28 Mar 2005

Oral contraceptives may protect against breast cancer

Women at high genetic risk of breast cancer could reduce their risk of developing the disease at an early age by taking oral contraceptives, a new study has found. The findings contradict previous studies, which suggested oral contraceptive use would increase the risk of developing breast cancer.

22 Mar 2005

New research in mice sheds light on the causes behind male infertility

For 40 percent of the estimated six million American couples battling infertility, the problem lies with the man. But help may be on the way.

21 Mar 2005

New set of standards to improve sexual health services in the NHS

A new set of clear recommended standards to improve sexual health services in the NHS have been jointly launched today by Public Health Minister Melanie Johnson and Ruth Lowbury of the Medical Foundation for AIDS and Sexual Health.

16 Mar 2005

Infertility - discovery could mean new treatment

A team of Japanese scientists at Osaka University led by Dr Masaru Okabe have discovered a protein essential for human sperm to fuse to an egg. The findings could well lead to new methods of treating infertility and the development of new contraceptive strategies.

9 Mar 2005

Why women are more susceptible to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries

New research presented today at the 72nd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons includes important findings on the causes of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in female athletes, such as posture and body movement. These findings may be key in the effort to find ways to prevent these types of injuries.

27 Feb 2005

People who live with migraine headaches show a riskier profile for cardiovascular disease

People who live with migraine headaches show a "riskier" profile for cardiovascular disease than those without migraines, according to a new study published in the February 22 issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

22 Feb 2005

Female sex hormones have a profound effect on susceptibility to the herpes simplex virus

Two McMaster University studies, to be published in the Journal of Virology, show that sex hormones have a profound effect on susceptibility of female mice to the herpes simplex virus, type 2 (HSV-2 ), one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases.

21 Feb 2005

Parents happy to be informed about their child requesting prescribed contraceptives

Most parents surveyed felt laws requiring parental notification of minors requesting prescribed contraceptives were a good idea, while almost half viewed a minor’s right to obtain contraceptives without parental consent as a good idea, according to an article in the February issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

7 Feb 2005

New ideas for creating a new generation of oral medications to treat infertility

Researchers now have a much better picture of how follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), one of the most frequently used fertility drugs, works, and with it new ideas for creating a new generation of oral medications to treat infertility.

20 Jan 2005

Parental notification laws concerning contraception would affect teenagers

Rachel K. Jones, Ph.D., and colleagues with the Alan Guttmacher Institute, New York, N.Y., conducted a study in which 1,526 female adolescents younger than 18 years (minors) seeking reproductive health services at 79 national family planning clinics were surveyed between May 2003 and February 2004.

19 Jan 2005

Sex hormones modulate brain damage in multiple sclerosis

Abnormalities in sex hormone levels may contribute to the damage to brain tissue typical of multiple sclerosis, indicates research in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.

16 Jan 2005

CDC concern over contraceptive decline deserves second look

On January 4, The Washington Post allocated front page coverage to a biased December 2004 study by Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on Contraceptive use among American women.

6 Jan 2005

Easier access to emergency contraception would not increase the risk of STDs

Making it easier to obtain emergency contraception would not increase unprotected intercourse, lead to abandonment of regular contraception, or increase the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), according to a study in the January 5 issue of JAMA.

5 Jan 2005