Male Infertility News and Research

Latest Male Infertility News and Research

Study: IVF treatment linked with increased risk of mental retardation

In a study that included more than 2.5 million children born in Sweden, compared with spontaneous conception, any in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment was not associated with autistic disorder but was associated with a small but statistically significantly increased risk of mental retardation, according to a study in the July 3 issue of JAMA. The authors note that the prevalence of these disorders was low, and the increase in absolute risk associated with IVF was small.

3 Jul 2013

Special type of IVF may increase risk for insulin resistance among children

A special type of in vitro fertilization, or IVF, may increase the risk for insulin resistance among children conceived in this way, according to a new study from Greece. The results will be presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

18 Jun 2013

Pachytene piRNAs play an essential role in protecting post-meiotic germ cells

Passing one's genes on to the next generation is a mark of evolutionary success. So it makes sense that the body would work to ensure that the genes the next generation inherits are exact replicas of the originals.

16 Nov 2012

Antioxidant imbalance in abnormal sperm

An imbalance exists in oxidative stress markers, such as reactive nitrogen species, reactive oxygen species, and total antioxidant capacity, in infertile men with abnormal semen parameters, report researchers.

13 Nov 2012

Male infertility linked to an enzyme complex issue

An enzyme complex present in sperm plasma membranes plays an important role in the overproduction of reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress in sperm with abnormal morphology, researchers have shown.

15 Oct 2012

Adding missing protein to infertile human sperm can 'kick-start' its ability to fertilise eggs

Adding a missing protein to infertile human sperm can 'kick-start' its ability to fertilise an egg and dramatically increase the chances of a successful pregnancy, a team of Cardiff University scientists have uncovered.

21 Sep 2012

Local Talent Global Impact event at Queen's University to be held on Sep. 13

Members of the public are being invited to Queen's University at lunchtime on Thursday (13 September) to meet and hear from the people behind some of the biggest scientific, medical and technological breakthroughs of recent times.

13 Sep 2012

Scientists dissect how sperm cells of the fruit fly build their flagella

Sperm swim, lung cells sweep mucus away, and the cells in the female Fallopian tube move eggs from the ovary to the uterus. Underlying these phenomena are flagella - slender, hair-like structures extending from the surface of the cells, that bend, beat or wave rhythmically. In the latest issue of the journal Developmental Cell, scientists from the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (IGC), in Portugal, have dissected how sperm cells of the fruit fly build their flagella.

14 Aug 2012

Test for motile sperm improves ICSI outcomes

Researchers have developed a new sperm test that could improve pregnancy rates among women treated with intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

23 Jul 2012

Number of babies born due to assisted reproduction technologies reaches 5 million

The number of babies born as a result of assisted reproduction technologies (ART) has reached an estimated total of 5 million since the world's first, Louise Brown, was born in July 1978. The figures will be presented this week at the 28th annual meeting of ESHRE (European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology), which begins today, 1st July, in Istanbul, Turkey.

2 Jul 2012

Scientists discover key gene essential for sperm development

A new type of male contraceptive could be created thanks to the discovery of a key gene essential for sperm development.

25 May 2012

Breakthrough in understanding the causes of unexplained male infertility

The diagnosis of male fertility is usually performed through the observation of the sperm in the microscope. However, a normal quality semen does not guarantee an adequate fertility. In fact, there is a considerable proportion of cases of unexplained infertility and data suggest that abnormal sperm function may have a genetic or molecular origin.

24 May 2012

High rates of birth defects associated with an artificial reproductive technology: Study

A new study has shown that one of the most popular forms of IVF could double the risk of birth defects.

8 May 2012

FDA approves VIVUS’ STENDRA for treatment of erectile dysfunction

VIVUS, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved STENDRA (avanafil) tablets for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED), marking the first new prescription agent approved in nearly a decade for the condition that afflicts as many as 30 million men in the U.S.

30 Apr 2012

New survey shows women trying to get pregnant worry about fertility

For many women, the decision to get pregnant can take on a life of its own. In fact, according to a survey conducted for SpermCheck- Fertility, 42% of those who conceived say they became obsessed with getting pregnant once they started trying. Yet just 10% say their partner shared this obsession.

12 Mar 2012

Oxidative stress in sperm linked to male infertility

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) patented an innovative system to specify in a simple, cost-effective and reliable manner the infertility of a person through the study of oxidative stress on sperm, a parameter rarely studied until now.

1 Feb 2012

Artificial testes being developed to help infertile men produce sperm

Californian researchers are trying to create an artificial testicle that will produce human sperm. Dr. Paul Turek, director of the Turek Clinic in San Francisco, which specializes in male infertility, said the goal is not to create a testicular implant for men, but a “sperm-making biological machine” that will help scientists learn more about just what causes male infertility. “We’re trying to recreate the process of sperm production in a three-dimensional system,” Turek said. “Simple laboratory conditions can’t get it done in humans. Our concept is to actually recreate the testicle itself.”

22 Jan 2012

A Daddy’s heart is healthier: Study

A new study shows that fathers are less likely to die of heart disease than men who’ve never had kids. This raises questions about a possible biological link between male infertility and overall health. Other recent studies have found a connection between testicular and prostate cancer and infertility.

27 Sep 2011

Male infertility cause found in defective gene

Researchers have found a new cause of infertility that could allow millions of infertile couples around the world to have a child. The team found a common gene mutation that causes sperm to be far less able to swim through the mucus of the cervix and reach the egg.

20 Jul 2011

Varicocele surgery may increase testosterone production

As many as 15 percent of men have varicoceles, masses of enlarged and dilated veins in the testicles. There is new evidence that varicoceles, long known to be a cause of male infertility, interfere with the production of testosterone -- a crucial hormone to maintaining men's health.

17 Jun 2011