Nats face Vaile of tears Aug 10, 2008
Welcome to The Sydney Morning Herald. The departure of the former leader of the Nationals is symptomatic of a much deeper malaise within the party, writes Michelle Grattan. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
Secret is out, Reba has a new boyfriend Aug 10, 2008
Welcome to The Sydney Morning Herald. Lisa Carty State Political EditorAugust 10, 2008. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Fertility study scorns frontline treatments Aug 10, 2008
Siladitya Bhattacharya, a professor of gynaecology and obstetrics who led the study at Aberdeen University, said the treatments amounted to an enormous and unjustified cost to the NHS. He said the money spent could be redirected to improve the availability of IVF, which is considered to be more effective ... "These treatments are offered by virtually every district hospital up and down the country, so the total costs are tremendous, particularly at a time when potentially more effective... (guardian.co.uk)
Study questions fertility choices Aug 9, 2008
The Jances' journey is in line with results from British research that concluded Clomid was useless or worse for couples whose failure to conceive was unexplained, and that people in that position should move straight to in vitro fertilisation (IVF) or other more high-tech methods ... Allan Templeton, the research leader - and architect of Britain's current fertility treatment policy which requires couples to try low-tech methods before they can access publicly funded IVF - found the IUI... (Sydney Morning Herald)
Study: Infertility Treatments No Help Aug 9, 2008
" But the less aggressive, less expensive fertility treatments are worth a try in some women, says Mousa Shamonki, MD, director of in vitro fertilization and assisted reproduction at the University of California Los Angeles Medical Center. For unexplained infertility, the lower-tech options include those evaluated in the U.K. study and also injections of hormones combined with intrauterine insemination, he says. For other types of fertility problems -- other than unexplained infertility --... (CBS News)
Qantas cancels overseas check-ups Aug 9, 2008
Welcome to The Sydney Morning Herald. Jonathan DartAugust 9, 2008. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Ethical dilemma Aug 6, 2008
Page last updated at 10:15 GMT, Tuesday, 5 August 2008 11:15 UK. Should baby be risked for sister. (BBC News -- Health)
Brangelina twins debut Aug 5, 2008
The twins were not conceived through IVF treatment, Jolie underlined, following media speculation. Pitt, who starred in the violent 1999 film, Fight Club, and won plaudits in 2007 as the train-robbing outlaw Jesse James, joked he was coming to sound like his own parents when it came to disciplining his gang. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
People publishes first photos of Brangelina twins Aug 5, 2008
"If they had been conceived through IVF, we would have been happy to discuss it," she says. "But we have been fortunate never to have had fertility problems.". (FOX 11, AZ)
HEALTH BLOG: Read the latest child wellness tips Aug 5, 2008
In general, babies conceived via IVF are more likely to be premature and small for their gestational age and to die shortly after birth, but Norwegian researchers speculated that that observation might be due to factors related to a couple's infertility problems, not to the procedure itself. They examined the medical records for 2,546 women who had conceived babies both naturally and by IVF and found the method of conception made no difference in the risks of prematurity, low birth weight or... (USA Today -- Money)
'We never had fertility problems' Aug 5, 2008
Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie has shot down reports that she underwent IVF treatment to conceive her twins ... "If they had been conceived through IVF, we would have been happy to discuss it. But we have been fortunate never to have had fertility problems," Contactmusic quoted Jolie, as telling Hello. (Times of India)
IVF dangers may be overblown Aug 4, 2008
She compared birth weight, size, gestation age, and infant death rate in women who had conceived one child spontaneously and another with IVF assistance with those of women who only conceived using IVF. The findings suggests that since women who conceived both ways had infants with similar good health each time, then the increased risks associated with IVF may be due to factors other than the technological risks. BOTTOM LINE: "The adverse outcomes [of IVF] seem to be caused by factors leading to... (Boston Globe)
New embryo test to screen for 6,000 diseases Aug 4, 2008
Using the technique, doctors can examine every embryo created for a couple through IVF, and determine whether each is healthy and unaffected, a carrier of the disease, or destined to develop the full-blown medical condition ... Linda believes that the PGH test, which could diagnose Duchenne's from one cell taken from a three-day-old IVF embryo before it has been implanted, is easier to consider than a test that could lead to an abortion. (Yahoo News -- Biotechnology and Genetics)
Infertility Surgeries for Men Aug 3, 2008
ICSI is a process by which sperm is injected directly into the egg for fertilization, and in vitro fertilization (IVF) is a process by which embryos are placed directly into the uterus for gestation ... Often IVF is required in this situation. (Suite101.com)
Car dealer shocked to find crash driver is F1's Schumacher Aug 1, 2008
" A spokesman for the seven-time Formula 1 world champion confirmed the incident had taken place and that Schumacher had co-operated with police. Bookmark with: RELATED INTERNET LINKS The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites E-MAILED Man decapitated on Canadian bus Potter fairytales to be published Sun and Moon set to put on show IVF 'not reason for birth risks' Hour's exercise 'to lose weight' READ Sun and Moon set to put on show Thousands laid off in California Man... (BBC News)
Snap poll call as Olmert departs Aug 1, 2008
Page last updated at 09:44 GMT, Thursday, 31 July 2008 10:44 UK. Binyamin Netanyahu was Israeli PM between 1996 and 1999. (BBC News)
Geological mapping gets joined up Aug 1, 2008
Page last updated at 18:14 GMT, Thursday, 31 July 2008 19:14 UK. By Jennifer Carpenter Science reporter, BBC News. (BBC News)
Battered spirit Aug 1, 2008
"So we don't leave them on their own, we tell them to be brave. And we give them that extra bit of love.' Guodong would like his sister back and a new mum and dad. But the Olympic torch will come and go through Sichuan this weekend without solving his problems. And while the Games themselves will provide light relief for some of the survivors watching on flickering screens in the tent cities, putting lives here back together in a way that makes sense is a challenge that even the Olympic spirit... (BBC News)
Antigua requests UK police help Aug 1, 2008
" The couple, who married on 12 July, were on the last day of their two-week honeymoon at the Cocos Hotel when the shootings happened. Bookmark with: HONEYMOON SHOOTINGS Reaction from the island Country profile LINKS E-MAILED Man decapitated on Canadian bus Potter fairytales to be published IVF 'not reason for birth risks' Hour's exercise 'to lose weight' A month without plastic READ Sun and Moon set to put on show Thousands laid off in California Man decapitated on Canadian bus Schumacher crash... (BBC News -- Americas)
Man 'admits Brazil girl murder' Aug 1, 2008
Page last updated at 04:15 GMT, Friday, 1 August 2008 05:15 UK. Man 'admits Brazil girl murder. (BBC News -- Americas)
IVF 'not reason for birth risks' Aug 1, 2008
IVF 'not reason for birth risks. Average success rates per cycle of IVF are approximately 25 ... Complications associated with IVF are due to underlying fertility problems in the parents and not the techniques used during treatment, research suggests. (BBC News -- Health)
Freezing time? Banking eggs buys hope Jul 31, 2008
5 percent of IVF cases, is hyperstimulation syndrome, in which the ovaries become dangerously enlarged, in rare cases requiring their removal. More stories from SELF. (MSNBC -- Health)
Fertility diet - influence of diet on fertility often overlooked Jul 30, 2008
Dobbyn, a 43-year-old former barrister, also says the changes could benefit women who believe that IVF treatment is their only hope of becoming pregnant ... The fertility diet which is the result of Dobbyn's two and a half year search through various studies and books on fertility, has been criticised by IVF experts who question the effectiveness of a meat and dairy-free diet. (News-Medical.net)
Book: Booze, Caffeine Act as Liquid Contraceptives Jul 30, 2008
Sarah Dobbyn, a nutritionist and author of The Fertility Diet, said the influence of diet on fertility was often overlooked in an age in which IVF often seemed the only answer to pregnancy problems. "Huge amounts of money are being spent on assisted conception techniques by hopeful couples who do not know that alcohol and caffeine are liquid contraceptives, sweeteners can prevent ovulation and seemingly innocent foods such as peas, rhubarb and soy all inhibit fertility.". (Fox News)
The New Embryo Capsule Treatment Jul 30, 2008
An Innovative Device Could Spell An End To Expensive IVF. Scientists at BioXcell, an American company, have developed a new device called an Invocell Capsule which may one day replace up to half of standard IVF treatments ... In traditional IVF treatments, egg and sperm are collected and fertilized outside of the body in a petri dish containing solution which helps the embryo to grow. (Suite101.com)
In-vitro is now a natural way to conceive Jul 30, 2008
Bioethicist Leon Kass then warned that in-vitro fertilization, or IVF, by sundering the bonds between the act of sex and conception, would damage families ... IVF is just helping nature along a bit, Louises father told them, correctly ... The Vatican persists in condemning IVF, but it is hard to see the wisdom or the compassion behind that thinking. (Albany Times Union)
New stem cell could aid research Jul 30, 2008
Scientists currently have to rely on obtaining surplus embryos from IVF clinics for their work, while some of those with religious convictions are unhappy at experimenting on and then destroying human life - even if it does pave the way to potentially life-saving treatment. So what. (Yahoo News -- Human Stem Cell Research)
Booze, caffeine liquid contraceptives Jul 29, 2008
Sarah Dobbyn, a nutritionist and author of The Fertility Diet, said the influence of diet on fertility was often overlooked in an age in which IVF often seemed the only answer to pregnancy problems ... Aimed at those trying to conceive naturally as well as those going through IVF, Ms Dobbyn advised cutting out smoking, artificial sweeteners, alcohol, caffeine and soya in the first month. (NEWS.com.au)
My Secret or My Privacy Jul 29, 2008
There are times that you may question if you should be giving information to people about your treatments, such as if you are utilizing IVF, if you are using donor eggs, or if you are using donor sperm. You may even choose to keep the fact that you have used a surrogate private from persons in your social group (though this is markedly more difficult to keep private as you will not be showing physical signs of pregnancy). (Suite101.com)
Were Brangelina's twins the result of IVF? Jul 29, 2008
Were Brangelina's twins the result of IVF ... Were Brangelina's twins the result of IVF ... The couple - who welcomed Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline into the world on July 12 - were reportedly so desperate to add to their ever-expanding brood they turned to IVF infertility treatment in a bid to conceive. (Xinhuanet, China)
In Vitro Fertilization Increases; More and More Women Apply for It Jul 28, 2008
Since the first test tube baby, more and more women desire to have children by IVF. In 1987 the science evolved so much that it could help in the birth of Louise Joy Brown ... Still, experts announced that as the number of women willing to have babies through IVF increases, there must be given certain safety procedures ... Many couples take big risks when travelling to make the IVF cheaper. (Enews 2.0)
Egg Retrieval For In Vitro Fertiliz... Jul 27, 2008
Egg Retrieval For In Vitro Fertilization: How You or Your Donor's Eggs Are Retrieved for IVF ... How You or Your Donor's Eggs Are Retrieved for IVF ... Since the transvaginal ultrasound emerged in the 1980s, egg retrieval for IVF has gone from invasive surgery known as laparoscopy to an outpatient procedure. (Suite101.com)
Test Tube Babies: Debate Still Rages 30 Years Later Jul 27, 2008
First Test-tube Baby Turned 30 This Week, Proving IVF Doubters Wrong ... Since her birth, more than 3 million babies have been born through IVF, in which the egg is fertilized outside the body and then implanted in the womb ... But today IVF isn't just about helping infertile parents. (ABC News)
Cut to fertility services 'cruel' Jul 26, 2008
Government advisers recommend three IVF cycles on the NHS ... North Staffordshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) stopped its fertility service for "financial reasons" while the PCT in Stoke-on-Trent offers one IVF cycle ... The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) recommends infertile couples under 40 should be offered three IVF cycles. (BBC News)
Experts say reproductive tourism a growing worry Jul 26, 2008
In some cases, desperate couples may not know where the eggs come from, or a woman comes back pregnant with multiple embryos -- the single biggest risk for mother and child during in vitro fertilisation or IVF, researchers say ... But that number is growing even faster these days because more and more women are waiting longer to start having children, and cheaper air travel makes it possible for even more couples to seek IVF.. (Reuters)
Jolie, Pitt twins made in vitro? Jul 26, 2008
The couple who welcomed Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline into the world on July 12 were reportedly so desperate to add to their ever-expanding brood they turned to IVF infertility treatment in a bid to conceive. A source close to the couple told Us Weekly magazine: They conceived through in vitro fertilisation. (AZCentral -- Entertainment)
Lesbian mothers lose case Jul 26, 2008
Two lesbian mothers of twin IVF girls have lost their legal battle against a Canberra Obstetrician for the cost of raising one of their toddlers. The women, who can't be named or identified sued prominent doctor Sydney Armellin for more than $400,000 for implanting 2 embryos instead of the requested one. (Sky News Australia)
A miracle survivor who beat the odds a second time Jul 26, 2008
"I thought I might have come out of remission - it was an awful feeling - but then blood tests showed I was pregnant. My partner and I had been trying to get pregnant with IVF before I got sick and I was told I had a less than 1% chance of it working back then, so we had all but given up.". At five months pregnant, Ms Steiner is acutely aware of the risk that her cancer will return. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Business)
Pregnancy Results Good with Single-Embryo Transfer Jul 26, 2008
Dr. Aaron K. Styer and colleagues from Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, compared the pregnancy outcomes of 52 women who underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF) with a single-embryo transfer versus 187 women who underwent a double-embryo transfer ... IVF cycle characteristics did not differ between the single- and double-embryo transfer groups, the report indicates. (MEDLINEplus)
Lifestyle 'should hit' IVF access Jul 25, 2008
Women seeking IVF are often advised to quit smoking. Almost half of fertility experts say access to IVF should be conditional - and smokers or the obese could be denied treatment, a survey shows ... The poll of international experts, most of whom work in the UK, found just 29% thought IVF should be offered to all. (BBC News -- UK)
GREGORY PENCE: Free-market baby making thrives Jul 25, 2008
Bioethicist Leon Kass then warned that in-vitro fertilization, or IVF, by sundering the bonds between the act of sex and conception, would damage families ... "IVF is just helping nature along a bit," Louise's father told them, correctly ... The Vatican perversely persists in condemning IVF, but it is hard to see the wisdom -- or any sense of compassion -- behind that thinking. (Fresno Bee -- Opinion)
Doctors criticise lesbian IVF case Jul 25, 2008
A LESBIAN couple who tried to sue their doctor after having IVF twin girls shouldn't have been allowed to take the case to court, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) says. In the first Australian case, the Melbourne parents of four-year-old twin girls sued Canberra obstetrician Sydney Robert Armellin for almost $400,000 for implanting two embryos instead of the requested one. (NEWS.com.au)
Lesbians fail in lawsuit over child Jul 25, 2008
THE lesbian mothers of IVF twin girls have lost a legal bid to sue their doctor for the cost of raising one of the toddlers. The women, whose names have been suppressed, sued a Canberra obstetrician, Sydney Robert Armellin, for more than $400,000 for implanting two embryos instead of the requested one. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
A shower of babies as IVF turns 30 Jul 25, 2008
"That egg, our lone ranger, became Thomas" Poppy Kougellis with the son she gave birth to, thanks to IVF. She is now pregnant with twins ... Ms Brown, who works for a shipping company in Bristol, made history when she became the world's first baby born by IVF 30 years ago, but the mother-of-one has always preferred the quiet life, and has no plans to celebrate ... In three decades, IVF has evolved to the point where doctors now predict pregnancy rates could double within five years and the... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Stem cell progress on Parkinson's Jul 25, 2008
However, embryo stem cell research remains controversial, as many individuals and groups are opposed to the use of embryos in this way, whether they are "left over" from IVF or specially-created to match the transplant patient. There are hopes that eventually, cells from adults could be "persuaded" by chemicals in the laboratory to behave more like embryonic or foetal stem cells. (Yahoo News -- Parkinson's Disease)
1st test-tube baby turns 30 tomorrow Jul 24, 2008
LONDON: The birth of Louise Brown, the world's first IVF baby, hit headlines around the globe three decades ago - but the married mother-of-one wants to keep her 30th birthday on Friday low-key by contrast ... Although her birth opened the door for millions of infertile couples worldwide to give birth to IVF (in vitro fertilisation) or test tube babies, Brown has no big plans to celebrate the landmark date. (India Times, India)
California Supreme Court Gay-Marriage Ruling Reinforces Top Bay Area Fertility Specialists' Support for Same-Sex Couples Jul 24, 2008
IVF clinic expands welcome to out-of-state intended parents SAN RAMON, Calif ... About Reproductive Science Center of the San Francisco Bay Area Established in 1983, RSC was one of the earliest IVF facilities in the United States, begun just two years after the nation's first successful IVF treatment. (PR Newswire)
Twins' lesbian mothers lose compo case Jul 24, 2008
A lesbian couple who said having two IVF babies instead of one damaged their relationship have lost a bid to sue their doctor for compensation ... " The woman's identities may be revealed in 28 days unless they appeal Justice Annabelle Bennett's decision to allow the media to publish their names. The IVF procedure, carried out on November 12, 2003, used sperm from a Danish donor. Justice Bennett said Dr Armellin had not breached his duty of care to the twin girls' birth mother and was therefore... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
A new perspective on forgotten specialties Jul 24, 2008
"In neonatology, for example, technological advances in medical treatment, combined with population lifestyle factors such as increasing maternal age, use of IVF and multiple pregnancies, have resulted in an increased demand for these services," says Elizabeth Fugaccia, principal policy officer for the NSW Department of Health's workforce development and leadership branch. "However, as with any career, this means there will be opportunities for those who seek them," she says. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Thirty Years After First Test Tube Baby, Scientists Pursue Healthier Human Embryo Jul 23, 2008
July 22 /PRNewswire/ -- On the 30th anniversary of the birth of the world's first "test tube baby," Louise Brown of England, embryologists at one of the nation's largest in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics are conducting a clinical study aimed at the pursuit of a healthier human embryo with dramatically increased chances of full gestation to birth of a healthy baby ... Traditionally, in vitro fertilization (IVF) specialists have improved the odds by transferring more than one embryo to a... (PR Newswire)
First test tube baby's 30th Jul 23, 2008
The birth of Louise Brown, the world's first IVF baby, hit headlines around the globe three decades ago but the married mother-of-one wants to keep her 30th birthday on Friday low-key by contrast ... Although her birth opened the door for millions of infertile couples worldwide to give birth to IVF (in vitro fertilisation) or test tube babies, Brown has no big plans to celebrate the landmark date ... and things like that". Brown insists she had a normal childhood, "the same as any other... (iAfrica.com)
The risks of a late pregnancy Jul 22, 2008
There is a decline in the production of eggs as one gets older Uterine IVF is less. More fibroid endometriosis. (India Times, India)
Is It Time to Give Up on Therapeutic Cloning? A Q&A with Ian Wilmut Jul 22, 2008
If you produced an embryo by in vitro fertilization (IVF), grew out cells, corrected the mutation, and then cloned to make a new embryo, you're using it as a tool for correction of genetic disease and that child would not be a genetically identical twin ... If IVF cells are equivalent in their developmental potential to embryo-derived stem cells, then it might be possible to produce gametes ... So if you have, let's say, a man who has no sperm, you produce iPS cells, you produce sperm, and you... (Scientific American)
East West Essentials Delivers Successful Female Fertility Kit to Hopeful Mothers Jul 22, 2008
East West Essentials' Female Fertility Kit can be obtained both domestically and internationally through referral by leading Ob/Gyns and reproductive endocrinologists, as well as IVF doctors. The kit can also be purchased online at , toll free at 800-914-0919, or over the counter at available pharmacies. (Primezone Releases)
Families celebrate 20yrs of Wesley IVF treatment Jul 19, 2008
Hundreds of IVF babies and their families will gather in Brisbane today to celebrate 20 years of the fertility procedure at the Wesley Hospital. Since it began in 1988, the Wesley IVF service has been responsible for the births of more than 2,000 children. (ABC Online)
Daily chart: No stork needed Jul 19, 2008
But Britons unable to conceive naturally are among the least likely in the rich world to receive IVF treatment. In 2005, the latest year for which figures were available, IVF babies made up 1 ... German rules against storing embryos force many couples to seek treatment abroad, whereas the unavailability of IVF from most health-care insurers keeps America's rate low. (The Economist)
'End to infertility within 30 years' Jul 18, 2008
It would also lead to the availability of low-cost IVF at 50 a cycle, putting it within reach of poor people ... Since the birth of Louise Brown, the world's first test-tube baby thirty years ago, some four million children have been born by IVF worldwide ... The technique, known as intra cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), first introduced in 1992, is now used in more than half of all IVF treatments in the UK.. (India Times, India)
Thirty Years After First IVF Baby: What Will the Future Bring? Jul 18, 2008
Thirty Years After First IVF Baby: What Will the Future Bring ... Thirty Years After First IVF Baby: What Will the Future Bring ... Nobody could believe it,' say North Carolina fertility experts, reflecting on fears of the past, hopes of the future CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 17 /PRNewswire/ -- With July 25 marking the thirtieth birthday of the world's first "test-tube baby," Charlotte fertility specialists say that much of the initial worries over the brave new world of in vitro fertilization (IVF)... (PR Newswire)
Assisted reproduction No IVF please, were British Jul 18, 2008
No IVF please, we re British ... Just under 700 attempts at in vitro fertilisation (IVF) are carried out per million Britons each year, one of the lowest rates in Europe ... The 11,262 IVF babies born in Britain in 2005, the latest year for which figures are available, were just 1. (Economist)
Men too have a biological clock: Study Jul 17, 2008
It is given to couples where the woman has no fertility problems and is less invasive than IVF. The men's sperm were examined for quantity, their ability to move and swim and their size and shape. Rates of pregnancy, miscarriage and births were recorded. (India Times, India)
New embryo test to screen for 6,000 diseases Jul 17, 2008
Using the technique, doctors can examine every embryo created for a couple through IVF, and determine whether each is healthy and unaffected, a carrier of the disease, or destined to develop the full-blown medical condition ... Linda believes that the PGH test, which could diagnose Duchenne's from one cell taken from a three-day-old IVF embryo before it has been implanted, is easier to consider than a test that could lead to an abortion. (Yahoo News -- Biotechnology and Genetics)
The building blocks of wealth Jul 17, 2008
If it's a short- to medium-term problem and you've had a mortgage for years, you can ring the bank and they'll give you a couple of months' holiday, which may be enough time to knock off your credit card debt," Reed says. INSURANCE Fraser recently reviewed a health insurance policy for a client, a policy she thought was the same as hers, but discovered the client was paying $30 a month less. When she checked her own policy she realised she was covered for IVF and hip and knee replacements and... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Business)
Govt says conflict with church over hospital fertility service Jul 16, 2008
"Will the Minister guarantee that an all options genetic family planning and IVF service will be provided in a church controlled institution?". Tags. (ABC Online)
First test tube baby praises IVF doctor who was 'like a ... Jul 16, 2008
First test tube baby praises IVF doctor who was 'like a grandfather' to her ... Louise Brown, 30, from Bristol was the world's first IVF baby ... Louise Brown said IVF pioneer Professor Bob Edwards had become an honorary member of the family, attending her wedding and visiting regularly. (Daily Mail)
30th birthday for first IVF baby Jul 16, 2008
When Louise Brown was born - so was IVF treatment ... Louise's birth has been celebrated by IVF families and some of the clinical staff involved in the breakthrough ... These days she rarely thinks about her iconic status as the first of more than three million IVF babies born worldwide. (BBC News)
