According to a new study led by scientists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, cystic fibrosis could be considered two diseases, one that affects multiple organs including the lungs, and one that doesn’t affect the lungs at all. Researchers say 9 variants in the gene associated with CF can lead to pancreatitis, sinusitis, and male infertility.
Month: July 2014
Gene Crucial For Embryo Implantation Discovered; May Offer Important Insight Into Variety Of Infertility Issues
A study led by researchers from the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center has identified a crucial molecular key to healthy embryo implantation and pregnancy. The gene, called Wnt5a, was found to be absolutely critical for the healthy embryo implantation in the uterus wall, according to a press release.
‘Our Family is Complete:’ Legal Barriers Don’t Stop Gay Couple from Having a Baby
Robin Delgatto spends his days in his Chicago home like most other stay-at-home parents. The 34-year-old father’s time is spent feeding his two-month-old daughter Ivy Elizabeth Delgatto, changing her diapers and monitoring naps.
Men Should Do Kegels, Too (Study)
Women aren’t the only people who should be doing Kegel exercises, experts say. Studies have found that pelvic floor exercises—long known to help women with childbirth and recovery as well as prevent incontinence—can also help with incontinence, recovery from prostate surgery, and other issues in men, including, possibly, sexual dysfunction. How should men do the exercises? Focus on “the area you sit on when you’re sitting on a horse,” one doctor explains to the New York Times, and tighten the muscles you would typically use to stop urinating mid-stream or keep yourself from passing gas. Contract for a few seconds, release, and repeat 10 to 15 times per “workout.”
Pregnancy Loss Linked to Later Heart Disease
Miscarriages and stillbirths might be a marker for women at higher risk of developing heart disease later in life, an observational study suggested.
Stay Up Late? How It Could Hurt Your Fertility
Women who want to become pregnant or are expecting a baby should avoid light during the night, a new report suggests.
New Implantable Contraceptive Chip Can Last For Up To 16 Years
An MIT spinoff called MicroCHIPS has announced plans to market an implantable contraceptive chip that can be turned on and off remotely, and lasts for as long as sixteen years.
Bothered by Hot Flashes? Acupuncture Might be the Answer
In the 2,500+ years that have passed since acupuncture was first used by the ancient Chinese, it has been used to treat a number of physical, mental and emotional conditions including nausea and vomiting, stroke rehabilitation, headaches, menstrual cramps, asthma, carpal tunnel, fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis, to name just a few. Now, a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials which is being published this month in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS), indicates that acupuncture can affect the severity and frequency of hot flashes for women in natural menopause.
Zoo Elephants’ Big Threat: Too Much Junk in the Trunk
African elephants in captivity are packing on the pounds, and experts warn that the rise in obesity is contributing to infertility, which could be detrimental to the survival of the species in zoos.
Why Do I Still Have Hot Flashes Many Years After Menopause?
Jan Shifren, director of Massachusetts General Hospital’s Midlife Women’s Health Center, says that about three-fourths of women have bothersome hot flashes during menopause, and for the majority of them, the hot flashes subside after a few years. But not everyone is so fortunate.