Author: brigitte

Fertility Clock Headlines, Fertility Headlines

Endometriosis Partnership Aims for Three Drug Candidates

brigitte

Bayer Pharma is paying Evotec €12 million (about $15.4 million) up front as part of a five-year, multitarget partnership that aims to generate three clinical-stage drugs for treating endometriosis. Both firms will input potential targets and share early research work and the preclinical characterization of potential candidates. Bayer will then take over clinical development and commercialization activities.

Under terms of the deal Evotec could receive up to another €580 million (roughly $746 million) in preclinical, clinical, and sales milestones, plus royalties on net sales, dependent on which firm contributed the candidate to the collaboration. Read full article.

Fertility Clock Headlines, Fertility Headlines

Herbal Medicine Causes Menopause-Like Symptoms In 11-Year-Old

brigitte

An 11-year-old girl began experiencing hot flashes, a common symptom of menopause, due to a common herbal medication, according to a new study, published in the journal Pediatrics. Researchers say the finding is troubling, and underscores the need to study the effects of these unregulated medications further.

The herb, saw palmetto, is typically used to treat an enlarged prostate in men. However, it is also used to treat baldness, and the 11-year-old girl was taking the supplement to treat telogen effluvium, a common cause of hair loss in children. Read full article.

Fertility Clock Headlines, Fertility Headlines

Sex Problems Common With Breast Cancer Drugs

brigitte

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Women treated with hormone-blocking drugs to stave off breast cancer recurrences are often dissatisfied with their sex lives, a new study from Sweden has found.

More than half of older women treated with so-called aromatase inhibitors said sex was almost always painful and they frequently had “insufficient lubrication,” researchers reported in the journal Menopause. Read full article.

Fertility Clock Headlines, Fertility Headlines

The Line Between Embryonic and Pluripotent Stem Cell Research Is Blurring

brigitte

Over at Stem Cell Network, Paul Krzyzanowski wonders whether Barack Obama and Mitt Romney will be asked about their support for stem cell research during the presidential debates.

He notes one reason the topic may not be broached is that many think the ethical debate about stem cell research is over. Read full article.

Fertility Clock Headlines, Fertility Headlines

New Discovery to Improve Success Rates of IVF

brigitte

Researchers from the University of Otago, Christchurch, are collaborating with clinicians at Fertility Associates in Christchurch to develop a test to significantly improve the success rate for in vitro fertilisations implantations.

Christchurch obstetrics and gynaecology researcher, Dr Gloria Evans, has just published a paper in the international journal Fertility and Sterility which shows positive results for a test to determine the optimal time to implant a fertilised embryo through IVF. Read full article.

Fertility Clock Headlines, Fertility Headlines

Infertility is a Special Kind of Hell for Military Couples

brigitte

WASHINGTON — Army Maj. Marc Bailey and his wife, Sallie, never thought they’d have to wait this long or spend this much to have a baby.

As of June, the couple had spent three agonizing years and $35,000 unsuccessfully trying to get pregnant. The effort has nearly exhausted their retirement savings and their patience.

“This is hands down the worst thing we’ve ever been through,” Sallie said. “When you start having fertility problems, it consumes your life.” Read full article.

Fertility Clock Headlines, Fertility Headlines

Many Female Brains Contain Male DNA

brigitte

In the first study of its kind, researchers have discovered that male DNA is commonly found in the brains of women – a finding that could hold important implications for diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and cancer.

Male DNA is likely transferred to female brains during pregnancy, according to researchers from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.  During this time, mothers and fetuses exchange and harbor genetic material and cells in a phenomenon called microchimerism. Read full article.

Fertility Clock Headlines, Fertility Headlines

Spur On Your Sperm

brigitte

Want your “guys” to swim like Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps — good kick, perfect physique and great speed? Well, you can spur on your sperm by adding walnuts to your daily menu. (Mike likes ’em roasted; Mehmet? Soaked in water.) Turns out this nut is packed with alpha linoleic acid, one of the omega-3s that help protect you from inflammation and associated diseases, such as diabetes, atherosclerosis and osteoporosis. Read full article.

Fertility Clock Headlines, Fertility Headlines

Chinese Hospital Introduces Sperm Extractor

brigitte

A hospital in China is introducing a sperm extractor to help men who have infertility problems.

The hands-free device has an adaptable massager that can be adjusted according to the person’s height. A website that’s selling the machine for $2,800 says “it can give patients very comfortable feeling.” Read full article.

 

Fertility Clock Headlines, Fertility Headlines

Clinton, Others Announce Contraception Deal

brigitte

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Prices for long-acting contraception will be halved for 27 million women in the developing world through a new partnership, former President Bill Clinton and other world leaders announced Wednesday.

The deal will help avoid almost 30 million unwanted pregnancies and save an estimated $250 million in health costs, the partnership said. By slowing down the pace of births and avoiding medical problems such as premature births, the partnership said about 30,000 maternal deaths and 280,000 child deaths can be avoided. Read full article.