- Oklahoma passed a bill prohibiting the payment for donor eggs. The implications are far reaching, especially for fertility patients.
- On March 6, 2010, Good Morning America did a story on "Men, Too: Infertility Is Not Just a Female Problem". Healthy Young Men Face Infertility and Battle Social Stigma. Check out this great article and video.
- Currently only 15 states require insurance coverage for infertility treatment, and laws vary widely. Learn which states offer coverage, and what is included and excluded. Check out information at Resolve on pending egg donor legislation in the State of Arizona.
- While on the The View website, I got sucked into watching the most bizarre interview with Nadya Suleman, aka Octomom. I'm not particularly proud that I spent 20 minutes of my life doing this, but somehow I sat in front of my computer transfixed. I've included the link just in case there are others out there who find this woman weirdly fascinating. I simply don't know what to say after watching this interview, and I am seldom out of words. Please remember that her doctor lost his license for his part in this fiasco.
- The ABC daytime chick talk fest, The View, devoted the entire show Feb. 25, 2010 to infertility. Sherry, Barbara, and Elizabeth all experienced infertility. Guest included an infertility doctor and several couples and a single woman talking about their infertility struggles. It was very good. There were places where I cringed over the terminology or the misunderstanding of some basic issues, but all in all, I thought it was great. Let's face it, infertility needs all the publicity and support it can get.
- Researchers in Denmark found that women who get pregnant through IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) have a fourfold increased risk of stillbirth compared with women who conceived naturally. This was a large study (20,000 pregnancies) and they controlled for multiple births by only following singletons. It is important to keep in mind that the overall risk is still quite low. The rate of stillbirth after IVF/ICSI was 16.2 per thousand, compared to 3.7 per thousand in fertile couples who conceived without medical help. This study did not speculate on why the stillbirth rate was higher with infertility treatment. This research supports the idea that all pregnancies through IVF should be followed more carefully by the obstetricians.
- The best explanation, plus pictures, of embryo grading that I've found is at the Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago website. They explain grading for Day 3 embryos and Day 5 embryos.
- The Washington Post ran a good article on the recent research released by the University of St. Andrews and Edinburgh University showing that women lose 90 percent of their eggs by age 30. "Thirty? Life has hardly begun at 30! Gulp. The hard truth is that decades of research have proved that a woman's fertility declines over time. But now it appears that the old biological clock may start ticking much earlier -- and faster -- than once thought." Although the article was not necessarily alarmist, it did a good job of summarizing the current state of research.
- ABC News had a good segment on premature ovarian failure. Informative and as a video it's a nice break from all the written articles I keep sending you to.
- The New York Times ran a very good Q & A on the relationship between Celiac Disease, Infertility and Miscarriages. The covered it's impact on both male and female factor infertility. One of the most frustrating aspects of celiac disease is the often confusing symptoms it presents.
- I thought this was such well written advice on how to share your pregnancy news with your friends who are struggling with trying to conceive.It's from Advice Smackdown.
- I ran across this video recently(A Year In The Life of Infertility (Year 4)) and thought it did about as good a job as any summing up a year in infertility treatment. You might laugh, you might cry, but above all, you'll understand. Spoiler: The couple did not get pregnant, so although it's not an uplifting happy ending type video, it is still worth viewing if you're in the midst of this journey. We have listed many other videos on our Infertility Video page and we try to provide different types to suit different people at different stages of trying to conceive.
- I've said it before and I'll say it again: Don't take short cuts when using Assisted Reproductive Technology, especially when using Third Party Reproduction. Check out the cautionary tale in the NYT, titled "21st-Century Babies: Building a Baby, With Few Ground Rules". Don't consider surrogacy without both sides being represented by an attorney.
- Sarah Jessica Parker talks about their decision to use a surrogate in Elle.
- Another NYT article on the physical, emotional, and financial cost of twin births. The Gift of Life, and Its Price
- The Room For Debate column in the NYT ran a great discussion on The Trouble With Twin Births Numerous expert discuss the topic. Several of these expert have been a guest on our radio show, Creating a Family: Talk about Infertility and Adoption.
- Wall Street Journal article on Dealing With Infertility Treatments on the Job July 15, 2009
- New York Times article--Much has changed in Surrogate Pregnancies.
- As many of you know, Creating a Family has long had an interest in educating families on their options on what to do with their unused frozen embryos. I recently read an interesting article in Brain, Child: The Magazine for Thinking Mothers titled "Love on the Rocks" by Beth Kohl author of Embryo Culture: Making Babies in the Twenty-First Century. Kohl also has 7 frozen embryos left over from her years in infertility treatment.
- CBC Radio broadcast a 2 Part series titled From Here To Maternity in June 2009. "For decades men have donated sperm for baby-making. But in recent years egg donation has become a growing business and concern. Moms-in-waiting can purchase tourism packages to the Czech Republic or pay a university student in Boston for her eggs. Science journalist and IDEAS contributor Alison Motluk deconstructs the new motherhood." Downloadable podcasts are only available for one month.
- I debated on whether to include this article summarizing research that supports a particular brand of nutritional supplement, Fertility Blend. (Supplement Study Raises Hopes For Infertile Couple) I comprommised by includig it on this "news" page, rather than the Research page. I caution that the study is small, but it was done by Stanford. I don't know whether the research was supported or paid for by the producers of the supplement.
- Insurance is a big darn deal in infertility. I love David vs. Goliath stories and here's one for sure. Framingham couple fighting for expanded infertility coverage. They haven't won yet, but at least they are fighting the fight.
- Interesting essay in the NYT titled Too Many Ways to Have a Baby? by Lisa Belkin. The impetus for the article was the announcement by Sarah Jessica Parker and Mathew Broderick that they will be having twins later this summer via surrogacy. The essay was interesting, but the comments were even more interesting. There is still so much misunderstanding about infertility!
- By Executive Order, President Bush severely limited embryonic stem cell research. On March 9, President Obama lifted some of these restrictions. Congress would have to act to truly liberate this research, but today’s executive order will open the door for researchers. Much confusion exists about what is in involved with embryonic stem cell research. Couple undergoing in vitro fertilization, the most common form of infertility treatment, often have frozen embryos left over once they have finished their family. Research has shown that many would like to donate these excess embryos to research. The June 4, 2008 Creating A Family show addressed the myths and facts about embryonic stem cell research. The panel of experts were Judith F. Daar, Professor of Law at Whittier Law School, Professor of Medicine at University of California Irvine College of Medicine, and author of Reproductive Technologies and the Law ; Dr. Marie Csete, Chief Scientific Officer at the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine; Dr. Shuhua Shen, an embryologist and fertility researcher with University of California at San Francisco,and Dr. Geoff Lomax, Science Officer to the Standards Working Group at the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine.
- Once again, Slate Magazine nailed it, in this article titled "Crocktuplets: Hijacking the octuplets backlash to restrict IVF". This whole octuplet business is being used to create really bad legislation. Yes, I said it would happen, but I take no joy in being right. This is a must read.
- As those of you who have followed my site know, one of my favorite infertility blogs, Stirrup Queens, is up for a Weblog Award. She needs our votes to win. The process is ridiculously easy. Click here, and then click on Stirrup Queens.
- Rolling back the fertility clock on CNNHealth.com This is an up to date Infertility 101 article that includes a discussion of alternative treatments. Dec. 25, 2008
- Psychosocial Impact of Infertility in Advance for LPNs (a magazine for practical nurses) This may be a bit of preaching to the choir and the information may not be earth shatteringly new, but it's nice to feel affirmed.
- Her Body, My Baby by Alex Kuczynsk is a great article on gestational surrogacy in the Nov. 30, 2008 NYT magazine. Ms. Kuczynsk's honest account of using a gestational surrogate is not to be missed.
- Left/Right Television, a film and TV production company based in New York City, is looking for several couples or individuals at the beginning of their infertility journey to follow for a documentary on infertility. I know nothing about this organization, but they have produced shows for This American Life (http://www.thislife.org/about_staff.aspx -- scroll down halfway and you'll see them). The tell me that “the larger purpose of our series is to introduce the public to the challenges of infertility, as well educate people on the options that exist for those having trouble conceiving. This will be a serious, respectful treatment of the issue of infertility.” If you are interested, contact Left/Right Television-- alexadanner @gmail.com (delete space).
- CNN reports that Obama may overturn federal ban on stem cell research.
- Bisphenol A (BPA) a chemical often used to harden plastic used in food and beverage containers may be linked to infertility and in vitro fertilization failure according to a report presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine's annual meeting in early November. Last month, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel acknowledged that BPA may pose health risks. Read more.
- Interesting article on how children conceived through donor gametes feel about this decision as adults. (Oct. 2008)
- Great sereis of article in the LA Times on embryo disposition. The first page article idsuccses the options and the legislative threats. There are separate articles in the Health section on donating to research and donating to another couple. (Oct. 6, 2008)
- A recent article in the Wall Street Journal highlighted a recent decision, the first decision of its kind at the federal appeals-court level, that found women who need time off work for infertility treatment may invoke the Pregnancy Discrimination Act as potential protection against adverse action, such as being fired. 8-22-08
- Two common "first step" treatments for unexplained infertility are found to be no more affective than doing nothing in a recently published study in the British Medical Journal. The NYT had a good summary of this study, and I review it more thoroughly on the Infertility research page . 8-11-08
- Preemies Face Risks As They Grow Up: Babies born prematurely are more likely to be childless and less educated in adulthood. This is a CBS news article on a big study out of Duke. There is a video with this article as well.
- Male infertility linked to growing waistlines: A study looks at one potential cause: fatty tissue enzyme that converts testosterone to estrogen.
- Facing Life Without Children When It Isn’t by Choice. The decision to live child-free in the New York Times.
- Patients Voices: Infertility. Audio clips of the infertility experience in the New York Times.
- The Curious Lives of Surrogates:Thousands of largely invisible American women have given birth to other people's babies. Many are married to men in the military.
- A Sperm-Biz Overhaul: A new era of openness about reproductive options is shaking up an industry based on donor anonymity. This article looks at the movement toward openness in donated gametes as changing the face of infertility treatment.
- Engineering by Scientists on Embryo Stirs Criticism (New York Times) May 13, 2008
- Experts Move Closer to Identifying Best Embryos which experts hope will increase pregnancy rates and the acceptance of single embryo transfer.
- Wall Street Journal article on the increasing popularity of infertility tourism
- New study shows that using a single more mature egg increases pregnancy rates and decreases risk of multiple births.
- Reducing the odds of multiples article in the New York Times.
- Fun article about infertility blogs. Some well known bloggers are quoted.
- Boy, does this essay cut to the core of the infertility issue.
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Infertility