reproduction

Harvard doctor invents ‘vagina on a chip’ to replace animal testing for women’s health issues

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Harvard doctor invents ‘vagina on a chip’ to replace animal testing for women’s health issues

Harvard scientists have been honored for creating the world’s first “vagina-on-a-chip,” a groundbreaking device that mimics the female reproductive tract using living human cells. The tiny lab-grown model allows researchers to better study the vaginal microbiome, including the effects of hormones, healthy bacteria, infections and possible treatments — all without experimenting on mice, which don’t … Read more

Exclusive | ‘AI babies’ are being conceived in ‘previously impossible’ ways — all about the new IVF tech

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Exclusive | ‘AI babies’ are being conceived in ‘previously impossible’ ways — all about the new IVF tech

“We wouldn’t have been able to even have a baby together if it wasn’t for AI,” one dad-to-be told The Post. “So we’re very grateful.” Source link #Exclusive #babies #conceived #previously #impossible #ways #IVF #tech

PCOS just got a much more accurate name — why it’s great news for women

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PCOS just got a much more accurate name — why it’s great news for women

The cycle of mischaracterization is finally being broken. Around 170 million women worldwide struggle with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal and metabolic disorder that causes infertility, acne, excessive hair growth, obesity and irregular periods. Now, the condition is undergoing a much-needed name change to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), a term that medical experts … Read more

I’m a doctor — women need to stop ‘white-knuckling’ through a common inflammatory condition

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I’m a doctor — women need to stop ‘white-knuckling’ through a common inflammatory condition

The dismissal of this chronic condition is a common pain point for the nearly 10% of women who have it. In a society that normalizes women’s pain, plenty of doctors have been known to write off endometriosis complications as less than serious. Enough so that today, leading experts say the disorder goes underreported and can … Read more

Men with a devastating condition are more likely to develop colorectal, thyroid cancers

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Men with a devastating condition are more likely to develop colorectal, thyroid cancers

Not your daddy’s cancer scare. Male cancer cases are rising at a staggering rate, with 19 million men expected to be diagnosed by 2050, and the number of men who die from cancer is increasing 93%. Now, research points to a potential link between one devastating reproductive condition and increased chances of developing colorectal or … Read more

Men may be doubling their partner’s risk of miscarriage with a single controversial habit

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Men may be doubling their partner’s risk of miscarriage with a single controversial habit

Your spirits won’t be high after reading this. A growing body of research suggests a controversial, increasingly common habit in the US may be quietly damaging men’s sperm — and doubling their partners’ risk of miscarriage. “It is one of the most moveable factors right now in this country for improving fertility outcomes,” Dr. Natalie … Read more

Exclusive | Doctors dismissed my agonizing symptoms for years — my misunderstood condition affects 190M people

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Exclusive | Doctors dismissed my agonizing symptoms for years — my misunderstood condition affects 190M people

Most people go through life dreading a serious diagnosis and surgery. I spent my formative years begging for both.  At 30, while my peers were advancing their careers and growing their families, I couldn’t shower without vomiting from the strain it put on my body.  I couldn’t pull up my underwear or tie my shoes … Read more

Sure, you can make babies in space — but sperm may get confused by gravity: new research

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Sure, you can make babies in space — but sperm may get confused by gravity: new research

These swimmers are sure to sink. Human sperm can get lost in space, new research shows. Scientists put sperm to the test to determine whether a child could be conceived in space, using a tiny plastic “obstacle course.” The findings, published in the journal Communications Biology, showed that the navigational abilities of sperm are negatively … Read more

Scientists discover unexpected benefit to masturbating — but just for men

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Scientists discover unexpected benefit to masturbating — but just for men

Fellas, you might want to pencil in a little “me” time.  A new study found that masturbation comes with more perks than just the rush of feel-good endorphins after an orgasm. This time, it’s all about what’s going on behind the scenes with your swimmers. Masturbation has been linked to a range of physical and … Read more

Scientists warn that a modern supermarket staple is messing with women’s fertility

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Scientists warn that a modern supermarket staple is messing with women’s fertility

It’s the food, baby. While shopping the perimeter of the grocery store is an age-old tip to stock up on good-for-you foods, reaching for chips, cookies and soda can be the ultimate comfort habit. But these and other junk food staples could be messing with women’s chances of trying to have a baby, according to … Read more

Hard-to-diagnose women’s disease is often dismissed, even by gynecologists — but can cause serious problems if left untreated

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Hard-to-diagnose women’s disease is often dismissed, even by gynecologists — but can cause serious problems if left untreated

Dr. Sheeva Talebian is haunted by how long “we’ve conditioned women to believe that debilitating pain is normal.” It’s a “clinical failure,” she declared, and it’s a reason why symptoms of one tricky disease in particular are often unreported and misdiagnosed — sometimes until irreversible damage has already been done. The board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and third-party … Read more

You should be optimizing your sperm — how to do it in 74 days

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You should be optimizing your sperm — how to do it in 74 days

Spring training might be over, but your sperm is just getting warmed up. While preparing for conception has historically been considered a woman’s burden, evolving research shows that infertility is the result of men’s biology roughly half the time.  A new startup aimed at “sperm optimization” wants to help men harness their virility with a … Read more

Young women are shunning birth control because of the ‘nocebo effect’

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Young women are shunning birth control because of the ‘nocebo effect’

When a teen girl recently posted on TikTok about the “pros and cons of birth control,” almost 120,000 people hit the “like” button. Of the pros, the girl said her birth control made her period disappear and referenced its “99%” success rate at preventing pregnancy. Of the cons, she said it’s made her constantly bloated … Read more

The serious complication from a menstrual cup that sent a woman to the hospital

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The serious complication from a menstrual cup that sent a woman to the hospital

It’s one thing if your cup runneth over. It’s another if it obstructeth your organs. Last year, doctors treated a woman in her 30s who presented with occasional pain in her side and abdomen, and blood in her urine. When it wasn’t immediately clear what was behind her symptoms, they ordered a CT scan. Her … Read more

Don’t fall for TikTok’s ‘trimester zero’ pregnancy planning trend, warns doc

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Don’t fall for TikTok’s ‘trimester zero’ pregnancy planning trend, warns doc

What to expect… when you’re expecting to expect? Social media mamas-to-be are abuzz about “trimester zero,” a pre-pregnancy plan that some experts say is seriously misguided. “Trimester zero is a ‘hot new topic’ in the world of OB and fertility that suggests there’s a critical three-month window before conception where you need to optimize everything — diet, … Read more

This is the surprising age when male sexual desire actually peaks: study

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This is the surprising age when male sexual desire actually peaks: study

Sex isn’t just a young man’s game. Sexual desire is a driving force in many relationships and a fundamental part of being human — we know that it can vary greatly among individuals. But what we once thought about male sexual desire and when it peaks has completely changed, thanks to new research. Once-held popular … Read more

Scientists have figured out how to ‘rejuvenate’ eggs for IVF — what it means for women over 40

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Scientists have figured out how to ‘rejuvenate’ eggs for IVF — what it means for women over 40

The start of a reproductive revolution? A novel technique to “rejuvenate” human eggs may dramatically improve IVF success rates in older women, scientists say. “We have been able to achieve the first rejuvenation of a human egg in vitro. What this means is we could reduce the fraction of eggs with genetic defects,” Dr. Agata … Read more

Menopause can actually change the way you talk — here’s how

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Menopause can actually change the way you talk — here’s how

Even though half the population goes through it, the symptoms of menopause are still not fully clear. Hot flashes, night sweats and fatigue often get the spotlight, but there can be several other surprising signs of menopause — including your voice changing. And while nearly half of US women feel completely uninformed about the condition, this … Read more

This is the age when female fertility starts falling off a cliff — it’s younger than you think

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This is the age when female fertility starts falling off a cliff — it’s younger than you think

It’s not eggs-actly the news you want to hear. A new study has pinpointed the age when female fertility starts to plummet — and it happens earlier than you might think. Researchers say the findings could pave the way for future treatments that help keep women’s biological clocks ticking longer. Fertility challenges tend to grow … Read more

The exact age when your sperm quality starts to decline — and you’re more likely to pass disease-causing mutations to your kids

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The exact age when your sperm quality starts to decline — and you’re more likely to pass disease-causing mutations to your kids

While whiskey, real estate portfolios and emotional intelligence tend to improve with age, sperm does not. New research suggests that your spunk does indeed sour with time — at least in terms of how harmful, age-related mutations can affect your offspring. Publishing in the journal Nature, researchers in the UK tracked the sperm samples of … Read more