Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is a very specialized technique performed by embryologists that involves injecting a single sperm into each egg retrieved from an IVF cycle. It was first introduced in the early 1990s to help fertilize eggs for couples with male factor infertility. Since the 1990s, the use of ICSI with IVF cycles has substantially increased. In fact, ICSI …
A new study by researchers in India is showing that obesity can hurt male fertility. Researchers at a fertility center in India analyzed sperm samples from over 1200 men and found that men who were obese (body mass index greater than 30) had lower semen volumes, lower sperm counts, lower sperm motility, and a higher percentage of abnormally shaped sperm. …
Maybe this is why we are seeing more cases of male infertility and many cases of IVF are requiring ICSI.
Researchers at Stanford University reviewed data on 168,867,480 live births from 1972 to 2015, making statistical adjustments for missing paternal records. The average age of the father of a newborn in the United States, the investigators found, has risen to …
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approving the sale and marketing of clomiphene citrate (Clomid) for the “treatment of ovulatory dysfunction in women desiring pregnancy”. At the time, this was a huge breakthrough for couples who were desperate to conceive their own child. For many patients, it was a “wonder drug”.
Prior to …
A new study is showing that ingredients in common household products may reduce fertility. Researchers from University of California, Davis found that quaternary ammonium compounds, also known as “quats”, inhibit mitochondria and estrogenic functions in cells that were studied in vitro.
Quats are used as antimicrobial agents in many common household products, including antiseptics in toothpastes, mouthwashes, shampoos, lotions, household …
Last week Dr Amin blogged here that a new analysis published in the journal, Human Reproduction Update, is showing that the sperm counts of men in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand have markedly declined in the past 40 years.
If you or your partner has a marginal sperm count, here is something simple that could make a …
A new analysis published in the journal, Human Reproduction Update, is showing that the sperm counts of men in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand have markedly declined in the past 40 years.
Researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusulem conducted a meta-analysis of 185 studies. The studies included data from sperm samples from almost 43,000 men from …
A new study is showing that excessive caffeine intake may affect male fertility. The study by Italian researchers, published in Nutrition Journal, showed that increased caffeine intake may affect male reproductive function, possibly through sperm DNA damage.
The study compiled data from approximately 20,000 males involved in 28 previous research studies that looked at the relationship between male coffee/caffeine …
A new smartphone device may allow men to test their fertility at home. Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School are developing a smartphone accessory and app that can determine sperm count and motility with reported accuracy of up to 98%.
The test comes in the form of a disposable kit that uses hardware and software technology. …
A new study found that eating walnuts may improve sperm quality. This animal study on mice supports a previous 2012 study, which showed that men who added 75 gram (2.5 ounces) of walnuts per day to their diets had improved sperm vitality, motility, and morphology compared to men who did not. The benefits of walnuts likely comes from the high …
