Science Current Events | Science News | Brightsurf.com
 
Email a Friend Send to a friend
Printer Friendly Print Study reveals surge in male-factor infertility technique

Study reveals surge in male-factor infertility technique

July 19, 2007

A national study reveals that the use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection or ICSI -- an assisted reproductive technology used to treat male-factor infertility -- has increased dramatically in the United States since 1995, while the proportion of patients receiving treatment for male-factor infertility has remained stable.

"Despite its added cost and uncertain efficacy and risk, the use of ICSI has been extended to include patients without documented male-factor infertility," said Dr. Tarun Jain, assistant professor of reproductive endocrinology and infertility at the University of Illinois at Chicago and lead author of the study that appears in the July 19 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.




The research also compared the use of ICSI in states with and without mandated insurance coverage for infertility treatment.

States with mandated insurance coverage for infertility (Illinois, Massachusetts and Rhode Island) had a greater use of ICSI for reasons other than male-factor infertility when compared to states without mandated insurance coverage.

The researchers analyzed national data on assisted reproductive technology during a 10-year time span from 1995 to 2004. The study included all in vitro fertilization cycles involving fresh embryos from non-donor eggs in women younger than 43.

"The percentage of IVF cycles that used ICSI increased dramatically during the 10-year time span, from 11 percent to 57.5 percent, while the percentage of diagnosis for male-factor infertility remained steady," said Jain.

They also found that the number of fertility clinics and the number of fresh-embryo cycles has increased, as have pregnancy and live-birth rates.

Jain notes that some physicians may feel ICSI is appropriate for patients who have failed prior IVF cycles, for patients who have very few eggs available, or to overcome barriers to the normal fertilization process.

The largest study to compare traditional IVF with ICSI in patients without male-factor infertility found that patients who underwent ICSI had lower rates of implantation and pregnancy than patients who did not have ICSI, according to Jain.

There have been very few studies to evaluate the routine use of ICSI and the possibility of associated risks, such as genetic disorders and congenital anomalies.

"Further studies are needed to better understand the proper role of ICSI, and perhaps guidelines may be useful to determine what the best indications are for use of the technology in patients without male-factor infertility," said Jain.

University of Illinois at Chicago



Related Infertility Current Events and Infertility News Articles Infertility Current Events and Infertility News RSS Infertility Current Events and Infertility News RSS
New hormone data can predict menopause within a year
For many women, including the growing number who choose later-in-life pregnancy, predicting their biological clock's relation to the timing of their menopause and infertility is critically important.

Scientists identify new gene responsible for puberty disorders
A new gene responsible for some puberty disorders has been identified by Medical College of Georgia researchers.

Proteins in sperm unlock understanding of male infertility says new study
Proteins found in sperm are central to understanding male infertility and could be used to determine new diagnostic methods and fertility treatments according to a paper published by the journal Molecular and Cellular Proteomics (MCP).

Rong Li Lab probes mechanism of asymmetry in meiotic cell division
The Stowers Institute's Rong Li Lab has characterized a mechanism that allows for asymmetrical cell division during meiosis in oocytes. By tracking chromosome movement in live mouse oocytes, the team discovered that chromosomes can recruit to their vicinity a protein called formin-2.

What to do with leftover embryos in fertility clinics?
The majority of infertility patients are in favor of using left-over embryos for stem cell research and would also support selling left-over embryos to other couples, according to a recent survey.

Gap junction protein vital to successful pregnancy, researchers find
Researchers studying a critical stage of pregnancy - implantation of the embryo in the uterus - have found a protein that is vital to the growth of new blood vessels that sustain the embryo. Without this protein, which is produced in higher quantities in the presence of estrogen, the embryo is unlikely to survive.

Stem cell research puts interstate rivalry on hold
Victoria and New South Wales have put aside their competitive interstate rivalry to collaborate on a stem cell research project, as announced by Innovation Minister Gavin Jennings and NSW Minister for Science and Medical Research, Verity Firth, today.

Yerkes researchers create animal model of chronic stress
In an effort to better understand how chronic stress affects the human body, researchers at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, have created an animal model that shows how chronic stress affects behavior, physiology and reproduction.

Risks and benefits of antipsychotics in children and adolescents
Many of the psychiatric disorders observed in adults have their onset in childhood or adolescence. In fact some studies show that at least 20% of children and adolescents will fulfil a diagnostic criterion for a mental disorder before reaching adulthood.

Scientists identify possible cause of endometriosis
Endometriosis is a condition whereby patches of the inner lining of the womb appear in parts of the body other than the womb cavity. It can cause severe pain and affects approximately 15% of women of reproductive age. Endometriosis is also associated with infertility, with 50% of infertile women affected by the condition.
More Infertility Current Events and Infertility News Articles


The Infertility Cure: The Ancient Chinese Wellness Program for Getting Pregnant and Having Healthy Babies
by Randine Lewis

This highly effective programme for women struggling to become pregnant draws on the proven, centuries-old techniques of traditional Chinese medicine to cure infertility. Dr Lewis explains in clear, accessible prose how any woman can identify the imbalances in her body - and how these imbalances can then be treated with a simple plan that entails lifestyle changes, diet, herbs and acupressure....



Conquering Infertility: Dr. Alice Domar's Mind/Body Guide to Enhancing Fertility and Coping with Infertility
by Alice D. Domar, Alice Lesch Kelly

Infertility is a heartbreaking condition that affects nine million American couples each year. It causes tremendous stress, can trigger debilitating sadness and depression, and can tear a marriage to shreds. In Conquering Infertility, Harvard psychologist Alice Domar—whom Vogue calls the “Fertility Goddess”—provides infertile couples with what they need most: stress relief, support, and...



Obstetrics, Gynecology and Infertility: Handbook for Clinicians; Pocket Edition (Handbook for Clinicians)
by John D. Gordon, Jan T. Rydfors, Maurice L. Druzin, Yona Tadir, Yasser El-Sayed, John Chan, Dan Lebovic, Elizabeth Langen, Katherine Fuh

Since 1990 this pocket handbook has been used by thousands of physicians, medical students,nurse midwives, nurses andother healthcare providers. Now in this completely rewritten and revised UPDATED 6th EDITION you can find everything that you need to provide comprehensive healthcare to women. Written for a wide range of medical professionals, this pocket-sized compendium is dedicated to all...



Empty Womb, Aching Heart: Hope and Help for Those Struggling With Infertility
by Marlo Schalesky

Contains frank and emotionally resonate stories from both men and women facing the struggle of...

The Natural Diet Solution for PCOS and Infertility (How to Manage Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Naturally)
by William Slater & Nancy Dunne



Hannah's Hope: Seeking God's Heart In The Midst Of Infertility
by Jennifer Saake

Hannah's Hope provides healing and hope for women that have faced the pain of miscarriage, infertility, or a failed...



Adopting After Infertility
by Patricia Irwin Johnston



Infertility Survival Handbook
by Elizabeth Swire-Falker

After seven years of tests and more tests, treatments and more treatments, Elizabeth Swire-Falker understands what it means to struggle with infertility. In this frank, reassuring, and thoroughly researched handbook, she shares her own personal experience and offers insight into what challenges to expect along the way-from getting support to finding the right doctor xto dealing with insurance....



Unsung Lullabies: Understanding and Coping with Infertility
by Janet Jaffe, David Diamond, Martha Diamond

For people experiencing infertility, wanting a baby is a craving unlike any other. The intensity of their longing is matched only by the complexity of the emotional maze they must navigate. With insight and compassion, Drs. Janet Jaffe, Martha Diamond, and David Diamond-specialists in the field of Reproductive Psychology who have each experienced their own struggle with infertility-give couples...



Fertility Wisdom: How Traditional Chinese Medicine Can Help Overcome Infertility
by Angela C. Wu, Katherine Anttila, Betsy Brown

Introducing the only clinically proven program—steeped in ancient Chinese healing traditions—that has enabled hundreds of infertile couples to conceive. At Wu’s Healing Center in San Francisco, miracles are happening. Women and their partners come to the clinic—often from across the country-- to fulfill a passionately held yet fragile dream: to conceive and deliver the healthy baby that...

© 2008 BrightSurf.com