Screening Technique Improves In Vitro Odds

Scientists develop one-minute questionnaire

(NEWSER) - British scientists have developed a one-minute test they swear is a highly reliable predictor of whether a couple can conceive a child with in vitro fertilization, the Telegraph reports. What's more, it's a questionnaire—no blood or tissue sampling required. It's already available for free here and will soon be out as a smartphone app. More»

(NEWSER) - Some couples are unable to conceive because the woman's eggs screen his sperm for DNA quality and give it a thumbs down, the Independent reports. Scientists in Britain and the US have spotted this "lock-and-key" mechanism in which eggs "read" sperm's DNA, most of which is tightly packed inside. If tests are developed, this research could help couples understand their infertility and ensure the success of vitro fertilizations. More»

Contraceptive pill for men may be just a decade away

(NEWSER) - Will men take it? Will women believe men are taking it? However this unfolds, the male contraceptive pill may be only a decade away, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. Researchers at the University of Kansas are so confident about their male contraceptive pill that they're ready to seek FDA approval to test it on humans. So far their compound has proven safe in rats, rabbits, mice, and monkeys. "It's 100% effective and 100% reversible," says biologist Joseph Tash. More»

It's the first kit to win FDA approval

(NEWSER) - If you've ever questioned your sperm count but weren't thrilled with the idea of dropping by a clinic, worry no longer: For the first time, you can get an FDA-approved home test. The $30 to $40 SpermCheck Fertility Home Sperm Test, available at CVS.com and Walgreens.com, says it's 98% accurate. "Sure, it's funny to talk about, but it could also truly change the way couples (and singles) approach conception," writes Brent Rose at Gizmodo . While nearly half of conception problems are on the male side, men are far more reluctant to head to a clinic for a checkup, he notes. More»

In-vitro pregnancies of older women show no rise in complications

(NEWSER) - Women in their 50s who receive donated eggs have just as healthy pregnancies as their younger counterparts who do the same, a new study shows. In the largest analysis to date, researchers found that 101 women age 50 and older who used in-vitro fertilization had no more complications than women under 42 who used IVF, reports LiveScience . More»