Will CRISPR fears fade with familiarity?
Americans have moved on from worrying about ‘test-tube babies’ – but there are still ethical challenges to resolve as reproductive technologies continue to advance.
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Articles on IVF
Displaying 1 - 20 of 63 articles
Editing human embryos with CRISPR is moving ahead – now’s the time to work out the ethics
The news may have come as a surprise, but it probably shouldn't have. A bioethics expert walks through how big a deal this announcement is – and what we should be considering now.
What marsupials taught us about embryo implantation could help women using IVF
A new evolutionary perspective on what's been a medical paradox: Why does the body use inflammation to regulate aspects of pregnancy when inflammation is also a big threat to pregnancy?
Women now have clearer statistics on whether IVF is likely to work
Women will now be better informed when it comes to deciding whether it's worth undergoing another round of IVF.
Study confirms ‘flushing’ blocked fallopian tubes can improve fertility and reduce need for IVF
Women have been getting their fallopian tubes flushed for 100 years to help them conceive. Studies show it works, all the better if you use an oil-based liquid.
In a world first, Singapore’s highest court rules that parents deserve kids with their genes
The court found that parents have a strong interest in a "genetic affinity" with their children, one that can merit compensation if subverted.
IVF has little effect on health of the child
A twins study shows that children born via IVF have similar epigenetic changes compared with those born naturally.
Victoria’s world-first change to share sperm or egg donors’ names with children
From today, more people conceived with donor sperm or eggs in Victoria will have the legal right to know details about their donor – even if the donation was made anonymously.
Destroying research embryos within 14 days limits chance of medical breakthroughs
Stem-cell scientists have to work within many limitations placed on their research. One of these is the 14-day rule that outlaws research on pure human embryos over two weeks old.
What’s the point of sex? It’s communication at a biological level
Health benefits come with regular sexual contact with the same male partner before pregnancy commences.
The next frontier in reproductive tourism? Genetic modification
Medical tourism for assisted reproductive technologies raises a host of legal and ethical questions.
Five traps to be aware of when reading success rates on IVF clinic websites
Our recent audit of success rates provided on the websites of IVF clinics’ in Australia and New Zealand identified some common traps in the way these figures are presented.
Most men don’t realise age is a factor in their fertility too
While most people might think age only affects female fertility, there is growing evidence sperm quality decreases as men age.
Suppressing the immune system won’t improve your chances of conceiving with IVF
In pregnancy, immune cells help the uterus tolerate and nurture the embryo despite it carrying foreign genes from the father. In most women, suppressing immunity will likely cause more harm than good.
Four myths about IVF in older women
Fertility treatment in older age might be tougher, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be done.
First working eggs made from stem cells points to fertility breakthrough
Researchers from Kyushu University, Japan, are the first to turn mice stem cells into mature eggs that can be fertilised.
Emerging infertility treatment could be a less invasive and cheaper alternative to IVF
Early studies suggest a process called advanced in-vitro maturation may be able to treat infertility without women needing to inject themselves with high doses of hormones for several weeks.
If you can screen for brown eyes, you should be able to edit out genetic disease
Why can we choose some things and not others?
Don’t dismiss conflict-of-interest concerns in IVF, they have a basis
Assisted reproductive technology is a highly profitable global industry, with fertility clinics increasingly being regarded as an attractive investment option.
Why women’s eggs run out and what can be done about it
Most women will have been made aware they have a ticking biological clock. But most probably don't know it's because women are born with a limited supply of eggs, and eventually they will run out.
Top contributors
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Karin Hammarberg is a Friend of The Conversation.Senior Research Fellow, Jean Hailes Research Unit, School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Monash University
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Monash University
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Professor Public Health Genetics, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
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Professor, Lifecourse and Intergenerational Health Research Group, University of Adelaide
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Professor, University of Adelaide
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Associate Professor, Law School, La Trobe University
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Associate Professor in Sociology, Swinburne University of Technology
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Professor and Director, Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide
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Director, Sansom Institute for Health Research; Chair of Translational Cancer Research, University of South Australia
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Professor and Director, Centre for Genetic Diseases, Monash Institute of Medical Research, Monash University
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Senior Research Fellow, Bioethics, University of Sydney
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Senior Research Fellow at the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University
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Head of School of Women’s and Children’s Health and Professor of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, UNSW
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Lecturer in Philosophy & Chair of Faculty of Arts HREC, Macquarie University
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Post-Doctoral Fellow in Bioethics, University of Sydney
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