scholarly journals The Octo Mom Meets Constitutional Law: Testing the Constitutionality of Restricting Fertility Treatments

2011 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theresa Miller-Sporrer
Keyword(s):  
In Vitro Fertilization ◽  
Constitutional Law ◽  
Fertility Treatment ◽  
Multiple Pregnancies ◽  
Financial Situation ◽  
Vitro Fertilization ◽  
The Public ◽  
Fertility Treatments

On 26 January 2009, Nadya Suleman gave birth to eight children. 1 The public outpouring of support quickly turned into widespread condemnation as more information about Ms. Suleman’s multiple pregnancies and financial situation was released.2 Once the public learned not only that Ms. Suleman had six other children but also that all fourteen children had been conceived using in vitro fertilization, the public began to question both her judgment and the judgment of her doctor.3 The public apparently was willing to accept the birth if it was the non-deliberate product of a hormone-based fertility treatment but was less willing to accept the birth if it was the result of a deliberate choice on the part of Ms. Suleman and her physician.

How Does the Inclusion of Twins Conceived via Fertility Treatments Influence the Results of Twin Studies?

2012 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 746-752 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Alexandra Burt ◽  
Kelly L. Klump
Keyword(s):  
Twin Studies ◽  
The United States ◽  
Fertility Treatment ◽  
State University ◽  
Behavioral Differences ◽  
Vitro Fertilization ◽  
Fertility Treatments ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Twin Families

Rates of twinning have risen dramatically over the last 30 years, from 1 in 53 births in 1980 to 1 in 30 births in 2009 (Martin et al. (January 2012). Three decades of twin births in the United States, 1980–2009. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics). This increase is largely attributable to increases in the use of fertility treatments (i.e., ovulation induction and in vitro fertilization) combined with delays in parenthood. Although this increase means that more twins are available for recruitment into twin studies, it also has potential consequences for the heritability estimates obtained in these studies. This study sought to evaluate this possibility, making use of the ongoing Michigan Twins Project (N = 7,261 families with twins aged 3–17 years), an arm of the Michigan State University Twin Registry. Results revealed that, on average, twins conceived via fertility treatments had lower rates of behavior problems than those conceived naturally, although these behavioral differences could be explained largely by demographic and socio-economic differences across the two types of twin families. Twin similarity did not meaningfully differ across fertility treatment status. We thus conclude that estimates of genetic and environmental influences obtained from twin studies over the last 10–15 years are more or less unaffected by the inclusion of twins conceived via fertility treatments in their samples.

Fertility Treatments and the Risk of Preterm Birth Among Women with Subfertility: A Linked-Data Retrospective Cohort Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica N Sanders ◽  
Sara E Simonsen ◽  
Christina A Porucznik ◽  
Ahmad O Hammoud ◽  
Ken Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Study ◽  
Preterm Birth ◽  
In Vitro Fertilization ◽  
Retrospective Cohort ◽  
Fetal Death ◽  
Perinatal Outcomes ◽  
Birth Certificates ◽  
Vitro Fertilization ◽  
Fertility Treatments

Abstract Background: In vitro fertilization (IVF) births contribute to a considerable proportion of preterm birth (PTB) each year. However, there is no formal surveillance of adverse perinatal outcomes for less invasive fertility treatments. The study objective was to determine the effect of fertility treatment (in vitro fertilization, intrauterine insemination, usually with ovulation drugs (IUI), or ovulation drugs alone) on preterm birth, compared to no treatment in subfertile women.Methods: The Fertility Experiences Study (FES) is a retrospective cohort study conducted at the University of Utah between April 2010 and September 2012. Women with a history of primary subfertility self-reported treatment data via survey and interviews. Participant data were linked to birth certificates and fetal death records to asses for perinatal outcomes, particularly preterm birth.Results: A total 487 birth certificates and 3 fetal death records were linked as first births for study participants who completed questionnaires. Among linked births, 19% had a PTB. After adjustment for maternal age, paternal age, maternal education, annual income, religious affiliation, female or male fertility diagnosis, and duration of subfertility, the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for PTB were 2.17 (CI: 0.99, 4.75) for births conceived using ovulation drugs, 3.17 (CI: 1.4, 7.19) for neonates conceived using IUI and 4.24 (CI: 2.05, 8.77) for neonates conceived by IVF, compared to women with subfertility who used no treatment during the month of conception. A reported diagnosis of female factor infertility increased the adjusted odds of having a PTB 2.99 (CI: 1.5, 5.97). Duration of pregnancy attempt was not independently associated with PTB. In restricting analyses to singleton gestation, odds ratios remained elevated but were not significant for any type of treatment.Conclusion: IVF, IUI, and ovulation drugs were all associated with a higher incidence of preterm birth and low birth weight, predominantly related to multiple gestation births.

scholarly journals The obligate need for accuracy in reporting preclinical studies relevant to clinical trials: autologous germline mitochondrial supplementation for assisted human reproduction as a case study

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 263349412091735
Author(s):  
Jonathan L. Tilly ◽  
Dori C. Woods
Keyword(s):  
Energy Transfer ◽  
In Vitro Fertilization ◽  
Clinical Studies ◽  
Human Reproduction ◽  
Fertility Treatment ◽  
Success Rates ◽  
Vitro Fertilization ◽  
Mouse Study ◽  
Mitochondrial Supplementation

A now large body of work has solidified the central role that mitochondria play in oocyte development, fertilization, and embryogenesis. From these studies, a new technology termed autologous germline mitochondrial energy transfer was developed for improving pregnancy success rates in assisted reproduction. Unlike prior clinical studies that relied on the use of donor, or nonautologous, mitochondria for microinjection into eggs of women with a history of repeated in vitro fertilization failure to enhance pregnancy success, autologous germline mitochondrial energy transfer uses autologous mitochondria collected from oogonial stem cells of the same woman undergoing the fertility treatment. Initial trials of autologous germline mitochondrial energy transfer during - in vitro fertilization at three different sites with a total of 104 patients indicated a benefit of the procedure for improving pregnancy success rates, with the birth of children conceived through the inclusion of autologous germline mitochondrial energy transfer during in vitro fertilization. However, a fourth clinical study, consisting of 57 patients, failed to show a benefit of autologous germline mitochondrial energy transfer– in vitro fertilization versus in vitro fertilization alone for improving cumulative live birth rates. Complicating this area of work further, a recent mouse study, which claimed to test the long-term safety of autologous mitochondrial supplementation during in vitro fertilization, raised concerns over the use of the procedure for reproduction. However, autologous mitochondria were not actually used for preclinical testing in this mouse study. The unwarranted fears that this new study’s erroneous conclusions could cause in women who have become pregnant through the use of autologous germline mitochondrial energy transfer during- in vitro fertilization highlight the critical need for accurate reporting of preclinical work that has immediate bearing on human clinical studies.

Clinical biochemistry of assisted conception

2009 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 197-204
Author(s):  
Rajeev Srivastava ◽  
Vanessa Kay
Keyword(s):  
In Vitro Fertilization ◽  
Clinical Biochemistry ◽  
Intrauterine Insemination ◽  
Test Tube ◽  
Fertility Treatment ◽  
Assisted Conception ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Vitro Fertilization

Assisted reproductive technology has shown rapid advancement since the birth of the first ‘test-tube’ baby in Oldham, UK, in 1978. Since April 2005, women between the ages of 23 and 39, who meet the described eligibility criteria, are able to get one free in vitro fertilization cycle funded by the National Health Service. Private treatment costs anything from £4000 to £8000 for a single cycle of treatment. Almost 15% of the couples in UK are affected by fertility problems and undergo detailed investigations before being offered assisted conception. Assisted reproduction is the collective name for treatments designed to lead to conception by means other than sexual intercourse. These include intrauterine insemination, in vitro fertilization, intracytoplasmic sperm injection and gamete donation. This review is intended to summarize the principles of assisted conception and examine the role of the biochemistry laboratory in: (A) the diagnosis and subsequent management of ovulatory disorders; (B) assessing ovarian reserve before initiating fertility treatment and (C) monitoring fertility treatment. It touches on the screening of potential gamete donors and follow-up of children born after assisted conception. This article was prepared at the invitation of the Clinical Sciences Reviews Committee of the Association of Clinical Biochemistry.

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