Medicine › Reproductive Medicine

Reproductive Health and Technologies

Works Count: 86953

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This cluster of papers explores global trends in infertility prevalence, treatment-seeking behavior, and the impact of assisted reproductive technologies on individuals and couples. It delves into the psychological, social, and economic aspects of infertility, as well as disparities in access to infertility services across different regions. The papers also address the implications of delayed childbearing, the influence of lifestyle factors on fertility, and the experiences of individuals conceived through donor insemination.

Keywords

Infertility; Reproductive Technologies; Assisted Reproductive Technology; Global Trends; Psychological Impact; Epidemiology; Gender Differences; Quality of Life; Stress; Access to Care

The medicalization of society: on the transformation of human conditions into treatable disorders

2008-03-01

Peter Conrad

Medicalization : context, characteristics, and changes -- Extension : men and the medicalization of andropause, baldness, and erectile dysfunction -- Expansion : from hyperactive children to adult ADHD -- Enhancement … Medicalization : context, characteristics, and changes -- Extension : men and the medicalization of andropause, baldness, and erectile dysfunction -- Expansion : from hyperactive children to adult ADHD -- Enhancement : human growth hormone and the temptations of biomedical enhancement -- Continuity : homosexuality and the potential for remedicalization -- Measuring medicalization : categories, numbers, and treatment -- The shifting engines of medicalization -- Medicalization and its discontents.

Making parents: the ontological choreography of reproductive technologies

2006-04-01

Charis Thompson

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) makes babies and parents at once. Drawing on science and technology studies, feminist theory, and historical and ethnographic analyses of ART clinics, Charis Thompson explores the … Assisted reproductive technology (ART) makes babies and parents at once. Drawing on science and technology studies, feminist theory, and historical and ethnographic analyses of ART clinics, Charis Thompson explores the intertwining of biological with the personal, political, and technological meanings of reproduction. She analyzes the at ART clinics -- the dynamics by which technical, scientific, kinship, gender, emotional, legal, political, financial, and other matters are coordinated -- using ethnographic data to address questions usually treated in the abstract. Reproductive technologies, says Thompson, are part of the increasing tendency to turn social problems into questions and can be used as a lens through which to see the resulting changes in the relations between science and society. After giving an account of the book's disciplinary roots in science and technology studies and in feminist scholarship on reproduction, Thompson comes to the ethnographic heart of her study. She develops her concept of ontological choreography by examining ART's normalization of miraculous technology (including the etiquette of technological sex); gender identity in the assigned roles of mother and father and the conservative nature of gender relations in the clinic; the naturalization of technologically assisted kinship and procreative intent; and patients' pursuit of agency through objectification and technology. Finally, Thompson explores the economies of reproductive technologies, concluding with a speculative and polemical look at the biomedical mode of reproduction as a predictor of future relations between science and society.

The Problem of Abortion and the Doctrine of the Double Effect

2002-10-17

Philippa Foot

Abstract Abortion is considered in relation to the doctrine of the double effect, which distinguishes between the intentions behind an action and consequences foreseen but not desired. This doctrine, often … Abstract Abortion is considered in relation to the doctrine of the double effect, which distinguishes between the intentions behind an action and consequences foreseen but not desired. This doctrine, often used to defend the position of the Catholic Church on abortion, is here rejected. Alternative distinctions are drawn, between what we do and what we allow to happen, and between the infringement of ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ duties. These distinctions are applied to the problem of abortion and to other moral dilemmas.

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Principles of Cryopreservation

2007-01-01

David E. Pegg

Vitrification as an approach to cryopreservation

1984-08-01

Gregory M. Fahy , Douglas R. MacFarlane , C. Austen Angell +1 more

Conceiving the New World Order: The Global Politics of Reproduction.

1996-09-01

Betsy Hartmann , Faye Ginsburg , Rayna Rapp

This groundbreaking volume provides a dramatic investigation of the dynamics of reproduction. In an unusually broad spectrum of essays, a distinguished group of international feminist scholars and activists explores the … This groundbreaking volume provides a dramatic investigation of the dynamics of reproduction. In an unusually broad spectrum of essays, a distinguished group of international feminist scholars and activists explores the complexity of contemporary sexual politics around the globe. Using reproduction as an entry point in the study of social life and placing it at the center of social theory, the authors examine how cultures are produced, contested, and transformed as people imagine their collective future in the creation of the next generation. The studies encompass a wide variety of subjects, from the impact of AIDS on reproduction in the United States to the aftereffects of Chernobyl on the Sami people in Norway and the impact of totalitarian abortion and birth control policies in Romania and China. The contributors use historical and comparative perspectives to illuminate the multiple and intersecting forms of power and resistance through which reproduction is given cultural weight and social form. They discuss the ways that seemingly distant influences shape and constrain local reproductive experiences such as the international flows of adoptive babies and childcare workers and the Victorian and imperial legacy of eugenics and family planning.

The fertility problem inventory: measuring perceived infertility-related stress

1999-07-01

Christopher Newton , Wendy Sherrard , Irene Glavac

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Sex and evolution.

1975-01-01

George C. Williams

This book explores the relationship between various types of reproduction and the evolutionary process. Starting with the concept of meiosis, George C. Williams states the conditions under which an organism … This book explores the relationship between various types of reproduction and the evolutionary process. Starting with the concept of meiosis, George C. Williams states the conditions under which an organism with both sexual and asexual reproductive capacities will employ each mode. He argues that in low-fecundity higher organisms, sexual reproduction is generally maladaptive, and persists because there is no ready means of developing an asexual alternative. The book then considers the evolutionary development of diverse forms of sexuality, such as anisogamy, hermaphroditism. and the evolution of differences between males and females in reproductive strategy. The final two chapters examine the effect of genetic recombination on the evolutionary process itself.

A unique view on male infertility around the globe

2015-04-25

Ashok Agarwal , Aditi Mulgund , Alaa Hamada +1 more

Infertility affects an estimated 15% of couples globally, amounting to 48.5 million couples. Males are found to be solely responsible for 20-30% of infertility cases and contribute to 50% of … Infertility affects an estimated 15% of couples globally, amounting to 48.5 million couples. Males are found to be solely responsible for 20-30% of infertility cases and contribute to 50% of cases overall. However, this number does not accurately represent all regions of the world. Indeed, on a global level, there is a lack of accurate statistics on rates of male infertility. Our report examines major regions of the world and reports rates of male infertility based on data on female infertility.Our search consisted of systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and population-based studies by searching the terms "epidemiology, male infertility, and prevalence." We identified 16 articles for detailed study. We typically used the assumption that 50% of all cases of infertility are due to female factors alone, 20-30% are due to male factors alone, and the remaining 20-30% are due to a combination of male and female factors. Therefore, in regions of the world where male factor or rates of male infertility were not reported, we used this assumption to calculate general rates of male factor infertility.Our calculated data showed that the distribution of infertility due to male factor ranged from 20% to 70% and that the percentage of infertile men ranged from 2·5% to 12%. Infertility rates were highest in Africa and Central/Eastern Europe. Additionally, according to a variety of sources, rates of male infertility in North America, Australia, and Central and Eastern Europe varied from 4 5-6%, 9%, and 8-12%, respectively.This study demonstrates a novel and unique way to calculate the distribution of male infertility around the world. According to our results, at least 30 million men worldwide are infertile with the highest rates in Africa and Eastern Europe. Results indicate further research is needed regarding etiology and treatment, reduce stigma & cultural barriers, and establish a more precise calculation.

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Infertility and psychological distress: A critical review of the literature

1997-12-01

Arthur L. Greil

Embodied Progress: A Cultural Account of Assisted Conception

1998-11-01

Maureen Sullivan , Sarah Franklin

New reproductive technologies, such as in vitrio fertilization, have been the subject of intense public discussion and debate worldwide. In addition to difficult ethical, moral, personal and political questions, new … New reproductive technologies, such as in vitrio fertilization, have been the subject of intense public discussion and debate worldwide. In addition to difficult ethical, moral, personal and political questions, new technologies of assisted conception also raise novel socio-cultural dilemmas. How are parenthood, kinship and procreation being redefined in the context of new reproductive technologies? Has reproductive choice become part of consumer culture? Embodied Progress offers a unique perspective on these and other cultural dimensions of assisted conception techniques. Based on ethnographic research in Britain, this study foregrounds the experiences of women and couples who undergo IVF, whilst also asking how such experiences may be variously understood.

Families we choose: lesbians, gays, kinship

1991-11-01

Kath Weston

extensa, sino principalmente de la aparición de las familias gays (homosexuales y lesbianas). extensa, sino principalmente de la aparición de las familias gays (homosexuales y lesbianas).

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Psychological impact of infertility

2007-01-23

Tara M. Cousineau , Alice D. Domar

The inability to conceive children is experienced as a stressful situation by individuals and couples all around the world. The consequences of infertility are manifold and can include societal repercussions … The inability to conceive children is experienced as a stressful situation by individuals and couples all around the world. The consequences of infertility are manifold and can include societal repercussions and personal suffering. Advances in assisted reproductive technologies, such as IVF, can offer hope to many couples where treatment is available, although barriers exist in terms of medical coverage and affordability. The medicalization of infertility has unwittingly led to a disregard for the emotional responses that couples experience, which include distress, loss of control, stigmatization, and a disruption in the developmental trajectory of adulthood. Evidence is emerging of an association between stress of fertility treatment and patient drop-out and pregnancy rates. Fortunately, psychological interventions, especially those emphasizing stress management and coping-skills training, have been shown to have beneficial effects for infertility patients. Further research is needed to understand the association between distress and fertility outcome, as well as effective psychosocial interventions.

Prevalence of infertility in the United States as estimated by the current duration approach and a traditional constructed approach

2013-01-03

Marie E. Thoma , Alexander C. McLain , J. Louis +4 more

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The Developing Human. Clinically Oriented Embryology

1989-09-01

Robert F. Mueller

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Life's dominion: an argument about abortion, euthanasia, and individual freedom

1993-11-01

Ronald Dworkin

National, Regional, and Global Trends in Infertility Prevalence Since 1990: A Systematic Analysis of 277 Health Surveys

2012-12-18

Maya Mascarenhas , Seth Flaxman , Ties Boerma +2 more

Gretchen Stevens and colleagues use information from demographic reproductive health surveys to estimate the global, regional, and country levels, patterns, and trends in infertility between 1990 and 2010. Gretchen Stevens and colleagues use information from demographic reproductive health surveys to estimate the global, regional, and country levels, patterns, and trends in infertility between 1990 and 2010.

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Population study of causes, treatment, and outcome of infertility.

1985-12-14

M.G.R. Hull , Cathryn Glazener , N. J. Kelly +7 more

Specialist infertility practice was studied in a group of 708 couples within a population of residents of a single health district in England. They represented an annual incidence of 1.2 … Specialist infertility practice was studied in a group of 708 couples within a population of residents of a single health district in England. They represented an annual incidence of 1.2 couples for every 1000 of the population. At least one in six couples needed specialist help at some time in their lives because of an average of infertility of 21/2 years, 71% of whom were trying for their first baby. Those attending gynaecology clinics made up 10% of new and 22% of all attendances. Failure of ovulation (amenorrhoea or oligomenorrhoea) occurred in 21% of cases and was successfully treated (two year conception rates of 96% and 78%). Tubal damage (14%) had a poor outlook (19%) despite surgery. Endometriosis accounted for infertility in 6%, although seldom because of tubal damage, cervical mucus defects or dysfunction in 3%, and coital failure in up to 6%. Sperm defects or dysfunction were the commonest defined cause of infertility (24%) and led to a poor chance of pregnancy (0-27%) without donor insemination. Obstructive azoospermia or primary spermatogenic failure was uncommon (2%) and hormonal causes of male infertility rare. Infertility was unexplained in 28% and the chance of pregnancy (overall 72%) was mainly determined by duration of infertility. In vitro fertilisation could benefit 80% of cases of tubal damage and 25% of unexplained infertility--that is, 18% of all cases, representing up to 216 new cases each year per million of the total population.

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The Stork and the Syringe: A Political History of Reproductive Medicine

1994-04-02

Lisa Morrison

Naomi Pfeffer Polity Press, £ 12.95, pp 235 ISBN 0 7456 1187 7 Rationing has become part of health service culture. Choices - often tough, unpalatable choices about which services … Naomi Pfeffer Polity Press, £ 12.95, pp 235 ISBN 0 7456 1187 7 Rationing has become part of health service culture. Choices - often tough, unpalatable choices about which services to buy - have to be made by health authorities struggling to balance the books. The financial costs of infertility services are high, but the psychological costs of not providing them for people desperately wanting children are also high. Such services are vulnerable when funds are limited partly because the issues are so complex. Attitudes towards involuntary …

Female Fecundity as a Function of Age

1982-02-18

Daniel Schwartz , M. J. Mayaux

Fecundity has been reported to decline in women over 30 years of age. It is not known whether the decrease in fecundity is biologic or simply the consequence of diminished … Fecundity has been reported to decline in women over 30 years of age. It is not known whether the decrease in fecundity is biologic or simply the consequence of diminished sexual activity. Artificial insemination with donor semen (AID) offers an opportunity to control certain variables in the study of female fecundity over time. 2193 nulliparous women who were receiving AID from 1973-80 at the Centres d'Etude et de Conservation du Sperme Humain (CECOS) and whose husbands were totally sterile were studied. The women were divided into 4 age groups: 25 years old or younger (n=371), 26-30 (n=1079), 31-35 (n=599), and 35 or older (n=144). At the end of the study period, the women were categorized into 4 groups, depending on the outcome: success (all pregnancies occurring during the study period), lost to follow-up (if the result of the last AID cycle was unknown), open case (result of last AID cycle was known but the next insemination procedure had not yet taken place), and dropout (discontinued treatment). The cumulative success rates were calculated ater 12 cycles with the life table technique adapted to AID as if there were no dropouts (theoretical cumulative rates). The Mantel-Haenzel test was used to compare the curves obtained from the cumulative rate as a function of the number of treatment cycles for the various age groups. The 4 curves differed significantly (chi-square=15.72, with 3 degrees of freedom; p0.01). The curves for the 2 age groups under 30 were very similar. Overall, the study shows that a decrease in fecundability (conception rate per cycle) as a function of a woman's age is slight but significant after 30 years of age and marked after 35 years. The probability of success of AID for 12 cycles declined to 61% (from 73% for those under 31 years old) for the 31-35 age group (p0.03) and to 54% (from 74% for those under 31 years old) for those over 35 (p0.001). 2 major problems encountered in studying variations in fecundity as a function of a woman's age are: 1) the need to separate the effect of the woman's age from associated variables such as coital pattern and husband's age, and 2) the woman's age itself, which could result in bias, since time introduces a type of selection. AID may provide the best means of minimizing the effects of associated variables and sources of bias.

Change: Principles of Problem Formation and Problem Resolution

1974-09-01

Frank S. Pittman

Sex and Gender: On the Development of Masculinity and Femininity

1968-11-04

Donald W. Goodwin

"Sex" in this title refers to biological sex, "gender" to the concept that people have of themselves as male or female. How sex relates to gender—or, more precisely, fails to … "Sex" in this title refers to biological sex, "gender" to the concept that people have of themselves as male or female. How sex relates to gender—or, more precisely, fails to relate—is the subject of the book. The author is a psychoanalyst with ten year's experience of treating patients with congenital sexual anomalies and those of normal biological endowment whose "genders" are awry. The latter consist mainly of individuals who dress like the opposite sex (transvestities) and those who ardently desire to be the opposite sex (transexuals), even to the point of seeking surgical manipulation to that end. Stoller marshals an impressive array of clinical evidence to indicate that psychological sex is largely independent of biological sex—at least in humans. Early parental influences are held to be the decisive factor in molding gender identity, and the author, true to his professional background, explains these influences largely in freudian terms, with a

Abortion and the Politics of Motherhood

2019-07-24

Kristin Luker

In this important study of the abortion controversy in the United States, Kristin Luker examines the issues, people, and beliefs on both sides of the abortion conflict. She draws data … In this important study of the abortion controversy in the United States, Kristin Luker examines the issues, people, and beliefs on both sides of the abortion conflict. She draws data from twenty years of public documents and newspaper accounts, as well as over two hundred interviews with both pro-life and pro-choice activists. She argues that moral positions on abortion are intimately tied to views on sexual behavior, the care of children, family life, technology, and the importance of the individual.

Infertility and the provision of infertility medical services in developing countries

2008-09-29

Willem Ombelet , Ian Cooke , Silke Dyer +2 more

Worldwide more than 70 million couples suffer from infertility, the majority being residents of developing countries. Negative consequences of childlessness are experienced to a greater degree in developing countries when … Worldwide more than 70 million couples suffer from infertility, the majority being residents of developing countries. Negative consequences of childlessness are experienced to a greater degree in developing countries when compared with Western societies. Bilateral tubal occlusion due to sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy-related infections is the most common cause of infertility in developing countries, a condition that is potentially treatable with assisted reproductive technologies (ART). New reproductive technologies are either unavailable or very costly in developing countries. This review provides a comprehensive survey of all important papers on the issue of infertility in developing countries. Medline, PubMed, Excerpta Medica and EMBASE searches identified relevant papers published between 1978 and 2007 and the keywords used were the combinations of ‘affordable, assisted reproduction, ART, developing countries, health services, infertility, IVF, simplified methods, traditional health care'. The exact prevalence of infertility in developing countries is unknown due to a lack of registration and well-performed studies. On the other hand, the implementation of appropriate infertility treatment is currently not a main goal for most international non-profit organizations. Keystones in the successful implementation of infertility care in low-resource settings include simplification of diagnostic and ART procedures, minimizing the complication rate of interventions, providing training-courses for health-care workers and incorporating infertility treatment into sexual and reproductive health-care programmes. Although recognizing the importance of education and prevention, we believe that for the reasons of social justice, infertility treatment in developing countries requires greater attention at National and International levels.

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The impact of lifestyle factors on reproductive performance in the general population and those undergoing infertility treatment: a review

2007-01-05

Gillian Homan , Michael J. Davies , Robert J. Norman

This evidence-based review focuses on the impact of potentially modifiable, non-communicable lifestyle factors on reproductive performance in the general population and the infertile population undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment. … This evidence-based review focuses on the impact of potentially modifiable, non-communicable lifestyle factors on reproductive performance in the general population and the infertile population undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment. The impact of several lifestyle factors including; age, weight, smoking, diet, exercise, psychological stress, caffeine consumption, alcohol consumption and exposure to environmental pollutants are included in the review. The databases of Medline, PubMed and Cinahl were searched to identify relevant publications. There is strong evidence that age, weight and smoking impact on general health and adversely on reproductive performance. However there is a need for further research focusing specifically on the relationship between diet and various levels of exercise on reproductive performance. There are several other factors such as psychological stress, caffeine consumption, alcohol consumption and exposure to environmental pollutants that have been implicated but the evidence is equivocal. It is concluded that lifestyle modification can assist couples to conceive spontaneously or optimize their chances of conception with ART treatment.

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Women’s emotional adjustment to IVF: a systematic review of 25 years of research

2006-08-29

C.M. Verhaak , J Smeenk , Andrea W.M. Evers +3 more

This review provides an overview of how women adjust emotionally to the various phases of IVF treatment in terms of anxiety, depression or general distress before, during and after different … This review provides an overview of how women adjust emotionally to the various phases of IVF treatment in terms of anxiety, depression or general distress before, during and after different treatment cycles. A systematic scrutiny of the literature yielded 706 articles that paid attention to emotional aspects of IVF treatment of which 27 investigated the women's emotional adjustment with standardized measures in relation to norm or control groups. Most studies involved concurrent comparisons between women in different treatment phases and different types of control groups. The findings indicated that women starting IVF were only slightly different emotionally from the norm groups. Unsuccessful treatment raised the women's levels of negative emotions, which continued after consecutive unsuccessful cycles. In general, most women proved to adjust well to unsuccessful IVF, although a considerable group showed subclinical emotional problems. When IVF resulted in pregnancy, the negative emotions disappeared, indicating that treatment-induced stress is considerably related to threats of failure. The concurrent research reviewed, should now be underpinned by longitudinal studies to provide more information about women's long-term emotional adjustment to unsuccessful IVF and about indicators of risk factors for problematic emotional adjustment after unsuccessful treatment, to foster focused psychological support for women at risk.

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Procreative Beneficence: Why We Should Select the Best Children

2001-10-01

Julian Savulescu

Eugenic selection of embryos is now possible by employing in vitro fertilization (IVF) and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). While PGD is currently being employed for the purposes of detecting chromosomal … Eugenic selection of embryos is now possible by employing in vitro fertilization (IVF) and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). While PGD is currently being employed for the purposes of detecting chromosomal abnormalities or inherited genetic abnormalities, it could in principle be used to test any genetic trait such as hair colour or eye colour. Genetic research is rapidly progressing into the genetic basis of complex traits like intelligence and a gene has been identified for criminal behaviour in one family. Once the decision to have IVF is made, PGD has few 'costs' to couples, and people would be more inclined to use it to select less serious medical traits, such as a lower risk of developing Alzheimer Disease, or even for non-medical traits. PGD has already been used to select embryos of a desired gender in the absence of any history of sex-linked genetic disease. I will argue that: (1) some non-disease genes affect the likelihood of us leading the best life; (2) we have a reason to use information which is available about such genes in our reproductive decision-making; (3) couples should select embryos or fetuses which are most likely to have the best life, based on available genetic information, including information about non-disease genes. I will also argue that we should allow selection for non-disease genes even if this maintains or increases social inequality. I will focus on genes for intelligence and sex selection. I will defend a principle which I call Procreative Beneficence: couples (or single reproducers) should select the child, of the possible children they could have, who is expected to have the best life, or at least as good a life as the others, based on the relevant, available information.

International estimates of infertility prevalence and treatment-seeking: potential need and demand for infertility medical care

2007-03-21

Jacky Boivin , Laura Bunting , John A. Collins +1 more

The purpose of the present study was to review existing population surveys on the prevalence of infertility and proportion of couples seeking medical help for fertility problems. Population surveys, reporting … The purpose of the present study was to review existing population surveys on the prevalence of infertility and proportion of couples seeking medical help for fertility problems. Population surveys, reporting the prevalence of infertility and proportion of couples seeking help in more and less developed countries, were reviewed. Estimates on the prevalence of infertility came from 25 population surveys sampling 172 413 women. The 12-month prevalence rate ranged from 3.5% to 16.7% in more developed nations and from 6.9% to 9.3% in less-developed nations, with an estimated overall median prevalence of 9%. In 17 studies sampling 6410 women, the proportion of couples seeking medial care was, on average, 56.1% (range 42–76.3%) in more developed countries and 51.2% (range 27–74.1%) in less developed countries. The proportion of people actually receiving care was substantially less, 22.4%. Based on these estimates and on the current world population, 72.4 million women are currently infertile; of these, 40.5 million are currently seeking infertility medical care. The current evidence indicates a 9% prevalence of infertility (of 12 months) with 56% of couples seeking medical care. These estimates are lower than those typically cited and are remarkably similar between more and less developed countries.

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Lifestyle factors and reproductive health: taking control of your fertility

2013-07-16

Rakesh Sharma , Kelly R Biedenharn , Jennifer Fedor +1 more

Approximately 10 to 15% of couples are impacted by infertility. Recently, the pivotal role that lifestyle factors play in the development of infertility has generated a considerable amount of interest. … Approximately 10 to 15% of couples are impacted by infertility. Recently, the pivotal role that lifestyle factors play in the development of infertility has generated a considerable amount of interest. Lifestyle factors are the modifiable habits and ways of life that can greatly influence overall health and well-being, including fertility. Many lifestyle factors such as the age at which to start a family, nutrition, weight, exercise, psychological stress, environmental and occupational exposures, and others can have substantial effects on fertility; lifestyle factors such as cigarette smoking, illicit drug use, and alcohol and caffeine consumption can negatively influence fertility while others such as preventative care may be beneficial. The present literature review encompasses multiple lifestyle factors and places infertility in context for the couple by focusing on both males and females; it aims to identify the roles that lifestyle factors play in determining reproductive status. The growing interest and amount of research in this field have made it evident that lifestyle factors have a significant impact on fertility.

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The autonomy myth: a theory of dependency

2005-02-01

Cornell Legal scholar argues agains pr-family legislation - indeed, against the very concept of the tradional family - and gives the lie to the idea that anyone in America is … Cornell Legal scholar argues agains pr-family legislation - indeed, against the very concept of the tradional family - and gives the lie to the idea that anyone in America is actually self-suffient. She insists that the sexually affiliated couple is no longer an appropriate building block for contemporary families and that society should be organised around 'caretaking relationships,2 particularly those involving children or elderly parents.'

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The experience of infertility: a review of recent literature

2010-01-01

Arthur L. Greil , Kathleen S. Slauson‐Blevins , Julia McQuillan

About 10 years ago Greil published a review and critique of the literature on the socio-psychological impact of infertility. He found at the time that most scholars treated infertility as … About 10 years ago Greil published a review and critique of the literature on the socio-psychological impact of infertility. He found at the time that most scholars treated infertility as a medical condition with psychological consequences rather than as a socially constructed reality. This article examines research published since the last review. More studies now place infertility within larger social contexts and social scientific frameworks although clinical emphases persist. Methodological problems remain but important improvements are also evident. We identify two vigorous research traditions in the social scientific study of infertility. One tradition uses primarily quantitative techniques to study clinic patients in order to improve service delivery and to assess the need for psychological counselling. The other tradition uses primarily qualitative research to capture the experiences of infertile people in a sociocultural context. We conclude that more attention is now being paid to the ways in which the experience of infertility is shaped by social context. We call for continued progress in the development of a distinctly sociological approach to infertility and for the continued integration of the two research traditions identified here.

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Infertility around the globe: new thinking on gender, reproductive technologies and global movements in the 21st century

2015-03-22

Marcia C. Inhorn , Pasquale Patrizio

Infertility is estimated to affect as many as 186 million people worldwide. Although male infertility contributes to more than half of all cases of global childlessness, infertility remains a woman's … Infertility is estimated to affect as many as 186 million people worldwide. Although male infertility contributes to more than half of all cases of global childlessness, infertility remains a woman's social burden. Unfortunately, areas of the world with the highest rates of infertility are often those with poor access to assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs). In such settings, women may be abandoned to their childless destinies. However, emerging data suggest that making ART accessible and affordable is an important gender intervention. To that end, this article presents an overview of what we know about global infertility, ART and changing gender relations, posing five key questions: (i) why is infertility an ongoing global reproductive health problem? (ii) What are the gender effects of infertility, and are they changing over time? (iii) What do we know about the globalization of ART to resource-poor settings? (iv) How are new global initiatives attempting to improve access to IVF? (v) Finally, what can be done to overcome infertility, help the infertile and enhance low-cost IVF (LCIVF) activism? An exhaustive literature review using MEDLINE, Google Scholar and the keyword search function provided through the Yale University Library (i.e. which scans multiple databases simultaneously) identified 103 peer-reviewed journal articles and 37 monographs, chapters and reports from the years 2000–2014 in the areas of: (i) infertility demography, (ii) ART in low-resource settings, (iii) gender and infertility in low-resource settings and (iv) the rise of LCIVF initiatives. International Federation of Fertility Societies Surveillance reports were particularly helpful in identifying important global trends in IVF clinic distribution between 2002 and 2010. Additionally, a series of articles published by scholars who are tracking global cross-border reproductive care (CBRC) trends, as well as others who are involved in the growing LCIVF movement, were invaluable. Recent global demographic surveys indicate that infertility remains an ongoing reproductive problem, with six key demographic features. Despite the massive global expansion of ART services over the past decade (2005–2015), ART remains inaccessible in many parts of the world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where IVF clinics are still absent in most countries. For women living in such ART-poor settings, the gender effects of infertility may be devastating. In contrast, in ART-rich regions such as the Middle East, the negative gender effects of infertility are diminishing over time, especially with state subsidization of ART. Furthermore, men are increasingly acknowledging their male infertility and seeking ICSI. Thus, access to ART may ameliorate gender discrimination, especially in the Global South. To that end, a number of clinician-led, LCIVF initiatives are in development to provide affordable ART, particularly in Africa. Without access to LCIVF, many infertile couples must incur catastrophic expenditures to fund their IVF, or engage in CBRC to seek lower-cost IVF elsewhere. Given the present realities, three future directions for research and intervention are suggested: (i) address the preventable causes of infertility, (ii) provide support and alternatives for the infertile and (iii) encourage new LCIVF initiatives to improve availability, affordability and acceptability of ART around the globe.

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The Politics of Reproduction

1991-10-01

Faye Ginsburg , Rayna Rapp

The topic of human reproduction encompasses events throughout the human and especially female life-cycle as well as ideas and practices surrounding fertility, birth, and child care. Most of the scholarship … The topic of human reproduction encompasses events throughout the human and especially female life-cycle as well as ideas and practices surrounding fertility, birth, and child care. Most of the scholarship on the subject, up through the 1960s, was based on cross-cultural surveys focused on the beliefs, norms, and values surrounding reproductive behaviors. Multiple methodologies and subspecialties, and fields like social history, human biology, and demography were utilized for the analysis. The concept of the politics of reproduction synthesizes local and global perspectives. The themes investigated include: the concept of reproduction, population control, and the internationalization of state and market interests (new reproductive technologies); social movements and contested domains; medicalization and its discontents; fertility and its control; adolescence and teen pregnancy; birth; birth attendants; the construction of infancy and the politics of child survival; rethinking the demographic transition; networks of nurturance; and meanings of menopause. The medicalization of reproduction is a central issue of studies of birth, midwifery, infertility, and reproductive technologies. Scholars have also analyzed different parts of the female life-cycle as medical problems. Other issues worth analysis include the internationalization of adoption and child care workers; the crisis of infertility of low-income and minority women who are not candidates for expensive reproductive technologies; the concerns of women at high risk for HIV whose cultural status depends on their fertility; questions of reproduction concerning, lesbians and gay men (artificial insemination and discrimination in child rearing); the study of menopause; and fatherhood. New discourse analysis is used to analyze state eugenic policies; conflicts over Western neocolonial influences in which women's status as childbearers represent nationalist interests; fundamentalist attacks on abortion rights; and the AIDS crisis.

Incidence and main causes of infertility in a resident population (1 850 000) of three French regions (1988–1989)*

1991-07-01

Patrick Thonneau , Sophie Marchand , A. Tallec +6 more

Journal Article Incidence and main causes of infertility in a resident population (1 850 000) of three French regions (1988–1989)* Get access Patrick Thonneau, Patrick Thonneau 1 1To whom correspondence … Journal Article Incidence and main causes of infertility in a resident population (1 850 000) of three French regions (1988–1989)* Get access Patrick Thonneau, Patrick Thonneau 1 1To whom correspondence should be addressed at INSERM unité 292, Hôpital de Bicêtre, 78 rue du Général Leclerc. 94275 Le Kremlin-Bicêtre Cedex, France Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Sophie Marchand, Sophie Marchand 2Centre Hospitalier Regional Universitaire de ToursFrance Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Anne Tallec, Anne Tallec 3Regional de la Santé des Pays de LoireFrance Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Marie-Laure Ferial, Marie-Laure Ferial 4Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de LimogesFrance Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Béatrice Ducot, Béatrice Ducot Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Jacques Lansac, Jacques Lansac 2Centre Hospitalier Regional Universitaire de ToursFrance Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Patrice Lopes, Patrice Lopes 5Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de NantesFrance Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Jean-Marie Tabaste, Jean-Marie Tabaste 4Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de LimogesFrance Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Alfred Spira Alfred Spira Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Human Reproduction, Volume 6, Issue 6, 1 July 1991, Pages 811–816, https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.humrep.a137433 Published: 01 July 1991 Article history Received: 16 November 1990 Accepted: 19 March 1991 Published: 01 July 1991

Conceiving the New World Order: The Global Politics of Reproduction.

1996-09-01

Susan Greenhalgh , Faye Ginsburg , Rayna Rapp

The International Glossary on Infertility and Fertility Care, 2017†‡§

2017-06-09

Fernando Zegers-Hochschild , G. David Adamson , Silke Dyer +7 more

Can a consensus and evidence-driven set of terms and definitions be generated to be used globally in order to ensure consistency when reporting on infertility issues and fertility care interventions, … Can a consensus and evidence-driven set of terms and definitions be generated to be used globally in order to ensure consistency when reporting on infertility issues and fertility care interventions, as well as to harmonize communication among the medical and scientific communities, policy-makers, and lay public including individuals and couples experiencing fertility problems?

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International Committee for Monitoring Assisted Reproductive Technology: world report on assisted reproductive technology, 2005

2013-11-01

Fernando Zegers-Hochschild , Ragaa Mansour , Osamu Ishihara +4 more

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Reproducing the Future: Anthropology, Kinship and the New Reproductive Technologies.

1993-06-01

Cris Shore , Marilyn Strathern

(How) Does the Sexual Orientation of Parents Matter?

2001-04-01

Judith Stacey , Timothy J. Biblarz

Opponents of lesbian and gay parental rights claim that children with lesbigay parents are at higher risk for a variety of negative outcomes. Yet most research in psychology concludes that … Opponents of lesbian and gay parental rights claim that children with lesbigay parents are at higher risk for a variety of negative outcomes. Yet most research in psychology concludes that there are no differences in developmental outcomes between children raised by lesbigay parents and those raised by heterosexual parents. The analysis here challenges this defensive conceptual framework and analyzes how heterosexism has hampered intellectual progress in the field. The authors discuss limitations in the definitions, samples, and analyses of the studies to date. Next they explore findings from 21 studies and demonstrate that researchers frequently downplay findings indicating difference regarding children’s gender and sexual preferences and behavior that could stimulate important theoretical questions. A less defensive, more sociologically informed analytic framework is proposed for investigating these issues. The framework focuses on (1) whether selection effects produced by homophobia account for associations between parental sexual orientations and child outcomes; (2) the role of parental gender vis-a-vis sexual orientation in influencing children’s gender development; and (3) the relationship between parental sexual orientations and children’s sexual preferences and behaviors.

A defense of abortion

1971-01-01

Judith Jarvis Thomson

Most opposition to abortion relies on the premise that the fetus is a human being, a person, from the moment of conception. The premise is argued for, but, as I … Most opposition to abortion relies on the premise that the fetus is a human being, a person, from the moment of conception. The premise is argued for, but, as I think, not well. Take, for example, the most common argument. We are asked to notice that the development of a human being from conception through birth into childhood is continuous; then it is said that to draw a line, to choose a point in this development and say “before this point the thing is not a person, after this point it is a person” is to make an arbitrary choice, a choice for which in the nature of things no good reason can be given. It is concluded that the fetus is, or anyway that we had better say it is, a person from the moment of conception. But this conclusion does not follow. Similar things might be said about the development of an acorn into an oak tree, and it does not follow that acorns are oak trees, or that we had better say they are. Arguments of this form are sometimes called “slippery slope arguments”—the phrase is perhaps selfexplanatory;—and it is dismaying that opponents of abortion rely on them so heavily and uncritically.

Contraceptive Technology.

1994-07-01

Robert A. Hatcher , James Trussell , Felicia Stewart +5 more

Definitions of infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss: a committee opinion

2012-10-22

Reproduction Education

1959-09-01

David B. Treat

Human semen and fertility regulation in men

1976-01-01

E. S. E. Hafez

Human semen and fertility regulation in men , Human semen and fertility regulation in men , مرکز فناوری اطلاعات و اطلاع رسانی کشاورزی Human semen and fertility regulation in men , Human semen and fertility regulation in men , مرکز فناوری اطلاعات و اطلاع رسانی کشاورزی

Relative Values

2001-01-01

Sarah Franklin , Susan McKinnon

The essays in Relative Values draw on new work in anthropology, science studies, gender theory, critical race studies, and postmodernism to offer a radical revisioning of kinship and kinship theory. … The essays in Relative Values draw on new work in anthropology, science studies, gender theory, critical race studies, and postmodernism to offer a radical revisioning of kinship and kinship theory. Through a combination of vivid case studies and trenchant theoretical essays, the contributors—a group of internationally recognized scholars—examine both the history of kinship theory and its future, at once raising questions that have long occupied a central place within the discipline of anthropology and moving beyond them. Ideas about kinship are vital not only to understanding but also to forming many of the practices and innovations of contemporary society. How do the cultural logics of contemporary biopolitics, commodification, and globalization intersect with kinship practices and theories? In what ways do kinship analogies inform scientific and clinical practices; and what happens to kinship when it is created in such unfamiliar sites as biogenetic labs, new reproductive technology clinics, and the computers of artificial life scientists? How does kinship constitute—and get constituted by—the relations of power that draw lines of hierarchy and equality, exclusion and inclusion, ambivalence and violence? The contributors assess the implications for kinship of such phenomena as blood transfusions, adoption across national borders, genetic support groups, photography, and the new reproductive technologies while ranging from rural China to mid-century Africa to contemporary Norway and the United States. Addressing these and other timely issues, Relative Values injects new life into one of anthropology's most important disciplinary traditions. Posing these and other timely questions, Relative Values injects an important interdisciplinary curiosity into one of anthropology’s most important disciplinary traditions. Contributors. Mary Bouquet, Janet Carsten, Charis Thompson Cussins, Carol Delaney, Gillian Feeley-Harnik, Sarah Franklin, Deborah Heath, Stefan Helmreich, Signe Howell, Jonathan Marks, Susan McKinnon, Michael G. Peletz, Rayna Rapp, Martine Segalen, Pauline Turner Strong, Melbourne Tapper, Karen-Sue Taussig, Kath Weston, Yunxiang Yan

Comparative analysis of five obesity-related indicators for predicting infertility in U.S. adults

2025-06-24

Kong Yu , W H Zhao , Ting Zhang | Frontiers in Nutrition

Objective Infertility is increasingly prevalent worldwide, emerging as a significant endocrine disorder of global concern. This study sought to explore associations between infertility and five distinct obesity-related metrics: body roundness … Objective Infertility is increasingly prevalent worldwide, emerging as a significant endocrine disorder of global concern. This study sought to explore associations between infertility and five distinct obesity-related metrics: body roundness index (BRI), relative fat mass (RFM), body mass index (BMI), lipid accumulation product (LAP), and waist circumference (WC). Evaluated and compared the predictive performance of these indicators in screening for infertility additionally. Methods This research utilized data from the 2013–2018 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Weighted logistic regression analyses with multi-model adjustments were performed to examine the relationship between five specific indicators and infertility. The diagnostic potential of five indicators was evaluated through receiver operating characteristics curve (ROC). Two part linear regression models are also used to estimate threshold effects. The association between the indicators and infertility was examined using smooth curve fitting techniques, while subgroup analyses were conducted to identify variations in risk across different population segments. Results The study included 3,528 participants from NHANES 2013–2018, comprising 365 individuals with infertility and 3,163 without. Weighted multivariate logistic regression analysis identified BRI, RFM, BMI, WC, and LAP as significant predictors of infertility. The odds ratios for the highest quartiles were 2.56 for BRI, 2.45 for RFM, 2.38 for BMI, 2.33 for WC, and 1.40 for LAP. Optimal thresholds were determined as 6.47 for BRI, 36.4 for BMI, 30.29 for RFM, 119.20 for WC, and 19.15 for LAP. The area under the ROC curve for BRI was 0.651, indicating moderate predictive performance. Subgroup analyses revealed that individuals aged over 35, smokers, and those with diabetes or hypertension were more likely to report infertility. Conclusion All five obesity-related indicators were positively associated with infertility in the U.S. population. Among them, BRI demonstrated relatively stronger predictive performance. Beyond the natural influence of aging, particular attention should be directed toward the prevention of smoking, diabetes, and hypertension to mitigate associated risks.

Interrelation and mutual influence of mental health and reproductive function in women with infertility undergoing in vitro fertilization therapy

2025-06-24

A. O. Nikolaevskaya , N. A. Tyuvina , В. В. Балабанова +1 more | Neurology neuropsychiatry Psychosomatics

Infertility, as an emotionally significant and psychologically traumatic factor that threatens the fulfillment of a woman's fundamental biological need for motherhood, has a negative impact on mental health. In vitro … Infertility, as an emotionally significant and psychologically traumatic factor that threatens the fulfillment of a woman's fundamental biological need for motherhood, has a negative impact on mental health. In vitro fertilization (IVF), while providing a method to overcome infertility, also entails a few neuropsychiatric challenges. Objective: to assess the dynamics of mental health and reproductive function in women with infertility undergoing IVF treatment, based on longterm follow-up. Material and methods. The study included 190 mentally healthy women with infertility undergoing IVF treatment, observed over a two-year period. During this time, IVF led to 144 pregnancies (75.79%), of which 45 (31.25%) resulted in live births, while the majority (76.32%) remained infertile. Emotional state was assessed using the Hamilton Depression and Anxiety Rating Scales, before and after the IVF procedure. Results. Preexisting depression and anxiety were significant risk factors for unsuccessful IVF outcomes. Initially mild depression (63.6%) and anxiety (65.6%) were more common in women whose IVF procedures failed (p≤0.01), with these rates increasing post-failure to 69.7% and 70.7% respectively (p≤0.01). Among women with successful IVF, preexisting depression and anxiety were present in 26.7% and 33.3% respectively. Successful childbirth led to stabilization of emotional state and depression persisted in 6.7% of women and anxiety in 13.3% (p≤0.01). A successful IVF outcome was also associated with increased marital satisfaction and improved spousal relationships (p≤0.01). Conclusion. Infertility, the burdensome diagnostic procedures and surgeries associated with it, and the psychological strain of IVF-especially after unsuccessful attempts-contribute to the development of depressive and anxiety disorders. These, in turn, negatively affect the chances of conception and pregnancy maintenance, even with assisted reproductive technologies. These psychosomatic interactions must be considered in the diagnosis of infertility and in selecting appropriate treatment strategies.

An Assessment of Treatment Options and Efficacy for Female Infertility

2025-06-24

Jimmy D. Bell | Undergraduate Journal of Public Health

Within the fight for reproductive rights and accessible health care lies the silent struggle of the infertile woman. Alongside actively having reproductive rights and choices stripped away and no guarantee … Within the fight for reproductive rights and accessible health care lies the silent struggle of the infertile woman. Alongside actively having reproductive rights and choices stripped away and no guarantee to equitable infertility treatment access, such as insurance coverage or community health service implementation, there is little being done to highlight the gap in accessible and effective women’s health care as it pertains to women striving for motherhood. This literature review was performed to highlight gaps in discourse surrounding tangible intervention and resources for women struggling with infertility. The keywords infertility, women, therapies, treatments, services, and mental health, were used to identify publications from the years 2000 to 2024. The material chosen includes appropriate diagnostic methods and how medical professionals classify infertile persons based on their needs for medical involvement for successful implantation cycles. The literature shares success rates for popular intervention techniques and support mechanisms available for women enduring infertility related stress. The outcomes of this analysis imply the importance of investment of effort into research and developments supporting the convoluted challenges of infertility for women. Additionally, there is discussion on the serially underfunded initiative that is women’s health research. This is imperative to consider as future research is done to prioritize what goals are most necessary since the National Institute of Health (NIH) currently only allocates 4.4% of their research budget to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (Fisk &amp; Atun, 2009).

Caring for the Surrogate

2025-06-24

Anindita Majumdar | Oxford University Press eBooks

Abstract This chapter engages with the surrogate within the urgent conversations in and around care and care economies. Keeping in mind the diverse arguments championing surrogacy as work or labor … Abstract This chapter engages with the surrogate within the urgent conversations in and around care and care economies. Keeping in mind the diverse arguments championing surrogacy as work or labor and others that see it as positioned within a discourse of sanctimonious altruism, the aim is to dissect the idea of care itself through a sociohistorical study of surrogacy. Inspired by Arlie Hochschild's cross-sectoral conceptualization of caring and care work, this chapter brings together some key insights into how surrogacy embodies inequalities that make up care work globally. Some of the themes the chapter engages include racialization of global surrogacy work through a historical analysis of similar forms of care work; exploring the linkages between intimacy and care work, especially by focusing on professions that may be compared to surrogacy, such as sex work; and how the association with altruism and sacrifice hurts care economies like transnational commercial surrogacy. An important part of the linkage between surrogacy and care work is the surrogate. She has been the focus of most important ethnographies and research analysis, rightfully so. This chapter keeps her at the center of the discussion.

Conceptualising urbicide in the Middle East

2025-06-24

Gabriel Garroum | Manchester University Press eBooks

The application of a family planning device on a teenager without consent causing primary infertility

2025-06-24

Mabiaku T. O , Umukoro D.O , Y D | International Journal of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences Archive

The desire of every parent is to see their teenage daughters mature gradually and intact without any bodily damages into adulthood and subsequently get married and start their own families. … The desire of every parent is to see their teenage daughters mature gradually and intact without any bodily damages into adulthood and subsequently get married and start their own families. This progression is the wish of every African couple and all these parents work fervently towards achieving this goal. So, in this modern jet-age globally assisted by the internet services that are now readily available even on hand-hold telecommunication devices, all sorts of trending information’s are available at no cost to these vulnerable group of persons. The internet is known to Portray very vivid, and revealing sexual activities to which any unsupervised teenager may fall victim and may want to experiment with the newly acquired information and with newly made friends that are readily available online. All these exposes the teenager to practice sexual acts when they are not ready nor are matured enough for it. The resultant effects are teenage pregnancies, acquisition of sexually transmitted disease or infections, and the consequential attempts at termination of pregnancy which if not properly done may result into severe complications. Usually, it is the girl that suffers and bears the brunt of their illicit and illegal activities while the male partners simply walk away, probably to another innocent victim. So, what can be done to protect this class of unprepared teenagers from engaging in pre-marital and premature sexual activities and from its possible complication that may come out of it. The commonest and most dreaded fear of any Africa father is for his daughter to be pregnant and have a child out of wedlock. This tells on his authority and brings shame and ridicule to that family. So, most fathers will do just about anything, other than the usual advice and threats and punishment, to prevent this calamity from happening. It is in this regard that one parent took a step that only became known to the concerned partner years later. She got legally married, tried unsuccessfully to get pregnant, got investigated for primary infertility and an intra-uterine contraceptive device was found lodged in place in her uterus. How can this be, she asked and the truth eventually came out.

PGT-A Mosaicism Reporting Lacks Clinical Predictive Value: Evidence from a Multisite, Double-Blinded Study with Independent Validation Across 15,315 Single-Embryo Transfers

2025-06-24

Patrick Gill , Xin Tao , Yiping Zhan +7 more

Abstract Preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) aims to improve IVF outcomes by identifying embryos with lethal chromosomal abnormalities leading to impaired embryonic development and pregnancy loss, particularly with advancing … Abstract Preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) aims to improve IVF outcomes by identifying embryos with lethal chromosomal abnormalities leading to impaired embryonic development and pregnancy loss, particularly with advancing maternal age. The adoption of next-generation sequencing (NGS) has enabled the detection of subtler chromosomal variations of uncertain clinical significance, such as intermediate copy number (ICN), leading to the classification of putative mosaicism. To assess the clinical utility of mosaicism reporting in PGT, we conducted a large, multi-site, double-blinded, non-selection study across U.S. fertility clinics (Feb 2020–Oct 2022), analyzing 9,828 single embryo transfers (SETs) from 7,564 IVF cycles. The findings were independently validated using a separate dataset of 5,487 euploid SETs from European clinics (May 2022–March 2024), representing a distinct patient population with different clinical characteristics. This design allowed for ICN values to be unblinded post-transfer, enabling unbiased comparisons between embryos that, under a mosaic reporting framework, would have been labeled as mosaic or euploid. In both cohorts, the presence of ICN showed no significant impact on clinical outcomes when mosaicism status was blinded and evaluated alongside established clinical and embryological parameters. AUROC analysis revealed no meaningful difference in predictive performance between models with and without ICN data (AUC = 0.552 vs. 0.555; 0.569 vs. 0.578; all P > 0.05). Miscarriage, obstetric, and neonatal outcomes were also comparable. These findings strongly suggest that reporting putative mosaicism based on ICN lacks clinical utility and should not be used to inform embryo selection policies.

The association between obesity-related indicators and female infertility: the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2013–2018

2025-06-23

Chunming Yu , Huey‐June Wu , Xin Sun +2 more | Frontiers in Endocrinology

Background Infertility is a public health issue closely related to obesity. However, the relationship between obesity-related indicators and infertility is currently uncertain. The present study aimed to explore the association … Background Infertility is a public health issue closely related to obesity. However, the relationship between obesity-related indicators and infertility is currently uncertain. The present study aimed to explore the association between obesity-related indicators and female infertility. Methods This cross-sectional study included data for 2,875 adult females aged 20–45 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted between 2013 and 2018. Logistic regression models, restricted cubic spline (RCS), and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were used to evaluate the relationship between obesity-related indicators [body shape index (ABSI), weight-adjusted waist index (WWI), body roundness index (BRI), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), non-HDL cholesterol to HDL cholesterol ratio (NHHR), relative fat mass (RFM), body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference (WC)] and female infertility. Results Adult females were divided into five groups based on their ABSI, WWI, BRI, WHtR, NHHR, RFM, BMI, and WC. Individuals in the highest quintile for ABSI, WWI, BRI, WHtR, NHHR, RFM, BMI, and WC had a higher risk of infertility compared to those in the lowest quintile. The respective adjusted odds ratio values were 1.65 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.14 to 2.42), 1.71 (95% CI, 1.15 to 2.57), 2.09 (95% CI, 1.39 to 3.19), 2.09 ( 95% CI, 1.39 to 3.19), 1.71 (95% CI, 1.14 to 2.59), 2.09 (95% CI, 1.39 to 3.19), 2.10 (95% CI, 1.40 to 3.18), and 2.28 (95% CI, 1.52 to 3.47). The p for trend values were 0.027, &lt;0.001, &lt;0.001, &lt;0.001, 0.002, &lt;0.001, &lt;0.001, and &lt;0.001after controlling for a series of confounding factors. RCS analyses showed a linear correlation between ABSI, WWI, BRI, WHtR, RFM, BMI, and WC and infertility ( P nonlinear &gt; 0.05). A nonlinear association was observed between NHHR and infertility ( P nonlinear = 0.006). The ROC curve demonstrated that BRI, WHtR, RFM, and WC exhibited relatively high diagnostic efficiency for infertility, particularly among women aged 20–35 years. Conclusions The WHtR, RFM, WC, and BRI are superior to BMI in predicting and diagnosing infertility, particularly among individuals aged 20–35 years. Consequently, these indices show promise as more effective tools for identifying populations at an early risk of infertility. To confirm these findings, future studies, such as Mendelian randomization or cohort studies, are warranted.

Re‐examining cannabis and semen quality: Comments on Joseph et al. (2025) and implications for male fertility research

2025-06-23

Cheau-Jane Peng , Lien‐Chung Wei | Andrology

Assessing the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of ovarian cryopreservation technology among women with ovarian diseases

2025-06-23

Faten Nouh , Hasan Abualruz , Amal K. Khalil +7 more | Frontiers in Public Health

Background Cryopreservation techniques for laboratory oocytes provide women with increased reproductive options, especially for those facing fertility challenges due to ovarian diseases. Aim This study aimed to assess the knowledge, … Background Cryopreservation techniques for laboratory oocytes provide women with increased reproductive options, especially for those facing fertility challenges due to ovarian diseases. Aim This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of oocyte cryopreservation (OC) technology among women with ovarian diseases. Design A cross-sectional, quantitative study was conducted involving 202 women, aged 18–45, who were diagnosed with ovarian diseases. Participants were recruited from outpatient obstetrics and gynecology clinics at the Menoufia University Hospital and Shebin El-Kom Teaching Hospital. Data collection instruments included an online questionnaire, obstetric and gynecological history forms, and structured assessments of knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes toward oocyte cryopreservation. Results The findings revealed that 59.9% of the women had a moderate level of knowledge regarding oocyte cryopreservation. More than half (55.9%) demonstrated a negative attitude toward the technology, which significantly influenced their perceptions of it. In addition, a notable proportion of the participants reported experiencing infertility due to their ovarian condition. Among them, 37.6% stated that their disease had a substantial negative impact on their overall quality of life. Conclusion The study revealed that a considerable proportion of women with ovarian diseases possessed inadequate knowledge of and had negative attitudes toward oocyte cryopreservation, which adversely affected their perceptions of the procedure. Furthermore, ovarian diseases were found to contribute to infertility and a reduced quality of life. These findings underscore the need for targeted health education programs to improve awareness of, attitudes toward, and understanding of fertility preservation options in this population.

Embryonic Personhood and Parenthood: Three Perspectives on Post-Dobbs Rhetoric and Policy Making

2025-06-23

Stacey K. Sowards , Rae Lynn Schwartz-DuPre | Women s Reproductive Health

Depression, anxiety and associated factors among infertile women in Zanzibar

2025-06-23

Wang Gao , Young Wook Ju , Lingling Gao +2 more | Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology

To determine the prevalence of depression and anxiety among infertile women in Zanzibar and explore their risk factors, infertile female patients were recruited from Mnazi Mmoja Hospital in Zanzibar. The … To determine the prevalence of depression and anxiety among infertile women in Zanzibar and explore their risk factors, infertile female patients were recruited from Mnazi Mmoja Hospital in Zanzibar. The questionnaire survey was adopted. Ordinal univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were separately conducted to identify the risk factors associated with depression and anxiety in this sample. Among 330 infertile women, the overall prevalence of depression among patients with infertility was 40.3% and the incidence of anxiety was 66.06%. Older age (odds ratios (ORs): 1.056, 95%CI: 1.004-1.112, p = .035) and low education level (OR: 0.685, 95%CI: 0.475-0.987, p = .042) were the independent risk factors for depression. Low educational level (OR: 0.678, 95%CI: 0.482-0.954, p = .026) and primary infertility (OR: 1.546; 95%CI: 1.028-2.324, p = .036) were the risk factors for anxiety. Low educational level is a risk factor for both depression and anxiety in infertile women. Older age is a risk factor for depression and primary infertility is a risk factor for anxiety.

President Trump’s Executive Order And The Wrongful Suspension Of Pediatric Gender Care

2025-06-20

| Forefront Group

Ebeveyn Yabancılaşması: Velayet Uyuşmazlıklarında Baba Mağduriyetleri ve Psikososyal Etkileri

2025-06-20

Hilal Ateş , Burak ACAR , Ömer Miraç Yaman | Erzincan Binali Yıldırım Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi

Günümüzde artan boşanma davaları, aile bireyleri için çeşitli zorluklar doğurmaktadır. Velayet uyuşmazlıklarında çocuklar ve ebeveynler mağduriyet yaşayabilmektedir. Bu araştırma, velayete ilişkin hukuk uygulamalarının babaların mağduriyetlerine etkisini incelemektedir. Çocuğun üstün menfaati … Günümüzde artan boşanma davaları, aile bireyleri için çeşitli zorluklar doğurmaktadır. Velayet uyuşmazlıklarında çocuklar ve ebeveynler mağduriyet yaşayabilmektedir. Bu araştırma, velayete ilişkin hukuk uygulamalarının babaların mağduriyetlerine etkisini incelemektedir. Çocuğun üstün menfaati doğrultusunda baba-çocuk ilişkisi hem hukuki hem de psikososyal boyutlarıyla ele alınmıştır. Velayet veya kişisel ilişki kurma hakkı olduğu halde çocuklarıyla görüşemeyen ya da sağlıklı bir bağ kuramayan babaların durumu, ebeveyn yabancılaşması kavramı çerçevesinde tartışılmıştır. .Çalışma, velayet anlaşmazlıklarının babalar aleyhine bir koz olarak kullanılmasının, baba-çocuk ilişkisini zayıflatmasının ve bunun hukuki, sosyolojik ve psikolojik etkilerinin anlaşılmasını amaçlamaktadır. Araştırmada nitel yöntem kullanılmış ve 12 baba, 5 adli çalışan (hâkim, avukat, sosyal çalışmacı) olmak üzere 17 katılımcıyla yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler gerçekleştirilmiştir. Katılımcıların deneyimleri ve önerileri doğrultusunda, velayet süreçlerinin ebeveynler ve çocuklar üzerindeki olumsuz etkilerini en aza indirecek iyileştirmelere katkı sağlanması hedeflenmiştir.

A holistic evaluation of multiple well‐being dimensions in <scp>IVF</scp> patients and their spouses: A cross‐sectional study informed by a dyadic approach

2025-06-20

Ya’arit Bokek‐Cohen , Keren Turgeman‐Lupo , Netanella Miller +2 more | International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics

AI tackles sole possession notes

2025-06-19

Richard Rainsberger | The Successful Registrar

After I finished my columns on sole possession notes, I wondered what an artificial intelligence editor would do with the topic. So, I asked AI via Microsoft's Copilot to draft … After I finished my columns on sole possession notes, I wondered what an artificial intelligence editor would do with the topic. So, I asked AI via Microsoft's Copilot to draft a report of 700 words about the relationship between sole possession notes and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Below is what AI produced. AI's response is in italics .

Whither Best Interests? The Regulation of International Surrogacy in Ireland

2025-06-19

Lydia Bracken | The International Journal of Children s Rights

Abstract This article considers the role of the best interests principle in Ireland’s forthcoming regulation of international surrogacy, both in terms of providing the initial impetus for the regulation and … Abstract This article considers the role of the best interests principle in Ireland’s forthcoming regulation of international surrogacy, both in terms of providing the initial impetus for the regulation and its position within the legislation. It is argued that the protection afforded to the principle in cases of international surrogacy falls short of Ireland’s international obligations in respect of children’s rights. Moreover, it is contended that the reasons advanced by the Government for refusing to protect the best interests principle at the level of paramountcy are unconvincing when these obligations are considered and in light of the experience of England and Wales where the courts have developed a significant body of case law in respect of the welfare principle as the paramount consideration in surrogacy cases.

The problem with disclosing IVF status: Normative parental timelines and the gendered support needs of involuntary childless heterosexual couples undergoing in vitro fertilisation

2025-06-19

Eva Prikrylova , Sarah Seymour‐Smith , David Wilde +3 more | PubMed

Subfertility and infertility are stigmatising conditions impacting on the gender identity of its sufferers. Consequently, heterosexual couples undergoing fertility treatment find it difficult to disclose their condition. While research suggests … Subfertility and infertility are stigmatising conditions impacting on the gender identity of its sufferers. Consequently, heterosexual couples undergoing fertility treatment find it difficult to disclose their condition. While research suggests that fertility treatment is an isolating and stressful experience for both partners, there is sparse literature investigating what support mechanisms exist. This study interviewed 10 heterosexual couples undergoing IVF or IVF/ICSI to explore how they constructed infertility and negotiated disclosure and support. Data were analysed using a social constructionist informed Thematic Analysis. Three themes were identified: ‘ The next step’: Omnipresence of normative parental timelines; Balancing the need for social support with problems associated with disclosure; and Men’s supportive role . We argue that barriers to disclosure hinder support needs and that strategies to negotiate this would be useful to infertility patients.

Emotional distress and assisted reproductive technology outcomes among women with unexplained infertility: a nested case–control study

2025-06-19

Jiwei Sun , Bing Sun , Xiaofei Sun +6 more | Archives of Women s Mental Health

Midwifery and the Politicized Logic of “Sex-Based” Childbirth Discourse

2025-06-18

Sarah LaChance Adams | Alternatives Global Local Political

Some midwives and related professionals agree with concerns expressed in the popular media about the removal of the “sexed terms” woman and mother from reproductive healthcare discourse. They contend that … Some midwives and related professionals agree with concerns expressed in the popular media about the removal of the “sexed terms” woman and mother from reproductive healthcare discourse. They contend that while gender may be chosen and diverse, biological or reproductive sex is immutable and anatomically based. It follows, they claim, that while we may affirm people’s gender choices, binary sex ought to be the identifying factor in reproductive healthcare, research, and advocacy. Sex-based language advocates also make the unexamined metaphysical assumption that reality is material and natural and that sex is on this unshakable, grounding level. In contrast, I argue that they ignore the true complexity and diversity of sex/gender differentiation and are motivated by their own situated, politicized gender identity. These beliefs result in measurable reproductive harm to trans, nonbinary, and other gender diverse individuals.

Justification of Social Egg Freezing and Regulatory Response: China’s Law and Practice

2025-06-18

Shan Gao , Guohui Liu | Journal of Bioethical Inquiry

Fertility and Adoption

2025-06-18

Mary Louise Nagata | Routledge eBooks

Role of allied health professionals in fertility care: a scoping review

2025-06-18

Amanda Mackay , Selina Taylor , Emma Anderson +1 more | Human Fertility

Infertility significantly impacts people worldwide, with many pursuing medical treatments including Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART). This scoping review explores the role of allied health professionals (AHPs) in fertility care and … Infertility significantly impacts people worldwide, with many pursuing medical treatments including Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART). This scoping review explores the role of allied health professionals (AHPs) in fertility care and their integration into fertility care teams. A search of six databases yielded 12 studies identifying dietitians, nutritionists, counsellors, psychologists, social workers, and physical therapists (physiotherapists) as key AHPs in fertility care. The role of AHPs was broadly divided into two main areas: providing education and monitoring related to lifestyle modifications and fertility risk factors and offering psychological and psychosocial treatment and support. Dietitians educate patients on nutrition and lifestyle modifications to improve fertility. Mental health professionals, including psychologists, social workers, and counsellors, address the emotional stress of infertility and help patients cope with ART. Physical therapists perform therapies to increase chances of conception. The integration of AHPs into fertility care teams vary by location and facility practices with some working within healthcare teams and others independently. Despite guidelines, the incorporation of AHPs into fertility care is inconsistent, highlighting the need for a standardized approach. This review highlights AHP roles in providing education, lifestyle modification guidance, and psychosocial support which are valuable in enhancing patient care and potentially improving ART outcomes.

Turning back time in the testes

2025-06-18

Louise Lloyd | Nature Reviews Urology

Mental health screening and psychological support should be the standard of care in fertility clinics

2025-06-17

Alison J. Meyers | Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics

Induced abortion in the world: 1. Perception of abortion throughout the centuries and by religions

2025-06-17

Giuseppe Benagiano , Kristina Gemzell‐Danielsson , Marwan Habiba +2 more | International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics

Abstract Induced abortion has religious, moral, and cultural dimensions that place it at the center of major ethical debates. The interest of women caught in the middle of this never‐ending … Abstract Induced abortion has religious, moral, and cultural dimensions that place it at the center of major ethical debates. The interest of women caught in the middle of this never‐ending controversy requires that a dialogue replaces current confrontation. To promote such dialogue, we decided to write a mini‐series to review important aspects of abortion. First, we will turn to history to explore the root of the controversy, which may enable the disentangling of the complexity of the issue. In the second essay we describe how the 20th century witnessed the progressive legalization of abortion. In the third essay we will articulate how we see the possibility of a common ground between those favoring and those opposing abortion. Induced abortion has been attempted from the dawn of civilization and it is mentioned in Egyptian, Greek, and Roman writings, although the frequency of the practice and its success are not known. The world's principal religions did not view abortion favorably, but the strength of prohibition was not uniform. Within Christianity, the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches are currently totally opposed, whereas Protestant denominations are more nuanced in their disapproval. The anti‐abortion stance of Muslim countries seems to be at variance with the view of the majority of traditional scholars, who would allow abortion in the early stages of pregnancy (up to 4 months, or in the first 40 days). The Orthodox Jewish view bans abortion except when the life of the mother is at risk, whereas Reformed Judaism is more open. Hinduism is also opposed to abortion with few exceptions: severe fetal abnormalities, presence of a life‐threatening condition for the woman, in case of rape or incest. Confucianism stresses the importance of the family and reverence for life but also shows concern and compassion for the welfare of the pregnant woman; these positions are balanced when responding to the challenge of deciding about abortion.

Partner Perspectives on Cystic Fibrosis Sexual and Reproductive Health Care

2025-06-17

B. Woods , Leigh Ann Bray , Janet Brown +3 more | Health Education & Behavior

Cystic fibrosis (CF) affects over 100,000 people worldwide. Despite advances in CF care, sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care continues to lag behind other care priorities. Although partners of females … Cystic fibrosis (CF) affects over 100,000 people worldwide. Despite advances in CF care, sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care continues to lag behind other care priorities. Although partners of females with CF play a critical role in providing support and care, their perspectives of SRH care remain unexplored. During a mixed-methods study, interviews were conducted with 20 partners of females with CF, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis to determine SRH-related knowledge, experiences, preferences, and concerns. Findings indicate limited progression in CF-related SRH care. Patient-initiated discussions, paternalistic provider views, and a perceived lack of provider collaboration reinforce outdated notions that parenthood in CF is not an option. Partners provide tangible, daily support to reduce disease burden for females with CF and desire inclusion in the decision-making unit. Incorporating partners in SRH discussions and providing SRH-specific training for CF clinicians are imperative to improve patient-centered care.

Fertility Awareness-Based Methods for Family Planning: A Systematic Review

2025-06-17

Rasha A Bassas , M. Alharbi , Shatha Saleh Al Harbi | Cureus

The Law of Parenthood

2025-06-17

| Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks

Reproductive Self-Governance: Advocating for an Anarcho-Feminist Model of Abortion Access

2025-06-17

Sophie Harms | Women s Studies

Reproductive Justice:

2025-06-17

| University of California Press eBooks

Abortion law reform in the UK

2025-06-16

Jonathan Lord , Nicolle H. Packer , Tonia Antoniazzi +2 more | BMJ

En matière d’adoption, l’appel ne constitue pas une voie de rétractation du consentement

2025-06-16

Blandine Cretallaz | BACAGe.

À la suite de l’acte de consentement dressé par notaire, l’appel ne peut constituer une voie de rétractation du consentement à l’adoption. À la suite de l’acte de consentement dressé par notaire, l’appel ne peut constituer une voie de rétractation du consentement à l’adoption.

Correction to “Why is constructive interparental conflict beneficial for children’s mental health? The role of effortful control and positive affect” by Davies et al. (2025).

2025-06-16

| Developmental Psychology

Reports an error in "Why is constructive interparental conflict beneficial for children's mental health? The role of effortful control and positive affect" by Patrick T. Davies, Vanessa T. Cao, Alexandria … Reports an error in "Why is constructive interparental conflict beneficial for children's mental health? The role of effortful control and positive affect" by Patrick T. Davies, Vanessa T. Cao, Alexandria A. Baker and Melissa L. Sturge-Apple (Developmental Psychology, Advanced Online Publication, May 12, 2025, np). The title was originally published as "Why Is Constructive Interparental Conflict Beneficial for Children's Mental Health? The Role of Effortful Conflict and Positive Affect.""Effortful Conflict" was corrected to "Effortful Control." All versions of this article have been corrected. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2026-14817-001). This article examined children's positive affect and effortful control as mediators of associations between their exposure to constructive interparental conflict (IPC) and their social, emotional, and behavioral adjustment. Study 1 participants consisted of 243 mothers and their partners and preschool children (Mage = 4.60 years; 56% female; 54% Black or multiracial; 16% Latinx). Study 2 participants were 238 mothers, their partners, and their preschool children (Mage = 4.38 years; 52% female; 28% Black or multiracial; 16% Latinx). Both studies utilized multimethod, multi-informant assessment batteries within a longitudinal design. Findings from the two-wave design in Study 1 supported the hypothesis that children's effortful control at Wave 1 was a mediator of the associations between Wave 1 constructive IPC and their greater social competence and lower externalizing symptoms at Wave 2 after controlling for Wave 1 child functioning. The more rigorous three-wave design of Study 2 produced a comparable pattern of findings. Lagged, autoregressive tests of mediational paths indicated that Wave 1 constructive IPC was a significant predictor of children's effortful control at Wave 2. Effortful control, in turn, predicted children's greater social competence and lower externalizing symptoms at Wave 3. Although children's positive affect was not a mediator in either study due to its negligible associations with constructive IPC, positive affect predicted lower levels of internalizing symptoms across both studies. Results were consistent across studies with and without the inclusion of several covariates. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

BIOPOLITICS AND REPRODUCTIVE INJUSTICE

2025-06-16

Margaret A. McLaren , Sanjula Rajat | Revista Ideação

Sexuality plays a central role in Foucault’s philosophy, from his four volume series on the topic to his ideas about medicalization, biopower, and the abnormal. Many of Foucault’s concepts, such … Sexuality plays a central role in Foucault’s philosophy, from his four volume series on the topic to his ideas about medicalization, biopower, and the abnormal. Many of Foucault’s concepts, such as governmentality, biopower, and biopolitics, are useful for analyzing the effects of laws and policies regulating reproduction and sexuality. This article brings Foucault’s ideas to bear on two aspects of sexuality, reproduction and trans health care, to show how the operations of biopower result in reproductive oppression. We briefly trace the history of the professionalization of medicine and the correlative shift in control over reproduction from midwives to doctors. Next we examine the issue of forced or coerced sterilization of people deemed “unfit” to reproduce; for example, those with cognitive or physical disabilities, non-whites, and poor people, exemplifying how biopolitics is a normalizing force. Biopolitics and normalization permeate trans health care as well, pathologizing trans people as deviant in order for them to be able to access gender affirming health care and imposing norms based on binary and stereotypical gender categories and whiteness resulting in a restrictive transnormativity. Trans reproduction is subject to passive eugenics which makes sterility a requirement for transition related care. We demonstrate how reproductive oppression harms those who are not cisgender, heterosexual, cognitively and physically abled, and white; sex and biological reproduction are at the center of these processes of reproducing white, middle class workers in dyadic heterosexual family relations to perpetuate a ‘productive’ capitalist system. We conclude by discussing the ways that active and passive eugenics work together in reproducing heteronormativity, the interimbrication of whiteness and heteronormativity, and the implications for citizenship, immigration, and population control in service to the nation-state.

Surrogacy Laws in Indonesia, Iran, and India: A Comparative Analysis of Legal Protections for Surrogate Mothers and Children

2025-06-16

Dewa Gede Dedy Farendra , Kadek Julia Mahadewi | Al-Qadha Jurnal Hukum Islam dan Perundang-Undangan

This study investigates Indonesia’s absence of a comprehensive surrogacy framework, a gap that leaves surrogate mothers and children in legal limbo and social precarity. By contrast, Iran authorizes surrogacy through … This study investigates Indonesia’s absence of a comprehensive surrogacy framework, a gap that leaves surrogate mothers and children in legal limbo and social precarity. By contrast, Iran authorizes surrogacy through Shia jurisprudence and enforceable contracts, while India governs the practice via the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act 2021, allowing only altruistic arrangements and banning commercial transactions. Using normative legal research and a comparative approach, the analysis synthesizes statutory provisions, religious edicts, and judicial precedents and evaluates enforcement mechanisms alongside socio-ethical implications across the three systems within diverse cultural, religious, and regulatory environments and illustrates divergent policy rationales. Findings show that Indonesia’s outright prohibition, unaccompanied by detailed implementing rules, denies parties any legal protection, whereas Iran and India offer more structured, coherent safeguards. The study therefore urges Indonesia to draft a rights-based, culturally responsive regulatory framework that harmonizes domestic values with international human rights standards. Such legislation is essential to secure legal certainty, uphold ethical principles, encourage transparent medical practice, and protect the most vulnerable actors, especially surrogate mothers and the children born through surrogacy arrangements.

Addressing Demographic Challenges Through Public–Private Partnerships: In Vitro Fertilization in Latvia

2025-06-15

Arturs Kaļva , Ģirts Briģis | World Medical & Health Policy

ABSTRACT The study by Morshed‐Behbahani et al. highlights that financial barriers are not the sole obstacle to accessing infertility treatment. To ensure equal access for all, infertility treatment should be … ABSTRACT The study by Morshed‐Behbahani et al. highlights that financial barriers are not the sole obstacle to accessing infertility treatment. To ensure equal access for all, infertility treatment should be regarded as a universal human right, with the public sector assuming responsibility for its provision. This study examines the use of Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) in the implementation of medically assisted reproduction to tackle demographic challenges. The methods of this paper are based on an analysis of health system policy approaches. Initially, a literature review was conducted, focusing on keywords such as “public–private partnerships,” “In Vitro fertilization,” and “demography.” The second step involved collecting data on IVF in Latvia. Finally, the data was analyzed, and conclusions were drawn from the results. It was found that 2012, there were 42 medical insemination attempts, resulting in the birth of 12 children. In contrast, by 2023, 1293 medical inseminations were performed, leading to the birth of 708 children. In 2012, the Latvian public spent EUR 48,239.79 on medical fertilization. By 2023, this expenditure had increased to EUR 2,672,280.55. Significant increases in funding occurred in 2019 and 2022, with state spending reaching EUR 1,109,405.65 and EUR 2,353,105.83, respectively. This article results shows that public–private partnerships in addressing infertility are a valuable approach, both in tackling infertility and in addressing the country's demographic challenges.

The association of global and prime diet quality scores with sperm quality parameters: a cross-sectional study

2025-06-14

Pegah Hadi Sichani , Seyyed Mohammad Alavi , Marzieh Mahmoodi +5 more | Journal of Health Population and Nutrition

Surrogasy in medical law: legal and ethical perspectives

2025-06-13

Anara Hajibayli | International Law and Integration Problems

Lost in translation: are doctors really answering patients’ questions about in vitro fertilization?

2025-06-13

Naveena Daram , Malika L Day , Marie Herr +2 more | Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics

Abstract Purpose As social media grows as a health resource, IVF patients turn to Facebook and Reddit for guidance, while providers share educational content on TikTok and Instagram. This study … Abstract Purpose As social media grows as a health resource, IVF patients turn to Facebook and Reddit for guidance, while providers share educational content on TikTok and Instagram. This study examines the alignment between patient inquiries and provider content to identify gaps in digital fertility education. Methods A cross-sectional qualitative analysis collected 50 top patient posts from five largest IVF Facebook and Reddit groups and 50 provider videos from Instagram and TikTok using popular IVF hashtags. Posts and videos were categorized into ten themes, engagement metrics analyzed, and provider content assessed for readability. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests for content distribution and independent t -tests and one-way ANOVA for readability differences ( p < 0.05 considered significant). Results Significant discrepancies were observed between patient inquiries and provider content. Patients most frequently inquired about medications, diagnostic testing, side effects, and emotional support—topics underrepresented in provider content. Providers disproportionately focused on procedural details (34.09% vs. 6.17%, p < 0.001). Readability analysis showed provider content exceeded the AMA-recommended 6th-grade reading level (range: 7.93–15.29). Despite misalignment, engagement with IVF-related content was high, with millions of views, likes, and comments across platforms. Conclusions There is misalignment between what patients ask and what providers discuss on social media. Providers aiming content at patients should address patient priorities both online and in clinical practice while improving readability to enhance digital health literacy. Given the vast reach of social media, fertility specialists should consider establishing a presence to educate and engage with patients effectively.

Unveiling the shifting landscape of infertility care: Diagnostics, treatments, and private equity’s growing influence

2025-06-13

Francesco Maria Bulletti , Maurizio Guido , Antonio Palagiano +2 more | Deleted Journal

Over the past two decades, fertility services have experienced significant shifts in ownership structures worldwide, transitioning from predominantly public or physician-owned clinics to a market increasingly influenced by private equity. … Over the past two decades, fertility services have experienced significant shifts in ownership structures worldwide, transitioning from predominantly public or physician-owned clinics to a market increasingly influenced by private equity. These changes raise debates about treatment efficacy, cost transparency, and the ethical implications of profit-driven health care. This review provides an evidence-based overview of trends in fertility clinic ownership (public, physician-owned, and private equity-backed), along with reported success rates and implications for treatment quality, cost transparency, and patient well-being. A narrative synthesis was conducted using peer-reviewed literature, registry data, and industry reports published between 2000 and 2025 (projected). Ownership distribution, reported live birth rates, and financial transparency were examined. Regional studies, market analyses, and professional guidelines were used to infer trends when global data were unavailable. Ownership trends show a decline in public- and physician-owned clinics, with private equity projected to control up to 50% of fertility centers in some regions by 2025. Treatment efficacy improved across all clinic types, with live birth rate per in vitro fertilization cycle rising from ~25 &ndash; 30% in 2000 to ~35 &ndash; 45% by 2020 in younger cohorts; higher rates in private equity clinics may reflect patient selection and reporting variability. Cost transparency remains inconsistent, particularly in private equity networks where bundled pricing and aggressive marketing may obscure true costs and incentivize unnecessary add-ons. The consolidation of fertility centers under corporate ownership has reshaped reproductive health care. Ongoing concerns include pricing opacity, the clinical value of &ldquo;add-on&rdquo; treatments, and the ethical positioning of clinicians in profit-driven settings.

Association of chronotype and depression symptoms in Chinese infertile population undergoing assisted reproductive technology

2025-06-13

Fei Jiang , Yuedi Jia , Xiaohuan Song +6 more | Frontiers in Psychology

Objective To evaluate the association between chronotype and depression symptoms in a group of individuals experiencing infertility and undergoing assisted reproductive technologies. Methods This cross-sectional study evaluated the eligibility of … Objective To evaluate the association between chronotype and depression symptoms in a group of individuals experiencing infertility and undergoing assisted reproductive technologies. Methods This cross-sectional study evaluated the eligibility of 1,022 infertile patients who underwent ovulation induction treatment at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University Reproductive Medicine Center in China between August and October 2022. We obtained socio-demographic information by inviting patients who were experiencing infertility to fill out questionnaires. Furthermore, we evaluated the participants’ chronotypes using the reduced Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (rMEQ). Depression symptoms were evaluated using the validated Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and were expressed as PHQ-9 scores. Results The participants were classified into evening, intermediate, and morning chronotypes, accounting for 9, 68, and 22% of the total, respectively. There were considerable variations in levels of depression symptoms based on chronotype. Patients with morning chronotype had lower odds of depression symptoms (odds ratios = 0.32, 95% confidence intervals: 0.18–0.57), as did those with intermediate chronotype (odds ratios = 0.47, 95% confidence intervals: 0.28–0.77), compared to individuals with evening chronotype. Furthermore, there were no significant partner effects of chronotype on depression symptoms in male and female dyads ( p &gt; 0.05 for both). Conclusion The results indicated a significant association between individuals who have morning and intermediate chronotypes and a reduced likelihood of experiencing depressed symptoms. Further studies are required to assess the partner effect of chronotypes on depression symptoms.

The newly enacted Italian surrogacy law: Effects on reproductive tourism

2025-06-12

Susanna Marinelli , Giuseppe Gullo , Francesco Circosta +3 more | Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics

Psychological Assessment of Infertile Females in Eastern Uttar Pradesh: A Cross-Sectional Evaluation

2025-06-12

Sakshi Agarwal , Ananya Sharma , Lalit Kumar +1 more | Cureus

INFERTILIDADE

2025-06-12

HUGO TOLEDO VITOI , ARTUR TOLEDO VITOI , L.P. Souza +1 more | Editora Pasteur eBooks

‘Forward or Backward’, a Grounded Theory Study of Ambivalent Psychosocial Experiences of Couples Undergoing In Vitro Fertilisation and Embryo Transfer

2025-06-12

Nan Zhou , Wei Gu , Lihong Zhang +5 more | Journal of Clinical Nursing

ABSTRACT Background Many studies have identified the negative psychological impact of in vitro fertilisation and embryo transfer (IVF‐ET) on couples with infertility, but there remains a paucity of research clarifying … ABSTRACT Background Many studies have identified the negative psychological impact of in vitro fertilisation and embryo transfer (IVF‐ET) on couples with infertility, but there remains a paucity of research clarifying both positive and negative effects within the context of Chinese culture. Aim To explore the dynamic psychosocial experiences and underlying mechanisms of couples in the whole process of IVF‐ET, and to construct a theoretical framework that elucidates this phenomenon within the context of Chinese social‐culture. Design A grounded theory study. Methods Guided by constructivist grounded theory methodology, semi‐structured face‐to‐face interviews were conducted in the reproductive medicine outpatient department of a tertiary‐level hospital located in northwest China between January and October 2023. Purposive and theoretical sampling methods were used to recruit couples undergoing IVF‐ET. Data were analysed through three iterative steps: initial coding, focused coding, and theoretical coding, utilising constant comparative methods and reflective memo‐writing. The study is reported using the COREQ checklist. Results Theoretical saturation was achieved after interviewing 22 couples. The substantive theory was synthesised into one core category: ‘forward or backward’, which captured the ambivalent psychosocial experiences of couples undergoing IVF‐ET within the context of Chinese culture. This theory described three overarching stages: making the decision, undergoing the treatment, and facing the result, with each stage linked to specific promoting and hindering factors. Conclusion This study establishes a theoretical foundation for further implementation of comprehensive reproductive health management within the Chinese sociocultural context. It is crucial for healthcare providers and policymakers to focus on the dyad of couples undergoing IVF‐ET, pay attention to both negatively and positively psychosocial fluctuations, and enhance both medical care and sociocultural support systems accordingly. Patient or Public Contribution No patient or public contribution.