In the study, Mastenbroek and colleagues evaluated 408 women undergoing IVF at several Dutch centers from May 2003 through November 2005. Preimplantation embryo screening is offered routinely to “older” women ages 35 and up at some IVF centers. Besides a lower pregnancy rate, those who got the embryo screening also had a lower live-birth rate 24% vs. In an e-mail interview, Collins tells WebMD that the new study results are “convincing most people in the field that PGS has no value in screening infertile women over 35 undergoing IVF. read more

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Based on the latest hormone tests and other factors, he was pained to report, the female giant panda Mei Xiang had experienced a false pregnancy. Although the zoo’s announcement about the pregnancy yesterday was not a complete surprise to scientists, it still spread dismay through a circle of experts who have grappled with the capriciousness of giant panda reproduction across several continents. Copper Aitken-Palmer, a zoo veterinarian and panda reproductive physiologist who has been conducting research in China for the past four years, likened the all-or-nothing effort to bringing a spaceship down from orbit. Zoo officials said yesterday that scrutiny of Mei Xiang’s hormone levels, ultrasound tests and behavior patterns, coupled with the absence of a cub, led to their conclusion after a 13-week vigil. The 230-pound Mei Xiang was artificially inseminated April 4 and 5 with sperm specially preserved from a male panda, Gao Gao, in the San Diego Zoo. read more

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Increasingly, though, maternal health and prenatal-care experts are urging women to improve their health before conceiving. The hope is that measures taken to bolster a woman’s health prior to conception — whether it’s reaching an optimal weight, controlling a chronic disease or boosting overall nutritional health — will improve the odds of having an uncomplicated pregnancy and a healthy baby. Others, though, come in pregnant and say, “By the way, I have diabetes ; by the way, I have Lupus ; by the way, I have high blood pressure , and they’re kind of shocked to find out that’s an issue when they’re pregnant,” he said. Consult with a health-care provider to manage any and all medical conditions, including, but not limited to, asthma , diabetes, oral health, obesity , or epilepsy , and maintain up-to-date vaccinations. Visit our Heart Health Center, which includes treatment information, Medical Breakthroughs TV Show, and Success Stories. read more

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