Frozen Embryos 'More Successful Than Fresh' For IVF Preganancies

Frozen embryos are more likely to produce successful, complication-free IVF pregnancies than those that are fresh, research suggests. Using stored embryos cuts the risk of bleeding in pregnancy, premature birth, and giving birth to an underweight baby by almost a third, a study has found. The risk of a baby dying at around the time of birth is also reduced by about a fifth. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/09/04/health-frozen-embryos-boost-ivf_n_1853377.html?utm_hp_ref=uk-lifestyle" target="_hplink">Read the full story here.</a>

Frozen Embryo IVF Babies 'Healthier And Heavier'

IVF babies born from frozen embryos are heavier and healthier than those born from fresh embryos, new fertility research has discovered. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/01/06/frozen-embryo-ivf-babies-healthier_n_1186664.html" target="_hplink"><strong>Read the full story here</strong></a>.

Three Parent IVF

Babies with three biological parents could soon be a reality after a new £6m laboratory has been given the go ahead and funding to develop a unique IVF technique which uses DNA from a third party. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/01/20/three-parent-ivf-may-be-legal_n_1218681.html" target="_hplink"><strong>Read the full story here</strong></a>.

Twins Beat The Odds To Be Born Five Years Apart

Reception class pupil Reuben Blake went back to school today, but his twin sister will have to wait another five years until she is old enough. That is because, despite the fact the brother and sister were conceived from the same batch of embryos, they were born five years apart to parents Simon and Jody Blake. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/01/04/twins-born-five-years-apart-floren-simon-blake_n_1182717.html" target="_hplink"><strong>Read the full story here</strong></a>.

Lab-Grown Sperm - Coming Soon?

Scientists have made a breakthrough that could enable infertile men to father children with their own sperm. Researchers at Muenster University in Germany grew mouse sperm in a laboratory and believe the same technique could be used with human sperm. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/01/03/sperm-grown-in-laboratory_n_1180695.html" target="_hplink"><strong>Read the full story here</strong></a>.

Scientists Uncover Female 'Fertility Switch'

Scientists from the Imperial College London have discovered a 'fertility switch' that could help treat infertility and miscarriage in the future. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2011/10/17/new-hope-for-women-struggling-to-conceive_n_1015554.html" target="_hplink"><strong>Read the full story here</strong></a>.

Women Who Donate Eggs For IVF Will Have Payments Tripled

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority have announced today that women who donate their eggs to infertile couples, will be rewarded an extra £500 in costs. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2011/10/19/women-will-receive-triple-the-payment-for-egg-donation_n_1019830.html" target="_hplink"><strong>Read the full story here</strong></a>.

Baby Born Using 25-Year-Old Sperm

A baby girl was born after being conceived using sperm that has been kept frozen for 25 years - the longest that sperm has been kept frozen and then successfully used for IVF in the UK. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/02/06/baby-conceived-by-oldest-frozen-sperm_n_1257653.html" target="_hplink"><strong>Read the full story here</strong></a>.

Natural Ways To Boost Your Fertility

Avoid White Bread, Pasta & Rice

Although there is no direct link between refined carbohydrates and infertility, the refining process strips grains of some of the most important fertility-boosting nutrients, such as antioxidants, B vitamins and iron.

Go Organic

Modern methods of food production, involving intensive farming, rob the soil of vital nutrients, so where possible stick to organic produce. Processed foods are packed with additives and preservatives that can upset blood sugar levels and disrupt the body's hormonal balance.

Cut Down On Red Meat

Too much red meat increases the amount of ammonia in the body, which can interfere with the implantation of the egg in the uterus. Red meat can also be detrimental for men as it increases acidity and affects sperm activity; sperm perform better in alkaline conditions.

Switch To Soya Milk

The animal hormones in dairy products can affect your own hormonal balance. If you balk at the richness of soya milk and can't bear to give up your semi-skimmed, switch to organic dairy products instead as these contain lower levels of hormones.

Reduce Your Alcohol Intake

Giving up alcohol is not strictly necessary until you fall pregnant but it might be worth bearing in mind that Danish research, studying the link between alcohol consumption and fertility, found that <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12848646" target="_hplink">alcohol intake had a significant effect on infertility success</a> among women above the age of 30 who drank seven or more drinks a week.

Curb Caffeine

While you don't need to give up your morning coffee, caffeine does constrict the blood vessels, slowing blood flow to the uterus and potentially making it harder for an egg to grab hold. So, if you're having any trouble conceiving, or undergoing IVF treatment, you might want to go easy on the double espressos.

Get Your Five-A-Day

Aside from being packed with vitamins and minerals, fruit and vegetables are packed with antioxidants that attack free-radicals (harmful molecules that can damage the ova, sperm and reproductive organs).

Fertility-Friendly Vitamins

Zinc helps to maintain a healthy menstrual cycle as well as being vital during pregnancy to aid cell division in a developing foetus. Folic acid (Vitamin B6), together with zinc, is essential in the function of female sex hormones. Vitamin B12 is also very important as it maximises the absorption of folic acid. Taking a multi-vitamin tablet designed especially for conception is a good way to ensure you're getting enough of these valuable nutrients. Marmite is also a great source!