Low carbohydrate intake increases the risk of birth defects

Women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant may want to avoid diets that reduce or eliminate carbohydrates, as they could increase the risk of having babies with neural tube birth defects, according to a new study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Women with low carbohydrate intake are 30 percent more likely to have babies with neural tube defects, such as spina bifida-malformations of the spine and spinal cord and anencephaly-absence of major portions of the brain and skull, that can lead to lifelong disability and infant death, when compared with women who do not restrict their carbohydrate intake.

Folic acid is an essential nutrient that minimizes the risk of neural tube defects. Dietary intake of folic acid among women with restricted carbohydrate intake was less than half of other women. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all women who may become pregnant take a daily multivitamin with at least 400 micrograms of folic acid every day before and during pregnancy.

However, because some pregnancies are not planned, many women do not initiate folic acid supplementation until later in pregnancy, after a neural tube defect may have occurred. This makes fortified foods an important source of folic acid for women who may become pregnant.
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Using marijuana does not reduce chances of getting pregnant

Marijuana use by either men or women does not lower chances of getting pregnant, according to a new study led by Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) researchers. Marijuana is one of the most widely used recreational drugs among individuals of reproductive age. Previous studies have examined the effects of marijuana use on reproductive hormones and semen quality, with conflicting results.

In Pregnancy Study Online (PRESTO), a web-based prospective cohort study of North American couples, the researchers surveyed 4,194 women aged 21 to 45 living in the United States or Canada. The study specifically targeted women in stable relationships who were not using contraception or fertility treatment.

 Female participants were given the option to invite their male partners to participate; 1,125 of their male partners enrolled. The researchers found that during the period from 2013 through 2017, approximately 12 percent of female participants and 14 percent of male participants reported marijuana use in the two months before completing the baseline survey.

 After 12 cycles of follow-up, conception probabilities were similar among couples that used marijuana and those that did not. The researchers stressed that questions about the effects of marijuana use remain. Classifying people correctly according to the amount of marijuana used, especially when relying on self-reported data is challenging.
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Sperm-sorting device could improve IVF

Women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) may become pregnant with fewer treatment cycles by using device developed by a team of researchers from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and Stanford University that uses an "obstacle course" to sort and select faster and healthier sperm cells for use in IVF treatment.

This new device was created by a team co-led by Erkan Tüzel, associate professor of physics, biomedical engineering, and computer science at WPI, and Utkan Demirci, professor of radiology and electrical engineering (by courtesy) at Stanford University.

The microfluidic device, which can be used in clinics, is dubbed SPARTAN, short for Simple Periodic ARray for Trapping And IsolatioN. It uses a field of three-dimensional posts that create an obstacle course for the swimming sperm cells. The strongest and healthiest sperm get through this array the fastest and then are collected at the outlet to be used in the IVF process.

Traditional sperm-sorting methods used in IVF treatments select sperm that are the fastest swimmers. The SPARTAN device collects sperm that are the fastest and also the healthiest because it culls out those with malformations, such as bent necks or larger heads, which can slow their movement.

The device select sperm with excellent motility, but also with normal morphology and better DNA integrity, helping families worldwide by reducing the stress of multiple IVF procedures, while potentially increasing pregnancy rates.

The SPARTAN device is about 4 millimeters wide and 12 to 16 millimeters long. Sperm are simply injected into one end and the fastest and healthiest are collected on the opposite end for immediate use in in vitro fertilization. The device also prevents the type of damage to cells that can occur with traditional sorting methods, such as those using high-force centrifuges.

Because SPARTAN can be used in the fertility clinic, sperm do not need to be frozen and shipped to a lab for processing; the in-clinic sorting procedure takes between 5 and 30 minutes. This new sperm-sorting device could mean that patients will spend less on IVF treatments,  because with the new sperm sorting technology they could be able to become pregnant without going through as many treatment cycles.
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Vitamin D boosts fertility

Women undergoing fertility treatment were 33 per cent more likely to have a baby if their vitamin D levels were healthy. NHS recommends taking of vitamin D supplement for women who are pregnant or trying to conceive for the sake of the development of their baby.

The researchers believe vitamin D may help dampen the immune system’s inflammatory response, improving the chances that an embryo successfully implants in the lining of the womb at the very start of pregnancy. Sun exposure and greater sunlight luminosity increases the body’s store of vitamin D, thereby yielding higher conception rates in summer and autumn.

Oily fish such as sardines or mackerel, red meat, liver or eggs are all rich in vitamin D.The vitamin is important during pregnancy because it affect the way a baby’s bones grow in the womb.
women should beware taking very high doses of vitamin D in a bid to conceive - as it is possible to overdose.

The NHS recommended dose of 10 micrograms a day is considered to be safe. Women should beware that taking more than this without medical advice can lead to too much calcium building up in the body, which can weaken bones and damage the heart and kidneys.
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How bacteria prevents ovulation and embryo implanting

Bacteria that causes gum infections can makes conception difficult. Women with bacteria that causes gum disease P. Gingivalis may not become pregnant within 12 months.

Women with the bug, disease of the gum and underlying bone may not become pregnant within 12 months.
Researchers believe that infection in the gums and jawbone leads to inflammation in the body and the inflammation may prevent ovulation.

 Periodontal bacteria may have a systemic effect on conception even before signs of gum disease. Women
of reproductive age are expected to take care of their oral health and attend periodontal evaluations.

Researchers examined 256 healthy non-pregnant women aged between 19 and 42 who had stopped contraception and were trying to get pregnant. The health of their mouths and gums, as well as their reproductive organs, were examined.

 P Gingivalis was detected in the saliva of women who did not become pregnant during the one-year follow-up period than those who became pregnant.

 Researchers discovered that women who either had P. Gingivalis in their saliva or antibodies indicating they had been infected by P Gingivalis, were three times less likely to get pregnant within 12 months.

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HSG fertility method reduces need for IVF

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) has revolutionized fertility treatment. The most common type of ART is in vitro fertilization (IVF), in which a woman's eggs are removed and fertilized in a laboratory, and the resulting embryos are then transferred back into the woman.

A recent study, testing a procedure that dates back 100 years, offers hope of a solution that is significantly cheaper and quicker. Flushing the fallopian tubes with an iodized poppy seed oil.

The procedure was first carried out in 1917. It is a dye test conducted under X-ray and is used to examine the uterus and fallopian tubes of women having trouble becoming pregnant. Either water-based or oil-based solutions are used to flush the tubes.

HSG was designed as an imaging procedure, rather than a treatment.
Pregnancy rates among infertile women has increase after their tubes had been flushed with either water or oil during HSG procedure.

The study involved 1,119 women who were trying for a child. Half of the participants received an HSG using oil- Lipiodol Ultra-Fluid, an iodized solution of fatty acids made from poppy seeds

The other half of the participants had an HSG using water. 40 percent of the women in the oil group and 29 percent in the water group conceived within 6 months of having the procedure.

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