All articles tagged with #fertility
The Pentagon’s plan to screen and treat testosterone in service members—despite doctors warning against universal screening—risks repeating VA’s past failures in testosterone replacement, may drive unnecessary therapy, threaten fertility, and complicate care when service members transition to veterans benefits, all amid limited coverage for infertility under TRICARE.
A New York Post report cites doctors warning that testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is widely used—often via online scripts—yet it can dramatically reduce sperm production, risking infertility for men who want future children; side effects can include acne, breast development, and testicular shrinkage, and high testosterone may raise blood pressure and heart risk without proper medical supervision. Because many men skip in-person evaluation, experts urge regular monitoring and consider alternatives like clomiphene, enclomiphene, or hCG to raise testosterone while preserving fertility, while also addressing sleep apnea, obesity, or other root causes.
Across 62 diseases, disease-risk alleles tend to shorten longevity but increase fertility; a subset that raises both traits shows signals of recent positive selection over the last ~50,000 years. Mendelian randomization suggests genetic liability to disease lowers longevity, with no robust causal effect on fertility after accounting for socioeconomic factors. In UK Biobank analyses, individuals with high disease risk generally have more children than low-risk peers, though early-onset diseases dampen reproductive success. Together, the findings support antagonistic pleiotropy and mutation-accumulation as mechanisms maintaining disease alleles via life-history trade-offs and early-life fitness advantages.
The US plans to require routine testosterone screening for male service members aged 30 and up, with the option to start testosterone replacement therapy if low levels and symptoms are present. Medical experts caution that aggressive screening can cause misdiagnoses, TRT carries risks like infertility and other side effects, and large‑scale military monitoring could be logistically challenging. The Pentagon has offered few details on implementation, and clinicians emphasize treatment should be tied to both low testosterone and clinical symptoms.
A study of 1,774 women found that while younger donor eggs raise IVF chances for some, women aged 49 and older still face lower pregnancy and live-birth rates and higher miscarriage risk. Pregnancy chances drop from about 54% in younger women to ~43% at 49+, live births fall from ~46% to ~32%, and miscarriage rises from 24% to 38%, suggesting age-related changes in the womb lining (endometrium) may limit the benefit of donor eggs. The findings don’t discourage donor-egg treatments but highlight that aging of the uterus matters and should be discussed with patients.
A University of Oxford-led analysis of about 55,000 men and 30 non-human species finds sperm quality declines the longer sperm are stored, so more frequent ejaculation is linked to healthier sperm with less DNA damage, challenging the WHO-recommended seven-day abstinence and aligning with evidence that ejaculating within 48 hours before IVF improves outcomes; the study also notes species differences in how males and females maintain sperm quality, with female storage organs often better at preserving viability, suggesting implications for clinical fertility practice and animal breeding.
Anne Hathaway opened up about the painful fertility struggles she faced years before announcing her third pregnancy, stressing that the path to conception isn’t the same for everyone and highlighting the isolation and self-doubt many experience; she had a miscarriage in 2015, and with husband Adam Shulman already has two sons, Jonathan and Jack. She revealed baby No. 3 via Instagram and was photographed with a growing bump in St. Tropez.
A review of five trials suggests GLP-1 medications for diabetes/weight loss may raise testosterone and improve sperm quality in men with obesity-related low testosterone over 24 weeks, likely via weight loss and better metabolic health; larger studies are needed to confirm fertility benefits.
A UK study suggests GLP-1 weight-loss drugs (dulaglutide, liraglutide, semaglutide) may improve male fertility markers—boosting testosterone and sperm quality—primarily through weight loss. Liraglutide increased testosterone, LH and FSH and improved sperm parameters; semaglutide improved sperm morphology; dulaglutide showed no significant hormonal changes. Researchers caution that benefits appear indirect and larger studies are needed; GLP-1s should not be used specifically for fertility.
A preliminary synthesis of trials and health‑record data suggests GLP‑1 obesity drugs may raise testosterone and improve sperm quality in men with obesity, but findings are mixed and need confirmation: some studies show testosterone increases, others show no change; one trial found GLP‑1 boosted testosterone while TRT increased it more and reduced sperm quality; a Mayo Clinic analysis observed about a 30% testosterone rise with GLP‑1–type therapies. More robust trials are needed.
A CNN Health summary reports that men aged 18–65 with high BMI who took GLP-1 medications (used for diabetes and weight loss) for 24 weeks showed higher testosterone, increased sperm count, and better sperm quality. While findings hint at fertility benefits and potential as an alternative to testosterone therapy, experts caution that more research is needed and results may not apply to all men. Benefits may stem from weight loss and reduced inflammation, but clinicians emphasize fertility evaluations and ongoing healthy lifestyle choices, as weight loss alone does not guarantee improved fertility.
A University of Michigan study found testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is often prescribed outside guidelines: among 200 men given TRT, only 12% met criteria for treatment, meaning the vast majority may be receiving therapy they don’t need. This can raise risks such as infertility, higher red blood cell counts, and potential heart attack or stroke, while reducing the body's own testosterone production. Experts say TRT helps those with clinically low testosterone, but benefits are modest and guidelines are evolving, underscoring the need for careful screening and individualized decisions with a clinician.
A National Bureau of Economic Research study finds the iPhone’s 2007–2011 spread could explain about 33% to 52% of the U.S. fertility decline, with the strongest effects among those under 24. The analysis shows births fell 4.5–8% among teens 15–19 and 3.2–6.6% among 20–24, but researchers caution smartphones are just one factor among costs, delayed marriage and broader demographic trends that shape family formation.
A Middlebury College study exploiting AT&T’s early iPhone exclusivity (2007–2011) finds birth rates fell faster in counties with more AT&T coverage, suggesting smartphones may influence social behavior and reduce fertility, though causation isn’t established and other factors could contribute; the finding adds to broader policy discussions on aging populations and impacts of technology on society.
Two studies link smartphone diffusion, starting with the iPhone in 2007, to notable drops in births in the U.S. (4.5–8.0% for ages 15–19; 3.2–6.6% for ages 20–24) and across 128 countries, suggesting a global 'technology shock' that reduced in-person dating and sexual activity; however, causality is not proven and declines began before smartphones for some groups.