Life Style

Fertility in the News—What You Need to Know

Yes, you can open your news app in the morning and feel overwhelmed by all the bad news there is in the world: pollution, conflict, bad sport scores of your favourite team and corruption in Eskom.

But in 2020 it’s NOT all bad news. There are many industries where there are daily advances in innovation and new technology. These developments don’t only make life easier because you can now do shopping online; innovation also brings hope to many people! And knowledge about innovation empowers you to make wise decisions for your life.

One of the most exciting arenas that you should keep an eye on is fertility and fertility treatment in South Africa.If you ever want children or struggling to conceive at the moment, good news is on the way.

You may be surprised to know that success stories in assisted reproduction go back as far as the 1700s.

And now, what recent news should excite you and many couples around the globe? And can news stories help you manage your health & fertility? Consider the following news worthy stories.

A Bit of History

Assisted reproduction has been around for over two centuries, as mentioned above. But most developments in this field happened from the 1970s onwards. That’s when the industry could report success about test-tube babies being born and the 1980s saw IVF bringing joy to couples. Today, IVF is a common term, with up to 2% of births in the US being the result of IVF treatments.

Since the 80s and 90s the industry and knowledge about what determines a person’s fertility have developed exponentially. Here are some facts you may not be aware of yet.

Improving Fertility Treatment Success Rates

One of the daunting aspects of undergoing fertility treatment is the chance that it may not work. Will you have the emotional strength and financial resources to try again?

The good news here is that advances are made all the time, that improve the chances of procedures such as IVF being successful.

For example, there are new discoveries about the dynamics between the sperm and the egg. Firstly, contrary to the belief of years ago, eggs are actively involved in the entry process of the sperm cells.

Studies have also shown scientists that the egg may respond to a certain PS (phosphatidylserine) marker that only occur on specific sperm cells.

If scientists can confirm that these markers are key to having the egg respond and initiate fertilisation, this can help fertility clinics pick the correct sperm cells to use during IVF and other procedures. If there are more sperm cells with a high possibility of being ‘accepted’ by the egg, couples’ chances of having successful IVF treatment increase dramatically.

Vaping, Drinking and Fertility

Here is some knowledge to motivate healthy living.

People have much to say about vaping. Some smokers start vaping in an attempt to stop smoking, but the flavours of vape oils are often alluring, preventing many people from kicking the habit.

You’re probably used to people talking about the dangers of smoking, for personal health as well as a developing baby during a pregnancy. But there is a possibility that vaping can also harm smokers and even affect a woman’s fertility.

Men should also consider their daily habits, because drinking too much alcohol can affect the baby conceived by your sperm. The experts conducting studies, advise men to completely abstain from drinking for half a year before conception. Why? Because alcohol can compromise sperm and result in heart defects for the baby.

Designing Babies

Designer babies may be a controversial topic, but it’s important to know what science empowers humans to do. In recent years scientists have found ways to separate the X and Y chromosome sperm. This enables them to select which sex the baby should be.

Advanced techniques don’t only enable couples to have babies, but they also save lives. A type of IVF that involved genetic screening enabled a couple to have a baby that had the correct type of cells. These cells, taken from his umbilical cord, saved his sister who suffered from a rare genetic disease.

Conclusion

If you don’t know about the resources available to you, you can’t use them as a solution and enjoy a successful outcome.

If you’re struggling to conceive it’s vital you stay up to date with the latest developments in the healthcare and fertility industry. The miracle you’re hoping for, could be front page news before you know it.

Atif Mallo

Atif Mallo is a freelance blogger with huge interest in technology, science, life hacks and health. He loves coffee, cheesecake and chess. Drop a line in comments to leave feedback for him.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Back to top button