Category Archives: Embryology

Embryology

Fertility expert shares the seven things you need to know before freezing your eggs – The Mirror

Embryologist Cynthia Hudson encourages women to consider their fertility earlier to better prepare them for the future

With a growing number of women choosing to have children later on, they are increasingly finding themselves in a race against the biological clock to start a family.

For many women, egg freezing is a great way to preserve fertility if they are planning to have a family in the future, but not any time soon. The process involves collecting a woman's eggs, freezing them and thawing them later so they can be used in treatment.

While the thought of starting a family may seem like a distant idea for some, lead embryologist Cynthia Hudson at fertility tech company TMRW Life Sciences, says considering your fertility earlier can better prepare you for the future.

Cynthia said: If a woman is unsure about whether she wants children at the moment, she can freeze her eggs to give her more options for family building in the future. She may never need or want to use them, but sometimes having that 'insurance policy' can help to relieve stress and anxiety.

Speaking to the Mirror, the expert answered the most frequently asked questions about egg freezing. Heres everything you need to know:

She said: There is no one right answer to this question, however, the younger you are when you freeze your eggs, the better your chances are of having a successful pregnancy later.

The quality and quantity of a womans eggs decline with age in line with traditional IVF cycle success rates. What this means is if youre over 35 you'll need to bank more eggs to get the same chance of success as someone who froze them when they were under 35.

She added: All of these questions should be discussed with your fertility specialist to determine the options that give you the best chances of achieving your parenthood dreams.

The rules on how long you can store frozen eggs changed in the UK on July 1, 2022, increasing from 10 years to up to 55 years. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) explained that for storage to lawfully continue you will need to renew your consent every 10 years.

This extended time period affords women the freedom to confidently freeze their eggs without the worry that they will need to use them within 10 years or else have to discard them, said Cynthia.

The expert highlighted: It is important to think of egg freezing as an insurance policy rather than a guarantee it helps you to preserve your fertility for longer and gives you options, but cannot promise success.

The fertility industry is regulated and licensed by the HFEA and information can be found on their website on the different treatment options available, as well as clinic ratings and reviews.

To date, only small numbers of women in the UK who have frozen their eggs have actually gone back to use them, so it's difficult to draw firm conclusions from this sample.

Universally though, those using frozen eggs during IVF cycles have pregnancy rates that correspond to the age of the egg when it was frozen, not the age of the person that received embryos created from those frozen eggs," informed Cynthia.

Not every egg will fertilise, not every fertilised egg will result in a viable embryo, and not every viable embryo will lead to a live birth.

She added: This is why its important to understand all of the data and options available to you your fertility specialist will be able to answer all of your questions and advise you accordingly.

According to the HFEA, the average cost of having your eggs collected and frozen in the UK is 3,350, with medication being approximately 500 to 1,500 on top of that. Storage costs and other treatment options are not included in this number.

The embryologist explained: That said, freezing your eggs will require an IVF cycle later, so these costs need to be considered as well. Definitely speak to your fertility specialist about all of this.

With something as precious as a womans future fertility at stake, choosing the right fertility clinic is important. The HFEA is responsible for licensing and inspecting UK fertility clinics and their website details how clinics have scored against their inspections. This can give you an indication of the success rates and patient ratings of a clinic.

Women may also want to inquire about the technology and equipment used by clinics to freeze and store eggs and embryos. The current standard of care relies on manual identification, tracking, and written record keeping. As the numbers of frozen specimens under management increase, this can put pressure on human abilities to maintain accurate inventories, she said.

TMRW Life Sciences is changing these processes by bringing an automated platform for specimen management, identification, and storage of frozen human eggs and embryos to the field.

The egg freezing process is very similar to anyone undergoing IVF treatment in that it requires a standard evaluation and workup, followed by an ovarian stimulation plan to produce multiple eggs.

Cynthia said: The differences start at this point, because instead of making embryos with a partner or donor sperm source and attempting to fall pregnant, the eggs will be frozen on the day they come out.

When youre ready to use them, which could be years on, is when youll need to consider the second phase of this process (IVF). In the meantime, making sure theyre safe and secure until that point in time is critical to your eventual success, so be sure you bring all of these questions to your fertility specialist.

It is important to remember there are also alternative paths to parenthood. These could include introducing donor eggs, sperm or embryos to your journey.

Cynthia explained: Donor conception is a great way to achieve your goals if youre not producing high quality or enough eggs of your own, if you are in a same sex relationship, or you have a high risk of passing on an inherited disease.

You may need to partner with a gestational carrier to bring your child to this world. Yet another approach to having a child is choosing to foster or adopt; there are many paths to parenthood, and there is no one right way to do it."

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Fertility expert shares the seven things you need to know before freezing your eggs - The Mirror

Embryology

Arlington and Alexandria Bring Home the 4-H Ribbons – Virginia Connection Newspapers

If you grew up in the Midwest like I did, 4-H would be about the best strawberry jam and the handsomest looking hog at the state fair. But Deborah Madden, Associate Extension Agent for Arlington, says, The program really reflects what area you live in. Locally the kids are surrounded by defense and the government. We dont have an agriculture program here. She explains that in Fairfax they still do a lot of animal science and horses.

But she says that when they did a survey of 4-H summer camp participants the youth said they wanted to learn about agriculture in Virginia which is the number one industry in the state. So they are going to bring the Virginia State University mobile agriculture van to summer camp this year where the campers will be able to walk in and learn about agriculture in Virginia.

Sharon Toth, 4-H Youth Extension Agent for Alexandria says the 5-day overnight summer camp at Front Royal is the biggest event they do. There will be 200 youth from the northern Virginia area participating in canoeing, yoga, archery, high ropes and this year performing arts. It will be technology free and will concentrate on leadership, teamwork and self motivation.

Madden says the 4-H core values of learning self-reliance, to be a good citizen and life skills have always been the same over time; its just that the programs are designed to fit the environment. For instance, in Arlington they have programs in recreation centers and schools that focus on things like urban gardening, culinary education and STEM. She adds they are rebuilding programs on entomology and embryology where they will hatch chickens from eggs.

Barcroft Elementary has an after school club focusing on water and air quality. She says they also have a military club at Henderson Hall that concentrates on STEM. This club has also included creative writing, aviation and cooking. The youth director decides.

Madden says, Currently I am still working with Williamsburg Middle School on Teen Cuisine, a six-week program offered during extended day. It looks at nutrition. She recalls the chicken bite salsa. Were also looking at sugary snacks, good and bad fat. Next they will head into embryology and then a gardening program.

We plan to have a full 4-H Club at Drew Elementary in two months, then Carlyn Springs library in the fall with drop in activities for teens.

Id like to test the waters on a teen club. Were missing out on the biggest opportunity in this age group.

In Alexandria Toth says they are working in recreation centers and schools to rebuild programs. Currently there are two clubs, one focusing on wellness and adventure at John Marshall Library and the other focusing on nature and animals at Billy Ford Nature Center. All it takes to set up a 4-H club is an adult mentor to serve as a leader and positive role model and with a topic the youth have an interest in. The programs are youth-driven to instill leadership. And when kids are busy, they are less likely to engage with drugs.

She remembers she was in a traditional 4-H program in New Jersey. It had the same goals, same focus on youth leadership. 4-H is designed to fit its environment.

Toth says she would really like to start a dog training club how to take care of your animal, the different breeds. I think it would really do well in Alexandria. They really love their dogs.

She adds that Gabriella Coussens Douglas MacArthur Elementary School in (4th grade) Alexandria recently won a blue ribbon for her project on entomology at the 4-H Fairfax County Contest Day. It focuses on the importance of insects and why they are important to the ecosystem.

In Arlington blue ribbon winners included: Landon Gould (10), Taylor Elementary1st place Presentations; 1st place, Extemporaneous Speaking; 2nd place, Share-the-fun. Meridian Nilles (9), Oakridge Elementary1st place, Table Setting; 1st place, Extemporaneous Speaking. Annabelle Cunningham (12), Gunston Middle School, 1st place Table Setting. Samien Chowdhury (11), Barcroft Elementary1st place, Presentations; 1st place Extemporaneous Speech.

These winners will advance to the Northeast District Contest in Spotsylvania, Va. on April,15, 2023. Toth says 4-H programs are open to kids age 5-19.

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Arlington and Alexandria Bring Home the 4-H Ribbons - Virginia Connection Newspapers

Embryology

PINNACLE FERTILITY ANNOUNCES THE PROMOTION OF BETH … – PR Newswire

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., March 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Pinnacle Fertility (Pinnacle), the nation's fast-growing physician-led fertility care platform, is proud to announce the promotion of Beth Zoneraich to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pinnacle Fertility. Beth brings over two decades of experience in scaling businesses and unparalleled expertise in fertility practice innovation and development. Under Beth's leadership, the Pinnacle team will be able to catalyze the transformation of patient care, outcomes, and experience across the Pinnacle network.

Jerry Rhodes, Executive Chairman - Pinnacle Fertility, said, "Beth's appointment as our CEO allows us to leverage her exceptional skills and expertise to steer Pinnacle Fertility's expansion worldwide. We are excited about the future of fertility healthcare and are confident that Beth's vision, integrity, and leadership will be instrumental in our team's success."

Beth joined Pinnacle Fertility as Chief Operating Officer in October 2021, concurrently with the acquisition of Advanced Fertility Care, where she had served as Co-Founder and CEO. At Pinnacle, Beth pioneered the Pinnacle Embryology School in collaboration with the Medical, Lab, and Business Leadership Boards. Alongside Dr. John Jain of Santa Monica Fertility, Beth has assisted in the expansion of Pinnacle's third-party reproduction services through the launch of Pinnacle Surrogacy and Pinnacle Egg Bank. These key partnerships and operational improvements have been essential to Pinnacle's tremendous growth.

Beth Zoneraich remarked, "At Pinnacle Fertility, we are passionate about helping families experience the miracle of parenthood. I joined Pinnacle for its commitment to a patient-first vision and a collaborative, physician-led approach. By setting the gold standard in fertility medicine and prioritizing exceptional patient experiences and successful outcomes, we are poised for significant growth. I am honored to work alongside this compassionate and talented team."

Pinnacle Fertility encompasses 34 top-tier fertility clinics and comprehensive fertility service providers across the nation. The Pinnacle network boasts some of the top 100 fertility clinics in the country, renowned for their innovation, success, and dedication to compassionate, patient-centric care.

About Pinnacle Fertility

Pinnacle Fertility is a patient-first, physician-led fertility care platform, supporting high-performing fertility clinics and comprehensive fertility service providers nationwide. Under a united mission of fulfilling dreams by building families, Pinnacle clinics offer innovative technology and processes, compassionate patient care, and comprehensive fertility treatment services, ensuring families receive a high-touch experience on their path to parenthood.

For more information about Pinnacle Fertility, visit pinnaclefertility.com.

Contact:Walt Conrad[emailprotected]

SOURCE Pinnacle Fertility

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PINNACLE FERTILITY ANNOUNCES THE PROMOTION OF BETH ... - PR Newswire

Embryology

Delay in early development of the embryo associated with likelihood of miscarriage – News-Medical.Net

Embryos in pregnancies that end in miscarriage take longer to develop in the womb than those in pregnancies that result in live births, according to new research published today (Monday) in Human Reproduction, one of the world's leading reproductive medicine journals.

For the first time, researchers in The Netherlands have been able to look at the way embryos develop while pregnancies are ongoing. They used state-of-the-art imaging technology, including 3D ultrasound with high resolution transvaginal probes and virtual reality techniques, to create 3D holograms of the embryo.

This enabled them to assess the overall development of the embryo, including arms and legs, the shape and length of the brain and the curvature of the embryo. 3D ultrasound and virtual reality techniques also enabled them to measure embryonic volume and the distance between the crown of the head and the bottom of the embryo's buttocks (crown-rump length).

Dr Melek Rousian, a gynecologist at Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, who led the study, said: "We found that in the first ten weeks of the pregnancy, embryos in pregnancies that end in a miscarriage took four days longer to develop than babies that did not miscarry. We also found that the longer it takes for an embryo to develop, the more likely it is to miscarry.

"In the future, the ability to assess the shape and development of embryos could be used to estimate the likelihood of a pregnancy continuing to the delivery of a healthy baby. This would enable health professionals to provide counseling to women and their partners about the prospective outcome of the pregnancy and the timely identification of a miscarriage. This would be particularly useful for couples who have had previous pregnancies that have ended in miscarriage; we might be able to indicate the risk of another miscarriage or maybe offer some early reassurance."

The researchers collected data from women taking part in the ongoing Rotterdam Periconception Cohort (PREDICT study), a large prospective study embedded in patient care in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam. A total of 611 ongoing pregnancies and 33 pregnancies ending in a miscarriage were included from women recruited to the study between 2010 and 2018 when they were between seven and ten weeks pregnant.

To study the internal and external characteristics and measurements of an embryo, known as embryo morphology, the ability to see the embryo in 3D is important. The researchers used virtual reality to create holograms to look at the embryos' development and they compared the morphology against established stages of embryo development, known as the Carnegie Stages.

Without the aid of 3D and virtual reality, it is far more difficult to examine the development of the embryo. For instance, the 3D virtual reality technology makes it much easier to see the development of the arms and legs. In the Carnegie staging system, the curvature and position of the arms and legs have an important role. Many historic studies have examined the products of miscarriage, but this is the first time we have been able to look at the developing pregnancy while the pregnancy was still intact."

Dr Carsten Pietersma, first author of the study, PhD candidate and ultrasonographer at Erasmus MC

The Carnegie stages of embryonic development cover the first ten weeks of gestation and run from 1 to 23. Compared to an ongoing pregnancy, a pregnancy ending in a miscarriage was associated with a lower Carnegie stage and the embryo would reach the final Carnegie stage four days later than an embryo from a pregnancy that resulted in a healthy baby. A delay in Carnegie stage increased the likelihood of a miscarriage by 1.5% per delayed stage.

After the tenth week there is no staging system for embryo development, and so the researchers used foetal growth and birth weight to assess development thereafter. They found that a pregnancy ending in a miscarriage was linked to a shorter crown-rump length and smaller embryonic volume.

"We are able to show a significant association between miscarriage and a delay in the early development of the embryo, even if the miscarriage was after ten weeks of gestation," said Dr Pietersma.

The researchers adjusted their analyses to take account of factors that could affect pregnancy outcomes such as whether or not the women had been pregnant previously, age, ethnicity, socio-economic status, alcohol use, smoking and use of folic acid or other vitamin supplements.

A limitation of the study is that it includes a relatively small number of pregnancies that ended in miscarriage from a group of women attending tertiary care hospital for preconception and prenatal care and so they may not be representative of the general population. Results of genetic testing following a miscarriage were not available to the researchers, so they do not know if the embryos that miscarried had abnormal chromosome numbers, which could have contributed to the non-viability of the pregnancies.

Dr Denny Sakkas is Chief Scientific of Boston IVF (USA) and the embryology specialist deputy editor of Human Reproduction. He was not involved with the study. He said: "The emotional burden of a miscarriage is incredibly high for women with established pregnancies. This novel study by Carsten Pietersma and colleagues examines the development of embryos in the womb and finds differences in pregnancies that end in miscarriage compared to those that result in live births. The stages of development are calculated from examination of holograms generated from state-of-the-art 3D ultrasound imaging and virtual reality. Use of this technology could prepare patients for an early adverse pregnancy outcome, possibly allowing them to obtain supportive care in case of an adverse outcome."

Source:

Journal reference:

Pietersma, C. S., et al. (2023). Embryonic morphological development is delayed in pregnancies ending in a spontaneous miscarriage. Human Reproduction. doi.org/10.1093/humrep/dead032.

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Delay in early development of the embryo associated with likelihood of miscarriage - News-Medical.Net

Embryology

Rumi Scientific Appoints Allen A. Fienberg, Ph.D., as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of – EIN News

NEW YORK, March 30, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rumi Scientific (Rumi), a developer of therapies for rare and neurodegenerative diseases discovered using its high throughput organoid phenotypic screening platform, announced the appointment of Allen Fienberg, Ph.D., as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Our human organoid-based high throughput drug discovery platform has already identified multiple molecules and targets warranting further development, said Ali H. Brivanlou, Ph.D., co-founder of Rumi Scientific, and the Robert and Harriet Heilbrunn Professor and head of the Laboratory of Synthetic Embryology at The Rockefeller University. Having reached this point, it became clear that a CEO with expertise in advancing preclinical programs to clinical-stage candidates was needed to drive our continued progress. Allens extensive neuroscience research and drug development experience positions him ideally to lead the advancement of our lead program in Huntingtons disease (HD) and of our earlier-stage programs in autism spectrum disorder and Alport syndrome. On behalf of the Rumi Scientific team, I am pleased to welcome Allen to the Company and look forward to its ongoing evolution under his leadership.

Dr. Fienberg joined Rumi after serving for more than 20 years as Vice President of Business Development at Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc. (ITI), which he co-founded in 2002. While at ITI, he was responsible for all business development activities along with various preclinical science initiatives. As a co-founder Dr. Fienberg also participated in early-stage fundraising, investor relations, legal and various administrative functions. From 1999-2001, Dr.Fienberg was a staff scientist at the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation and was appointed a Research Assistant Professor at The Rockefeller University from 2001-2002. Dr.Fienberg earned his A.B. degree in Genetics from the University of California, Berkeley, and his Ph.D. in Human Genetics from Yale University. He completed post-doctoral studies at The Rockefeller University under the direction of the late Dr.Paul Greengard from 1991-1999.

What attracted me to Rumi was their highly innovative, phenotype-based drug discovery capabilities based on their unique high throughput organoid screening platform, said Dr. Fienberg. The platform evaluates drug-induced changes in phenotypes observed in neural organoids, rather than employing the traditional approach of identifying targets against which molecules are then tested. The platform has already identified molecules with the potential to impact several underlying pathological processes in HD. The platform is adaptable to almost any disease and thus has tremendous potential. I look forward to working with the talented team at Rumi to advance this and other potential therapeutic candidates.

About Rumi ScientificRumi Scientifics mission is to identify and develop novel therapeutics for rare and neurodegenerative diseases by employing its revolutionary synthetic human tissue platform to produce more predictive data leading to a safe and faster clinical trial process. The Companys lead program is an orally available bromodomain-containing protein 9 (BRD9) inhibitor in lead optimization for the treatment of Huntingtons disease. Founded in 2016, Rumi licensed foundational technology from The Rockefeller University developed by co-foundersAli H. Brivanlou, Ph.D., and Eric D. Siggia, Ph.D. For more information on Rumi Scientific, please see http://www.rumiscientific.com or contact info@rumiscientific.com.

Rumi Scientific:Allen Fienberg, Ph.D.Chairman and Chief Executive Officerallen@rumiscientific.com

Fred Etoc, Ph.D.Chief Scientific Officerfred@rumiscientific.com

Investors:Burns McClellan Lee Roth / Cameron Radinoviclroth@burnsmc.com / cradinovic@burnsmc.com

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Rumi Scientific Appoints Allen A. Fienberg, Ph.D., as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of - EIN News

Embryology

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority consults on proposed … – Solicitors Journal

The HFEA has proposed changes that it believes should be made to modernise the law

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) launched a public consultation on 28 February on proposed changes to the law on fertility treatment regulation and embryo research. The consultation comes in response to the UK governments request that the HFEA puts forward recommendations for change.

The impetus for the review centres on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, which is over 30 years old, and has only been updated once since its enactment to reflect the significant changes in the fertility sector. Changes cited by the HFEA that have occurred in the past three decades include: changing attitudes to fertility treatment, evolutions in the science as well as new technologies, debates around new ethical issues and treatment options, and changes to the size of the sector and the services offered. The regulator also highlights limitations to its powers compared to some other UK regulators that have a wider and more effective range of powers to improve compliance and protect patients and consumers than those available to the HFEA.

The only changes to the law were implemented in 2008, focusing on new treatment options for parents seeking to avoid serious inherited mitochondrial disorders, removing potential barriers to licensed treatment for female same-sex couples, and widening the scope of who could become a parent. Other related changes brought about through regulations or secondary legislation include: enabling complex data to be shared with researchers to explore infertility and the impact of IVF, and changes to the storage period for gametes and embryos.

The changes proposed in the consultation are grouped into four areas: patient safety and promoting good practice; access to donation information; consent; and scientific developments. The proposed changes related to scientific developments includes measures to future proof the law to ensure it is better able to respond to scientific developments and therefore speed up potential access tonew treatment options for patients. It is envisaged that this would allow Parliament to approve new scientific and clinical developments through regulation without having to modifythe Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act every time.

The consultation is open for feedback until 14 April 2023. Following the consultation, the HFEA will submit its final recommendations to the Department of Health and Social Care.

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Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority consults on proposed ... - Solicitors Journal

Embryology

Abortion may be legal in Argentina but women still face major obstacles – BBC

5 March 2023

Mara was 23 when she decided to have an abortion.

At the health centre where she had gone for treatment, she says she overheard one doctor saying to a colleague: "When will these girls learn to keep their legs closed?"

Mara lives in Salta, a religiously conservative province in north-west Argentina, where many healthcare workers are still against abortion.

She was eventually given a pill to end her pregnancy, but she says the nurses were reluctant to treat her and wanted to make her feel guilty: "After I expelled the pregnancy tissue, I could see the foetus."

"The nurses put it in a jar to make sure I saw it and they told me, 'This could have been your child.'"

Argentina relaxed its law on abortion in 2020, allowing a woman to choose to terminate her pregnancy in the first 14 weeks, Previously, it was only allowed in the case of rape or if the woman's life or health was at risk.

Abortion is a highly contentious issue in Argentina, where more than 60% of people are Catholic and 15% are evangelical Christians, with the leadership of both groups opposing the practice.

Maria says she was shown the foetus and told: "This could have been your child."

The new law allows health workers in Argentina to abstain from performing abortions.

"As soon as the law was passed, I declared myself a conscientious objector," says Dr Carlos Franco, a paediatrician from the same area as Mara, who estimates that 90% of health workers in the province's main public hospital have done the same.

He says his years studying embryology left him with the belief that life begins at fertilisation.

"My duty, as a doctor, is to take care and protect the human life from the embryonic stage," he adds.

This helps explain why women like Mara are having so much trouble accessing legal abortions.

Mara had initially spent two days at the health centre just waiting to be seen by a doctor.

Eventually, when none came, she turned to social media for help and found Mnica Rodriguez, a local activist, who helped her file a complaint at the hospital and secure an appointment.

Ms Rodriguez says she gets about 100 phone calls a month from women in Salta who are having similar difficulty getting access to safe abortions.

She tells the BBC her main job is simply to listen: "While I don't recommend abortion, I don't romanticise motherhood either."

The campaign to expand abortion rights in Argentina has taken decades, but Valeria Isla, director of sexual and reproductive health at the national health ministry, says that significant progress has been made.

She cites official figures showing that the number of mothers dying from abortions has dropped by 40% since the law was enacted in 2021.

The number of public health centres that provide abortions has gone up by more than a half over the same period, and the drug misoprostol, which chemically induces abortions, is now being manufactured in the country, making it more widely available.

Long waits for treatment and the social stigma surrounding abortions can make women vulnerable to corrupt practices.

There have been cases reported of women being forced to pay hundreds of dollars for treatment that should be free in public health facilities.

"There is a mafia," says Dr Mara Laura Lerma, a psychologist based in a remote mountain community in Jujuy in the country's north-west. "In many rural areas of Argentina, some doctors who work in the public hospital take patients to their private clinics."

The government has urged women to report allegations of corruption, but many women in rural areas are too scared to do so.

Anti-abortion activists are trying to block the law allowing the procedure

Doctors who do agree to perform abortions have been targeted with spurious legal complaints.

In September 2021, one doctor in Salta was briefly detained following an accusation by the aunt of a 21-year-old patient that she had performed an "illegal abortion".

The accusation was untrue, but it took a year for a court to dismiss the case.

"Anti-abortion organisations have historical connections with judges and people in power and they use them to generate fear and endanger the freedom of doctors who provide abortions," says Roco Garca Garro, a lawyer for pro-choice campaign group Catholics for the Right to Decide.

Anti-abortion campaigners are also using the courts to try and get the abortion law declared unconstitutional.

Cristina Fiore, a local parliament representative in Salta, is one of them.

"We believe human life starts at conception and we are against this throwaway culture," she says.

So far, all legal challenges have failed.

Mara is clear why she made the choice not to continue with her pregnancy: "I had never wanted to be a mum My parents abandoned me and that's a trauma which has taken me years to overcome."

She says she wants training to be improved for nurses and gynaecologists to prevent others suffering like her.

"There are many women, especially in the small rural towns, who are discriminated against like me and not all of them dare to speak."

*Names of some contributors have been changed to protect their privacy.

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Abortion may be legal in Argentina but women still face major obstacles - BBC

Embryology

Scientists urge pregnant women to avoid using plastic bottles – Daily Mail

By Xantha Leatham Deputy Science Editor For The Daily Mail 19:00 03 Mar 2023, updated 19:00 03 Mar 2023

Experts have recommended drinking out of glass or metal bottles due to growing fears that tiny plastic particles may wreak havoc on our health.

Dr Luisa Campagnolo, an expert in histology and embryology at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, warned there is mounting evidence that micro and nano-plastics are ending up in human tissue.

Previous studies have shown microscopic particles a byproduct of the degradation of plastic can end up in the human bloodstream and even the placenta.

But a new study in rats, presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science's annual conference, shows ingested plastics can end up in the organs of the foetus itself.

'There are indications that most likely the foetus is a target for plastic particles, because the placenta is,' Dr Campagnolo, who was not involved in the study, said.

'I would avoid stuffing the placenta with plastic particles, in order not to have the foetus affected.'

Previous research has suggested plastic particles that penetrate human tissue can impact the production of certain hormones and may therefore impair biological processes.

And while research into the effect of plastic particles on human health is in its infancy, and it is important not to jump to conclusions about the potential dangers, there are simple steps we can all take to protect our health, Dr Campagnolo said.

Disposable plastic bottles can release debris, particularly when exposed to sunlight, which we then drink.

Dr Campagnolo said: 'It's probably less handy but we should not drink bottled water in plastic bottles.

'We don't have to freak out if we sit on a plastic chair, but I think we should avoid whatever is disposable, whatever is in contact with food, such as using plastic containers in the microwave oven. We should go back to glass.

'Disposable plastic took over probably 30 to 40 years ago but we can rethink this approach.'

Dr Philip Demokritou, an expert in nanoscience and environmental bioengineering at Rutgers University in New Jersey, said recent findings from animal studies were 'very alarming'.

His study in rodents, published last month in the journal Nanomaterials, is thought to show the first evidence that ingested plastics can be passed to a foetus.

He said: 'From the stomach of the pregnant animal, 24 hours later we found these micro- and nano-plastics in the placenta.

'More importantly, we found them in every organ of the foetus, which points to potential developmental effects.'

Dr Demokritou called for more investment in research to understand the implant of plastic particles on human health, and renewed efforts to recycle materials or switch to more biodegradable alternatives.

He said: 'I don't want to scare people but this is an emerging contaminant and we have a lot of unknowns in terms of the risks.

'Every person consumes roughly 5g of micro- and nano-plastics per week. That's the equivalent of a credit card going into your stomach on a weekly basis.

'We cannot go back to the Stone Age, but as a society we need to become smarter, embrace sustainable concepts, to avoid crises like this.

'All of us, scientists, the public, society at large, regulators, we need to rethink how we produce and use materials and chemicals in general.'

Urban flooding is causing microplastics to be flushed into our oceans even faster than thought, according to scientists looking at pollution in rivers.

Waterways in Greater Manchester are now so heavily contaminated by microplastics that particles are found in every sample - including even the smallest streams.

This pollution is a major contributor to contamination in the oceans, researchers found as part of the first detailed catchment-wide study anywhere in the world.

This debris - including microbeads and microfibres - are toxic to ecosystems.

Scientists tested 40 sites around Manchester and found every waterway contained these small toxic particles.

Microplastics are very small pieces of plastic debris including microbeads, microfibres and plastic fragments.

It has long been known they enter river systems from multiple sources including industrial effluent, storm water drains and domestic wastewater.

However, although around 90 per cent of microplastic contamination in the oceans is thought to originate from land, not much is known about their movements.

Most rivers examined had around 517,000 plastic particles per square metre, according to researchers from the University of Manchester who carried out the detailed study.

Following a period of major flooding, the researchers re-sampled at all of the sites.

They found levels of contamination had fallen at the majority of them, and the flooding had removed about 70 per cent of the microplastics stored on the river beds.

This demonstrates that flood events can transfer large quantities of microplastics from urban river to the oceans.

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Scientists urge pregnant women to avoid using plastic bottles - Daily Mail

Embryology

Precongress courses at ESHRE23 characterised by practicality and … – ESHRE

Nineteen PCCs have been scheduled for this years annual meeting, 13 organised by ESHREs Special Interest Groups covering a wide range of themes and presenting speakers of international renown. A record number of abstracts have been received for the main scientific programme.

As ever, this years PCCs are characterised by a strong thread of practicality and topicality, with presentations from experts of international acclaim. Two of the courses, from the SIG Embryology and SIG Implantation & Early Pregnancy, will complement publication of two imminent ESHRE guidelines, on add-ons in ART and on recurrent implantation failure. Both guidelines have completed their stakeholder review and will be featured specifically in the courses. Add-ons, of course, have been a hot topic for ESHRE for several years, giving rise to a far wider general discussion of how to introduce new developments into everyday practice. The latter is the theme of a dedicated course from the SIG Global & Socio-cultural Aspects of Infertility, which is likely to be provocative at least, with presentations from among others Sebastiaan Mastenbroek, Simon Fishel, Jack Wilkinson and Ben Mol. Wilkinsons presentation has a strong practical theme on a subject which seems more usually beset by opinion - on how to introduce new technologies responsibly. Claims and counter-claims present a minefield for patients (help, hype and hope), which Manuela Perrotta hopes to unravel in her presentation on informed consent.

The SIG Implantation & Early Pregnancy describes recurrent implantation failure as a unique riddle, subject to different perspectives and putative solutions. These different perspectives are largely represented in a wide-ranging course which covers male, female and embryonic factors in a condition which affects 10% of the IVF population. Susan Golombok, from the Centre for Family Research in Cambridge, whose work has done so much to underline the acceptability of the new family dynamics which ART has made possible, will consider alternative approaches to parenthood. The daily routine of managing RIF patients will be reviewed by Bettina Toth.

Time-lapse systems are now ubiquitous in the IVF lab, especially in Europe, and they too feature prominently in this years PCCs, either in the practicality of new introductions or as a routine luxury or necessity. The latter features in a programme of debates organised by the SIG Reproductive Endocrinology, which also includes the hot topics of freeze-all, cycle programming ahead of FET, PGT-A for embryo selection, duo-stim and managing the luteal phase.

Two courses of great topical interest feature the introduction and application of artificial intelligence in reproductive medicine. Presentations will start with the basics and further consider how AI might help in embryo selection for transfer and endometrial receptivity. Even more topical, with the imminent revision of the EUs tissue and cell directives into a single directive, is a course organised by the SIGs Ethics & Law and Psychology & Counselling on the varying regulations in Europe on third-party gamete donation. Enhanced protection of donors is likely to be a major component of the new directive, and this PCC will consider how regulation has an impact on the practice of third-party donation.

Despite the vein of practicality running through many of these courses (indeed, the session on AI is sub-headed a practical course for IVF practitioners), basic science also figures prominently in sessions organised by the SIGs Andrology, Reproductive Genetics and Stem Cells. The theme for the course devised by the SIG Stem Cells concentrates on gametogenesis and attempts to model specific steps. Some of the technologies featured (such as IVM and the use of microfluidics) are already being applied clinically, while others are just emerging as potentially important.

Meanwhile, with the PCC schedule promising a feast of learning and attraction, news from the main programme is that a record number of abstracts had been received at ESHREs central office by submission deadline at end January. The total - of 2109 abstracts submitted - represents a new record and the first over 2000. The previous best was in Barcelona in the pre-covid days of 2018, when 1898 abstracts were received. After scoring and organisation into the selected oral communication sessions, the presentations will be made on the three days of the main programme, from Monday 26 June to Wednesday 28 June. The precongress courses will be held on Sunday 25 June, starting at 09.00

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Precongress courses at ESHRE23 characterised by practicality and ... - ESHRE

Embryology

Couple’s Child Has Deadly Cancer Gene Thanks to IVF Clinic’s … – The Daily Beast

Jason and Melissa Diaz thought they were giving their future child a shot at a healthy life when they opted for in vitro fertilization over natural conception. But according to a new lawsuit, what they got was nothing short of a disaster.

The California couple both carry genetic mutations: Melissa for BRCA-1, which predisposes carriers to breast cancer, and Jason for CDH1, which carries an elevated risk of stomach cancer.

Jason found out about his mutation in the summer of 2018, when he developed diffuse gastric cancer and was forced to undergo a gastrectomya full stomach removalwhen chemotherapy did not work. The life-altering procedure prevents patients from digesting food normally and causes chronic gastrointestinal pain, among other debilitating side effects.

When the Diazes decided to have children, they elected to go with IVF, so they could test the embryos for the genetic mutations before implanting them. According to the lawsuit, they wanted to achieve their dreams of parenthood without subjecting their children to the stomach cancer Jason and his family members had endured.

The fertility clinic they chose, HRC Fertility, advertises itself as having state-of-the-art embryology labs and remarkable lab personnel of highly trained and dedicated embryologists, according to the suit. It allegedly advertised their doctor, Bradford Kolb, as being known for helping to develop and implementing cutting edge technologies in the genetic screening of embryos.

From the beginning, they expressly advised HRC Fertility, its employees, and Dr. Kolb that they sought IVF with preimplantation genetic testing to avoid having a child with Jasons CDH1 mutation for hereditary diffuse gastric cancer, the suit states.

Jason and Melissa ultimately created five embryos with the clinic, only one of which did not carry either mutation, according to the suit. They transferred that embryo in August 2020, but Melissa ultimately miscarried.

Devastated but eager to try again, the suit claims, the Diazes asked their IVF coordinator to arrange for the implantation of a male embryo that the coordinator said carried the breast cancer mutation but not the stomach cancer mutation. (The couple considered this a safe choice because men are significantly less likely to develop breast cancer than women.)

Dr. Kolb transferred the embryo on Jan. 8, 2021, and Melissa gave birth to a boy in September. Jasons family threw a party for the couple to celebrate eliminating the CDH1 mutation from the Diaz family line, believing they had broken the curse that had doomed other family members to cancer and early death, the lawsuit states.

But the family was wrong. According to the suit, Dr. Kolb did not transfer a male embryo without the stomach cancer gene, because no such embryo existed. The IVF coordinator misrepresented the testing results and arranged for the transfer of a male embryo with the CDH1 mutation. The baby boy now has a more than 80 percent chance of developing stomach cancer, according to the suit.

We went through the difficult and expensive process of IVF so we could spare our children what Jason has had to endure, Melissa said at a press conference. We still cannot believe that after all we did ... our baby has the same genetic mutation we thought we escaped.

She added: Hes just such a happy baby, and to know the hurt in front of himthat he has to face for something we tried to preventit crushes me.

A spokesperson for HRC said in a statement that the Diazes had sought genetic testing and counseling outside of its facility, with a third party.

They wished to have a male embryo transferred, which we carried out according to the familys explicit wishes and in accordance with the highest level of care, the spokesperson said, adding that the company stand[s] by the professionalism and expertise of our medical staff and pride ourselves on adhering to the highest standards for patient care, patient records, results, and testing at all our locations.

According to the suit, the couples child will inevitably need to undergo a gastrectomy to prevent him from developing stomach cancer. They hope to delay the surgery until after he is finished developing, since removing the stomach before then could result in lifelong physical and cognitive impairments.

Jason, who saw two aunts die as a result of the cancer, called the results his greatest fear.

I wouldnt want anyone on earth to experience this type of pain, and now I will be forced to watch my own sonmy own flesh and bloodgo through this, he said. Every day my heart is hurting for my baby boy knowing the pain and challenges he has ahead of him.

Even if the child is able to delay the surgery until adulthood, he will still suffer from the pain, discomfort, and possible chronic diarrhea that afflicts many gastrectomy patients. The side effects may be so severe they will prevent him from taking certain jobs, according to the suit.

But the couple is not suing over the alleged wrongful implantation. Instead, they are alleging a coverup on the part of the fertility clinic, which they claim misled them even after the birth of their child.

According to the suit, the couple lived happily from September 2021 until July 2022, when they decided to try for another child. As part of this preparation, Melissa asked their new IVF coordinator to send over the report on the embryos they had created with HRC, so they could decide whichif anyof them they wanted to transfer.

What she saw on the report terrified her.

The embryo report, a copy of which is included in the complaint, contained handwritten notes that noted that the embryo transferred in January 2020the couples baby boywas positive for the stomach cancer mutation.

Melissa wrote back immediately, asking the coordinator to clarify whether the embryo theyd transferred carried the CDH1 gene. The coordinator did not respond. A week later, Melissa wrote again, saying the couple had been so stressed thinking of what our son will go through because of this genetic mutation.

Can you please double check that this is the correct report for our embryos? she wrote. Is there any way this could be a mistake? Again, the coordinator did not respond.

Eventually, the Diazes received a call from someone at HRC Fertility who admitted there had been a mistake, according to the suit, and called the couple in for a sit-down. When Melissa asked for a copy of her medical record, the clinic sent over a copy of the embryo report without the handwritten notes, the suit says, effectively removing the evidence of which embryo had been transferred.

HRC Fertility is one of the largest fertility clinics in the world, according to the suit, with nine offices across Southern California. The Pasadena office that the Diazes visited is a sprawling, 26,000-square-foot compound complete with luxurious VIP rooms, according to its website. According to the suit, the company is owned by Jinxin Fertility, one of the largest fertility companies in China.

Jinxin Fertility did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

HRC was also sued last summer by a same-sex couple who alleged that the center transferred a female embryo into their surrogate when they had explicitly requested a male. That suit, which also names Dr. Kolb as a defendant, is still pending in Los Angeles Superior Court.

A spokesperson for the company said last year that every child has value and limitless potential regardless of gender,'' and that they hoped the couple found love and value in their healthy child while so many across the country are struggling with reproductive issues.''

The Diazes have retained the services of Adam Wolf, an attorney known for his handling of IVF cases. Wolfs firm obtained a full copy of their medical record, handwritten notes included. They have initiated arbitration proceedings against HRC Fertility for the alleged wrongful transfer and are suing in California Superior Court for the alleged cover up.

The couple is requesting damages for their unimaginable mental anguish and for future lost wages and medical bills.

Tragically, this is yet another disaster in HRCs history of misusing patients genetic material and committing other grave fertility misconduct, Wolf said in a statement. In light of this history, I worry it will not be the last.

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Couple's Child Has Deadly Cancer Gene Thanks to IVF Clinic's ... - The Daily Beast