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What is IVF?

29/10/2019

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is one of several techniques that can be used to help people with fertility problems have a baby. With IVF, an egg is removed from the woman’s body and fertilized with sperm in a laboratory. The fertilized egg – known as an embryo – is then placed inside the woman’s womb where it will hopefully implant in the lining of her uterus and grow and develop. IVF can be carried out using a woman’s eggs and her partner’s sperm, or eggs and sperm from donors. There are seven main stages associated with IVF treatment: Ovary stimulation – Medication is used to encourage the woman’s ovaries to produce more eggs than usual. Progress monitoring and maturing of eggs – Ultrasounds and blood tests are used to monitor the eggs, while medication is administered to help them develop. Egg retrieval – A needle is used to collect eggs from each ovary. This step takes around 30 minutes and the woman can usually go home afterwards. Egg fertilization – The retrieved eggs are mixed with sperm. They have the chance to find each other and fertilize the same as they would inside the body. Embryo development – If the sperm fertilizes the egg, it becomes an embryo. The embryo is then placed inside a special incubator where conditions are perfect to encourage growth and development. Embryo transplant – Once the IVF specialists are satisfied that the embryo is developing correctly, it is then transplanted into the woman’s uterus. Final blood test – Approximately two weeks after the embryo has been transplanted, a final blood test is performed to check the woman’s hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) levels, which are used to determine if she is pregnant or not. It is important to note that not all eggs, unfortunately, will fertilize and reach the embryo stage. This can occur as a result of immature eggs and/or weak sperm. If you and your partner have been struggling to conceive naturally, IVF could help you get pregnant. Find out more about how we can facilitate IVF treatment for French-speaking patients in Spain by contacting us today.

How tomato puree could improve male fertility

10/10/2019

Lycopene - a natural pigment that gives red fruits and vegetables their colour - is an antioxidant that protects against cell damage, and tomatoes contain plenty of it. In fact, it is estimated that tomatoes account for 80% of the lycopene in the US diet. Now, a new study suggests Lycopene may also help boost sperm quality. According to the research by a team at the University of Sheffield, healthy men who consumed the equivalent of two tablespoons of concentrated tomato puree each day were found to have better quality sperm. During the 12-week trial, 60 men were randomly selected to take 14mg of lactolycopene supplement each day. The reason a supplement was used is because the participants would have had to eat 2kg of tomatoes each day to obtain an equivalent dose of lycopene. The participants’ sperm was tested before, during and after the trial. While there was no difference in sperm concentration, the men who had been taking the lycopene had healthier and faster sperm. Encouraged by the results, the researchers now want to expand the trial to include more men and see if the findings are the same. Lycopene has also been previously linked to other health benefits, including a lowered risk of heart disease and certain cancers.

Men's sexual function could be boosted by a daily helping of nuts

30/07/2019

By adding just a handful of nuts to their daily diet, men could improve their sexual function, a study suggests. The 14-week trial, which involved 83 men split into two groups, found that adding 60 grams of almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts to a Western-style diet benefitted sexual function. Reporting their findings in the journal Nutrients, the authors of the study said the group of men who ate the extra nuts each day showed significant increases in two measures of erectile and sexual function: orgasmic function and sexual desire. A previous analysis of the trial data in 2018 yielded signs that eating more nuts also improves sperm quality. “Including nuts in a regular diet significantly improved auto-reported orgasmic function and sexual desire,” the Spanish researchers concluded. They are now calling for further, large-scale studies to determine the effect of eating nuts on sexual function – especially as separate research found that consuming pistachios helped improve erectile function. The theory is that pistachios, like many other nuts, contain antioxidants and arginine, a powerful compound that increases vasodilatation. So, if you are not easily able to follow a Mediterranean diet, rich in fruit, vegetables and nuts, you could still reap some of the sexual function rewards by adding just a handful of nuts to your daily diet.

Eating nuts regularly could improve a man's sperm quality

05/07/2018

A new study suggests that eating nuts regularly can improve both a man’s sperm count and the quality of the sperm produced. Experts say the finding is significant given that sperm counts across the Western world are in decline, a reality that’s been attributed to pollution, smoking and diet. At present, around one in seven couples have difficulty getting pregnant and figures show that 40-50% of infertility cases are attributable to men. For the study, scientists randomly split 119 healthy men between the ages of 18 and 35 into two groups. One group had 60 grams (2oz) of nuts added to their normal diet each day, while the other continued to eat as they always had done. The group that had the nuts added to their diet were found to have improved sperm – 14% greater count, 4% better vitality, 6% better motility (movement) and 1% better morphology (shape and size) – all of which are considered by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to be measures of  sperm quality. Dr Albert Salas-Huetos, from the Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Spain, who led the study, said: "Evidence is accumulating in the literature that healthy lifestyle changes such as following a healthy dietary pattern might help conception”. The results of the study were recently presented at the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Barcelona.

A low sperm count may signal other serious health risks

22/03/2018

While a low sperm count and problems with sperm quality are huge hurdles for couples who are trying to get pregnant, a new study shows that men with low sperm counts are also at increased risk of illness. The study of 5,177 men in Italy found that those with low sperm counts were 20% more likely to have more body fat, more "bad" cholesterol and higher blood pressure – all factors that increase the risk of developing diabetes, heart disease and stroke. They were also 12 times more likely to have low testosterone levels. Dr Alberto Ferlin, from the University of Bresci, who led the study, said: "Infertile men are likely to have important co-existing health problems or risk factors that can impair quality of life and shorten their lives. "Fertility evaluation gives men the unique opportunity for health assessment and disease prevention." The study’s authors say that men with low sperm counts should be actively checked for other potential health problems, which may have a greater chance of being rectified if treated earlier. However, the authors of the study stressed that their findings did not prove that low sperm counts cause metabolic problems, merely that the two are linked in some way.

Sperm counts in western men have dropped by more than 50% in last 40 years

27/07/2017

Between 1973 and 2011, sperm counts among western men have more than halved, according to research, but the reason for the decline remains unclear. Researchers analysing nearly 200 studies involving men from North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand found that sperm concentration has decreased 52.4% in less than 40 years, while total sperm count has decreased by 59.3% over the same period. Hagai Levine, an epidemiologist and lead author of the study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, said: “The results are quite shocking.” While there are now various infertility treatments that can help to address such a decline, little has been done to identify the root cause. Low sperm counts, for example, could be associated with lifestyle choices and indicate poorer health among men in general. “This is a classic under the radar huge public health problem that is really neglected,” said Levine. The most worrying part of all, he said, is that if the trend continues as it has done, humans would eventually become extinct. Interestingly, no significant decline was witnessed in South America, Asia and Africa, but then far fewer studies have been conducted in these places, so there is much less data to analyse. The findings of the study were published on July 25 in the journal Human Reproduction Update.

The Zika virus detected in the sperm

07/10/2016

                  A collaborative research team from Inserm, CNRS, University III Paul Sabatier of Toulouse and the University Hospital Center of Toulouse (CHU Toulouse) reveal today the presence of the Zika virus within the sperm. This reveal is the result of a real case study realized on Julien, a young man aged 32, recently returned from the French Guiana, who arrives at the CHU Toulouse, manifesting the representative symptoms of the Zika infection. Julien has moderate fever, rash, muscle and joint pain. Two days later, the Zika virus is detected in the plasma and urine of Julien. Eleven samples of sperm, ten of blood and five of urine are then collected and analyzed over a total period of 141 days. After analysis, it appears that Zika virus is found in all the samples up to the 37th day. After that, the virus is only found in semen, where it remains until more than 130 days, while the patient is doing well. The result was confirmed on two other patients to whom the virus has persisted from 69 to 115 days in their semen.   "We have detected the presence of the Zika virus within about 3.5% of the sperm of this patient" explains Guillaume Martin-Blondel, researcher and doctor in the service of Infectious and Tropical Diseases of the University Hospital of Toulouse. The discovery has already agitated the circles acting for the prevention of sexual transmission. "These observations, added Inserm, also raise many questions about the need to include the search for Zika virus when checking sperm donations in fertility centers." They also encourage the basic rule in case of sexual intercourse: protection first.   Source: La Dépêche   

A girl's breast cancer risk may be influenced by her obese father

28/06/2016

It's been thought for some time now that a mother's weight and diet during pregnancy has the potential to affect the breast cancer risk of her female offspring. But now new research suggests that obese father's also risk raising their children's chances of breast cancer, due to the way obesity alters the gene expression of sperm. Experts have long agreed that a woman's breast cancer risk is influenced by changes in genes, and approximately 5-10 percent of these gene changes are inherited. According to Sonia de Assis, Ph.D., from the Department of Oncology at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Centre in Washington, D.C., who led the investigative team, said few studies have previously investigated the link between a father's weight and an offspring's breast cancer risk in later life. Presenting their findings in the journal Scientific Reports, de Assis and her colleagues outlined how they had studied how both normal weight male mice and obese male mice influence the breast tissue off their offspring. They found that female pups sired by obese males had delayed breast tissue development, and were more likely to develop breast cancer as a result. They revealed that the obese males' sperm had an altered microRNA (miRNA) signature, which was subsequently found in the breast tissue of their female offspring. The researchers now plan to conduct more studies to see if the same is true in humans.

April is testicular cancer awareness month

05/04/2016

April is testicular cancer awareness month, so there really is no better time to talk about two of a man's most important assets than right now. Testicular cancer is actually quite different to other cancers in that it is particularly common in younger people, affecting men aged between 15 and 35. This year alone in the US, the American Cancer Society estimates that 8,720 new cases of the disease will be diagnosed and just over 4% (380) of these individuals will die as a result. Advice from medical professionals is simple: men should check themselves for anything abnormal every month. The most common symptom is a painless lump the testicle, but other symptoms can include discomfort; a dull ache; and or an unusually heavy feeling in the scrotum. Of course, if you're not quite sure whether a lump is normal or not, consult your medical professional as soon as possible. And it really is important that men check on a regular basis because the good news is that the rate of survival for testicular cancer - if the disease is found early - is around 95%. Did you know that a man's testicles can create upwards of 200 million sperm every single day? That's why men should take the time to look after these amazing organs.

New Study Finds Losing Weight Boosts Male Fertility

09/03/2015

Weight loss has long been advised for women who are struggling to conceive, but now new research shows that obese men who lose weight are more likely to get their partners pregnant. The research – which was recently presented at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society – was conducted by a team from the University of Sherbrooke in Canada. It is thought to be the first study of its kind and experts say that it represents an interesting alternative to IVF and opened up “real possibilities” for men. The study focussed on 65 couples who had been referred to a fertility clinic. For one year, the men attended weekly group sessions about nutrition and physical activity. It was then discovered that the men who had lost the most weight were the ones who conceived. "This is the first prospective study suggesting that male partners who improve their weight also increase the odds for the couple to conceive,” said Dr Jean-Patrice Baillargeon. He believes that obesity not only affects a man’s sperm count, but also the quality of his sperm. The findings of the study mean that going forward the advice for both men and women who are trying for a baby could be to lose weight in the first instance. France Surgery can help facilitate a number of weight loss procedures here in France. Contact us today to find out more.

Centre For Robotic Surgery: Facts about Enlarged Prostate Gland – Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

16/08/2013

Centre For Robotic Surgery: Facts about Enlarged Prostate Gland – Benign Prostatic Hyperplasiacentreforroboticsurgery: Prostate Cancer The prostate is a male reproductive gland that yields the liquefied that transmits sperm during ejaculation. It environs the urethra, the pipe through which urine passes out of the body. The prostate gland (just called prostate from now on) is found only in men. It lies…

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