About 1 in 6 Canadian couples has fertility problems. Some of these seek the solution in in vitro fertilization, with mixed results. A study by the University of Montreal explained why some attempts fail, although there is no apparent reason.

The reason lies in a mechanism that reduces the chances of the embryo implanting and developing. Healthy cells have only one nucleus, containing DNA with all the genetic information. It happens that embryos obtained with IVF have cells with two nuclei instead of one.

The doctors call them "binucleate embryos" and, in many cases, still try to implant them in the patients' uterus. According to the study, this could lead to unintended consequences. Scientists have observed binuclear mouse embryos and it has emerged that having two nuclei can be harmful.

The presence of the double nucleus increases the chances that the embryo will develop a condition called aneuploidy. In such cases, the embryo has more or less chromosomes. Most often, it fails to develop and pregnancy ends spontaneously. When the implantation in the uterus takes place, aneuploidy causes diseases such as Down Syndrome. According to the authors, the study would give new guidelines for fertility clinics.

Selecting only embryos with cells from a nucleus would increase the chances of success, avoiding that couples should suffer unsuccessful and useless attempts.

Source: chumtl.qc.ca

Pregnancy can be one of the most strenuous experiences in a woman's life. Modifies the body in a radical way, changes its balance and sometimes forces it to change its lifestyle.

A study by Northwestern University suggests that it could even stimulate aging. Researchers have focused on telomeres, which are the filaments of genetic material that correspond to the person's age. In fact, every time a cell divides, the filaments get shorter. This means that the more duplications there are, the shorter the telomeres are and the more years have passed. Not only: when they are completely consumed, the cell dies and can no longer duplicate itself.

Many studies prove that smoking, stress and poor diet shorten telomeres. As a result, they shorten cell life and the life of the person in general. The authors of the study then wondered if the pregnancy could have similar consequences. To prove it, they involved 800 Filipino women of about 20 years. The researchers analyzed the telomeres of women and crossed the data with those concerning pregnancies.

The women who had more gestations were biologically older. Nevertheless, during pregnancy the women had a more "youthful" epigenetic profile. How is it possible? According to Dr. Calen Ryan, one of the authors of the study, it may be that the temporary "rejuvenation" is due to the child. As long as the woman is pregnant, the baby's cells and blood contaminate her body and distort the results. To test this, further analysis and studies will be needed.

Source: medicaldaily.com

Alcohol damage in pregnancy is now more than known, yet it is often underestimated. Many women are in fact convinced that a glass of wine on special occasions - a toast, a dinner with friends - is all in all safe. This is not the case, and research published in the Journal of Physiology proves it. The consumption of small quantities of alcohol during pregnancy is enough to increase the risk of resistance to insulin in the fetus. As a result, the child is more likely to develop diabetes, especially if it is male.

The scientists tested this on groups of pregnant guinea pigs, giving them small amounts of alcohol. Many of the children exposed to these minimum levels have started to become diabetic at around 6 months of age. Exactly how much alcohol is talked about? Pregnant guinea pigs have reached a maximum percentage of 0.05% of alcohol in the blood. That was enough to raise the insulin levels of the little ones, even in normal living conditions and which did not contribute to the phenomenon. This happened almost exclusively in small males.

The phenomenon seems to specifically affect the male gender, it is not yet known why. It may be that the placenta of male fetuses adapts differently, affecting fetal development. Or it could be the fault of the hormones: estrogens could protect females from insulin resistance. Males, who have far fewer estrogens, would be more vulnerable. However, this deserves some more research.

Source: physoc.org