Navigating the Booming Proactive Fertility Industry: Empowerment or Exploitation?
In recent years, a transformative shift in family planning has emerged as women increasingly seek proactive fertility services to shape their reproductive journeys. While these services empower individuals with information and choices, a growing debate surrounds the darker side of this burgeoning industry. Elizabeth King, a fertility coach in Los Angeles, has witnessed this shift firsthand. What was once primarily support for infertility and pregnancy loss has evolved into a demand for information on fertility, well before conception attempts. This trend has given rise to an entire industry catering to changing attitudes, offering services like egg freezing, fertility testing, and …
Age Defying Motherhood: 15% Increase in Births Among Women Over 50
In an era marked by newfound freedoms and lifestyle choices for individuals in their midlife, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) highlights a growing trend of women and their partners embracing newborn parenting later in life. According to a Guardian analysis of ONS figures, there has been a 15% increase in the number of women giving birth in England aged over 50 between 2016-18 and 2019-21. Notable instances, such as TV presenter Victoria Coren Mitchell and cookbook author Tana Ramsay, have brought this trend into the spotlight. While births to women over 50 remain relatively rare, accounting for just 0.04% …
Study Unveils Enhanced IVF Success for PCOS Women Through Ketogenic Diet
In a recent publication in the journal Nutrients, a study investigated the intricate relationship between dietary interventions and the success of in vitro fertilization (IVF) in women grappling with both polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and elevated body mass. PCOS, a prevalent hormonal disorder affecting about 75% of women, disrupts ovulation, elevating the risk of anovulatory infertility. Moreover, PCOS is associated with metabolic dysfunctions, including insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease, adding complexity to the condition. Excessive body mass significantly reduces the efficacy of assisted reproduction technologies (ART) like IVF. A higher body mass index (BMI) correlates with increased risks during IVF, …
Science Speaks: No Evidence Supporting Autism Risk in IVF-Generated Offspring
In a recent publication in JAMA Network Open, a significant study explores the intricate connection between infertility, fertility treatments, and the development of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in children. The research, conducted in Ontario, spans a retrospective cohort from April 2006 to March 2018, incorporating administrative healthcare data from various sources, including the Better Outcomes Registry and Network (BORN) database, hospitalization records, outpatient visits, and emergency department data. ASD, characterized by abnormal brain development and typically manifesting within 18 months of life, is known to be influenced by a combination of hereditary and environmental factors. Prenatal risk factors include infertility, …
An exploration of embracing motherhood in one’s forties
In my local antenatal class a decade ago, I found myself surrounded by expectant mothers, almost all of whom were at least ten years my junior, and some nearly half my age. At first, I was taken aback and filled with doubt. Would I make friends? Why did I wait so long to have kids? Was there something wrong with my choice? In retrospect, there was no need for concern; your forties are an ideal decade for starting a family. Recent data published in The Daily Telegraph indicate a rising trend of women becoming first-time mothers in their forties. Today, …
