Fertility Journal

27/07/11:  Posted by Roger Neuberg

Can IVF drugs increase the risk of Down’s Syndrome in older women?

A woman is born with all the eggs she will release during her reproductive life. It is well known that women over 35 have an increased risk of having a baby affected by Down’s Syndrome. It is for this reason that egg donors must be under the age of 36 years. Can drugs used to […]

24/06/10:  Posted by Roger Neuberg

Common sense and having a baby

Much of the information and advice about improving fertility is based upon sound common sense. The odds against conception are fairly high in every cycle. So patients should do all that they can to try and shift the odds in their favour as much as possible. It makes sense to be tingling with health and […]

14/05/10:  Posted by Roger Neuberg

Can Assisted Conception be over-regulated by the HFEA?

In 1991 when The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act [HFE(Act)1990] came into force, clinics were regulated by what appeared to them to be a fearsome body. It was very much “them” and “us”. There was poor rapport between the Authority and the clinics. With the huge advances in assisted conception over the last 20 years […]

06/04/10:  Posted by Roger Neuberg

Should a birth certificate tell the truth about a child’s origins?

From 6th April 2010, gay, lesbian and unmarried couples who have a baby through a surrogacy arrangement, may obtain a parental order which names them as the parents on the child’s birth certificate.   This means that these couples will no longer have to go through the process of obtaining an adoption certificate to replace the […]

12/03/10:  Posted by Roger Neuberg

Is the infertility customer always right?

A UK clinic has recently accepted a 59 year old woman for IVF / egg donation. She will be the oldest woman to receive this treatment in the UK. When such events arise there are predictable protests. It is argued that if treatment is successful, the risks of pregnancy are significantly increased, that she may […]

18/02/10:  Posted by Roger Neuberg

Why should egg donors be paid?

At the present time in the UK sperm and egg donors are paid up to a maximum of £250 for each donation. The screening for both men and women is identical before they are accepted as donors. Yet there is a vast difference in what is involved between sperm and egg donation. The man only […]

12/02/10:  Posted by Roger Neuberg

How should IVF babies be delivered?

This doesn’t sound like a particularly controversial topic, but it can arouse a great deal of heated debate between obstetricians and their patients. I experienced this at first hand as I was both the “Person Responsible” of an assisted conception unit and a consultant obstetrician running my own NHS “Infertility Antenatal Clinic”. As a result, […]