https://medicalxpress.com/reproductive-health-news/ en-us Latest health news and information about Reproductive Health & Relationships The TORCH complex is a group of pathogens that can cause infections with mild or silent symptoms in an expecting mother, but in a developing fetus can lead to serious complications that include stillbirth, lifelong disability, or birth defects. Researchers from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, recently assessed long-term trends in TORCH infections in a region where reliable data have been lacking. TORCH includes pathogens that cause toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus and other infections. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-highlights-maternal-fetal-torch-infection.html Sat, 06 Jun 2026 10:00:06 EDT news699883458 A suburban Chicago woman who feared she might never have another child is now celebrating a growing family after brain surgery at Northwestern Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-brain-surgery-pituitary-tumor-illinois.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:40:02 EDT news699881442 When a person goes through a traumatic experience, they often find themselves thinking that what happened could have been different or even avoided. This process, known as counterfactual thinking, is an automatic psychological response to adverse events. Now, a study published in the journal Scientific Reports explores how this type of thinking affects women who have suffered an early pregnancy loss. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-early-pregnancy-loss-affects-week.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 12:00:01 EDT news699790561 New South Wales parliament is debating a bill this week that seeks to ban abortions performed on the basis of fetal sex. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-common-sexselective-abortion-australia.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 10:00:03 EDT news699784322 A study of more than 16,000 people who sought help from a nationwide abortion and miscarriage hotline has found that demand for confidential clinical support surged both before and after the U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned federal abortion protections. Researchers found that the use of the Miscarriage & Abortion Hotline spiked 210% from June 2022 to June 2023, the year after the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling overturned Roe v. Wade. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-abortion-hotline-soared-dobbs.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 18:20:03 EDT news699723181 The average woman spends more than one-third of her life in menopause. Some women, however, must deal with menopause-related symptoms longer and face added health problems because of premature menopause (before age 40) or early menopause (before age 45). A new study found that infertility may be a risk factor for early menopause. Results of the study are published online today in Menopause. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-infertility-early-menopause-onset.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:40:05 EDT news699712632 What fathers eat before conception could significantly influence fetal growth and placenta development, new research in mice suggests. A team of scientists from the University of Sheffield, found that although dietary differences had no major effect on fertility, both high-fat "Western-style" diets and low-protein diets in males altered key biological processes in the placenta after fertilization. The findings, published in eLife, add to growing evidence that paternal health and nutrition before conception may play an important role in early development. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-fathers-diet-conception-significantly-affect.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 16:40:04 EDT news699622022 Scientists from Tokyo Metropolitan University have revealed key parts of the biochemical pathways connecting stress to sexual dysfunction. By studying Drosophila fruit flies, they showed that the neurotransmitter dopamine was responsible for determining how long male flies showed persistent courtship suppression after being confined in a small space, but not whether mating was suppressed in the first place. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-stress-outlast-event-dopamine-lingering.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 18:10:01 EDT news699552482 A disease's name can have a significant influence on its diagnosis and treatment—or lack thereof. Polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, is a condition that affects millions of people worldwide. For decades, doctors thought the condition mostly affected the ovaries, but its misleading name has left many people undiagnosed and at risk of developing several related chronic conditions at a young age. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-renaming-pcos-pmos-10year-patients.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 12:40:04 EDT news699528361 A study led by researchers at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and the Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute (IJC) along with researchers from Rutgers University (U.S.) has identified the Sirtuin 7 (SIRT7) protein as a new essential factor in maintaining the genome stability of male germ cells over time. The study, conducted with mice, is published in the journal Nature Communications. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-overlooked-protein-fast-male-fertility.html Sat, 30 May 2026 13:00:01 EDT news699112599 Researchers at UBC found that B.C.'s decision to provide universal, no-cost prescription contraception sharply reduced what patients pay, with the largest financial gains for people in their 20s. Unaffordable contraception is linked to higher rates of unintended pregnancy, which carries significant consequences for health, education and economic equality. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-free-contraception-policy-sharply-patient.html Fri, 29 May 2026 11:00:02 EDT news699166476 Pain during intercourse is a topic that still rarely breaks into the public debate on health. As shown in the latest analysis published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, dyspareunia affects up to one in five women. It is a medical problem, but also a social one, associated with shame and insufficient systemic support. In practice, this means that one of the most common sexual dysfunctions remains as one of the least frequently diagnosed. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-pain-intercourse-widely-discussed.html Thu, 28 May 2026 18:00:03 EDT news699208262 A new study led by Prof. Michael Klutstein at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Prof. Asaf Wilensky at the Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical Center and spearheaded by the students Dr. Paz Kles and Stephen Ameho has uncovered a striking biological link between chronic oral inflammation and female fertility, suggesting that conditions in the mouth may have far-reaching effects on reproductive health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-oral-inflammation-ovaries-fertility-decline.html Thu, 28 May 2026 10:20:01 EDT news699179549 A recent study from The University of Texas at San Antonio reveals that low-cost training for frontline health workers can significantly reduce medical supply shortages, potentially saving thousands of lives in developing nations. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-simple-medical-shelves.html Thu, 28 May 2026 09:40:01 EDT news699178561 The effects of cannabis on the hormonal system and male fertility remain controversial within the scientific community. A study conducted by the University of Geneva (UNIGE), in collaboration with the Swiss Center for Applied Human Toxicology (SCAHT), provides a new answer by showing that cannabis use does not reduce testosterone levels in young men and may even increase its testicular synthesis. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-cannabis-testosterone.html Thu, 28 May 2026 08:40:01 EDT news699175982 A report in the Journal of Medical Internet Research shows developments in the evidence gap in drug safety during pregnancy in its News and Perspectives section. In "How Machine Learning Can Help Close Evidence Gaps for Drug Safety in Pregnant Women", health writer Michelle Falci interviews the principal investigators of two projects which use machine learning to analyze large datasets of medication exposure and outcomes, then identify and evaluate possible links. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-machine-gaps-drug-safety-pregnancy.html Wed, 27 May 2026 21:00:01 EDT news699097260 The number of abortions in the U.S. rose by 21% between 2020 and 2025—despite the fact that 20 states have passed laws banning or severely restricting abortion care, overturning the constitutional right to abortion. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-abortion-drugs-substances-childbirth-dangerous.html Tue, 26 May 2026 16:20:05 EDT news699021928 Teens who were exposed to alcohol in utero are more likely than their peers to engage in risky behaviors—most notably, hazardous drinking and underage sex, a combination that could perpetuate the intergenerational transmission of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). The UK has one of Europe's highest rates of alcohol use during pregnancy: at least 41%, potentially reaching 75%. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-prenatal-alcohol-exposure-linked-higher.html Tue, 26 May 2026 14:00:07 EDT news699017468 For decades, female sterilization has been one of the most common forms of birth control in the U.S.: 11.5% of U.S. women, ages 15–49, use female sterilization as their primary contraceptive method—nearly identical to the pill. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-factors-sterilization-policy.html Mon, 25 May 2026 10:20:02 EDT news698919902 The scientific literature already contains robust evidence that obesity, whether maternal or paternal, can lead to metabolic changes in offspring that increase their risk of developing diseases. A new study published in the journal Nature Communications reveals the mechanism by which this "inheritance" is transmitted to the embryo by the father via the sperm. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-father-obesity-affects-children-metabolism.html Fri, 22 May 2026 14:40:01 EDT news698679170 The latest Annual Epidemiological Reports from ECDC indicate a surge in bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) across Europe. In 2024, notifications of gonorrhea and syphilis, alongside congenital syphilis, reached their highest levels in over a decade, reflecting sustained transmission across multiple countries. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-bacterial-stis-highs-europe-congenital.html Thu, 21 May 2026 21:00:02 EDT news698572664 While data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that the total number of U.S. cases of three sexually transmitted infections (STIs) declined from 2022-24, infection rates remain 13% higher than a decade ago. CDC provisional data show more than 2.2 million U.S. cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were reported in 2024. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-survey-highlights-persistent-uncertainty-sti.html Thu, 21 May 2026 16:20:01 EDT news698594582 Each year, approximately 2,000 people aged 18–39 are diagnosed with cancer in Sweden. Most survive their illness, but for many, life continues with long-term consequences. In a new doctoral dissertation, Charlotta Bergström has investigated how sexual problems develop in young adults following cancer and cancer treatment. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-sexual-problems-common-cancer-young.html Tue, 19 May 2026 18:20:05 EDT news698401141 Sexuality is an important part of life—even when we grow old. The idea that desire disappears with age is a myth that needs to be debunked, argues a psychologist who has researched older adults' sex lives. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-elderly-people-sexually.html Tue, 19 May 2026 14:00:07 EDT news698412081 The causes of male infertility can be hard to diagnose, with many tests failing to detect genetic defects. Sometimes, infertility doesn't even involve the genes themselves. It can arise from improper folding of the father's DNA in the sperm. If a couple conceives, this mispackaged DNA can damage the lifelong health of the child. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-dna-protein-insight-infertility-ivf.html Tue, 19 May 2026 12:00:03 EDT news698409961 According to new research in CMAJ, one in five pregnant women in Ontario did not receive timely syphilis screening, which is critical for preventing syphilis infection in newborns (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-pregnancies-critical-congenital-syphilis-surged.html Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:09 EDT news698309888 A University of Mississippi study reveals that young women aged 16 to 24 across the nation do not necessarily have the needed knowledge when it comes to birth control. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-highlights-opportunities-birth.html Mon, 18 May 2026 21:40:01 EDT news698331216 A study has found that adolescents who were aware of their state's minor consent laws were more likely to seek and receive testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, suggesting that teens' accurate knowledge of their legal capacity to consent to health care services may be more important than the laws providing this right. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-adolescents-knowledge-legal-capacity-independently.html Mon, 18 May 2026 17:40:08 EDT news698335398 Research from Oregon Health & Science University sheds new light on the unintended consequences of the overturn of Roe v. Wade: worse medical care for miscarriages. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-abortion-worse-outcomes-miscarriages.html Mon, 18 May 2026 16:40:06 EDT news698334602 The U.S. Supreme Court has preserved access to mifepristone—the medication used in the majority of abortions in the United States and in some miscarriage care—for now. The action maintains current rules that allow certified clinicians to prescribe the drug through telehealth and pharmacies to dispense it by mail while legal challenges continue. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-expert-science-safety-legal-landscape.html Mon, 18 May 2026 11:00:09 EDT news698319542