https://medicalxpress.com/reproductive-health-news/ en-us Latest health news and information about Reproductive Health & Relationships A research team from National Taiwan University and the University of Oslo analyzed data on more than 1.3 million children across two countries, finding that an earlier European safety warning for valproate weakens to nonsignificance once underlying disease and other confounders are accounted for. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-neurodevelopmental-disorders-children-paternal-valproate.html Mon, 29 Jun 2026 22:20:04 EDT news701964721 Preconception counseling (PCC) for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains underused, according to a study published in the July issue of Kidney Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-reproductive-aged-women-kidney-disease.html Mon, 29 Jun 2026 19:20:27 EDT news701963120 If you've been to a museum about the history of medicine or surgery, you've probably seen loads of preserved human remains that have been used as teaching aids or in scientific research. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-medical-museums-display-infant-frequently.html Mon, 29 Jun 2026 17:20:06 EDT news701956141 Starting one's sex life and having children at a young age can run in the family. But can pregnancy have beneficial health effects, and do the partner's genes contribute to them? "We are just beginning to understand how pregnancy affects health later in life," says Associate Professor Taru Tukiainen. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-reproduction-affects-health-biological-sex.html Sun, 28 Jun 2026 10:30:01 EDT news701440343 Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is already saving lives in the UK—and the scale of that success is striking. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-hpv-vaccine.html Sat, 27 Jun 2026 08:00:06 EDT news701352800 Two developments often get lost in the public's perception of the abortion wars. One is that the number of abortions in the U.S. has increased dramatically year over year since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, according to the Society of Family Planning's latest #WeCount report. By December, 29% of abortions were through telehealth. The second is that, because the mailing of abortion pills has become so widespread in the post-Dobbs era, abortion opponents may simply be unable to stop it. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-wont-abortion-pill-access-telehealth.html Thu, 25 Jun 2026 19:00:04 EDT news701594623 Researchers from the EHU-University of the Basque Country have developed a robust protocol to detect the molecules involved in the metabolic reactions of sperm. The new method enables a detailed analysis even with small samples and allows the detection of the largest number of potential biomarkers identified to date; this advance could help diagnose male infertility and develop future clinical solutions. The paper is published in the journal Cells. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-methodology-biomarkers-male-infertility.html Thu, 25 Jun 2026 11:20:01 EDT news701603238 Australian women trying to start a family through IVF are being offered optional extras with little or no evidence that they work, new research has found. A University of Melbourne-led study analyzed data from trials, looking at the effectiveness of 10 of the most popular IVF add-ons. The team found there was some weak evidence to support three common add-ons, but little to no evidence that the remainder increased the chances of a successful pregnancy. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-common-ivf-extras-lack-strong.html Wed, 24 Jun 2026 17:40:03 EDT news701516848 Aging affects every organ in the body, yet we still know little about how the ovary changes over time. In a new study published in Nature Aging, Yale researchers created one of the most detailed maps of the aging ovary to date, examining how its cellular organization changes across the reproductive lifespan. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-aging-reshapes-ovary-reproductive-function.html Wed, 24 Jun 2026 14:40:02 EDT news701530321 A pilot study from Karolinska Institutet shows that immunotherapy may enable the stimulation of egg maturation in women with autoimmune POI (premature ovarian insufficiency)—a condition that usually leads to infertility. Three out of 10 women gave birth to healthy babies following the treatment. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-immunotherapy-temporarily-fertility-patients-premature.html Wed, 24 Jun 2026 11:40:08 EDT news701516709 There has been a lot of discussion about how the age at menopause can affect menopause symptoms. A new study compared the prevalence and severity of menopause symptoms in women experiencing menopause around the average age of 51 years and those with premature ovarian insufficiency, showing a similar symptom burden in the psychological and urogenital domains. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-psychological-urogenital-menopause-symptoms-similar.html Wed, 24 Jun 2026 08:00:01 EDT news701504317 Human fetal tissue research has contributed to advances in developmental biology, the study of congenital diseases, regenerative medicine and vaccine development. As it involves fetal tissue obtained following induced abortion, such research must be conducted with the utmost care and respect. This includes careful attention to the information provided to potential donors, the process of obtaining consent and transparency in research practices. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-responsible-human-fetal-tissue-japan.html Wed, 24 Jun 2026 07:40:01 EDT news701503374 So you have finally found the partner of your dreams—but no matter how hard you try, no children have come along. Could science offer new answers to mate choice and infertility? For several years, researchers at the University of Eastern Finland have been studying human reproduction and mate choice through the lens of evolutionary biology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-choice-gametes-childless.html Tue, 23 Jun 2026 21:00:04 EDT news701444222 There is a lack of evidence to suggest the majority of in vitro fertilization (IVF) add-ons improve fertility in patients undergoing IVF, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women's Health. There is weak evidence for some possible benefit from three IVF add-ons: EmbryoGlue, endometrial scratching and physiological intracytoplasmic sperm injection. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-ivf-ons-evidence-boosting-births.html Tue, 23 Jun 2026 18:30:03 EDT news701431622 Declining placental concentrations of a molecule that plays a key role in metabolism appear to trigger the end of pregnancy and hasten labor and delivery, suggesting a study co-led by researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center. The findings, published in Science, could lead to new ways to predict when pregnant women might give birth and who might be at risk for premature delivery. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-steep-metabolic-coenzyme-trigger-preterm.html Tue, 23 Jun 2026 18:00:08 EDT news701448482 In the hours following sexual assault, teens may face difficult decisions about seeking medical care and whether to undergo a forensic exam that could support a future investigation or prosecution. Understanding their ability to consent to these services can be complicated, as laws vary widely from state to state. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-state-laws-vary-widely-adolescent.html Tue, 23 Jun 2026 16:10:01 EDT news701448722 A new Columbia University School of Nursing systematic review reveals access to fertility preservation (FP) care remains limited and unequal for girls and young women with cancer. The research article, "Fertility Preservation Access Among Female Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer: A Systematic Review," was published in Cancer on June 23, 2026. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-fertility-girls-young-women-cancer.html Tue, 23 Jun 2026 15:20:01 EDT news701438042 The national survey of 2,100 bi+ people—which includes identities like bisexual, pansexual, queer and fluid—provides crucial information to inform better health policy and services. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-australia-bi-people-sexual-health.html Tue, 23 Jun 2026 12:20:03 EDT news701430242 A target trial emulation study found that among women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grade 2 (CIN 2), a moderate form of precancerous cervical dysplasia, excision within six months did not lower three-year cervical cancer risk compared with continued surveillance. Delaying treatment substantially reduced unnecessary cervical excisions. These observations suggest that it may be safe to delay treatment of CIN 2, especially lower-risk CIN 2. The findings are published in Annals of Internal Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-treatment-moderate-pre-cancerous-cervical.html Mon, 22 Jun 2026 17:00:03 EDT news701336161 Genital herpes is a lifelong infection. While available treatments can manage symptoms, they cannot cure the infection or prevent transmission. Now, Yale School of Medicine researchers have taken a significant step toward a genital herpes vaccine that—in preclinical models—prevented infection. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-prime-vaccine-genital-herpes.html Mon, 22 Jun 2026 16:40:06 EDT news701362921 For more than a century, people with Down syndrome have been defined by what medicine says they cannot do. That framing has consequences. It shapes the information families receive during prenatal screening, the choices they feel they have and the assumptions that go unexamined. Often, it has resulted in institutionalization and societal ostracism. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-syndrome-isnt-tragedy-misinformation.html Sun, 21 Jun 2026 18:30:04 EDT news700833914 A coronial inquest is this week examining the death of Melbourne wellness influencer Stacey Warnecke after a freebirth at her home in September. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-women-freebirth-midwife-doctor.html Fri, 19 Jun 2026 21:20:01 EDT news701075117 High-income countries that initiated widespread administration of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in the mid-2000s have experienced substantial declines in cervical cancer cases, marking a significant achievement in medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-reduction-cervical-cancer-deaths-hpv.html Thu, 18 Jun 2026 17:20:04 EDT news701019363 The HPV vaccine for cervical cancer has reduced the risk of dying from the disease before age 30 in England to almost zero, the first study of its kind showed Thursday. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-vaccine-england-youngest-women-dying.html Thu, 18 Jun 2026 17:00:05 EDT news701013013 With tens of millions of annual cases, gonorrhea is the second most frequently reported sexually transmitted infection (STI). In the U.S. alone, more than 600,000 cases are reported each year. If left untreated, gonorrhea can result in severe reproductive health issues, including infertility in both women and men and pelvic inflammatory disease. The infection also increases the risk of HIV transmission, and—if the pathogen spreads from the genitals or throat to other parts of the body—it can damage the heart and cause meningitis and sepsis. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-ai-screens-million-compounds-uncover.html Thu, 18 Jun 2026 08:40:06 EDT news700988701 GLP-1s do not harm male hormones or fertility after long-term use, according to a study being presented Monday at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago. In fact, the research team found GLP-1s may improve testosterone levels and sperm quality in men with obesity-related low testosterone, while also addressing the underlying effects of obesity. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-clinical-trials-glp-1s-fertility.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 10:00:02 EDT news700482361 Longer lifetime exposure to female hormones may increase the risk of thyroid cancer in women, according to a study presented at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago. The research suggests reproductive and hormonal factors may be involved in thyroid carcinogenesis. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-women-thyroid-cancer-linked-reproductive.html Sat, 13 Jun 2026 14:50:05 EDT news700464313 While noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) has revolutionized prenatal diagnostics by allowing the detection of a number of genetic problems in a fetus, it is currently limited and thus misses many genetic causes of abnormalities. But a new technique, to be presented at the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics, introduces a technology called noninvasive fetal sequencing (NIFS) that will simultaneously screen almost 23,000 genes, as well as all of the conditions currently captured by NIPT, in pregnancies both with and without a previously detected fetal anomaly. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-results-invasive-prenatal-methods-safety.html Fri, 12 Jun 2026 18:10:02 EDT news700480621 An international team of experts in embryology and bioethics has published the first white paper on the use of embryonic models based on stem cells in the field of reproductive biology. The document, coordinated by UPF researcher Alfonso Martínez-Arias, offers an integrated view of developmental biology, bioethics and legislation, and proposes guidelines for the correct implementation of these models in research and in the regulation and development of technologies related to human reproduction. This text should facilitate the use of models to study embryo development beyond the 14-day legal barrier, hopefully leading to an understanding of some of the conditions that cause infertility. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-stem-cell-embryo-infertility-clues.html Fri, 12 Jun 2026 13:20:01 EDT news700488541 A joint study by the University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital suggests that a newborn's upper lip frenulum is unlikely to be a major cause of breastfeeding difficulties. The study, published in JAMA Network Open, followed 264 mother–infant pairs at Oulu University Hospital between 2023 and 2024. Researchers assessed the anatomy and mobility of the upper lip frenulum in healthy, full-term infants and compared the findings with mothers' reported breastfeeding experiences. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-common-newborn-procedure-scrutiny-evidence.html Fri, 12 Jun 2026 09:20:01 EDT news700474681