https://medicalxpress.com/reproductive-health-news/ en-us Latest health news and information about Reproductive Health & Relationships Australian men are choosing vasectomies in record numbers, with new Adelaide University research revealing a sustained national increase alongside rising cost-of-living pressures and declining birth rates. In the first-of-its-kind study, now posted to the medRxiv preprint server, researchers found that the number of vasectomies performed on men ages 18–44 each year increased by more than 60%, rising from 18,544 procedures in 2016 to 29,848 in 2024. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-aussie-men-vasectomies-pressures.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 11:40:05 EDT news703759368 Alongside growing evidence of the domestic spread of such resistant strains in Europe over the past two years, this poses a significant challenge for future treatment options for one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases worldwide, according to an assessment issued by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-drug-resistant-gonorrhea-europe-ecdc.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 09:20:01 EDT news703748521 Exposure to wildfires during pregnancy has negative effects on infant health, according to a study recently published by the Centre for Demographic Studies (CED) at the UAB in the journal Perspectives Demogràfiques. Based on 3.4 million births in Spain between 2008 and 2021, the research identifies two mechanisms: stress and air pollution caused by fine particulate matter (PM2.5) carried by smoke. One effect is a 10% increase in the likelihood of low birth weight. Another effect is an increase in preterm births. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-wildfires-stress-birth-weight-premature.html Fri, 17 Jul 2026 19:40:04 EDT news703500462 About 9% of men of reproductive age in the United States experience fertility problems. One of the many causes of male infertility is a failure in germline development, the process by which embryonic cells develop into sperm or eggs. Finding treatments has been challenging because there are no laboratory models that accurately mimic how sperm develop, but a recent study brings us a step closer. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-labgrown-sperm-scientists-stem-cells.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 08:30:02 EDT news703405262 Researchers at the University of Liverpool have discovered that SYCP1, a protein previously thought to function only during the production of sperm and eggs, can be reactivated in cancer cells, where it helps tumors survive and grow. The study, published in Science Advances, reveals that SYCP1 switches from its normal reproductive role to an entirely different function in cancer. Instead of helping chromosomes pair during meiosis, the protein enters the nucleus of cancer cells, binds directly to DNA and controls genes involved in cell division and DNA repair. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-fertility-proteins-flip-reproductive-role.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 11:40:01 EDT news703326479 Amid all the advances in modern medicine, much of the science behind a woman's menstrual cycle remains mysterious, so a team at Hudson Institute of Medical Research is aiming to change that. Professor Caroline Gargett is an expert in the human endometrium, the highly regenerative lining of the uterus, and is world-renowned for discovering the stem/progenitor cells it contains. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-stem-cell-science-mysteries-menstrual.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 10:00:09 EDT news703325825 Though thousands of women in the United States step forward to donate their eggs each year, new research led by The University of Manchester in the U.K. published in Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology reveals only a tiny fraction make it through the rigorous selection process. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-women-egg-donors.html Tue, 14 Jul 2026 09:00:04 EDT news703236361 Despite affecting an estimated 2 billion people, menstrual health continues to be overlooked by governments, businesses and the scientific community, prompting calls for it to be recognized as a fundamental public health issue. A new international commentary by Marni Sommer, DrPH, MSN, professor of Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, was published today in the journal The Lancet Haematology, part of a full report by a Commission of The Lancet released today. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-menstrual-health-overlooked-affecting-billion.html Mon, 13 Jul 2026 18:00:03 EDT news703176462 A new report in The Lancet Haematology, led by Cleveland Clinic hematologist Bethany Samuelson Bannow, M.D., outlines practical strategies to improve diagnosis, care and outcomes globally for women and girls with hematological conditions, such as bleeding disorders, heavy menstrual bleeding, postpartum hemorrhage, thrombosis and maternal hematologic complications. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-global-outlines-strategies-hematologic-women.html Mon, 13 Jul 2026 07:00:03 EDT news703139161 Most women are aware that fertility declines dramatically with age. This is mainly due to the gradual loss of eggs and follicles from the ovaries, leading to infertility, irregular cycles and ultimately menopause. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-gene-discovery-infertility-early-menopause.html Sun, 12 Jul 2026 20:30:01 EDT news702809186 Individuals seeking abortion face considerable challenges, including high costs, logistical difficulties such as travel and dependent care, and fear of stigma. In recent years, access to care has improved through telehealth abortion-related medical care via video consultations and phone calls, with medication delivered by mail, along with pre-abortion counseling. This increasingly used care option is patient-centered and is comparably safe and effective as in-person care. However, the factors that guide patient selection of telehealth abortion remain uncertain. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-food-insecurity-linked-choice-telehealth.html Thu, 09 Jul 2026 21:40:01 EDT news702809252 The meningococcal B vaccine is ineffective in gonorrhea prevention among men who have sex with men (MSM) at high risk of infection, according to findings from the world's largest randomized controlled trial (RCT) into possible efficacy published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Contrary to evidence in observational studies that led to vaccination programs abroad, GoGoVax found that 4CMenB (meningococcal B vaccine) had no effect on the incidence of gonorrhea. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-meningococcal-vaccine-ineffective-gonorrhea-men.html Thu, 09 Jul 2026 21:00:01 EDT news702809149 Researchers at the University of British Columbia have identified a new form of hereditary prostate cancer that, while rare, can cause aggressive disease at a young age. The discovery paves the way for genetic testing programs that could help identify at-risk families and support early cancer detection. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-hereditary-prostate-cancer.html Thu, 09 Jul 2026 15:20:05 EDT news702816841 A study has found some tampons leach low levels of chemicals that disrupt hormones, regardless of whether they are synthetic or organic. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-synthetic-tampons-leach-hormone-disrupting.html Thu, 09 Jul 2026 13:20:01 EDT news702809760 Fertility declines as women get older for many reasons, such as a drop in egg quality, decreased follicle numbers and hardening of ovarian tissues. That's a problem for would-be mothers in many countries who prefer to have their children later in life, often in their 30s and 40s. Current treatments for infertility include hormone therapy and in vitro fertilization (IVF), which primarily focus on treating hormonal imbalances and helping eggs mature or be fertilized. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-softening-aging-ovaries-fertility-women.html Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:40:20 EDT news702806703 For most women past puberty, the uterine lining (endometrium) sheds from the body roughly every month if there is no fertilized egg present. Then, the uterus rebuilds itself to prepare for a potential pregnancy. While this process—the menstrual cycle—is widely known, how it works is not well understood. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-cellular-bandages-rebuild-uterine-lining.html Wed, 08 Jul 2026 18:20:06 EDT news702741473 Exhaustion, trauma and the harsh realities of parenting are driving more Australian families to think twice about having another child. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-exhaustion-trauma-families-kids.html Wed, 08 Jul 2026 10:20:09 EDT news702723902 A recent review of published research provides some evidence that a small but noteworthy minority of transmasculine people (trans, nonbinary, and other gender-expansive people who were assigned female at birth) have pregnancies (6%–9%) and children (4%–9%), including after transition. The systematic review published in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica also found possibly higher miscarriage rates and very little evidence on postnatal depression rates in transmasculine people who became pregnant. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-reveals-transmasculine-pregnancy.html Wed, 08 Jul 2026 03:00:02 EDT news702571196 Modern IVF treatment can now achieve substantially higher success rates than historical approaches while dramatically reducing twin and triplet pregnancies, according to new research presented at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE). The study abstract was published in Human Reproduction. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-modern-ivf-higher-success-embryo.html Tue, 07 Jul 2026 19:10:01 EDT news702630373 Hospital admissions for miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy have increased in England in recent years, according to research presented at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE). The study abstract was published in Human Reproduction. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-miscarriage-ectopic-pregnancy-admissions-years.html Tue, 07 Jul 2026 19:00:03 EDT news702638655 Early menopause affects 1 in 14 women ages 30 to 49 living in low- and middle-income countries, according to a pooled data analysis of its prevalence in 44 nations published in the open-access journal BMJ Global Health. The incidence is consistently higher in rural areas than in urban areas across all regions and countries included in the analysis, but education and delayed childbearing strongly minimize the risk. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-early-menopause-affects-women-middle.html Tue, 07 Jul 2026 18:30:01 EDT news702638652 Rates of infertility and the need for fertility care are rising worldwide among women ages 35 to 49, according to a new analysis published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women's Health. In 2023, about 53.6 million women in this age group were affected by infertility. The study authors also project that by 2036, the number could reach roughly 79.6 million. Care for these women can include fertility testing and assisted reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization (IVF). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-infertility-women.html Tue, 07 Jul 2026 10:40:08 EDT news702638979 Meningiomas are the most common brain tumors in adults, accounting for 38% to 42% of all primary central nervous system tumors. According to 2021 WHO data, 874 million of the world's 1.9 billion women of reproductive age use modern contraceptive methods. Many of these methods contain high doses of certain progestogens, a synthetic version of progesterone, a hormone that plays a key role in the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. So what does birth control have to do with meningioma? https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-birth-equal-linked-higher-brain.html Tue, 07 Jul 2026 10:40:01 EDT news702638707 Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz have developed a promising nonhormonal therapy for women experiencing Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM). GSM is a common chronic condition caused by declining estrogen levels that affects the vulva, vagina and urinary tract, leading to symptoms such as vaginal dryness, painful intercourse and recurrent vaginal and urinary tract infections. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-potential-nonhormonal-therapy-vaginal-tissue.html Tue, 07 Jul 2026 08:20:06 EDT news702627962 More than 1.15 million assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment cycles were reported across Europe in 2023, according to preliminary data presented by the European IVF Monitoring (EIM) Consortium at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-million-fertility-treatment-europe-impact.html Mon, 06 Jul 2026 19:00:11 EDT news702571169 A landmark international study has found that halving patient out-of-pocket costs was associated with a 2.67-fold increase in births achieved through assisted reproductive technology (ART). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-halving-fertility-treatment-births-major.html Mon, 06 Jul 2026 19:00:09 EDT news702537997 New research presented at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) suggests that exposure to air pollution may affect genes associated with sperm development, raising new questions about male fertility, pregnancy outcomes and offspring health. The study was published in Human Reproduction. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-air-pollution-sperm-genes-function.html Mon, 06 Jul 2026 19:00:05 EDT news702539391 A new study has found substantial regional differences in sperm quality, with men in the highest-performing region recording almost double the total motile sperm count of those in the lowest-performing region. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-men-regions-differences-sperm-quality.html Mon, 06 Jul 2026 19:00:01 EDT news702539324 Researchers from Trinity College Dublin have uncovered new evidence that the communities of bacteria living in the uterus may play an important role in determining whether pregnancy is successful following assisted reproductive technologies (ART) such as IVF. Among the key findings was one notable surprise, which suggests the biological signals that have long been used to govern the timing of embryo transfer may be misleading. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-reveals-uterine-microbiome-impact-pregnancy.html Mon, 06 Jul 2026 15:00:04 EDT news702563435 A new study has examined how mothers influence the size of their child's head—and, as a result, brain size and future IQ—during the first trimester of pregnancy. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-trimester-pregnancy-vital-human-brain.html Mon, 06 Jul 2026 13:20:05 EDT news702560221