Breakthrough fertility technique could herald end of ‘biological clock’
September 15th, 2010 - 2:24 pm ICT by ANILondon, Sept 15 (ANI): A new fertility technique could herald the end of the ‘biological clock - by allowing women to have babies well into their 50s and 60s.
The treatment, to be unveiled at the World Congress of Fertility and Sterility conference in Munich, Germany, uses injections of stem cells to restore egg production.
It ‘kick-starts’ the ovaries, potentially allowing those struggling to conceive to have a child of their own without using IVF or adopting.
The breakthrough technique, developed by Egyptian fertility pioneer Professor Osama Azmy, could particularly benefit women under 40 who suffer Premature Ovarian Failure or “early menopause”.
It has proved safe in animal trials and on lab rats and is set to be tested on women for the first time.
Stem cells are the body’s building blocks and have a unique ability to cling on to and repair damaged tissue.
They have already been used in small trials to treat heart and bone fracture patients.
However, this is the first time they have been presented as a potential fertility treatment.
Azmy used stem cells from rats, testing them on mature female rodents.
“This work shows stem cells can restore ovarian function. The treated ovaries returned to producing eggs,” the Sun quoted him as saying.
However, the treatment is controversial as it uses stem cells taken from embryos.
In humans, these would be taken from aborted foetuses, or potentially in the future, embryos cultivated in a lab for this sole purpose. (ANI)
- Stem cell treatment could help barren women conceive - Sep 16, 2010
- First artificial human ovary created - Sep 15, 2010
- New IVF test trebles chance of healthy baby - Oct 27, 2010
- IVF breakthrough boosts pregnancy chances - Oct 13, 2010
- Fast-freezing sperm boon for childless men - Sep 14, 2010
- Researchers create first artificial human ovary - Sep 15, 2010
- Stem cell therapy could 'help the blind see within 6 weeks' - Nov 22, 2010
- IVF patients advised to drink coffee - Oct 01, 2010
- Rapidly freezing sperm offer fresh hope for IVF couples - Sep 13, 2010
- Embryo stem cell therapy brings hope to those with incurable diseases - Jun 10, 2012
- Waking up 'sleeping' eggs may boost fertility - May 18, 2010
- IVF clinics mushroom under toothless ICMR guidelines (Feature) - Oct 19, 2011
- Paralysed patient becomes world's first to get stem cell therapy - Oct 12, 2010
- How women's fertility declines after 30 - Jan 27, 2010
- New technique to help men become fathers post chemotherapy - Mar 15, 2011
Tags: animal trials, biological clock, bone fracture, breakthrough technique, clock london, early menopause, egg production, fertility and sterility, fertility technique, fertility treatment, foetuses, fracture patients, future embryos, ivf, lab rats, munich germany, ovaries, premature ovarian failure, stem cells taken from, world congress