A study undertaken by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that almost half of all assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures performed in the US take place in just five states. Of 99,629 ARTs (defined as fertility treatments in which both eggs and sperm are handled in...
Another appeal for egg donors has been made in the UK - this time by a 23-year old woman who has already undergone her menopause. Gemma Fawcett has been trying for a baby with her partner since she was 18. When she was 21, her doctor told her that the...
Rats and primates will soon join sheep, mice, pigs, cats and horses on the ever-growing list of mammals cloned from adult cells, according to the creator of Dolly the cloned sheep. Speaking at the first of a series of lectures at the Royal College of Physicians in Edinburgh last week...
Priscilla Eatwell, the 56-year old grandmother who was in the news last month after placing advertisements for an egg donor, may now have found a woman to help her have a fourth child. The UK's Daily Mail newspaper reports that Sharon Cave, a 35-year old mother of two...
Researchers have developed a test that could identify individuals most at risk of developing lung cancer. Although most victims of lung cancer are smokers, only a minority of smokers develop lung cancer, suggesting that there may be a genetic predisposition to the disease. The team, led by Professor Zvi Livneh...
NHS-commissioned researchers at Birmingham University have recommended carrying out trials of pregnancy tests for an inherited learning condition. The disorder, Fragile X syndrome, which varies in severity, is believed to affect around 10,000 people in England and Wales, and can require lifelong care. The study reviewed previous research and used...
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Antenatal screening for Fragile X: time to proceed?
by Juliet Tizzard
This week, a small team of experts recommended the establishment of a national antenatal screening programme for Fragile X syndrome. The report, commissioned by the NHS Health Technology Assessment programme, examined the public health aspects of screening for Fragile X and suggested that a screening programme aimed at all pregnant...