Fertility
Study shows harmful sperm mutations rise with men's age
New research reveals that genetic mutations in men's sperm, which can lead to diseases in offspring, increase with age due to evolutionary selection within the testes. Scientists used advanced sequencing to analyze sperm from 81 men aged 24 to 75, finding that harmful mutations affect 2 percent of sperm in early 30s men but rise to 4.5 percent in 70-year-olds. The findings, published October 8 in Nature, highlight risks for future generations.
Common IVF test misses genetic abnormalities in embryos
A study reveals that preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy, a standard IVF procedure, cannot detect certain genetic changes that occur in embryos shortly before implantation. Researchers observed these abnormalities in real time using advanced microscopy on thawed human embryos. While the findings highlight limitations in embryo screening, their impact on pregnancy success remains unclear.