HeyReprotech's February roundup
Read, attend, participate, laugh...
Call out
I'm looking to interview people aged 25 to 39 who have ovaries but no children, and who want to know more about egg freezing. Please get in touch at alison.motluk <at> gmail.com, or hit reply.
Consultation
Health Canada is proposing changes to screening sperm and egg donors that reduce discrimination against men who have sex with men. The consultation ends on March 1 — this Friday. To get more information and to offer your opinion, contact:
brddahr-padmbr@hc-sc.gc.ca
Assisted Human Reproduction, Biologic and Radiopharmaceutical Drugs Directorate (BRDD)
Reads
Antonio Regalado. "The weird way Alabama’s embryo ruling takes on artificial wombs." MIT Technology Review. 23 Feb 2024.
Roni Caryn Rabin and Azeen Ghorayshi. "Alabama Rules Frozen Embryos Are Children, Raising Questions About Fertility Care." The New York Times. 20 Feb 2024.
Amy Dempsey. "She offered to carry a baby for her sister-in-law. Then came a twist no one expected." Toronto Star. 17 Feb 2024.
Mun-Keat Looi. "The grey area of 'fertility tech' being mis-sold as contraception." BMJ. 16 Feb 2024.
Rob Kuznia, Allison Gordon, Nelli Black and Kyung Lah. " 'I slept with my half-sibling': Woman’s horror story reflects loosely regulated nature of US fertility industry." CNN. 14 Feb 2024.
Eleanor Hayward. "Fault at NHS clinic means patients’ frozen eggs may not be viable." The Times. 13 Feb 2024.
Events
29 Feb - Osgoode Law School in-person and online meeting - Fertility Law: Critical and Emerging Issues
01 Mar - British Sociological Association's Human Reproduction and Families and Relationships Study Groups in-person workshop - Personal Relationships and Reproductive Technologies
06/07 Mar - Monash University Reproduction in Society Seminar Series - Translating Epigenetics in Pregnancy: Switches, Books and Punctuation
07 Mar - Cambridge Reproduction, Science Museum in-person meeting - Stembryos: The Future of Reproduction?
13 Mar - Progress Educational Trust free online event - Welfare of the Fertility Patient: Spotting Signs and Treatment after Trauma
05-06 Apr - in-person conference - International Conference for the Universal Abolition of Surrogacy
09 Apr - Osgoode Law School online replay - Fertility Law: Critical and Emerging Issues
13 Apr - one-day in-person event by Donor Conception Network for people thinking about using donor sperm or eggs - Getting Started
17 Apr - Progress Educational Trust free online event - Mary Warnock at 100: The Architect of Embryo Law
24 Apr - Progress Educational Trust free online event - 40 Years of Egg Donation and Counting: What Have We Learned? What Happens Next?
25-28 Apr - in-person conference uniting adoption, assisted reproduction and NPE communities - Untangling Our Roots Summit
26 Apr - University of Warwick Department of Sociology conference - Radical Mothering in Europe: Everyday Forms of Resistance
26 Apr - Donor Conception Network online workshop for professionals - Making It Real
Studies
University of Ottawa, University of Waterloo, University of Manitoba and others - Surrogates' Voices
University of Hertfordshire - Gay Fathers and Surrogacy Research Study
University College London - Survey about long-term health of men affected by fertility problems
Universite du Quebec en Outaouais - Contact Project : The experience of gamete donors contacted by their donor offspring
University of Kent - Egg freezing for social reasons
Toronto Metropolitan University and University of Waterloo - Elective egg freezing in Canada: Towards appropriate legislation governing consent
Leeds Beckett University - The online sperm donation project
University of Birmingham - Survey of LGBTQ+ parents
Academic papers
Jie Li et al. "Cardiovascular health of offspring conceived by assisted reproduction technology: a comprehensive review." Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. 16 Jan 2024.
Summary: "[E]merging evidence suggests an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in offspring conceived using ART. In this review, we discuss the epigenetic mechanisms involved in altered DNA methylation, histone modification, and microRNA expression, as well as imprinting disorders. We also summarize studies on cardiovascular changes and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as adverse intrauterine environments, perinatal complications, and altered metabolism following assisted reproductive technology (ART). Finally, we emphasize the epigenetic mechanisms underlying the increased risk of CVD in offspring conceived through ART, which could contribute to the early diagnosis and prevention of CVD in the ART population."
Vadim Osadchiy et al. "Semen microbiota are dramatically altered in men with abnormal sperm parameters." Nature Scientific Reports. 11 Jan 2024.
Conclusion: "Our findings highlight a small but critical group of microorganisms that may play an important role in male fertility; namely, Lactobacillus iners and members of the genus Pseudomonas. ..."
Molly Johnston et al. "Storage trends, usage and disposition outcomes following egg freezing." Reproductive BioMedicine Online. 16 Nov 2023
Conclusion: "This study shows that very few patients have made the decision to use or relinquish their eggs. Strategies may be needed to address the prolonged storage of surplus eggs, and ensure that patients are supported to make decisions regarding the fate of their eggs which align with their preferences and values."
Funnies
"These Cells Do Equal a Human Baby." Shaun Reed. LinkedIn.
"Why You Should Look Forward To The Menopause." Fleabag Series 2. BBC Three.
