Fertility

A genetic variant inherited from our ancient Neanderthal relatives and thought to confer heightened fertility has been found in modern humans. The new research suggests almost one in three European women carry some degree of the gene variant.

Couples trying to conceive often feel like they're racing the clock, as the quality and number of eggs declines in women. Now, this egg aging process has been reversed in mice using a metabolic compound, possibly leading to new fertility drugs.

An observational study has linked fish oil supplements with improved semen quality and testicular function in healthy men. The research can't prove causation, however, it does echo research reaching similar conclusions in men with fertility issues.

Scientists have determined that lycopene, which is a pigment that naturally occurs in tomatoes, greatly improves sperm quality.

Scientists are trying to save the northern white rhino from extinction, using artificial insemination.

Identifying one's fertility window is critical for many women trying to get pregnant – and those wanting to avoid it – but it can be a difficult, inaccurate process. Yono, an earbud-like device takes the data collection and analysis off your hands, while adding significant improvements in accuracy.

Researchers at Yale University have identified a key molecule that helps activate sperm and guide them to the egg. This could make it a target for both infertility treatments and new contraceptive methods.

An incredible new study has for the first time found a way to transform skin cells into all three of the stem cell types that make up an early-stage embryo. This extraordinary discovery points a way toward creating an embryo without the need for an egg or sperm.

​Human females are one of only five animals known to experience menopause and live past their reproductive prime, but why we evolved this way is still a mystery. Two new studies add weight to the hypothesis suggesting the presence of grandmothers increase survival rates for grandchildren.

For decades male contraception has been limited to condoms or vasectomies, but there aren’t really any options between those two extremes. In the hunt for a useful middle-ground, a new method has been developed that so far seems to be relatively long-lasting, effective and reversible.

​Typically, if women want to know if they're ovulating, they have to perform a urine test or a basal body temperature analysis. Scientists at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital are developing what they believe may be a better alternative, in the form of a smartphone-based saliva test.

Uterus donors are so far limited to willing volunteers, which has made the procedure possible in only a handful of cases. Now, scientists have reported the first successful birth of a child after a uterus transplant from a deceased donor.