In Search of Answers for Those Struggling With Infertility

Dr. Erin Wolff peers into a microscope in her lab at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Through the magnifying lens, she examines an egg from the ovary of one of her patients, a young woman with a rare autoimmune disease called GATA2 deficiency. The patient is about to undergo chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant, the only known treatment for her disease and one that will likely damage her ovaries, rendering her infertile. Dr. Wolff has extracted some of her eggs so that one day, through in vitro fertilization, the patient may have the chance to become a mother. "That is why I went into this line of medicine," notes Dr. Wolff, head of the Unit on Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine at the NIH's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. "To do exactly this." Looking for Clues Dr. Wolff is one of many researchers working to find solutions for couples facing infertility. Millions of men and women in the United States experience infertility. In fact, nearly 15 percent of U.S. couples do not become pregnant in their first year of trying. The causes vary: underlying health conditions, age, genetics, and certain environmental and lifestyle factors can all play a role. And for many couples, the cause remains frustratingly unknown. The good news is that couples struggling with infertility now have more options than ever before. While we have much left to do, research is steadily leading to a greater understanding of infert...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news