Well, we are already one quarter of the way into the year, and as we predicted our press office has been kept busy with fertility continuing to prove a very popular news subject.

There have been a couple of items which have dominated the fertility news. The change to the gamete donor anonymity practice, which has now been implemented as of April 1st, continues to attract interest, with the possible decrease in the number of donors recruited being one of the subjects tackled. Also gaining coverage is the implementation of the NICE guidelines, with the Health Secretary setting a target for PCT’s to offer one full cycle of IVF to each eligible couple by this April. Linked to this is the publication of a report of a survey conducted by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Infertility, in partnership with the National Infertility Awareness Campaign, which looks at how PCT’s are progressing with this target.

The world’s oldest mother? (BBC News Online, 17th January 2005)
A Romanian woman of 66 gave birth to a baby girl after nine years of fertility treatment. The baby, who was conceived with the sperm of an anonymous donator, was born prematurely by Caesarean section. Her twin sister had earlier died in the womb.

IVF age limit in Scotland to rise to 40 (Scotland on Sunday, 9th January 2005)
A committee of senior doctors has advised ministers that the age limit for IVF treatment on the Scottish NHS should be raised from 38 to 40, giving new hope to hundreds of infertile couples wanting to conceive.

Everyday chemicals cause infertility and birth defects (The Irish Examiner, 21st January 2005)
The European Parliament has decided to introduce new regulations on testing everyday chemicals. The world’s top scientists claim that chemical substances found in air fresheners, glues and furniture are making 15% of couples infertile and are responsible for the tripling of birth defects in the past 20 years.

NHS funded IVF: Is it really so NICE out there? (The Independent on Sunday, 29th January 2005)
Many PCT’s are failing to meet the target set by the Health Secretary, John Reid, that all Trusts are to offer at least one full cycle of IVF treatment to those eligible by April 2005. This target, set after the publication of guidelines from NICE (National Institute of Clinical Excellence), is reportedly not viable for a number of PCT’s due to the fact that the government has failed to provide additional funding, which would be in the region of £85m per year.

Frozen embryo case goes to Europe (BBC News Online, 15th February 2005)
A woman has lodged an application with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg in a fight to use frozen embryos fertilized with the sperm of her now ex-partner. The Court of Appeal ruled that she could not use the embryos after he withdrew his consent. She is asking the court whether the UK law, which would now require her stored embryos to be destroyed, is a breach of her human rights.

Chemical could aid IVF embryos (BBC news online; originally in New Scientist, 16th February 2005)
Research from the University of Adelaide suggests that adding key chemicals to the fluid in which IVF embryos are grown could help prevent developmental problems in babies. The addition of chemical substances like growth factors, to which naturally developing embryos are exposed in the mother’s womb, have been shown to benefit the development of mouse embryos in vitro. The results suggest that embryonic exposure to growth factors like GM-CSF is essential for normal foetal growth.

Reid may expand IVF cycle targets (Birmingham Post )
Further to Health Secretary John Reid’s requirement that PCT’s in England and Wales offer at least one full cycle of IVF per couple by April, Dr Reid stated in March that he would consider setting a target that PCT’s offer two or three cycles of treatment, the guidance originally proposed by NICE.

In related news: In order to assess the progress being made by PCT’s the All Party Parliamentary Group on Infertility, in partnership with the National Infertility Awareness Campaign, has produced a report of key findings from a recently conducted survey, focusing on how many PCT’s have managed to meet the deadline and how close they are to the full implementation of three cycles per couple.

Smoking ban for IVF couples (South Wales Echo, 2nd March 2005)
Following medical evidence that women who smoke have reduced fertility and that passive smoking caused by a partner will affect their chances of conceiving, couples who smoke are to be banned from having NHS fertility treatment in Wales. Both parents must be non-smokers before they will be considered for medical help to have a baby as part of a £2.4m shake-up of fertility services being introduced by the National Assembly next month.

Will new anonymity law affect donor recruitment levels? (New Scientist 12th March 2005, also in BioNews 299 week 7/3/05 - 13/3/05)
The new law giving those born through sperm or egg donors the right to trace their biological parents is causing concern over whether this will keep donors away. With a shortage of sperm donors already reported, the question is raised of whether the attempt to put the welfare of children before all other considerations will ultimately affect the amount of donors recruited.

Technique May Safely Preserve Fertility in Breast Cancer Patients (HealthDay News, 12th April 2005)
A report appearing in the April 11 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology has found that combining a cancer drug with a fertility hormone used for IVF may preserve the fertility of breast cancer patients before they undergo chemotherapy, without promoting the growth of breast cancer. This may make it more feasible for patients to undergo IVF before treatment and to freeze their embryos, which can then be implanted after treatment.

New TV Show on the BBC
The BBC are commissioning a new TV show called From Here to Paternity, following the stories of nine first-time parents. They will be aiming to document the ups and downs of couples, step-by-step, all the way to birth or adoption. The BBC have indicated that they will come back to us for technical assistance. It is likely that the programme will go out on BBC1 and BBC3.

HFEA’s Guide to Fertility May 24th 2005
The HFEA will publish its Guide to Fertility on May 24th. The guide is likely to include performance indicators from individual clinics, and it is sure to attract significant press interest.

Public Debate:
Testing Choices: The Ethical Implications of Embryo Testing for Late-Onset Disorders
Organised by Progress Educational Trust & hosted by the BA (www.the-ba.net)
6.30-8.30pm Wednesday 4th May 2005
The Dana Centre, 165 Queen’s Gate, London SW7

Does testing embryos for genetic disorders that won’t develop until teen age or adulthood represent a vital breakthrough for affected families, or does this use of the technology raise new concerns that ought to be addressed? Who should decide on the appropriate use of genetic testing of embryos?

Speakers:
FRANCES FLINTER - Guy’s Hospital
JOHN GILLOTT - Genetic Interest Group
JOSEPHINE QUINTAVALLE - Comment on Reproductive Ethics
Chair: FRED KAVALIER

Jane Shepley, who has compiled this newsletter from its inception, has now left the BFS secretariat for a new post in London. Thanks to Jane for all the good work, and good luck on the new position. Tom Parkhill will take temporary charge of producing this newsletter. Any comments or suggestions, please write to me at: tom.parkhill@endocrinology.org