Over the counter home fertility test kit

Fertell measures men's 'concentration of motile sperm' and women's follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, taken on day 3 of menses, to determine 'ovarian reserve'.



It works much like the standard home pregnancy test, where there is a control line, and then another line that appears depending on what you are measuring. (In home pregnancy tests, the 2nd line usually means you have a positive pregnancy test).

It's been available in the UK for over a year, and is purportedly 95% accurate. Now available over the counter in the US, for about $100.

Their website has a video demo of how it all works.

Scientists Have Created Sperm Cells From Human Bone Marrow

Pic: How Prof Nayernia and his team cultured from human bone marrow. (Credit: Newcastle University, England)

"Science Daily — Human bone marrow has been used to create early-stage sperm cells for the first time, a scientific step forward that will help researchers understand more about how sperm cells are created. "

Wow! Just think of the possibilities. Male infertility could potentially be circumvented, if they ever navigate the morass of ethical and moral issues involved.

This team has already created sperm cells from mouse embryonic stem cells that were used to fertilizie mice eggs, with seven live births in July of 2006.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070412211409.htm

New Research Finds Natural Family Planning Method As Effective As Contraceptive Pill

Finally, some data to back up natural family planning. It has to be followed correctly for it to work.

"Science Daily — Researchers have found that a method of natural family planning that uses two indicators to identify the fertile phase in a woman's menstrual cycle is as effective as the contraceptive pill for avoiding unplanned pregnancies if used correctly, according to a report published online in Europe's leading reproductive medicine journal Human Reproduction today (21 February)."

"The symptothermal method (STM) is a form of natural family planning (NFP) that enables couples to identify accurately the time of the woman's fertile phase by measuring her temperature and observing cervical secretions."

Here's their findings: "Of the 900 women, 322 used only STM and 509 women used STM with occasional barriers during the fertile time. Sixty-nine women did not document their sexual behaviour. Out of the women who documented their sexual behaviour and abstained from sex during their fertile period ("perfect use") the unintended pregnancy rate was 0.4 per 100 women and 13 cycles [2], and 0.6 for women who used STM plus a barrier if they had sex during their fertile period. For cycles in which couples had unprotected sex during the fertile phase, the pregnancy rates rose to 7.5 per 100 women and 13 cycles. The drop-out rate from using STM for reasons such as dissatisfaction or difficulties with the method was 9.2 per 100 women and 13 cycles, and compared well with the drop-out rates from other methods of family planning, which can be as high as 30%, although direct comparisons are difficult due to methodological problems. "This demonstrates a fairly good acceptability for this particular FAB method," said Prof Frank-Herrmann."

For those who cannot tolerate the pill, there are now other documented options that work just as well, IF you are willing to master it. :-)

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070221065200.htm

Viagra for sale OTC on Valentine's Day in the UK

This is scary.


"Three Manchester Boots pharmacies will sell the prescription-only medication made by U.S. drugs group Pfizer in a pilot program from February 14.

Men aged between 30 and 65 suffering from erectile dysfunction will be able to buy four Viagra pills for 50 pounds ($97) without having to get a prescription from a doctor first.

Instead, they will have a private consultation with a Boots pharmacist, when their medical history will be checked and measurements taken of their blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose levels."

At almost $24 a pill, Pfizer must be ecstatic about this.

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyid=2007-02-12T150433Z_01_L11797018_RTRUKOC_0_US-BOOTS-VIAGRA.xml&src=rss