Blog of the Society for Menstrual Cycle Research

Study links reduced fertility to flame retardant exposure

February 4th, 2010 by Elizabeth Kissling

Exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants is widespread, with 97% of Americans having detectable levels. Yet there have been no published studies of their effects on human fertility – until now. A study to be published in the January 26 issue of Environmental Health Perspectives reports that four PBDE congeners  were correlated with longer times to  pregnancy.

While this finding is expected and unsurprising, it does seem surprising that researchers have found no correlations with the presence of PBDEs and menstrual irregularity.

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How (and When) to Make a Baby

October 29th, 2009 by Chris Hitchcock

According to this article, a surprising number of women seeking infertility care don’t know when to effectively focus their efforts. Australian researcher (and SMCR member) Kerry Hampton asked women seeking infertility advice about the normal ovulatory menstrual cycle, and found that most women lack basic knowledge about the menstrual cycle, ovulation, and when the optimal time is to conceive.

A study of 204 women who attended assisted-reproduction clinics in Melbourne during 2007 and 2008 showed only 13 per cent had a good knowledge of the ”fertility window” in their monthly menstrual cycle when pregnancy can occur.

Fertility nurse specialist and Monash University researcher, Kerry Hampton, told the Fertility Society of Australia’s annual scientific meeting yesterday that 11 per cent of the women had no knowledge of the fertility window and 52 per cent had poor levels of awareness.

Ms Hampton said most of the women had been trying to conceive for one year or more when they were surveyed, and that if they had of known more about natural conception, they would have had a better chance of success.

”A lot of these women were not able to optimise their chance of natural conception because they didn’t understand the window,” she said.

Readers should note that statements published in re: Cycling are those of individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Society as a whole.