• New Blood Test for Alzheimer’s Disease

    New Blood Test for Alzheimer’s Disease

    A recent study explained that a new blood test for Alzheimer’s disease is very reliable. Specifically, it determined with 96% accuracy elevated levels of beta amyloid. It also accurately identified tau protein, another Alzheimer’s marker, with 97%. The original research study was published at JAMA … [Read More...]

  • Living with the Aging Process

    Living with the Aging Process

    The following article describes living with the aging process. Older adults undergo the process of aging between the ages of 50 and 80. This is a complex process affecting various systems parallel. There are hormone factors that are particularly prominent in women during menopause. Joints are affected by … [Read More...]

  • Ashwagandha’s Benefits

    Ashwagandha’s Benefits

    Medical news today had an article in October 2023 that reviewed ashwagandha’s benefits. I thought it would be useful to discuss this topic in an abridged version. Often things get distorted on the Internet and a reality check helps to separate facts from fiction. Ashwagandha (botanical name: Withania somnifera) is a … [Read More...]

  • Beef and Dairy May Cause Cancer and MS

    Beef and Dairy May Cause Cancer and MS

    New cancer research suggests that chronic virus particles in beef and dairy may cause cancer and MS (multiple sclerosis). The Medical journal Medscape.com had a review article that summarized this line of research. Papillomaviruses and cervical cancer Harald zur Hausen, M.D., D.Sc., a German virologist, detected … [Read More...]

  • Fasting-Mimicking Diet Is Benefitting Cardiovascular Health

    Fasting-Mimicking Diet Is Benefitting Cardiovascular Health

    A crossover study showed that a fasting-mimicking diet is benefitting cardiovascular health. This new study was done by Dr. Valter Longo et al. from the University of Southern California. It compared the effect of two diets. They were the fasting-mimicking diet versus an unrestricted diet. In other studies Dr. Longo … [Read More...]

  • Backup your New Year’s Resolutions by looking at short-term Consequences

    Backup your New Year’s Resolutions by looking at short-term Consequences

    In the New Year it pays to backup your New Year’s resolutions by looking at short-term consequences. An article in “the conversation” explains how you can keep yourself motivated to stick to healthy habits. The alternative would be to fall back into unhealthy habits, which lead to various disease conditions. … [Read More...]

    Sep
    01
    2003

    Stillbirth Associated With High Coffee Consumption In Pregnancy

    A study entitled “Maternal consumption of coffee during pregnancy and stillbirth and infant death in first year of life” by Dr. K. Wisborg et al. was published recently in the British Medical Journal (BMJ 2003; 326: 420-423).

    The pregnancy outcome of 18,478 women who completed a questionnaire at their first prenatal visit was studied. They were asked about coffee consumption and the following 4 groups were identified: group 1 consisted of the 43% of women who drank no coffee. Group 2 (34%) drank 1-3 cups per day, group 3 drank 4-7 cups per day (18%). Group 4 drank 8 or more cups per day (5%).

    Below are the results in tabular form.

    The surprising result was that a small amount of coffee (1-3 cups per day) was actually reducing the risk of stillbirth by 30% when compared to women who drank no coffee at all. However, from 4 cups of coffee per day or more there was a sharp increase of stillbirths within the first year (=sum of stillbirths and deaths within the first year of life).

    Stillbith Associated with High Coffee Consumption in Pregnancy

    Stillbith Associated with High Coffee Consumption in Pregnancy

    The authors suggest that physicians should advise their pregnant patients to limit coffee consumption in pregnancy to 1 or 2 cups of coffee or the equivalent of caffeinated drinks per day as a precautionary measure.

    Stillbirth coffee study
    Groups with varying amounts of coffee consumption: Risk increase of stillbirth compared to group 1 as control:
    group 2  (1- 3 cups per day) -30%
    group 3 (4 – 7 cups per day) 80%
    group 4 (8 or more cups per day) 300%

    Last edited December 9, 2012

    Sep
    01
    2003

    Asthma And Wheezing Influenced By Family Lifestyle (Swedish Study)

    A new study from Sweden was published by Dr. Magnus Wickman and colleagues,from the Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm, in the medical journal Allergy 2003;58:730-731,742-747. The authors of this study were analyzing data of a prospective birth cohort study of 4089 children who were born in Sweden between 1994 and 1996.

    The families were given health questionaires at the age of 2 months to assess whether the family was adhering to the allergy prevention guidelines (see below). Questionaires were again given at the age of 1 year and 2 years of these children. Specific questions were asked regarding environmental conditions in the house where the children lived. In the mid 1990’s allergy prevention guidelines were strongly recommended to the public in Sweden regarding the value of breast feeding, the avoidance of smoking inside the house in the presence of children, also that a house should be kept well ventilated and without dampness. All of these factors, as was stressed by the allergists in Sweden who organized the campaign, would protect the immune system from allergies against molds, dust mites as well as cigarette smoke and should reduce the rates of asthma.
    Here are the results in tabular form.

    Asthma And Wheezing Influenced By Family Lifestyle (Swedish Study)

    Asthma And Wheezing Influenced By Family Lifestyle (Swedish Study)

    As can be seen from this table, which is based on families without allergic parents, a two-fold drop of asthma and wheezing occured when the allergy prevention guidelines were followed in the house. With allergic parents the children had an even greater benefit as the reduction of asthma and wheezing was three-fold when compared to controls who did not follow the guidelines. This is one of the few studies, which shows conclusively that allergy prevention works!

    Link to asthma chapter of Dr. Schilling’s Net Health Book: http://nethealthbook.com/lung-disease/asthma-introduction/

    Swedish Family Lifestyle Study
    Agreement with
    allergy guidelines
    % of asthma and wheezing at ages 1 and 2 of child:
    1
    year
    2
    years
    Yes (all three measures followed) 6.8% 12.6%
    No (one or none of measures followed) 17.9% 24.1%

    Last edited October 26, 2014

    Sep
    01
    2003

    SARS Due To SARS-Associated Coronavirus (SARS-CoV)

    A comprehensive paper was recently published online July 22, 2003 (Lancet 2003; 362: 263-70) regarding the causative microorganism of SARS.

    Several investigators have collaborated in this study from viral laboratories of Rotterdam/The Netherlands, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region/China , Singapore, London/UK, Hamburg/Germany, Paris/France and Geneva/Switzerland.

    This study involved isolation of the SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) from SARS patients who died from the disease, propagation of the virus in an experimental animal model (cynomolgus macaques) and causing SARS again with an injection of the isolated virus back into a healthy experimental animal.

    This, according to the authors (Dr. Thijs Kuiken et al.), fulfils the Koch’s postulates, which is one of the fundamental laws in microbiology that has to be fulfilled in order to claim a new infective organism. Dr. Robert Koch was a German physician who had detected the causative organisms of anthrax, tuberculosis and cholera and won the Nobel price for physiology and medicine in 1905. He developed the four original Koch’s postulates that were subsequently modified to a total of six. Here is a run down of the postulates and how it relates to SARS:

    SARS Due To SARS-Associated Coronavirus (SARS-CoV)

    SARS Due To SARS-Associated Coronavirus (SARS-CoV)

    1. The specific organism should be present in all cases of animals suffering from a specific disease, but should not be found in healthy animals.

    For SARS this was fulfilled as this study, which was based on a thorough analysis of 436 patients in six countries, showed. 75% of the suspected cases were found in postmortem studies to contain the SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV). In some patients other infectious agents could also be isolated, but the primary causative agent was SARS-CoV.

    2. The specific organism should be isolated from a diseased animal and grown in pure culture on artificial laboratory media.

    Using an experimental animal model, the virus was able to be isolated from a diseased person and injected into a healthy animal that turned sick with SARS. From this animal the virus could be isolated again from cells of the infected airways and grown in tissue culture.

    3. This freshly isolated microorganism, when inoculated into a healthy laboratory animal, should cause the same disease as in the original animal.

    As already explained under point 2 above, this has been shown with SARS.

    4. The microorganism should be able to be isolated again in pure culture from the experimental infection.

    This was proven in this paper regarding SARS. It was even done with genetic markers that were still present after passage from postmortem human tissue into an experimental animal and from the final respiratory tissue isolate of this newly infected animal.

    5. The infective agent can be filtered and the filtrate contains the infective agent.

    This was proven for SARS and the exact classification of the virus was possible because of the advanced genetic knowledge that is now available.

    6. When the virus enters the body or the experimental animal, there are signs of the immune system attempting to rid the body of the infectious organism.

    Sophisticated immune tests were performed that showed in more than one way that the immune system attempted to rid the body of SARS, but was eventually overwhelmed in the cases that did not survive.

    Summary: This paper has conclusively proven that SARS is caused by a new type of coronavirus, SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV). In about 12% of cases there was another virus type present, such as human metapneumovirus. This occasionally was also present in lethal SARS cases as a secondary virus. Some other flu-type viruses were also found in the non-SARS cases. However, this paper has shown that SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is what causes SARS.

    Link to SARS chapter of Dr. Schilling’s Net Health Book: http://nethealthbook.com/infectious-disease/infectious-disease-infections/severe-acute-respiratory-syndrome/

    Last edited October 26, 2014

    Sep
    01
    2003

    Poor Lungs And Heart Attacks Related To Leptin Levels

    It is known from the medical literature that poor lung function can often lead to heart attacks making it one of the important causes of premature death for patients with poor lungs (due to emphysema, chronic bronchitis, COPD etc.).

    A research team led by Dr. Don Sin from the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, asked the question recently whether there may be a circulating factor that would be responsible for this association of poor lung function and increased cardiovascular disease.

    They studied serum leptin and a variety of other inflammatory markers such as C reactive protein, leukocytes, and fibrinogen in 2808 participants in the Third National Health, Nutrition, and Examination Survey. Apart from blood tests they also measured lung function by spirometry (forced expiratory volume in 1 second, called FEV1). The leptin levels found in these patients were then divided into 5 groups from low to high levels. They also carefully adjusted the data for body mass index, sex, age and other factors. They compared the group with the lowest leptin concentration (lowest quintile) with the highest group of leptin concentration (highest quintile) and looked for any significant differences in any of the markers.

    Results: The highest quintile group (high leptin in blood samples) had also the highest other inflammatory markers in their blood (C-reactive protein, leukocytes and fibrinogen). This group was the one that was associated with advanced lung diseases as well as heart disease. The authors of this study, which was recently published in a medical journal (Thorax 2003;58:695-698), concluded that leptin plays an important role, if not the major role, in the development of both chronic lung disease and cardiovascular complications.

    Poor Lungs And Heart Attacks Related To Leptin Levels

    Poor Lungs And Heart Attacks Related To Leptin Levels

    Links to lung disease: http://www.nethealthbook.com/articles/chronicobstructivepulmonarydisease.php
    Links to heart attacks:

    http://www.nethealthbook.com/articles/cardiovasculardisease_heartdisease.php

    Last edited December 9, 2012

    Aug
    01
    2003

    Newly Detected Hormone May Help Obesity

    At a recent meeting of the Endocrine Society in Philadelphia new findings by British researchers were presented regarding hormone interactions with weight problems.

    Dr. Simon Aylwin, a consultant from the King’s College Hospital in London, England, presented data showing that peptide hormone PYY levels were much lower in patients who were significantly obese versus normal weight controls.

    As Dr. Stephen Bloom’s research group from Imperial College, London, UK had shown earlier, with a meal rich in calories the gut produces the PYY hormone in a way that with higher amounts of calories in food consumed more of the hormone PYY is secreted into the blood stream. The new information that was discussed at the meeting of the Endocrine Society was the fact that these hormone signals are registered in the hypothalamic tissue, a part of the brain situated just above the pituitary gland. It has been known for a long time that weight is regulated by a satiety centre in the hypothalamus. Now it has been appreciated that there are at least two or more pathways of registering weight related hormone signals: one being the gut related PYY hormone that tells the brain that enough food was consumed in a meal, and secondly leptin hormone signals where the hormone leptin is secreted from the fatty tissues in the body, which tells the satiety centre of the brain that not as much food needs to be consumed when our weight has reached a certain threshold.

    Newly Detected Hormone May Help Obesity

    Newly Detected Hormone May Help Obesity

    Dr. Aylwin measured PYY hormone levels in a number of different groups of patients such as in patients who were obese, in patients who had gastric bypass surgery done and in a group who only had gastric banding done. They observed that the group who had bypass surgery done had a higher than normal response of PYY hormone release as a response to a meal. This enabled them to adhere to low calorie meals without any hunger pangs and this group of patients did well in terms of weight control on the longterm.

    In contrast to this the group with gastric banding had a flat response curve to the stimulus of a meal with respect to the PYY hormone as did patients with obesity. The low PYY levels in response to meals likely explains why these patients continue to eat too much making their weight loss efforts more difficult.

    Dr. Aylwin explained that with future research efforts new forms of medications could be developped that mimic the effects of the PYY hormone leading to satiety and allowing patients to control their weight easier. Dr. Linda Fish, an endocrinologist from the University of Minnesota, mentioned that for excessive obesity with a body mass index of more than 45 the only effective therapy right now would be the invasive gastric bypass procedure. With an anologue type medication that would have the same effect as the PYY hormone, many patients might be able to have persistent weight loss with these new medications allowing them to lose weight persistently without bypass surgery. However, results of this type of research likely would take about 10 years before a new drug would be available to the public.

    This summary is based on an article in the July 15, 2003 issue of the Medical Post (page 50) as well as on the newsdesk article entitled “Obesity-is it all in the mind?” in The Lancet Neurology Volume 2, Number 1, January 2003.
    Link to related topic (nasal spray for obesity).

    Last edited December 9, 2012

    Aug
    01
    2003

    Modify Risk Factors For Erectile Dysfunction (ED) In Elderly Men

    Erectile dysfunction (ED, impotence) is a subject that is difficult to research because of its personal nature. Very few good studies are available regarding the question as to how common it would be among older men.

    A team of medical experts under Dr. Constance G. Bacon from the Harvard School of Public Health and other institutions have investigated this problem in men older than 50 years and published the results in the August 5, 2003 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

    31,724 men aged 53 to 90 years were taking part in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Since 1986 they had been filling out detailed questionaires biennially. In 2000 detailed questions about sexual function were also included. Erectile dysfunction was defined as “having poor or very poor ability to have and maintain an erection sufficient for intercourse without treatment during the past 3 months”. The investigators found that about 1/3 of the men above the age of 50 had a sexual dysfunction. Such factors as orgasm, ability to have intercourse, sexual desire and overall sexual function were all affected more and more with every year after the age of 50. When this was further analyzed using multivariate analyses an interesting pattern of reasons for this emerged. The following factors were identified to be independent risk factors for the development of erectile dysfunction.

    Modify Risk Factors For Erectile Dysfunction (ED) In Elderly Men

    Modify Risk Factors For Erectile Dysfunction (ED) In Elderly Men

    Each of the factors from this table is an independent risk factor and can be managed separately. For instance, the investigators found that a higher level of physical activity was associated with much less ED. The best group (men with no ED) was found among those who were always conscious about disease prevention and who had none of the conditions listed in this table or other chronic medical conditions. Leanness and physical activity were associated with good sexual functioning in this study.

    Risk factors leading to erectile dysfunction (ED)
    Symptoms: Comments:
    increasing age
    aging likely affects the blood supply to the swelling bodies of the penis; it also clamps down on testosterone production of the testicles
    smoking accelerates aging and hardening of arteries
    diabetes mellitus affects circulation and nerve impulse transmission
    stroke
    interferes with brain centers of arousal
    antidepressant medication anticholinergic side-effect interferes with penile erection
    beta-blocker medication reduction of libido (likely at the brain level from sympathetic nerve block)
    alcohol consumption alcohol is a nerve poison that interferes with pudendus nerve function (lack of erections)
    TV viewing time due to prolonged sitting there is a chronic lack of exercise that leads to nerve conduction and circulatory problems resulting in ED

    This summary is based on a paper published in the medical journal of Annals of Internal Medicine 2003;139:161-168 by Dr. Constance G. Bacon and co-workers.

    Here is a brief chapter on erectile dysfunction from Dr. Schilling’s web-based free Net Health Book.

    Last edited October 26, 2014

    Aug
    01
    2003

    HRT; Findings From The British Million Women Study

     

    In the latest issue of the Lancet (Lancet 2003;362:414-415,419-427) a study from Great Britain was published regarding the risk of breast cancer. Over 1 million women were followed from 1996 to 2001. They were in the age group of 50 to 64. Of these 80% were postmenopausal, and these formed the basis of the study. Dr. Valerie Beral (from the Cancer Research group UK in Oxford) was the lead investigator. About half of the women were on various forms of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), the others were not and served as a control. Risks were always expressed in comparison to the controls without any hormone replacements. Here is a tabular summary of the various hormone replacement therapies and their risks of leading to breast cancer.

    The relative risk of developing breast cancer did not significantly change whether HRT was taken orally, transdermally or through implanted formulations. Tibolone is a synthetic steroid used for postmenopausal symptoms and treatment of endometriosis.

    Dr. Beral’s group has estimated that in Great Britain in the past 10 years about 20,000 additional cases of breast cancer were caused by HRT for menopause among women aged 50 to 64. Out of these about 75% were due to the use of the combination of estrogen/progestin.

    HRT; Findings From The British Million Women Study

    HRT; Findings From The British Million Women Study

    An accompanying editorial by Dr. Chris van Weel stated that “general practitioners should discourage HRT for their patients” and, if used, should last “no longer than 3-6 months”. The investigators of this study suggested that “discontinuing HRT should be suggested in as supportive a way as possible, because no one will benefit from panic or over-reaction”.

    Findings from the British Million Women Study on HRT
    Detail of hormone replacement: Breast cancer risk compared to control:
    overall risk of HRT for all groups of HRT 1.66-fold
    women who stopped HRT the previous year 1.14-fold
    estrogen only use currently 1.30-fold
    estrogen-progestagen combination
    1.88-fold
    tibolone users
    1.45-fold
    combination HRT user less than 5 years 1.7-fold
    combination HRT user more than 5 years 2.21-fold
    equine estrogen combined with medroxyprogesterone acetate and taken at least 5 years 2.42-fold
    death rates from breast cancer associated with current use of HRT 1.22-fold

    Discussion: Please keep in mind that the British authors of this study were using the drug manufactured synthetic hormone-like substances and NOT bio-identical hormones. The outcome with bio-identical hormones would have shown the opposite, namely that women would not have developed heart attacks, strokes or cancer and they would not have died prematurely. Read more about bio-identical hormone replacement in the links below.

    Here is a link to a chapter on menopause from Dr. Schilling’s Net Health Book.

    This link deals with bioidentical hormone replacement (see lower half of that page).

    Last edited October 26, 2014

    Aug
    01
    2003

    Reduction Of Complications After A Stroke

    Following an acute stroke, it used to be taught in medical school that lowering the blood pressure would be something to avoid for fear that this would lower circulation to the brain and could make a stroke worse. A new study, called ACCESS (Acute Candesartan Cilexitil Therapy in Stroke Survivors), is proving this teaching wrong and demands a 180° turnaround.

    Dr. Joachim Schrader has pablished this landmark study recently in the Medical Journal “Stroke” (Stroke – 01-JUL-2003; 34(7): 1699-703). This study followed 339 stroke patients after an initial angiotensin type 1 receptor blocker was given right away versus a control group who got it only 1 week later. In other words, the test here was to see what would happen, if treatment would be started right away during the acute phase of the stroke. Up to now this was only done in the stable period after 1 or 2 weeks (the conventional approach). The 1 year follow-up data showed that the overal death rate from all causes (summing up all complications) was 47.5% less in the treatment group than in the control group. In other words by using intervention with this newer type of blood pressure lowering medication, such as the angiotensin type 1 receptor blocker candesartan (Atacand), complications such as extension of the stroke or heart problems and other complications were averted. The end result were fewer deaths and better quality of life in those who survived.

    The Medical Post in its July 29, 2003 edition (p. 1 and 54) interviewed Dr.Ashfak Shuaib, professor of neurology of the University of Alberta in Edmonton, regarding the significance of this study. He felt that there likely would be a new hormonal effect on the brain from the lining of the arteries in the brain that gets blocked and that leads to an increase of blood supply to the brain.

    Reduction Of Complications After A Stroke

    Reduction Of Complications After A Stroke

    This in turn would rescue the brain tissue around the stroke preventing the late complications. He said that this line of research would be very solid data, but that it would have to be confirmed by an independent study from other investigators. Dr. Shuaib’s group of researchers are planning an imaging study where they will study the blood flow following strokes under the same conditions using candesartan (Atacand).

    Link to a chapter on stroke of the Net Health Book.

    Last edited October 26, 2014

     

    Aug
    01
    2003

    Parkinsons Disease From Too Much Meat And Too Little Vitamin B2

    Parkinsons disease (correct medical spelling is ” Parkinson’s disease”) is a degenerative disease of the brain stem that presents with symptoms of shaking, tremor and gait problems.

    It is a neurological disease of the elderly and often is a cause of disability leading to institutionilisation. New research at the University of Sao Paulo (UNIFESP) in Brazil has found that a diet rich in vitamin B2 and low in meat has helped to improve patients with Parkinsons disease.

    It appears that it may not only be useful in alleviating symptoms of existing disease, but even more importantly to prevent this neurological disorder from developinlg. Dr. Cicero Galli Coimbra stated that in Buenos Aires (where the study was done) the consumption of meat is one of the highest in the world as is the rate of Parkinsons disease. Under his guidance a research team found that about 15% of the population do not absorb vitamin B2 adequately. In combination with excessive red meat intake a significant proportion of the population does not absorb enough of this vitamin resulting in Parkinsons disease.

    In this study a group of patients with advanced Parkinsons disease were put on a special diet that included milk (which is a good source of vitamin B2). Other sources of vitman B2 as shown here were cereal, nuts, milk, eggs, green leafy vegetables and lean meat. Within one month 18% of their motor function had returned to normal. After the third month of this diet 60% of the motor function had returned.

    Parkinsons Disease From Too Much Meat And Too Little Vitamin B2

    Parkinsons Disease From Too Much Meat And Too Little Vitamin B2

    Many had improved so much that they were able to drive a car safely again. Riboflavin (=vitamin B2) is an important ingredient in a number of metabolic processes in brain cells that result in the production of dopamine, a brain hormone that is required for regulating muscle coordination in various parts of the brain. This translates into a stable gait, normal muscle strength, good balance and normal cognitive functioning.

    These findings were reported in the July 15, 2003 issue of The Medical Post, page 31.

    Link to Dr. Schilling’s Net Health Book regarding Parkinsons disease.

    Last edited December 9, 2012

    Jul
    01
    2003

    New In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Gold Standard Declared

    At a recent conference in Montreal/Canada about “Measuring Human Embryo Quality” several IVF research groups exchanged the latest on single embryo transfer, which has become the standard for in vitro fertilization. These techniques are important for treating infertile couples.

    In the past an in vitro fertilized egg was implanted into the woman’s uterus, but the success rate of a normal pregnancy was extremely low (in the order of 15% to 20%).

    Subsequently more than one fertilized egg was implanted to improve the success rate, but this led to twins, triplets and multiple pregnancies with a high complication rate and death due to premature deliveries. Subsequently it was found that the success rate was much higher after a few cell divisions, which were allowed to take place outside the uterus in vitro cultures. Dr. William Schoolcraft (director of the Colorado Centre for Reproductive Medicine at a private clinic in Englewood, Col.) reported that embryos that were cultured for 5 days until the blastocyst stage in vitro are much more stable for implantation.

    New In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Gold Standard Declared

    New In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Gold Standard Declared

    For the past 5 to 6 years they and other groups have only employed this technique, which according to him is now the gold standard. Although they were largely still using two embryos for transfer into the uterus for IVF. It has become increasingly clear that the risk of twin pregnancies in these already high risk situations is ranging from 4- to 10-times the risk of a single embryo transferred (singleton) into the uterus. Because of this his group has decided to only do singleton transfers. The other new finding is that it matters tremendously what culture medium is used for incubating the fertilized egg for the 5 day period in culture and what the exact conditions are. They found that for optimal results they have to use two different growth media, the first 3 days a low glucose or glucose free medium that mimics the environment of the fallopian tube. On day 4 and 5 the medium must mimic the environment inside the uterus, which requires it to be rich in amino acids and contain glucose.

    An embryologist, Dr. Barry Behr from the Stanford University Medical Centre in California, reported that the same culture medium is not necessarily suitable for all patients, but individualization and close observation of the wellbeing of the embryo and the mother is necessary. To optimize maximum quality of the embryos growth factors may also have to be introduced into the culture medium and further research is going on in this direction.

    This report is based on a summary in The Medical Post , June 24, 2003, page 8.

    Here is a useful link regarding the topic of infertility: http://www.nethealthbook.com/articles/infertility.php

    Last edited December 9, 2012