It has also historically been used in women undergoing fertility treatment who have a surplus of eggs collected. Its only in recent years that women have chosen to socially freeze their eggs and put their fertility on ice. Except, the thing is the thing that no one is saying so far, it hasn't really worked. The statistics dont lie. According to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) the UKs independent regulator of the use of embryos: Records show that up to December 2012 around 18,000 eggs have been stored in the UK for patients' own use. Around 580 embryos from stored eggs have been created. These embryos were transferred to women in around 160 cycles, which resulted in around 20 live births. Twenty live births. 20 babies. Thats all. That means theres only a 12.5 per cent chance of a woman having a baby after a cycle of frozen egg IVF. In short, this treatment has woefully poor outcome. It ought not to be relied upon by those women who are able to conceive naturally, at a younger age. Of course, the process of egg freezing is still developing and the new fast freeze method is likely to increase … Continue reading →

A celebration of life is set next weekend for David Mertes, former chancellor of the California Community College system and at one time chairman of the ValleyCare Health System. Mr. Mertes, who died Oct. 9, was 83. Besides heading the state's community college system from 1988 to 1996, he previously was chancellor of the Los Rios Community College District, superintendent/president of Santa Barbara City College and president of the College of San Mateo. After his retirement, Mr. Mertes served on the board of the ValleyCare Health System and also as its chairman. He was a founding member and 11-year director of the Las Positas College Foundation and had oversight of the International Service Projects of the Livermore Rotary Club. In that capacity, he made many service trips to some of the neediest areas of the world. He received a bachelor's degree from San Francisco State University and master's and doctorate degrees from UC Berkeley with a major in biochemical embryology. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Mertes, who serves on the board of trustees of the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District. "Our entire district family mourns the loss of a giant in the field of higher education," said the … Continue reading →

NEW YORK Hapless lovers are not the only ones who get lost down there: Even sexologists cannot agree on what is what, and where, among womens female parts, according to a father-daughter team of researchers in Italy, Drs. Vincenzo and Giulia Puppo. In a new review in the journal Clinical Anatomy, Vincenzo, of the Italian Center of Sexology in Bologna, and Giulia, a biologist at the University of Florence, point out some problems with some of newer anatomical and physiological terms researchers have been using since the mid-1990s. The G-spot? Out. Vaginal orgasm? Out. Female penis? In. It is the best way to refer to female erectile organs, according to the Puppos. Sexological and sexual medicine textbooks today often neglect the embryology, anatomy and physiology of the female erectile organs, Vincenzo Puppo said. He and his co-author cite dozens of such publications by other researchers, largely from within the last 15 years, pointing out the use of terms such as inner clitoris that are, admittedly, not very well defined in those papers. The internal clitoris does not exist, the entire clitoris is an external organ, Vincenzo said. It is composed of an externally visible glans and body, like the male … Continue reading →