related_results_labels({"version":"1.0","encoding":"UTF-8","feed":{"xmlns":"http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom","xmlns$openSearch":"http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/","xmlns$georss":"http://www.georss.org/georss","id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5813489507942316135"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-12-03T09:55:48.428-06:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Leave the lights on"},"subtitle":{"type":"html","$t":"Science and Catholic faith"},"link":[{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://ginkgo100.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5813489507942316135/posts/default/-/science?alt\u003djson-in-script\u0026max-results\u003d3"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://ginkgo100.blogspot.com/search/label/science"},{"rel":"hub","href":"http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/"},{"rel":"next","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5813489507942316135/posts/default/-/science/-/science?alt\u003djson-in-script\u0026start-index\u003d4\u0026max-results\u003d3"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Ginkgo100"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/01871889955884253147"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"}}],"generator":{"version":"7.00","uri":"http://www.blogger.com","$t":"Blogger"},"openSearch$totalResults":{"$t":"58"},"openSearch$startIndex":{"$t":"1"},"openSearch$itemsPerPage":{"$t":"3"},"entry":[{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5813489507942316135.post-3253593934300910952"},"published":{"$t":"2009-06-03T07:00:00.000-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-06-03T07:00:01.670-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"culture"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"clarifying the record"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"blogs"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"technology"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"health care"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"diseases"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"family"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"science"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Natural infertility treatments v. the IVF band-aid"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GQ6M9d5gRHw/Sh8fJGX_H9I/AAAAAAAABRo/DrgTzf3zJ4w/s1600-h/test+tube+baby.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;\" src\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GQ6M9d5gRHw/Sh8fJGX_H9I/AAAAAAAABRo/DrgTzf3zJ4w/s320/test+tube+baby.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341021924275199954\" border\u003d\"0\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003eIn a culture that promotes alternative medicine, natural childbirth, and sometimes-bizarre dietary supplements, it seems strange that natural infertility treatments are not well-known. A natural infertility treatment is not necessarily alternative medicine, but rather a conventional-medicine approach that seeks to cure the underlying cause of infertility, allowing natural conception.  It stands in contrast to assisted reproductive technology such as \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003ein vitro\u003c/span\u003e fertilization (IVF), which is stick a \"band-aid\" solution that does nothing about the underlying causes of fertility problems.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eWhy is assisted reproductive technology the current standard of care for infertility?  If you type \"fertility treatment\" into Wikipedia, you are redirected to \"assisted reproductive technology.\"  Wikipedia, being written collaboratively by people around the world, reflects the biases and attitudes of those people.  Fertility drugs and IVF are what people think of when they think about infertility treatments.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eI think the reason IVF is so popular — despite its astronomical cost and mediocre success rate (only 1 in 3 attempts results in a live birth) — is because it is a \"magic pill\" approach.  It is a silver bullet, a straightforward process left in the hands of doctors.  Natural fertility treatments are more complicated because they start with diagnostics, rather than jumping immediately into treatment.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eAmong the diagnostic steps used in natural fertility treatments for women are ultrasound, laparoscopy, and sonohysterosalpingography (SHSG) to look for structural problems in the reproductive organs, as well as hormone level checks.  During her menstrual cycle, a woman's estrogen and progesterone levels can change significantly in as little as 24 hours, so daily or every-other-day tests are best.  Any underlying disease or structural abnormality that is uncovered is treated to increase the odds of a naturally conceived pregnancy.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eHow successful is natural infertility treatment compared to assisted reproductive technology?  IVF has a maximum success (pregnancy) rate well under 50% (for 27-year-old women), with an average success rate closer to 35%.  Statistics for live birth are even worse, with an average of only about 27% of attempts resulting in live births.  That means that an average of 8% of attempts result in a miscarriage or stillbirth (or, if the fetus is imperfect, abortion).  The poor success rates reflect, in part, the fact that over 50% of \u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.marymeetsdolly.com/blog/index.php?/archives/811-Majority-of-IVF-embryos-abnormal.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eembryos conceived \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003ein vitro\u003c/span\u003e have chromosomal abnormalities\u003c/a\u003e, as reported by Rebecca Taylor of \u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.marymeetsdolly.com/blog/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eMary Meets Dolly\u003c/a\u003e.  Natural fertility technology also has treatments for male infertility.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eAccording to the Pope Paul VI institute, a major proponent of natural infertility treatment, so-called \"\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.naprotechnology.com/\"\u003enatural reproductive technology\u003c/a\u003e\" has higher success rates than IVF for various infertility diagnoses.   These results are both statistically significant (i.e. not due to chance) and personally significant (i.e. they're a \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003elot\u003c/span\u003e higher).  For example, for a diagnosis of endometriosis, IVF has a success (pregnancy) rate of about 21%, while natural reproductive treatment has a success rate of about 57%.   It reports a 37% success rate for tubal occlusion compared to IVF's 27%.  The whopping 82% success rate reported for natural fertility treatment of anovulation (not producing mature eggs) may be due to straightforward treatment of the most obvious cause of anovulation, hormonal insufficiency (although I am speculating here).\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eI find it amazing that natural treatments for infertility are not better-known, even though they are more effective than current approaches. That's right: for infertile couples, it is more effective to try to conceive a baby the way nature always has than to inject a sperm into an egg under a microscope, with less chance of complications like chromosomal abnormalities and multiple gestation.  Who wouldn't choose that first, if they knew it was available?\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eImage credit:  \"\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/moyix/2353445346/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eTest tube baby\u003c/a\u003e\" by Brendan Dolan-Gavitt. (CC) Some rights reserved.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5813489507942316135-3253593934300910952?l\u003dginkgo100.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://ginkgo100.blogspot.com/feeds/3253593934300910952/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d5813489507942316135\u0026postID\u003d3253593934300910952\u0026isPopup\u003dtrue","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5813489507942316135/posts/default/3253593934300910952"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5813489507942316135/posts/default/3253593934300910952"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://ginkgo100.blogspot.com/2009/06/natural-infertility-treatments-v-ivf.html","title":"Natural infertility treatments v. the IVF band-aid"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Ginkgo100"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/01871889955884253147"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"10586589345248242200"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GQ6M9d5gRHw/Sh8fJGX_H9I/AAAAAAAABRo/DrgTzf3zJ4w/s72-c/test+tube+baby.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5813489507942316135.post-3260323104091712298"},"published":{"$t":"2009-05-26T07:00:00.001-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-05-26T07:00:01.340-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"news stories"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"evolution"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"science"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"animals"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Dog breeds as different species, and observing evolution"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cdiv style\u003d\"margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; width: 330px;\" try\u003d\"\" href\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GQ6M9d5gRHw/Shq4Qdl3O4I/AAAAAAAABRI/8pENk1ifcgo/s1600-h/big-dog-small-dog.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 269px;\" src\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GQ6M9d5gRHw/Shq4Qdl3O4I/AAAAAAAABRI/8pENk1ifcgo/s320/big-dog-small-dog.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339782901161999234\" border\u003d\"0\" /\u003e\u003cp\u003eAre this Great Dane and Chihuahua mix members of different species?\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003eScientific American published a tongue-in-cheek piece advocating a \u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id\u003dan-immodest-proposal\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003ereclassification of dog breeds\u003c/a\u003e into different \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003especies\u003c/span\u003e of dog. The author has a point: If a species is defined as a reproductively isolated population, then surely some breeds are reproductively isolated from others (the mastiff and the Chihuahua are mentioned).\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eFollowing this line of reasoning, dogs would be most accurately described as a \"ring species,\" in which there is a continuum of gradually varying — and potentially interbreeding — forms with two \"ends\" incapable of interbreeding.  The mastiff and the Chihuahua are at the ends.  But a German shepherd and a Labrador retriever, on the other hand, could certainly populate the animal shelters with hybridized mutts.  And surely that Chihuahua could have some success, so to speak, with a Yorkshire terrier.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eSome dog breeds are not capable of reproducing at all, at least not without technological intervention.  French bulldog females usually must be artificially inseminated because males cannot mount effectively, and the puppies often must be delivered by Caesarian section.  I am not sure how such creatures would fit into the classical species definition. It was not designed for populations that can't reproduce at all!\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eThe impetus behind the proposed dog reclassification was to demonstrate that, in fact, speciation has been observed. Biblical literalist creationists often claim that science has never observed the splitting of one species into two different species.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eAlas, if you know Creationists, you know this would not work.  First, speciation has been observed already, and Creationists have no problem denying it. (See the Talk Origins information on \u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/speciation.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eobserved speciation\u003c/a\u003e, an Internet classic.)  Second, when a Creationist talks of a \"species,\" he does not mean a reproductively isolated population. He means a \"kind,\" sometimes called a \"baramin,\" a concept exclusive to literal Creationism (i.e. not found in science).  The Creationist would argue that the various canine breeds, along with wolves and wild dogs, comprise the dog \"kind,\" and that while there might be \"microevolution\" within the kind, no dog would ever evolve into a new\"kind.\"  (Presumably, divine intervention would prevent \"microevolution\" from going too far.)\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eThe proposal to call dog breeds different species was not made seriously. But it's good to think about the species concept once in a while.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eImage credit: \u003ca href\u003d\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:IMG013biglittledogFX_wb.jpg\"\u003eEllen Levy Finch, licensed under the GFDL\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5813489507942316135-3260323104091712298?l\u003dginkgo100.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://ginkgo100.blogspot.com/feeds/3260323104091712298/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d5813489507942316135\u0026postID\u003d3260323104091712298\u0026isPopup\u003dtrue","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5813489507942316135/posts/default/3260323104091712298"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5813489507942316135/posts/default/3260323104091712298"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://ginkgo100.blogspot.com/2009/05/dog-breeds-as-different-species-and.html","title":"Dog breeds as different species, and observing evolution"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Ginkgo100"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/01871889955884253147"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"10586589345248242200"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GQ6M9d5gRHw/Shq4Qdl3O4I/AAAAAAAABRI/8pENk1ifcgo/s72-c/big-dog-small-dog.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5813489507942316135.post-646961460297184090"},"published":{"$t":"2009-03-20T12:45:00.003-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-03-20T12:53:50.935-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"stem cells"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"explanations"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"ethics"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"human rights"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"science"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"More about stem cells"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"My stem cell articles for Bright Hub for March have been published. There are some articles about treatments. If you only read one, read the one about induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). These show incredible promise as a controvery-free replacement for embryonic stem cells.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.brighthub.com/science/medical/articles/29431.aspx\"\u003eInduced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPS cells)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.brighthub.com/science/medical/articles/29422.aspx\"\u003eProblems With Embryonic Stem Cell Treatments\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.brighthub.com/science/medical/articles/29595.aspx\"\u003eStem Cell Treatments for Paralysis\u003c/a\u003e (both embryonic stem cells \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eand\u003c/span\u003e adult stem cells)\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.brighthub.com/science/medical/articles/29591.aspx\"\u003eThe Cutting Edge of Stem Cell Research\u003c/a\u003e — amazing advances with adult stem cells\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003eStem cell research is moving so fast that it is hard to keep up. Already there are clinical trials that may actually heal spinal cord injuries. Unfortunately, they use embryonic stem cells. Amazingly, embryonic stem cells may not even be necessary for this treatment; adult stem cells have healed spinal cord injuries in rats, just like embryonic stem cells.\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5813489507942316135-646961460297184090?l\u003dginkgo100.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://ginkgo100.blogspot.com/feeds/646961460297184090/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d5813489507942316135\u0026postID\u003d646961460297184090\u0026isPopup\u003dtrue","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5813489507942316135/posts/default/646961460297184090"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5813489507942316135/posts/default/646961460297184090"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://ginkgo100.blogspot.com/2009/03/more-about-stem-cells.html","title":"More about stem cells"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Ginkgo100"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/01871889955884253147"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"10586589345248242200"}}],"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"0"}}]}});