The future of fertility

Experts have gathered to debate the latest advances in reproductive medicine at the annual conference of the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology.

BBC News Online's Martin Hutchinson reports from Bologna.

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Pill project to delay menopause
Scientists are trying to develop a contraceptive pill which would extend a woman's childbearing potential.

Testosterone linked to female cancer
More evidence has emerged that uterine cancer may be triggered by the male sex hormone testosterone.

'Unnecessary' treatment risk to families
A leading fertility expert has urged couples to think twice before rushing into clinics to demand treatment.

Breakthrough weeds out dying sperm
Thousands of men who cannot father children because the vast majority of their sperm are faulty could be offered hope by a laboratory advance.

UK fertility services lag behind Europe
Britons have poor access to fertility treatments compared to many European countries - despite a history in the UK of test tube baby pioneering.

Laser bursts help 'hatch' embryos
Firing laser beams at embryos before implanting them is a safe way of improving IVF success rates, say scientists.

'Ban smokers and drinkers from IVF'
A fertility expert says that in-vitro fertilisation should not be offered to women who smoke or drink heavily, or who are mentally ill.

Heating sperm 'cuts HIV transmission risk'
A heating process could virtually eliminate the chance of HIV-positive men passing the virus to their children through their sperm.

Mouse muscle nurses human eggs
Implanting ovarian tissue from women into mice could be a more successful alternative to freezing before cancer treatment, scientists report.

Keyhole surgery cuts need for hysterectomy
A keyhole surgery technique using a tiny telescope and a small blade could put an end to unnecessary major surgery.

Screening technique for devastating disorder
Scientists develop a way to identify embryos suffering from a genetic disorder that can lead to premature death.