Fertility & pregnancy

The Scottish government has launched a national review into whether NHS IVF access should be extended to single women. The review will also consider whether wider access should be offered to couples who have children from previous relationships. Health secretary Angela Constance said: “Access to NHS IVF treatment should be fair, timely and reflect the [...]

KOVE Medical has raised €1.7 million to support first-in-human studies of an implantable device designed to reduce preterm birth risk after foetal surgery. The University of Zurich spin-off is developing a device designed to close defects left by surgical instruments following fetoscopy, a minimally invasive procedure performed inside the womb. Fetoscopies can treat [...]

Scotland has launched a review of NHS IVF access, including whether treatment should extend to single women and couples with children from previous relationships. The national review will assess how fertility services can better reflect modern family structures while maintaining fair and consistent access across Scotland. It will also examine access to fertility preservation services, [...]

Jersey is launching a pilot PMOS health check clinic for women to improve follow-up care and access to specialist support. The clinic will operate at the Assisted Reproductive Unit in St Brelade from October, providing health checks rather than diagnosing or treating the condition. Women with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) will need to see [...]

Scotland recorded its lowest number of births for a third consecutive year in 2025, with 45,067 live births registered. The total was almost 696 fewer than the previous year and the lowest annual figure since records began in 1855. Deaths also outnumbered births for the 11th consecutive year, with the gap between the two generally [...]

Applications close 2 September at 12pm BST for W Accelerate with Merck KGaA and M Ventures, a fast-track programme offering startups, scaleups and spinouts in reproductive and maternal health direct access to decision-makers at one of the world's leading reproductive health companies. With a single application, innovators connect with Merck KGaA's partnership team and investment [...]

Chelsea FC Women is to launch a fertility fund giving players access to assessments, treatments, counselling and workshops. The initiative is part of a new partnership with London fertility clinic Fertility Plus, which has been named the club's official fertility partner. Chelsea said the fund will be available to every player in its women's team, [...]

Medtech startup Peripear has won an Innovate UK award for developing a wearable designed to prevent perineal trauma during childbirth. The Oxford-based company is developing a hands-free warm compress device for use on the perineum during the second stage of labour.   Peripear describes its product as the world's first automated perineal thermotherapy wearable, designed [...]

Higher cumulative doses of common fertility drug clomiphene citrate may increase pregnancy loss risks, according to new research. Around one in six people experience infertility, with irregular or absent ovulation among the most common causes. Clomiphene citrate has long been a mainstay of fertility treatment, but Adelaide University research has raised concerns about higher cumulative [...]

Common IVF preparation techniques used before embryo transfer have no proven effect on pregnancy rates, according to a review. Researchers said evidence for the widely used practices remains uncertain because available studies are limited and generally of low quality. Embryo transfer is the final and most vulnerable stage of IVF, when an embryo is placed [...]