Topic description and stories

From exploring ancient ideas of generation to understanding new frontiers in fertility, Cambridge researchers are working across disciplines to study reproduction from multiple perspectives.

"Reproduction matters to us all": latest issue of Horizons magazine

20 November 2020

Professor Kathy Niakan talks about why it’s vital to take a multidisciplined approach to understanding the urgent challenges posed by reproduction today – and introduces our Spotlight on some of this work, highlighted in the latest issue of Cambridge's Horizons magazine.

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Human embryo cultured in vitro

Study suggests embryos could be susceptible to coronavirus as early as second week of pregnancy

05 Aug 2020

Genes that are thought to play a role in how the SARS-CoV-2 virus infects our cells have been found to be active in embryos as early as during the...

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Mother and newborn baby

Nature’s epidural: Genetic variant may explain why some women don’t need pain relief during childbirth

21 Jul 2020

Women who do not need pain relief during childbirth may be carriers of a key genetic variant that acts a natural epidural, say scientists at the...

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Pregnant woman

Women who experience high blood pressure during pregnancy are more likely to develop heart disease

01 Jul 2020

Women who experience high blood pressure during pregnancy are more likely to develop heart disease and heart failure in later life, according to an...

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Human embryo-like model created from human stem cells

11 Jun 2020

New ‘gastruloid’ model, created from human stem cells, holds huge potential to understand causes of birth defects and improve disease modelling.

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Placenta changes could mean male offspring of older mums more likely to develop heart problems in later life, rat study finds

28 Nov 2019

Changes occur in the placenta in older pregnant mothers leading to a greater likelihood of poor health in their male offspring, a study in rats has...

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Women in STEM: Dr Alexis Braun

26 Sep 2019

Dr Alexis Braun is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Genetics. Here, she tells us about the importance of mentors, how her research...

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Workout

Exercise in pregnancy improves health of obese mothers by restoring their tissues, mouse study finds

30 Aug 2019

Exercise immediately prior to and during pregnancy restores key tissues in the body, making them better able to manage blood sugar levels and...

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IVF trio with Louise Brown and her mother at 1st Birthday

The archive of Professor Sir Robert Edwards, IVF pioneer, reveals his personal struggles: for recognition of an unsung female colleague and fair access to treatment for all

10 Jun 2019

Newly released letters from Edwards’ archive show his personal battle as he repeatedly fought for official recognition of Jean Purdy’s equal...

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Additional routine ultrasounds benefit mothers and babies, and could be cost saving, study finds

17 Apr 2019

Offering universal late pregnancy ultrasounds at 36 weeks’ gestation eliminates undiagnosed breech presentation of babies, lowers the rate of...

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Hand Smoking Woman

Smoking and pre-eclampsia may cause fertility problems for offspring, study suggests

29 Mar 2019

Low levels of oxygen in the womb – which can be caused by smoking or conditions such as pre-eclampsia – may cause problems with fertility later in...

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Premature babies could benefit from changes to drugs administered to at-risk mothers

20 Mar 2019

Scientists at the University of Cambridge have suggested that subtle changes to the drugs administered to mothers threatened with preterm birth or to...

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Expecting

Heart disease risk begins in the womb, study in sheep suggests

22 Jan 2019

Offspring whose mothers had a complicated pregnancy may be at greater risk of heart disease in later life, according to a new study in sheep. The...

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