INFERTILITY FINDING

It is estimated that up to 7% of men are affected by infertility and 50% of fertility problems within a heterosexual couple are due to the man. In around half of male infertility cases, the cause is unexplained, however scientists at Newcastle University have identified a new genetic mechanism that can cause male infertility. The study, published in Nature Communications, shows that new mutations, not inherited from father or mother, play a major role in this medical condition. The scientists have found that mutations occurring during the reproduction process, when the DNA of both parents is replicated, can result in infertility in men later in life. This breakthrough offers hope of better treatment options for the future.