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Men who smoke marijuana frequently damage their fertility in several different ways, research suggests.

Scientists at Buffalo University found regular smokers had significantly less seminal fluid, and a lower sperm count.

Their sperm were also more likely to swim too fast too early, leading to burn-out before they reach the egg.

Lead researcher Dr Lani Burkman said: "The bottom line is, the active ingredients in marijuana are doing something to sperm."

Marijuana contains several chemicals known to have an impact on human physiology, including THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

The researchers believe that THC may disrupt the way sperm swim, or it may block mechanisms designed to weed out malfunctioning sperm.

Key receptors

It is known that human sperm contains receptors which are stimulated by substances like THC and other cannabis-related chemicals.

Tests have shown that sperm exposed to high levels of THC began to swim in an abnormal fashion, and were less able to attach to an egg so that fertilisation could take place.

In the current study, Dr Burkman's team carried out a battery of tests on sperm samples taken from 22 men who had smoked marijuana on average 14 times a week for at least five years.

In particular, the scientists assessed the sperm to see when they began to swim in a very vigorous fashion.

It is vital that a sperm begins to swimming vigorously as it approaches the egg to improve its changes of successful fertilisation. However, if it begins to swim too fast too soon its changes of reaching the egg are significantly reduced.

Dr Burkman said: "The sperm from marijuana smokers were moving too fast too early.

"The timing was all wrong. These sperm will experience burnout before they reach the egg and would not be capable of fertilization."

Long-term impact

Dr Burkman conceded that many men who smoke marijuana have fathered children.

However, she said that smoking the drug may tip the balance against men whose fertility was borderline to start with.

"THC from marijuana may push them over the edge into infertility."

Dr Burkman said it was unclear whether fertility would recover after men stopped smoking marijuana.

But she warned that THC remained stored in fat for a long period.

"We can't say that everything will go back to normal. "I definitely would advise anyone trying to conceive not to smoke marijuana, and that would include women as well as men."

Professor Alison Murdoch, chair of the British Fertility Society, told BBC News Online the results were not surprising as marijuana was a potent drug which was likely to have an effect on many systems in the body.

However, she said many other factors, such as diet, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking and exercise also had an impact on fertility.

"Male fertility is quite complicated. The partners of men with low sperm counts can sometimes achieve pregnancy, and it is only when men produce very, very small amounts of sperm that they can be considered infertile."

Details of the study were presented to a meeting of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine in San Antonio.

BBC News

Women undergoing fertility treatment in New York during the 11 September attacks may never be able to have children.

The finding was announced presented at the meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine in San Antonio, in Texas.

Doctors believe that stress caused by the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001 may have left some women infertile.

Out of nearly 400 fertility patients treated at a Manhattan clinic, women who found out they were pregnant after 11 September were 25% more likely to miscarry than those who knew before the attacks that they were expecting a baby.

Dust and smoke may have affected the health of the women.

But Steve Spandon, from the Centre for Reproductive Medicine and Fertility in New York, where the women were being treated, says that stress played a bigger part.

"I remember having patients of mine on TV asking where were their husbands or wives, where could they be located," he said.

Mr Spandon adds that some of his patients were firefighters. Even though they survived the attacks, they were affected by the death of more than 300 of their colleagues, he says.

"There unfortunately are some people that may never achieve a pregnancy, although obviously we hope for the opposite."

Pregnant women under extreme stress are more at risk of miscarriage - but these women were even more vulnerable.

They had to cope with the strain of fertility treatment, along with the extreme stress from the attacks.

By Ania Lichtarowicz
BBC health reporter in San Antonio, Texas

BBC News

The owner of a radio station has received a large fine after a female listener agreed to simulate a sex act on air and discussed in detail her sexual preferences.

The Media Development Authority of Singapore has imposed an ?8,000 penalty on UnionWorks for raunchy content on its English station WKRZ.

In a statement on its website, the MDA said The Morning Show programme broadcast on July 27 had featured explicit discussions on sex.

The disc jockey had requested a 21-year-old woman simulate a sex act for him on air. She agreed and the regulator said it received complaints from the public the content had been distasteful and offensive.

The MDA said the broadcast was "obscene and in bad taste".

Bernard Law, chief operating officer for UnionWorks, agreed it was distasteful and said the DJ was sacked the day after the show.

Ananova.com

Proposals for a revamp of the Indonesian civil code could make sex outside marriage a crime. The world's most populous Muslim nation is drafting regulations that could ban unmarried couples from having sex or living together.

The new laws would also make forcing a woman to perform oral sex a crime.

And homosexual acts by those under age 18 would be breaking the law.

Among the proposed punishments are:

• Couples found to be living together before marriage would face up to two years in prison.
• A man breaking a promise to marry a woman pregnant by him could end up in prison for five years.
• Acts of oral sex and sodomy would be punished by between three and 12 years in jail.
• Homosexual sex could result in between one and seven years in prison.

A quarter of women stop using condoms just four weeks into a new relationship, a survey has revealed.

Although 87% of women would not sleep with a man in the early stages of a relationship unless he used a condom, 25% of the 1,000 women interviewed said they would start to have unprotected sex after a month.

More than half of the women interviewed by Company magazine said they would talk to new partners about their sexual histories.

And 25% of women would wait until both partners were tested for sexually transmitted infections before sleeping together.

The poll is part of Company's annual Freedom Years research into the habits and attitudes of British women towards sexual health.

The survey also revealed that 76% of women are romantics at heart, still believing there is one special man waiting for them. And 45% claim personality is important when looking for a partner.

The majority of women (82%) said they would end the relationship if they found their man was cheating.

Company editor Sam Baker said: "There's a real danger here of women becoming caught in what we call the four-week sex trap.

"They seem to think once he becomes more than a one-night stand that suddenly his past ceases to exist. Any risk that he might have posed when they first met him is gone.

"Sadly this is absolutely not the case as his past, and yours, will always be lurking in the background. As difficult as it is to remember to be practical when you are caught up in the fervour of a new boyfriend, until both of you have been tested you can never be sure you are safe."

Ananova.com

Scientists have developed a male contraceptive which was 100% effective and side-effect free in trials.

The hormonal treatment is a combination of an implant under the skin and injections - meaning men do not have to remember to take a pill every day.

Researchers from the Anzac Research Institute, Sydney, Australia, gave the treatment to a relatively small sample of 55 men for a year - and none of their partners became pregnant.

However, it will be some time before the treatment is widely available.

The treatment is a combination of an implant containing the male sex hormone testosterone, which was replaced every four months, and a three-monthly injection of a progestin, a hormone used in female contraceptive pills.

The reversible treatment works by making use of the body's own natural system which is involved in initiating puberty.

The combination of the two hormones temporarily turns if the normal signals from the brain that stimulate sperm production.

But the process also turns off the man's own testosterone production - so he needs to be given extra doses of the hormone to keep him healthy and maintain his sex drive.

In the study, none of the couples used any other form of contraception, and no serious side effects were seen.

Once the treatment was stopped, normal fertility levels returned within a few months.

Drug development

Professor David Handelsman, who led the research, said: "This is the first time a reversible male contraceptive that will suppress sperm production reliably and reversibly has been fully tested by couples.

'IT WAS MY TURN

Chris Hains, a Sydney policeman, is now the proud father of baby Connor. But before he and his wife decided to start a family, they took part in the trial of the male contraceptive.
He said: "My wife Nicole was having problems on the female contraceptive pill so the doctor suggested she came off all contraceptive medication. "It was an opportunity for me to take part in the trial, and take on the burden of contraception." Around seven months after Chris stopped having the contraceptive injections, Mrs Hains became pregnant with their son Connor, who is now four months old.

"This shows the way for a final product to be a single injection containing testosterone and a progestin which will easily be given by local doctors on a three-four monthly basis and still maintain male sexual health.

He said it was now up to pharmaceutical companies to develop their research into a usable drug.

Longer and larger trials were also needed, he said.

Previous attempts to develop an effective and convenient male contraceptive have encountered problems over reliability and side effects, such as mood swings and a lowered sex drive.

Dr Richard Anderson, a specialist in reproductive medicine at the Medical Research Unit Human Reproduction Sciences Unit in Edinburgh, said: "It's a very significant step forward.

"Nobody else has done real efficacy studies for a long time - and at the end of the day, that's what you need to do."

"How soon it is available depends on how much the pharmaceutical companies are going to become involved.

"Once they start developing a product, it could be available in just a few years

Liz Davies, of Marie Stopes International, told the BBC: "We welcome any advance in contraception, and particularly those that broaden the options for men to take responsibility."

She said women were likely to feel able to trust their partners to have infrequent injections.

"Whether they would have confidence in a man having a pill every day is another thing."

The research is published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

BBC News

It's time to vibrate your way to pleasure with the hottest sex toy of the year!
The Durex 2003 Global Sex Survey has revealed that the UK is abuzz with the happy hum of vibrators – the new ‘must-have’ sexual toy for the naughty naughties!

Figures from the survey revealed that 44% of Britons are using vibrators and other sex toys. Alongside America, Australia and Iceland; Britain showed the highest percentage in this category from the 34 countries involved in the research!

The 2003 Global Sex Survey conducted by Durex, is believed to be the largest ever online sex survey exploring sexual attitudes and behaviour across the globe.

The survey covers 34 countries and more than 150,000 people completed the online survey.

British Lovers Have Sex More Than Most Of The World!!

The sexy survey also revealed that the steamy British are having sex 135 times a year – not far behind the Hungarian leaders who are at it 152 times a year and above the global average of 127 sexual sessions a year!

The results also showed that the British leave their Latin rivals behind when it comes to the frequency of their steamy sessions!!!

The Italians are having sex 119 times a year; the Spaniards a total of 123 times, the Germans 120 and the Americans managed 118 sessions a year!

Time To Vibrate!

Don’t get left behind in the sexual revolution!! If you don’t own a vibrator perhaps it’s time you started to feel the tingle of the vibrator! If you already have one – try out a different one! Great to use on your own and even better with a partner!! There is a huge range available on the Econdoms website - what are you waiting for!

Let’s keep Britain at the top of the global sex league! Do it for your country!!!

Wear your sparkly pink ribbon with pride during October and support Breast Cancer Awareness

What is Breast Cancer Awareness Month?

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an annual national health campaign organised by all the major breast cancer and cancer charities. This month is intended to raise public and health profession awareness, funds for research into the cause, prevention and cure of the disease as well vital information and support to those affected by the disease.

What is breast cancer?

Breast cancer, by definition, is a malignant tumour in the breast. Malignant cancer attacks the tissue in which it first started and can spread to other parts of the body. The good news is that 9 times out of 10, lumps in the breast are not cancerous. However, it's always best to check out any lump or change in your breasts with your doctor, and sooner rather than later.

Gender

Breast cancer can affect men as well as women. Breast cancer primarily affects women, but a smaller percentage of men get breast cancer too. Around 200 men are diagnosed with breast cancer a year compared with 39,000 women.

Be Aware

Breast awareness means knowing what your breasts look and feel like normally. If a cancer is diagnosed, prompt treatment offers the best chance of a successful outcome.

Changes to note:

• A lump in the breast or the armpit
• A lumpy area or any thickening of the breast that is new and does not disappear after a period
• A change in the size or shape of the breast
• A change in the skin of the breast, dimpling or puckering
• A change in the appearance or direction of the nipple, eg inversion
• A discharge from the nipple that is blood-stained
• Breast pain that does not go away with a period

Researchers have concluded more than 17% of Australians and Americans are involved in gay or lesbian relationships.

It puts the countries equal first in the world for its proportion of homosexuals.

The worldwide survey of sexual habits by Durex found that at the other end of the scale, Vietnam recorded the lowest proportion of gay and lesbian relationships at 3%.

The company said faking orgasms is also common in Australia, with 47% of respondents admitting to doing so at least once.

This is almost twice the global average of 26%, reports the Herald Sun newspaper.

The company said Australians enjoyed a busy love life, having sex on average 125 times per year. Hungarians came out on top, having sex 152 times per year. But Australians were still ahead of Americans, at 118 times a year.

The survey also found phone, text and cyber sex were gaining in popularity in Australia, with 43% indulging in "virtual reality sex".

The company said more than 150,000 people took part in the online survey, which is now in its seventh year.

Ananova.com

British lovers leave their famed Latin counterparts standing, according to a new international sex league table.

The 2003 Durex Global Sex Survey found that Hungarians have the most voracious sexual appetites, managing sex 152 times a year. But Britons came in not far behind with 135.

The table showed Italians had sex 119 times a year, Spaniards posted a total of 123, the Americans managed 118 and the Germans 120. The average is 127, down from the figure of 139 last year.

Figures also showed 44% of Britons using vibrators and other sex toys, with 42% using pornography and 38% keen on using handcuffs and bondage in their sex lives.

Research found 54% have had a one-night stand, while 52% have had phone, text or email sex.

Meanwhile 42% of people said they faked an orgasm, while more than a third of people surveyed said they were unhappy with their sex life.

The online survey involved 150,000 men and women, aged from 16 to 70 and from across 34 countries.

David Beckham further boosted Britain's image by being named the world's sexiest male celebrity.

But while the football icon has achieved global domination, Britons put pop romeo Justin Timberlake as their most fanciable man.

Jennifer Lopez was crowned sexiest female celebrity, with Aussie singer Holly Valance being Britain's number one.

Ananova.com