Category: Reproductive Rights

The ‘weird’ male Y chromosome has finally been fully sequenced. Can we now understand how it works, and how it evolved?

DNA of the male-determining Y chromosome has been completely sequenced end-to-end, and it’s just as weird as we expected. Will we finally be able to understand how it works?

The findings provide a solid base to explore how genes for sex and sperm work, how the Y chromosome evolved, and whether – as predicted – it will disappear in a few million years.

We have known for about 60 years that specialised chromosomes determine birth sex in humans and other mammals. Females have a pair of X chromosomes, whereas males have a single X and a much smaller Y chromosome.

The Y chromosome is very different from X and the 22 other chromosomes of the human genome. It is smaller and bears few genes (only 27 compared to about 1,000 on the X).

We have a lot of evidence that 150 million years ago the X and Y were just a pair of ordinary chromosomes (they still are in birds and platypuses). There were two copies – one from each parent – as there are for all chromosomes.

The proto-Y degenerated fast, losing about 10 active genes per million years, reducing the number from its original 1,000 to just 27. A small “pseudoautosomal” region at one end retains its original form and is identical to its erstwhile partner, the X.

There has been great debate about whether this degradation continues, because at this rate the whole human Y would disappear in a few million years (as it already has in some rodents).

The Y is the last human chromosome to have been sequenced end-to-end, or T2T (telomere-to-telomere).

Source: The ‘weird’ male Y chromosome has finally been fully sequenced. Can we now understand how it works, and how it evolved?

Australian parents in surrogacy nightmare as Crete fertility clinic investigated for human trafficking, fraud | The Australian

Several Australian parents cannot bring their babies home after the world-renowned fertility clinic in Crete they used to have their children by surrogates was raided by Greek police over claims of human trafficking and fraud.

The Australian understands around eight newborns – including a number of Australian babies – are being detained by the Greek government in a high-security section of a Crete hospital.
Greek Police allege the clinic was a criminal organisation that exploited 169 foreign vulnerable women, forcing them to be egg donors or surrogates, and defrauded patients through sham embryo transfers and engaging in illegal adoptions.
The clinic’s entire medical team have been arrested and imprisoned, accused of child trafficking, while police continue their investigation.
Sam Everingham, the global director of Growing Families, a not-for-profit organisation that supports families with surrogacy, said Mediterranean Fertility Institute was the largest provider of surrogacy in Greece – and Australians comprised half of their clientele.
“They would have been doing 300 cases a year. It would be approximately 150 Australians affected who either have embryos there or births on the way,” Everingham said.
Centre for Infertility Solutions Director Nicholas Lolatgis had been recommending Australian couples dealing with infertility to use the Mediterranean Fertility Institute.
[Ed: Since it’s illegal for residents of the ACT, NSW and QLD to enter into commercial surrogacy arrangements overseas, when are Australian authorities going to commence prosecuting those Australians involved rather than rubber stamping these ‘adoptions’?]

Source: Australian parents in surrogacy nightmare as Crete fertility clinic investigated for human trafficking, fraud | The Australian

Reborn dolls and ‘doll mums’. Why women collect them.

Some women purchase these lifelike therapy dolls, known as “reborn babies” or “reborn dolls”, as a fun hobby. For others, like Patrizia, these dolls are a means of therapy or comfort, whether related to mental health, child loss, miscarriage or loneliness.

It’s been 22 years since Patrizia has seen or heard from her sons. She still grieves the estrangement every day. But the day Patrizia first held a reborn doll in her arms, which weighs the same as a newborn, a nurturing feeling took over her. It was a once-familiar feeling she had missed.

Originally from Western Australia, Patrizia moved to Europe, fell in love and married a local man. Very soon into the relationship he became seriously abusive towards her – physically, sexually and psychologically.

“We had three sons together. By the time I had to leave, their father had brainwashed them. They respected him, not as much me.”

When Patrizia told her sons why she was leaving, they assured her they would stay in contact. She then never heard from them again.

Upon returning to Western Australia, Patrizia was finally free from the abuse. But there was an immeasurable sacrifice that came with escaping – a loss that took a toll on Patrizia’s mental and physical health.

For the past few years, Patrizia has been running a support group called My Therapy Reborn Group, which has just under 1000 members.

[Ed: society is actively encouraging individuals to resort to a fantasy world to escape intolerable reality.  Soon we will all be taking soma – ‘a gramme is better than a damn.”]

Source: Reborn dolls and ‘doll mums’. Why women collect them.

EXCLUSIVE: Leading womb transplant experts say it’s ‘medically possible’ for transgender women to have natural pregnancies – and they hope to offer procedure to trans couples in years | Daily Mail Online

A uterus transplant, which involves taking the womb from a deceased or living donor and transplanting it into another woman, would pave the way for infertile and eventually trans women to give birth.

Dr Paige Porrett, the lead surgeon at the Comprehensive Transplant Institute at UAB, told DailyMail.com: ‘I think there’s a lot of providers, such as myself, who would envision that is the case.’

‘I think that it is certainly medically possible. The future is wide open.’

However, Dr Porrett cautions it’s still too early to put a timeline on that kind of breakthrough and warns there could be increased risks in transgender patients due to hormones and previous gender-affirming surgeries.

A uterus transplant has only been done about 100 times worldwide in tightly-controlled clinical studies.

Source: EXCLUSIVE: Leading womb transplant experts say it’s ‘medically possible’ for transgender women to have natural pregnancies – and they hope to offer procedure to trans couples in years | Daily Mail Online

Head Of Forced Adoption Inquiry Faces Mounting Pressure To Step Down

The chair of a parliamentary committee looking into past forced adoption practices in WA is facing calls from a group of adoptee campaigners to step down from the inquiry.

It’s been revealed Peter Foster – a WA politician who chairs the state’s Standing Committee on Environment and Public Affairs – used an overseas commercial surrogate to have a child.

Forced adoption survivor Jen McRae believes it presents a conflict of interest, as similar issues can be faced by children who were forcibly adopted and children born via commercial surrogacy.

LiSTNR News has spoken with Ms McRae, and other adoptees who claim both children of forced adoption and commercial surrogacy can experience issues around trauma, attachment and identity.

Commercial surrogacy is illegal across Australia.

Source: Head Of Forced Adoption Inquiry Faces Mounting Pressure To Step Down

Science shatters the ‘baby brain’ myth

It’s a casual insult deeply rooted in cultural devaluation of care. But it appears neuroscience is finally tipping ‘baby brain’ on its head.

Recent advances in neuroimaging technology are shattering the age-old baby brain myth with high-resolution images of mothers’ brains as incredibly neuroplastic, adaptive and specialised – an updated version of the pre-pregnancy model. Neuroscientists have found pronounced increases in empathy, stress tolerance, creativity and learning capacity in new mothers.

Research in this area is woefully under-reported because it undermines the “sameness equality” agendas that rely on women being the same as men in order to be considered equal. Scientific research which proves pregnancy and birth increases a woman’s aptitude for caring for an infant, both physically and psychologically, is directly at odds with dominant feminist ideologies that seek to distance women from their roles as mothers.

This strategy of disengaging from caregiving roles has been justified insofar as caregiving is still an under-supported, undervalued and oppressive role in some ways. Unpaid caregiving contributions can leave mothers financially insecure and with fewer job prospects. But to deny the science that inextricably links a woman to her baby is avoidant and places women in a perpetual identity struggle. Emerging neuroscience need not relegate women to realms of domesticity but rather could be used to justify policies and workplace legislation that better value the unique care contributions of mothers.

[ed: not sure how they determine what are ‘dominant feminist ideologies’. Sounds like faux feminism to me.]

Source: Subscribe to The Australian | Newspaper home delivery, website, iPad, iPhone & Android apps

SPAIN: Trans-Identified Male Prisoner Transferred To Women’s Prison Impregnated Female Inmate – Reduxx

A violent male convict who was transferred to a women’s prison after claiming to be transgender has reportedly impregnated a female inmate at the Alicante Cumplimiento Penitentiary Center in the Fontcalent region of Spain.

As first reported by Okdiario, the incident involved an unnamed male inmate who is said to be of Bulgarian nationality. The inmate was originally detained in the men’s ward of the Alicante prison for repeated violent criminal convictions, including kidnapping and robbery.

While incarcerated, he began using a feminine name, one which is reported to have been adopted from a popular Spanish singer, and declared that he identified as a woman. He did not undergo surgery, and is not known to be on any hormone regimen whatsoever.

Despite this, his request for a transfer into the women’s ward was approved by prison officials.

Source: SPAIN: Trans-Identified Male Prisoner Transferred To Women’s Prison Impregnated Female Inmate – Reduxx

Female-to-male patient loses baby during hysterectomy at Royal Women’s Hospital Melbourne because he(sic) didn’t know he(sic) was pregnant | Daily Mail Online

Jesse Pohlner, 38, was four months pregnant when he(sic) underwent a full hysterectomy at Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne during lockdown in 2021.

Jesse Pohlner, 38, was four months pregnant when he(sic) underwent a full hysterectomy at Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne during lockdown in 2021.

Source: Female-to-male patient loses baby during hysterectomy at Royal Women’s Hospital Melbourne because he didn’t know he was pregnant | Daily Mail Online

Select Committee on Birth Trauma| NSW Parliament

This Select Committee was established on 21 June 2023 to inquire into and report on birth trauma.

 

Have your say

You can share your views and experiences with the committee by making a written submission to the inquiry into birth trauma. This will help members understand how you, your family, your organisation, or your community feel about this issue.

 

To lodge a submission, please click on the ‘Submissions’ tab below. Submissions will close on 15 August 2023.

Please find below factsheets on a Guide to Upper House committees and Making a submission.

Source: Select Committee on Birth Trauma

One-third of Australian women report traumatic experiences while giving birth

Australia’s first inquiry into birth trauma has kicked off in NSW parliament and the Clarks are among those speaking up about the lasting mental and physical impact of birth trauma.

The inquiry, which started last month, was triggered after 30 mothers made complaints about Wagga Wagga Base Hospital, including allegations some were forcibly held down, given inadequate pain relief or told they would be induced to free up beds.

It follows Australia’s largest study of women’s birth experiences, which found in December that one in 10 women felt violated disrespected or abused during birth.

Now the Australasian Birth Trauma Association (ABTA) and maternal health academics are calling for a national investigation to address what experienced midwifery educator-researcher Professor Hannah Dahlen describes as “a national shame”.

Dahlen’s research supports previous findings that about 30 per cent of Australian mothers say they had a traumatic birth experience. PTSD is much more common in women who have had a traumatic birth.

ABTA chief executive Amy Dawes said a survey of 1002 women, commissioned by her organisation in 2023, found one-third of respondents said they had a traumatic birth in the past five years, and 12 per cent reported it was “extremely traumatic”.

“The research uncovered a staggering 79 per cent of birthing parents reported experiencing at least one symptom of postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder after giving birth,” Dawes said.

In June, University of Sydney research described birth-related PTSD as “strangely overlooked” and found the majority of women who displayed symptoms remained undiagnosed.

Source: 12ft | One-third of Australian women report traumatic experiences while giving birth