Low levels of the nutrient folate in the diet of healthy men has been linked to higher rates of chromosomal abnormalities in their sperm. Folate, also protective against birth defects, is found in leafy green vegetables, fruit and legumes.

The study, by the University of California, Berkeley, is featured in the journal Human Reproduction. Women of childbearing age are encouraged to maintain adequate levels of folate in their diet to have healthy eggs

Scientists said today that men who eat a diet-rich green leafy vegetables, fruits and beans, lentils and chickpeas have a higher chance of fathering a healthy child.

In a study that investigates the effects of diet on the quality of sperm, American scientists found that high levels of vitamin B decreases the number of abnormalities that lead to children being born with defects such as Down's syndrome

If both mother and father have Alzheimer's disease, their children face an increased risk of developing the condition, a new study suggests highlighting the role of genetics in the disease. The children are also at a greater risk of developing the disease early if additional relatives have had Alzheimer's disease, researchers say.

Dr. Thomas D. Bird, a professor of neurology at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle has found that 42 percent of offspring whose parents both had Alzheimer's went on to develop the disease themselves by age 70

The British government is reviewing its ban on the use of artificial sperm or eggs to induce human pregnancies, the country's Health Department announced on Sunday.

In a statement, the department said it recognizes the potential uses in assisted reproduction treatments, or in embryo research, for sperm or eggs derived from other cells

More British women are becoming pregnant as they approach their menopausal years. According to the Office for National Statistics, overall conception rates in England and Wales went up by almost 3 percent between 2005 and 2006. But the rise was felt most in the 40 and above age group, which registered a 6 percent growth rate.

In 2005, British women between 40 and 44 who became pregnant was at 11.5 per 1,000 women. The following year, their number grew to 12.2 per 1,000 women