Bits and Bites

Embryos to go to research - A survey of couples who underwent in-vitro fertilization (IVF) at a large Australian clinic found that the majority preferred that their unused embryos go to "some use" rather than be discarded -- with most wanting that use to be scientific research. (Reuters) Study Quashes Birth Month Autism Theory - One of the largest studies to date to look at the issue has found no relationship between the month a person was born and his or her risk of autism. (Reuters) Pollutants and Pesticides in Cord Blood - In the month leading up to a baby's birth, the umbilical cord pulses with the equivalent of at least 300 quarts of blood each day, pumped back and forth from the nutrient- and oxygen-rich placenta to the rapidly growing child cradled in a sac of amniotic fluid. This cord is a lifeline between mother and baby, bearing nutrients that sustain life and propel growth. (EWG)