At last, a comprehensive collection of essays that examines and advances ethical evaluations of the controversial and increasingly popular practice of embryo adoption. In the United States alone, 400,000 frozen embryos created for in vitro fertilization exist but are no longer desired for that purpose. What are we morally obliged or permitted to do about these a oesparea embryos? More of their genetic parents are considering donating these embryos to others to gestate and raise. This practice is politically volatile (figuring in debates about embryonic stem cells) and medically and morally complex. At the present time within the Roman Catholic Church there is no official teaching on embryo adoption. Catholic ethical analyses grapple with the way embryo adoption comports with respect for embryonic human life yet challenges Catholic moral critiques of assisted reproductive technologies.

This volume is the first to bring together leading philosophers and theologians to engage Catholic debates about embryo adoption in an interactive format. The editors, a philosopher bioethicist and a moral theologian, provide a helpful overview of the practice and the arguments surrounding embryo adoption. They engage neglected Catholic ethical resources and issues to advance the current debate and chart new directions in Catholic moral thinking about this intriguing practice. The volume also includes a description of embryo adoption from a physician practitioner along with reflections from a couple who successfully adopted an embryo.

The Diploma of Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (DRCOG) examination recognises a doctor's interest in women's health. Recent changes to the exam now require that candidates answer extended matching questions, single best answers and multiple choice questions. This comprehensive revision guide provides three full papers covering the entire DRCOG syllabus. Each paper is specifically designed for practice under exam conditions. To aid general revision, a detailed subject index enables a more focused approach to individual topics, and the explanatory answers have been fully referenced to assist further study where necessary.

Lipids and Women's Health is an up-to-date critical review of pertinent scientific and clinical issues connected with lipid disorders in women. Topics discussed include the public health significance of cardiovascular disease in women, lipoprotein and lipid metabolism, effects of estrogens and progestins on lipid metabolism, metabolic changes of menopause, and the paradox of obesity, a curable disease that is rarely cured, as well as those conceptual advances in our understanding of diabetes mellitus that have clarified diagnosis and may have improved treatment. The relationship of diet and lipid intake to the development of breast and uterine cancer; dietary and drug treatment of lipid disorders; effects of exercise, smoking, and stress; and repercussions of lipid disorders on the family are explored. The volume should prove of use to gynecologists, internists, family practitioners, and pediatricians, as well as to all other professionals with a major concern for the health of female patients.

Experimental and clinical researchers from a wide range of disciplines present a wealth of fresh scientific information on the biochemistry, molecular biology, pharmacology, and clinical activity of SERMs. The basic science chapters of the book focus-with an eye to the development of the ideal SERM-on the complex mechanisms of estrogen action, including ligand-dependent conformational changes in alpha and beta, and the recruitment of co-activators and co-repressors which modulate the estrogen receptor transcriptional activity and contribute to its crosstalk with growth factor signaling. The clinical presentation reviews the data accumulated on currently available SERMs, primarily tamoxifen and raloxifene, in cancer treatment and prevention, as well as their effects on the reproductive, vascular, skeletal, and central nervous systems. A tentative approach to menopause-related health issues is also provided for women with and without a previous diagnosis of localized breast cancer.

Ultrasound and Endoscopic Surgery in Obstetrics and Gynaecology focuses and highlights the pivotal role these two techniques play in modern obstetrics and gynaecology. Taking a problem-orientated approach, the book includes sections on menorrhagia, postmenopausal bleeding, endometrial malignancy, urogynaecology, ovarian masses, endometriosis, early pregnancy complications and infertility. A multi-contributed book with short, practical chapters, the book is well illustrated with more than 60 colour illustrations. Ultrasound and Endoscopic Surgery in Obstetrics and Gynaecology uniquely combines these two fields to demonstrate management of common gynaecological conditions based on accurate ultrasound diagnosis and minimal access treatment. An authoritative practical 'how-to' guide, this book will be invaluable for practitioners to learn and perfect both techniques and use them to their maximum potential.

Part of the renowned Donald School series, this book is a comprehensive guide to the diagnosis and management of reproductive and gynaecological endocrinology disorders. The book begins with an overview of ovulation and investigation and causes of female infertility including anovulation, tubal block, endometriosis and congenital uterine anomalies. The following chapters discuss ovarian stimulation and assisted reproductive techniques. The second half of the book covers causes and management of male infertility, and concludes with chapters on recurrent miscarriage, gamete banking, and assessment of early pregnancy. Authored by recognised experts in the field, the text is further enhanced by clinical photographs, illustrations, tables and flowcharts. Key points Comprehensive guide to diagnosis and management of reproductive and gynaecological endocrinology disorders Part of renowned Donald School series Covers investigation, causes and management of both female and male infertility Authored by recognised experts in the field

In this definitive new text, the major medicines, devices and vaccines used by women worldwide are brought together for the first time in a single volume. Written and edited by international experts with an evidence-based approach, the book offers a comprehensive summary of all the key areas of women's medicines. In the first part, issues relating to female drug exposure and considerations for prescribing for subgroups of women - for example during pregnancy and lactation - are presented in the context of contemporary clinical practice. In the second part, specific groups of pharmaceutical products are reviewed, including oral contraceptives, emergency contraception, treatment of chronic pelvic pain, hormone replacement therapy, bisphosphonates, herbal medicines for women, contraceptive devices and human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccines. Every chapter reviews and summarises the efficacy and safety of each group of products and concludes with a useful set of clinical take home messages. In the third part, broader perspectives are presented - from a primary care overview of prescribing for women, through to regulatory, political and religious aspects, including issues with women's medicines in developing countries. The final two chapters focus on risk communication and conclude that women themselves should be placed at the centre of all discussions about their medicines. The book is aimed at prescribers, other healthcare professionals and students in the field of women's health throughout the world. It is an extremely valuable resource for all in clinical practice, for students of medicine, nursing, pharmacy and related sciences, and also for those in medicines regulation, pharmacovigilance and the pharmaceutical industry.

A discussion of all the key issues in the use of human pluripotent stem cells for treating degenerative diseases or for replacing tissues lost from trauma. On the practical side, the topics range from the problems of deriving human embryonic stem cells and driving their differentiation along specific lineages, regulating their development into mature cells, and bringing stem cell therapy to clinical trials. Regulatory issues are addressed in discussions of the ethical debate surrounding the derivation of human embryonic stem cells and the current policies governing their use in the United States and abroad, including the rules and conditions regulating federal funding and questions of intellectual property.

Improvements in the detection of fetal and neonatal brain injuries, advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology, cellular and molecular bases of encephalopathy, and new treatment options have all combined to produce significant changes in the management of neonatal brain disorders in the past few years. This new edition of Fetal and Neonatal Brain Injury brings the reader fully up to date with all advances in clinical management and outcome assessment. Updated material includes inflammation focusing in particular on chorioamnionitis and fetal brain injury; genetic brain injury; and expanded sections on cholestasis, diabetes, and thyroid disease. An updated, highly illustrated chapter on structural and functional imaging of the fetal and neonatal brain is also included. An outstanding international team of highly experienced neonatologists and maternal-fetal medicine clinicians have produced a practical, authoritative clinical text that gives clear management advice to all clinicians involved in the treatment of these patients.

Nurse Barb provides a wealth of advice to guide readers through the hormonal roller coaster of menopause.

This book provides an overview of the latest knowledge of the psychological aspects of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and paves the way for advances in this rapidly evolving field. Taking an evidence-based approach, the book elucidates the ways in which PCOS causes anxiety and depression, impacts Quality of Life (QoL), and is associated with other psychological issues. The psychological impact of key features of PCOS are explored too, with a special focus on insulin resistance / diabetes, and fertility issues. The book concludes with a chapter on practical recommendations on how best to help with anxiety and depression in PCOS. An important feature of this book is its identification of the ways in which testosterone, a defining characteristic of PCOS, impacts psychology. In doing so it fills a lacunae in current research and offers evidence that maps out the complex ways in which biology impacts psychology in PCOS, and also how psychology can be harnessed to impact biology in a positive way. It will appeal in particular to scholars and clinicians in the fields of health psychology and women's health.

Fetal Cardiovascular Imaging, edited by Drs. Rychik and Tian, is the most complete video atlas available in this field - providing the detailed visual guidance you need to successfully identify a full range of fetal heart disorders. Complied by the team at the Cardiac Center at Children's Hospital in Philadelphia, this Expert Consult site and accompanying atlas-style text guide the acquisition and interpretation of fetal images for accurate diagnosis and effective management. Vivid color images, drawings, pathologic specimens and diagnostic algorithms facilitate tracking the progress of development of over 100 fetal heart problems. Enhance your cardiac imaging skills with a video library demonstrating imaging of the normal heart, and the imaging presentation of more than 100 different fetal heart problems. Recognize potential problems using views of the normal heart in development for comparative diagnosis. Get comprehensive coverage of cardiac anatomy, pathophysiology, natural history and disease management. See developing and existing problems as they appear in practice thanks to an abundance of vivid color images, drawings, pathologic specimens, and diagnostic algorithms. Track the progress of development in the fetal heart by using the best imaging modalities & techniques for more accurate diagnosis.

This authoritative volume describes the role of free radicals and antioxidants in prenatal and perinatal disorders currently explored in clinical and pre-clinical trials. In twenty-two inclusive chapters, the book covers the gamut of oxidative stress and its relation to a variety of factors, including fertility, metabolism, redox biomarkers, antioxidant defense and protection, gene polymorphisms, angiogenesis, cell signaling, mutations and oxidative damage involving lipids, proteins and nucleic acids, membrane trafficking, inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, alterations in immunological function, hypoxia, and post-natal stressors. This comprehensive source will keep clinicians and research scientists up-to-date on translational research into medical applications. Perinatal and Prenatal Disorders is a significant addition to the well-known Oxidative Stress in Applied Basic Research and Clinical Practice series.

This book offers a critical review of the pelvic sciences past, present and future from an anatomical and physiological perspective and is intended for researchers, medical practitioners and paramedical therapists in the fields of urology, gynecology and obstetrics, proctology, physiotherapy, as well as for patients.

The book starts with a construction plan of the pelvis and shows its structural consequences. The historical background of pelvic studies proceeds from medieval and early Italian models to the definitive understanding of the pelvic anatomy in the Seventeenth century. During these eras of pelvic research, concepts and approaches developed that are illustrated with examples from comparative anatomy and from mutations, also with regard to the biomechanics of pelvic structures. Perceptions of the pelvis as an important element in sexual arousal and mating conduct are discussed, as well as attitudes to circumcision, castration and other mutilations, in its anthropological, social context.

The anatomy and physiology of the pelvic wall and its organs as well as the development of these pelvic organs are covered as a prerequisite to understanding, for example, the spread of pelvic carcinoma and male and female bladder muscle function. Connective pelvic tissue is examined in its reinforcing capacity for pelvic structures, but also as a hiding place for infections. Innervations and reflexes relayed through the pelvic nerves are discussed in order to explain incontinence, sphincter function and the control of smooth and striated muscles in the pelvis.

Catheters and drugs acting on pelvic function are described, and a critical review of alternative clinical methods for treating pelvic dysfunctions is provided."

With insight and research from world-renowned experts, this book provides specific approaches to diagnosis and treatment, addressing pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic management. Specific conditions examined include asthma, rhinitis and sinusitis, anaphylaxis, atopic and contact dermatitis, urticaria and angioedema, hereditary angioedema, drug allergies, and primary immune deficiency. An overview of obstetric management of the high risk asthmatic and allergic patient is provided, and the book concludes with a discussion of the prevention of asthma and allergic diseases during childhood.

The present book on Molecular & Diagnostic Imaging and Treatment Strategies of ovarian cancer is one of two companion books with the second one being focused on Cell and Molecular Biology of Ovarian Cancer. Both books include new exciting aspects of ovarian cancer research with chapters written by experts in their respective fields who contributed their unique expertise in specific ovarian cancer research areas and include cell and molecular details that are important for the specific subtopics. Comprehensive and concise reviews are included of key topics in the field.

While postpartum depression has become a recognizable condition, this is the first book to treat root causes of mommy brain, baby blues, and other symptoms that leave mothers feeling exhausted.

Any woman who has read What to Expect When You're Expecting needs a copy of The Postnatal Depletion Cure. Filled with trustworthy advice, protocols for successful recovery, and written by a compassionate expert in women's health, this book is a guide to help any mother restore her energy, replenish her body, and reclaim her sense of self.

Most mothers have experienced pain, forgetfulness, indecision, low energy levels, moodiness, or some form of baby brain. And it's no wonder: The process of growing a baby depletes a mother's body in substantial ways--on average, a mother's brain shrinks 5% during pregnancy, and the placenta saps her of essential nutrients that she needs to be healthy and contented. But with postnatal care ending after 6 weeks, most women never learn how to rebuild their strength and care for their bodies after childbirth. As a result, they can suffer from the effects of depletion for many years, without knowing what's wrong as well as getting the support and treatments that they need.

Hormonal influences, both natural and iatrogenic, are implicated in the most frequent health issues of women. Endometrial cancer is now the most common gynecologic cancer in the United States and the industrialized world. This cancer is strongly related to hormonal and metabolic factors. In addition, breast cancer treated with hormone therapy (Tamoxifen) may, in some cases, be associated with uterine pathology. Hormone therapy is used to improve the physiological effects and counteract abnormal and deleterious effects of "natural" hormonal activity. Millions of women receive hormone therapy at some point of their life: using oral contraceptives, reproductive technology, treatment for post-menopausal symptoms, among other uses. This book addresses a range of women's health issues, from fertility to neoplasms, and their relationship with natural and iatrogenic hormonal effects. Chapters include clinical and pathological descriptions, theoretical and practical medical issues, and original studies and cases. Controversial issues in certain hormone therapies are presented with updated concepts based on clinical studies and novel statistical methods. The book will be useful for specialized and general physicians, oncologists, endocrinologists, researchers, medical students, and others in the field of women's health.

This detailed volume provides a robust set of methods to understand variation between patients with ovarian cancers, in vitro models to better study different stages of the disease, and in vivo models to test therapies. Beginning with clinical perspectives to orient basic scientists, the book continues with sections exploring methods to characterize features of the tumor microenvironment (TME), techniques to isolate cells for in vitro study, and in vitro and in vivo models to study the disease. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Ovarian Cancer: Methods and Protocols serves as an ideal guide for researchers seeking to improve their study of ovarian cancer and find new therapeutic approaches.

This book highlights the impact of nutrients on early placentation processes and their relevance for fetal growth and pregnancy outcome. The role of maternal nutrition on fetal growth and development has been evidenced in many epidemiological studies that included infamous Dutch famine, Helsinki Birth cohort and others. Fetal programming hypothesis states that the nutritional and other environmental conditions under which an individual develops from pre-conception to birth has a major impact on the future health of the newborn child. The developmental environment of the fetus is primarily dependent on two major factors that are maternal nutritional state (excess/low/imbalance) and placental function. Placentation is characterized by the extensive remodeling of the maternal uterine vasculature producing low-resistance blood vessels that facilitate the exchange of nutrients and wastes between the mother and the fetus. Cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in human placental blood vessel formation, which are now well established, are discussed.

Extensive reviews have been published on the mor aspects, anatomy, ultrastructure, physiology, bio phology, anatomy, and physiology of the mam chemistry, endocrinology, pharmacology, and physiopathology of the mammalian ovary. The malian ovary. However, little attention has been given to the gaps between the physiological, endo contributors, who prepared their chapters metic ulously, are recognized experts in their respective crine and histochemical parameters of the ovary as disciplines and their writings reflect extensive per it relates to clinical aspects. There is a wealth of sonal experience and unpublished data of both publications concerning the biology of the ovary: basic and clinical sciences. Without the assistance of the purpose of this volume is to integrate this information with emphasis on modern concepts in good friends and permission to draw extensively microanatomy, physiology, methodology, clinical from investigations, this volume would not have complications, and therapeutic approaches. An been possible. attempt is made to place fundamental research in Thanks are due to G. F. Franchitto, F. Barberini, clear perspectives. P. Stoops. Lori Rust and J. Squiers for their editorial It is hoped that this volume will fulfil a long skills and for checking the references to the original standing need and serve as an important source for sources. Thanks are particularly due to 1. K. Smith investigators and clinicians concerned with the of Martinus Nijhoff Publishers BV for his excellent physiopathology of the ovaries for years to come. It cooperation during the production of the book."

This book presents expert opinions on a variety of key topics related to the management of breast cancer, with a focus on the implications of recent advances and research findings for clinical practice. It also explores the controversy regarding mammography screening and reviews the contribution of new imaging modalities. Considerable attention is paid to developments in surgical procedures, including the potential for the safe and effective use of sentinel lymph node dissection alone-even in patients with positive nodes-and to the advantages and contraindications of new radiotherapy techniques. Genetic aspects are discussed in detail, including an assessment of the role of genetic testing and the potential impact of genetic signatures on breast cancer management. New systemic strategies, such as anti-HER2 therapy, endocrine agents, and agents to reverse endocrine resistance, are considered, and the optimal use of chemotherapy for early-stage and advanced-stage disease is addressed. In closing, the book shares important new insights into lifestyle risk factors, risk reduction strategies, and survivor issues, including sexual dysfunction and fertility maintenance.

Gynaecological practice has changed fundamentally in the last three decades and a large proportion of major pelvic operations has been replaced by minimally invasive approaches. This book will cover minimally invasive approaches in all aspects of gynaecology including general gynaecology, oncology, urogynaecology and reproductive medicine. The chapters are written at a level appropriate for trainees/residents and general gynaecology specialists but enough details and additional resources will be provided for those who require further information. Specific aim of the book is to provide direct to the point surgical pearls which can be adapted to the daily practice instantly by the target audience. The book includes chapters on relevant surgical anatomy, principles of MIS, management of camera systems, video/image editing, initiating a successful MIS practice, improving efficiency of current MIS program, how to develop successful teaching techniques in academic setting, avoiding & managing MIS related surgical complications and preoperative/postoperative care before covering MIS for individual conditions including intensive care managements. Chapters are written by world renown authorities. ACOG guideline recently published a statement recommending vaginal hysterectomy and endoscopic hysterectomy should be considered as a first step of surgical choice. Current practice has been shifting from open cases to laparoscopic/ robotic assisted cases while vaginal cases stays steady. This shift has created an urge among gynaecologists to learn, improve or adapt laparoscopic/ robotic techniques in their practice.

This volume comprehensively focuses on polycystic ovary, metabolic syndrome and obesity and their impact on women's health, reproduction and quality of life from adolescence to old age. PCOS is analyzed form the early origins - highlighting the importance of diagnosis, management and treatment starting from the high-risk period of adolescence - throughout infertility PCOS-related issues, pregnancy and menopause transition. All aspects of this syndrome are covered also in relation with endocrine and metabolic features that affects women's health. This book is a very useful tool for gynecologists, endocrinologists, obstetricians, reproductive medicine and general practitioners and is an important resource for all physicians involved in women's health.