During recent decades, more than 100 surgical procedures have been proposed to treat pelvic organ prolapse, and surgeons are still searching for the ideal approach. Although generally accepted guidelines and algorithms are still lacking, careful preoperative work-up and patient selection can serve as a sound basis for tailored surgery. In this comprehensive book, leading experts from around the world provide a detailed, up-to-date overview of the diagnostic and surgical approaches employed in patients with prolapse of the middle or posterior pelvic floor compartment. Each surgical technique is explained step by step with the aid of instructive figures. Guidance is also included on the management of surgical complications and of recurrent disease – aspects that are too frequently overlooked in the scientific literature. This book will prove essential reading for all who are interested in functional colorectal disorders of the pelvic floor and will represent a unique and invaluable source of knowledge for general surgeons, colorectal surgeons, and urogynecologists, whether in training or practice.   ​  

The purpose of the The Active Female: Health Issues Throughout the Lifespan, 2nd Edition is twofold: (1) to increase the awareness of wellness and fitness issues for active females and their family members; and (2) to provide an avenue for medical practitioners, allied health professionals, health educators, and certified individuals in sports medicine to gain critical, updated knowledge of a field specific to active females. Part I of the book offers a foundation to help the reader understand the interrelationship among body image concerns, the female reproductive cycle, and musculoskeletal anatomy/physiology of females that makes their health risks and concerns unique. Reproductive health is discussed by a prominent researcher in reproduction/endocrinology. An overview of the Female Athlete Triad which is a syndrome of three interrelated conditions (isordered eating, menstrual disturbances and bone loss) is presented in Part II. Physicians and certified professionals in sports medicine discuss the individual components of the triad, relating not only to the athletic female but also to the recreationally active woman throughout the lifespan. In Part III, Prevention and management of common musculoskeletal injuries is addressed by a female orthopedic surgeon who sub-specializes in treating female athletes. Finally, appropriate exercise and nutritional guidelines for active females are discussed in Parts IV-V of the book by certified professionals and licensed physicians in sports medicine. An invaluable addition to the literature, The Active Female: Health Issues Throughout the Lifespan, 2nd Edition will be of great interest to physicians, allied health care practitioners, medical/other wellness educators, and students who are interested in advancing women's health issues. Sports medicine specialists, family practitioners, gynecologists, team physicians, residents in sports medicine, athletic trainers, health educators, nurses, physicians assistants, physical therapists, sport psychologists, counselors, athletic trainers, and other members of the sports medicine team should also find this title of significant interest.

This is a novel text that highlights the controversial areas in the management of gynecological cancers. None of the topics in this book have definitive answers; they represent the everyday decision-making facing gynecologists, oncologists, radiologists, pathologists and other health professionals treating women with these conditions. This book is not to be used as a traditional textbook; it is a text that specialists and trainees will use to help them weigh up the arguments that exist in a variety of areas in the treatment of gynecological cancers. Each chapter will have two or more authors, selected either for their opposing views or for their ability to provide an opposite view or opinion to the other. The content will be evidence-based, illustrating contrasting evidence and scientific opinion in the literature. Each chapter will close on a summary indicating the direction of research needed to address the issues being discussed.

This book, part of the series Rare Diseases of the Immune System, offers comprehensive, up-to-date coverage of the pathophysiology and management of the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Immunologic and genetic aspects are discussed and the pathogenic mechanisms responsible for such phenomena as APS-mediated thrombosis and pregnancy loss/complications are explained. The main clinical manifestations, classification criteria and diagnostic tools are identified, and close attention is paid to the nature of the involvement of various organs or organ systems in APS. Specific chapters describe the treatment of the different symptoms, therapies of value in avoiding recurrences, and innovative treatment approaches. The authors are senior experts in the field who are aided by younger fellows, ensuring that the book is also educationally oriented. This handy volume will be a valuable tool for postgraduates in training and professionals wishing to extend their knowledge of this specific syndrome.

Representing the most relevant procedures and technologies aiding the advance of the field of HPV-mediated carcinogenesis of the cervix and other anatomical regions of squamocolumnar transition, such as the anorectum, penis, and oropharynx, Cervical Cancer: Methods and Protocols compiles a detailed collection of practical chapters. The first half of the book covers HPV types, pathogenesis of cervical cancer (CxCA), prevention, and novel potential drug targets, while the second half explores pathology, genomics, modeling of CxCA, and experimental therapeutic strategies. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, 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 vital, Cervical Cancer: Methods and Protocols serves as a valuable resource to both bench scientists and clinicians who step into the realm of high-risk HPVs and CxCA for the first time or those who wish to learn novel approaches or expand their toolbox for the study of CxCA.

Epigenetics is the study of how certain genes are activated without modification at the DNA sequence level, resulting in genetically similar individuals having different clinical outcomes. As contemporary medicine increasingly aims to personalize the medical approach to a patient's genetic profile, the factors that can affect which genes are expressed also increase in importance and relevance to the clinician. This text from experts will give the clinician in Reproductive Medicine a reliable grounding in current thinking and research on this fast-moving topic, with many clinical implications.

The PROMPT (Practical Obstetric Multi-Professional Training) course covers the management of a range of obstetric emergencies. Subjects are presented in a variety of formats to stimulate the interest of participants, including interactive lectures, drills and workshops, to provide hands-on experience of practical skills and team-working in simulated obstetrics emergency situations - including training for communication in an emergency. The PROMPT course has been extensively tested and shown to be associated with improved clinical outcomes and reduced patient safety incidents. The key components of PROMPT training are that it is multi-professional and locally situated, with all members of the obstetric team being trained. This Course Manual has been adapted for North American training, reflecting the latest research and current clinical practice. The Course Manual is essential reading for course attendees but will also provide much useful information for any health professional wishing to understand more about the management of obstetric emergencies.

Advances in technology now offer promising solutions to deal with the chronological aging of the cell, tissue or organ to synchronize its existence and its use. This book covers the developments in and benefits of the latest vitrification technology and its extensive applications in reproductive medicine. Protocols of gametes (oocyte and sperm), embryos, blastocysts and ovarian tissue cryopreservation have been reviewed by leaders in the field. In order to address the escalation in cross-border reproductive tourism entailing the transfer of reproductive cells and tissues rather than the patient, the challenges, caution and emerging possibilities of nitrogen vapor shipment of vitrified cells have been discussed. Current perspectives on oocyte banking present the reader with options and solutions to effectively utilize these gametes despite the physiological deterrents.The versatile applications and potential of vitrification of human embryonic stem cells, discussed in the concluding chapter, is an exciting reality offered by vitrification to help overcome numerous stumbling blocks in the management of various disorders.

Management Options in Breast Cancer is the only comprehensive resource devoted to exploring the systematic approach to breast cancer diagnosis, surgery, and postoperative care. This guide is an ideal tool for oncologists, pathologists, radiologists, and gynecologists seeking alternative management options for breast cancer. In addition, trainees will find this text a valuable reference for learning the basic principles and clinical guidelines of the field. Key features in this stand-alone text: an international review of the management options in the field of breast cancer clinical practice case-based examples designed to aid in optimal clinician decision-making two chapters devoted to rarely-explored topics: male breast cancer and geriatric breast cancer

It is no surprise that women and men experience biological and physiological differences fundamentally and throughout the lifecycle. What is surprising is that faced with such a self-evident truth, there should be so little consideration to date of how these differences affect susceptibility to disease and metabolic response to dietary treatment. Understanding these differences and developing a gender-based approach focusing on the specific needs and conditions of women is crucial to achieve effective nutritional strategies for women's health. Expanding the knowledge-base regarding sex, nutrition, and medicine, Optimizing Women's Health through Nutrition presents the biology, physiology, and metabology unique to women. The book demonstrates in a practical, accessible manner the scientific application of this data addressing lifecycle changes, disease prevention, and treatment. Based on sound research and supported by extensive references, it begins by describing recent research on biological and physiological differences and how these differences translate into varying disease trends between the sexes. Contributions describe the nutritional needs of women during the lifecycle, particularly during adolescence, pregnancy and lactation, premenopause, and menopause and midlife stages. The bulk of the book addresses each of the common major diseases or conditions that specifically affect the health of women. It emphasizes the role of nutrition in disease risk reduction as well as management and treatment of disease. Specific disease selection was dictated by those in which women are more vulnerable or have a higher incidence than men. The concluding section identifies areas for future research and strategic areas of investigation for researchers and health professionals, government regulators, and food industry professionals involved in creating novel foods that enhance women's health.

This volume represents an up-to-date overview on the major areas of gynecological endocrinology, providing the reader with a complete explanation of female endocrine regulation and metabolism and relevant disorders and treatment. It is published within the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology (ISGE) Series and is based on the 2013 International School of Gynecological and Reproductive Endocrinology Summer Course. The book covers a very wide range of topics – from primary amenorrhea to menopause, from the impact of ovarian surgery on fertility to fertility cryopreservation, from metabolic syndrome and polycystic ovary to premature ovarian failure and from the clinical impact of selective progesterone receptor modulators to the use of progesterone in prevention of premature labor. It will be an important tool for obstetricians and gynecologists, endocrinologists and experts in women’s health as well as interested GPs.

This book provides those studying for the MRCOG Part 2 examination with welcome practice in answering Extended Matching Questions (EMQs). Updated throughout to map onto the MRCOG syllabus from September 2016, the book is designed to test the candidate's theoretical and practical knowledge of obstetrics and gynaecology. An introductory section on exam techniques is followed by a collection of 41 EMQ themes, split into obsterics and gynaecology. The questions are based on common clinical scenarios and cover a variety of topics. Answers are included after each topic, and these include explanatory material and useful references.

This open access book looks at the dramatic history of ovariotomy, an operation to remove ovarian tumours first practiced in the early nineteenth century. Bold and daring, surgeons who performed it claimed to be initiating a new era of surgery by opening the abdomen. Ovariotomy soon occupied a complex position within medicine and society, as an operation which symbolised surgical progress, while also remaining at the boundaries of ethical acceptability. This book traces the operation's innovation, from its roots in eighteenth-century pathology, through the denouncement of those who performed it as 'belly-rippers', to its rapid uptake in the 1880s, when ovariotomists were accused of over-operating. Throughout the century, the operation was never a hair's breadth from controversy.

TheRoutledge International Handbook of Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health is the authoritative reference work on important, leading-edge developments in the domains of women’s sexual and reproductive health.

The handbook adopts a life-cycle approach to examine key milestones and events in women’s sexual and reproductive health. Contributors drawn from a range of disciplines, including psychology, medicine, nursing and midwifery, sociology, public health, women’s studies, and indigenous studies, explore issues through three main lenses:

the biopsychosocial model

feminist perspectives

international, multidisciplinary perspectives that acknowledge the intersection of identities in women’s lives.

The handbook presents an authoritative review of the field, with a focus on state-of-the-art work, encouraging future research and policy development in women’s sexual and reproductive health. Finally, the handbook will inform health care providers about the latest research and clinical developments, including women’s experiences of both normal and abnormal sexual and reproductive functions.

Drawing upon international expertise from leading academics and clinicians in the field, this is essential reading for scholars and students interested in women’s reproductive health.

Table of Contents

Author biographies

Introduction – Joan C. Chrisler, Jane M. Ussher and Janette Perz

Part I: Menarche, menstruation and menopause

1. Pubertal development and menarche: physiological and developmental aspects – Margaret L. Stubbs

2. Menarche. psychosocial and cultural aspects – Maria Luisa Marván and Verónica Alcalá–Herrera

3. The menstrual cycle: its biology in the context of silent ovulatory disturbances – Jerilynn C. Prior

4. The menstrual cycle: attitudes and behavioral concomitants – Joan C. Chrisler and Jenifer A. Gorman

5. Premenstrual mood disorders: a feminist psychosocial perspective – Jane M. Ussher and Janette Perz

6. Menopause and midlife: psychosocial perspectives and interventions – Myra S. Hunter

Part II: Reproductive and gynecological disorders

7. Menstrual-cycle-related disorders: polycystic ovary syndrome, dysmenorrhea and menstrual migraine – Nancy Fugate Woods and Nancy J. Kenney

8. Women’s experience of endometriosis – Elaine Denny and Annalise Weckesser

9. Breast and reproductive cancers: genomics and risks – Cheryl B. Travis

10. Psychosocial aspects of women’s sexual and reproductive well-being after cancer – Chloe Parton

Part III: Contraception and infertility

11. Contraception across the reproductive life-course – Deborah Bateson

12. Abortion in context – Jeanne Marecek

13. Women’s experiences of infertility – Jessica L. Barnack–Tavlaris

14. Fertility and cancer – Michelle Peate, Lesley Stafford and Yasmin Jayasinghe

15. Assisted conception: fertility preservation, surrogate motherhood, gamete/embryo donation and in vitro fertilization – Olga B. A. van den Akker

Part IV: Pregnancy and childbirth

16. ‘Adolescent pregnancy’: social problem, public health concern, or neither? – Catriona Ida Macleod and Tracey Feltham–King

17. Smoking and pregnancy: risk factors, women’s experiences and interventions – Michael Ussher, Felix Naughton, Cailtlin Notley and Linda Bauld

18. Medical aspects of pregnancy – Annemarie Hennessy

19. Miscarriage – Heather Rowe and Alexandra J. Hawkey

20. The ultimate in women’s labor: stillbirth and grieving – Joanne Cacciatore and Jill Wieber Lens

21. Psychological aspects of pregnancy and pregnancy health care in their social and cultural contexts – Jane R.W. Fisher and Karin Hammarberg

22. Childbirth and sexuality – Hannah H. Dahlen and Sahar Sobhgol

23. Postpartum adjustment: psychological aspects – Paula Nicolson

24. Understanding perinatal mental health problems: prevalence, risk factors, approaches to prevention, early identification and treatment – Virginia Schmied

Part V: Sexuality and sexual health

25. Women’s sexual health and embodiment – Niva Piran

26. Sexual health of adolescent girls – S. Rachel Skinner, Cristyn Davies, Jennifer Marino, Jessica R. Botfield and Larissa Lewis

27. Older women and sexual health: social, relational and medical considerations – Camille J. Interligi and Maureen C. McHugh

28. Sexuality and sexual dysfunction: psychological perspectives and interventions – Julia Velten and Sonia Milani

29. Sexuality and sexual dysfunction: critical analyses – Peggy J. Kleinplatz, Lianne A. Rosen, Maxime Charest and Alyson K. Spurgas

30. HIV, STIs, risk taking and sexual health – Jennifer Power

31. Impacts of sexual violence on women’s sexual health – Kyja Noack–Lundberg

32. Feminist perspectives on child sexual abuse – Sam Warner

33. Female genital mutilation and genital surgeries – Hilary Burrage

Part VI. Marginalized women’s health

34. Shame, silence and secrecy: migrant and refugee women’s sexual and reproductive health and embodiment – Alexandra Hawkey

35. Reproductive health disparities among women experiencing homelessness – Courtney Cronley and Shamsun Nahar

36. Reproductive justice and culturally safe approaches to sexual and reproductive health for indigenous women and girls – Pat Dudgeon and Abigail Bray

37. Reproductive health of women in low- and middle-income countries – Kirsten I. Black and Miriam O’Connor

38. Experiences of reproductive and sexual health and health care among women with disabilities – Heather Dillaway, Brianna Marzolf, Heather Fritz, Wassim Tarraf and Catherine Lysack

39. Women with intellectual and developmental impairments: differences not deficits – Jan Burns

40. Lesbian, bisexual, queer and transgender women’s sexual and reproductive health – Ruth P. McNair

Index/

The right for every woman to have a 'natural' birth has been recognized for many years, yet surgical interventions continue to rise and, paradoxically, complaints and the degree of litigation for disappointing labor outcomes escalate. Proactive Support of Labor enhances professional skills by providing the expertise for preventing long labors - the root-cause of traumatic birth experiences and the cesarean pandemic. Step-by-step, evidence-based guidance on expert care and support during labor is given. Emphasis is placed on pre-labor education, personal attention, and well-defined birth planning - including strict diagnoses and timely corrective measures in abnormal labor - and constant audit of all procedures and outcomes. Striking a new balance between natural birth and intervention, and invariably enhancing women's satisfaction with the childbirth experience, the fully updated revision of this groundbreaking work will be essential reading for obstetricians, midwives, nurses, and trainees. For peer and reader reviews of the first edition see: www.proactivesupportoflabor.com.

The Lamaze method is virtually synonymous with natural childbirth in America. In the 1970s, taking Lamaze classes was a common rite of passage to parenthood. The conscious relaxation and patterned breathing techniques touted as a natural and empowering path to the alleviation of pain in childbirth resonated with the feminist and countercultural values of the era. In Lamaze, historian Paula A. Michaels tells the surprising story of the Lamaze method from its origins in the Soviet Union in the 1940s, to its popularization in France in the 1950s, and then to its heyday in the 1960s and 1970s in the US. Michaels shows how, for different reasons, in disparate national contexts, this technique for managing the pain of childbirth without resort to drugs found a following. The Soviet government embraced this method as a panacea to childbirth pain in the face of the material shortages that followed World War II. Heated and sometimes ideologically inflected debates surrounded the Lamaze method as it moved from East to West amid the Cold War. Physicians in France sympathetic to the communist cause helped to export it across the Iron Curtain, but politics alone fails to explain why French women embraced this approach. Arriving on American shores around 1960, the Lamaze method took on new meanings. Initially it offered a path to a safer and more satisfying birth experience, but overtly political considerations came to the fore once again as feminists appropriated it as a way to resist the patriarchal authority of male obstetricians. Drawing on a wealth of archival evidence, Michaels pieces together this complex and fascinating story at the crossroads of the history of politics, medicine, and women. The story of Lamaze illuminates the many contentious issues that swirl around birthing practices in America and Europe. Brimming with insight, Michaels' engaging history offers an instructive intervention in the debate about how to achieve humane, empowering, and safe maternity care for all women.

Written and edited by leading, internationally recognized clinicians and scientists in reproductive medicine and related fields, this unique text is a practical and comprehensive review of the clinical and scientific significance of unexplained male and female infertility and its management. The book is divided into thematic sections to ensure the most useful presentation of topics, opening with definitions and epidemiology of unexplained infertility, including discussion of the WHO's cutoff values for human semen characteristics and its ramifications. Sections covering male and female reproductive pathophysiology follow respectively, covering biological, genetic and environmental causative factors, with a subsequent section on evaluative techniques for male and female patients. Expectant, medical and surgical treatment strategies comprise the fifth section of the book, where active interventions and outcomes of each treatment modality are carefully considered. The final section discusses assisted reproductive techniques to manage unexplained infertility, such as intrauterine insemination and in vitro fertilization, as well as future perspectives. Thoughtful and enlightening, Unexplained Infertility: Pathophysiology, Evaluation and Treatment will be an invaluable resource for all clinicians and scientists working in the fields of reproductive medicine and infertility.

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.

Endometriosis is one of the most common gynecological diseases, causing pelvic pain, infertility, and cancer. The condition reduces the quality of life for the estimated 10% of menstruating women who are affected by it. This book provides a clear insight into the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of endometriosis—essential information for clinicians intending to successfully treat the condition. The first part covers a range of topics including stem cells, NK cells, macrophages, inflammation, cytokines, epigenetics, prostaglandin, sex steroids, aromatase, apoptosis, nerve fibers, and malignant transformation to aid in understanding the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of the disease. The second part provides useful tools for therapy, specifically, notable recent techniques in prevention, imaging, biomarkers, medical treatments, surgical treatments, prevention of recurrence, and infertility treatments. Each chapter was written by an expert in the field, with nearly 40 researchers and clinicians contributing to the work. This book will be highly useful to clinicians as well as to research scientists who are interested in this enigmatic disease.  

Reflecting recent changes to the exam, MRCOG Part 2: 500 SBAs and EMQs, Second Edition has been completely updated to include questions and answers in the new SBA format. With over 50% new content, MRCOG Part 2: 500 SBAs and EMQs offers the most up-to-date and comprehensive set of practice questions for trainees preparing for the MRCOG Part 2 exam. Chapters are mapped to the syllabus to deliver structured revision in all the key topics tested in the exam. Featuring a wealth of practice questions and fully descriptive answers, this book provides the essential revision text to maximise chances of exam success. Key Points 500 questions, comprising 250 SBAs and 250 EMQs, reflecting the breadth of topics encountered in the actual exam Questions structured around MRCOG syllabus core modules, ensuring complete coverage for the exam Answers feature concise descriptions to consolidate knowledge and understanding Extensive evidence-based referencing to relate theory to clinical practice Visually-enhanced answers to improve understanding of key concepts  

Highlighting recent advances in our understanding of breast cancer, this book is intended for a wide audience as a reference book. Included are reviews of genetics, epigenetics, various aspects of cell and molecular biology, and several other areas of breast cancer that are aimed at determining new intervention sites for treatments and cures of the disease. The chapters are written by internationally recognized experts and include reviews of key topics in breast cancer research. Each chapter highlights the new aspects of specific research topics and the various impacts of designing new strategies as well as identifies new targets for therapeutic intervention. The topics addressed are selected to be of interest to patients, scientists, students, teachers, and anyone else interested in expanding their knowledge of breast cancer imaging, diagnostics, therapeutics, or basic biomedical research on breast cancer.

This book offers a unique and focused study of the use of ultrasound during the first trimester, a critical time in a fetus' development. It includes basic examination guidelines as well as cutting-edge ultrasound modalities, including Doppler and three-dimensional ultrasound, for the period immediately preceding conception through early embryology. Beginning with a discussion of the safety and efficacy of diagnostic ultrasound and the use of this modality for the evaluation and treatment of infertility, recognized experts in the field explore conditions that may interfere with normal conception or development, including maternal diseases that would benefit from early scanning, elements of teratology, multiple gestations, ectopic pregnancy, gestational trophoblastic disease, fetal anomalies and invasive procedures in the first trimester. Numerous illustrations and figures are provided to serve as aids for understanding key concepts. First-Trimester Ultrasound is a valuable resource for many, in or after training, in obstetrics and gynecology, radiology, emergency medicine, family medicine and genetics.

Nutrition and Diet in Menopause is a single comprehensive source that will provide readers with an understanding of menopause. Holistic in its approach, this volume is divided into five sections covering psychological, endocrine and lifestyle factors, metabolism and physiology, bone and nutrition, cancer and nutrition, cardiovascular factors and dietary supplements in menopause. In-depth chapters review the potential long term consequences of menopause on the overall health of women, not only at the physical level including hot flushes (flashes) , alterations to the genitourinary system, skin changes, decreased cardiovascular functions, hypertension, headache, back pain, and constipation. Written by international leaders and trendsetters, Nutrition and Diet in Menopause is essential reading for endocrinologists, cardiologists, nutritionists and all health care professionals who are interested in women's health.

In recent years, the advancing science and increasing availability of assisted reproduction have given new hope to infertile couples. However, the use of IVF and ART has also led to marked increases in the number of multiple-infant live births. This poses a public health concern, as these neonates have a higher rate of pre-term delivery, compromising their survival chances and increasing their risk of lifelong disability. By optimizing the selection of gametes and embryos with high probabilities of implantation, it is possible to reduce the number of embryos transferred and, by extension, the number of high-risk multiple gestations, while maintaining or increasing pregnancy rates. Human Gametes and Preimplantation Embryos: Assessment and Diagnosis provides a broad yet concise overview of established and developing methodologies for assessment of gamete and embryo viability in assisted reproduction. This book elucidates the best practices for precisely selecting viable specimens based on morphology and cleavage rate and covers the spectrum of emerging adjunctive technologies for predicting reproductive potential. The authors present their extensive knowledge of "omics" approaches (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics), with unbiased delineation of the associated advantages and potential pitfalls. This valuable clinical resource is well suited to infertility specialists, Ob/Gyn physicians, IVF laboratory technicians, and researchers in the fields of embryology and reproductive medicine.