Historically, sperm have been seen as simply a mechanism of transferring a haploid set of chromosomes to the oocyte. However, data from assisted reproduction therapies (ART) have demonstrated that in many couples the sperm appears to be responsible for abnormal embryogenesis. Recent advances in genetic and epigenetic techniques have identified key mechanisms by which the sperm, and the DNA carried by the sperm, can affect early embryonic development. Paternal Influences on Human Reproductive Success examines the genetic and epigenetic influences on embryogenesis, as well as practical clinical factors related to the male contribution to reproductive success. It also provides 'cutting edge' data and analysis of recent evaluations of the role of advanced paternal age, environmental influences and lifestyle factors on male reproductive fitness, making this an invaluable text for physicians treating patients for infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, and developmental anomalies, as well as basic scientists studying embryogenesis and spermatogenesis.

In his 35 years of teaching medical students and trainees Professor Gabor Kovacs, International Medical Director of Monash IVF, has devised a system of lectures which cover the entire core curriculum in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. The principle behind these lectures is to help the student understand various aspects of the specialty, rather than simply learning the key topics, and encourages ongoing problem solving as well as a more logical approach. Each of the lectures have been based around highly informative diagrams and tables, and each syndrome follows a set template making each topic very understandable and easy to assimilate. This will be an invaluable text for medical students, nursing and midwifery students, trainees in obstetrics and gynaecology as well as sexual and reproductive health, general and nurse practitioners.

Women with chronic medical problems are at higher risk for complications during pregnancy and, therefore, they are especially in need of appropriate preconception and contraception care. Furthermore, many women with chronic medical problems do not obtain adequate preconception and contraception care. Despite published guidelines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is a substantial gap in medical practice regarding the use of contraception in women with co-existing medical problems. Contraception for the Medically Challenging Patient fills the gap that currently exists in the knowledge of correct contraceptive prescribing practice and shows that inappropriate contraindications can easily become a barrier to effective contraception use among women. Chapters highlight obsolete views about appropriate candidates for contraception and address the complex contraceptive needs of today's medically challenging patients with HIV/AIDS, uterine fibroids, or cardiac, neurologic or thyroid disease. The book gives attention to recommendations on the use of contraception in women with medical problems such as diabetes, obesity, epilepsy, and lupus, among others, and provides comprehensive information regarding the effects that certain drugs may have on contraceptive hormone levels. While national guidelines do exist for contraceptive eligibility, this book discusses in more detail the evidence behind the guideline recommendations and the nuances that clinicians confront in daily practice.

The world's population is growing at an unsustainable rate. From a baseline ?gure of one billion in 1800, global population is predicted to exceed nine billion by 2050 and 87. 8% of this growth will be localized in less developed countries. Such uneven population growth will yield a harvest of poverty, malnutrition, disease and en- ronmental degradation that will affect us all. Amongst the complex mixture of political, social, cultural and technological changes needed to address this issue, the development of improved methods of fertility regulation will be critical. The inadequacy of current contraceptive technologies is indicated by recent data s- gesting that the contraceptive needs of over 120 million couples go unmet every year. As a direct consequence of this de?cit 38% of pregnancies are unplanned and more than 50% end in an abortion, generating a total of 46 million abortions per annum particularly among teenagers. If safe, effective contraceptives were ava- able to every couple experiencing an unmet family planning need, 1. 5 million lives would be saved each year (UNFPA 2003). Progress in contraceptive technology should not only generate more effective methods of regulating fertility, but should also provide a range of methods to meet the changing needs of the world's population. Contraceptive practice was revo- tionized in 1960 in the US and 1961 in Europe by the introduction of the oral contraceptive pill by Gregory Pincus, MC Chang and colleagues, based on fun- mental hormone research conducted in Germany.

Proceedings of the 2nd World Conference - Hormonal and Genetic Basis of Sexual Differentiation Disorders and Hot Topics in Endocrinology. The meeting took place at The Eden Roc Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida, 1/15/10 - 1/17-10. Endocrinology and more specifically, the area of sexual differentiation disorders is an evolving field of medicine. The diagnosis and treatment of Disorders of Sex Development (DSD) is multi-faceted.

This book discusses the various antioxidants that are in use to overcome oxidative stress in an assisted reproduction setting. Antioxidant therapies may range from enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, either alone or in combination. While no one antioxidant regime has been identified as effective in improving fertilization and pregnancy rates, antioxidant supplementation has been shown to defend sperm cells from lipid peroxidation and oxidative damage to DNA, and thus improve pregnancy rates. The prevention of oxidative stress and its consequent damage is imperative to ensure a successful outcome of the in vitro fertilization procedure and embryo transfer. Strategies that could be employed to minimize or prevent the detrimental effects of OS during assisted reproduction include supplementation with various types of antioxidants.

This text provides a comprehensive summary of research and findings that have lead to the current understanding of the subventricular zones. It provides an overview of the roles of subventricular zones in normal development and in disease and a foundation from which current and future studies can be evaluated.

Originally published in 2006, this book provides an in-depth account of trophoblast: the tissue derived from the fertilised egg that nourishes and protects the developing fetus. The cells of the trophoblast have many unique qualities, and exhibit great variability across different species. It has a fascinating role in the development of the placenta and as a regulator during early growth of the embryo. These aspects are all fully covered as well as studies on why it is not rejected by the mother as 'foreign' tissue. Disorders of trophoblast during development also manifest themselves in several clinical conditions during pregnancy, including gestational trophoblastic disease and pre-eclampsia. From stem cells through to epigenetics, implantation and X-chromosome inactivation, there is a lot to be learned about trophoblast, this volume provides a detailed summary of knowledge regarding the subject.

This addition to the Springer Brief in Stem Cells series focuses on aspects related to the specific mechanisms that ensure and control pluripotency and cell commitment in domestic animal species. This topic is generating rapidly-increasing interest due to the great potential for domestic animal species to be used as intermediate biomedical models, between the mouse and the human. The Brief addresses why we need large animal models for regenerative medicine. It also describes early embryo development with a careful and specific analysis of the regulatory mechanisms driving cleavage, polarization and genome activation in domestic species. How pluripotency is compartmentalized in domestic species as well as the different aspects that make the derivation of stem cells in domestic species very difficult are also addressed.

An Introduction to Male Reproductive Medicine is written specifically for readers seeking entry into this fast-moving, complex specialty with a solid understanding of the subject. The first chapters cover the anatomy and physiology, clinical evaluation, surgery, medicine, genetics and laboratory testing involved in the current evaluation and treatment of the infertile male, and the final chapter describes the interaction of the field with female reproductive medicine. Throughout the book, references are directly made to the fourth edition of the major text in the specialty, Infertility in the Male, edited by Larry Lipshultz, Stuart Howards and Craig Niederberger, allowing readers to expand their understanding of specific areas where desired. Each chapter is written by a well-renowned expert in an easy to follow, informal style, making the text ideal for students, residents and general physicians who are seeking to increase their general knowledge of the field.

"Studies on Men s Health and Fertility "provides a comprehensive series of up-to-the-minute reviews addressing the role of oxidative stress in the aetiology of reproductive pathologies in the male. This volume represents by far the most detailed, authoritative review of the field that has been produced to date. The text encompasses the basic science of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by mammalian spermatozoa, the way in which these highly reactive molecules are processed by the germ line and the physiological significance of this redox activity in the generation of a functional gamete. The factors responsible for perturbing the delicate balance between physiological redox signaling on the one hand and oxidative stress on the other are also extensively reviewed and some of the first clues concerning the underlying mechanisms (age, heat, infection, cryostorage, aberrant lipid metabolism), clearly identified. From a clinical perspective there are chapters setting out the methods we should be using to diagnose oxidative stress in the male germ line, a clinical perspective on the aetiology of this condition and detailed considerations of the most suitable means of ameliorating such stress from a therapeutic point of view.

"Studies on Men s Health and Fertility "is intended to provide clinicians and scientists with a snap shot of the current status of this exciting, rapidly moving field. The book will be of value to clinicians interested in strategies for the management of oxidative stress in their infertility patients and scientists wishing to understand the molecular mechanisms underpinning the generation of ROS by these cells and its pathophysiological significance. It was not so long ago that the ability of spermatozoa to generate ROS was a hotly disputed topic. With the publication of this book such doubts can finally be laid to rest. There is now no doubt that these cells actively generate ROS, that oxidative stress is a major contributor to defects in male reproductive health and that the successful clinical management of this condition depends on developing a deeper understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms. In this quest, "Studies on Men s Health and Fertility "will be seen as a clear and important milestone. "

The births of more than 100 apparently normal infants at term following pregnancies initiated by in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer testifies to the successful clinical application of insights obtained from studies in reproductive biology over the last 20 years. In women, these studies have included: 1) characterization of the changes in blood hormone profiles throughout ovulatory menstrual cycles; 2) documentation of the hormonal composition of antral fluid in developing and degenerating preovulatory follicles; 3) correlation of these observations with the state of oocyte maturation and the fertilizability of the oocyte; 4) application of pharmacologic agents for perturbing the normal hormone profiles to regulate the number of preovulatory follicles developing and the time of ovulation; and 5) development of non-invasi ve methods for monitoring follicular development. Optimizing methods for maturing and fertilizing eggs, for moni toring normal development in vi tro, and for transferring and achieving implantation of embryos are continuing concerns of physicians and scientists responsible for extant programs. In addition, all serious students of reproductive biology should critically examine every facet of the processes which must concatenate to assure birth of normal infants following pregnancies achieved by these methods. However, the literature which contains the informational substrate is dispersed widely in a plethora of journals not always readily accessible. Bringing the essentials together facilitates both rapid retrieval of data and access to relevant literature.

This Brief offers a concise, handy overview of the main concepts related to Embryology, revisited through the novel concepts that are applied daily in stem cell research and cell therapy oriented investigations.It isbased on three main areas:

-The process involved in female gamete differentiation and maturation. The main aspects related to cell biology will be covered and an overview of the epigenetic regulation of gametogenesis will be presented.

-Early stages of embryo development with a careful analysis of the regulatory mechanisms driving cleavage, polarization and genome activation.

-Stem cell and gametogenesis.

The use of the oocyte as a possible source for the derivation of stem cell lines is discussed and depicted as a powerful tool to investigate oocyte potency and asymmetric imprinting. The potential biological implications are evaluated and use of stem cells to derive oocytesis presented."

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is a rapidly advancing field of reproductive genetics. With the significant improvements achieved over the last few years in the understanding of many genetic diseases and in the techniques of molecular genetic testing, new genetic diseases are being added to the list of conditions amenable to PGD almost on a weekly basis. Therefore, the subject of PGD is becoming relevant to a much wider variety of medical disciplines and an increasing number of patients who may wish to know more about this treatment option.

This unique book offers a comprehensive yet practical user-friendly guide to preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). It provides understanding of and insight into the complete procedure, its recent clinical and laboratory developments and its future prospects, whilst offering an easy point of reference for patient enquiries. Concluding with perspectives on the ethical and social issues often encountered by healthcare professionals counselling patients with regards to PGD.

Each chapter within Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis in Clinical Practice is written by established authorities in their fields. An essential resource for PGD specialists and non-specialists, and for all practitioners working within the disciplines of fertility, reproductive medicine and medical genetics.
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Most of the following chapters were presented as plenary lectures or symposium talks at the 1986 XXXth Congress of the International Union of Physiological Sciences in Vancouver, B.C. A distinguished international group of endocrinologists and physiologists have contributed up-to-date reviews of their particular fields. The early chapters are largely concerned with the brain and neuroendocrine mechanisms controlling the secretion of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) and its action on the anterior pitui- tary gland. Later chapters focus on the gonads themselves and the systemic and intrinsic hormones influencing the functional cytology of ovarian and testicular cells. Such comprehensive subjects as sex differentiation, puberty, placentation and parturition are also discussed authoritatively. According to Pfaff and Cohen and Arai et al., gonadal steroids, especially estrogen, exert multiple effects on certain hypothalamic and preoptic neurons, including growth, protein synthesis and electrical changes, which promote plasticity and facilitate synaptogenesis. The electrophysio- logy of the hypothalamic GnRH pulse generator in the rhesus monkey is reviewed more specifically by Knobil. In ovariectomized ewes, Clarke finds both positive and negative effects of estrogen on hypothalamic release of GnRH as well as on pituitary responsiveness to the peptide. Flerk6 et al.

This concise, truncated version of Nagy, Varghese and Agarwal's Practical Manual of In Vitro Fertilization is comprised of select clinical chapters for a portable, affordable and up-to-date resource. Clinical Embryology covers a variety of topics, including: - Sperm processing methods - Embryo culture methods - Insemination procedures - Embryo evaluation - Genetic testing of embryos - Cryopreservation - Embryo transfer Also included are two new chapters on predicting embryo developmental potential and viability using automated time-lapse analysis (Eeva) and predicting embryo implantation potential using Embryoscope. (TM) Practical for both clinicians and researchers alike, Clinical Embryology brings together all of the need-to-know information about these important topics in reproductive medicine.

Sex matters! Are there differences between the sexes when it comes to brain function and the behaviours that result? This volume attempts to answer this fundamental question. If the answer is 'yes' then this should impact upon our approach to treating mental illness in humans, and to modelling it in animals, as we look for aetiological and pharmacological solutions.

This volume provides a brief resume of the history of testosterone research, from the early pioneers through to the most recent advances in the field. We discover how steroid hormones were first identified and how testosterone was shown to be essential for male development. Moving forward we explore how and where testosterone is produced, and how the body controls testosterone production. We then investigate the impact testosterone has on different body systems both during their development and function, and how perturbation of testosterone action is associated with disease. We complete our story with an exploration of the emerging roles of testosterone in clinical therapy, and the future potential for manipulation of the testosterone signaling system for human health benefit.

Many reproductive and developmental health problems are caused by exposure to chemicals that are widely dispersed in our environment. These problems include infertility, miscarriage, poor pregnancy outcomes, abnormal fetal development, early puberty, endometriosis, and diseases and cancers of reproductive organs. The compelling nature of the collective science has resulted in recognition of a new field of environmental reproductive health. Focusing on exposures to environmental contaminants, particularly during critical periods in development and their potential effects on all aspects of future reproductive life-course, this book provides the first comprehensive source of information bringing together the arguments that are spread out among various scientific disciplines in environmental health, clinical and public health fields. It provides a review of the science in key areas of the relationship between environmental contaminants and reproductive health outcomes, and recommendations on efforts toward prevention in clinical care and public policy.

Epigenetics is a rapidly expanding field in medical and biological research which concerns heritable traits that are not attributable to changes in the DNA sequence. Epigenetic mechanisms play key roles in many biological processes, and it has become clear that their disruption can gives rise to diverse pathologies in humans. Edited by preeminent experts, Sophie Rousseaux and Saadi Khochbin, this volume in the Epigenetics and Human Health series discusses the role of epigenetics in human reproduction. The book presents epigenetic transitions that are important at defined stages of gametogenesis and during meiosis. Finally, the authors discusses how in vitro manipulation and culture in assisted reproduction can epigenetically perturb germ cells, and how this can trigger disease phenotypes in the next generation. Conceived towards advanced students, medical professionals and research scientists, this is the first comprehensive textbook on this topic that will serve as a valuable reference during the years to come."

Reproductive ageing affects both individuals and wider society, and obstetricians and gynaecologists are witness to the impact of reproductive ageing and to some of the fears and misapprehensions of the general public. This book raises awareness of societal trends and their implications. The wider importance of the subject to the whole of society is emphasized by contributions from outside the world of obstetrics and gynaecology, both within and outside medicine. The 56th RCOG Study Group brought together a range of experts to examine reproductive ageing. This book presents the findings of the Study Group, with sections covering: background to ageing and demographics basic science of reproductive ageing pregnancy: the ageing mother and medical needs the outcomes: children and mothers future fertility insurance: screening, cryopreservation or egg donors? sex beyond and after fertility fertility treatment: science and reality - the NHS and the market the future: dreams and waking up."

Over the last several decades, many biologists have been intrigued with the "immunological paradox" of pregnancy, where maternal and fetal tissues peaceably coexist despite their genetic differences. With the development of new insights on the interactive components of the immune system as well as the generation of powerful new molecular and cellular tools, singular progress has been made in understanding immunological events that culminate in successful pregnancy. This volume contains the proceedings for the first US symposium on the "Immunobiology of Reproduction" held August 26 - 29, 1993 in Boston, Massachusetts. Papers address hemotopoietic cells in reproductive tissues; growth factors/cytokines in the female reproductive tract and placenta; growth factor networks in pregnancy loss and cancer; placental expression of major histocompatibility complex and associated genes; experimental models of MHC gene expression; and immunological aspects of human infertility.

The frontispiece, Leonardo da Vinci's drawing of the embryo in the womb, was chosen as a starting point for this book. It was Leonardo who in his notebooks and drawings combined artistic composition and accurate recording of the anatomy of the human body. Leonardo studied human anatomy in order to execute artistic drawings. His aim was to clarify form and function of human organs including reproductive organs. He followed up his extensive research with graphic representa tion and thereby initiated record keeping as a basis of scientific investigation. His records, accurate three-dimensional drawings, allowed others to reproduce his find ings and to test for correctness. Results could be updated and refined. Only after these steps can abnormalities be ascertained and defined as pathology. Though Leonardo was both artist and scientist, it is assumed that his anatomic drawings were used to improve his art, and thus scientific endeavor was at the service of his art. Anatomy, the offspring of science and art, is an integration of the two and became an accepted branch of the natural sciences. Although art and science continued to interact throughout the Renaissance, art was often placed in the service of science. In the course of history that followed, art and science in creasingly followed separate ways."

Since the first successful transfer of an in vitro fertilised human egg in 1976, modern endocrinology, genetics, and assisted reproductive technologies have opened new frontiers of research with the aim to treat infertile women. In this workshop we set out to promote an interdisciplinary discussion between experts from various fields of basic, company-based and clinical research related to folliculogenesis and oocyte development. The aim of this workshop was to present, discuss and assess novel approaches in mammalian folliculogenesis and oocyte development that may have an impact on fertility/ infertility in the near or distant future. Key issues were the understanding of new modulators of folliculogenesis and regulators of cytoplasmic as well as meiotic oocyte maturation, modern technologies, the aging oocyte and pathogenetic mechanisms of infertility.

It is now routine to offer men the opportunity to bank sperm prior to medical treatments where there is a high risk of testicular damage. Some men also elect to bank sperm prior to vasectomy or before embarking on a high-risk activity, such as joining the armed services. This book examines the processes involved in banking sperm from sample production and storage, the subsequent treatment of the patient and the maintenance of the samples in storage, to the process of follow-up and the ultimate fate of frozen samples. Sperm Banking: Theory and Practice will be of particular interest to andrologists and embryologists involved in the running and establishment of sperm-banking services. The book will also be useful to medical and nursing professionals and counsellors involved in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions where there is a risk of infertility as a consequence of the treatment, including oncologists, hematologists and urologists.