Engage with practical and active solutions to day-to-day issues of reproductive medicine and the use of artificial reproductive techniques (ART), occurring in clinical and laboratory environments. Authored by leading experts in the field, this user-friendly guide is invaluable for any IVF practitioner and embryologist, facing everyday hands-on issues, through to high-pressure laboratory problems, efficiency ratings and ensuring cost-effective delivery of care. With the strict governance of regulatory bodies worldwide, the success of any fertility centre depends on successful problem solving, all day every day. Based on a wealth of experience, identify commonly occurring problems, and fresh perspectives of problem-solving, with 'must-have' protocols, patient information sheets and suggested equipment. This go-to companion tackles operational, organisational, clinical and laboratory issues to financial and clinical governance, with a focus on quick and effective solutions for the busy practitioner.

Now in a completely newly revised and expanded second edition, this comprehensive text presents the current state of the art in our understanding and management of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the most common hormonal disorder of reproductive aged women. The numerous bothersome symptoms of PCOS include menstrual irregularities, hirsutism, acne, scalp hair thinning, weigh excess and infertility; additionally, as they age, women with PCOS are at a higher risk for metabolic abnormalities such as diabetes and dyslipidemias, as well as for cardiovascular disease and even certain cancers. Despite improvements in our understanding of this condition, the exact cause/s of PCOS remain elusive; genetic, hormonal, metabolic and environmental underpinnings are all suggested as relevant. All chapters have been updated, with eight new chapters added across seven thematic sections. Part one discusses the epidemiology of PCOS in both adults and adolescents. Part two covers the pathophysiology of PCOS, including genetics, the hypothalamo-pituitary-ovarian and the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axes, insulin resistance, inflammation, and obesity. The next three sections present the various management strategies, medical and surgical, for harnessing the symptomatology, including PCOS-related infertility; these chapters include added case material to provide real-world examples of the treatments in action and their efficacy. Part six covers the comorbidities that women with PCOS commonly encounter, such as issues of mental health, sleep disturbances, endometrial hyperplasia, and cancer, as well as examines the economic burden of PCOS. The final section discusses emerging concepts surrounding possible mechanisms and potential therapeutic approaches to PCOS, including angiogenic dysfunction, the role of vitamin D, future potential therapies to targeted AMH signaling. The closing chapter, by familiarizing the readers with the intergenerational implications of PCOS and by raising awareness of potential "ripple effects", aims at alerting the community on a need for vigilance as regards the health of PCOS progeny. With contributions from leaders in the field, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Second Edition remains the gold-standard text on this common medical condition and a valuable resource for the wide range of healthcare professionals engaged in caring for the women with PCOS (including but not limited to reproductive endocrinologists, gynecologists, family physicians, dermatologists, mental health professionals), for the aspiring women's health providers of tomorrow, and for the researchers who are striving to unravel the mysteries of the complex entity that PCOS is.

As Louise Brown -- the first baby conceived by in vitro fertilization -- celebrates her 30th birthday, Margaret Marsh and Wanda Ronner tell the fascinating story of the man who first showed that human in vitro fertilization was possible.

John Rock spent his career studying human reproduction. The first researcher to fertilize a human egg in vitro in the 1940s, he became the nation's leading figure in the treatment of infertility, his clinic serving rich and poor alike. In the 1950s he joined forces with Gregory Pincus to develop oral contraceptives and in the 1960s enjoyed international celebrity for his promotion of the pill and his campaign to persuade the Catholic Church to accept it.

Rock became a more controversial figure by the 1970s, as conservative Christians argued that his embryo studies were immoral and feminist activists contended that he had taken advantage of the clinic patients who had participated in these studies as research subjects.

Marsh and Ronner's nuanced account sheds light on the man behind the brilliant career. They tell the story of a directionless young man, a saloon keeper's son, who began his working life as a timekeeper on a Guatemalan banana plantation and later became one of the most recognized figures of the twentieth century. They portray his medical practice from the perspective of his patients, who ranged from the wives of laborers to Hollywood film stars.

The first scholars to have access to Rock's personal papers, Marsh and Ronner offer a compelling look at a man whose work defined the reproductive revolution, with its dual developments in contraception and technologically assisted conception.

Combining attention to lived experience with the critical tools of ethics, Karey Harwood explores why many women who use the tools of high-tech assisted reproduction tend to use them repeatedly, even when the results are unsuccessful. With a compassionate look at the individual decision making behind the desire to become pregnant and the use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART), Harwood extends the public conversation beyond debates about individual choice by considering the experiences of families and by addressing the broader ethical problems presented by these technologies. Incorporating the personal narratives of women who are members of RESOLVE, the nation's leading organization for people who are infertile, Harwood demonstrates that repeated unsuccessful attempts to use ART may ironically help women come to terms with their infertility. Yet ART is problematic for a number of reasons, including the financial, physical, and emotional costs for women and their families as well as the effects of these technologies on the health and well-being of the children conceived. Issues such as consumerism, workplace norms that encourage delayed childbearing, and narrow definitions of family all come into play. By considering both emotional and ethical dimensions, Harwood offers a humanistic account of infertility and its resolution in a twenty-first-century American context.

Say "biological clock" and most people think "women." Yet men have biological clocks too, reveals Dr. Harry Fisch, one of the country's leading experts in male infertility and author of this groundbreaking new book, "The Male Biological Clock." Men's clocks tick at a different rate from women's and of course cause an entirely different set of bodily and behavioral changes over the course of a lifetime. But while men's clocks don't strike a "midnight" toll heralding an end to fertility the way menopause does for women, male fertility, testosterone levels, and sexuality all do decline with age. Dr. Fisch's book emphasizes that even young men can have testosterone levels as low as those of much older men, leading to infertility, sexual problems, and other serious health issues. Another startling revelation is that men over thirty-five are twice as likely to be infertile as men younger than twenty-five. In addition, as men age, the quality of their sperm declines significantly, giving rise to an increased chance of a Down syndrome baby, other genetic abnormalities, and miscarriage. Every couple should know all the risks and issues facing men, because these affect two of the most important things in their life: their ability to have children and their capacity to have good sex.

"The Male Biological Clock" is must reading for every man and every couple who is struggling to have children or improve their sex life. Many of Dr. Harry Fisch's findings are startling -- beginning with the fact that infertility is not mostly a women's problem -- and he offers many helpful suggestions for how to deal with declining testosterone, changing sexual needs, and the fertility industry.

We have allheard stories of men becoming fathers in their seventies or even eighties, yet most of us are unaware that these are dangerously deceptive exceptions. Older men face a number of increased risks as fathers, and often find their sex lives and well-being changing considerably. The good news: Much can be done to slow down and even reverse the effects of a man's biological clock. "The Male Biological Clock" tells you what you need to know and how you can achieve optimal fertility and sexuality.

Personalized medicine is what this book is about-tailoring your lifestyle, food, medicines, treatments, and reproductive choices to your genetic signature. According to Dr. Andrew Y. Silverman, MD, PhD, 'The desire to influence the sex of the next child is probably as old as recorded history."

'Gender selection is possible because of the way in which sex is determined by our chromosomes. Dr. Ericsson devised patented methods by which X and Y sperm can be separated through filtering processes. Sperm are 'layered" over a column of human serum albumin, and they swim down the gradient where they are collected in the bottom layer.

'The fraction of sperm that contains the male (Y) bearing sperm is used for insemination if a boy is desired. It is effective 70-75% of the time.

'The fraction of sperm that contains the female (X) bearing sperm is used for insemination if a girl is desired. It is effective 70-72% of the time."

Use personalized medicine more effectively. Empower consumers by interpreting DNA testing and learning more about infant gender choice by genetics.

Significant advances have been made in treatment strategies in adult and adolescent women's health over the past decade, particularly in relation to reproductive control. The Oxford Handbook of Reproductive Medicine & Family Planning provides practical, evidence-based information on the care and management of adolescents, reproductive age females, and to a lesser extent males. Divided into three main sections, it follows chronological age up to the menopause covering areas such as the embryological development of the reproductive system; puberty and the normal course, and dysfunctions associated with it; dysfunctions of the normal menstrual cycle; the different types of male and female contraceptive methods, and the investigation and management of the infertile couple. This is an essential resource for all practitioners, trainees and students in reproductive medicine.

Entirely revised and updated and with a foreword by John Guillebaud, this is the much anticipated new edition of an invaluable, practical guide which has become an established reference for all those working in reproductive health. As in the previous edition, all forms of contraceptives are covered in detail, with guidance on prescribing, possible complications and advantages/disadvantages. The book continues to provide evidence-based clinical guidance for family-planning providers. Since the last edition was published, family planning and reproductive health has become much more closely linked with genito-urinary (GU) medicine.Reflecting this, the specialty has become known as sexual and reproductive healthcare. Among the many developments since the last edition are new types of progestogen-only pill and a profusion of new strategies and guidelines. This fifth edition is a complete update on developments in the field, integrating the new contraceptives, strategies and guidelines within family planning and reproductive healthcare.

Remaking Eden is a fascinating exploration of the future of reprogenetic technologies - a cautiously optimistic look at the scientific advances that will allow us to engineer life in ways that were unimaginable just a few short years ago. Indeed, in ways that go far beyond cloning, and that are at once more thrilling and more frightening. Could a woman give birth to her identical twin sister? Could a child have two genetic mothers? Could a man become pregnant? Could parents choose not only the physical characteristics of their children-to-be, but personalities and talents as well? Will genetic enhancement ultimately change the very nature of our species? The answers will excite some and alarm others. Silver demystifies the science involved in all these possibilities, calmly and efficiently dismantling our preconceptions and misconceptions. Throughout, he examines the profound ethical questions raised by these new technologies. Yet he reminds us that the desire both to have children and to provide them with all possible advantages in life is a uniquely powerful force - a force, he suggests, that will overcome all political and societal attempts to curb the use of reprogenetics.

This Medical thriller opens with the birth of a severely disfigured child the details the history of the main characters starting from their meeting at one of the most historic footraces in the world - The Dipsea Race. Their courtship begins with conflict but grows into one that will inspire readers to achieve in their own relationships. The novel encompasses three decades and dramatically unfolds after a seemingly small error occurs in a frozen sperm sample. As we embark on the 21st century sometimes ethical issues lag behind the swift pace of medical technology. Readers will grasp the premise of Frozen Identity and enjoy the ride. The main characters are competitive athletes, adding texture, drama and a common bond held by all who strive for physical accomplishment

New medical technology as reported in Preventing Miscarriage; The Good News pinpoints the causes and latest treatments available to prevent loss of pregnancy. This book presents a great deal of information in a sensitive, accessible and thorough manner. Illustrations.

"Junaelo Institute Infertility Manual" provides comprehensive infertility information in an easily understood format. It describes the causes of infertility and how they are managed. Couples who have difficulty conceiving will learn how to decide on when to see a physician and what to expect from infertility investigations and treatments. "Junaelo Institute Infertility Manual" helps everyone become more informed partners in the process that is aimed at helping them become pregnant.

Dr. Godwin Meniru is an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Medical Director of Junaelo Institute of Reproductive Medicine. His other three books, "A Handbook of Intrauterine Insemination" (ISBN 0 521 58676 3), "Cambridge Guide to Infertility Management and Assisted Reproduction" (ISBN 0 521 01071 3), and "Prevention of Infertility and Complications in Women" (Soft Cover ISBN 0 595 25722 4; Hard Cover ISBN 0 595 65282 4), have received critical acclaim. Dr. Meniru has authored or co-authored more than 120 scientific papers, abstracts and book chapters. Also, visit the Institute's web site at www.JunaeloReproductiveMedicine.com for additional infertility resources.

This pioneering text formally introduces an all-inclusive approach to preventive health care that is targeted at female factor associated infertility. All female factor problems and related issues are examined critically. This is followed by the proposal of preventive strategies that are based on the three tiers of preventive health care (primary, secondary and tertiary prevention). This exceptional book is currently the only available comprehensive text on the subject. It is an invaluable resource guide for a wide range of medical, health and allied professionals. You will find:

The author of this book has a vast experience of teaching Medical and Midwifery students both in Tanzania and abroad. He has also worked as a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in public hospitals both in Tanzania and abroad. This book is a testimony of the vast experience of the author. This book describes the management of a woman during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum as well as care of the newborn. The book gives useful guidlines in the management of normal as well as 'High risk' women during this critical period of their lives. The book has been written in a style which makes it easy to read and understand. It is a book that medical/midwifery students and the practitioners working in health centres will find useful.

Intended as a tool for use by public health officials, research and regulatory scientists and risk managers, this publication seeks to provide a scientific framework for the use and interpretation of reproductive toxicity data from human and animal studies. It also discusses emerging methodology and testing strategy in reproductive toxicity. The text focuses on approaches to assessing reproductive toxicity in males and females, including sexual dysfunction and infertility, and many aspects of developmental toxicity (following both prenatal and postnatal exposure), from conception to sexual maturation. It is an overview of the major scientific principles underlying hazard identification, testing methods and risk assessment strategies in human reproductive toxicity. It also discusses the evaluation of reproductive toxicity data in the context of the extensive risk assessment methodology that has emerged over the past 10-15 years.

This book aims to address a number of controversies concerning the use of testosterone treatment. It explains topics that clinicians regularly encounter such as whether to use free or total testosterone in the evaluation of the patient with testosterone deficiency; what factors actually impact testosterone levels, polycythemia, gynecomastia, bone density, and hyperprolactinemia in the testosterone deficient patient; critical analysis of the numerous questionnaires that are available to clinicians; and the impact of testosterone therapy on male fertility, cardiovascular disease, and prostate events including prostate cancer. Guiding the reader in both evaluation and management, the book also illuminates novel concepts in the T space such as testosterone use in the transgender population, T therapy as an endothelial modulator, bipolar testosterone therapy in the patient with advanced prostate cancer, and testosterone therapy as a performance enhancer. Controversies in Testosterone Deficiency is intended for any clinician involved in the care of patients with testosterone deficiency, exploring hot topics and correcting existent misinformation in the routine care of patients.

YES, YOU PROBABLY CAN GET PREGNANT
...and the really good news is that most of you can conceive naturally, without expensive high-tech intervention. The six-step mind/body fertility enhancement program from Harvard Medical School could give you the answer.

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Start to help yourself by learning the newest information on how simple lifestyle changes affect fertility.

Disorders of menstruation are a major cause of morbidity in women. The treatment of such conditions presents an enormous clinical challenge, especially since some of the treatments used can themselves result in further menstrual and hormonal complications. Clinical Disorders of the Endometriumand Menstrual Cycle provides the first in-depth review of current knowledge of the pathophysiology, investigation, and treatment of menstruation disorders. The emphasis of the book is on the practical management of these common clinical conditions. Included are chapters outlining menstruation from a cultural and historical perspective, as well as from the woman's point of view. While being an important work for gynacologist and family practitioners, the book will also be of great interest to women's health groups.

..". extremely valuable. This book] addresses exactly the right questions in a balanced, nuanced way." Journal of the American Medical Association

"Cohen s book is a major contribution to the literature of the inevitable." Medical Humanities Review

"This book provides readers with an insightful overview of the practice of oocyte donation, the broader issues raised by this innovative yet problematic technology and, given the recommendations of NABER, how these issues mights be resolved.... Well written, structured, researched, and thought-provoking, this book makes a timely, important, and worthwhile contribution to the growing body of reproductive technology scholarship." Doody s Health Sciences Book Review Home Page

"Detailed notes; extensive references; comprehensive research... Recommended..." Choice

Leading scholars investigate the difficult ethical, legal, and policy issues that surround egg donation and the new reproductive technologies as a whole. In addition, the book describes procedures at four egg-donation centers and presents a new set of guidelines from the National Advisory Board on Ethics in Reproduction."

Controversies about abortion and women's reproductive technologies often seem to reflect personal experience, religious commitment, or emotional response. Laura M. Purdy believes, however, that coherent ethical principles are implicit in these controversies and that feminist bioethics can help clarify the conflicts of interest which often figure in human reproduction. As she defines the underlying issues, Purdy emphasizes the importance of taking women's interests fully into account. Reproducing Persons first explores the rights and duties connected with conception and pregnancy. Purdy asks whether conceiving a child or taking a pregnancy to term can ever be morally wrong. She challenges the thinking of those who feel the prospect of disability or serious genetic disease should not constrain conception or justify abortion. The essays next look at abortion from a variety of angles. One contends that killing fetuses is not murder; others emphasize the moral importance of access to abortion. Purdy considers the conflicting interests of women and men regarding abortion, and argues against requiring a husband's consent. The book concludes with a consideration of new reproductive technologies and arrangements, including the controversial issue of surrogacy, or contract pregnancy. Throughout, Purdy combines traditional utilitarianism with some of the most powerful insights of contemporary feminist ethics. Her provocative essays create guidelines for approaching new topics and inspire fresh thinking about old ones.

Get Your Body Ready for the Marathon of Labor!

If you're newly pregnant, you're probably watching your diet carefully, getting plenty of rest, and preparing for the arrival of your new baby. You're also thinking about the big day itself and what the experience of labor will be like. Even if you're following a regular fitness program, you'll want to do everything you can to strengthen and prepare your body for the rigors of labor.

Maternal Fitness features clearly illustrated exercises that focus specifically on the muscle groups you'll use throughout labor, especially the transverse abdominals -- the stomach muscles that play a critical role during delivery. A powerful set of transverse abs can speed labor and delivery and make for a quick recovery. By learning how to strengthen your abdominals and relax your pelvic floor muscles, you'll be able to push more effectively.

While the Maternal Fitness program is designed specifically for the big moment, it also has other benefits, from minimizing backache and fatigue to giving you a welcome head start on getting back into shape after childbirth. Developed by a professional trainer who is also a registered nurse and childbirth educator, the Maternal Fitness program is safe for you and your baby and easy to do. Once learned, it can be incorporated into any workout.

A Guide for Women and Those Who Love Them
Revised Edition

The most up-to-date and authoritative guide for women on the change of life. Includes the latest information on hormone replacement therapy; cancer and heart disease; sexuality in the menopausal years; nutrition; exercise; and much more.

Here is a comprehensive guide to the changes, in lifestyle as well as in body, that menopause brings. When the first edition of the book was published in 1983, reviewers hailed it as the most authoritative and accessible bolume ever written on menopause and the general health and well-being of menopausal women.

Now in paperback for the first time, the completely updated Revised Edition includes several new chapters exploring such crucial women's health topics as the importance of good nutrition and exercise, overcoming smoking and obesity, and improving cardiovascular health. Information on the pros and cons of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), as well as advice for women who cannot take hormones, is included, as is advice on osteoporosis and on when surgery such as hysterectomy is and is not warranted. Throughout the book, in their own candid words, menopausal women relate their experiences going through this transition. Menopause is a guide to living a long, health life and understanding the natural course of the female body.

"Extraordinary depth of information that is beautifully easy to read. A necessity for every health care provider or woman who is approaching menopause."—Isaac Schiff, M.D., professor of obstetrics and gynecology, Harvard Medical School

"Provides readable information and anticipates many of the questions that a woman might ask or should ask . . . Practical and useful, it is a wonderful book."—Florence P. Haseltine, M.D., National Institutes of Health

There is a forgotten history to our current debates over reproductive technology - one interweaving literature and science, profoundly gendered, filled with choices and struggles. We pay a price when we accept modern reproductive technology as a scientific breakthrough without a past. Babies in Bottles retrieves some of that history by analyzing the literary and popular science writings of Julian Huxley, J.B.S. Haldane, Charlotte Haldane, Aldous Huxley, and Naomi Mitchison - writings that include representations of reproductive technology from babies in bottles to surrogate mothers. It is to these images, fantasies, practices, and narratives of scientific intervention in reproduction that we must look if we want to understand what acts of ideological construction have been carried out, and are currently being performed, in the name of reproductive technology. Susan Merrill Squier shows how the imaginative construction of reproductive technology helps to shape our contemporary practices. Susan Merrill Squier is Julia Gregg Brill Professor in Women's Studies and English at the Pennsylvania State University, University Park. She is the author of Virginia Woolf and London: The Sexual Politics of the City, editor of Women Writers and the City: Essays in Feminist Literary Criticism, and co-editor of Arms and the Woman: War, Gender, and Literary Representation.

Written by experts in their respective fields, this book reviews the expanding knowledge concerning the mechanisms regulating male reproduction at the molecular and cellular levels. It covers the development of the testes and regulatory controls for spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis, and it considers aspects of Sertoli cell function. Areas of emphasis include communication between the various cell types involved in reproduction by hormone and growth factors and the mechanisms by which these factors regulate gene expression. A number of mammalian systems, including humans, are covered. The carefully selected authors provide a clear synopsis of the concepts in each area as well as the latest references, enabling the reader to investigate the topic further. This book is of interest to those seeking an understanding of the regulatory mechanisms in male reproduction and is written for the graduate and postgraduate levels.
Key Features
* Provides up-to-date reviews of the molecular and cellular biology of male reproduction
* Includes chapters on the developmental biology of the testes
* Links conventional hormonal control of testicular function with the evolving role of growth factors and proto-oncogenes