Follow the amazing journey of the earliest stages of human life, with month-by-month development shown in unprecedented detail. The complex concepts and processes of emerging life are demystified in clear, jargon-free text, while specially commissioned 3D images, extraordinary photographs, and detailed artworks illustrate every aspect of human pregnancy. The 3D artworks, illustrations, scans, and photographs show exactly how a baby changes and grows during pregnancy, and how the female body adapts to carry it. A chapter on labour and birth explains these processes with step-by-step illustrations and easy-to-grasp text. The Science of Pregnancy also looks at the nature of human pregnancy, including how it evolved, and explores the anatomy and physiology of both the male and female reproductive systems. The mysteries of DNA and genetics are unravelled and explained in clear, illustrated detail, including patterns of inheritance and the interplay of genes and environment. The book also provides straightforward, illustrated information on possible problems before, during, and after birth.

'Mind-blowing ... It is a hugely important book ... His story is crucial' Matt Ridley, The Times One of the world's top behavioural geneticists argues that we need a radical rethink about what makes us who we are The blueprint for our individuality lies in the 1% of DNA that differs between people. Our intellectual capacity, our introversion or extraversion, our vulnerability to mental illness, even whether we are a morning person - all of these aspects of our personality are profoundly shaped by our inherited DNA differences. In Blueprint, Robert Plomin, a pioneer in the field of behavioural genetics, draws on a lifetime's worth of research to make the case that DNA is the most important factor shaping who we are. Our families, schools and the environment around us are important, but they are not as influential as our genes. This is why, he argues, teachers and parents should accept children for who they are, rather than trying to mould them in certain directions. Even the environments we choose and the signal events that impact our lives, from divorce to addiction, are influenced by our genetic predispositions. Now, thanks to the DNA revolution, it is becoming possible to predict who we will become, at birth, from our DNA alone. As Plomin shows us, these developments have sweeping implications for how we think about parenting, education, and social mobility. A game-changing book by a leader in the field, Blueprint shows how the DNA present in the single cell with which we all begin our lives can impact our behaviour as adults.

Known and accepted as the leading textbook in its subject area, Clinical Gynaecology is now in its fifth edition. The content of this new edition has been completely revised and updated to include the latest research and continues to provide a comprehensive review of the field of gynaecology. Clinical Gynaecology covers the full spectrum of gynaecological information (basic science, general gynaecology, endocrinology and reproductive medicine, contraception, urogynaecology, and is applicable internationally as well as within southern Africa. (An e-book of a Quick Reference Guide is available as a free download. Instructions on how to download the e-book are on the inside front cover of the book).

An indispensable guide to abortion access in America, and a necessary argument for building a fighting feminist movement to advance reproductive freedom With an anti-abortion majority on the Supreme Court, and several states with only one abortion clinic, many reproductive rights activists are on the defensive, hoping to hold on to abortion in a few places and cases. This spirited book shows how we can start winning again. Jenny Brown uncovers a century of legal abortion in the US--until 1873--the century of illegal abortion that followed, and how the women's liberation movement of the 1960s really won abortion rights. Drawing inspiration and lessons from that radical movement, the successful fight to make the morning-after pill available over the counter, and the recent mass movement to repeal Ireland's abortion ban, Without Apology is an indispensable guide for organizers today. Brown argues that we need to stop emphasizing rare, tragic cases and deferring to experts and pollsters, and get back to the basic ideas that won us abortion in the first place: Women telling the full truth of their own experience, arguing to change minds, and making abortion and birth control a keystone demand in the movement for women's freedom.

How do we find the life that's right for each of us? More and more of us are feeling overwhelmed by the everyday struggle to lead the lives to which we aspire. Children are placed under unbearable pressure to achieve; adults fight a constant battle to balance family life with work and economic demands; old people suffer from social isolation and a lack of emotional security. People of every age are feeling increasingly at odds with the world, and less able to live a life that corresponds to their individual needs and talents. At the root of this problem, argues internationally renowned child development expert Remo Largo, is a mistaken idea of what makes us human. A distillation of forty years of research and medical experience, The Right Life sets out a new theory of human thriving. Tracing our development as individuals from the beginnings of evolution to the twenty-first century, he sets out his own theory, the 'Fit Principle', which proposes that every human strives to live in harmony with their fellow humans and their environment. Rather than a ceaseless quest for self-improvement and growth, he argues, our collective goals should be individual self-acceptance, as we embrace the unique matrix of skills, needs and limitations that makes each of us who we are. Not only, Largo suggests, can a true understanding of human thriving help people find their way back to their individuality; it can help us to reshape society and economy in order to live as fully as possible.

Reduce the signs of aging with Eva Fraser's easy facial workout. ___________ Facial Pilates is THE non-surgical way to achieve a facelift. These straightforward exercises step in where your face cream stops, to eliminate dark circles, firm your jaw line, tone your neck, plump cheeks and so much more . . . leaving your skin with a natural, youthful glow. 'Facial exercises may significantly reduce signs of ageing' New York Times For nearly 40 years, Eva Fraser has been practicing her facial workout techniques - and the results are remarkable. Now 89, Eva's youthful looks are testament to the results that can be achieved through easy daily exercises. The premise behind Eva Fraser's Facial Workout is simple: that the muscles in your face, if left inactive, will become as saggy as those in any other part of your body. In order to tone them up, they need to be exercised. This book includes information on why the face ages, how skin works and what can be done about it, as well as the exercise plan that Eva swears by. The original facial fitness classic that will help you look 15 years younger! ___________ What do readers think? 'They really do work!' 5* Reader Review 'I have only been doing them for 4 weeks and they have made a difference' 5* Reader Review 'Eva Fraser gives a fool proof method to a younger face' 5* Reader Review 'A chemical free way to firm up those looks!' 5* Reader Review

Ever wondered what's really going on in your body as you age? Can you really eat to beat cancer or prevent heart disease? These questions and more are answered in Eat Better, Live Longer, helping you make achievable, sensible, science-based changes to your diet from day one. Discover the secrets of long life from centenarians around the world, and explore the 10 simple but meaningful adaptations you can make both to what you eat and to how you eat to follow in their footsteps. A four-week eating plan, with over 110 nutrient-packed recipes, helps you learn to make smarter choices about foods that can reduce your risk of certain diseases and lessen the effects of others. Use this new-found knowledge together with details on how each part of your body changes as you age and which nutrients you need to support support all-round health, helping you live a longer, happier life. Future-proof your life with this science-based superfood approach to discovering what is really happening to your body as you are aging.

Approximately five million children have been born worldwide as a result of assisted reproductive technology (ART). These techniques are now practised independently in most of the world's nations. Although the vast majority of ART parents and children are healthy following the procedures involved, there is an imperative to maintain a high standard of practice and monitor outcomes carefully. Interpretation of outcome data is difficult for a variety of reasons. As ART technologies evolve and new variants are established, the need for robust assessment of outcomes increases. This book gives a thorough review of potential complications of ART, with detailed analysis of outcome data for the various conditions described. A worldwide perspective is given throughout, with an international team of chapter authors.

Meet Jen Brister, stand-up comedian, middle-aged adolescent and, more recently, a mum. But not that mum - she's the other one. Confused? Let's back up a bit. Two years ago, Jen's partner (a woman - they're not solicitors) gave birth to twin boys. Yes. Yes. Already there's a lot to take in here: gay mums, twins, solicitors... (I know! Believe me, I'm still reeling myself.) Like every new parent, Jen has absolutely no clue what she's doing. Add `gay' and `non biological' to the mix and what do you get? Not a weird box of detergent, but a panicked beige lesbian desperately Googling, `Will my babies love me?' at 3 a.m. This is a book for any parent who feels they don't fit the mold of a traditional 2.4 family. Stand-up comedian Jen Brister takes a very funny, very honest look at life as a parent to her young twin boys: from IVF awfulness to crying over the pages of sleep training manuals. As `the other mother' she has the perfect vantage point for us to laugh and cry alongside her.

Overcome your symptoms and live a better life. All the information you need to help you manage endometriosis. One in ten women suffers with endometriosis. So why is there no definitive cure and why does it take an average of 8 years to diagnose? Endometriosis experts Professor Andrew Horne and Carol Pearson explain what Endometriosis is and provide vital information for women who suffer from the disease. Find out: - How to get a diagnosis - What treatment options and care are available to you - How to overcome your symptoms and live a better life - The lifestyle changes you can make that could improve your condition With the voices of countless women at different stages of their journey and advice from a range of specialist healthcare practitioners, Endometriosis provides the information and support to empower anyone with the condition and those close to them.

The man's guide to anything and everything in the infertility universe

Greg Wolfe went through four cycles of IVF on his rocky journey to fatherhood--and now, with profound sympathy and side-splitting humor, he lays it all out for guys on similar baby-making quests. "How to Make Love to a Plastic Cup" is not your typical nuts and bolts (no pun intended) medical guide but a helpful handbook designed specifically with the male partner in mind, with answers to his most pressing questions about the infertility process, including: Why are boxers better than briefs? How can hamsters help determine what's wrong with my sperm? My wife's already moody enough--why am I injecting her with even more hormones? Is it necessary for me to fill the whole cup at the fertility clinic?

From understanding a woman's cycle to "porn etiquette" at the clinic, "How to Make Love to a Plastic Cup" has everything a man needs to know to get the job done!

Why are women biologically driven to find Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome?Can more sex help ensure a safe pregnancy?What effect does pornography have on a man's fertility?

Dr. Sharon Moalem, author of the New York Times bestseller Survival of the Sickest, takes us on a trip from prehistory to the forefront of cutting-edge medical research--and through a bedroom or two--to tell the story of how human sexuality has developed over time. How Sex Works challenges common perceptions about our bodies as it provides answers to such provocative questions as: Can the birth control pill influence the type of men women are attracted to? Why do hourglass-shaped women tend to be especially fertile? When are women most likely to cheat? Can twins have different fathers?

From the composition and function of human sex organs to the fascinating biochemistry behind sexual attraction, How Sex Works is an entertaining, comprehensive exploration of culture, biology, and history that takes us far beyond our common understanding of sex.

Reproduction is a fundamental feature of life, it is the way life persists across the ages. This book offers new, wider vistas on this fundamental biological phenomenon, exploring how it works through the whole tree of life. It explores facets such as asexual reproduction, parthenogenesis, sex determination and reproductive investment, with a taxonomic coverage extended over all the main groups - animals, plants including 'algae', fungi, protists and bacteria. It collates into one volume perspectives from varied disciplines - including zoology, botany, microbiology, genetics, cell biology, developmental biology, evolutionary biology, animal and plant physiology, and ethology - integrating information into a common language. Crucially, the book aims to identify the commonalties among reproductive phenomena, while demonstrating the diversity even amongst closely related taxa. Its integrated approach makes this a valuable reference book for students and researchers, as well as an effective entry point for deeper study on specific topics.

One of the world's top behavioural geneticists argues that we need a radical rethink about what makes us who we are The blueprint for our individuality lies in the 1% of DNA that differs between people. Our intellectual capacity, our introversion or extraversion, our vulnerability to mental illness, even whether we are a morning person - all of these aspects of our personality are profoundly shaped by our inherited DNA differences. In Blueprint, Robert Plomin, a pioneer in the field of behavioural genetics, draws on a lifetime's worth of research to make the case that DNA is the most important factor shaping who we are. Our families, schools and the environment around us are important, but they are not as influential as our genes. This is why, he argues, teachers and parents should accept children for who they are, rather than trying to mould them in certain directions. Even the environments we choose and the signal events that impact our lives, from divorce to addiction, are influenced by our genetic predispositions. Now, thanks to the DNA revolution, it is becoming possible to predict who we will become, at birth, from our DNA alone. As Plomin shows us, these developments have sweeping implications for how we think about parenting, education, and social mobility. A game-changing book by a leader in the field, Blueprint shows how the DNA present in the single cell with which we all begin our lives can impact our behaviour as adults.

As a sufferer of osteopenia herself (an early form of osteoporosis) Diana Moran is a strong advocate for exercise, early diagnosis, weight bearing exercise, vitamin D and other measures that can be taken to tackle osteoporosis. Written in association with the Royal Osteoporosis Society, this practical book is a must-have for anybody affected by osteoporosis. Packed with advice, friendly tips and ideas, and an overview of current research, and what we can all be doing to help ourselves live well. Also contains specially designed exercises to help encourage a more active lifestyle and strengthen areas of weakness, alongside the important theory, and medical side of osteoporosis. This is an easy to digest, friendly guide for the general reader.

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.

Reports on the study of drug consumption by 602 pregnant women.

A complete guide to the side-effects and treatments - both conventional and alternative - for endometriosis, from a respected name in the field who also suffers from endometriosis.

Endometriosis is a debilitating reproductive and immunological disease that affects 7-10 million American women each year. The disease occurs when the same kind of tissue that lines the walls of the uterus grows outside the uterus in the pelvic cavity or some other area of the body, usually significantly affecting the woman's fertility and often causing pelvic pain. And as with any condition that affects fertility, the results are often emotional and psychological as well as physical.

As someone who suffers from endometriosis, and who has connections to a wide network of healthcare professionals, Morris is the perfect person to guide sufferers through diagnosis, treatment and living well with the condition. Like the previous titles in our successful Living Well series, this book will offer a holistic approach to living with the disease. The author will offer strategies for coping with the psychological aspects of endometriosis, including how best to tell others about the condition; treatment options including alternative and complementary treatment plans; dealing with infertility; and weighing the hysterectomy option. The author will draw on her relationship with fellow sufferers as well as medical professionals to help readers, making this the most comprehensive guide to endometriosis available.

Kerry-Ann Morris was diagnosed with endometriosis in 1999. Since then she has become one of the most active members of the endometriosis community, and has started an outreach website for the disease.She has relationships with many fellow sufferers and experts in the medical community, making her the perfect author for a book on holistic treatment.

Take control of your hormones and feel happier and healthier, with this practical guide to re-balancing your body and getting your life back on track ____________ Hormones play a crucial role in our health and well-being, yet few of us understand the toll they take on our bodies when we don't achieve a balance. Whether you're riding the roller coasters of puberty, pregnancy or the menopause, we're all a slave to our hormones at some point in our lives, and they can leave you feeling tired, low and irritable. In It Must Be My Hormones, leading specialists in women's health Dr Marion Gluck and nutritionist Vicki Edgson, show you the role that each of our major hormones plays, how a deficiency can affect our well-being, and what we can do to restore the balance. In this book you'll discover: * How to keep the weight off with thyroid boosting mega-foods * Vitamins which work wonders for your skin * How herbs and spices can give you a caffeine-free energy kick * Which aromatherapy herbs are actually beneficial * Ways to improve cognitive function through mineral supplements From boosting fertility to easing symptoms of PMS, this practical, easy-to-implement guidance will restore mental and physical well-being. Filled with inspiring personal stories, nutritional suggestions and advice on bio-identical hormone therapy, this book will help you regain control of your hormones and your life.

In this paradigm-shifting book from acclaimed Harvard Medical School doctor and one of TIME magazine's 100 most influential people on earth, Dr. David Sinclair reveals that everything we think we know about ageing is wrong, and shares the surprising, scientifically-proven methods that can help readers live younger, longer. For decades, the medical community has looked to a variety of reasons for why we age, and the consensus is that no one dies of old age; they die of age-related diseases. That's because ageing is not a disease - it is inevitable. But what if everything you think you know about ageing is wrong? What if ageing is a disease? And that disease is curable. In THE EVOLUTION OF AGEING, Dr. David Sinclair, one of the world's foremost authorities on genetics and ageing, argues just that. He has dedicated his life's work to chasing more than a longer lifespan - he wants to enable people to live longer, healthier, and disease-free well into our hundreds. In this book, he reveals a bold new theory of ageing, one that pinpoints a root cause of ageing that lies in an ancient genetic survival circuit. This genetic trick - a circuit designed to halt reproduction in order to repair damage to the genome -has enabled earth's early microcosms to survive and evolve into more advanced organisms. But this same survival circuit is the reason we age: as genetic damage accumulates over our lifespans from UV rays, environmental toxins, and unhealthy diets, our genome is overwhelmed, causing gray hair, wrinkles, achy joints, heart issues, dementia, and, ultimately, death. But genes aren't our destiny; we have more control over them than we've been taught to believe. We can't change our DNA, but we can harness the power of the epigenome to realise the true potential of our genes. Drawing on his cutting-edge findings at the forefront of medical research, Dr. Sinclair will provide a scientifically-proven roadmap to reverse the genetic clock by activating our vitality genes, so we can live younger longer. Readers will discover how a few simple lifestyle changes - like intermittent fasting, avoiding too much animal protein, limiting sugar, avoiding x-rays, exercising with the right intensity, and even trying cold therapy - can activate our vitality genes. Dr. Sinclair ends the book with a look to the near future, exploring what the world might look like - and what will need to change - when we are all living well to 120 or more. Dr. Sinclair takes what we have long accepted as the limits of human potential and mortality and turns them into choices. THE EVOLUTION OF AGEING is destined to be the biggest book on genes, biology, and longevity of this decade.

This book is the first to explain fully the crucial role of folliculo-luteal function in recurrent miscarriage, unexplained infertility, preterm birth, intrauterine growth retardation, preeclampsia, random chromosomal abnormalities, and age-related reproductive disorders. In addition it describes treatments to avoid these conditions and proposes a novel method, "hormonal wedge resection", that can successfully cure infertility associated with polycystic ovary syndrome. Importantly, the conclusions drawn in this book are based on the therapeutic results observed in a representative patient population. The method developed by the author to quantitatively diagnose the hormonal insufficiency of ovulatory cycles (folliculo-luteal insufficiency, FLI) has made it possible to recognize the formerly unclear importance of this function in human reproduction. Folliculo-luteal function determines the conditions of placentation and thus the features of the developed placenta and the outcome of pregnancy. Different grades of FLI are associated with consequences of varying severity that can be prevented by normalization of folliculo-luteal function prior to conception. This book will be required reading for all obstetricians and gynecologists.

This unique textbook - the first of its kind - presents a thoughtful and comprehensive discussion of the significance of varicocele and its impact on male fertility. This hot topic is covered from a multitude of angles in seven thematic sections: origin and pathophysiology, clinical evaluation, medical and surgical therapy, controversies, pro and con debates, and clinical case scenarios. The scope of varicocele includes basic and transitional research, genetics, diagnostic testing with conventional and advanced molecular biology approaches, hormonal control, interventional therapy and assisted reproductive technology (ART). Repair of varicocele, which can be carried out by various methods, not only alleviates oxidative stress-associated infertility but also prevents and protects against the progressive character of varicocele and its consequent upregulations of systemic oxidative stress. Even with the advances in the understanding of this intriguing disease and consensus on some areas such as diagnosis and pathophysiology, substantial controversy still exists, in particular concerning the benefits of treatment and to whom treatment should be offered. Additional chapters discuss, in depth, such controversies surrounding the role of varicocele in male infertility and present clinical case scenarios dealing with management of subclinical and clinical varicocele. A series of editorial comments is provided by the editors at the end of selected chapters, containing an objective and concise summary of the information from each chapter. In addition, chapters open up with key points for quick references and conclude with multiple choice questions and answers for immediate review and retention of the rich content. Generously illustrated, Varicocele and Male Infertility: A Complete Guide represents an invaluable tool for medical students in reproductive medicine as well as researchers and clinicians working in the field of infertility (e.g., urologists, gynecologists, reproductive endocrinologists, and embryologists) and is comprised of chapters written by leading and internationally recognized clinicians and scientists with expertise in varicocele, skillfully edited by leaders in the field.

It's the first great mystery: where did you come from? How did your cells know what to build? What are bones made from? When did your eyes start working, and what did they see?

Join Katharina Vestre on an adventure to relive your very first moments. From your first cell to your first breath, this is your story as you have never heard it before.

Did you know that it took three attempts to make your kidneys? Or that tiny twirling hairs on your back showed your other organs where to go? Or that hiccups are probably a legacy from our ancient, underwater ancestors?

With the help of some cutting-edge science and a wry sense of humour, Vestre reveals all this and more. Like: how sperm know which way to swim. Why sex and gender are more complicated than one might think. What you have in common with every living being, and why you are unique. Set off on a true voyage of discovery through an inner universe whose secrets we are still unravelling. A miniature drama of cosmic significance, this is the amazing story of how you became you.

This innovative book is one of the first resources to describe in detail the technique of digital time-lapse microscopy, a state-of-the-art analytical tool which is revolutionizing the field of assisted reproduction. Over 180 high-quality video sequences, accessible online via the password included in the book, provide a practical and highly visual guide to this new technology and the wealth of detail it can reveal about human embryo development. Written by a team of experts from across numerous clinical and scientific subspecialties, this book is a comprehensive guide to all aspects of the technique. It covers both the general principles of time-lapse microscopy and the specifics of working with various devices, with chapters on EmbryoScopeTM, Primo VisionTM and EevaTM as well as set-up and troubleshooting. Full electronic access to all text, images and supplementary videos makes this the ideal everyday reference for embryologists, clinicians and others working in IVF laboratories.