Intrauterine insemination (IUI), also known as artificial insemination, is a fertility treatment that uses a catheter to place washed sperm directly into the uterus. Its aim is to increase the number of sperm reaching the fallopian tubes and subsequently increase the chances of fertilisation (American Pregnancy Association). This book is the first in a new series, Handbook on Infertility. Beginning with an overview of Intrauterine Insemination, the following chapters guide readers step by step through the process, from basic science to clinical application. Ethical, psychosocial and medicolegal aspects are also covered. Written by an internationally recognised author and editor team, this useful manual serves as a quick reference guide and includes photographs, illustrations and tables to enhance learning. Key points First title in new series Handbook on Infertility Presents complete overview of intrauterine insemination Includes chapters on ethical, psychosocial and medicolegal aspects Internationally recognised author and editor team

In this book the authors present current research in the study of foetal development and its stages of growth, maternal influences and potential complications. Topics discussed in this compilation include the equine foetal development, fetomaternal interaction and potential complications during pregnancy; comparative anatomy, development and functional significance of the mammalian yolk sac; influence of exercise training on e-NOS expression, nitric oxide production and mitochondrial function in the human placenta; maternal melamine and foetal development; and immunolocalisation of syntaxin2 in sinusoidal endothelial cells during mouse liver development.

This personal scientific memoir describes how a chance observation concerning artery disease in children with rare inherited abnormalities of metabolism, often called experiments of Nature, led to the discovery of a new theory of heart disease, cancer and diseases of ageing. As explained in subsequent chapters, this new theory places the amino acid homocysteine at the heart of altered metabolism of diseases of ageing. Not only does this theory illuminate and explain the origin of these diseases, development of this theory logically leads to a novel and revolutionary metabolic and nutritional program for disease prevention and treatment, potentially benefiting individuals and populations.

In this book, the authors present topical research in the study of the mental aspects, social welfare and health of the ageing population. Topics discussed include assessing the quality of life of the elderly population; age-related ophthalmic disease; assessment of the at-risk older driver; social services for the elderly in Hong Kong; increased lifespan for people with intellectual disabilities and locomotor disability in the aged.

This book reviews research on presently known theories and mechanisms responsible for the rate of ageing and maximum longevity of different animals including birds, mammals and humans (to explain "how" do we age and the velocity of the ageing process). In addition, this book deals with the historical evolutionary explanations of ageing and longevity ("why" do we age). The mechanisms discussed include mitochondria and oxygen free radicals, the presence of macromolecules constitutively highly resistant to deleterious modification in the tissues of long-lived animals, insulin/IGF-1 like signalling, telomere shortening, dietary restrictions, and other proposed molecular mechanisms.

The fully revised and updated second edition of this practical handbook provides comprehensive coverage of all aspects of subfertility, including treatment and diagnosis. Each chapter is written by a recognized world expert in the field and, together, they aim to provide state of the art answers to all the problems of subfertility in a single volume. The introductory chapter provides a flow-chart approach to systematic diagnosis and treatment. Clearly written and easy to read, the subsequent chapters describe what questions to ask, how to investigate, and what each treatment requires. With an expanded international team of authors, this new edition also offers new chapters devoted to third party reproduction and in vitro maturation of oocytes. From medical students studying for examinations to consultant physicians, this volume is a 'must-have' reference for anyone dealing with couples who have fertility problems.

The Female Reproductive System chart presents an overview of the structure and function of female reproductive anatomy. The primary image illustrates the overall structure, including the ovary, uterine tube and uterus. Diagrams show the process of the menstrual cycle and ovulation. Heavy cover stock with protective varnish for durability.

Neurogenesis, or the birth of new neuronal cells, was thought to occur only in developing organisms. However, recent research has demonstrated that neurogenesis does indeed continue into and throughout adult life. On going neurogenesis is thought to be an important mechanism underlying neuronal plasticity, enabling organisms to adapt to environmental changes and influencing learning and memory throughout life. A number of different factors that regulate neurogenesis have been identified. Physicial activity and environmental conditions have been known to affect proliferation and survival of neurons. Hormones have also been found to influence the rate of neurogenesis in vertebrates (e.g. testosterone) and invertebrates (eg: ecdysone). Serotonin is believed to play a key role in neurogenesis.

Examining cultures as diverse as long-house dwellers in North Borneo, African farmers, Welsh housewives, and postindustrial American workers, this volume dramatically redefines the anthropological study of menstrual customs. It challenges the widespread image of a universal 'menstrual taboo' as well as the common assumption of universal female subordination which underlies it. Contributing important new material and perspectives to our understanding of comparative gender politics and symbolism, it is of particular importance to those interested in anthropology, women's studies, religion, and comparative health systems.

Infertility can have devastating physical, emotional and financial effects on people affected. It is a common problem, but can be hard to talk about, and hard to understand. In this concise book, Dr Kovacs, a reproductive gynaecologist who has spent the past 40 years working with patients facing fertility problems, focuses on and unpicks key misconceptions. In his clear explanations, he covers the basic physiology of conceiving, and describes the areas that have to be explored for those who have not yet been able to conceive. Specific chapters cover the three major problem areas: lack of releasing eggs, sperm problems, and abnormalities of the female passages. Treatment options are discussed for each of these areas, including technical details and a brief readable overview of their history. The many ways of parenting which are now available are also detailed. This is a recommended read for couples wanting to conceive, their friends and families, and anyone who wants to understand fertility.

The advances of basic sciences combined with the perspectives of developmental neurology have recently modified the traditional outlook on the evolution of motor behavior. The maturation of neuro-anatomic structures is studied nowadays as just one facet of a complex process: the various elements of innate global patterns, the acquisition of antigravitary schemes as well as manipulative and praxic skills, control of posture and gait, ocular motility and motricity, converge to create the present picture of a continuous adaptive interaction between the child's genotype and its environment. This book stimulates the debate and the exchange of concepts between researchers and clinical specialists.

This practical book focuses on the most recent advances in natural cycle and minimal stimulation in vitro fertilization (IVF). The volume presents the steps that need to be followed to successfully perform these techniques and covers all aspects and competences involved. The book provides information on physiology of folliculogenesis, ovulation, oocytes and luteal phase and based on this information on clinical practice of stimulation, ovulation induction and inhibition, follicle aspiration and luteal phase support in natural cycle and minimal stimulation IVF. In addition costs, risks, success rates and several treatment protocols are provided. An overview of large European, Japanese and American programs and the discussion of clinical cases will complete the coverage of the topic. This practical and easy-to-use guide is a valuable resource for all clinicians performing any kind of IVF techniques.

A memoir of hope for the thousands of women struggling with infertility, from one who beat the odds by simply tuning in to her body and tapping her well of sheer determination.

At a time when more and more women are trying to get pregnant at increasingly advanced ages, fertility specialists and homeopathic researchers boast endless treatment options. But when Julia Indichova made the rounds of medical doctors and nontraditional healers, she was still unable to conceive a child. It was only when she forsook their financially and emotionally draining advice, turning inward instead, that she finally met with reproductive success. Inconceivable recounts this journey from hopeless diagnoses to elated motherhood.

Anyone who has faced infertility will relate to Julia’s desperate measures: acupuncture, unidentifiable black-and-white pellets, herb soup, foul-smelling fruit, even making love on red sheets. Five reproductive endocrinologists told her that there was no documented case of anyone in her hormonal condition getting pregnant, forcing her to finally embark on her own intuitive regimen. After eight caffeine-free, nutrient-rich, yoga-laden months, complemented by visualization exercises, Julia received amazing news; incredibly, she was pregnant. Nine months later she gave birth to a healthy girl.

Unlike the many infertility books that take a clinical “how to” approach, Inconceivable simply professes the wisdom of giving expert status back to the patient. Julia’s self-discovery, and her ability to see her body as an ally once again, yield a beautiful message about the importance of honoring the body’s innate powers, and the power of life itself.

For around half of the couples who have trouble conceiving the cause of infertility is sperm-related. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is the most common and successful treatment for male infertility. Here, the pioneers for the technique, along with authorities in the field, describe the underlying science of ICSI and other micromanipulation techniques. Practical advice for performing the techniques is covered in depth, including sperm selection, laser-assisted ICSI, and the use of piezo in ICSI. Examining the safety of ICSI in animal models as well as the impact of ICSI on the health and well-being of the children conceived through the procedure is discussed. This manual is an essential resource for clinical embryologists and laboratory personnel wishing to refine or develop techniques and improve outcomes.

Obtaining good quality sperm for in-vitro fertilization, ICSI, or for cryopreservation can be a major problem if a man suffers from medical conditions that preclude normal collection. Major advances in sperm retrieval and preparation techniques have been witnessed in recent years, allowing a better understanding of the contribution of the sperm to a couple's fertility. This Manual is a complete guide to sperm retrieval methods performed for men with azoospermia. Covering all the basic and advanced steps for implementation of these procedures, the Manual includes descriptions of the underlying science along with detailed, practical advice on methods, including tips for optimizing outcomes and trouble-shooting, using an evidence-based approach. This will be an invaluable resource for andrologists, urologists, embryologists, male fertility specialists, gynecologists, and other healthcare workers practising reproductive medicine. It is particularly valuable for reproductive laboratory personnel wishing to refine or develop technique and improve outcomes, and for IVF Quality Managers.

Fetal development in the mouse is routinely and increasingly utilized for advancing translational research and medical innovation for human obstetrical care. This is the first and only manual to provide necessary content on how this should be handled for accurate and effective data collection. Detailed descriptions and examples demonstrate how researchers and clinicians can use murine fetal and obstetrical data to improve future human applications in diseases such as infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, intrauterine fetal growth restriction, placental insufficiency, and intrauterine fetal demise, as well as organ-specific developmental disease.

Are girls entering puberty earlier than they used to? This question, which has been debated recently by doctors and scientists in the pages of "Time" magazine and the "New York Times," proves that there is still a great deal to learn about women's reproductive health. "Female Fertility and the Body-Fat Connection" is the record of one scientist's groundbreaking and decades-long work on the connections among fertility, body fat, and reproductive health in women.
Rose E. Frisch explains here how, in women, a certain amount of body fat is crucial to the reproductive system and sexual maturation. Women who are too lean are infertile and cannot conceive children; young girls who are too thin have a delayed onset of their first period. "Female Fertility and the Body-Fat Connection" illuminates how and why a "critical fitness" level underlies a woman's reproductive health. In the process Frisch gives readers a comprehensive view of the research done to date on the relationship between body composition and fertility and also describes her own journey as a woman scientist working to advance her critical-fitness hypothesis both to the general public and the scientific community. Frisch answers the questions every woman has about the desirable weight for health and fertility and even includes tables to help women find their own best weight. She also demonstrates how important diet and exercise are for the long-term reproductive health of women, and shows what factors influence the onset of puberty in girls.
Each milestone of the reproductive life span is affected by food intake and energy output, the factors affecting the storage of fat. "Female Fertility and the Body-Fat Connection" is acornerstone to understanding the health of girls and women.

'Some people improve mentally with age - here's how you can be one of them.' Mail on Sunday 'More than a game-changer, this book's a no-brainer for anyone who wants to optimise their brain.' Piers Morgan With a new chapter on Covid and the Brain, this is the definitive guide to keeping your brain healthy for a long and lucid life, by one of the world's leading scientists in the field of brain health and ageing. The brain is our most vital and complex organ. It controls and coordinates our actions, thoughts and interactions with the world around us. It is the source of personality, of our sense of self, and it shapes every aspect of our human experience. Yet most of us know precious little about how our brains actually work, or what we can do to optimise their performance. Whilst cognitive decline is the biggest long-term health worry for many of us, practical knowledge of how to look after our brain is thin on the ground. In this ground-breaking new book, leading expert Professor James Goodwin explains how simple strategies concerning exercise, diet, social life and sleep can transform your brain health paradigm, and shows how you can keep your brain youthful and stay sharp across your life. Combining the latest scientific research with insightful storytelling and practical advice, Supercharge Your Brain reveals everything you need to know about how your brain functions, and what you can do to keep it in peak condition.

This new edition provides a much-needed reference book to accommodate emerging and expanding knowledge in fertility preservation, the rapidly growing field of reproductive medicine associated with advances in oncology. Written by a team of world-leading experts in the field and comprehensive in its scope, the book covers the full range of techniques and scientific concepts in detail. It opens with an introduction to fertility preservation in both cancer and non-cancer patients, followed by fertility preservation strategies in males and females, including medical/surgical procedures, ART, cryopreservation and transplantation of ovarian tissue, and in-vitro follicle culture. Concluding chapters address new technologies, as well as ethical, legal and religious issues. The book has been thoroughly updated, includes additional contributors, and now provides greater focus on practical and clinically relevant issues. Richly illustrated throughout, this is a key resource for clinicians specializing in reproductive medicine, gynecology, oncology, hematology, endocrinology and infertility.

Based on the gold standard procedures and protocols developed at Boston IVF, this new edition of a bestselling text continues to provide a structured approach to treating the infertile couple that can be of benefit to the gynecologist, reproductive endocrinologist, and reproductive medicine nurse alike. Both clinical and laboratory techniques are included, with material on preconception care. New to this edition are chapters on fertility care for the LGBT community, endometriosis, elective egg freezing, and effective nursing.

Although books exist on the evolution of aging, this is the first book written from the perspective of again as an adaptive program. It offers an insight into the implications of research on aging genetics, The author proposes the Demographic Theory of Senescence, whereby aging has been affirmatively selected because it levels the death rate over time helping stabilize population dynamics and prevent extinctions.

From its crude and uneasy beginnings thirty years ago, Chinese sperm banking has become a routine part of China's pervasive and restrictive reproductive complex. Today, there are sperm banks in each of China's twenty-two provinces, the biggest of which screen some three thousand to four thousand potential donors each year. Given the estimated one to two million azoospermic men--those who are unable to produce their own sperm--the demand remains insatiable. China's twenty-two sperm banks cannot keep up, spurring sperm bank directors to publicly lament chronic shortages and even warn of a national 'sperm crisis' (jingzi weiji). Good Quality explores the issues behind the crisis, including declining sperm quality in the country due to environmental pollution, as well as a chronic national shortage of donors. In doing so, Wahlberg outlines the specific style of Chinese sperm banking that has emerged, shaped by the particular cultural, juridical, economic and social configurations that make up China's restrictive reproductive complex. Good Quality shows how this high-throughput style shapes the ways in which men experience donation and how sperm is made available to couples who can afford it.

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.