To celebrate the Center for Perinatal Biology's 40th Anniversary, an illustrious group gathered at Loma Linda University in February 2013. That gathering of experts and this volume of the proceedings are a tribute to the founder of the Center, Lawrence D. Longo, M.D. These chapters present contributions from individuals who in some way or another were influenced by Dr. Longo. Covering a wide range of topics, and illustrating the diversity of thinking and scientific interests, these proceedings address basic science through to clinical problems in the developmental programming of health and disease.

Human Fertility: Methods and Protocols is intended for all practitioners of reproductive medicine and ART, as well as for embryologists and reproductive, developmental, cell and molecular biologists and others in the biomedical sciences. The volume presents straight-forward manner best practice approaches for overcoming a host of fertility challenges. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Human Fertility: Methods and Protocols aids scientists in continuing to study assisted reproductive technologies.

In the last decade, much of the clinical interest in the field of infertility has focused on advancing reproductive techniques and has often under-appreciated the role that male sexuality plays in reproductive problems. Male sexual function is an integral part of reproduction, and the treatment of sexual dysfunction is an important component for any couple seeking fertility. In some cases, treatment of sexual dysfunction may obviate the need for more invasive cures through advanced reproductive techniques. Thanks to recent clinical and scientific advances in male sexual medicine, the management of men's sexual dysfunction is often more effective and less invasive than how it was historically described. Men's Sexual Health and Fertility is the only resource that focuses on the interplay and interconnections between male sexual dysfunction and male factor infertility, gathering insightful data from a panel of experts in male sexual medicine for clinicians who treat couples with fertility issues due to male sexual dysfunction. Chapters discuss advances in the field of men's sexual medicine, including the latest treatment for erectile dysfunction, the most up-to-date understanding of the physiology and pathophysiology of ejaculation, and the growing body of evidence that low testosterone and male infertility are intimately related. As such, this book provides important information in order to be able to better understand the link between sexual dysfunction and infertility and, most importantly, to better treat male sexual dysfunction in the infertile couple.

Reproductive biology is more than the development of techniques for helping with too little or too much breeding. While some of the relevant techniques are useful for individual species, technical developments have to be backed up by thorough biological understanding of the background behind the problems. This book is therefore threefold; (1) it provides a snapshot of the state of the art in terms of species-specific reproductive technologies, whether for individual animals or whole taxonomic groups; (2) it sets the reproductive problems in context and emphasizes the links between animal-based problems and the wider world, e.g. reproductive fitness and (3) it looks forward and presents realistic assessments of how effective some of the more recently developed techniques in reproductive technology might be at combating extinctions. This is a wide-ranging book that will be relevant to anyone involved in reproductive biology or in species conservation and provides provide them some useful perspectives about the real utility of current and emerging technologies. It has contributions from experts in reproduction and related fields.

This book's aim is to increase the awareness of a great variety of posttranslational modifications in the male and female reproductive system. Some of the most intriguing reproductive strategies, mechanisms, and pathways involving PTM are discussed, with an added angle of evolutionary conservation and diversity. The book also chapters on sperm-egg binding, as well as on histone modification in both the embryo and sperm. Chapters are also devoted to protein ubiquitination, the regulation of sperm function during fertilization in mammals and tubulin modifications in gametes and embryos. There are no other current books on posttranslational protein modifications as they relate to reproduction, making this contribution unique in the field. It is useful for both researchers and graduate students alike.

Authored by Bengt Kallen, professor emeritus in embryology at Lund University in Sweden. The subject of this book is to describe the occurrence of congenital malformations among children born and what risk factors exist. Population data are presented for a number of malformations, ascertained with the use of data from the Swedish national health registers for the period 1998-2010 corresponding to some 1.3 million births, together with prospectively collected information on a group of exposures of possible interest. The structure of the analysis is such that it excludes studies of, for instance, nutrition, alcohol or street drug use and many other lifestyle factors where prospective information or independent register information is difficult or impossible to obtain. Epidemiology of Human Congenital Malformations culminates with a discussion on how the presence of malformations can be explained and various possibilities for the prevention of birth defects. Moreover, it will include a series of instructions on how to read epidemiological literature in this field making it an essential resource both for those currently working in the field of reproductive epidemiology or those intending to enter it. It will additionally be useful for doctors working with malformations, either as obstetricians, neonatologists or pediatricians.

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

Female Puberty: A Comprehensive Guide for Clinicians is a practical reference, covering the full range of issues related to pubertal development. Developed to answer pointed clinical questions and to provide a thorough review of the literature, the book covers both the basics and the complexities of puberty, encompassing psychosocial development to pubertal nuances in highly specialized populations. Comprehensive in scope, this title offers concepts that are concisely conveyed and chapters that complement each other well. Complex subjects such as details of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis are covered in a readily understandable manner and bullet points throughout the text serve as helpful reminders to the reader. An invaluable contribution to the literature, Female Puberty: A Comprehensive Guide for Clinicians will be of great interest to all health providers concerned with female reproductive health - including obstetrician gynecologists, reproductive endocrine specialists, pediatricians, pediatric specialists, family practitioners and allied health professionals.

Fertility preservation has become one of the most important and fast growing fields of reproductive medicine. Although there are several strategies for fertility preservation in female, most of them are still considered experimental. It is important to perfect the existing technologies, but also developing new strategies should be actively sought. The future development of fertility preservation strategies should be based on the sound scientific knowledge and principles. One of the main objectives of fertility preservation in females is prevention of oocyte depletion. The mechanisms of oocyte loss and survival in the ovary are complex, which include genetic control both in germ cells and in somatic cells, DNA damage and repair mechanism, apoptosis and autophagy, and other poorly understood molecular mechanisms. To develop clinically effective and safe strategies for fertility preservation, it is essential to know and understand the fundamentals of oocyte and ovarian biology at the molecular level. Thus, the purpose of this edition is to review the current progress in research related to molecular and genetic control of oocyte development that can be applied to fertility preservation. The main topics that are discussed in this publication include molecular signaling mechanisms of oocyte activation and loss, genomic integrity of oocytes, and epigenetics.

Comprised exclusively of clinical cases covering abnormal female puberty and its clinical management, this concise, practical casebook will provide clinicians in reproductive endocrinology, gynecology and pediatrics with the best real-world strategies to properly diagnose and treat the various forms of the condition they may encounter. Each chapter is a case that opens with a unique clinical presentation, followed by a description of the diagnosis, assessment and management techniques used to treat it, as well as the case outcome and clinical pearls and pitfalls. Cases included illustrate different causes of abnormal puberty as well as management strategies, including congenital anomalies, endocrine disorders, issues of constitutional delay, obesity, eating disorders, ovarian cancer and the effect of pharmacology, among others. Pragmatic and reader-friendly, Abnormal Female Puberty: A Clinical Casebook will be an excellent resource for reproductive endocrinologists, gynecologists and pediatricians alike.

This Brief explores the use of proteomics as a tool for biomarker discovery in human reproduction and summarizes current findings and trends of proteomic studies in both male and female infertility. This simplifies this important but complex topic and equips the novice reader with sufficient background information on the use of proteomics in human reproduction. The up-to-date scenario on proteomic investigations will also appeal to researchers and post graduate students looking to keep abreast with the latest developments in reproductive research. This review summarizes current findings of contemporary proteomic studies on infertility in both males and females with various reproductive pathologies, and its use in predicting the outcome of assisted reproduction. In human reproduction, the search for biomarkers via proteomics is a fast-evolving approach that involves the analysis of proteins in the reproductive tissues and fluids, such as the male gametes, seminal plasma, ovarian and endometrial tissue, and follicular and uterine fluid. By comparing the protein profile of a healthy, fertile individual against that of an infertile individual, the differentially expressed proteins may give an indication to certain proteins that could serve as useful biomarkers that are related to infertility. As proteomic studies continue to unravel the dynamic proteome behind various infertility conditions, there is potential for the discovery of prognostic markers that could ultimately help in both natural and assisted human reproduction.

Offers an expert blend of sound theory and evidence based therapy for residents and practitioners. Provides a clear path through the increasing complexity of ART options and techniques, using clinical experience and common practical sense. Condenses the aspects of knowledge and practice most relevant for learning the practical basics of diagnosis and decision making.

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

This book focus on genetic diagnostics for Uniparental Disomy (UPD), a chromosomal disorder defined by the exceptional presence of a chromosome pair derived from only one parent, which leads to a group of rare diseases in humans. First the molecular and cytogenetic background of UPD is described in detail; subsequently, all available information of the various chromosomal origins and the latest findings on genotype-phenotype correlations and clinical consequences are discussed. Numerous personal reports from families with a child suffering from a UPD-induced syndrome serve to complement the scientific and clinical aspects. Their experiences with genetic counseling and living with a family member affected by this chromosomal aberration present a vivid picture of what UPD means for its victims.

Rheumatic (or systemic autoimmune) diseases disproportionately affect young women: the female-to-male ratio for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus during the reproductive years is approximately 9:1. In the mid- to late-twentieth century, women with rheumatic disease diagnoses were often advised to avoid pregnancy due to fear of disease exacerbation and adverse outcome. In more recent years, many women with rheumatic disease have deferred childbearing until a later age due to active disease or unsafe therapies. However, with advances in rheumatology therapies, obstetric monitoring, and reproductive medicine technologies, increasing numbers of women with rheumatic diseases are pursuing pregnancy. As a result, obstetricians and rheumatologists need to be aware of the current state of knowledge and the recommendations for management of pregnancy in these patients. Contraception and Pregnancy in Patients with Rheumatic Disease explains the basics of contraception, fertility treatment, and pregnancy in rheumatic disease patients and serves as a guide and reference tool for both rheumatologists and OB/GYNs. Most general rheumatologists and OB/GYNs have limited experience in caring for rheumatic disease patients during pregnancy, and many do not have ready access to expert colleagues in this area. This book summarizes the current state of knowledge and presents a general approach for assessment of the rheumatic disease patient considering pregnancy, hormonal contraception or infertility treatment.

This SpringerBrief analyzes varicocele from a novel approach, and provides the reader with a comprehensive view of its scientific and clinical significance. The Brief covers all the important aspects of varicocele related to infertility, from epidemiology to assisted reproduction techniques, contemplating pathophysiology, semen analysis, specialized sperm function tests, and clinical management including all available treatment options form three distinct perspectives, i.e., current concepts, consensus and controversies. Each topic is addressed using the same template, offering the best information from all angles to readers. This SpringerBrief is aimed at both clinicians and scientists involved in the study and care of male and female fertility, and is written by a team of three internationally recognized authors with expertise in andrology and male infertility. The text is the first of its kind, and presents an invaluable tool both for the basic scientists with an interest in reproductive medicine and for clinicians working in the field of infertility.

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

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

This book addresses the impacts of current and future reproductive technologies on our world food production and provides a significant contribution to the importance of research in the area of reproductive physiology that has never been compiled before. It would provide a unique opportunity to separate the impacts of how reproductive technologies have affected different species and their contributions to food production. Lastly, no publication has been compiled that demonstrates the relationship between developments in reproductive management tools and food production that may be used a reference for scientists in addressing future research areas. During the past 50 years assisted reproductive technologies have been developed and refined to increase the number and quality of offspring from genetically superior farm animal livestock species. Artificial insemination (AI), estrous synchronization and fixed-time AI, semen and embryo cryopreservation, multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET), in vitro fertilization, sex determination of sperm or embryos, and nuclear transfer are technologies that are used to enhance the production efficiency of livestock species.

There are several types of damage that can be found in the male gamete. Genetic damage in spermatozoa can originate during spermatogenesis, or it can originate during transit in both male and female genital tracts. Damage can also be due to ageing, environmental or iatrogenic conditions, as well as to the protocols to cryopreserve and to select spermatozoa in assisted reproduction techniques. The purpose of this book is to provide a comprehensive resource for all possible DNA damages in sperm, the relation to fertility and infertility, and possible transgenerational heritable effects.

This practical manual on sperm analysis presents the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures that are used in andrology laboratories to analyse and assess male infertility. Diagnostic areas include: semen analysis and the biochemical, immunological and microbiological examination of human semen and spermatozoa; computer-aided sperm motility analysis; sperm ultrastructure; and assessment of sperm transport through the female tract and sperm fertilizing ability. The clinical relevance of various diagnostic procedures is also discussed. Therapeutic topics include sperm washing techniques, semen cryopreservation, and insemination procedures. The volume also covers safety in the andrology laboratory, technician training, and quality control. The text is extensively illustrated and will be an invaluable resource to all scientists and technicians who diagnose male infertility. It will also be of interest to researchers working in human gamete biology and reproductive physiology. The detailed methods described in the book are relevant to all hospital, commercial, and university laboratories involved in infertility diagnosis and treatment.

Multidisciplinary collection of essays on the relationship of infertility and the "historic" STIs--gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis--producing surprising new insights in studies from across the globe and spanning millennia. A multidisciplinary group of prominent scholars investigates the historical relationship between sexually transmitted infections and infertility. Untreated gonorrhea and chlamydia cause infertility in a proportion of women and men. Unlike the much-feared venereal disease of syphilis--"the pox"--gonorrhea and chlamydia are often symptomless, leaving victims unaware of the threat to their fertility. Science did not unmask the causal microorganisms until thelate nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Their effects on fertility in human history remain mysterious. This is the first volume to address the subject across more than two thousand years of human history. Following asynoptic editorial introduction, part 1 explores the enigmas of evidence from ancient and early modern medical sources. Part 2 addresses fundamental questions about when exactly these diseases first became human afflictions, withnew contributions from bioarcheology, genomics, and the history of medicine, producing surprising new insights. Part 3 presents studies of infertility and its sociocultural consequences in nineteenth- and twentieth-century Africa, Oceania, and Australia. Part 4 examines the quite different ways the infertility threat from STIs was perceived--by scientists, the public, and government--in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Germany, France, and Britain, concluding with a pioneering empirical estimate of the infertility impact in Britain. Simon Szreter is Professor of History and Public Policy, University of Cambridge, and Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge.

In this book, leading academics and practitioners in the field of reproductive health address topics such as contraception, abortion, sexually transmitted infections, maternal and prenatal health, sexuality and reproductive rights by examining a number of critical issues in these areas. The authors describe new research, identify gaps and priorities in policy and practice, and illustrate innovative solutions. The book further addresses such current imperatives as understanding the social meanings of emergency contraception, measuring gender-based violence, improving reproductive health governance, strengthening health systems and services, and redressing institutional barriers. The book also assesses how reproductive health programs can be reconfigured to new challenges such as those posed by climate change, vulnerable youth in fragile states, and risks from new infertility treatments. Using a rich and varied set of cases, a broad public health and social science perspective, and novel methodological approaches, this book questions common assumptions, illustrates effective solutions and sets out research, policy, and programmatic agendas for the present and future. This is a comprehensive volume which provides a valuable resource to researchers, educators, practitioners, policymakers and students, as well as anyone studying or advocating for reproductive health.

Clinical Reproductive Medicine and Surgery offers a succinct overview of both the medical and surgical management of reproductive disorders, as well as coverage of associated imaging modalities. The book includes chapters on major reproductive endocrinology and infertility issues such as polycystic ovary syndrome and amenorrhea, management of endometriosis and fibroids (including interventional radiology), imaging modalities such as ultrasonography and sonohysterography, preservation of fertility, and recurrent pregnancy loss. Residents, fellows, and practitioners interested in reproductive endocrinology and infertility will find this focused and practical text invaluable.

Anovulation - one of the most common causes of infertility - is here given a thorough review, with classification of the different subtypes, how they are diagnosed, how they are treated, and the possible complications and outcomes involved. This is a comprehensive evidence-based summary from an international expert team, with guidelines for daily practice clearly stated and summarized for your convenience.