Brown Bodies, White Babies focuses on the practice of cross-racial gestational surrogacy, in which a woman - through in-vitro fertilization using the sperm and egg of intended parents or donors - carries a pregnancy for intended parents of a different race. Focusing on the racial differences between parents and surrogates, this book is interested in how reproductive technologies intersect with race, particularly when brown bodies produce white babies. While the potential of reproductive technologies is far from pre-determined, the ways in which these technologies are currently deployed often serve the interests of dominant groups, through the creation of white, middle-class, heteronormative families. Laura Harrison, providing an important understanding of the work of women of color as surrogates, connects this labor to the history of racialized reproduction in the United States. Cross-racial surrogacy is one end of a continuum in which dominant groups rely on the reproductive potential of nonwhite women, whose own reproductive desires have been historically thwarted and even demonized. Brown Bodies, White Babies provides am interdisciplinary analysis that includes legal cases of contested surrogacy, historical examples of surrogacy as a form of racialized reproductive labor, the role of genetics in the assisted reproduction industry, and the recent turn toward reproductive tourism. Joining the ongoing feminist debates surrounding reproduction, motherhood, race, and the body, Brown Bodies, White Babies ultimately critiques the new potentials for parenthood that put the very contours of kinship into question.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a classic female infertility condition affecting an estimated 6-10% of all women, many of whom are unaware of the problem. A disease that affects women from adolescence to menopause, PCOS is the single most common endrocrinologic abnormality affecting women. This book is an edited collection of writings that comprehensively covers the disease, from diagnosis and epidemiology of PCOS to clinical evaluation.

Fertility Awareness is key to understanding sexual and reproductive health at all life stages. It can be used to either plan or avoid pregnancy. Fertility Awareness Methods (FAMs) are highly effective when motivated couples are taught by trained practitioners. These methods are in demand for ecological, medical, cultural, religious and moral reasons. The ability to control fertility naturally is a lifestyle choice. The Complete Guide to Fertility Awareness provides the science and methodology suitable for health professionals and a general audience. It covers reproductive physiology and the fertility indicators: temperature, cervical secretions and cycle length calculations. It explores ways to optimise conception and to manage conception delays. Case studies and self-assessment exercises are included throughout. The book addresses the scientific credibility of new technologies including fertility apps, home test kits, monitors and devices. The Complete Guide to Fertility Awareness offers: evidence-based information for general practitioners, practice nurses, school nurses, midwives, sexual health doctors and nurses a unique perspective on subfertility for gynaecologists and fertility nurses an authoritative source of reference for medical, nursing and midwifery students a straightforward and practical reference for new and experienced FAM users the core text for the FertilityUK Advanced Skills Course in Fertility Awareness

Expectations of the potential of regenerative medicine have risen recently because of exciting research results. This book contains contributions from leading researchers who describe their successes and the problems that remain in converting the hopes into concrete therapies. The focus of the book is on the role of stem cells in two main areas -- reproduction and the brain -- described from molecular, cellular, in vivo and clinical perspectives.

This book investigates the various processes that are affected by the age of an organism. Several new tools for the analysis of biological aging have been introduced recently, and this volume provides methods and protocols for these new techniques in addition to its coverage of established procedures. Researchers seeking new technology and techniques will find this volume of tremendous benefit as they move towards new directions.

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.

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

This volume covers data describing the role of free radicals and antioxidants that deal with clinical and pre-clinical trials, as well as basic research in the area of women's health. There is increasing evidence that oxidative stress is a causative, or at least a supporting factor in female pathology and infertility. During advancing gestational age, oxidative stress biomakers rise. Oxidative stress plays a regulatory role in transcription, signal transduction, gene expression and membrane trafficking. A search on Pub Med shows 449 papers have been published to date related to women's health disorders and use of antioxidants in a variety of disease that are prevalent in women, such as hypertension and cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, obesity and restless leg syndrome.

Late aging associated changes in alcohol sensitivity, neurobehavioral function, and neuroinflammation, Volume 148, the latest release in the International Review of Neurobiology series, highlights new advances in the field, with this new volume presenting interesting chapters on a variety of timely topics. Each chapter is written by an international board of authors.

Founded in 1914, the Department of Embryology of the Carnegie Institution of Washington has made an unparalleled contribution to the biological understanding of embryos and their development. Originally much of the research was carried out through experimental embryology, but by the second half of the twentieth century, tissue and cell cultures were providing histological information about development, and biochemistry and molecular genetics have taken center stage. This final volume in a series of five histories of the Carnegie Institution of Washington provides a history of embryology and reproductive biology spanning a hundred years. It provides important insights into the evolution of both scientific ideas and the public perception of embryo research, concluding with a reflection on current debates.

Carl Edward Sagan's (1934-1996) one of the famous quotation was "Who are we? We find that we live on an insignificant planet of a humdrum star lost in a galaxy tucked away in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are far more galaxies than people." From past to date, well-known molecules, enzymes, proteins, lipids and carbohydrates are studied in the pathogenesis of several diseases both as a diagnostic/prognostic biomarker and therapeutic agent. The underlying mechanism of unexplained diseases and failure of therapies are frequently studied with well-known biomarkers, but remain unclear in many cases. As Dr. Sagan said other keys are still waiting to be known in some forgotten corner of a body universe, we find strength to propose that one of them can be the growth factor with cytokine activity named "Midkine" This book summarizes the extensive up-to-date literature overeview with the lastest work of experts about midkine in a detailed format that conveys its role as both a pathologic factor and therapeutic agent.

This practical 2003 handbook provides an extremely comprehensive and highly illustrated guide to micromanipulation techniques in assisted conception in a clinical setting. It includes detailed, illustrated descriptions of all the common micromanipulation systems currently in use in IVF laboratories around the world and clearly explains how to optimise their successful use. The volume covers state-of-the-art techniques including intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and procedures such as assisted hatching and the blastomere biopsy (for preimplantation genetic diagnosis PGD). Valuable information on troubleshooting the potential mechanical and technical difficulties that can arise is provided to help all the practitioners of these techniques, including trainee embryologists and consultant obstetricians, and technicians and scientists involved in animal transgenesis and cloning. It will undoubtedly be of immense value to all doctors and scientists working with assisted reproductive technologies.

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

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

Embryology at a Glance is a highly illustrated and innovative introduction to key embryological concepts, with concise, memorable descriptions of major embryological developments. This new edition covers the basic principles of human development, from mitosis and meiosis, before exploring the primary formation of each body system, including the development of the musculoskeletal, circulatory, digestive, reproductive, and nervous systems during the foetal and neonatal periods. Key features include: New chapters on cell signalling genes, stem cells, and antenatal screening for common congenital and genetic defects Full colour photographs and illustrations Links to clinical practice highlighted throughout Timelines of each developmental stage MCQs and EMQs for revision and review A companion website at www.ataglanceseries.com/embryology featuring 15 brand new animations, and podcasts to help clearly explain the processes that occur during development. An additional instructor resource contains an image bank of all the figures from the book to aid teaching this fascinating area Embryology at a Glance provides the perfect alternative to the overwhelming detail seen in conventional embryology texts. It provides just the right level of detail on embryology and congenital abnormalities for all medical students and health professionals to develop a thorough understanding of human development and its implications for clinical practice.

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

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

determined by an inability to move in response to touch. C. elegans develop through four larval stages following hatching and prior to adulthood. Adult C. elegans are reproductive for about the rst week of adulthood followed by approximately two weeks of post-reproductive adulthood prior to death. Life span is most commonly measured in the laboratory by maintaining the worms on the surface of a nutrie- agar medium (Nematode Growth Medium, NGM) with E. coli OP50 as the bacterial food source (REF). Alternative culture conditions have been described in liquid media; however, these are not widely used for longevity studies. Longevity of the commonly used wild type C. elegans hermaphrodite (N2) varies ? from 16 to 23 days under standard laboratory conditions (20 C, NGM agar, E. coli OP50 food source). Life span can be increased by maintaining animals at lower ambient temperatures and shortened by raising the ambient temperature. Use of a killed bacterial food source, rather than live E. coli, increases lifespan by 2-4 days, and growth of adult animals in the absence of bacteria (axenic growth or bac- rial deprivation) increases median life span to 32-38 days [3, 23, 24]. Under both standard laboratory conditions and bacterial deprivation conditions, wild-derived C. elegans hermaphrodites exhibit longevity comparable to N2 animals [25].

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

Microsurgery for Fertility Specialists is an invaluable resource for physicians who specialize in the surgical treatment of male and female infertility. This practical text explains the basics of microsurgery and provides detailed operative descriptions of surgical procedures such as vasectomy reversal, sperm retrieval, tubal reanastomosis, and penile surgery. An exceptional cadre of reproductive specialists shares valuable knowledge of the current state of microsurgery, its role in infertility procedures, and the latest advances in the field --including some non-infertility microsurgical techniques. The book is an essential educational guide for those with a more advanced knowledge of microsurgical practice as it includes chapters that will help them mentor residents and fellows, and inspire future generations of reproductive surgeons.

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

IVF is now established worldwide as a clinical service. Units are striving to improve their success rates, and many treatments are being advocated as 'yet another breakthrough'. The purpose of this book is to help clinicians to evaluate each of these new treatments. Each chapter is written by a recognized international expert in the field and the chapters are short and succinct, summarizing the latest evidence-based information for each topic and treatment. Sections cover patient selection and preparation, the role of AIH before IVF, stimulation, monitoring, laboratory techniques, embryo transfer, ancillary treatments and assessment of results. How to Improve your ART Success Rates: An Evidence-Based Review of Adjuncts to IVF is essential reading for all clinicians working with infertility and assisted reproduction, and is also a valuable addition to any medical library.

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

The development and selection of ovarian follicles is one of the most active areas of contemporary reproductive research. Relevant experimental work extends from laboratory rodents, across a wide range of domestic species, to human clinical studies, especially as related to problems of fertility and in vitro fertilisation. This 2003 volume provides comprehensive coverage of the field, integrating research findings from animal and human studies and condensing the vast published literature into a meaningful and digestible physiological account which highlights the key role played by the oocyte in influencing all stages of follicular development.

Many books on ageing attempt to cover the whole field of gerontology. However, since gerontology is now such a diversified and rapidly expanding subject, the results of such attempts tend to be either incomprehensible compendia or encyc10pedias of disheartening size. The present book aims to be both more modest and more ambitious. It focuses on a single object (Drosophila), but attempts to off er a synthesis of all the gerontological work that has been done on it. It also aims to show the extent to which this work has led to an understanding of the biological phenomena of ageing, longevity, senescence and death in higher organisms, inc1uding man. Finally it attempts, on the basis of current knowledge, to mark out the paths that the next generation of researchers will most probably follow. Drosophila has been used as a model organism to advance our basic knowledge of the fundamentals of genetics and gerontology. It may be noted that the pioneering work on the genetics of ageing, which used Drosophila, began very early in this century, within the first decade of the rediscovery of Mendel's laws.