Implantation is a complex phenomenon, still not thoroughly understood, involving the embryo and the endometrium. Successful implantation is considered to stem from an efficient combination of various embryo and/or maternal factors. Repeated failure of any of these factors or of their combination might decrease the chance of implantation and eventually lead to recurrent implantation failure. Despite technological advances, only about a quarter of In Vitro Fertilization procedures will result in live birth, leading many couples to experience multiple failures. This text from international experts explores the various factors at play and offers a helpful summary of the state of knowledge to help guide clinicians in their management of this complex and important problem. Contents: What is Recurrent Implantation Failure? * The psychosocial aspects of recurrent implantation failure * The role of life-style factors in RIF * Endocrine causes of recurrent implantation failure * Congenital uterine anomalies and recurrent implantation failure * Immunological causes of recurrent implantation failure * Acquired uterine conditions, reproductive surgery, and RIF? * Thrombophilia: diagnosis and management in women with recurrent implantation failure * Andrological causes of RIF * Diagnostic evaluation of RIF? (Modalities and algorithm) * Optimizing embryo culture for RIF? * Optimizing endometrial receptivity for patients with recurrent implantation failure: The role of progesterone on the day of triggering final oocyte maturation * Is there a role of follicular phase LH and E2 on the day of triggering final oocyte maturation for embryo implantation? * Manipulating the endometrium: Can RIF be managed by inducing endometrial inflammation or by the use of novel research therapies * The embryo in RIF: Genetic selection and strategies for improving its implantation potential * Is oocyte donation efficient in patients with RIF? * Sperm donation and RIF? * Optimizing embryo transfer technique for RIF management * Proposed management of patients with recurrent implantation failure and directions for future research * When should patients abandon treatment?

This thoroughly revised second edition is an up-to-date overview of the current knowledge of Notch and Notch signaling in embryology and cancer. It discusses this topic from Notch's role in the development of the embryo to the Notch signaling pathway's role in the development of a number of cancers, including breast cancer, malignant melanoma, Non-melanoma skin cancer, intestinal cancer and others. In the years since the previous edition, there have been numerous developments and insights within this rapidly moving field, making this new edition urgently needed. This volume also features discussions of current insights on Notch's role in senescence, the regulation of Notch signaling by microRNAs, Notch's role in the microbiome, diet and its influence on Notch signaling and more. Taken as a whole, with its companion books - Molecular Biology of Notch Signaling and Notch Signaling in Cancer - this is a definitive discussion of the topic, presented by internationally-recognized contributors. Presented in a coherent and accessible structure, this revised and updated second edition is an essential and up-to-date guide for oncologists, embryologists, researchers and advanced students.

How well do you really know your body?

How easy do you think it will be for you to get pregnant - or NOT to get pregnant?

You've probably never really been educated about your reproductive years - perhaps you learnt everything you know from friends, or from the media, or online. You might be ready for a baby now; or, like so many other women, you might want to delay the birth of your first child while you establish your career. Perhaps you're thinking about freezing your eggs.

Professor Joyce Harper is an internationally recognized expert on female fertility and fertility education, and in 12 chapters she covers the full scope of your reproductive years, from your first period to menopausal symptoms. Her straightforward, scientifically based advice will give you all the information you need to make informed decisions about your reproductive choices. Only when you really understand your menstrual cycle works can you optimise your lifestyle to get pregnant successfully - while being properly aware of how and when your fertility will decline.

Your Fertile Years answers all your questions about things like egg freezing and IVF, and debunks not only the myths surrounding fertility treatment, but also the misinformation and scare stories that surround conception and pregnancy, including the bottom line on supplements, diet and holistic therapies.

A shining beacon in the murky fertility landscape, this book will accompany you through your fertile years, giving you the guidance you need to make decisions that work for you, your family, your career and your body.

"Original, important, moving, witty and exquisitely-written. WHAT a feat." - BERNARDINE EVARISTO "Incredible... beautiful and funny and humane." - EMILIE PINE "Pristine poetry and prose." KATHERINE MAY, AUTHOR OF WINTERING "Babies who are this small, he says, have a good chance of survival. Small is not good for babies. It is not whimsical or cute or the cause of admiration. It is the first time it occurs to us that they might not survive. Babies die from smallness." Claire Lynch knew that having children with her wife would be complicated but she could never have anticipated the extent to which her life would be redrawn by the process. This dazzling debut begins with the smallest of life's substances, the microscopic cells subdividing in a petri dish in a fertility treatment centre. She moves through her story in incremental yet ever growing steps, from the fingernail-sized pregnancy test result screen which bears two affirmative lines to the premature arrival of her children who have to wear scale-model oxygen masks in their life-saving incubators. Devastatingly poignant and profoundly observant - and funny against the odds - Claire considers whether it is our smallness that makes our lives so big.

Why do women live longer than men? Does ownership of paired X chromosomes confer more prolonged survival on females, or is the gender difference in life-expectancy a cumulative consequence of differing life experiences for women and men? The areas of gender differences in aging, functional capacity, and the response to physical activity have often been the basis for speculation rather than informed judgment. Gender, Physical Activity, and Aging draws upon the sound knowledge base of leading investigators to provide objective, evidence-based evaluations of particular facets of the aging process. Focusing on gender differences, it examines the rate of aging, loss of functional capacity, disability, and the quality of life among the elderly and presents evidence of potential modification through physical activity and lifestyle.

As we enter the twenty-first century, a number of medical, environmental, and social changes have profoundly affected human reproduction. This book discusses some of the more dramatic changes in an accessible manner, illustrating the ways in which human biology and culture can affect fertility. It provides a unique interdisciplinary perspective on the subject. Topics of discussion include medical technological advances that equip us with potential cures for many causes of infertility; diseases, such as AIDS, that have a devastating impact on the reproductive and social lives of humans; increasing industrialization and the development of fabricated materials that pollute our environment in unforeseen ways with possibly devastating effects on human health and fertility; and social revolutions that profoundly alter human relationships, such as nonmarital unions between heterosexual couples, same-sex relationships, and adoption and surrogacy.

Human Embryos and Preimplantation Genetic Technologies: Ethical, Social, and Public Policy Aspects presents the first holistic analysis of PGD and PGS as it is practiced and regulated worldwide. In addition to scientific and technical aspects, the book provides perspectives on the ethical, legal, religious, policy and social implications of global assisted reproduction technologies, including in Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America, and Australia. Chapters cover history, ethics, feminism, family dynamics, psychological and interpersonal factors, the current state of PGD and PGS in 20 different sovereign nations and religious communities, and provide an analysis of public policy concerns and future directions.

With advances in ultrasound, birth defects are increasingly detected during pregnancy and may be amenable to surgical correction before delivery, to improve outcomes. This essential book discusses the different birth defects that can be treated during pregnancy and the important anesthetic considerations for the mother and fetus undergoing these procedures. Experts in the fields of anesthesiology, maternal fetal medicine, surgery, and pediatrics have come together to develop the content of this book. Enhanced throughout with full color images and illustrations, the book covers important topics such as spina bifida, twin-twin transfusion syndrome, sacrococcygeal teratoma, and lung masses, as well as fetal cardiac intervention, intrauterine transfusion, ex utero intrapartum treatment, and multidisciplinary approaches to fetal surgery. An invaluable guide for pediatric and obstetric anesthesiologists, anesthesiology, obstetrics, and surgical trainees, nurse anesthetists, and maternal-fetal medicine specialists.

In order for new reproductive technologies to improve the health and well-being of women, they must be acceptable to and used by women. We need, therefore, to not only know about the technology itself; we also need to know about the individuals who intend to use the technology and factors that influence use. Accordingly, this issue focuses on the multiple determinants that influence acceptability of reproductive technologies and the policy, political and legal implications associated with their use. Topics include personal and contextual barriers to use, limited access for poor women and women of color, and the social controversy surrounding this area.

Since 1989, more than 165,000 children have been adopted by American parents. Every indication suggests that this number will increase in the years to come. Many of these children arrive with complex medical and behavioural problems. These children require specialized medical attention to help them get well and adjust to their new lives and surroundings. The Handbook of International Adoption Medicine presents an overview of the medical and developmental issues that affect internationally adopted children, offering guidelines for families and physicians before, during, and after adoption. Laurie Miller has comprehensively researched these topics and also draws from over fifteen years of experience in international adoption and orphanages throughout the world. This book shows how to advise families prior to an international adoption, how to perform an effective initial screening assessment of the newly arrived child, how to manage common behaviour problems, and how to recognize and manage developmental and other more long-term problems as they emerge. Sections cover such subjects as the risks of prenatal exposures, problems in growth and development, infectious diseases, and other medical conditions such as inherited disorders, uncertain age, and precocious puberty. This information has never been available in one place, making the book an invaluable resource for families and professionals in the field of international adoption.

Reproductive Hazards of the Workplace Linda M. Frazier, MD, MPH Marvin L. Hage, MD In the face of rising medical costs, health care reform, intense media scrutiny, and the trend toward delayed pregnancies, the concern over on-the-job reproductive hazards is at an all-time high. The need to develop effective strategies for protecting the reproductive health of employees—female and male—is more critical than ever. Reproductive Hazards of the Workplace is designed to help managers, primary care physicians, and health and safety professionals manage and prevent occupational reproductive risks. Like other entries in Van Nostrand Reinhold’s Hazards of the Workplace series, the book offers a wealth of valuable, up-to-date information plus expert-tested methodologies and advice for handling risk exposure. Reproductive Hazards of the Workplace begins by covering basic reproductive and developmental biology and fundamentals of risk assessment and reduction. It shows readers how to take into account influencing factors such as the employee’s age, personal habits, and existing conditions (such as diabetes and hypertension). From this foundation, the text explains how to recognize and manage a wide range of potential threats to reproductive health, including:

• Chemical agents
• Physical agents
• Biologic agents
• Ergonomic factors
• Travel
• Stress

A few gray hairs and a couple of wrinkles are often the first visible signs of aging on our bodies. For most of us, however, aging remains largely a mystery. We can only wonder why we have to age and what casualty of age hovers nearby. Written in everyday language, The Clock of Ages takes us on a tour of the aging human body--all from a research scientist's point of view. From the deliberate creation of organisms that live three times their natural span to the isolation of genes that may allow humans to do the same, The Clock of Ages also examines the latest discoveries in geriatric genetics. Sprinkled throughout the pages are descriptions of the aging of many historical figures, such as Florence Nightingale, Jane Austen, Billy the Kid, Napoleon, and Casanova. These stories underscore the common bond of senescence that unites us all. The Clock of Ages tells us why.

The enormous increase in our knowledge and understanding of diabetes mellitus in recent years has resulted in new management strategies for greatly enhancing care in diabetic pregnancy. Clinicians responsible for the care of women with diabetes need to keep abreast of these advances. Diabetes and Pregnancy: An International Approach to Diagnosis and Management is a comprehensive, yet practical guide to the present state of knowledge regarding diabetic pregnancy. It summarizes published literature, and offers clear and valuable information on the practicalities of providing special care before, during and after pregnancy. This volume will be indispensable to all members of the health care team involved in the care of pregnant diabetic women and their babies, including obstetricians, neonatologists, diabetes physicians, specialist nurses, midwives as well as general practitioners.

This introductory textbook examines the issues of human reproduction common to a variety of advanced school and beginning university courses. It covers in detail the physiology of the human reproductive system, the production of gametes, fertilisation, pregnancy, birth, lactation and contraception. Sensitive issues such as infertility, abortion and embryo research are discussed with careful consideration of the moral and ethical issues involved.

Scientists investigating germ cells have, over the past 15 years, originated discoveries and innovations that give us valuable insights into the mechanisms that regulate not just stem cell function, but human development in its widest sense. With contributions from some of the leading researchers in the field, Male Germline Stem Cells: Developmental and Regenerative Potential assesses the implications of these discoveries for understanding the fundamental biology of germline stem cells as well as their potential for human stem cell-based therapies. This monograph covers many of the fundamental issues now being explored by today's generation of stem cell researchers, including the field's potential for regenerative medicine. Ranging from an assessment of the pluripotency of primordial germ cells and their possible applications in treating testicular cancer, to the recovery of once-mordant fertilization-competent sperm, this volume has it all. It is a reference point for any scientist involved in related research as well as being a timely summation of what could prove to be a hugely exciting and very fruitful area of inquiry.

This book, by two of the most distinguished figures in fertility and reproduction research, answers all the most common questions about menaupause and andropause, and hormone resupplement therapy (HRT) for menopausal women. It offers explanations of all aspects of this subject, presenting balanced and reliable information about benefits, risks, and prospects for this field. Segal invented Norplant, the first long-term implantable contraceptive, and as the leader of Reproductive Biology at the Population Council, he orchestrated and coordinated the research and trials leading to basically every new contraceptive introduced over a period of about 25 years. Mastroianni did more than anyone else to develop in vitro fertizilation as a viable treatment option, and was for many years the chairman of the largest department of obstetrics and gynecology, and the director of the most successful IVF clinic. This book is unique in including coverage of the climacteric in men.

This book offers a comprehensive roadmap for determining when and how to regulate risky reproductive technologies on behalf of future children. First, it provides three benchmarks for determining whether a reproductive practice is harmful to the children it produces. This framework synthesizes and extends past efforts to make sense of our intuitive, but paradoxical, belief that reproductive choices can be both life-giving and harmful. Next, it recommends a process for reconciling the interests of future children with the reproductive liberty of prospective parents. The author rejects a blanket preference for either parental autonomy or child welfare and proposes instead a case-by-case inquiry that takes into account the nature and magnitude of the proposed restrictions on procreative liberty, the risk of harm to future children, and the context in which the issue arises. Finally, he applies this framework to four past and future medical treatments with above average risk, including cloning and genetic engineering. Drawing lessons from these case studies, Peters criticizes the current lack of regulatory oversight and recommends both more extensive pre-market testing and closer post-market monitoring of new reproductive technologies. His moderate, pragmatic approach will be widely appreciated.

The early environment in which we grow up has profound, long lasting, and often irreversible consequences for us throughout our lives. Stresses due to undernutrition in early childhood can mean that in adulthood individuals are smaller, more prone to disease, and have a shorter life expectancy than those with normal diets. Disease and poor living conditions in infancy and childhood also have serious implications in adulthood. While environmental effects on human growth and development are well documented, the long term consequences due to processes taking place at the early stages of growth and development have only recently become a focus of intense study. In this volume, leading researchers in nutrition, epidemiology, human biology, anthropology and physiology bring together a uniquely accessible source of information on this fascinating topic.

This volume, and its companion volume on the oocyte, provide an authoritative and wide-ranging account of the gametes, and their reproductive role and function in humans. Acknowledged authorities from around the world provide a detailed and timely account of the spermatozoon. The volume starts with an evolutionary perspective before focusing on the molecular and cellular biology of the sperm cell, and its structure and function. The development and maturation of sperm are described, as is their movement and transport in the male and female genital tract. Practical issues such as sperm storage and assisted contraception are fully covered. The causes of male infertility are also an important theme. The volume concludes with a thought-provoking chapter on ethical considerations. The volume will be an essential source of information for all clinicians and scientists with an interest in human reproduction.

This volume, and its companion volume on the spermatozoon, provide an authoritative and wide ranging account of the gametes and their reproductive role and function in humans. Acknowledged authorities from around the world contribute a detailed and timely account of the oocyte. The volume starts with an evolutionary perspective before focusing on the molecular and cellular biology of the oocyte and its structure and function. The development and maturation of the oocyte is fully dealt with to include the endocrine and paracrine regulation of ovarian function. Practical issues such as oocyte storage and ovarian stimulation are also fully covered. The causes of female infertility are also an important theme. The volume concludes with a thought provoking chapter on ethical considerations. The volume will be an essential source of information for all clinicians and scientists with an interest in human reproduction.

Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) is now well established as a valuable treatment option for patients wishing to start or continue a family, for a range of indications from advanced maternal age to high risk of transmitting inherited disease. This text brings together contemporary thinking from international opinion leaders and will be an invaluable guide for practitioners in Reproductive Medicine wishing to keep pace with the latest developments and clinical data.

There is renewed interest in lifestyle medicine - the focus on food, physical activity, stress management, high-quality connections, restorative sleep, and avoidance of toxic substances - in the prevention, treatment, and sometimes reversal of chronic disease, but very little information exists on its application for improving specific women's health issues across the lifespan. Consequently, there is a growing need among health professionals who care for women for a textbook that addresses evidence-based lifestyle solutions to manage the health challenges they face every day in their offices. This book begins with a review of the fundamentals of Lifestyle Medicine through the lens of a woman's lifespan. It provides information about lifestyle interventions to improve gynecologic and sexual health and to manage and sometimes reverse gynecologic diseases. It clarifies the importance of lifestyle and behaviors before and during pregnancy to address infertility, reduce adverse pregnancy outcomes, and to lower non-communicable diseases in children along with emerging epigenetic evidence. The use of Lifestyle Medicine to prevent and manage breast and gynecologic cancers, enhance health as part of cancer survivorship, and decrease the risk or reduce many of the symptoms and diseases experienced during menopause including vasomotor symptoms and osteoporosis are also discussed. Additionally, the text covers cardiovascular disease, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, dementia and mental health from the perspective of gender specific differences. This book provides practical resources on implementing the components of lifestyle medicine. Some of the topics covered include models of care for women and families, reimbursement, health coaching and behavioral change, community engagement and health equity for under-resourced settings. The electronic version of the book presents supplemental material featuring in-depth reading, as well as online and digital resources for implementing Lifestyle Medicine. The book is an evidence-based source of information on women's health issues for health professionals already practicing lifestyle medicine, as well as an entry level textbook for those new to the field of lifestyle medicine. The collective expertise of each of the editors along with content provided by leaders within the American College of Lifestyle Medicine fills a much-needed void within the specialty of Lifestyle Medicine and is for providers of women's health globally. Features: Provides a basic overview of Lifestyle Medicine (nutrient-rich diet, exercise, stress resilience, sleep, and high-quality connections) in the care of women across the lifespan. Provides lifestyle-focused treatment recommendations for specific women health issues. Includes strategies for implementing Lifestyle Medicine with vulnerable populations and in communities. Summarizes key points at the close of each chapter and includes supplemental material with in-depth reading. Features additional resources for implementing lifestyle medicine into practice. "This women's health book is evidence based and comprehensive. There is nothing like it. Women need up to date information about physical activity, nutrition, sleep, stress resilience, social connection and substance use. In addition, there is a desire to better understand the power of these pillars throughout a woman's life including pregnancy, menopause and the golden years. This book fills that need." Elizabeth Pegg Frates, MD, DipABLM, FACLM, President Elect of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine "Healthy aging begins at pre-conception. Evidence overwhelmingly shows that it's we women who-through our lifestyle behavior choices-can take far greater control of our own health destinies, as well as the health destinies of our children and generations to come. We cannot underestimate the power of what we eat, how we move, and what we think in regard to our optimal health or lack thereof. This book is a must-read for all medical professionals!" Susan Benigas, Executive Director of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine Lifestyle Medicine is the science of taking core principles and customizing how they're applied to each individual and each situation to achieve positive health behavior change. This book sets the evidence based foundation for how that process happens, and why it needs to happen, with the most important segment of health consumers - women. It is the next for all who are passionate about changing how health care is delivered." Wayne S. Dysinger, MD, MPH, Physician, Founder and Chair, Lifestyle Medical "Lifestyle factors have a powerful role in chronic disease prevention, underscoring the profound control we have over our health. Improving Women's Health Across the Lifespan applies lifestyle medicine to women's health, empowering women and their clinicians with the tools to transform their lives, and fostering a legacy of health for future generations." JoAnn E. Manson, MD, MPH, DrPH, Professor of Medicine and the Michael and Lee Bell Professor of Women's Health, Harvard Medical School Chief, Division of Preventive Medicine Brigham and Women's Hospital, Professor, Harvard Chan School of Public Health

This important new volume in the series Cambridge Reviews in Human Reproduction provides a wide-ranging and authoritative account of the uterus and its physiological role in fertility, normal pregnancy and delivery. Acknowledged authorities from around the world provide a detailed and timely account of uterine physiology. The volume encompasses a wealth of material including cell and developmental biology, structure, function, anatomy and endocrinology, and then goes on to cover clinically important issues such as the cervix during pregnancy, measurement of uterine contractions and initiation of labour. It will prove of particular value to those involved in the management of women with pre-term labour, as well as those concerned with the development of new procedures for the prevention or amelioration of this condition.

Within 10 chapters this book addresses the whole gamut of questions that may arise in the context of pregnancy resulting from assisted reproduction. Incidence of abortion, extrauterine pregnancy or chromosomal abnormalities, pregnancy complications, problems regarding mode of delivery and the health status of children at birth are covered as well as the further development of the children and the social structure of the families. Topics such as follow-up of families in lesbian relationships and following gamete donations are also discussed.

Reproduction plays a huge part in many people's lives, but often little is understood about the biological processes involved and the larger impact of reproductive choices. This book offers an accessible, comprehensive introduction to this fascinating subject. Irina Pollard takes a unique, interdisciplinary perspective, describing in detail the biology of human reproduction, but also covering in depth the impact of procreational behavior on human social structures, the environment, and health. This compelling and authoritative account is the first to draw together in a single volume these two disparate yet intimately connected strands of the story of human reproduction. The book covers fertility and infertility, sexual behavior and pheromones, sperm creation, maternal physiology during pregnancy, fetal development, the biology of breast feeding, and the impact of parental behavior on the physiology of the newborn, as well as population dynamics, artificial control of fertility, the AIDS epidemic, the effects of nutrition and exercise on reproductive behavior, and the causes of birth defects, including abuse of substances such as nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine. This book is an ideal text for undergraduate and graduate students studying biology, medicine, anthropology, human ecology, population dynamics, and public health. It is also an engrossing and enlightening source of information for a wide range of general readers including prospective parents, pregnant mothers, teenagers, and anyone wishing a concise, up-to-date review of human reproductive biology.