In 2004, the Assisted Human Reproduction Act was passed by the Parliament of Canada. Fully in force by 2007, the act was intended to safeguard and promote the health, safety, dignity, and rights of Canadians. However, a 2010 Supreme Court of Canada decision ruled that key parts of the act were invalid. Regulating Creation is a collection of essays built around the 2010 ruling. Featuring contributions by Canadian and international scholars, it offers a variety of perspectives on the role of law in dealing with the legal, ethical, and policy issues surrounding changing reproductive technologies. In addition to the in-depth analysis of the Canadian case the volume reflects on how other countries, particularly the U.S., U.K. and New Zealand regulate these same issues. Combining a detailed discussion of legal approaches with an in-depth exploration of societal implications, Regulating Creation deftly navigates the obstacles of legal policy amidst the rapid current of reproductive technological innovation.

Selecting good-quality sperm for use in in-vitro fertilization is a key step in assisted reproduction. For many years purely morphological attributes have been used to assess suitability, but increasingly biochemical and molecular biological techniques are now identifying sperm with the best chances of producing viable and healthy embryos. Focusing on modern sperm function testing, this manual provides technical details of commonly used tests and gives an overview of the laboratory techniques used to evaluate sperm samples. Covering a variety of testing methods in detail, from manual and computer-assisted semen analysis to zona pellucida binding assays, and tests assessing sperm DNA damage such as the TUNEL assay. Describing the underlying science, practical advice for performing the tests is given, including tips for optimizing outcomes and trouble-shooting. This is an essential guide for reproductive medicine specialists, clinical andrologists, urologists and gynecologists working with sub-fertile men.

At 11.47pm on July 25th 1978, Louise Brown was the first person ever to be born through science rather than as the result of two people having sex. The birth was hailed as a "miracle" by the world's media, making her instantly famous. For the first time Louise tells the story of her world changing birth and its impact on her life. The book contains many family photographs and letters which have never been published before. It was written by Louise with her long-term publicist Martin Powell of Empica PR.

One message that comes along with ever-improving fertility treatments and increasing acceptance of single motherhood, older first-time mothers, and same-sex partnerships, is that almost any woman can and should become a mother. The media and many studies focus on infertile and involuntarily childless women who are seeking treatment. They characterize this group as anxious and willing to try anything, even elaborate and financially ruinous high-tech interventions, to achieve a successful pregnancy.

But the majority of women who struggle with fertility avoid treatment. The women whose interviews appear in "Not Trying" belong to this majority. Their attitudes vary and may change as their life circumstances evolve. Some support the prevailing cultural narrative that women are meant to be mothers and refuse to see themselves as childfree by choice. Most of these women, who come from a wider range of social backgrounds than most researchers have studied, experience deep ambivalence about motherhood and non-motherhood, never actually choosing either path. They prefer to let life unfold, an attitude that seems to reduce anxiety about not conforming to social expectations.

Stuart and his wife Julie decided they were ready to have a baby. She went on vitamins and they went on one last vacation, because they thought it would be no time at all before she was pregnant. But that's not exactly how things went. For nearly two years, they endured grueling fertility treatments, beginning with charting temperatures and predicting ovulation, on to oral fertility drugs, through a laparoscopy, a slew of IUIs, and multiple IVFs, and, finally, a course of homeopathic remedies. Catawampus tells this tale of the madness and confusion of fertility treatments and all that those treatments entail but, this time, it's Stuart that tells the story. So, specimen collecting? Sure. Syringes, large and small? Yes. Heartache, frustration, and anger? Of course, but Stuart also shows what else was going on at the time, because, despite the fact that the fertility process can dominate a couple's focus, life continues to unfold. As such, the book is about a relationship between husband and wife, between parent and child, about friendship, and, ultimately, about what it means to be a father. Oh, yeah, it's also very funny. And filled with a choice selection of rants about popular culture, references to movies ranging from the ridiculous to the mostly-still-ridiculous, citations of literary classics, and a little bit of Nashville thrown in for fun. In the end, it's entertaining and poignant writing, and a necessary and underrepresented perspective of an important, hot-button issue.

Infertility affects about 15% of couples in western societies. In addition to isolation, infertility challenges women's sense of identity, expectations of their life trajectory and their perceived value in society. This book presents current research on the genetic factors, treatment risk and benefits, and social and psychological consequences of infertility. Topics include the traditional Chinese medicine approach to fertility management; adverse outcomes of assisted reproduction techniques; the impact of follicular fluid components and embryo-endometrial cross-talk on the oocyte quality or embryo viability; iatrogenic damage incurred during fertility treatment upon gamete competence and embryonic viability; genetic factors of male infertility; animal models for studying female infertility; and treatment of endometriosis associated with infertility.

'This book is totally brilliant - informative, sensitive, funny and wise. Reading it is like talking to a fairy godmother who also happens to be a gynaecologist and expert on all things fertility' Sophia Money-Coutts Big Fat Negative (BFN) - a term commonly used on internet forums to refer to a negative pregnancy test. Infertility can be a lonely journey. One in every six couples will struggle to conceive but, despite this, many don't feel comfortable talking openly about their experiences and sharing what they are going through. As a result, they feel isolated and alone. It doesn't have to be this way. By talking, laughing and shouting about our experiences we can start to lift the cloak of shame that so often engulfs those going through it. Big Fat Negative does just that. This no-nonsense, honest guide to infertility from the hosts of the Big Fat Negative podcast smashes the taboo around this isolating and heartbreaking illness, offering first-hand experience, an understanding voice when friends don't get it, expert advice, reassurance for when you feel alone and - most importantly - humour when it you need it the most. Using first-hand accounts of the various hurdles of infertility, from work to diagnoses and IVF, coupled with advice from leading experts, Big Fat Negative will hold your hand on the not-so simple journey to motherhood - helping you to face and defeat the trials of trying for a baby.

"I am so very sorry..." The words were out. My mouth was dry, my heart was thumping, and my despair was clearly visible. And so began Trudie and Lloyd Thompson's heart breaking 12 year journey of IVF treatment, losing a business and even bankruptcy. Through all of this, their love and their relentless enthusiasm kept them strong, and now they are sharing their unique and uplifting story with you. The twists and turns of fate, including an appearance on a TV home makeover show, brought Trudie and Lloyd closer together, and ultimately their courage brought them their most treasured dream; a family. Dreams Do Come True is a story of that courage, a story that proves that with love and determination, anything is possible.

Having a baby can be one of the most wonderful times of your life -- but if you need help to conceive, it can swiftly become a staggeringly expensive undertaking. With the average cost of infertility treatments ranging from $35,000 to $85,000 in the United States (most of which is "not" covered by insurance companies), many women and couples find themselves having to make difficult choices about building their families.

Getting a grip on your finances is one of the few things you can do to regain control of this process. Infertility experts Evelina Weidman Sterling and Angie Best-Boss have created the ultimate guide to ensuring the most cost-effective care with the highest chances for success. With anecdotes, interviews, and advice from both doctors and patients, you can easily apply these specific money-saving strategies to your own unique situation. Learn how to:

- Select a fertility clinic with a high rate of success

- Convince your insurance company to cover more of the costs

- Track down the most affordable fertility drugs

- Travel abroad for cheaper care or international surrogacy

- Avoid the scams and unnecessary expenses every step of the way

Personal and professional, "Budgeting for Infertility" is an invaluable resource that shows you how to pay for infertility treatment...and still have money in the bank for diapers and day care.

A Common Thread is a collection of sixteen brave and honest accounts of fertility issues and miscarriage. Each journey is unique; yet each contributor shares truthfully from their heart the highs and lows they have been through; how their journey has affected their faith and how God has brought them through. Although the physical, emotional and mental toll can be unbearable for those who find themselves facing these battles, there is hope. Within this book you will read the stories of those who have experienced successful IVF, failed IVF, multiple miscarriages, miscarriage after having children, adoption, miracle births, and those who have never been able to have children. Although we all experience the journey differently, we all share 'a common thread' of understanding. You are not alone.

In Taking Baby Steps, Jody Lynee Madeira takes readers inside the infertility experience, from dealing with infertility-related emotions through forming treatment relationships with medical professionals to confronting difficult medical decisions. Based on hundreds of interviews, this book investigates how women, men, and medical professionals negotiate infertility's rocky terrain to create life and build families-a journey across personal, medical, legal, and ethical minefields that can test mental and physical health, friendships and marriages, spirituality, and financial security.

Infertility affects nearly 6.1 million women and 2.1 million married couples in the United States. Additionally, 25 percent of women of childbearing age will experience a miscarriage and one in 80 pregnancies will end in a stillbirth. In Hope Deferred, we hear the voices of five female scholars from a variety of Christian denominations--Church of the Brethren, Disciples of Christ, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Roman Catholic--as they share their very private stories of painful loss in the hope of bringing comfort and a theological understanding to those who have experienced reproductive loss.

This is an up-to-date evidence-based textbook for junior obstetricians and gynaecologists. It contains all the material relevant to everyday practice and the new RCOG curriculum. It has been written and edited by inspiring teams that combine juniors, new and established consultants working in a range of settings and many of the UK's top experts in obstetrics and gynaecology.
Step-by-step descriptions and pictures of practical procedures help trainees integrate their clinical and drills-and-skills teaching with the theoritical basis of the vital, life-saving and emergency aspects of this specialty. The text covers the basic knowledge, skills, and attitudes required before taking advanced modules or training in the subspecialty areas of obstetrics and gynaecology. Full reference is made to grades and levels of evidence, to specialty, and RCOG, and NICE guidance.
A novel section on professional skills covers a wide range of issues that other textbooks skim over, but will add quality to practice: breaking bad news, clinical errors and negligence, the Confidential Enquiries, law and ethics, and what to do when things go wrong.
The book manages to combine both a freshness and enthusiasm for the specialty along with wisdom rooted in reflective clinical practice. The text is laid out with excellent instructions, diagrams, clinical tips, landmark studies, key references and useful websites, all encouraging understanding and enjoyable learning.

Winner, 2007 Rachel Carson Prize given by the Society for Social Studies of Science (4S). Assisted reproductive technology (ART) makes babies and parents at once. Drawing on science and technology studies, feminist theory, and historical and ethnographic analyses of ART clinics, Charis Thompson explores the intertwining of biological reproduction with the personal, political, and technological meanings of reproduction. She analyzes the "ontological choreography" at ART clinics--the dynamics by which technical, scientific, kinship, gender, emotional, legal, political, financial, and other matters are coordinated--using ethnographic data to address questions usually treated in the abstract. Reproductive technologies, says Thompson, are part of the increasing tendency to turn social problems into biomedical questions and can be used as a lens through which to see the resulting changes in the relations between science and society. After giving an account of the book's disciplinary roots in science and technology studies and in feminist scholarship on reproduction, Thompson comes to the ethnographic heart of her study. She develops her concept of ontological choreography by examining ART's normalization of "miraculous" technology (including the etiquette of technological sex); gender identity in the assigned roles of mother and father and the conservative nature of gender relations in the clinic; the naturalization of technologically assisted kinship and procreative intent; and patients' pursuit of agency through objectification and technology. Finally, Thompson explores the economies of reproductive technologies, concluding with a speculative and polemical look at the "biomedical mode ofreproduction" as a predictor of future relations between science and society.

This is the highly acclaimed book by Robin Marantz Henig about the early days of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and the ethical and legal battles waged in the 1970s, as well as the scientific advances that eventually changed the public perception of 'test tube babies'. Published in paperback for the first time, this timely and provocative book brilliantly presents the scientific and ethical dilemmas in the ongoing debate over what it means to be human in a technological age. About the author: Robin Marantz Henig is the author of eight books. Her previous book The Monk in the Garden: The Lost and Found Genius of Gregor Mendel, was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. She writes about science and medicine for the New York Times Magazine, where she is a contributing writer, as well as for publications such as Scientific American, Smithsonian, and The Washington Post. Robin Henig garnered two prestigious awards in 2006: the Science in Society Award, the highest honor in science journalism, awarded by the National Association of Science Writers, and The Watson Davis and Helen Miles Davis Prize awarded by The History of Science Society for the best book in the history of science for general readers.

This book presents a groundbreaking new method that doubles the rates of spontaneous ovulation and significantly improves fertility. Infertility is a growing concern for large portions of the population. Of women aged 15-44, 6.1 million have impaired fertility and 9.3 million women have made use of fertility services. "Fertility Foods" creates a prescriptive programme that increases ovulation, reduces the chance of miscarriage, and significantly improves a couple's probability of successfully getting, and staying, pregnant. From one of the most respected experts in reproductive endocrinology comes this groundbreaking, non-invasive, nutritionally-based method. Groll's specialised research has shown that high insulin levels can hinder normal ovulation and impact a pregnancy's ability to attach to the uterus. "Fertility Foods" combines its nutritional plan with a specific exercise programme that enhances insulin metabolism, this oft-ignored barrier to fertility. Whether couples are taking their first steps in combating infertility or are searching for effective methods to support more advanced fertility treatments, this essential guide is helpful and rewarding for every couple trying for a child.

Who does a woman turn to when, more than anything in the world, she wants to have a child, but her body refuses to cooperate? Sometimes, all you need is a miracle. In 1998, when thirty-seven-year-old Sandra Watson Rapley and her husband Craig married, both decided that they wanted children right away. Sandra expected some difficulty trying to conceive because of uterine fibroids she had removed years ago. However, she was not prepared for the turbulent - and often times disappointing - road she would have to travel to make her dream a reality. After many failed attempts at drug therapy, ovulation calculation, and in-vitro fertilization, the Rapleys finally learned the devastating truth - fibroids inside Sandra's uterus were preventing a successful pregnancy. Following months of discussion, testing, and counseling, the miracle that the Rapleys were praying for arrived in the form of a surrogate. Their sister-in-law, Victoria, selflessly volunteered to be their embryo's oven, and on August 29, 2001, Victoria gave birth to the Rapleys twin sons. Sandra Watson Rapley's struggle with infertility, through the emotional highs and lows and the exciting time when her dream of having a child is finally fulfilled.

For people experiencing infertility, wanting a baby is a craving unlike any other. The intensity of their longing is matched only by the complexity of the emotional maze they must navigate.
With insight and compassion, Drs. Janet Jaffe, Martha Diamond, and David Diamond-specialists in the field of Reproductive Psychology who have each experienced their own struggle with infertility-give couples the tools to:
*Reduce their sense of helplessness and isolation
*Identify their mates' coping styles to erase unfair expectations
*Listen to their "unsung lullabies"--their conscious and unconscious dreams about having a family--to mourn the losses of infertility and move on.
Ground-breaking, wise, and compassionate, Unsung Lullabies is a necessary companion for anyone coping with infertility.

A complete and up-to-date guide for those men (and their partners) concerned about preventing and overcoming impotence. Does increasing age inevitably lead to a sexual decline in men? What are the links between heart attack, stroke, and impotence? Can vasectomy cause sexual dysfunction? Richard Milsten and Julian Slowinksi answer these and numerous other questions in this clear and comprehensive guide to maintaining lifelong sexual health. The authors bring together the two critical areas of expertise--medical and psychological--to explain healthy male sexual function and the problem of sexual dysfunction. With an emphasis on prevention, they discuss the medical and psychological causes of impotence and all available treatment options. Topics include what questions to ask a doctor, what to expect from treatment or therapy, information for women about their partners' health, and a self-evaluation questionnaire. "The Sexual Male" provides important knowledge for men and women of any age.

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, now with an extra chapter. 'All I ever wanted was to be a mum - I couldn't wait and it felt as though my time was so close. But the months started to tick by, with each one ending in disappointment and frustration. And then the inevitable panic started to set in ...' Having been told by doctors that, due to Izzy's polycystic ovarian syndrome, they would have difficulty conceiving - and after two years of trying - Izzy and her husband, Harry, turned to IVF. Izzy's aim is to break through some of the taboos surrounding miscarriage, IVF and fertility issues. This brutally honest and deeply personal account acknowledges the struggles that many couples go through but will ultimately focus on the positive, life-changing results that IVF can yield. Izzy hopes that this book will be a companion to those going through similar challenges to those she has experienced. As she herself says, 'No couple should have to go through it alone and in silence.'

This book provides up-to-date research on the prevalence, risk factors and outcomes of recurrent pregnancy loss. Chapter One discusses immunopathogenetic aspects of recurrent miscarriages with infectious genesis. Chapter Two examines abnormal endometrial decidualisation in endocrine disorders associated with early recurrent pregnancy loss. Chapter Three focuses on the significance of the determination of antibodies to different phospholipids and some genetic factors for thrombophilia in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Chapter Four explains immunorehabilitation in miscarriages of pregnancies.