This practical book provides need-to-know information vital for acupuncturists to treat patients with fertility problems. Nick Dalton-Brewer details the causes of fertility issues, including the impact of lifestyle and diet, and explains the scientific basis for the different methods of treatment. Integrating Assisted Reproduction Techniques (ART) with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) therapies and acupuncture, he presents his own cutting-edge research on the successful use of these therapies to improve fertility and pregnancy rates and describes a method for integrated diagnosis and treatment. This book will give TCM practitioners direct access to the vital specialist knowledge and technical information needed to treat the increasing numbers of patients with fertility problems effectively. It will also be of interest to doctors of Western medicine concerned about the efficacy of recommending acupuncture treatments as adjuncts to ART.

Girl meets girl. Girl marries girl. They want to have babies - but they need a little help. Double Pregnant is author Natalie Meisner's light-hearted, poignant and informative true story of two lesbians who want to have children. For a variety of reasons, one being that Natalie's wife is a woman of colour who was adopted into a white family, the couple decides not to take the anonymous sperm clinic route. Natalie and Vivien want their children to have some connection to their donor if possible. Taking matters into their own hands leads the couple to a series of often-hilarious "dates" with potential donors, all of whom have wildly different opinions on how the donation process should go and also of what this new, twenty-first-century version of a family will look like.

The success of Assisted Reproductive Technology is critically dependent upon the use of well optimized protocols, based upon sound scientific reasoning, empirical observations and evidence of clinical efficacy. Recently, the treatment of infertility has experienced a revolution, with the routine adoption of increasingly specialized molecular biological techniques and advanced methods for the manipulation of gametes and embryos. This textbook - inspired by the postgraduate degree program at the University of Oxford - guides students through the multidisciplinary syllabus essential to ART laboratory practice, from basic culture techniques and micromanipulation to laboratory management and quality assurance, and from endocrinology to molecular biology and research methods. Written for all levels of IVF practitioners, reproductive biologists and technologists involved in human reproductive science, it can be used as a reference manual for all IVF labs and as a textbook by undergraduates, advanced students, scientists and professionals involved in gamete, embryo or stem cell biology.

Men with cancer rendered infertile by surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and hormone therapy that are needed to control or cure their disease are increasingly being offered the chance to preserve their reproductive potential through artificial reproductive technologies. Cryopreservation of sperm and testicular tissue have increasingly helped boys and men preserve their fertility. There is a growing subspecialty within reproductive medicine aimed at fertility preservation in this population. Furthermore, strategies are being developed that may in the future revolutionize the approach to such patients. Written by international authorities in the field of fertility preservation, this comprehensive book is aimed at clinicians dealing with male cancer patients, in particular, urologists, andrologists, oncologists, pediatricians and nursing staff as well as clinicians in reproductive endocrinology. The text reviews the impact of cancers and their treatment on male fertility, the available fertility preservation strategies and post-treatment management.

It is estimated that more than 4.5 million couples experience infertility each year, and more than 4 million babies have been born using IVF since 1978. However, assisted reproductive technologies continue to raise many medical, social, ethical, political and religious questions, often leading to controversial and sometimes inaccurate opinions about the outcomes of pregnancies resulting from these techniques. This is the first book dedicated to pregnancies arising from assisted reproductive technologies (ART). Chapters cover the most important management issues, from early pregnancy to outcome of children resulting from ART, including gynaecological, genetic and obstetric complications. Each chapter is written and edited by leading experts in the field of human reproduction. A timely, practical and evidence-based guide to the management of ART pregnancies, based on 30 years of clinical experience, this is essential reading for reproductive and maternal-fetal specialists as well as general obstetricians and gynaecologists.

This title includes a number of Open Access chapters. Embryology is the study of embryos. It is the branch of biological science that deals with the formation and early development of an individual organism, from fertilization of the egg (ovum) to birth. This collection includes articles on some of the most important topics in embryology today, such as cryopreservation of human embryos, in vitro generation of neurons from embryonic stem cells, embryonic transfer, transcriptional profiling, and more.

Around three quarters of people who turn to adoption do so because of infertility and those working in this field need information, guidance and support to assist them in the process of adoption to support the adopters and to deal with any issues that may result from infertility. Adopting after Infertility is an accessible and informative interdisciplinary book that addresses the issues that professionals working with adopters and the adopters themselves face when going through the adoption process and the impact of infertility on their experiences. The book includes chapters on the effects of infertility, why people may choose adoption and the assessment and preparation process. It also covers what an Adoption Panel needs to know about the prospective parents, the experiences of those coming to adoption from minority communities or when living with health conditions and post-adoption support needs. Personal accounts by people who have experienced adopting after infertility are included throughout the book. This book will be essential reading for professionals and academics from a range of disciplines including social work, psychology, health, mental health and counselling. It will also be invaluable to students studying for post-qualifying awards.

Intrauterine insemination and ovulation induction is effective first-line treatment for infertility in many straightforward cases and is preferred by many clinicians because they are less invasive than in-vitro fertilization and its variants. This is a comprehensive account of how to set up and run a successful IUI program. The book addresses the practical aspects of treatments that will produce optimum results in terms of pregnancy outcome and safety, as well as the pharmacological and physiological reasons for their use. Chapters on how to prevent complications of ovulation induction such as multiple births and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome are included, as well as how to diagnose infertility in both sexes. Laboratory procedures for sperm preparation are described in detail. Worldwide resources for obtaining donor sperm and legal issues that surround the management of patients are included. This 2009 manual is of interest to reproductive medicine specialists, general practitioners and general obstetrician gynecologists.

A new subspecialty is growing at the interface of reproductive medicine and perinatology: infertility. Textbook of Periconceptional Medicine provides an authoritative and comprehensive reference resource for those providing medical care to women trying to conceive a healthy pregnancy.

A revolutionary first edition, this text brings together a number of difficult and usually separate topics and provides the busy clinician with one authoritative and methodical reference.

Reflecting the breadth of modern clinical practice in this emerging therapy area, this integrated text incorporates aspects of all the relevant existing expertise, including:

• Preconceptual counseling
• Fertility investigation
• Therapy and management of preconception through the first trimester of pregnancy

Highlighting latest advances in genetics and biochemistry, the completely revised Third Edition reviews the field from basic science, clinical, epidemiological, and regulatory perspectives. Contributions from top opinion leaders in the field bring together developments in molecular embryology and cell biology as they apply to problems in developmental toxicology. It covers testing of pharmaceutical and environmental agents and interpretation of developmental toxicology data, highlighting mathematical and statistical techniques, as well as the effects of toxic exposure on the functional development of various organs. The relationship between maternal and developmental toxicology is examined, in addition to current techniques for studying chemical disposition, metabolism, and placental transfer. Close attention is given to the regulatory aspects of testing and risk assessment. Pre- and postconceptional clinical care and genetic factors in clinical developmental toxicology are also discussed. Key topics include: the roles of apoptosis and signal transduction pathways in normal and abnormal development the role of epigenetic changes in development the role of nutrition and individual susceptibility the utility of bioinformatics global and targeted gene expression changes

Cambridge Pocket Clinician Neonatology covers a wide variety of topics related to neonatal medicine, as well as clinical questions on maternal and neonatal conditions, symptoms, and procedures that will challenge providers in both the outpatient and inpatient settings. The topics are organized under headings on different diagnoses, evaluation, treatment, complications, and prognosis so that the user will find the desired information quickly and easily. More than 200 diseases and conditions are discussed in detail. Editors Richard A. Polin, M.D. John M. Lorenz, M.D. An electrionic version of this book can be purchased at http: //www.

The first edition of The Endometrium was a landmark publishing event in reproductive biology and medicine. Many important developments have occurred in the field, and this new edition has been substantially updated and expanded to include new topics with an improved format. With the addition of several new authors and topics, the Second Edition of The Endometrium has developed new coverage of transcriptomics, stem cells, genetics and in-utero programming. Other new areas strengthen to include: placentology in human and animal models, taking account of the tremendous current interest in the maternal-fetal interface and its role in pregnancy pathology, neonatal and adult health. The layout has also been improved in order to aid browsing and cross-referencing. This is an invaluable up-to-date innovative text that will appeal to a worldwide spectrum of academic and professional readers including postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers in reproductive biology. As well as trainees and health care professionals in obstetrics and gynecology and allied disciplines such as assisted reproduction and oncology. A panel of internationally respected authors has been carefully chosen for their insight, clear, fair writing style and scholarly perspective.

Infertility Counseling: A Comprehensive Handbook for Clinicians, 2nd edition, is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary textbook for all health professionals providing care for individuals facing reproductive health issues. It is the most thorough and extensive book currently available for clinicians in the field of infertility counseling, providing an exhaustive and comprehensive review of topics. It addresses both the medical and psychological aspects of infertility, reviewing assessment approaches, treatment strategies, counseling for medical conditions impacting fertility, third-party reproduction, alternative family building and post infertility counseling issues. Each chapter follows the same format: introduction, historical overview, literature review, theoretical framework, identification of clinical issues, suggestions for therapeutic interventions, and future implication. This edition also includes extensive appendixes of clinical tools useful to the clinician, including an Internet database of resources and an extensive glossary of terminology.

This is a practical guide to the optimal clinical management of preterm labour, using the best available evidence. Preterm labour remains a challenge today, even with the latest developments summarised here. The editors and authors (mostly practising clinicians) are all actively involved in research into the mechanisms, aetiology, treatment and associated outcomes of preterm labour. The chapters are based on common clinical scenarios and each provides a comprehensive literature review followed by evidence-based recommendations on appropriate management. A summary of the pathophysiology of parturition is provided, and the obstetric scenarios cover management of threatened preterm labour, management of preterm premature ruptured membranes and management of preterm labour with specific complications (such as intrauterine growth restriction). Other chapters include the epidemiology, the prediction and the prevention of preterm labour. Anaesthetic and paediatric issues are explored in depth, and there are chapters on legal and organisational issues around preterm labour.

In addition to covering clinical topics and surgical procedures, this essential textbook provides detailed commentary on the contemporary social, psychological and economic issues that affect women's health. Acknowledged authorities in respective research fields have contributed specific sections to address the topics of women's mental health, genetics, prescribing for women, health promotion, hormones throughout the life cycle, psychological and behavioral issues.

Women's reproductive tract infections and other gynecological disorders are an enormous global health burden. This significant book helps focus research in this important, neglected area. It is a vital tool for doctors, epidemiologists and public health professionals to formulate effective ways of evaluating the scale of this problem within the local community. The book takes an international perspective and recognizes that gathering gynecological information in different societies requires a sensitive and multidisciplinary approach. This research highlights the social significance of these disorders for women's health and casts new light on effective medical and behavioral interventions.

Asserting that there are many more organic codes in nature than just the genetic code, Marcello Barbieri states that the existence of these codes and their corresponding organic memories can be used to explain the key steps in the evolutionary history of life. With major events corresponding to the appearance of new codes, the organic codes and their corresponding organic memories can also shed new light on the problems of epigenesis and how embryos generate their own complexity.

This insightful and thought-provoking collection of chapters describes the rapid advances that have revolutionized reproductive medicine. From oogenesis and spermatogenesis, through to fertilization, embryogenesis, and cloning, this volume looks at cutting-edge technologies and scientific advances. Subsequent chapters focus on infertility and its diagnosis and treatment using the full armory of assisted reproductive technologies. A concluding section surveys the impact of these developments on the provision, regulation, and financing of reproductive health care in the global community.

This well-illustrated new publication provides concise yet comprehensive practical information on the modern-day approach to the diagnosis and treatment of infertility. The author explains basic principles of reproductive physiology, before moving on to the medical causes of infertility. The full armory of techniques from IVF to ICSI and even newer technologies used to treat infertility in all its manifestations is described and detailed. The aim throughout is to explain issues clearly, simply, and directly in a way that will be understood by doctors, scientists, and nurses alike. By combining basic science and medical aspects, along with "how it is done" descriptions of techniques and medical interventions, this book offers an unsurpassed introductory account of this fast moving area.

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.

This practical and concise guide provides a step-by-step approach to every aspect of the interpretation of semen analysis results. While other books focus on basic semen analysis protocol and techniques, few books then go on to actually interpret these results and provide useful guidance on the significance of different results for infertility assessment. This guide takes a systematic, hands-on approach to identification of the ranges of abnormality that contribute to male subfertility. It also defines basic concepts, provides clinically essential reference values, and elucidates the often subtle relationships among many sperm characteristics. Once conclusions are reached, the guide offers recommendations for appropriate referral and additional options. Inclusion of vignettes from a wide range of real-life case reports based on the author's own experiences help to illustrate key points. This practical guide is an invaluable resource for all clinicians, scientists, and laboratory professionals working with infertile patients.

In recent years, the treatment of male infertility has been revolutionized by advances in assisted reproductive technology. Prepared by an authoritative international panel of experts, this concise and structured account provides a consensus on the most effective and logical approach to the investigation and management of male infertility. The manual focuses attention on three key areas: history taking, clinical assessment of male fertility, and objective criteria for diagnostic categories. This approach complements the areas covered in the companion volume WHO Laboratory Manual for the Examination of Human Semen and Sperm-Cervical Mucus Interaction (CUP, fourth edition, 1999) and significantly expands on the section on male infertility discussed in the previous volume on the infertile couple, WHO Manual for the Standardized Investigation and Diagnosis of the Infertile Couple (CUP, 1993). This new, practical consensus will be an indispensable guide to good clinical management of all forms of male infertility.

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.

Many wrongly believe that reproductive cycles are very similar among human females. In actuality, there are considerable variations among individuals and within the reproductive life of any given female. "Normal" reproductive cycles cover a wide range of examples, and the likelihood of successful monthly egg release and ensuing pregnancy can be modified by many factors. In this book, the variability of human fertility is examined by looking first at the physiological processes regulating reproduction. Interpopulation variation in normal ovarian function is then discussed, covering the importance of factors such as age and disease in the modification of ovarian function. The final part of this text covers issues of metabolic effects on reproduction. Researchers will welcome this definitive compilation of observations on fertility.

Kinetic models are becoming standard tools in the research of biological systems. They are used to represent hypotheses, analyze data, and design experiments to maximize the information obtained from a study. Kinetic Models of Trace Element and Mineral Metabolism During Development describes models for calcium, chromium, copper, iron, iodide, lead, mercury, selenium, zinc, and others in health and disease.