Over the last several decades, many biologists have been intrigued with the "immunological paradox" of pregnancy, where maternal and fetal tissues peaceably coexist despite their genetic differences. With the development of new insights on the interactive components of the immune system as well as the generation of powerful new molecular and cellular tools, singular progress has been made in understanding immunological events that culminate in successful pregnancy. This volume contains the proceedings for the first US symposium on the "Immunobiology of Reproduction" held August 26 - 29, 1993 in Boston, Massachusetts. Papers address hemotopoietic cells in reproductive tissues; growth factors/cytokines in the female reproductive tract and placenta; growth factor networks in pregnancy loss and cancer; placental expression of major histocompatibility complex and associated genes; experimental models of MHC gene expression; and immunological aspects of human infertility.

Reproductive donation is the most contentious area of assisted reproduction. Even within Europe there are wide variations in what is permitted in each country. This multi-disciplinary book takes a fresh look at the practices of egg, sperm and embryo donation and surrogacy, bringing together ethical analysis and empirical research. New evidence is offered on aspects of assisted reproduction and the families these create, including non-traditional types. One of the key issues addressed is should children be told of their donor origin? If they do learn the identity of their donor, what kinds of relationships may be forged between families, the donor and other donor sibling families? Should donation involve a gift relationship? Is intra-familial donation too close for comfort? How should we understand the growing trend for 'reproductive tourism'? This lively and informed discussion offers new insights into reproductive donation and the resulting donor families.

The frontispiece, Leonardo da Vinci's drawing of the embryo in the womb, was chosen as a starting point for this book. It was Leonardo who in his notebooks and drawings combined artistic composition and accurate recording of the anatomy of the human body. Leonardo studied human anatomy in order to execute artistic drawings. His aim was to clarify form and function of human organs including reproductive organs. He followed up his extensive research with graphic representa tion and thereby initiated record keeping as a basis of scientific investigation. His records, accurate three-dimensional drawings, allowed others to reproduce his find ings and to test for correctness. Results could be updated and refined. Only after these steps can abnormalities be ascertained and defined as pathology. Though Leonardo was both artist and scientist, it is assumed that his anatomic drawings were used to improve his art, and thus scientific endeavor was at the service of his art. Anatomy, the offspring of science and art, is an integration of the two and became an accepted branch of the natural sciences. Although art and science continued to interact throughout the Renaissance, art was often placed in the service of science. In the course of history that followed, art and science in creasingly followed separate ways."

Since the first successful transfer of an in vitro fertilised human egg in 1976, modern endocrinology, genetics, and assisted reproductive technologies have opened new frontiers of research with the aim to treat infertile women. In this workshop we set out to promote an interdisciplinary discussion between experts from various fields of basic, company-based and clinical research related to folliculogenesis and oocyte development. The aim of this workshop was to present, discuss and assess novel approaches in mammalian folliculogenesis and oocyte development that may have an impact on fertility/ infertility in the near or distant future. Key issues were the understanding of new modulators of folliculogenesis and regulators of cytoplasmic as well as meiotic oocyte maturation, modern technologies, the aging oocyte and pathogenetic mechanisms of infertility.

This practical handbook provides detailed guidelines on prescribing drugs in all classes and for a wide variety of diseases and disorders during pregnancy, with numerous boxes and tables to assist understanding. CONTENTS: Introduction to Drugs in Pregnancy * Antimicrobials during Pregnancy: Bacterial, Viral, Fungal, and Parasitic Indications * Cardiovascular Drugs during Pregnancy * Endocrine Disorders, Contraception, and Hormone Therapy during Pregnancy: Embryotoxic versus Fetal Effects * Antiasthma Agents during Pregnancy * Anesthetic Agents and Surgery during Pregnancy * Antineoplastic Drugs during Pregnancy * Analgesics during Pregnancy * Anticonvulsant Drugs during Pregnancy * Psychotropic Use during Pregnancy * Antihistamines, Decongestants, and Expectorants during Pregnancy * Nutritional and Dietary Supplementation during Pregnancy * Use of Dermatologics during Pregnancy * Drug Overdoses during Pregnancy * Miscellaneous Drugs during Pregnancy: Tocolytics, Immunosuppressants, and Biologic Therapeutics * Substance Abuse during Pregnancy * Online Support Material

Reproductive medicine is the most dynamic area within obstetrics and gynecology and, arguably, the most complicated. An explosion of scientific understanding and technological capabilities - particularly in contraception, infertility and menopause - has transformed the specialty into a high-profile subject that touches upon endocrinology, embryology, andrology, surgery, social science, and practical law and ethics. The Oxford American Handbook of Reproductive Medicine provides a practical overview of the reproductive system and a systematic approach to its disorders, covering diagnosis, assessment, and ongoing management with particular emphasis on common and important presentations. Concise, readable, and pocket-sized, this handbook is useful for medical students, primary care clinicians, and ob/gyn residents as a ready reference for daily practice.

'Reprogen-Ethics and the Future of Gender' brings together three tightly related topics, which have so far been dealt separately in bioethics: assisted reproduction, enhancing and gender. Part one in this book targets present policies and legislature of assisted reproduction. Part two focuses on current views of the ethics of PGD and enhancing. Part three tackles the future of gender. Part four deals with artificial wombs and ectogenesis. The aim of this book is to provide a joint perspective in order to get the big picture. Contributors include Matti Hayry, Tuija Takala, Soren Holm, David Heyd, Daniel Callahan, Harriet Bradley, Ekaterina Balabanova and others. Some chapters in this book will significantly contribute to the current discussion of the topics at stake; other chapters will start a discussion on issues that have not yet been discussed. 'Reprogen-Ethics and the Future of Gender' will certainly appeal to readers who are interested in any of the intersecting topics of assisted reproduction, genetic enhancing and gender; bioethicists, sociologists, genetic counsellors, gynaecologists, legislators, and students of the relevant disciplines.

It has been over 40 years since the original report by Salmon and Daughaday demon strating that the ability of GH to stimulate sulfation of cartilage was mediated by a "sulfation factor. " In the ensuing decades, it has become apparent that this "sulfation factor activity" encompasses a complex system ofligands (IGFs), receptors, and carrier proteins that are, in tum, responsible for a wide array of cellular actions. The IGF system has been demonstrated to be critically involved in both intrauterine and postnatal growth, and to have important implications in cancer biology as well, owing to the ability of the IGFs to function in endocrine, paracrine, and autocrine modes and given the wide distri bution of IGFs in virtually every organ system. The contributions to The /GF System reflect the wide span of interest in the IGF system and its implications for normal and abnormal growth and metabolism. The chapters have been divided into four broad sections: I. Molecular biology of the IGF system; II. Bio logical actions of the IGFs; III. IGF physiology; and IV. Clinical aspects of the IGFs. We have made every effort to highlight the major contemporary themes in IGF biology, but as is inevitable in such a fast-moving field, perspectives will continue to change as new information is accumulated."

Congenital malformations are worldwide occurrences striking in every condition of society. These severe physical abnormalities which are present at birth and affecting every part of the body happen more often than usually realized, once in every 33 births. The most common, after heart defects, are those of the neural tube (the brain and spinal cord) which happen in as many as one in every 350 births. They have been noted as curiousities in man and beast throughout recorded history and received great attention in our time by various fields of study, for example, their faulty prenatal development by embryologists, familial patterns by geneticists, causation by environmentalists and variability by population scientists.

Attention turned much in recent years to the relation of these malformations to deficiency of a particular dietary ingredient, folic acid, a subject this book analyzes in depth. The greatest conundrum of all, which this latest matter like so much else hinges on, is the amazing fact of the tremendous, almost universal decrease in the frequency of these anomalies since early in the 20th century. The puzzle is 'What can this downward trend possibly mean?' and at bottom 'Whether it is part of a long-term cyclical pattern'. This fascinating biological phenomenon is explored in the book together with various other topics.

The strength of this collection of essays is its careful consideration, from a variety of perspectives within the Catholic tradition, of the practice of embryo adoption. It approaches the question in an open and reasonable way by allowing proponents of diverse positions within the tradition. This method both sheds a great deal of light on the particular question and at the same time introduces the reader to the relevant general principles that guide Catholic moral thought.

Life Before Birth provides a coherent framework for addressing bioethical issues in which the moral status of embryos and fetuses is relevant. It is based on the "interest view" which ascribes moral standing to beings with interests, and connects the possession of interests with the capacity for conscious awareness or sentience. The theoretical framework is applied to ethical and legal topics, including abortion, prenatal torts, wrongful life, the crime of feticide, substance abuse by pregnant women, compulsory cesareans, assisted reproduction, and stem cell research. Along the way, difficult philosophical problems, such as identity and the non-identity problem are thoroughly explored. The book will be of interest not only to philosophers, but also physicians, lawyers, policy makers, and anyone perplexed by the many difficulties surrounding the unborn.
"Bonnie Steinbock's excellent book is . . . consistent, thoroughgoing, and intelligible." --Nature
"Steinbock's book is valuable for all interested in the ethical/legal issues surrounding abortion, prenatal injury and liability, maternal-fetal conflict, and fetal/embryo research. The author provides an excellent historical overview of these issues, but she also addresses the issues from the stance of a particular theory of moral status, namely, interest theory. This gives coherence to her discussion as well as allowing testing of the viability of interest theory."
--Choice
"A focused, lucid, analytically fine-grained discussion of a wide variety of problems. . . extremely useful as a survey of the current state of the debate." --Religious Studies Review
"Merits serious consideration by physicians. Steinbock's interests-based approach treats all questions as open -- another and most welcome breath of fresh air." -New England Journal of Medicine
"An extremely valuable contribution to the literature. The author carefully identifies the many bioethical issues to which the status of embryos and fetuses is relevant....She thoroughly reviews the extensive medical, bioethical, and legal literature on all of these issues, offering well-developed critiques of many standard positions. She articulates and thoughtfully defends interesting positions on all of theses topics. Anyone with an interest in these issues will learn a great deal from her knowledgeable and judicious treatment of them." -- The Journal of Clinical Ethics

Andrology for the Clinician consists of two parts: In Part One, the busy clinician can easily find the problem-orientated information he or she needs on such issues as male factor fertility problems, male contraception, and male genital tract infection and tumours. Part Two contains in-depth subject-orientated information and adds important scientific background information to the recommendations received in Part One. Several leading experts have contributed to this work, which has been extensively subedited by world-renowned editors to ensure a well-structured didactic design and homogeneous content. This outstanding book is of great value for all Urologists, Andrologists, Dermatologists, Endocrinologists, Gynaecologists, Reproductive Biologists, GPs, Gerontologists, Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Paediatricians and anyone else interested in the problems of male sex and constitution.

This book presents the findings of a study into the social shaping of reproductive genetics in Germany and Israel, two exceptionally interesting social settings, which share a traumatic history.

Based on a variety of empirical materials (including in-depth interviews with genetic counsellors and survey data on their practices and opinions, as well as analysis of legal, religious, professional and media texts), the study reveals dramatic differences between the way that the German and Israeli societies address the question of a life (un)worthy of living: while in Germany, social, cultural, religious and legal conditions restrict the selection of embryos based on prenatal diagnosis, in Israel they strongly encourage it.

A close comparative analysis of the ways that these two societies handle the delicate balance between the quality and sanctity of life illuminates the controversy around reproductive genetics in an original and provocative way. The study is also innovative in its use of contemporary social theory concerning the politics of life in comprehending the differences between two societies positioned at opposite extremes in their adoption of reproductive genetics. It thus offers an original cross-cultural discussion concerning present-day techno-medical manipulations of life itself.

'This is a unique and courageous book. Yael Hashiloni-Dolev studied the field of reproductive genetics in Israel and Germany, and found out that while in Germany social, cultural, legal and religious conditions restrict the selection of embryos based on prenatal diagnosis, it is strongly encouraged in Israel. This unexpected finding is brilliantly analyzed by the author. Thus this excellent book must be read and discussed by social scientists, human geneticists, genetic counsellors, bio ethicists and medical students.'
Benno Muller Hill, Dr. rer. nat. m. Prof. at the Institute of Genetics of the University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany"

In recent years, increasing attention and resources have been brought to bear on the relationship between the environment and congenital diseases. These diseases were previously thought to be mostly due to genetic causes. Even though the importance of genes as factors in causation is accepted, environmental factors seem to be implicated just as strongly. This book explores some further concepts that have arisen from more recent perceptions of environmental effects and their possible interactions with living systems. Amongst the topics discussed are:

-effects of prenatal exposure to toxic chemicals

-intra-uterine exposure to drugs

-effects of endocrine disrupters

-environmental risk and sex ratio in newborns

-surveillance of environmental impact

-research and policy

Discussion and presentation of old and novel ideas is targeted at developing a more holistic and united perception of the interaction between congenital diseases and the environment.

This insightful and thought-provoking 2002 collection of chapters describes the rapid advances that had revolutionised reproductive medicine in the years leading up to its publication. This transformation was the result of converging and overlapping developments in reproductive biology, molecular biology and genetics. These advances allied with remarkable technical developments pushed the boundaries of this discipline ever faster forward. This volume surveys this rapid expansion as it stood in 2002 and looks ahead at exciting prospects for the future that stand at the watershed between basic science and clinical application. From oogeneis and spermatogenesis, through to fertilisation, embryogenesis and cloning, this volume looks at 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 book reviews recent trends and developments in the study of the impact that the environment has on human reproduction. It thoroughly examines these issues, using the most modern techniques and methods available, to analyze the manner in which both male and female fertility can be affected and assessed. Coverage examines such diverse factors as toxic environmental contaminants, air pollution, and exposure to medical drugs.

Leading gender and science scholar Sarah S. Richardson charts the untold history of the idea that a woman's health and behavior during pregnancy can have long-term effects on her descendants' health and welfare. The idea that a woman may leave a biological trace on her gestating offspring has long been a commonplace folk intuition and a matter of scientific intrigue, but the form of that idea has changed dramatically over time. Beginning with the advent of modern genetics at the turn of the twentieth century, biomedical scientists dismissed any notion that a mother-except in cases of extreme deprivation or injury-could alter her offspring's traits. Consensus asserted that a child's fate was set by a combination of its genes and post-birth upbringing. Over the last fifty years, however, this consensus was dismantled, and today, research on the intrauterine environment and its effects on the fetus is emerging as a robust program of study in medicine, public health, psychology, evolutionary biology, and genomics. Collectively, these sciences argue that a woman's experiences, behaviors, and physiology can have life-altering effects on offspring development. Tracing a genealogy of ideas about heredity and maternal-fetal effects, this book offers a critical analysis of conceptual and ethical issues-in particular, the staggering implications for maternal well-being and reproductive autonomy-provoked by the striking rise of epigenetics and fetal origins science in postgenomic biology today.

Mammalian spermatozoa have complex structures. The structure-function relationship of sperm has been studied from various viewpoints. Accumulated evidence has shown that the sperm components undergo sequential changes from the beginning of spermatogenesis to the time of fertilization/embryogenesis. Structural analyses have been performed using various new techniques of light and electron microscopy as well as immunohistochemistry and immunocytochemistry in combination with specific probes such as antibodies against sperm components. Recently developed gene-manipulation techniques have accelerated investigations on the events that govern the relationship between the structure and molecular components of sperm. In addition, animal models with gene manipulations have been shown to exhibit various morphological and functional abnormalities that lead to infertility.

In humans, male infertility is caused by a number of factors such as the external environment, nutrient changes, genotoxins, and mutagens. These factors affect not only the development of germ cells during spermatogenesis but also the functions of mature sperm, ultimately impairing fertilization or embryogenesis. Typical phenotypes of impaired fertilization or embryogenesis are visible in conditions such as azoospermia, oligozoospermia, and teratozoospermia, which have been induced in model animals with gene deficiencies. Thus, comparative analyses of the phenotypes expressed by model animals carrying gene mutations and infertile human patients should be performed in relation to the normal (natural) fertilization process to clarify the etiology of infertility due to male factors.

In this book, I discuss the events that occur in the normal sperm head and govern the structure-function relationship from the time of spermatogenesis to that of fertilization or egg activation. In this regard, I describe dynamic modifications and maturation events occurring in sperm-head components and compare the outcomes of these events with the outcomes of their failure.

What limits the genetic choices parents make for their children? Is it okay to select the sex of our children, or for deaf parents to select deaf children? In this second edition of Genetic Dilemmas, Davis argues that parental reproductive autonomy should be limited by respect for the future autonomy of the children created by these measures.
Praise for the first edition:
"A thoughtful, timely and comprehensive look at genetics in the modern era by a recognized scholar of both their legal and humanistic implications. An excellent read "
-R. Alta Charo, Professor of Law and Medical Ethics, University of Wisconsin- Madison.
"Dena Davis has been the most consistent and important voice insisting that we take seriously the concept of each child's right to an open future, and what respecting that right would mean for new technologies in genetics and reproduction. This engaging new book is the work of a thoughtful and humane scholar, and deserves a broad readership."
-Thomas H. Murray, President of The Hastings Center
"Dena Davis offers an engaging, informative and provocative argument in Genetic Dilemmas. Her primary accomplishment is to draw much-needed attention to the interests of the child in reproductive decision-making...she has succeeded admirably."
-Mary Terrell White, Medical Humanities Review
"People now face a dizzying array of choices about reproduction-from sex selection to cloning, from prenatal screening to genetic enhancement. In this engaging and path-breaking book, Dena Davis intelligently and compassionately explores the often-ignored impact of these choices on the children that are created and the society in which they will be raised."
-Lori Andrews, Professor of Law, Chicago-Kent College of Law

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?

Reproductive disruptions, such as infertility, pregnancy loss, adoption, and childhood disability, are among the most distressing experiences in people s lives. Based on research by leading medical anthropologists from around the world, this book examines such issues as local practices detrimental to safe pregnancy and birth; conflicting reproductive goals between women and men; miscommunications between pregnant women and their genetic counselors; cultural anxieties over gamete donation and adoption; the contested meanings of abortion; cultural critiques of hormone replacement therapy; and the globalization of new pharmaceutical and assisted reproductive technologies. This breadth - with its explicit move from the local to the global, from the realm of everyday reproductive practice to international programs and policies - illuminates most effectively the workings of power, the tensions between women s and men s reproductive agency, and various cultural and structural inequalities in reproductive health. Marcia C. Inhorn is Professor of Medical Anthropology at the University of Michigan, where she directs the Center for Middle Eastern and North African Studies. A specialist on infertility and assisted reproductive technologies in the Muslim Middle East, she is the author or editor of four books on the subject. Her publications include Quest for Conception: Gender, Infertility, and Egyptian Medical Traditions (University of Pennsylvania Press, 1994, winner of Eileen Basker Prize for outstanding research in gender and health), Infertility and Patriarchy: The Cultural Politics of Gender and Family Life in Egypt (University of Pennsylvania Press, 1996) and Local Babies, Global Science: Gender, Religion, and In Vitro Fertilization in Egypt (Routledge Press, 2003)."

Essential Reproduction provides an accessible account of the fundamentals of reproduction within the context of cutting-edge knowledge and examples of its application. The eighth edition of this internationally best-selling title provides a multidisciplinary approach integrating anatomy, physiology, genetics, behaviour, biochemistry, molecular biology and clinical science, to give thorough coverage of the study of mammalian reproduction. Key features: Contains discussion of the latest on conceptual, informational and applied aspects of reproduction New pedagogical features such as clinical case studies at the end of each chapter Better use of boxed material to improve separation of narrative text from ancillary information Highlighted key words for ease of reference relate to summary of key points Introduction now split into two sections Expanded content in Fetal challenges, and Society and reproduction Substantial rearrangement and updating in Making sperm, Controlling fertility, and Restoring fertility

Nominated for the 2007 Book Prize by the Council on Anthropology and Reproduction (AAA) Reproductive disruptions, such as infertility, pregnancy loss, adoption, and childhood disability, are among the most distressing experiences in people's lives. Based on research by leading medical anthropologists from around the world, this book examines such issues as local practices detrimental to safe pregnancy and birth; conflicting reproductive goals between women and men; miscommunications between pregnant women and their genetic counselors; cultural anxieties over gamete donation and adoption; the contested meanings of abortion; cultural critiques of hormone replacement therapy; and the globalization of new pharmaceutical and assisted reproductive technologies. This breadth - with its explicit move from the "local" to the "global," from the realm of everyday reproductive practice to international programs and policies - illuminates most effectively the workings of power, the tensions between women's and men's reproductive agency, and various cultural and structural inequalities in reproductive health.

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.

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