Obtaining good quality oocytes and preparing them for in-vitro fertilization (IVF) is a key stage in assisted reproduction. This is a complex process with many pitfalls, making good clinical preparation and laboratory technique essential for success. Illustrated throughout, this book will be valuable to clinical embryologists, laboratory personnel wishing to redefine or develop technique and improve outcomes, IVF quality managers, and gynecologists performing oocyte retrieval. Featuring descriptions of the underlying science along with practical advice on methods and trouble-shooting, this comprehensive manual will aid all those involved in this complex process of oocyte retrieval and preparation in navigating towards optimal outcomes.

This book aims to address a number of controversies concerning the use of testosterone treatment. It explains topics that clinicians regularly encounter such as whether to use free or total testosterone in the evaluation of the patient with testosterone deficiency; what factors actually impact testosterone levels, polycythemia, gynecomastia, bone density, and hyperprolactinemia in the testosterone deficient patient; critical analysis of the numerous questionnaires that are available to clinicians; and the impact of testosterone therapy on male fertility, cardiovascular disease, and prostate events including prostate cancer. Guiding the reader in both evaluation and management, the book also illuminates novel concepts in the T space such as testosterone use in the transgender population, T therapy as an endothelial modulator, bipolar testosterone therapy in the patient with advanced prostate cancer, and testosterone therapy as a performance enhancer. Controversies in Testosterone Deficiency is intended for any clinician involved in the care of patients with testosterone deficiency, exploring hot topics and correcting existent misinformation in the routine care of patients.

This new volume in the Reproductive Medicine for Clinicians series focuses on the practical clinical impact of problems linked to infertility, discussing topics such as luteal support in ART cycles, ovulation induction using pulsatile administration of GnRH, how to deal with the metabolic changes in PCOS, treatment to restore fertility in endometriosis and how to improve implantation, which are common aspects of daily clinical practice. It also addresses significant novel areas like the biological clock in human reproduction, reproduction at advanced parental age and medical and social egg freezing, offering valuable insights for patients and their doctors. Further, the book covers various areas of growing importance, such as how to access the uterine cavity; the future of imaging in reproduction; non-invasive prenatal testing; ART and male infertility; as well as breast cancer and fertility preservation. Last but not least, it examines the medical, ethical and legal aspects of a number of challenges for current and future reproductive medicine, including uterine transplantation and human genetic modification. Bringing together updates on some of the most important problems in reproductive medicine and also covering ethical and legal bases, this book offers an overview of potential treatments for infertility. As such, it is a valuable resource for gynecologists, obstetricians, endocrinologists and all specialists dealing with reproductive health.

Infertility Saved My Life: Healing PCOS From The Inside Out exposes the raw teaching moments of Sarah Willoughby's journey to self-love through Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and secondary infertility. Within Infertility Saved My Life, Sarah Willoughby addresses the challenges and heartbreak she experienced while becoming a mum to three amazing children. She writes about her multiple miscarriages, as well as the trauma she endured, so that anyone still on their journey to parenthood can feel less alone in their loss and grief. Sarah's story peaks in 2009, when she ended up in intensive care after a disastrous IVF cycle. Lying in her hospital bed, she promised herself that if she survived, she would embrace her fears and empower others to do the same. Seven months later, Sarah Willoughby left the corporate world, emigrated to Australia and fell pregnant naturally twice with her daughters. Infertility Saved My Life shares the wisdom and insight that enabled Sarah to complete her family and begin a heart-centered life and business. She includes practical exercises and tools to help balance the reader's mind, body and spirit and improve their chances of having a baby.

This volume focuses on endometriosis from its pathogenesis and the importance of the early diagnosis to treatment, throughout all aspects of femininity that this disease affects, impacting health and quality of life. It also covers treatment strategies for the pain and for the disease management according to the age and needs of the patient, from adolescence to menopause, passing through the fertile age and the consequences that this disease can have on fertility and pregnancy. This book is a useful, clear and up-to-date tool for gynecologists, gynecological surgeons, reproductive medicine and general practitioners and is an important source of information to face this more and more frequent and devastating disease.

In the late 1990s, Egypt experienced a boom period in in vitro fertilization (IVF) technology and now boasts more IVF clinics than neighboring Israel. In this book, Marcia Inhorn writes of her fieldwork among affluent, elite couples who sought in vitro fertilization in Egypt, a country which is not only at the forefront of IVF technology in the Middle East, but also a center of Islamic education in the region. Inhorn examines the scientific, religious and cultural ramifications of the transfer of IVF technology from Euro-American points of origin to Egypt - showing how cultural ideas reshape the use of this technology and in turn, how the technology is reshaping cultural ideas in Egypt.

This new handbook provides private-practice and hospital gynecologists with a practical guide for advising and treating patients in the case of maternal disease during pregnancy. More than 100 diagnoses are presented from A to Z and described with respect to disease definition, clinical care and obstetrical management. One easy-to-remember guideline summarizes what is most important for the treatment of each disease.

This text will provide doctors both in training and in practice with useful advice on managing women and men who are having trouble conceiving and couples with infertility and related disorders. Its combination of scientific information and practical advice for tackling problematic cases make this an accessible handy reference in outpatient clinics or in revision for professional exams, as well as a fully referenced information resource. Contents: Glossary of terms * Problems with puberty and its onset * Understanding infertility * Investigations in infertility * Influencing the sperm count * Helping women to ovulate * Damage to the uterus, the fallopian tubes and the ovaries * What to do if nothing wrong can be found and how to answer when a couple asks 'what can we do to improve our fertility?' *Assisted conception * Preserving fertility * Global perspectives on reproductive medicine * Reproductive biology in one other great ape (the gorilla) * Research questions still unanswered - And further reading

This volume focuses on endometriosis from its pathogenesis and the importance of the early diagnosis to treatment, throughout all aspects of femininity that this disease affects, impacting health and quality of life. It also covers treatment strategies for the pain and for the disease management according to the age and needs of the patient, from adolescence to menopause, passing through the fertile age and the consequences that this disease can have on fertility and pregnancy. This book is a useful, clear and up-to-date tool for gynecologists, gynecological surgeons, reproductive medicine and general practitioners and is an important source of information to face this more and more frequent and devastating disease.

The assessment and selection of oocytes and embryos is fundamental to the live birth rate data of all IVF units, the parameter that is used to gauge a clinic's success and credibility. This new atlas contains over 1000 high-quality images of oocytes, zygotes and embryos, presented with accompanying data on indications for treatment, stimulation type and duration, as well as short medical histories of each couple and final outcome of treatment. All images in the book can be downloaded from the accompanying CD-ROM. Structured on a patient-by-patient basis, the atlas describes 100 clinically documented case studies that follow the evolution of oocytes and zygotes between day two and day five. Pronuclear morphology and synchrony as well as embryo morphology are reported and described for each case. Written and produced by experienced embryologists, this practical atlas is an important resource for clinical embryologists and physicians in reproductive medicine.

This book brings together the most up-to-date information about the physiology of progestogens. Addressing the bidirectional communication between hormones, fertility, tumors, and autoimmunity, it provides the basic science and clinical perspectives of progestogens which have not been previously available in one volume. In addition to estrogens, androgens, mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids, progestogens are a major class of steroid hormone. While present in certain phases of estrous and menstrual cycles, progestogens are named for their function in maintaining pregnancy. This book is essentially practical in orientation, addressing the specific issues that confront the practitioner, and provides information to Obstetricians, Gynecologists, Reproductive endocrinologists, as well as Gynecological Oncologists and Rheumatologists. Contributions are from an international team of experts in the field, now completely updated in this new edition with new developments in primary dysmenorrhea and contraception.

Engage with practical and active solutions to day-to-day issues of reproductive medicine and the use of artificial reproductive techniques (ART), occurring in clinical and laboratory environments. Authored by leading experts in the field, this user-friendly guide is invaluable for any IVF practitioner and embryologist, facing everyday hands-on issues, through to high-pressure laboratory problems, efficiency ratings and ensuring cost-effective delivery of care. With the strict governance of regulatory bodies worldwide, the success of any fertility centre depends on successful problem solving, all day every day. Based on a wealth of experience, identify commonly occurring problems, and fresh perspectives of problem-solving, with 'must-have' protocols, patient information sheets and suggested equipment. This go-to companion tackles operational, organisational, clinical and laboratory issues to financial and clinical governance, with a focus on quick and effective solutions for the busy practitioner.

This atlas provides valuable information on crucial aspects of sperm examination as well numerous meaningful color illustrations. It discusses successful evaluation of the sperm morphology and the cellular elements other than spermatozoa, enabling readers to unambiguously interpret seminal cytologic images and compare reports for diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic purposes. With its extensive collection of colored images, the book is intended as a reference resource for students and technicians in the field of andrology as well as practitioners and clinicians in andrology, urology, pathology, IVF and other ART programs

In the 1960s thousands of poor women of color on the (post)colonial French island of Reunion had their pregnancies forcefully terminated by white doctors; the doctors operated under the pretext of performing benign surgeries, for which they sought government compensation. When the scandal broke in 1970, the doctors claimed to have been encouraged to perform these abortions by French politicians who sought to curtail reproduction on the island, even though abortion was illegal in France. In The Wombs of Women-first published in French and appearing here in English for the first time-Francoise Verges traces the long history of colonial state intervention in black women's wombs during the slave trade and postslavery imperialism as well as in current birth control politics. She examines the women's liberation movement in France in the 1960s and 1970s, showing that by choosing to ignore the history of the racialization of women's wombs, French feminists inevitably ended up defending the rights of white women at the expense of women of color. Ultimately, Verges demonstrates how the forced abortions on Reunion were manifestations of the legacies of the racialized violence of slavery and colonialism.

'Thoughtful, tense and affecting' Ashley Audrain This tense and emotional novel follows the fallout after two women's eggs are switched during IVF. ___________ TWO WOMEN. ONE BABY. A FIGHT LIKE NO OTHER. Katherine has everything under control. After years of struggling to conceive with her partner, Patrick, she finally gives birth to Rose, her IVF miracle child. But she's afraid that Rose may not be her daughter, her pale skin not matching Katherine's own. Tess never got her happy ending. Just like Katherine, she was also a hopeful IVF mother, but her daughter, Hanna, was stillborn. Now divorced, broke and stuck in a dead-end job, she's beginning to lose all hope. But when Rose is ten months old, both women get a call from the fertility clinic. There was a mistake: their eggs were switched. It will take a custody battle like no other to decide who will get to be Rose's mother - a battle that will push them both to the brink... This is a story about what it means to be a mother, and the lengths we go to for the people we love. ___________ 'Thoughtful, tense and affecting' Ashley Audrain, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Push 'An absorbing and engaging novel that twists the heart' Rachel Hore, Sunday Times bestselling author of A Beautiful Spy 'Breathtakingly taut, unflinching and poignant' Marissa Stapley, New York Times bestselling author of LUCKY 'Compelling and thought-provoking ... A page-turner' Charmaine Wilkerson, New York Times bestselling author of Black Cake 'A tender exploration of secrets, loss, and motherhood' Lola Akinmade Akerstroem, international bestselling author of In Every Mirror She's Black 'A future classic' Leah Hazard, Sunday Times bestselling author of Hard Pushed: A Midwife's Story 'Will break your heart' Julie Ma, author of Richard and Judy selected debut Happy Families

Male factor infertility is receiving greater emphasis in IVF programs. This book reviews the scientific evidence for various medical, environmental and lifestyle factors that can affect male fertility, such as chromosome abnormalities, age, anti-sperm antibodies and endocrine disruptors. Part of a four-book series on improving IVF success, this volume subsequently explores a range of treatments and strategies to improve sperm quality, including FSH treatment and antioxidants. It also discusses methods to prevent male infertility from childhood through to adulthood. Concise, practical and evidence-based - and with insights from global experts in the field - this text will enable gynecologists, urologists and andrologists to make evidence-based decisions that can influence the success rate of fertilization in subsequent IVF cycles.

A powerful, personal reflection on miscarriage from an acclaimed health and science journalist, drawing on original interviews and ground-breaking research to offer fresh insight into this underacknowledged subject. After losing four pregnancies with no obvious cause, Jennie Agg set out to understand why miscarriage remains such a profoundly misunderstood, under-researched and under-acknowledged experience. Part-memoir, part-scientific investigation, Life, Almost documents Agg's path to motherhood and her search for answers. Tracing each tentative step of her fifth pregnancy - as her body becomes a creature she does not wish to spook - Agg dismantles the myths that we unquestioningly accept about our reproductive lives- Why are we told miscarriage can't be prevented when half of all miscarriages are of perfectly healthy embryos? Why is it normal not to tell anyone you're pregnant for the first three months? Why don't we know why labour starts? Drawing on pioneering research and interviews with world-leading experts, Life, Almost is a ground-breaking book that will change how you think about miscarriage, and a moving reflection on grief and love at the edge of life as we understand it.

This textbook covers the basic aspects of stem cell research and applications in regenerative medicine. Each chapter includes a didactic component and a practical section. The book offers readers insights into: How to identify the basic concepts of stem cell biology and the molecular regulation of pluripotency and stem cell development. How to produce induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and the basics of transfection. The biology of adult stem cells, with particular emphasis on mesenchymal stromal cells and hematopoietic stem cells, and the basic mechanisms that regulate them. How cancer stem cells arise and metastasize, and their properties. How to develop the skills needed to isolate, differentiate and characterize adult stem The clinical significance of stem cell research and the potential problems that need to be overcome. Evaluating the use of stem cells for tissue engineering and therapies (the amniotic membrane) The applications of bio-nanotechnology in stem cell research. How epigenetic mechanisms, including various DNA modifications and histone dynamics, are involved in regulating the potentiality and differentiation of stem cells. The scientific methods, ethical considerations and implications of stem cell research.

This second edition emphasizes the environmental impact on reproduction, with updated chapters throughout as well as complete new chapters on species such as sharks and rays. This is a wide-ranging book that will be of relevance to anyone involved in species conservation, and provides critical perspectives on the real utility of current and emerging reproductive sciences.Understanding reproductive biology is centrally important to the way many of the world's conservation problems should be tackled. Currently the extinction problem is huge, with up to 30% of the world's fauna being expected to disappear in the next 50 years. Nevertheless, it has been estimated that the global population of animals in zoos encompasses 12,000 - 15,000 species, and we anticipate that every effort will be made to preserve these species for as long as possible, minimizing inbreeding effects and providing the best welfare standards available. Even if the reproductive biology community cannot solve the global biodiversity crisis for all wild species, we should do our best to maintain important captive populations. Reproductive biology in this context is much more than the development of techniques for helping with too little or too much breeding. While some of the relevant techniques are useful for individual species that society might target for a variety of reasons, whether nationalistic, cultural or practical, technical developments have to be backed up by thorough biological understanding of the background behind the problems.

This new edition provides a much-needed reference book to accommodate emerging and expanding knowledge in fertility preservation, the rapidly growing field of reproductive medicine associated with advances in oncology. Written by a team of world-leading experts in the field and comprehensive in its scope, the book covers the full range of techniques and scientific concepts in detail. It opens with an introduction to fertility preservation in both cancer and non-cancer patients, followed by fertility preservation strategies in males and females, including medical/surgical procedures, ART, cryopreservation and transplantation of ovarian tissue, and in-vitro follicle culture. Concluding chapters address new technologies, as well as ethical, legal and religious issues. The book has been thoroughly updated, includes additional contributors, and now provides greater focus on practical and clinically relevant issues. Richly illustrated throughout, this is a key resource for clinicians specializing in reproductive medicine, gynecology, oncology, hematology, endocrinology and infertility.

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.

The method of vitrification of oocytes and embryos is fundamental for the outcome of IVF. This atlas presents data on both closed system and open vitrification techniques, and the consequences of each method for survival rates, aiding the comparison of vitrification methods. Structured on a patient-by-patient basis, the atlas describes 100 clinically documented case studies that follow the evolution of cryopreserved blastocysts between warming and blastocyst transfer. It relates fresh to post-warming blastocyst morphology and to response to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. For each case, pronuclear morphology and synchrony, as well as embryo morphology, are reported and described. Data on indications for treatment, stimulation type and duration, are accompanied by over 400 high-quality images of vitrified blastocysts. Covering the state-of-the-art techniques, this atlas is an essential aid in selecting the vitrification method for clinical embryologists and physicians in reproductive medicine.

Principles and Practice of Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation and Transplantation provides methods and techniques of ovarian tissue harvesting and cryopreservation, including instructional videos. This book will benefit a wide audience, guiding infertility specialists, fellows, residents, reproductive surgeons, reproductive endocrinologists, pediatric surgeons, embryologists, infertility nurses and gynecologists. Ovarian cryopreservation and transplantation is rapidly gaining acceptance as a successful and established fertility preservation strategy in cancer patients and beyond. Unlike other fertility preservation strategies, it can be performed in children as well as adults, and can be helpful in restoring natural ovarian function and fertility, hence this is a welcomed resource on the topic.

In Quest for Conception, Marcia C. Inhorn portrays the poignant struggles of poor, urban Egyptian women and their attempts to overcome infertility. The author draws upon fifteen months of fieldwork in urban Egypt to present moving stories of infertile Muslim women whose tumultuous medical pilgrimages - or their "search for children," as they call their quests for conception - have yet to produce the desired pregnancies. Inhorn examines the devastating impact of infertility on the lives of these women, who are threatened with divorce by their husbands, harassed by their husbands' families, and ostracized by neighbors. Beliefs about procreation and infertility causation and cure among the Egyptian urban poor derive from a five-thousand-year history of shifting medical pluralism. Although colonially produced Western biomedicine is the dominant system in Egypt today, it represents only one of an array of therapeutic alternatives. Infertile women seek help from both "biogynecologists" (practitioners of Western biomedicine) and "ethnogynecologists" (practitioners of indigenous ethnomedicine), often using the remedies of both simultaneously. Quest for Conception examines in detail the variety of ethnomedical and biomedical treatments for infertility and concludes that treatments of both types are often ineffective and sometimes harmful. Given this untherapeutic setting, the future of infertile Egyptian women is explored in light of needed changes in reproductive health policy and the introduction of new reproductive technologies. Quest for Conception is the first comprehensive account of non-Western women's experiences of infertility and is a novel study within the literature on Middle Easternwomen.