Offers a comprehensive guide to assisted reproductive technology surveillance, describing its history, global variations, and best practices.

By all indicators, the reproductive health of Americans has been deteriorating since 1980. Our nation is troubled by rates of teen pregnancies and newborn deaths that are worse than almost all others in the Western world. Science and Babies is a straightforward presentation of the major reproductive issues we face that suggests answers for the public. The book discusses how the clash of opinions on sex and family planning prevents us from making a national commitment to reproductive health; why people in the United States have fewer contraceptive choices than those in many other countries; what we need to do to improve social and medical services for teens and people living in poverty; how couples should "shop" for a fertility service and make consumer-wise decisions; and what we can expect in the futureâ€"featuring interesting accounts of potential scientific advances.

This book provides updates on the most recent developments in individualized infertility treatment resulting in improved outcomes.

Human reproductive cloning is an assisted reproductive technology that would be carried out with the goal of creating a newborn genetically identical to another human being. It is currently the subject of much debate around the world, involving a variety of ethical, religious, societal, scientific, and medical issues. Scientific and Medical Aspects of Human Reproductive Cloning considers the scientific and medical sides of this issue, plus ethical issues that pertain to human-subjects research. Based on experience with reproductive cloning in animals, the report concludes that human reproductive cloning would be dangerous for the woman, fetus, and newborn, and is likely to fail. The study panel did not address the issue of whether human reproductive cloning, even if it were found to be medically safe, would beâ€"or would not beâ€"acceptable to individuals or society.

The use of human in vitro fertilization in the management of infertility is the outgrowth of years of laboratory observations on in vitro sperm-egg interaction. "The editors of this work have themselves contributed significantly to basic knowledge of the mammalian fertilization process. The observations of Don Wolf on sperm penetration, the block to polyspermy and, most recently, sperm hyperactivation in the monkey and human, Gregory Kopf's elucidation of the mechanisms of sperm activation during penetration and the reciprocal dialogue between sperm and egg, and Barry Bavister's definition of culture conditions and requirements necessary for in vitro oocyte maturation, fertilization and development in model mammalian systems including nonhuman primates have contributed greatly to our understanding of the mammalian fertilization process. Wolf, Kopf and Gerrity have enjoyed substantial interaction with clinicians in Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and have been directly involved with successful IVF programs. Both Wolf and Kopf have served as research scientists in the Division of Reproductive Biology at the University of Pennsylvania, which, for more than 22 years, has fostered co-mingling of clinically oriented and basic science faculty. It is through such interaction, which clearly exists at many institutions including the University of Wisconsin, that the process of technology transfer is best served. Without an exquisitely coordinated laboratory, there can be no consistent success in human in vitro fertilization. Quality control is pivotal, but close collaboration between the laboratory and the clinic is also essential as information is shared and correlated.

In the 25 years since the first edition of Comprehensive Gynecology, many scientific advances have occurred in medical practice. The first four editions were largely the work of the original four editors: Drs. William Droegemueller, Arthur L. Herbst, Daniel R. Mishell, Jr., and Morton A. Stenchever...With the staggering volume of medical literature published and the complexities of the gynecologic subspecialties, we have collaborated with additional experts for the sixth edition. We've "examined disease" and added a new chapter on the interaction of medical diseases and female physiology. We've "investigated discord" with new authors to completely rewrite the emotional and psychological issues in gynecology and the legal issues for obstetrician-gynecologists. Other chapters have delved into the controversies in breast cancer screening, vitamin D use, the ongoing debates in hormone therapy, and vaginal mesh use for pelvic organ prolapse surgery. (from Preface -- MD Consult, viewed April 9, 2012)