Fertility Preservation : Emerging Technologies and Clinical Applications

A growing majority of women in the western hemisphere have been delaying initiation of childbearing to later in life. Consequently, more women in their late 30s to early 40s are attempting to get pregnant for the first time than ever before. Since the incidence of most cancers increases with age, delayed childbearing results in more female cancer survivors interested in fertility preservation. In this book, the editors provide strategies for fertility preservation in women and men who require gonadotoxic treatment. In addition, epidemiologic, ethical, medico-legal, psychologic, and social aspects of fertility preservation are discussed. Using a format that combines concise scientific background with practical methodological information and easy-to-grasp algorithms, the chapters all conform to a uniform structure, including a brief abstract, keyword glossary, step by step protocol of laboratory procedures, key issues in commentary and a list of references. The result is a unique, practical reference guide for reproductive endocrinologists, urologists, embryologists, reproductive scientists, and oncologists.