CRC BOSTON IVF HDBK INFERTIL PDF

Preface

This is the third edition of the Handbook of Infertility by Boston IVF, one of the most respected Assisted Reproduction and Women's Health clinics in the United States. I have had the privilege to get to know well the two senior authors, Michael Alper and Alan Penzias, over the last few years. Michael is a role model for many IVF physicians and an expert in patient care, quality management, and clinical innovation. He is an amazing speaker and writer whose folksy charm and self-deprecating humor belies a wealth of knowledge and experience in ART, both clearly evident in this book. Alan Penzias is a superb clinical researcher and teacher who brings to the book critical thinking, technological expertise, as well as his love for medical history. Together with Steven Bayer and the other physicians and scientists from Boston IVF, the authors' personalities infuse the text of this book and allow many interesting ideas to take flight. Far from the usual didactic textbook, this book by the staff of Boston IVF is easily readable and covers a wide range of subjects in ART, ranging from an introductory history of infertility and its management to the latest scientific advances in preimplantation genetic diagnosis and embryo chromosomal screening. There are unique insights into fertility quality management and excellence in patient care, two areas that the senior authors have pioneered and attempted to perfect at Boston IVF. The chapter on medical ethics is exceptional, including practical examples in the form of six case reports. These three chapters are often neglected in standard texts of infertility and reflect both the practical business management of an ART clinic as well as the sensibilities and values of the authors in dealing with patients in their daily practice. I believe this book is valuable for infertility nurses, general obstetricians/ gynecologists, and infertility counselors, and a must-read for first-year fellows and for residents considering a career in reproductive endocrinology and infertility.