50 Big Debates in Reproductive Medicine

Roy Homburg is Professor and Head of Research, Homerton Fertility Centre, Homerton University Hospital, London, UK. Adam H. Balen is Professor of Reproductive Medicine & Surgery, and Lead Clinician of Leeds Fertility, Leeds Teaching Hospitals, UK. Robert F. Casper is Professor Emeritus and former Head of the Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Toronto, Canada.

'… an excellent resource for medical practitioners, medical academics, and policy makers with a high level of subject matter knowledge. It opens up conversations about a spread of issues, offering effective illustrative examples and starting points for deeper research … Recommended.' S. M. Weiss, Choice

• Section I. Limits for IVF; 1. Female age 42 years should be the upper limit for conventional IVF/ICSI treatment: For Jane A Stewart; 1. Female age 42 years should be the upper limit for conventional IVF/ICSI treatment: Against Tim Child; 2. Women with a BMI over 40 should be refused fertility treatment: For José Bellver; 2. Women with a BMI over 40 should be refused fertility treatment: Against Richard S Legro; 3. Female age of menopause is a fair limit for ovum donation: For Melanie Davies; 3. Female age of menopause is a fair limit for ovum donation: Against Gillian Lockwood; 4. Social egg freezing should be available up to the age of 40 years: For Ana Cobo; 4. Social egg freezing should be available up to the age of 40 years: Against Kylie Baldwin; Section II. IVF Add-ons; 5. DHEA is an effective treatment for poor responders: For Cath Hayden and Mariano Mascarenhas; 5. DHEA is an effective treatment for poor responders: Against Mostafa Metwally; 6. The addition of LH/hCG to FSH improves IVF outcome: For Claus Yding Andersen; 6. The addition of LH/hCG to FSH improves IVF outcome: Against Juan Enrique Schwarze; 7. Acupuncture is a useful adjuvant for fertility treatment: For Elisabet Stener-Victorin; 7. Acupuncture is a useful adjuvant for fertility treatment: Against Isal Robertson and Ying Cheong; 8. There is a role for pre-conceptional treatment with CoQ10: For Grace Dugdale; 8. There is a role for pre-conceptional treatment with CoQ10: Against Roger Hart; 9. There is a role for pre-conceptional treatment with Vitamin D: For Justin Chu; 9. There is a role for pre-conceptional treatment with Vitamin D: Against Amit Shah; 10. Natural killer cell assay in the blood is a useless investigation: For Ingrid Granne; 10. Natural killer cell assay in the blood is a useless investigation: Against Kevin Marron; 11. Intra-lipid therapy has a place in infertility treatment: For Hassan Shehata; 11. Intra-lipid therapy has a place in infertility treatment: Against Ephia Yasmin; 12. The endometrial scratch has had its day: For Sarah Lensen; 12. The endometrial scratch has had its day: Against Nick Macklon; 13. Corticosteroid therapy is useful in assisting implantation: For Harish M. Bhandari; 13. Corticosteroid therapy is useful in assisting implantation: Against Cecilia Petriglia and Filippo Maria Ubaldi; Section III. The Best Policy; 14. IVF should be first-line treatment for unexplained infertility of two years duration: For Tim Child; 14. IVF should be first-line treatment for unexplained infertility of two years duration: Against Gulam Bahadur; 15. Single-embryo transfer should be performed in all IVF cycles: For Mark Hamilton; 15. Single-embryo transfer should be performed in all IVF cycles: Against Lewis Nancarrow; 16. The freezing of all embryos should be used for all IVF cycles: For Matheus Roque; 16. The freezing of all embryos should be used for all IVF cycles: Against Mark Bowman; 17. Luteal-phase support should be stopped at the time of a positive pregnancy test: For Juan A. Garcia-Velasco; 17. Luteal-phase support should be stopped at the time of a positive pregnancy test: Against Ariel Weissman; 18. A natural cycle is the best protocol for frozen embryo replacement: For Raoul Orvieto; 18. A natural cycle is the best protocol for frozen embryo replacement: Against Ben Cohlen; 19. Pregnancies conceived by IVF should be delivered by caesarean section: For James Hopkisson; 19. Pregnancies conceived by IVF should be delivered by caesarean section: Against Claudia Raperport; 20. Endometriosis should be suppressed for 6-12 weeks before frozen embryo transfer: For Hassan Sallam; 20. Endometriosis should be suppressed for 6-12 weeks before frozen embryo transfer: Against Tom Gunnar Tanbo; 21. Infertile patients with endometriosis benefit from surgery: For Stephan Gordts; 21. Infertile patients with endometriosis benefit from