World fertility experts to meet in Montreal
“As IVF and assisted reproductive technologies continue to advance rapidly and to grow in complexity, it has become vital to take a multidisciplinary and international approach to the field,” said Dr. Seang Lin Tan, President of the Congress Organizing Committee. “That is the raison d'étre behind these congresses.”
The two Congresses will review an array of major scientific breakthroughs and new clinical procedures in the areas of assisted reproduction. Renowned experts from around the world will present the latest information and updates on a wide range of topics including stem-cell research, preimplantation genetic diagnosis, minimally-invasive surgery, implantation, endometriosis, male infertility, in-vitro maturation of oocytes and fertility preservation.
Discussions related to the ethical and social aspects of assisted reproductive technologies also form an important part of the program. Among the honored guests will be Professor Robert Edwards, The Pioneer in reproductive medicine who developed the IVF technology from which the world’s first IVF baby, Louise Brown, was born 29 years ago.
The Congresses will also feature the participation of several patients whose lives have been greatly improved by assisted reproductive technology. These patients will present their personal odysseys into the area of fertility preservation after having being diagnosed with cancer, severe endometriosis or autoimmune diseases. Among those who have agreed to speak to the fertility specialists and media attending the Congresses are the parents of the world’s first baby conceived from an in-vitro matured and previously cryopreserved oocyte. "Courageous patients play a vital role in the advancement of fertility treatments, which is why we wanted them to tell their stories," added Dr. Tan, Director of the McGill Reproductive Centre and James Edmund Dodds Professor and Chair of McGill University's Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. "Whether they have been through oocyte cryopreservation, or have given birth to an ‘in vitro’ baby, they are the human face of the latest advances in human reproductive science."
For more information and the agenda of conference activities please visit http://www.isivf.comThe McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) is a comprehensive academic health institution with an international reputation for excellence in clinical programs, research and teaching. The MUHC is a merger of five teaching hospitals affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University––the Montreal Children’s, Montreal General, Royal Victoria, and Montreal Neurological Hospitals, as well as the Montreal Chest Institute. Building on the tradition of medical leadership of the founding hospitals, the goal of the MUHC is to provide patient care based on the most advanced knowledge in the health care field, and to contribute to the development of new knowledge. See http://www.muhc.ca
Keywords
in-vitro fertilization