ASRM 2008 Annual Meeting 
Preliminary Program

Postgraduate Program

Postgraduate Program Committee | General PG Course Information
Two Day Course - Saturday & Sunday 
One Day Courses - Saturday | One Day Courses - Sunday
Course 1 - Course 2 - Course 3 - Course 4 - Course 5 - Course 6 - Course 7
Course 8 - Course 9 - Course 10 - Course 11 - Course 12 - Course 13
Course 14 - Course 15 - Course 16 - Course 17 - Course 18 - Course 19 
Course 20 - Course 21 - Course 22

41st Annual Postgraduate Program Committee 
Valerie L. Baker, M.D. - Chair
Mary D. Stephenson, M.D., M.Sc. - Co-Chair
Thomas M. Price, M.D. - Coordinating Chair

Back to the Top

General Postgraduate Course Information

Weekend Courses
Dates: Saturday, November 8 and Sunday, November 9
Hours: 8:15 a.m.-5:00 p.m.  Lunch is from Noon-1:00 p.m.

Course PG1 is a two-day course on Saturday & Sunday.

Courses PG2-PG11 are one-day courses on Saturday.

Courses PG12-PG22 are one-day courses on Sunday.

Course PG13 is a surgical hands-on course.

Postgraduate Course Syllabi will be posted online at the ASRM website in September 2008.  Printed copies will be distributed on-site.

Back to the Top

Course PG1 (Saturday & Sunday)

MANAGING RISK IN ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGIES
Developed in Cooperation with the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART)

Faculty:
David A. Grainger, M.D., M.P.H., Chair
James P. Toner, M.D., Ph.D.
Susan L. Crockin, J.D.
G. David Ball, Ph.D.

Needs Assessment and Course Description
The practice of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) becomes more complex with each passing year. Complexity introduces opportunities for errors – of omission or of commission. This course is designed to help practices minimize errors in the application of ART and, thus, improve patient outcomes. The Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology has spent the last year developing an Informed Consent template to assist reproductive health professionals in properly informing their patients. The course will introduce, in detail, this consent template and use it as a basis for detailed examination of ways to mitigate risk in the ART practice. The course will address mechanisms to reduce human error, and detail steps to take when errors occur. The faculty for this course includes representatives from the clinical, laboratory and legal arenas of ART. This course will provide the attendees a detailed look at what SART believes should be addressed and included in the informed consent process. Specific areas to be addressed will include third party reproduction, potential risks of IVF—including complications with pregnancies resulting from IVF—and genetic counseling. Participants will learn how to recognize and prevent human errors in both the clinic and the laboratory. Finally, the faculty will assess various risk-management strategies for dealing with errors when they occur.

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the participant should be able to: 

1. Inform patients of the current risks of ART, including procedural risks and outcome risks.

2. Determine when genetic testing should be offered to patients, particularly with third-party reproduction.

3. Identify and appropriately deal with human error, when it occurs.

4. Implement strategies to mitigate human error in both clinical and laboratory practice.

Back to the Top

Course PG2 (Saturday)

ENDOMETRIOSIS: PATHOGENESIS AND RESEARCH
Developed in Cooperation with the Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (SREI)

Faculty:
Serdar E. Bulun, M.D., Chair
Asgi Fazleabas, Ph.D.
Hugh S. Taylor, M.D.
Robert N. Taylor, M.D., Ph.D.

Needs Assessment and Course Description
Endometriosis is the most common cause of pelvic pain in women, and it is estimated that 30-40% of women with endometriosis are infertile. Many women with endometriosis find that currently available treatment options, including surgical treatments, are not sufficient for managing this chronic disease. Improving treatment options require innovative research strategies to identify new molecular targets in clinically relevant models of this disease. This course offers a systematic review of the pathogenesis and treatment of endometriosis. The faculty will assess novel concepts of the etiology of endometriosis and discuss the use of experimental therapies or off-label medications for patients not benefiting from current treatment options. Participants will learn about the possible future introduction of investigational medical treatments.

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the participant should be able to: 

1. Describe current theories of the pathogenesis endometriosis and how these relate to recently discovered molecular abnormalities.

2. Discuss the use of various models of endometriosis research.

3. Compare and contrast novel experimental treatments of endometriosis.

Back to the Top

Course PG3 (Saturday)

AFTER TREATMENT ENDS: PSYCHOLOGICAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES
Developed in Cooperation with the Mental Health Professional Group (MHPG)

Faculty:
Jean Benward, M.S., L.C.S.W., Chair
Ken Daniels, M.A., Dip.Soc.Stu., Dip.App.Soc.Stu.
Susan Rubin, Ph.D.
Nanette Elster, J.D., M.P.H.

Needs Assessment and Course Description
The psychological, ethical and legal issues faced by gamete donors, offspring, parents and professionals are multiplying rapidly in the changing culture of donor conception. Mental health professionals seek guidance as they face questions about identity development in donor offspring, helping parents disclose to older offspring, and the increasing trend toward identifiable donors. While patient privacy laws make it problematic for offspring to locate their donors, advances in DNA technology, internet technology, changing laws and provider policies increase the likelihood of identification and contact. The trend toward increased information sharing in donor conception places a responsibility on providers to (1) ensure donors understand the long-term psychological implications of sharing information, giving fastidious attention to informed consent and (2) to address preservation of donor records as a future resource for donor offspring. This course will prepare mental health professionals to address the increasingly complex and multifaceted needs of all participants in gamete donation. Course participants will learn how to counsel patients about issues to be considered when contemplating information sharing.

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the participant should be able to: 

1. Analyze the ethical quandaries posed by information sharing in donor conception.

2. Describe the impact of donor conception on offspring identity development.

3. Appraise future legal and practice issues faced by providers as offspring seek information.

4. Summarize current knowledge about the psychological concerns of donors, offspring and parents.

Back to the Top

Course PG4 (Saturday)

MALE FERTILITY CARE
Developed in Cooperation with the Nurses Professional Group (NPG)

Faculty:
Teresa Barry Longley, B.S.N., M.S.N., Chair
Peter T.K. Chan, M.D.
William D. Petok, Ph.D.
Susan Quallich, A.N.P., B.C., N.P-C., C.U.N.P.

Needs Assessment and Course Description
The male partner plays a critical role in couples touched by infertility, being a possible contributor to the cause of infertility, the potential source of sperm, and a future father. Yet male partners often receive only passing attention from reproductive health professionals. The Nurses Professional Group recognizes the need for nursing education directed at addressing infertility nurses’ gap in caring for infertile males seeking to build families. The focus of this course for nursing professionals and physicians is to increase the knowledge of male fertility and infertility in reproductive health nurses in order to improve patient outcomes. Speakers will discuss care of the male beyond that of routine testing, to incorporate psychological issues of fertile and infertile males in treatment, surgical considerations, lifestyle choices and their fertility effects, and fertility options for single males and those in same-sex relationships. Participants will review research pertaining to the outcomes of IVF children in order to promote nurses’ consideration of the entire family unit.

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the participant should be able to: 

1. Summarize the diagnosis and possible treatments of male factor infertility.

2. Explain the psychological concerns of infertile males, including those in non-traditional parenting situations, such as same-sex male couples and single men seeking parenthood.

3. Apply new concepts in male reproductive health counseling to clinical nursing practice.

Back to the Top

Course PG5 (Saturday)

INTERROGATING GAMETES AND EMBRYOS: WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW
Developed in Cooperation with the Reproductive Biology Professional Group (RBPG)

Faculty:
Barry Behr, Ph.D., H.C.L.D., Chair
Zsolt Peter Nagy, Ph.D., H.C.L.D.
Denny Sakkas, Ph.D., H.C.L.D.
Jason E. Swain, Ph.D.

Needs Assessment and Course Description
The outcome of any assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedure depends critically on the quality of the gametes and embryos. The lack of predictive quality measures has hampered progress in improving patient outcomes and live-birth rates. The criteria used currently to assess gametes and embryos are subjective, variable and controversial. There is a strong need for quantitative measures of gamete and embryo quality. This course will provide ART laboratory scientists and clinicians with a critical analysis of the wide array of tests available for assessing gamete and embryo quality. In addition to describing the underlying biological, physical and chemical principles of the tests, the faculty will assess such performance measures as reliability, predictive value, clinical utility and ease of use. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss how emerging technologies might be introduced into ART laboratory practice in the future.

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the participant should be able to: 

1. Compare and contrast currently available approaches to assessing gamete and embryo quality.

2. Implement the most appropriate tests currently available in the laboratory to interrogate gametes and embryos.

3. Critically assess the potential usefulness of new technologies for assessing gametes and embryos.

Back to the Top

Course PG6 (Saturday)

OVARIAN STIMULATION: WHEN DOES LESS ACHIEVE MORE?
Developed in Cooperation with the Chinese Special Interest Group (ChSIG)

Faculty:
Milton K.H. Leong, M.D., Chair
Rene Frydman, M.D.
Anne Lis Mikkelsen, M.D., M.Sc.
Ri-Cheng Chian, Ph.D.

Needs Assessment and Course Description
The inconvenience, complexity, cost and risks associated with ovarian stimulation with gonadotropins for in vitro fertilization (IVF) make many patients reluctant to rely on this therapy. In addition, attempts to reduce multiple pregnancies by transferring smaller numbers of embryos have reduced the need for large numbers of oocytes that often result from ovarian stimulation. Thus, patients and their physicians increasingly employ unstimulated, i.e., “natural,” ovarian cycles as a means of preparing oocytes for IVF. The emerging technique of in vitro maturation (IVM) might make natural cycle IVF more practical. Although the first IVF baby resulted from a natural cycle, many clinicians have little or no experience using natural cycles or minimally stimulated cycles. The practitioner of IVF must have a complete armamentarium of techniques to promote oocyte development in order to be able to select the most appropriate therapy in terms of efficacy, long-term safety, comfort and financial burden. This one-day course will provide reproductive endocrinologists with a broad overview of the history of ovarian stimulation, the role and effects of FSH on the ovaries and oocytes, the use of GnRH agonists and antagonists, and natural-cycle IVF. The faculty will compare clinical outcomes for each approach and then review the published clinical data pertaining to the experimental application of IVM to IVF in polycystic ovary syndrome and fertility preservation.

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the participant should be able to: 

1. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of the various protocols for ovarian stimulation for IVF.

2. Describe the scientific and clinical rationale for natural cycles and minimally stimulated cycles and their application to IVF.

3. Discuss the scientific basis of in vitro maturation and published evidence supporting its use in IVF for certain types of patients.

Back to the Top

Course PG7 (Saturday)

IMPACT OF METABOLIC SYNDROME ON POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME
Developed in Cooperation with the Androgen Excess Special Interest Group (AESIG) and the Androgen Excess Society

Faculty:
Frank González, M.D., Chair
Jean-Patrice Baillargeon, M.D., M.Sc.
Enrico Carmina, M.D.

Needs Assessment and Course Description
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) no longer is merely a disorder of ovulatory dysfunction. One in 15 women worldwide suffers from PCOS, with a significant number of these women carrying the concomitant diagnosis of metabolic syndrome. Many physicians do not appreciate the association between PCOS and metabolic syndrome. Therefore, it is critical for practitioners in reproductive medicine, including reproductive endocrinologists, general obstetrician-gynecologists and family practitioners, to familiarize themselves with this association and the clinical manifestations of metabolic dysfunction in order to improve the long-term health of women with PCOS. This course will review the latest concepts and management strategies related to metabolic syndrome when associated with PCOS. An exploration into the current diagnostic criteria, prevalence and association of metabolic syndrome, as it relates to PCOS will be conducted. The faculty will utilize the most current evidence supporting the association between these two disorders in order to promote early diagnosis and treatment of the components of metabolic syndrome that most negatively impact the health of women with PCOS. This course will provide the participant the foundation for making these critical diagnoses in the office and for determining appropriate, often multidisciplinary treatment 
plans.

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the participant should be able to: 

1. Describe the components of metabolic syndrome and how it is associated with PCOS.

2. Demonstrate sound multidisciplinary treatment plans for patients with PCOS and concomitant metabolic syndrome.

3. Recommend when surgical intervention versus medical management is appropriate therapy.

Back to the Top

Course PG8 (Saturday)

ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES TO FEMALE AND MALE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND FERTILITY
Developed in Cooperation with the Environment and Reproduction Special Interest Group (ERSIG)

Faculty:
Linda Giudice, M.D., Ph.D., M.Sc., Chair
Tracey Woodruff, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Russ Hauser, M.D., Ph.D., Sc.D.
Patricia Hunt, Ph.D.

Needs Assessment and Course Description
Scientific evidence increasingly indicates that a number of reproductive health endpoints and disorders in women and men—including infertility, subfertility, decline in sperm count/semen quality, recurrent pregnancy loss, adverse birth outcomes and reproductive tract abnormalities, such as endometriosis—are associated with exposure to ubiquitous environmental contaminants. Practicing medical professionals often are unaware that the responses to environmental exposures can be sex-specific and dependent on dose and length of exposure and can have transgenerational effects. The objective of this course is to present the current state of the science linking environmental contaminants with male and female reproductive health and compromised fertility. The faculty will discuss critical research directions and tools, tools for informing patients of environmental contaminants and ways to avoid potentially harmful exposures. Course participants will learn some of the key contaminants of concern, including phthalates, bisphenol A, and solvents, and how they have been implicated in adverse reproductive outcomes.

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the participant should be able to: 

1. Summarize existing scientific information on the impact of environmental contaminants on reproductive health endpoints.

2. Identify critical “windows of vulnerability” to environmental contaminant exposures and associated compromise of reproductive health.

3. List the environmental contaminants of greatest concern and tools to assess current human exposures.

4. Educate the public about minimizing exposures that may be harmful during periconceptional, fetal, postnatal, pubertal, and adult windows.

Back to the Top

Course PG9 (Saturday)

Developed in Cooperation with the Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology Special Interest Group (PAGSIG) and the North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology (NASPAG)

Faculty:
David M. Lee, M.D., Chair
Lisa Allen, M.D.
Michael Bailey, Ph.D.

Needs Assessment and Course Description
Society dichotomizes between male and female in terms of anatomy, sexual orientation, and gender roles. However, sex development and sexuality exist along a broad continuum. Individuals who do not conform to societal gender stereotypes frequently are stigmatized and the psychosocial and sexual issues for these patients can be challenging. A new paradigm of care is evolving from traditional practice patterns. This one-day course for gynecologists, urologists, reproductive endocrinologists, pediatricians and family medicine specialists will examine the environmental and genetic determinants of sexual orientation and gender nonconformity. The faculty will review the pathophysiology and the medical, surgical, and psychosocial care for patients with disorders of sex development (DSD) including androgen insensitivity, other forms of 46,XY DSD, müllerian agenesis, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, and cloacal malformations.

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the participant should be able to: 

1. Summarize the evidence pertaining to the relative roles of environment and genetic determinants of sexual orientation and gender non-conformity.

2. Review the basic pathophysiology and embryology of disorders of sexual development.

3. Describe the techniques and indications for neo-vaginal reconstruction and clitoroplasty, and gonadectomy.

4. Promote a broad perspective of the psychosocial, psychosexual and fertility issues for patients with disorders of sexual development and introduce a new paradigm for care.

Faculty:
David M. Lee, M.D., Chair
Bo Laurent, B.S., M.A. (Cheryl Chase)
Arlene Baratz, M.D.
Katrina Karkasis, Ph.D., M.P.H.

Needs Assessment and Course Description
In 2006 the U.S. and European endocrinological societies published a Consensus Statement announcing a significant change in care for those born with atypical sex anatomy. This shift reflected the widespread acknowledgment among health care professionals that it is important to focus our attention on changing care to improve outcomes for persons with DSDs. In this course, we will describe aspects of the new approach to DSD. This includes discussion of the revised nomenclature for DSD recommended in the recent consensus statement; principles of patient-centered care as they apply to DSD; and potential emotional and sexual difficulties encountered by patients. Finally, we outline the core issues related to quality of life for persons with DSD and their families.

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the participant should be able to: 

1. Define DSDs and describe revised nomenclature for DSDs.

2. Articulate principles of patient-centered care for DSDs.

3. Describe goals of DSD care in quality of life terms.

4. Promote the role of reproductive endocrinology in collaborative coordinated care for DSDs.

Back to the Top

Course PG10 (Saturday)

OVARIAN STIMULATION: WHICH PROTOCOL FOR WHICH PATIENT? 
Postgraduate Program Chair Selection

Faculty:
Francois Olivennes, M.D., Ph.D., Chair
Jean Noël Hugues, M.D., Ph.D.
Michael M. Alper, M.D.

Needs Assessment and Course Description
Ovarian stimulation usually is a key step in Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART). During the past two decades the availability of new hormonal analogues and development of alternative protocols has spurred development of new ovarian stimulation regimens that must be individualized to patient characteristics. Infertility specialists often are at a loss as to how to optimize hormonal stimulation of the ovaries and have expressed a desire for further instruction on this topic. The objective of this one-day course for reproductive endocrinologists and clinicians involved in ART is to review the theoretical and practical aspects of current ovarian stimulation protocols to enable them to select the most appropriate regimens for their patients. The faculty will focus on the means of assessing ovarian reserve and such controversies as the use of LH/hCG or the interest of mild-stimulation protocols. Participants will examine approaches to stimulating the ovaries of poor responders and PCOS patients and recent data on choosing the starting dose of ovarian stimulation protocols and regimens in ovulation induction will be presented. The course will also include discussions on the prevention of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the participant should be able to: 

1. Assess the clinical parameters that are important to select an ovulation induction or controlled ovarian stimulation protocol.

2. Describe available regimens for difficult patients and alternative possibilities in specific indications.

3. Compare available methods to prevent ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.

Back to the Top

Course PG11 (Saturday)

ESSENTIAL CONCEPTS IN REPRODUCTIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY & INFERTILITY PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
Developed in Cooperation with the Association of Reproductive Managers (ARM)

Faculty:
Lisa A. Rinehart, R.N., B.S.N., J.D., Chair
Carli W. Chapman, T.S., B.S., E.L.D.
Rita Gruber
Kira Copperman

Needs Assessment and Course Description
Highly complex medical procedures such as Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) demand sophisticated management structures. The Association of Reproductive Managers recognizes an ongoing need, and its own commitment, to educate administrators and physicians who are relatively new to the field of reproductive medicine in basic management skills and concepts. The goal of this course in basic practice management is to define strategies to maximize patient satisfaction and safety, and employee retention and regulatory compliance in a reproductive endocrinology and infertility practice. The faculty will discuss personnel recruitment, reporting of program statistics to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), preparation for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspections, design of patient-satisfaction surveys, dealing with difficult patients, and risk management. 

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the participant should be able to: 

1. Define strategies to select appropriate staff members and retain employees through successful training programs.

2. Develop, review and utilize patient satisfaction surveys to deal with complex patients and improve overall practice performance.

3. Summarize reporting and recording requirements for the CDC and the FDA.

4. Identify and describe current risks and safe practices in reproductive medicine.

Back to the Top

Course PG12 (Sunday)

UNRAVELING THE MYSTERIES OF SPERMATOGENESIS: CONTEMPORARY THERAPIES, STEM CELLS AND BEYOND
Developed in Cooperation with the Society for Male Reproduction and Urology (SMRU)

Faculty:
Robert E. Brannigan, M.D., Chair
Dolores J. Lamb, Ph.D.
Paul J. Turek, M.D.

Needs Assessment and Course Description
Fifteen percent of couples are affected by infertility, and approximately half of these have a male factor involved. Disorders of spermatogenesis are responsible for the infertility experienced by many of these affected men. There has been an abundance of new and important insights into the pathophysiology of spermatogenic disorders in recent years. Respondents to the ASRM needs surveys identified numerous key areas of male reproductive health where there exist educational gaps. This one-day course will provide physicians and allied health professionals in male reproductive health and andrology a state-of-the-art overview of spermatogenesis, including congenital and acquired disorders. The faculty will use an evidence-based approach to provide a critical assessment of contemporary therapies for impaired spermatogenesis. Finally, participants will discuss investigational and emerging technologies aimed at treating disordered spermatogenesis and restoring male reproductive health.

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the participant should be able to: 

1. Describe normal spermatogenesis and the processes of sperm transport, capacitation, and fertilization.

2. Discuss the pathophysiology of both congenital and acquired disorders of spermatogenesis.

3. Review the evidence regarding contemporary treatment options for impaired spermatogenesis.

4. Discuss investigational and emerging technologies for the treatment of disrupted spermatogenesis, including germ cell transplantation and stem cell-based therapy.

Back to the Top

Course PG13 (Sunday) Surgical Hands-on Course

NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN REPRODUCTIVE SURGERY: DIAGNOSIS AND THERAPY
Developed in Cooperation with the Society of Reproductive Surgeons (SRS)

Faculty:
Steven F. Palter, M.D., Chair
Keith B. Isaacson, M.D.
Tommaso Falcone, M.D.

Needs Assessment and Course Description
Based on feedback from prior SRS courses and ongoing review of current literature, the Society of Reproductive Surgeons has identified a need for ASRM members to learn about new technologies for reproductive and fertility-sparing surgery. Clinicians find it difficult to keep abreast of the unprecedented pace of new technological developments that have improved reproductive surgeons’ (gynecologists and urologists) ability to diagnose and treat pathology that can impact fertility. Moreover, many physicians lack the expertise to make critical assessments of new surgical devices and instruments. The goal of this course for reproductive surgeons is to remedy the knowledge gap about the application of new technologies to common clinical problems. The faculty will explore new technologies that expand upon the surgeon’s innate mechanical abilities including surgical simulators, which are predicted to become the main tool for objective skill training and assessment in the future. This course also will address the appropriate use of the surgical robot, as well as its potential for inappropriate use without supporting evidence. The course will include a final hands-on interactive teaching and skills-improvement session. This lab breakout session will provide direct practical instruction and familiarity with the use of many of the tools reviewed in the didactic sessions. Objective pre- and post-instruction skills assessments will be performed for a subset of the technologies.

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the participant should be able to: 

1. Describe new methods of endoscopic visualization of disease including narrow band imaging, autofluorescence imaging, and high-definition video.

2. Discuss the utility, indications, and proper use of new hysteroscopic technologies including transcervical sterilization, bipolar resectoscopes, and office and flexible endoscopy for uterine pathology. 

3. Summarize the current and potential future utility of simulators for surgical training and of surgical robots for laparoscopy.

Back to the Top

Course PG14 (Sunday)

ASSISTED REPRODUCTION FOR GAY MEN AND LESBIANS: SOCIAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND LEGAL ASPECTS
Developed in Cooperation with the Mental Health Professional Group (MHPG)

Faculty:
Dorothy A. Greenfeld, L.C.S.W., Chair
Kim E. Bergman, Ph.D.
Jennifer Chrisler, B.S.
Deborah H. Wald, Esq.

Needs Assessment and Course Description
The past twenty-five years have brought considerable changes in the social, psychological and political atmosphere for lesbians and gay men. No longer considered a psychiatric disorder, the notion of homosexuality as a social stigma is being replaced rapidly by a growing acceptance of gay men and lesbians. In this new atmosphere of increasing openness, gay men and lesbians are pursuing full self-expression in every area of their lives, including their desire to be parents. As a result, fertility programs are increasingly serving gay men and lesbian clients pursuing parenthood. This advanced one-day course for mental health and allied professionals working in the field of reproductive medicine will increase participants’ understanding of the social and emotional issues faced by gay men and lesbians as they embark on creating a family. This course will provide a review of the research on gay and lesbian parents and their children, as well as an overview of the legal landscape regarding civil unions, marriage, and adoption procedures for gay and lesbian couples around the United States. The course will address unique issues faced by gay men and lesbians as they seek to become parents through assisted reproduction, explore and expose myths and misconceptions about gay and lesbian parents and their children, and prepare mental health professionals to work with this population.

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the participant should be able to: 

1. Discuss new trends in assisted reproduction for gay men and lesbian clients, including social, psychological and legal issues.

2. Summarize the literature pertaining to gay and lesbian parents and their children.

3. Describe approaches to providing mental health support for families with gay and lesbian parents.

Back to the Top

Course PG15 (Sunday)

THE NURSE AS COUNSELOR: PSYCHODYNAMICS OF INFERTILITY
Developed in Cooperation with the Nurses Professional Group (NPG)

Faculty:
Teresa A. Barry Longley, R.N., M.S.N., Chair
William D. Petok, Ph.D.
Susan Quallich, A.N.P, B.C., N.P-C., C.U.N.P.
Deidra T. Rausch, M.S.N., Ph.D., L.M.T.F.

Needs Assessment and Course Description
Nursing professionals play a crucial role in the total care of the infertile patient. They serve as the primary interface between patients and the physician and other members of the assisted reproductive technology program, providing continuity, stability and reassurance. There are no formal programs for nurses to train them in dealing with the myriad stresses encountered by infertility patients. This one-day course will offer the reproductive health nurse the opportunity to learn about one of the most complex issues in the care of the infertile person, the emotional effort of fertility investigation, diagnosis and treatment. Viewed from the patient perspective, this course will give the nurse strategies for coping with the day-to-day challenges of clinical management, such as giving patients difficult news, caring for the sexual abuse survivor, educating patients on the risks of infertility treatment, sexual dysfunction, and donor gamete issues. Participants will learn effective approaches to handling behaviorally challenging patients.

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the participant should be able to: 

1. Describe the unique psychological challenges in caring for patients with infertility.

2. Discuss counselling strategies for the sexually abused patient and oncology patient seeking reproductive assistance.

3. Identify counseling opportunities for patients with sexual dysfunction.

Back to the Top

Course PG16 (Sunday)

DARWIN IN THE LAB: ADAPTING CULTURE CONDITIONS TO THE STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT
Developed in Cooperation with the Reproductive Laboratory Technologists Professional Group (RLTPG)

Faculty:
Alexis Adler, B.S., Chair
Klaus Wiemer, Ph.D., Co-Chair
Caroline McCaffrey, Ph.D.
Marius Meintjes, Ph.D., H.C.L.D.

Needs Assessment and Course Description
Abundant data indicate that the conditions of in vitro culture in assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures are critical to differentiation and development of the early human embryo. The optimal conditions for embryo culture change with the stage of development. Since embryos are destined to develop into adult humans, it is essential that culture conditions promote optimal gene expression. Participants in gap analysis surveys have identified culture media and techniques as topics requiring further education. This course for practitioners of laboratory and clinical assisted reproductive technologies will review the evidence supporting the dependence of the in vitro culture environment on the particular stage of development of the embryo, from zygote to blastocyst. Course faculty members will compare the stage-specific molecular and cellular events of early embryonic development. Participants will learn how to select media and culture conditions and optimize embryonic development so that the number of embryos transferred can be minimized. 

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the participant should be able to: 

1. Describe the sequence of known cellular and molecular events that unfold as the zygote develops to a blastocyst.

2. Select the in vitro culture medium and conditions appropriate for each developmental stage of the early human embryo.

3. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of transfer at the cleavage stage versus transfer at the blastocyst stage.

Back to the Top

Course PG17 (Sunday)

CONTRACEPTION AND THE REPRODUCTIVE ENDOCRINOLOGIST
Developed in Cooperation with the Contraception Special Interest Group (CSIG) and the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals (ARHP)

Faculty:
Michael A. Thomas, M.D., Chair
Julia Johnson, M.D.
Courtney A. Schreiber, M.D., M.P.H.

Needs Assessment and Course Description
Unplanned pregnancy continues to be a major health problem, particularly among teenagers. Physicians’ lack of training in newer, more convenient forms of contraception is a contributing factor to patients’ failure to plan their pregnancies. The Contraception Special Interest Group determined that a comparison of current forms of contraception would benefit reproductive endocrinologists, general obstetrician-gynecologists, specialists in adolescent medicine, family practitioners and nurse practitioners greatly. The purpose of this course is to inform medical personnel about new developments in methods of hormonal contraception. The course faculty will discuss the ancillary uses of hormonal contraceptive systems in suppressing menstrual cycles prior to ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization, managing abnormal uterine bleeding, treating endocrine conditions such as hirsutism and polycystic ovary syndrome, and helping women cope with menopausal symptoms. Finally, participants will learn how to utilize a contemporary levonorgestrel intrauterine system for contraception.

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the participant should be able to: 

1. Discuss new options in combined hormonal contraception for suppression of the menstrual cycle.

2. Outline three medical strategies for management of menorrhagia. 

3. Describe the utility of combined hormonal contraception in management of PCOS.

4. Correctly insert a levonorgestrel intra uterine system.

Back to the Top

Course PG18 (Sunday)

MANAGING THE MENOPAUSAL TRANSITION AND BEYOND: WHAT DOES THE EVIDENCE SHOW?
Developed in Cooperation with the Menopause Special Interest Group (MSIG)

Faculty:
Robert A. Wild, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., Chair
Nannette Santoro, M.D.
Lubna Pal, M.B.B.S., M.Sc.

Needs Assessment and Course Description
At least 50% of Americans seek care from health practitioners other than traditional allopathic physicians. Menopause, particularly in the current environment of uncertainty surrounding the use of hormone therapy, is an arena rife with purported alternative therapies not supported by reliable evidence. Physicians need critical analyses of the information pertaining to these alternative approaches to health care of the menopausal woman. The goal of this one-day course for reproductive endocrinologists, gynecologists, internists and family medicine specialists is to apply principles of evidence-based medicine to menopausal medicine. The faculty will provide learners with evidence-based suggestions to improve the care of the postmenopausal woman. Participants will learn to distinguish between proven and unproven remedies so they can correctly guide their patients.

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the participant should be able to: 

1. Review the principles of evidence-based medicine.

2. Outline the scope of application of evidence-based medicine to menopause.

3. Discuss evidence-based data supporting or refuting common practices in menopausal medicine.

4. Critically appraise the data for diagnosis, therapy, harm and prognoses for women entering this stage of their lives.

Back to the Top

Course PG19 (Sunday)

ENDOMETRIOSIS: DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
Developed in Cooperation with the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE)

Faculty:
Thomas M. D’Hooghe, M.D., Ph.D., Chair
Charles Chapron, M.D., Ph.D.
Stephen Kennedy, M.A., M.D.

Needs Assessment and Course Description
Endometriosis is a painful disorder whose impact in terms of direct health cost is high. New insights into the pathogenesis of endometriosis and the ontogenesis of endometriosis-associated pain and new technological advances in proteomics have resulted in novel approaches to the noninvasive diagnosis and non-hormonal medical treatment of this disease. Physicians have widely disparate opinions as to how endometriosis-associated infertility and pain should be treated, when to do a diagnostic/therapeutic laparoscopy, when to opt for medical or surgical treatment or how to treat infertility associated with endometriosis. However, it is important that endometriosis be treated as completely as possible at the moment of laparoscopic diagnosis. This course for reproductive endocrinologists and general gynecologists will focus on the evidence-based clinical management of endometriosis. Participants will learn how new insights in the genetics and pathogenesis of endometriosis are important to better understand its clinical symptoms, invasive nature, risk of recurrence, and how these can provide a basis for non-invasive diagnosis and non-hormonal medical treatment. The faculty will discuss in detail the 2005 ESHRE Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Endometriosis.

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the participant should be able to: 

1. Offer evidence-based diagnosis and treatment to women with endometriosis according to the ESHRE Guidelines. 

2. Summarize current knowledge of the pathogenesis and genetics of endometriosis. 

3. Apply clinical signs, clinical symptoms and biomarkers to the prediction of endometriosis.

4. Discuss the scientific basis and clinical advantages/risks of immunomodulation in the prevention and treatment of endometriosis.

5. Advise patients about possible treatment options for deeply invasive and/or recurrent endometriosis.

Back to the Top

Course PG20 (Sunday)

PREPARATION OF THE INFERTILE COUPLE FOR IVF/ICSI
Developed in Cooperation with the Middle East Fertility Society (MEFS)

Faculty:
Ragaa T. Mansour, M.D., Ph.D., Chair
Hossam Abdalla, M.D., Co-Chair
David R. Meldrum, M.D.
Sarah L. Berga, M.D.

Needs Assessment and Course Description
Careful assessment of both partners before starting an in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is very important to achieving the optimal outcome and avoiding complications. The clinical outcome can be affected greatly by underlying pathology in both the female and male partners. The complexity of the procedure makes it highly beneficial to employ a checklist for each patient prior to initiation of the cycle in order to ensure that all mitigating factors have been considered. The goal of this one-day course is to review each of the female and male factors that must be considered and assessed in an infertility workup. The faculty will discuss how to utilize the information obtained in the assessment to optimize the general IVF procedure for each individual case. Finally, participants will learn how to incorporate a checklist into the flow of each case.

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the participant should be able to: 

1. Diagnose the factors that affect IVF/ICSI outcome and plan for management.

2. Select a proper ovarian stimulation protocol for each patient.  

3. Design a plan for a successful embryo transfer technique.

4. Make a checklist to be completed for each patient before starting IVF/ICSI.

Back to the Top

Course PG21 (Sunday)

STEM CELLS IN REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE
Postgraduate Program Chair Selection

Faculty:
Carlos Simón, M.D., Ph.D., Chair
Olga Genbacev, Ph.D.
Irina Klimanskaya, Ph.D.

Needs Assessment and Course Description
Human embryonic stem cell lines are promising tools not only for regenerative medicine but also for research in germ line formation and early human development. Stem cells created from viable human embryos represent a potential source of differentiated cells to be used in regenerative medicine and gametes to be utilized in reproductive medicine. Provocative new data suggest that progenitor cell populations, in the gonads, endometrium and placenta, could have a major impact on our understanding of human reproduction. The high frequency of articles pertaining to stem cells in the global news media, together with new services available for the IVF community, indicate a high level of interest in the biomedical and lay communities for timely updates about developments in stem cell research. The purpose of this course is to update clinicians and embryologists about recent advances in embryonic stem cell technology with particular emphasis on novel embryo-friendly approaches for biopsying normal and genetically abnormal embryos. The course will provide insight into the possible generation of gametes from embryonic stem cells, as well as explore the potential of the endometrial and placenta progenitor stem cell population. Participants will discuss the new clinical, ethical and legal implications of stem cells for reproductive medicine.

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the participant should be able to: 

1. Describe the origin, derivation and differentiation capabilities of human embryonic stem cells from genetically normal and abnormal embryos. 

2. Explain the creation of human ES without destroying the embryo and the ethical relevance.

3. Discuss the possibilities and limitations to obtain oocytes and sperm from embryonic stem cells.

4. Describe the existence and properties of the progenitor cell populations in the human placenta and endometrium.

5. Summarize the clinical and legal implications of this new area of research for reproductive medicine and regenerative medicine.

Back to the Top

Course PG22 (Sunday)

ADMINISTRATION OF REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE: FOCUS ON SUCCESSFUL DECISION-MAKING
Developed in Cooperation with the Association of Reproductive Managers (ARM)

Faculty:
Lisa A. Rinehart, R.N., B.S.N., J.D., Chair
Maryanne Williams Pitman, B.S.N.
Paul A. Verrastro, M.P.A.
Margaret E. Swain, R.N., J.D.
Bill Berry

Needs Assessment and Course Description
The management of reproductive medicine facilities presents new and challenging issues to even the most seasoned administrators. The combination of patient care, research and teaching with a high-technology, labor-intensive laboratory procedure in a competitive environment imposes unique constraints on human resource, financial and operational procedures. Few clinical, managerial, nursing and laboratory staff receive adequate training in management of a successful Assisted Reproductive Technology program. This course for managers and staff of reproductive medicine practices will apply best practice principles to ART practice management. The faculty will demonstrate the implementation of decision-making skills into the identification and resolution of practice issues. Participants will learn how to design successful marketing plans and develop long-term financial plans and budgets. Finally, the course will address unique management issues pertaining to third-party reproduction. 

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the participant should be able to: 

1. Apply best practices for decision making to the enhancement of practice operations and future development of the REI practice.

2. Critically assess research programs in reproductive medicine centers and their contribution to improved patient care.

3. Describe benefits and concerns in third-party reproduction specific to selection of an oocyte donor program and informed consent.

4. Develop successful marketing and financial plans.

Back to the Top

By accessing and using the ASRM Web Site, you agree to be bound by 
the ASRM Web Site Terms and Conditions of Use.  

View the ASRM Non Discrimination Policy

Copyright 1996-2008 ASRM, All Rights Reserved
American Society for Reproductive Medicine

Listed on Infertility Resources
Developed and hosted by Internet Health Resources