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Reproductive health

PREFACE

G. Benagiano
Director of the Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction
World Health Organization

This is the second course organized by the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Geneva in collaboration with the Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction for post-graduate training in reproductive biology and medicine.

The credit for organizing the course goes to Professor Aldo Campana of the Infertility and Gynecologic Endocrinology Clinic of the University Cantonal Hospital of Geneva, who conceived it from the beginning as an international effort. For this reason, he contacted WHO and solicited its input in putting together a comprehensive programme. He also raised the necessary funds.

It is therefore only natural that I should thank him on behalf of all the co-sponsors of the Special Programme (UNDP, UNFPA, WHO and the World Bank). We are proud to be associated with such an excellent group of teachers.

The staff of the Special Programme have been deeply involved in the preparation and implementation of the structure of the course, and have helped in keeping a steady focus on international perspectives in the field of human reproduction.

For this reason, beyond the basic issues to be addressed in the various lectures, such as sexual differentiation, gametogenesis and embryo development, mention is made of ensuing ethical problems such as the limits of embryo manipulation and genetic and genetic counselling.

The Special Programme has contributed its expertise in many fundamental aspects covered in the agenda of the course: the role of statistical methods in clinical and epidemiological trials, protocol design, vital statistics and demographic studies of fertility and infertility. It has also contributed in areas of increasing worldwide interest, such as contraceptive development and utilization.

The success of the course lies mainly in the selection of an international faculty of teachers; this has, in turn, been a major factor in ensuring a broad view to the clinically vital areas of contraceptive methodology, diagnosis and management of infertility and recurrent abortion, medically assisted conception, microsurgery, laparoscopic surgery, and induction of ovulation.

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