Task Force Fertility Preservation in Severe Diseases

The ESHRE-Task Force “Fertility preservation in severe diseases” was established in Brussels in April 2007.

The Task Force’s initial objectives will focus on fertiltity preservation in cancer and any other severe diseases in which fertility preserving techniques should be offered to men and women. The most frequently used techniques in men are cryopreservation of sperm and testicular tissue and in women cryopreservation and transplantation of ovarian tissue, ovarian stimulation and cryopreservation of unfertilized and fertilized oocytes, GnRH-analogues as well as surgical procedures to maintain fertility. The Task Force not only focuses on evaluation and optimisation of these techniques, it also addresses ethical, psychological and genetic issues.

Due to the variety of issues covered, the Task Force involves altogether 20 specialists from all areas of reproductive medicine, reproductive biology and psychology and integrates the Special Interest Groups “Andrology”, “Reproductive Surgery”, “Psychology and Couselling”, Ethics and Law” and “Embryology”.

The Task Force is coordinated by Michael von Wolff, Heidelberg, Germany as the co-ordinator and by a steering committee comprising Heribert Kentenich, Germany, representing ESHRE, and four clinical specialists representing the Task Force’s four main fields of interest, Claus Ying Andersen, Denmark, Bruno Salle, France, Andrea Borini, Italy, and Zeev Blumenfeld, Israel.

The main activities within the next year are the publication of review articles on different topics of fertility preservation and the organisation of a Campus workshop scheduled in autumn 2008 in Heidelberg, Germany.

Cancer and fertility

Organised by the ESHRE Task Force on “Fertility preservation in severe diseases” in co-operation with the National Centre for Tumour Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg

ESHRE Campus meeting

Heidelberg, Germany

14 – 15 November 2008

Speakers' contributions

Members

Al Hasani, Safar, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lubeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Luebeck, Germany

E-mail: sf_alhasani@hotmail.com

Andersen, Claus Yding, Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Section 5712, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 9, Rigshospitalet, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark

E-mail: yding@rh.dk

Bitzer, Johannes, (SIG Psychology and Counselling) Universitatsspital Basel, Gyn. Social Medicine and Psychosomatics, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031 Basel, Switzerland

E-mail: jbitzer@uhbs.ch

Blumenfeld, Zeev, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Technion-Faculty of Medicine, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa 31096, Israel

E-mail: z_blumenfeld@rambam.health.gov.il

Bonduelle, Maryse, Centre for Medical Genetics, Dutch-Speaking University Hospital of Brussels, Laarbeeklaan, 101, 1090 Brussels, Belgium

E-mail: maryse.bonduelle@uzbrussel.be

Borini, Andrea, TECNOBIOS PROCREAZIONE, Via Dante 15, 40125 Bologna, Italy

E-mail: borini@tecnobiosprocreazione.it

Donnez, Jacques, Department of Gynecology, Universite Catholique de Louvain, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium

E-mail: donnez@gyne.ucl.ac.be

Gordts, Stephan, (SIG Reproductive Surgery) LIFE (Leuven Institute for Fertility and Embryology), Tiensevest 168, 3000 Leuven, Belgium

E-mail: stephan.gordts@lifeleuven.be

Kentenich, Heribert, DRK Kliniken Berlin-Westend, Spandauer Damm 130, 14050 Berlin, Germany

E-mail: frauenklinik@drk-kliniken-westend.de

Menkveld, Rulof, (SIG Andrology) Tygerberg Hospital, Andrology Laboratory E3, 7505 Tygerberg, South Africa

E-mail: rme@sun.ac.za

Montag, Markus, Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Strasse 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany

E-mail: Markus.Montag@ukb.uni-bonn.de

Pennings, Guido, (SIG Ethics and law) University of Ghent, Centre for Environmental Philosophy and Bioethics, Department of Philosophy, Blandijnberg 2, 9000 Gent, Belgium

E-mail: Guido.Pennings@UGent.be

Recchia, Francesco, Unita Operativa di Oncologia, Ospedale Civile di Avezzano, Avezzano, Italy

E-mail: frecchia1946@libero.it

Salle, Bruno, Département de médecine de la reproduction, Pavillon K1, 3 place D'Arsonval, 69437 Cedex 03, France

E-mail: bruno.salle@chu-lyon.fr

Sánchez , María, Institut Universitari - IVI Valencia Plaza Policia Local, nº 3 46015 Valencia Spain

E-mail mariasanchez@ivi.es

Strowitzki, Thomas, Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Vossstrasse 9, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany

E-mail: thomas_strowitzki@med.uni-heidelberg.de

Van den Abbeel; Etienne, (SIG Embryology) Centre for Reproductive Medicine; Laarbeeklaan 101 – 1090; Brussel; Belgium

E-mail: etienne.vandenabbeel@uzbrussel.be

van der Ven, Hans, Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Strasse 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany.

E-mail: Hans.van_der_Ven@ukb.uni-bonn.de

von Wolff, Michael, Women's University Hospital, Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, Effingerstrasse 102, 3010 Bern, Switzerland

E-mail: michael.vonwolff@insel.ch

Wallace, Hamish, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, 17 Millerfield Place, EH9 1LF, Edinburgh, U.K.

E-mail: hamish.wallace@luht.scot.nhs.uk