This field of women’s health and disease has been attracting the attention of the scientific community over the past 50 years. At the dawn of the 21st century a substantial amount of accumulated knowledge has found its way to clinical application giving rise, however, to new pertinent questions. The volume covers issues concerning women's health and disease, keeping a particular interest on gynecology, obstetrics, endocrinology, and assisted reproduction. The volume includes contributions that present a balance not only between basic and clinical science, but also between preventive and therapeutic approaches. NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas. ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

Table of Contents:
Continuing education and clinical research for the training of obstetricians and gynecologists in Europe George Creatsas and George Mastorakos The role of gonadotropins in the follicular phase Ioannis E. Messinis, Christina I. Messini and Konstantinos Dafopoulos Bone acquisition during adolescence in athletes Kostas B. Markou, Anastasia Theodoropoulou, Athanasios Tsekouras, Apostolos G. Vagenakis and Neoklis A. Georgopoulos Umbilical cord blood stem cells: what to expect Xiao Yan Zhong, Bei Zhang, Reza Asadollahi, Shyan Huey Low and Wolfgang Holzgreve Evaluation and management of adolescent amenorrhea Efthimios Deligeoroglou, Nikolaos Athanasopoulos, Pandelis Tsimaris, Konstantinos D. Dimopoulos, Nikolaos Vrachnis and G. Creatsas Athletic amenorrhea: energy deficit or psychogenic challenge? Samuel A. Pauli and Sarah L. Berga The influence of intensive physical training on growth and pubertal development in athletes Neoklis A. Georgopoulos, Nikolaos D. Roupas, Anastasia Theodoropoulou, Athanasios Tsekouras, Apostolos G. Vagenakis and Kostas B. Markou Pathophysiology of bone loss in the female athlete Irene Lambrinoudaki and Dimitra Papadimitriou Can HPV testing replace the pap smear? Theodoros Agorastos, Alexandros Sotiriadis and Konstantinos Chatzigeorgiou Clinical management of HPV-related disease of the lower genital tract M. Kyrgiou, G. Valasoulis, C. Founta, G. Koliopoulos, P. Karakitsos, M. Nasioutziki, I. Navrozoglou, N. Dalkalitsis and E. Paraskevaidis The role of stress in female reproduction and pregnancy: an update Thomas Vrekoussis, Sophia N. Kalantaridou, George Mastorakos, Emmanuel Zoumakis, Antonis Makrigiannakis, Marika Syrrou, Lazaros G. Lavasidis, Kostas Relakis and George P. Chrousos The effects of adipose tissue and adipocytokines in human pregnancy G. Valsamakis, S. Kumar, G. Creatsas and G. Mastorakos The role of adipocytokines in fetal growth Despina D. Briana and Ariadne Malamitsi-Puchner Establishing consensus criteria for the diagnosis of diabetes in pregnancy following the HAPO study Eran Hadar and Moshe Hod Perinatal mortality in diabetic pregnancy N. Vitoratos, N. Vrachnis, G. Valsamakis, K. Panoulis and G. Creatsas Fetal origins of adult diabetes Christina Kanaka-Gantenbein Coagulation disorders in pregnancy: acquired and inherited thrombophilias Chiara Benedetto, Luca Marozio, Anna Maria Tavella, Loredana Salton, Sara Grivon and Francesca Di Giampaolo Intrauterine inflammation and preterm delivery N. Vrachnis, N. Vitoratos, Z. Iliodromiti, S. Sifakis, E. Deligeoroglou and G. Creatsas Management of premature prelabor rupture of the membranes Helena Strevens, Kirsten Allen and Jim G. Thornton Neonatal outcome of preterm delivery Nicoletta Iacovidou, Marianna Varsami and Angeliki Syggellou Is it possible to reduce obstetrical brachial plexus palsy by optimal management of shoulder dystocia? Stergios K. Doumouchtsis and Sabaratnam Arulkumaran Congenital cytomegalovirus infection Angeliki Syggelou, N. Iacovidou, S. Kloudas, Z. Christoni and V. Papaevangelou Fetal origins of the metabolic syndrome (pages 148–155) Nektaria Xita and Agathocles Tsatsoulis The impact of insulin resistance on woman's health and potential treatment options Konstantinos Lois, Georgios Valsamakis, Georgio Mastorakos and Sudhesh Kumar Diagnosis and management of hirsutism Héctor F. Escobar-Morreale Polycystic ovary syndrome in adolescence Vincenzina Bruni, Metella Dei, Sara Nannini, Daniela Balzi and Daniela Nuvolone Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-? and -d polymorphisms in women with polycystic ovary syndrome P. Christopoulos, G. Mastorakos, M. Gazouli, E. Deligeoroglou, I. Katsikis, E. Diamanti-Kandarakis, D. Panidis and G. Creatsas Metformin in polycystic ovary syndrome Evanthia Diamanti-Kandarakis, Frangiskos Economou, Sotiria Palimeri and Charikleia Christakou Evidence-based management of poor ovarian response Christos A. Venetis, Efstratios M. Kolibianakis, Theoni B. Tarlatzi and Basil C. Tarlatzis Endometriosis and assisted reproduction techniques Päivi Härkki, Aila Tiitinen and Olavi Ylikorkala Fertility drugs and ovarian cancer risk: a critical review of the literature Nikos F. Vlahos, Konstantinos P. Economopoulos and George Creatsas Cryopreservation of human genetic material Yoel Shufaro and Joseph G. Schenker Update on the role of ovarian corticotropin-releasing hormone Erasmia Kiapekou, Evangelia Zapanti, George Mastorakos and Dimitris Loutradis The future of women's contraception: stakes and modalities Justine Hugon-Rodin, Nathalie Chabbert-Buffet and Philippe Bouchard Hormonal contraception in obesity, the metabolic syndrome, and diabetes Sven O. Skouby Estrogen therapy and Alzheimer's dementia Michael C. Craig and D.G.M. Murphy Menopause and sexuality: key issues in premature menopause and beyond Alessandra Graziottin Effectiveness of phytoestrogens in climacteric medicine Farook Al-Azzawi and May Wahab Is the decrease in breast cancer incidence related to a decrease in postmenopausal hormone therapy? A. Gompel and G. Plu-Bureau Bone anabolic versus bone anticatabolic treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis George P. Lyritis, Thomas Georgoulas and Christos P Zafeiris