Session 96: RBMO VI
Tuesday, 7th June at 3pm EST, 8pm UK, 9pm CET
Description: International IVF Initiative I3- Online Session, RBMO LIVE – June 7, 2022
Course outline/synopsis:
Regular quarterly webinar for the journal Reproductive Biomedicine Online (RBMO) showcasing selected papers and research projects from the journal, with group discussion and audience Q&A. RBMO is a leading international journal devoted to biomedical research on human conception and the welfare of the human embryo. The journal currently has an Impact Factor of 3.828, and is ranked in the 1st Quartile of both Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive biology categories of the Web of Science.
This session was moderated by RBMO Senior Editor Nick Macklon and Section Editor Jacky Boivin, highlighting progress and innovations with mobile and lifestyle technologies, with authors from the Reproduction, Technology and Society section of the journal.
The session was divided into a spotlight presentation, three speed sessions and group discussion. All sections invited audience questions, to be addressed to the presenters and panel.
The headline talk was Prof. Alice Domar and Alison Meyers discussing recent review paper, ‘Research-Supported Mobile Applications and Internet-Based Technologies to Mediate the Psychological Effects of Infertility: A Review’, highlighting the trends in mobile and web-based technologies to decrease emotional distress in individuals with infertility.
The speed sessions featured Dr Eri Maeda presenting her paper ‘Promoting fertility awareness and preconception health using a chatbot: A randomized controlled trial’. Ka Ying Bonnie Ng, with the finding of a recent RCT study into the effects of lifestyle coaching apps on behaviours in women with subfertility or recurrent miscarriage, and Prof. Joyce Harper presenting her recent work and RBMO paper on fertility tracking apps and their ability to offer women useful information about their fertile window.
Finally, all presenters joined a panel discussion, together with the moderators to expand on the themes of the talks and respond to questions from the audience.
Tuesday, 7th June at 3pm EST, 8pm UK, 9pm CET
Reproduction, Technology and Society
Moderators:
Prof. Nick Macklon and Prof. Jacky Boivin
Main Lecture:
Research-supported mobile applications and internet-based technologies to mediate the psychological effects of infertility: A review
Prof. Alice D Domar with Alison Meyers
Speed sessions:
Smartphone based lifestyle coaching modifies behaviours in women with subfertility or recurrent miscarriage: An RCT
Dr. Ka Ying Bonnie Ng
Promoting fertility awareness and preconception health using a chatbot: A randomized controlled trial
Dr. Eri Maeda
Do fertility tracking apps offer women useful information about their fertile window?
Prof. Joyce Harper
Discussion:
Liquid expectations- what can patients and clinics expect from technological advances?
PROF ALICE DOMAR
Alice “Ali” Domar, Ph.D, is a health psychologist who focuses on the application of mind/body medicine to women's health issues. Her research focuses on the relationship between stress and infertility, with a focus on the impact of cognitive behavioral interventions as well as access to care and patient retention. She is also a practicing psychologist and does individual, couples, and group therapy.
She is the Chief Compassion Officer at Inception, a senior staff psychologist in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and an associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology, part-time, at Harvard Medical School. She is a past-chair of the mental health professional group of ASRM.
Dr. Domar is on the board for Parents Magazine and served ten years on the board of Resolve, the National Infertility Association. She is the narrator of the DVD’s “Stress and Relaxation Explained” and “Infertility Explained”. She is the author of seven books, including “Conquering Infertility” and the co-creator of the apps FertiCalm and FertiStrong. She is an editor for a new textbook: “Patient-Centered Assisted Reproduction: How to Integrate Exceptional Care with Cutting-Edge Technology”, Cambridge University Press (Domar AD, Sakkas D, Toth,T), 2020. She is also the co-host of the new podcast “Dear Infertility: Finding Calm When Trying is Trying”.
ALISON MEYERS
Her research experience includes genetic knockout in pediatric neuroblastoma using CRISPR technology, neurodevelopment and embryology research investigating G-protein-coupled receptors and cell-signaling, and clinical research into the psychology of infertility with Dr. Domar.
With Dr. Domar, she helped compose several manuscripts and textbook chapters. She learned a lot about the field of reproductive endocrinology/infertility, how infertility impacts mental, emotional, and psychological health, and methods to mediate these effects. She couldn’t be more grateful for her experience working with Dr. Domar.
Currently, she is working as a Study Facilitator/Assistant Coordinator at Rochester Clinical Research where she is helping conduct more than 25 Phase-3 vaccine research studies with most pertaining to COVID-19 vaccines.
Her intention is to go to medical school where she is interested in reproductive endocrinology/infertility. She is currently in the application process and hopes to matriculate in the Fall of 2023.
KA YING BONNIE NG
Bonnie has an interest in research into the intrauterine environment and periconceptional care for women with reproductive failures. She is part of the clinical team providing care for women affected by recurrent pregnancy loss at Southampton. Her PhD focusses on natural killer cells in the pre-implantation endometrium and understanding whether uterine NK activity can be altered by peptides expressed on the cell surface to affect reproductive success.
DR. ERI MAEDA
Her research addresses public health aspects of infertility and assisted reproductive technologies. Current research areas include fertility awareness, preconception health and behaviours, and reproductive epidemiology. She also works as a member of the International Fertility Education Initiative in ESHRE.
PROF. JOYCE HARPER
She has worked in the fields of fertility, genetics and reproductive science since 1987, written over 200 scientific papers and published three books. She started her career as an embryologist, then moved into reproductive science and genetics. Now she is researching into fertility education, FemTech, IVF add-ons, gamete donation and the menopause.
Joyce is a passionate educator at all levels, from the general public to PhD students. She is invited to numerous international meetings, including key note and plenary lectures. She regularly appears on TV, radio and in the press. She gives talks for companies to understand fertility issues in the workplace, including the menopause. In 2022, she is giving free talks in UK schools to discuss fertility education.
She is co-founder of the UK Fertility Education Initiative (www.fertilityed.uk) and founder of the International Fertility Education Initiative.
Her latest book, Your Fertile Years, What you need to know to make informed choices, has recently been published.
PROF. JACKY BOIVIN
PROF. NICK MACKLON
He has published over 200 peer reviewed papers, has been Associate Editor of Human Reproduction, Human reproduction Update and Reproduction and until recently was a member of the ESHRE Executive Committee. He is currently an Editor of RBMO Online.