World-leading Researchers Discuss Reproductive Medicine at the University of Tartu
On May 16 and 17, top specialists of reproductive health worldwide will gather at the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology of the University of Tartu. The researchers will participate in annual workshops within the project „Happy Pregnancy“ in order to discuss current topics in reproductive medicine and the research tasks of the project.
The gathering of researchers at the workshop is motivated by a growing trend in developed countries, as well as in Estonia: childbirth is postponed to an ever later age which leads to increased incidence of infertility in both women and men and also of pregnancy complications. Maris Laan, Professor of Human Molecular Genetics at the University of Tartu, says that timely fertility treatment of both partners, monitoring of problem pregnancies and prevention of risk situations for mother or child are becoming increasingly important for both scientists and patients.
According to Maris Laan, Professor of Human Molecular Genetics and the responsible leader of the project „Happy Pregnancy“, top European specialists of reproductive biomedicine will participate with presentations. „The clinical and scientific work of the leading European experts Professor Christiansen and Professor Huppertz is focused on research of causes of early (e.g. recurrent miscarriage) and late (e.g. pre-eclampsia) pregnancy complications, as well as development of new diagnostic, preventive and treatment methods. Professor Huhtaniemi is one of the best known European endocrinologists focusing on hormones related to male fertility, reproductive health and aging. Professor Jørgensen addresses the effect of prenatal environmental factors on the "programming" of reproductive health of a male fetus,“ Laan describes the main speakers.
The project „Happy Pregnancy“ will also include a study comprising ca 6000 patients in Estonia, conducted by researchers of the University of Tartu and the University of Tartu Hospital. The study aims at development of novel medical solutions for assessment of the risk of pregnancy complications, infertility in both sexes and related diseases, as well as improvement of the opportunities of prevention and treatment of infertility. The planned study and reproductive health in Estonia are also discussed by Estonian researchers at the workshop.
The partners of the project are the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology of the University of Tartu, the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the University of Tartu Hospital (Dr. Kristiina Rull), the Centre of Andrology (Dr. Margus Punab), the United Laboratory Centre of Genetics (Dr. Neeme Tõnisson) and Quattromed HTI Laborid OÜ (Dr. Paul Naaber).
Read more about the study and the workshops at the „Happy Pregnancy“ website.