Accredited by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), the 8^th edition of the UAE Reproductive Symposium, organized by Fakih IVF Fertility Center, brought together several industry experts who used the platform to educate other healthcare providers about the latest and best practices in reproductive medicine. The symposium, held this past weekend offered 14.75 CME hours, and suggested new techniques and trials adapted by experts in the industry while identifying current clinical limitations and measures to overcome them.

The symposium served as an ideal avenue for obstetricians, gynecologists, urologists, infertility specialists, embryologists, lab personnel and nurses to come together and discuss the present and future goals in the field of reproductive health, and methods of subsequently implementing them in their practice.

The first of the two day event commenced with Dr. Michael Fakih, Medical Director of Fakih IVF Fertility Center acknowledging the panel of experts who had made it to the symposium from across the world. A pioneer in the field of assisted reproduction with over 35,000 IVF deliveries to his credit, Dr. Fakih said this year the event had successfully attracted a distinctive line up of physicians and healthcare professionals owing to which about 2,000 attendees participated in the event.

“The number of IVF cycles have grown significantly in the past two years with 5,000 cycles performed in 2017, the number has considerably increased to 8,000 by this year. Our duty as IVF professionals is to ensure that we are transferring a healthy embryo into a healthy uterus, due to which this year a big chunk of our dignitaries will be experts in maternal-fetal surgical procedures to educate on several such practices,” Dr. Fakih said.

Professor Scott Nelson from the University of Glasgow, Scotland particularly provided the audience with various examples on the impact of common medical conditions on IVF outcomes, the subsequent impact of IVF and pregnancy on disease progression and the various practices to mitigate maternal and perinatal risks.

In addition, a presentation on “Obesity in Pregnancy,” was made by Dr. Young Yoon, OBGYN specialist from Beaumont Health System, Troy, MI. Yoon spoke about the prevalence of obesity worldwide, illustrated the maternal and fetal risks associated with maternal obesity while also suggesting the ideal weight of women during each trimester.

Besides these, this year’s agenda explored other areas of concern including chronic hypertension, with superimposed preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia with severe features fetal brain lesions due to maternal infections and prediction and prevention of preclampsia, precision Preimplantation Diagnostic Testing for the elimination of hereditary cancers among many others.

A number of keynote speeches during the two day event were dedicated to discussing male and female infertility issues including “Techniques and results of ovarian tissue transplant,” “Role of varicocele surgery in an IVF clinic,” “social egg freezing,” “The duo-stimulation innovation approach,” and causes for severe male infertility. Participants are also expected to get a hands-on experience on the usage of surgical vitrification kits at the symposium.