Beijing, China, 1 April 2010 — Infertility, defined as the failure to conceive after 12 months or more of regular, unprotected intercourse, may affect as many as 15 percent of couples around the world including Asia.¹ The World Health Organization expects infertility and sterility to be the third most serious disease worldwide in the 21st century.⁴ The cause can be traced to a number of physical and environmental factors and viewed as not only a personal, private problem but a much larger health issue for governments and societies across the globe.

Like other countries, China's infertility rate is on the rise. It has increased from 3 percent to 15 percent in the past 20 years.² It is estimated that at least 40 million Chinese couples have difficulty in having children or are actually infertile.³

As a result, the use of assisted reproductive technology (A.R.T.) to increase fertility has been steadily increasing. Over the last decade, the annual increase of A.R.T. services is said to have been approximately 5 percent to 10 percent in developed countries. In China alone, more than 10 million Chinese couples need A.R.T. procedures.⁴

As the quantity of A.R.T. cycles increases, scientists and physicians are looking to improve the quality of A.R.T. cycles as well. One critical factor in A.R.T. is the proper culture and selection of fertilized embryos and then their successful implantation in the woman's womb. These important issues related to A.R.T. will be discussed at the 3rd Congress of the Asia Pacific Initiative on Reproduction (ASPIRE 2010), 9-11 April in Bangkok.

In addition, a media briefing organised by Cook Medical Women's Health Division will be held in Beijing to discuss ways to improve embryo transfer and implantation with a special focus on China.

Ms. Christina Anné, vice president and global business leader of Women's Health, Cook Medical, will host the media briefing. She will be joined by Dr. Qiao Jie, chair-elect of the Chinese Reproductive Medicine Association, director and professor of the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics and vice general secretary of Peking University 3rd Hospital, China, and associate director of o bstetrics and g ynecology f aculty, Beijing Medical University; and Kim Giliam, embryologist and Cook Medical global product manager.

To find out more, you are cordially invited to attend the Cook Medical media briefing:

Cook Medical and A.R.T.
Cook Medical is a global leader in assisted reproductive technology (A.R.T), which has resulted in the birth of approximately half a million babies in the United States according to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine. To aid A.R.T professionals and their patients, Cook recently launched CookARTLab.com, which features the industry's first interactive video tour of an A.R.T. lab. Visitors to the site can view real-world demonstrations of ovum collection, sperm injection, embryo culture and embryo transfer, with guidance on how to optimize each step for improved pregnancy rates. The website also features a knowledge base with up-to-the-minute links to the most current published research in A.R.T.; a discussion forum that allows professionals to exchange information and experiences; and a news center that posts upcoming industry events, making the Cook site a centralized resource on breaking research and best practices for fertility and reproductive specialists. Follow Cook Women's Health on twitter at twitter.com/cookwomenshlth.

About Cook Medical
Founded in 1963, Cook Medical pioneered many of the medical devices now commonly used to perform minimally invasive medical procedures throughout the body. Today, the company integrates medical devices, drugs and biologics to enhance patient safety and improve clinical outcomes. Since its inception, Cook has operated as a family-held private corporation. For more information, visit http://www.cookmedical.com/ and cookmedical.com/cn in China. Follow Cook Medical on Twitter at twitter.com/CookMedicalPR.

For further information, please contact Professional Public Relations Shanghai for assistance.
Judy Zhu
Tel: (86-21) 5169 2005 ext. 104 / (86) 138 1875 8266
E-mail: judyzhu@pprgreaterchina.com.cn