Table 3.

Biological factors and preconception health and fertility.

Understand the endocrine pathways in fertility. What are the effects of endocrine disrupters on fertility?

Identify which major environmental factors have an impact on fertility

What makes a “good” egg with potential to generate an embryo, pregnancy and healthy birth?

What are the origins of infertility? Has it developed over time? Is it a chronic disease?

What are the oocyte-related mechanisms and consequences of oocytes in hostile environments? Are there repair mechanisms?

Does endometriosis affect fertility? If so, how?

What is the impact of in vitro fertilisation? Do outcomes reflect the patient or the actual technology?

Long term trans generation studies must be undertaken to assess the safety and health impact on children born from assisted reproductive technology.

Do chronic diseases have an impact on fertility? Specifically, do auto immune diseases alter fertility?

How are pregnancy outcomes assessed and children’s or adult’s health monitored long-term?

What impact does infertility and treatment have on future generations?

How can early pregnancy be monitored and what are the events of conception? How can the actual mechanisms be determined?

Why are humans such poor reproducers? Has this changed over time?

How can the aetiology of infertility be elucidated?

What causes fertility to decline in women?

Can folliculogenesis be slowed to extend delay menopause?

As age is recognised as a limiting factor in fertility, how can the reproductive life be lengthened for females and males?

How can ageing of oocytes be reversed? What is the mechanism for aneuploidy and could it be prevented?

What causes menopause? Why do some woman have significantly shorter reproductive lives?

Can damage from autoimmune diseases be prevented?

What are the mechanisms of implantation? What role does the immune system play in implantation?