The human embryo is of obvious importance in clinical practice and research in reproductive medicine and healthcare. Physicians and scientists continue to make striking advances, the implications of which are explored in the chapters of this book. These advances should be understood and appraised in the context of ethics and culture more generally. The unique feature of this book is that it complements chapters on the embryo in clinical practice and research with chapters on the embryo in ethics and culture. The result is a remarkable synergy of science and human values about the human embryo that can be found only in this volume. Scholars from many countries who are leaders in their fields contributed chapters in the book. Many of the chapters have been adapted from the author's own work, which is cited in the text and reference list.