Sexual behavior of infertile women: a qualitative study

Infertility makes an essential challenge to the sexual life of couples, especially infertile women. When pregnancy does not happen, infertile women think that sexual intercourse is not fruitful and sexual desire became reduce gradually. Infertile women progressively forget that their sexual relationship is also a response to their natural need. This qualitative study was conducted to explore the infertility consequences in the sexual behavior of infertile women. This was a qualitative content analysis study; and it was part of a widespread study, used a sequential mixed-method and conducted from August 2014 until February 2015. A purposeful sampling was used to recruit infertile women who had referred to Yazd Research and Clinical Center for Infertility. Data gathering techniques employed in this research included in-depth semi structured open face-to-face interviews and field notes. Credibility, transferability, confirm ability, and dependability were assessed for the rigor of the data collection. Totally, 15 infertile women and 8 key informants were interviewed. Data analysis showed four themes about impact of infertility on female sexual behavior: I/ Impact of infertility drugs on couple sexual behavior, 21 Impact of assisted reproductive technologies on female sexual behavior, 3/ Timed intercourse during infertility and 4/ The psychological impact of infertility on sexual behavior. Some of Iranian infertile women could cope with their problems, but some of them were very affected by infertility drugs and assisted reproductive technologies procedures. Psychosexual counseling before medical treatment could help them to have a better sexual life

Thyroid dysfunction and pregnancy outcomes

Pregnancy has a huge impact on the thyroid function in both healthy women and those that have thyroid dysfunction. The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in pregnant women is relatively high. The objective of this review was to increase awareness and to provide a review on adverse effect of thyroid dysfunction including hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism and thyroid autoimmune positivity on pregnancy outcomes. In this review, Medline, Embase and the Cochrane Library were searched with appropriate keywords for relevant English manuscript. We used a variety of studies, including randomized clinical trials, cohort [prospective and retrospective], case-control and case reports. Those studies on thyroid disorders among non-pregnant women and articles without adequate quality were excluded. Overt hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism has several adverse effects on pregnancy outcomes. Overt hyperthyroidism was associated with miscarriage, stillbirth, preterrn delivery, intrauterine growth retardation, low birth weight, preeclampsia and fetal thyroid dysfunction. Overt hypothyroidism was associated with abortion, anemia, pregnancy-induced hypertension, preeclampsia, placental abruption, postpartum hemorrhage, premature birth, low birth weight, intrauterine fetal death, increased neonatal respiratory distress and infant neuro developmental dysfunction. However the adverse effect of subclinical hypothyroidism, and thyroid antibody positivity on pregnancy outcomes was not clear. While some studies demonstrated higher chance of placental abruption, preterm birth, miscarriage, gestational hypertension, fetal distress, severe preeclampsia and neonatal distress and diabetes in pregnant women with subclinical hypothyroidism or thyroid autoimmunity; the other ones have not reported these adverse effects. While the impacts of overt thyroid dysfunction on feto-maternal morbidities have been clearly identified and its long term impact on childhood development is well known, data on the early and late complications of subclinical thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy or thyroid autoimmunity are controversial. Further studies on maternal and neonatal outcomes of subclinical thyroid dysfunction maternal are needed

Large nuclear vacuoles in spermatozoa negatively affect pregnancy rate in IVF cycles

Recently, motile sperm organelle morphology examination [MSOME] criteria as a new real time tool for evaluation of spermatozoa in intracytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI] cycles has been considered. The aim was to investigate the predictive value of MSOME in in vitro fertilization [IVF] in comparison to ICSI cycles and evaluation of the association between MSOME parameters and traditional sperm parameters in both groups. This is a cross sectional prospective analysis of MSOME parameters in IVF [n=31] and ICSI cycles [n=35]. MSOME parameters were also evaluated as the presence of vacuole [none, small, medium, large or mix]; head size [normal, small or large]; cytoplasmic droplet; head shape and acrosome normality. In sub-analysis, MSOME parameters were compared between two groups with successful or failed clinical pregnancy in each group. In IVF group, the rate of large nuclear vacuole showed significant increase in failed as compared to successful pregnancies [13.81 +/- 9.7vs7.38 +/- 4.4, respectively, p=0.045] while MSOME parameters were the same between successful and failed pregnancies in ICSI group. Moreover, a negative correlation was noticed between LNV and sperm shape normalcy. In ICSI group, a negative correlation was established between cytoplasmic droplet and sperm shape normalcy. In addition, there was a positive correlation between sperm shape normalcy and non-vacuolated spermatozoa. The high rate of large nuclear vacuoles in sperm used in IVF cycles with failed pregnancies confirms that MSOME, is a helpful tool for fine sperm morphology assessment, and its application may enhance the assisted reproduction technology success rates

comparison of anxiety and depression rate between medical staff of infertility centers and obstetrics and gynecology centers of Yazd, Shiraz, Isfahan and Kerman hospitals

Regarding the close and continuous interaction of infertility staff with hopeless infertile couples and in the contrary the atmosphere of happiness especially in obstetric wards make a sense that considering anxiety and depression it would be a difference between these two wards. The objective of this study is the comparison of the rate of depression and anxiety between the two wards of infertility and obstetrics and gynecology. This study is a descriptive-correlation study based on cross-sectional method. 199 individuals who were the staff of infertility and obstetrics and gynecology wards in four provinces enrolled in this study through stratified sampling. Data collection was done by demographic questionnaire, Spiel Berger and Beck depression inventory tests. Data were analyzed by SPSS software using ANOVA test. The result showed the rate of anxiety in obstetrics and gynecology staff of Isfahan center [54.69 +/- 13.58] and depression rate had increased level in infertility staff of Shiraz center [14.94 +/- 10.87]. Overall, there was significant correlation between anxiety, depression and work place [p=0.047, 0.008 respectively]. According to ANOVA test, the mean value of anxiety level was higher in the staff of four obstetrics and gynecology centers and one infertility center. As long as we know that infertile couples have little chance for success rate and obstetrics and gynecology wards patients have little risk of failure in treatment, it could be mentioned that the anxiety and depression in the staff are not correlated with the client illness

[Isolation and identification of Nocardia asteroids complex isolated from thigh abscess in a patient with Behcet's syndrome: the first report from Iran]

Nocardia species are Gram-positive, partially acid fast, non-motile, cata-lase positive, aerobic and saprophytic actinomycetes found all around the world. They invade the human body from the environment via trauma and respiratory tract and cause cutaneous, pulmonary and systemic diseases. They are able to grow in various media.The organisms opportunistically infect both immunocompromised and immuno-competent individuals. Behcet's disease is an autoimmune disease and immunocompromised patient which may suitable host for Nocardia bacterium. The present study is the first case report of isolation of Nocardia from the thigh abscess in a patient with behcet's disease from Iran. A 39-year-old man with Behcet's disease in August 2011 was admitted to Shariati hospital Tehran, with swelling and pain in the left flank and left thigh. Microscopic identification from direct microbiological slide of thigh abscess discharge demonstrated number of lymphocytes, neutrophils and macrophages foamy and white blood cells together with filamentous bacteria. Further microbiological characterization using phenotypic and antibiogram tests with disk diffusion method, demonstrated that the isolated bacterium is Nocardia asteroides complex. The bacteria were sensitive to ampicillin, vancomycin, ceftriaxone, amikacin and cotrimoxazole but it was resistant to clindamycin, erythromycin, penicillin G, cephalothin and gentamicin. The patient was treated with cotrimoxazole. Because of the high incidence and high mortality of Nocardia infection in immunocompromised cases, rapid detection and timely treatment for these patients is necessary

Effects of aerobic exercise and whole body vibration on glycaemia control in type 2 diabetic males

aerobic exercise has been identified as the main treatment for type 2 diabetic patients. Such an exercise, however, is usually repined by some of patients who suffer from lack of stamina. Therefore, whole body vibration has recently been introduced as a passive intervention. The present study aimed at comparing how aerobic exercise and whole body vibration affect glycaemia control in type 2 diabetic males. Thirty diabetic males were divided into three groups, namely aerobic exercise [AE], whole body vibration [WBV], and control. Aerobic exercise schedule consisted of three walking sessions a week, each for 30-60 minutes and in 60-70% of maximum stock heartbeat. Vibration exercise was composed of 8-12-min stand-up and semi-squat positioning in frequency of 30 Hz and amplitude of 2 mm. Concentrations of fasting glycosylated hemoglobin, fasting glucose, and insulin were measured in the beginning of the trial, after the fourth week, and after the eighth week. After 8 weeks of exercise, no significant difference was detected in concentrations of fasting glycosylated hemoglobin and insulin between the groups [P=0.83, P=0.l2]. There were no significant differences in any of the variables between AE and WBV [p>0.05]. But a more significant decrease in fasting glucose was observed in exercise groups [AE and WBV] compared with control group [P=0.02]. The present study showed that AE and WBV identically stimulate metabolic system. Thus, it can be concluded that type 2 diabetic patients lacking stamina for aerobic exercise can opt for vibration exercise as an effective substitute