Exposure to radiofrequency radiation emitted from mobile phone jammers adversely affects the quality of human sperm

Background: The health effect of rapidly increasing everyday exposure of humans to radiofrequency radiation is a major global concern. Mobile phone jammers prevent the mobile phones from receiving signals from base stations by interfering with authorized mobile carriers' services. In spite of the fact that mobile jammer use is illegal, they are occasionally used in offices, shrines, conference rooms and cinemas. The purpose of this study was to investigate the biological effects of short term exposure of human sperm to radiofrequency radiation emitted from a commercial mobile phone jammer

Materials and Methods: Fresh semen samples were obtained by masturbation from 50 healthy donors who had referred with their wives to Infertility Treatment Center at the Mother and Child Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Female problem was diagnosed as the reason for infertility in these couples. The semen sample of each participant was divided into 4 aliquots. The first aliquot was subjected to swim-up and exposed to jammer radiation. The second aliquot was not subjected to swim-up but was exposed to jammer radiation. The third and fourth aliquots were not exposed to jammer radiation but only the 3rd aliquot was subjected to swim-up

Results: Semen samples exposed to radiofrequency radiation showed a significant decrease in sperm motility and increase in DNA fragmentation

Conclusion: Electromagnetic radiation in radiofrequency range emitted from mobile phone jammers may lead to decreased motility and increased DNA fragmentation in human semen. It can be concluded that mobile phone jamming might exert adverse reproductive health effects

[Relationship between exercise during and before pregnancy periods and gestational diabetes mellitus]

Background and Objective: Pregnancy is a period of women's life which is usually associated with reducing maternal daily physical activity. However, maintaining adequate daily physical activity is important for mother and fetus. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between exercise before and during pregnancy and gestational diabete mellitus [GDM]

Methods: This case-control study was conducted on 80 pregnant women with gestational diabete mellitus and 57 non-diabetic pregnant women. Physical activity during one and eight years before, and first and second trimesters of pregnancy was recorded through interview

Results: Regular participation in exercise activities in non-diabetic women were significantly more than diabetic women during all periods [P<0.05]. Regular participation in exercise during one year before and second trimester of pregnancy was inversely correlated to GDM [P<0.05]. Energy expenditure of second trimester of pregnancy was significantly correlated to reduce GDM [P<0.05]

Conclusion: Regular exercise before and during pregnancy can be effective in reducing the probability of GDM. Exercise during one year before and especially second trimester of pregnancy are more important predictors of GDM

Perinatal outcome of pregnancies complicated by immune thrombocytopenia

Immune thrombocytopenia [ITP] is an autoimmune disorder that leads to premature destruction of antibody-coated platelets. This study evaluated perinatal outcome and medications used for pregnancies complicated by ITP. Medical records of 132 pregnancies belonged to 125 parturients with ITP who delivered between March 2001 and January 2011 were reviewed. Cases were included if diagnosed before pregnancy or if their platelet counts [PCs] were less than 80,000/microL during pregnancy without any other cause. Maternal and fetal outcomes were compared. Fifty six mothers [42.1%] had PC<50,000, 18 women [13.5%] developed preeclampsia and 15 [11.3%] were diabetics. Corticosteroid was used for120 cases [90.9%] and intravenous immunoglobulin for 14 women [10.5%]. PCs of 114 neonates were available in the charts and 84 [83.2%] had PC>150,000/microL. Three neonates [2.3%] had PC<50 000, 31 neonates [23.3%] had preterm births and 32 [24.1%] needed NICU admissions. Fifty seven cases of ITP [43.2%] were diagnosed before pregnancy and 75 [56.8%] were diagnosed during pregnancy. There were 2 intrauterine fetal deaths and higher NICU admissions, 20 [34.48%] versus 12 [16%] in the first group [p=0.01]. Perinatal outcome of pregnancies with ITP is generally good. However neonates born from parturients with chronic ITP needed more NICU admissions

Maternal risk factors and neonatal outcome of the admitted patients for preterm spontaneous uterine contractions

Preterm birth [PTB] is one of the most important unsolved problems in reproductive medicine. This study aims to evaluate several maternal risk factors and outcome of pregnancies who were admitted for preterm spontaneous uterine contractions [PSUC]. From September 2007 to February 2009, 327 cases who were admitted for PSUC were retrospectively studied. They were classified according to their fetal numbers and presence of true versus threatened preterm labor [PTL]. There were 297 [90.82%] singleton, 27 [8.25%] twin and 3 [0.91%] triplet pregnancies. Only 12 women [3.6%] fulfilled the ACOG criteria for PTL who delivered in a few hours and 315 cases [96.3%] were classified as threatened PTL and most of them were discharged undelivered from the hospital. 103 cases were missed and 224 mothers and their 247 neonates remained. 121 women from this cohort had PTB and delivered before 259 days [54%]. Pregnancy outcomes including; the time interval between admission for PSUC and delivery, the mean gestational ages at birth, birth weights, number and duration of NICU admissions were evaluated in each group. Regular uterine contractions even in the absence of cervical changes should be considered as a potential risk factor for PTB. The most frequently associated maternal risk factors were history of abortion, infertility and previous PTB, and the most frequently associated complications were preterm rupture of membranes, vaginal bleeding and febrile diseases

Relationship between daily physical activity during last month of pregnancy and pregnancy outcome

Previous researchers have evaluated the influence of physical exercise or physical activity on pregnancy outcome, but the influence of daily physical activities in details including energy expenditure, biomechanical load and exercise before and during pregnancy have remained unclear. This study evaluates the relationship between daily physical activities as a biomechanical load and energy expenditure and physical exercise during household activities with birth weight, type of delivery and Apgar score. The participants of this study were household, first parity women who referred to a prenatal care center in Southern Iran. 132 volunteer women were eligible to be enrolled according to their general health and not having any absolute or relative limitation for participating in any kind of activity. Information about daily physical activity was collected through a personal interview using a structured questionnaire during two separate days of ninth month of pregnancy. Data on delivery were recorded from recorded documents of mothers in the hospital. There was no relationship between biomechanical and energy load and birth weight. There was a significant correlation between Apgar score and biomechanical and energy load. Infants of mothers who exercised before or during pregnancy had a significant higher weight than the non-exercise group. Apgar score indicated no significant difference among those having exercise and those without before and during pregnancy. There was no significant difference in the biomechanical load and energy expenditure in the two types of delivery. Daily activities in normal range do not induce any harmful effect on birth weight; increasing biomechanical load as a result of some maternal body postures that may be harmful for infant health at birth time. Physical exercise before and during pregnancy may have a positive effect on birth weight

Work stress, premenstrual syndrome and dysphoric disorder: are there any associations?

Women with recurrent and severe symptoms are diagnosed as having premenstrual syndrome [PMS], and if they suffer from severe affective symptoms, a diagnosis of premenstrual dysphoric disorder [PMDD] is made. The purpose of this study was to determine the association of work stress with PMS and PMDD. Fifty-five female medical students in their internship program [ten 24-hour shifts per month] and 38 third-year female medical students without any shift duties were asked to participate in this study. A questionnaire was used to record demographic information and a self-report inventory was used to measure 13 symptoms relevant to PMS and PMDD according to DSM-IV criteria. All participants were asked to complete the inventory every night around midnight for those on shifts or before going to bed at home for 60 consecutive nights. Out of 55 volunteers in the shift-work group, 31 [56%] fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for PMS in contrast to 12 [32%] in the control group. The frequency of PMDD was 12 [22%] in the intern group and 5 [13%] in the control group. Twenty one students [55%] from the control group did not have PMS or PMDD, compared to 12 [22%] students from the shift workers. Decreased energy [70.9%] and irritability [65.45] were the most frequent symptoms during the luteal phase in the shift-work group. Work stress and an increase in responsibility may produce or exacerbate PMS. Self-help approaches to induce self-awareness, along with psychological and psychiatric interventions, may help susceptible women to overcome this cyclic condition in order to increase their productivity as well as their quality of life

Coagulation factors in severe preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is an idiopathic multisystem disorder specific to human pregnancy and the puerperium and hematological abnormalities may develop in preeclamptic women. This study was designed to determine coagulation parameters in patients with severe preeclampsia in Shiraz, southern Iran. From 2002 to 2005, coagulation indices including platelet count, prothrombin time [PT], activated partial thromboplastin time [aPPT], plasma fibrinogen, and fibrin degradation products [FDP] were measured within 24 hours of admission for fifty women with severe preeclampsia and fifty normal pregnant women. The patients with coagulopathies were excluded. Abnormal coagulation indices were compared between the two groups. The mean value of platelet counts were significantly lower while the mean values of aPPT and FDP were higher in the preeclamptic patients. However, the mean values of plasma fibrinogen and PT did not show any statistical difference between these two groups. Fifty percent of the patients with severe preeclampsia showed thrombocytopenia, 10% prolonged PT, 30% prolonged PTT, 28% hypofibrinogenemia, and 32% elevated FDP. Prolonged aPTT was seen in 6% of patients with platelet counts of more than 150 103/mm[3] at the admission time. However, these patients showed evidence of coagulopathies and needed to receive blood or blood products later in their hospital course. In case an abnormal platelet count or aPTT is detected in a patient with severe preeclampsia, a coagulopathic disorder should be clinically suspected

Primary hydatidosis of uterus and left fallopian tube

Hydatid cysts are known to occur in most organs especially in the endemic areas. However, its occurrence in uterus is extremely rare and it mostly occurs as a secondary involvement. Herein we reported on a 25-year-old woman with primary involvement of the uterus and left fallopian tube. The patient presented with a colicky abdominal pattern and fever and was admitted to the Emergency Ward

Menstrual abnormalities and pain after five tubal sterilization methods: a randomized controlled trial

Background and Tubal sterilization is the most popular method of permanent female contraception, yet there is considerable debate concerning the influence of this procedure on the women's health and menstrual pattern. We randomized 1358 women to one of the five methods of tubal sterilization; unipolar electrocauterization, bipolar electrocauterization, minilaparatomy, Pomeroy method, Falope ring, and Hulka clips to evaluate the effect of each method on menstrual pattern. Each woman was interviewed before sterilization and followed for 3 years. 850 women who did not undergo sterilization served as control group and were interviewed and followed. 248 women of study group and 503 cases of the control group did not fulfill the study criteria and were excluded. Menstrual indices were significantly different between the control group and those women who were sterilized by unipolar, ring, and Pomery methods. The amount of bleeding, was increased by 28.3% in unipolar group [p=0.001], 19.9% in ring group [p=0.001], and by 23.9% in Pomeroy group [p=0.0001]. Significant menstrual pain lasted for a maximum of 18 months was noted in unipolar coagulation group [p=0.0001]. Sterilization methods which destroy the vascular communications along and immediately subjacent to the tube and that also disturb the countercurrent exchange of biologically active factors between the uterus and ovaries, are more likely to cause menstrual abnormalities