Effect of administration of single dose GnRH agonist in luteal phase on outcome of ICSI-ET cycles in women with previous history of IVF/ICSI failure: a randomized controlled trial

GnRH agonist administration in the luteal phase has been suggested to beneficially affect the outcome of intracytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI] and embryo transfer [ET] cycles. This blind randomized controlled study evaluates the effect of GnRH [Gonadotropine Releasing Hormone] agonist administration on ICSI outcome in GnRH antagonist ovarian stimulation protocol in women with 2 or more previous IVF/ICSI-ET failures. One hundred IVF failure women who underwent ICSI cycles and stimulated with GnRH antagonist ovarian stimulation protocol, were included in the study. Women were randomly assigned to intervention [received a single dose injection of GnRH agonist [0.1 mg of Decapeptil] subcutaneously 6 days after oocyte retrieval] and control [did not receive GnRH agonist] groups. Implantation and clinical pregnancy rates were the primary outcome measures. Although the age of women, the number of embryos transferred in the current cycle and the quality of the transferred embryos were similar in the two groups, there was a significantly higher rate of implantation [Mann Whitney test, p=0.041] and pregnancy [32.6% vs. 12.5%, p=0.030, OR=3.3, 95%CI, 1.08 to 10.4] in the in-tervention group. Our results suggested that, in addition to routine luteal phase support using progesterone, administration of 0.1 mg of Decapeptil 6 days after oocyte re-trieval in women with previous history of 2 or more IVF/ICSI failures led to a signif-icant improvement in implantation and pregnancy rates after ICSI following ovarian stimulation with GnRH antagonist protocol

ART outcomes in GnRH antagonist protocol [flexible] and long GnRH agonist protocol during early follicular phase in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized clinical trial

Since increased LH in the early follicular phase in PCOS patients especially in GnRH antagonist protocol could be associated with reduced oocyte quality and pregnancy and impared implantation. The current study was conducted to determine ART outcomes in GnRH antagonist protocol [flexible] and long GnRH agonist protocol and compare them with adding GnRH antagonist in GnRH antagonist [flexible] protocol during early follicular phase in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome undergoing ICSI. In this randomized clinical trial, 150 patients with polycystic ovary syndrome undergoing ICSI were enrolled from 2012 to 2014 and randomly assigned to receive either GnRH antagonist protocol during early and late follicular phase or GnRH antagonist protocol [flexible] or long GnRH agonist protocol. The clinical and laboratory pregnancy in three groups was determined and compared. In this context, the chi-square and Fisher's exact test and ANOVA were used for data analysis. Statistical significance was defined as p<0.05. There was no statistically significant difference with respect to chemical pregnancy and clinical pregnancy between the three groups. Also, other indices such as number and quality of oocytes and embryos were alike. Totally, according to our results, GnRH antagonist protocol during early and late follicular phase and GnRH antagonist protocol [flexible] and long GnRH agonist protocol in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome undergoing ICSI are similarly effective and use of each one based on patients' condition and physicians' opinion could be considered

Comparative molecular and microbiologic diagnosis of vaginal colonization by group B streptococcus in pregnant women during labor

Rapid tests for detection of Streptococcus agalactiae or Group B Streptococci [CGS] at the onset of labor are needed to permit early intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis. This study aimed to evaluate the PCR assays targeting the 16S ribosomal RNA gene [16S rDNA] for detection of the GBS in comparison with a specific culture method. Two swabs were used to obtain vaginal specimens from the 330 pregnant women attended delivery room at Hedayat hospital, Tehran, Iran. One swab was analyzed by direct plating onto selective GBS agar medium [ISLAM] and the other swab was used for a PCR assay, which amplified the 16S rDNA of S.agalactiae. Comparative study between the selective culture and the PCR assay was done among the 330 tested women. The GBS colonization rate based on the culture results was 20.6% [68/330]. Both culture and PCR methods were positive for 56 and negative for 253 women. The culture method was positive and PCR was negative in 12 women. The culture was negative and the PCR positive for 9 women. Sensitivity of the PCR assay was 82.3% and specificity was 96.5%. The positive predictive value was 86.15% and negative predictive value was 95.4%. ISLAM diagnostic procedure and PCR are rapid and reliable analyzing methods, which might be useful for accurate diagnosis of GBS colonization in pregnant women at the time of delivery

Preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS: do Iranian pregnant mothers know about it?

Nowadays, HIV is mostly spreading in Asian countries. One of the important routes for HIV transmission in these countries is the vertical route which infects 35% to 45% of newborns. Mother's education, drug prophylaxis and Cesarean section, accompanied by banning breastfeeding will decrease this rate to 2%. Therefore, mothers' knowledge about Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission [PMTCT] has a great role in HIV/AIDS prevention. This study was designed to evaluate knowledge of pregnant women about HIV, its vertical transmission and prevention in Tehran, Iran. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 1577 pregnant women aged 15-46 years who were attending prenatal care clinics in Tehran, Iran. The research material was a questionnaire which was completed daily by trained midwives. The data were statistically analyzed by ANOVA, independent sample t-test, Pearson correlation and linear regression with a significance level of p = 0.05. About 16.5% of the participants had good knowledge about HIV/AIDS and 54.1% about its transmission routes but awareness about its prevention was only 5.7%. Fifty-seven percent of the participant had not been tested for HIV earlier and 20.2% were not willing to undergo such tests. About 86.2% of the participants had no idea about the availability of drug prophylaxis in Iran for PMTCT. The fact that 28.2% of the participants were not willing to undergo HIV testing reflects negative attitude about HIV infection. Although the overall awareness about the infection and its transmission was good but knowledge about its prevention especially by PMTCT and its availability in Iran was low. Educational programs through mass media or prenatal care programs by focusing on HIV/AIDS prevention maybe useful