Surgical versus non-surgical intervention in endometriosis with infertility: a patient preference trial

Background: Hormonal suppression decrease pain and reduce endometrioma size in women with endometriosis. There are medications like cabergoline which reduce inflammation associated with endometriosis but do not prevent ovulation. Hormonal suppression followed by cabergoline may allow pregnancy in women with endometriosis. The objective of the study was to assess and compare the efficacy of medical versus surgical management in infertile women with endometriosis.Methods: A patient preference clinical trial was carried out on 20 women who wish pregnancy and has sonographic evidence of endometrioma and pain. They were counseled adequately about the advantages and disadvantages of surgical and medical management of endometriosis with infertility and were asked to make a choice. The interventions were applied according to patient preference. The interventions were i) dienogest for 3 months when cyst size ?5 cm and letrozole plus norethisterone for 6 months when cyst size > 5 cm followed by cabergoline 0.5 mg twice weekly for 6 months, plus timed intercourse and ii) laparoscopic surgery followed by expectant management or ovarian stimulation with or without intrauterine insemination. The women were followed up for results.Results: A total of 18 participants opted for medical management and only 2 participants for surgery. All participants given medical management had reduction of pain, and all except one had reduction of cyst size. Pregnancy occurred in 2 out of 14 (14.3%) participants given medication. One woman with surgery had persistence of pain and recurrence of cyst. No one having surgery got pregnant during the study period.Conclusions: The infertile women with endometriosis prefer medical management over surgery. The medical management may be a better option for infertile women with endometriosis who do not plan in vitro fertilization in near future.

Low dose estrogen progestin pill is better than cyclical progestin as medical management of abnormal uterine bleeding due to ovulatory dysfunction in premenopausal women

Background: In abnormal uterine bleeding due to ovulation dysfunction, unopposed estrogen causes persistent proliferative or hyperplastic endometrium and periods of amenorrhea followed by excessive bleeding. This is managed medically by cyclical use of some hormonal agents. The aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness and acceptability of cyclical progestin alone and low dose estrogen progestin pill as medical management of AUB-O in premenopausal women.Methods: The study composed of 57 premenopausal women with anovular type of bleeding. The study participants were randomly allocated to take either norethisterone 10 mg daily from 16th to 25th day of menstrual cycle or low dose estrogen progesterone pill, one pill daily from 1st day of menstrual cycle up to 24th day. These patients were followed up after three and six months to assess subjectively the persistence of abnormal uterine bleeding, patient’s satisfaction, need for hysterectomy and any side effects.Results: The symptomatic improvement was more apparent with estrogen progestin pill than cyclical norethisterone. More patients chose hysterectomy in the norethisterone group because they were not satisfied with medical management.Conclusions: Symptomatic improvement is more with low dose estrogen progestin pill than cyclical norethisterone in women with AUB-O. More women decline hysterectomy as they accept estrogen progestin pill.

Effect of omega 3 fatty acid in infertile males with oligozoospermia

Background: Oligozoospermia is the cause of male infertility in 33.3% of cases. Omega-3 fatty acid has been utilized in infertility because of its widespread availability, low cost, and high safety profile. We intended to conduct a study to evaluate the efficacy of omega-3 fatty acid in oligozoospermia.Methods: A prospective comparative study was conducted in the outdoor of the department of reproductive endocrinology and infertility, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, from July 2022 to August 2023. A total of 70 Infertile males with oligozoospermia, were enrolled in the study. The participants were assigned to the omega-3 fatty acid group who was treated with omega-3 fatty acid 1 gm orally twice daily for 12 weeks. The other group was treated with placebo orally twice daily for 12 weeks. Sixty patients completed the 12 weeks of treatment. The changes in sperm count were determined.Results: The mean age of the participants was 35.6±4.59 years. Following treatment with omega-3 fatty acid significant improvement was observed in sperm count from 11.10±2.81 million/ml to 34.2±31.36 million/ml. Significant improvement in total motile sperm count was also observed. At the end of 12 weeks of treatment 76.7% of participants in the omega 3 fatty acid group and 10.0% in the placebo group had normozoospermia.Conclusions: Supplementation with omega-3 fatty acid results in improvement of sperm concentration and total motile sperm count in infertile men with oligozoospermia.

Pre-treatment with cyproterone acetate plus ethinylestradiol enhances ovarian response in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Background: Anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) and androgen levels are higher in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) than norm-ovulatory women. Cyproterone acetate plus ethinylestradiol (CPA+EE) reduces AMH and free androgen level. The aim of the study was to determine if the pretreatment with CPA+EE before ovulation induction with letrozole improves ovarian response in PCOS women.Methods: The study comprised of 100 infertile PCOS women with serum AMH>5 ng/ml. The study participants were randomly allocated into women given CPA+EE pretreatment cyclically for 3 months before ovulation induction with letrozole 5 mg from day 2-6 of a menstrual cycle, and women given only letrozole from day 2-6 without any pretreatment. Follicular growth was monitored by transvaginal sonography on day 12. Women who attained maximum follicular size (18-25 mm) were given 5000 IU HCG injection. Ovulation was confirmed by serum progesterone assay on day 21-23 and pregnancy was confirmed by serum ?-hCG level or by pregnancy test kit.Results: Ovulation rate was higher (82.4%) in pre treatment group compared in letrozole only group to (43.0%) with relative risk 1.92. Pregnancy rate was higher in (23.5%) in pre treatment group than letrozole only (8.8%) with relative risk 2.68.Conclusions: Pretreatment with CPA+EE before ovulation induction with letrozole has better outcome in terms of ovulation and pregnancy than letrozole alone in PCOS women with high serum AMH.

Association of kisspeptin in patients with poly cystic ovarian syndrome

Background: Poly cystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a complex multifactorial disorder, affecting millions of women worldwide. Kisspeptin, a hypothalamic peptide encoded by the KISS1 gene, is widely reported as a key factor in the regulation of luteinizing hormone (LH)/follicular stimulating hormone (FSH) secretion, which may be potentially involved with the development of PCOS. The aim of the study was to estimate the serum kisspeptin level in PCOS patients and evaluate the association of kisspeptin with other biochemical, and hormonal parameters in women with PCOS.Methods: This case-control study was conducted at the department of reproductive endocrinology and infertility, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh from August 2020 to July 2021. A total of 90 patients between age 18-30 years were enrolled in this study. Data was collected on variables of interest by using the structured questionnaire designed for interview, observation, clinical examination, and biochemical investigation of the patients and analyzed by using the t-test, non-parametric test (Mann-Whitney U test) and chi-square test as appropriate.Results: We found no significant difference between PCOS & control group, but acanthosis nigricans (AN), waist hip (W:H) ratio were statistically significant in PCOS group. We found serum LH (11.98±6.29 mIU/ml), LH: FSH (1.71±0.92), AMH (10.09±3.8 ng/ml), fasting insulin (26.53±28.34 µU/ml), ovarian volume (16.91±4.57), was significantly higher in PCOS patients. Kisspeptin value in PCOS patients was 85.92±56.59 pg/ml and control group was 63.74±43.16 pg/ml. In the PCOS group, there was a positive correlation between kisspeptin and LH, AMH, and ovarian volume.Conclusions: Serum kisspeptin levels were similar in women with or without PCOS but positively correlated with ovarian volume, serum LH and AMH in PCOS patients.

Association of kisspeptin in patients with poly cystic ovarian syndrome

Background: Poly cystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a complex multifactorial disorder, affecting millions of women worldwide. Kisspeptin, a hypothalamic peptide encoded by the KISS1 gene, is widely reported as a key factor in the regulation of luteinizing hormone (LH)/follicular stimulating hormone (FSH) secretion, which may be potentially involved with the development of PCOS. The aim of the study was to estimate the serum kisspeptin level in PCOS patients and evaluate the association of kisspeptin with other biochemical, and hormonal parameters in women with PCOS.Methods: This case-control study was conducted at the department of reproductive endocrinology and infertility, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh from August 2020 to July 2021. A total of 90 patients between age 18-30 years were enrolled in this study. Data was collected on variables of interest by using the structured questionnaire designed for interview, observation, clinical examination, and biochemical investigation of the patients and analyzed by using the t-test, non-parametric test (Mann-Whitney U test) and chi-square test as appropriate.Results: We found no significant difference between PCOS & control group, but acanthosis nigricans (AN), waist hip (W:H) ratio were statistically significant in PCOS group. We found serum LH (11.98±6.29 mIU/ml), LH: FSH (1.71±0.92), AMH (10.09±3.8 ng/ml), fasting insulin (26.53±28.34 µU/ml), ovarian volume (16.91±4.57), was significantly higher in PCOS patients. Kisspeptin value in PCOS patients was 85.92±56.59 pg/ml and control group was 63.74±43.16 pg/ml. In the PCOS group, there was a positive correlation between kisspeptin and LH, AMH, and ovarian volume.Conclusions: Serum kisspeptin levels were similar in women with or without PCOS but positively correlated with ovarian volume, serum LH and AMH in PCOS patients.

Quality of life of infertile women as measured by WHOQOL-BREF in Bangladesh

Background: Quality of life (QoL) is lower in infertile women. Fertility expectations are as variable as social norms and culture and so is QoL. We expect to explore the QoL of infertile couple in a traditional society like that of Bangladesh.Methods: We measured the quality of the life of 88 infertile women attending the Department of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, with WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire, covering physical, psychological, social and environmental domains. The scores were calculated in the range of 4-20 and 0-100.Results: When we calculated in the range of 0-100, infertile women had mean score of 61.12 in physical, 54.78 in psychological, 70.36 in social and 58.63 in environmental domains. Nearly half (41.7%) of the women scored at or below 50 in psychological domain compared to 26% in physical, 14.6% in social and 28.1% in environmental domain.Conclusions: The QoL of infertile women as measured by WHOQOL-BREF has moderate scores. The women are disadvantaged in psychological domain compared to physical, social or environmental aspects. So, they need more psychological support during treatment.