Edad de menarquia y ascendencia indígena: Un estudio poblacional en Chile / Age at menarche and indigenous ancestry: A population study in Chile

Background: The age at menarche may influence decisively health and disease in women. It also indicates the beginning of the reproductive period and, as a consequence, the possibility of biological continuity for the human species. Genetic and environmental determinants define the age of menarche and can explain differences found among different populations. Aim: To determine the age at menarche among adolescents with different levels of indigenous descent (parental indigenous surnames), considering the effect of socioeconomic and demographic factors. Material and Methods: An observational study of historic cohorts of8.624 girls from the Arauca-nía Region (central-southern Chile) was carried out. Data were collected by health professionals using a previously validated questionnaire. Occurrence of menarche was estimated through survival analysis and compared between groups (according to indigenous parental surnames) adjusted for parents' income and educational level and provenance (rural/urban). Results: Estimated median age of menarche was 151 months (95% Cl: 150-151). In female with four indigenous surnames, menarche occurred two months later than girls without indigenous surnames and with two indigenous surnames (p < 0,001). In girls whose parents had lowest level of schooling, the difference increased to eight months later (p < 0,005). Conclusions: Age at menarche in the group with higher indigenous descent is later even if socio-economic conditions remain stable. Genetic factors might play an important role, however conditions of vulnerability can influence and further delay the onset of reproductive competency.

Dificuldades e armadilhas no diagnóstico da síndrome dos ovários policísticos / Difficulties and pitfalls in the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome

A síndrome dos ovários policísticos é uma das endocrinopatias mais comuns, afetando aproximadamente 7 por cento das mulheres na idade reprodutiva. Embora tenha sido descrita em 1935, somente em 1990 foi elaborado o primeiro consenso com relação ao seu diagnóstico. Hoje, a síndrome é considerada também um fator de risco cardiovascular, com uma alta prevalência de distúrbios metabólicos. Como reflexo dessa nova visão da síndrome, vários documentos, entre Consensos, Posicionamentos e Orientações, têm sido publicados, abordando diversos aspectos da síndrome. O objetivo desta revisão é uma análise crítica desses documentos, obtidos mediante um levantamento na base PubMed, por meio dos unitermos polycystic ovary syndrome, hyperandrogenism e hirsutism, separadamente, tendo como limitador o termo Type of Article (Practice Guideline, Consensus Development Conference, Guideline), sem limitação de data, língua e idade. Foram selecionados apenas os documentos elaborados sob patrocínio de Entidades Médicas e com mais de um autor.

The polycystic ovary syndrome is one of the most common endocrinopathies, affecting approximately 7 percent of women of reproductive age. Although it was described in 1935, only in 1990 was published the first Consensus regarding it its diagnosis. Today, the syndrome is also considered a cardiovascular risk factor, with a high prevalence of metabolic disorders. Reflecting this new vision of the syndrome, several documents, including Consensus, Statement and Guidelines have been published, addressing different aspects of the syndrome. This review is an analysis of documents obtained through a survey in the PubMed database, using the keywords "polycystic ovary syndrome", "hyperandrogenism" and "hirsutism", separately, taking as limiting the term Type of Article (Practice Guideline, Consensus Development Conference, Guideline) without limitation of time, language and age, having been selected only those documents prepared under the sponsorship of Medical Entities and with more than one author.

Evolución y pronostico de los trastornos menstruales en la adolescencia / Evolution and prognosis of menstrual disorders in adolescence

Los trastornos menstruales son muy frecuentes en los primeros 5 años de edad ginecológica, evolucionando desde un alto porcentaje de ciclos anovulatorios en el primer año postmenárquica a una mayoría de ciclos ovulatorios a los 6 años de edad ginecológica. Estas irregularidades menstruales pueden corresponder a un proceso de maduración del eje hipotálamo-hipófisis-gonadal, o señalar la aparición de cuadros como el síndrome de ovario poliquístico. Otra gran causa de amenorrea y oligoamenorrea desde la pubertad, es el trastorno funcional hipotalámico, en que excluidos todo otro trastorno endocrino, enfermedad sistémica y cuadro orgánico, una alteración funcional en las neuronas del GNRH produce insuficiencia o disfunción hipotalámica de acuerdo al grado de compromiso de la pulsatilidad del GNRH. Se presenta las características clínicas y evolución de un grupo de pacientes con disfunción hipotalámica diagnosticada en la adolescencia, y reevaluadas en la vida adulta.

Menstrual disturbances are very cycles frecuent during the first 5 years after menarche. High prevalence of anovulatory cycles occur in the first year. In contrast high prevalence of ovulatory cycles occur at 6 years postmenarchal. Menstrual disturbances have been associated with hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis madurative phenomenon or pathology of pubertal root as polycystic ovary syndrome. Hypothalamic dysfunction is other cause of menstrual disturbances when other diseases have been discarded. This condition is caracterized by a alteration of the GNRH pulse generation system. We report the natural history of reproductive and menstrual evolution in women with hypothalamic dysfunction developed in adolescence.

Perturbaçöes menstruais e a acupuntura / Menstrual disturbances and acupuncture

As perturbaçöes menstruais, segundo a Medicina Tradicional Chinesa, podem ser classificadas em três tipos: formas Plenitude, Vazio e Vazio de Qi e de Xue (Sangue), relacionados com as alteraçöes energéticas do Gan (Fígado), Pi (Baço/Pâncreas) e do Shen (Rins). A primeira forma deve-se ao Calor (Fogo) do Gan (Fígado em Plenitude), a segunda, à deficiência do Shen (Rins) e/ou do Pi (Baço/Pâncreas) e a terceira, pelo Vazio e/ou Falso-Calor desses Orgäos isoladamente ou em associaçäo a outros Orgäos. Os pontos de acupuntura empregados no tratamento das perturbaçöes menstruais podem ter relaçäo neuratômica e neurofisiológica com as estruturas orgânicas envolvidas na patologia menstrual, de modo que o emprego de certas técnicas, como "Shu-Mo" e a utilizaçäo de pontos à distância pode ser explicada por meio da ligaçäo destes procedimentos, respectivamente, com o arco-reflexo sômato-visceral e projeçöes dos estímulos nervosos, desencadeados pela acupuntura, para estruturas encefálicas, como o sistema límbico, formaçäo reticular, hipotálamo e córtex cerebral.

O prazer de ser mulher / The pleasure to be woman

Traz informações e confissões sobre a sexualidade feminina colhidas ao longo de 22 anos da experiência clínica de ginecologista e obstetra da autora, que alia neste livro o saber científico às experiências de vida. Com uma linguagem simples e bem-humorada, a autora dá uma visäo geral da realidade corporal feminina