Dose dependent protective effects of vardenafil on ischemia-reperfusion injury with biochemical and histopathologic evaluation in rat ovary.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effect of vardenafil on the histopathology and biochemical parameters in reducing damage in experimental ovarian ischemia and ischemia/reperfusion injury in a rat model and to compare the effect of two different doses of vardenafil. METHODS: Forty-two rats with experimental ovarian torsion. Group-I: sham; Group-II: ovarian ischemia; Group-III: 2 hours of ischemia followed by a 2-hour reperfusion. Group-IV: two hours before the sham operation, rats received 1mg/kg vardenafil; Group V and VI: A 2-hour period of ovarian ischemia was applied, in which rats were treated with intraperitoneal vardenafil 1 and 2mg/kg dose, after 1.5 hours of ovarian ischemia. After 2 hours of reperfusion, the ovaries on the right side were removed for examination. The ovarian ischemia/reperfusion injury was evaluated by calculating total antioxidant status, total oxidant status and oxidative stress index; and histopathologic examination of all ovarian rat tissue. RESULTS: The histologic findings in vardenafil treatment groups were statistically significant decreased edema and follicle degeneration, with vascular congestion, hemorrhage and follicle degeneration being dose-dependent. There were no statistically significant changes in the biochemical parameters. CONCLUSIONS: According to histopathological examination, low and high dose vardenafil is effective in attenuating ischemia-reperfusion induced ovary injury.

Unattended Home Labor until Complete Cervical Dilatation Ending with Hospital Delivery: Analysis of 238 Pregnancies.

Objectives. Hospital fear and avoidance of the routine hospital obstetrical interventions cause some women with low-risk pregnancies to spend most of the active labor period at home, and subsequently they present to the hospital for delivery. Our aim was to analyze the maternal and neonatal outcomes of pregnancies with a planned hospital birth, yet spending the first stage of labor at home without a health provider and completing the delivery in the hospital setting. Methods. We retrospectively compared 238 pregnancies having home labor plus hospital delivery (study group) with 476 pregnancies that had spent the whole labor in the hospital setting, considering various maternal and neonatal outcomes. Results. Cesarean and episiotomy rates were lower (P < 0.0001 and P < 0.001, resp.), but neonatal intensive care unit admissions of the infants were more prevalent (P < 0.01) in the study group. Other maternal and neonatal outcomes including neonatal mortality were comparable. Conclusion. Although our preliminary data generally do support the safety of home active labor plus hospital delivery for low-risk pregnancies, the clinical implications of current data warrant further prospective trials.

Office hysteroscopic findings in patients with two, three, and four or more, consecutive miscarriages.

OBJECTIVES: To assess hysteroscopic findings in patients with two, three, and four or more, consecutive miscarriages, and to compare the prevalence of uterine abnormalities between women with different numbers of such miscarriages. METHODS: Two hundred and sixty-five women with two or more consecutive miscarriages were enrolled in the study. Patients were divided into three groups according to the number of their miscarriages: Group 1 (two miscarriages, n = 151), Group 2 (three miscariages, n = 69), and Group 3 (four or more miscarriages, n = 45). All participants underwent a diagnostic hysteroscopy. Congenital (arcuate uterus, septate uterus, unicornuate uterus) and acquired uterine abnormalities (intrauterine adhesions, polyp and submucous myoma) were recorded. The hysteroscopic results were compared between the groups. RESULTS: No anomalies were detected in 152 patients (57%), whereas 43 (16%) had a septate uterus, 30 (11%) an arcuate uterus, three (1%) a unicornuate uterus, 18 (7%) intrauterine adhesions, 17 (6 %) endometrial polyps, and two (1%) a submucous myoma. No significant differences were found between the groups with regard to either congenital or acquired uterine abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with two, three, and four or more consecutive miscarriages have a similar prevalence of uterine anatomical abnormalities. Diagnostic hysteroscopy should be carried out after two such miscarriages.

Endometrial thickness measurement throughout a menstrual cycle in non-obese infertile patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

PURPOSE: To analyze the changes in the endometrial thickness in infertile polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients throughout an entire menstrual cycle and compare the changes to those seen in infertile patients without PCOS. METHODS: This prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted in a total of 58 non-obese, infertile women with PCOS. The endometrial thickness was measured at three different times throughout the menstrual cycle by ultrasound. Age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched control group consisted of 62 non-obese infertile patients without PCOS. Demographic, hormonal and the ultrasonographic measurements of the two groups were compared. RESULTS: Day 3 levels of LH were significantly different between the groups (p=0.013). Ovarian volume measurement was significant between the groups (p=0001). All the endometrial thickness measurements in the early, mid-cycle and late luteal phases were also significantly different; p=0.001 for all. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated an increased endometrial stripe measurements throughout a menstrual cycle in infertile patients with PCOS, when compared to infertile patients without PCOS.

Appropriate interval between endometrial polyp resection and the proceeding IVF start.

PURPOSE: Endometrial polyp is the commenest pathology among the structural uterine abnormalities. In this study we compared the IVF outcomes of patients who underwent hysteroscopic endometrial polyp excision with respect to the time interval between the polyp resection and the subsequent IVF cycle. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 60 patients were divided into two groups according to the time interval between the hysteroscopic polyp resection and the start of the following IVF cycle. Of these, 29 patients had the IVF procedures <6 months after the polyp resection, whereas in 31 patients comprising the comparison group, IVF interventions were done ≥ 6 months after the resection. The IVF outcomes were compared. RESULTS: Differences in the mean number of retrieved oocytes, metaphase II (MII) oocytes and transferred embryos, ratios of MII oocytes, and G1, G2 and G3 embryo rates were insignificant between the groups (p > 0.05). The fertilization, implantation, and clinical pregnancy rates were also similar between the groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: IVF outcomes seem to be unrelated to the time interval between the hysteroscopic polyp resection and the initiation of the IVF; the success rates may not be superior if the treatment is started in the first few months postoperatively.

Vitamin E effect on controlled ovarian stimulation of unexplained infertile women.

PURPOSE: To determine Vit E effect on the treatment outcomes of women with unexplained infertility undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation and intrauterine insemination (IUI). METHODS: The study group (Group A, n053) underwent controlled ovarian stimulation with clomiphene citrate with Vit E administration, 400 IU/day p.o. while the control group(Group B, n050) underwent ovulation induction without VitE. Treatment outcomes were compared between the groups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to the demographic outcomes. The difference in endometrial thickness on the day of hCG administration was significant between the two groups (p00.001).The effect of receiving Vit E on the implantation and the on going pregnancy rates were assesed Odds Ratio (OR) and corresponding 95% Confidence Intervals (CI). Receiving Vit E was not significantly associated with the implantation and the ongoing pregnancy rates; OR 0 1.22, 95% CI (0.44­3.4)and OR 0 1.43, 95% CI (0.49­4.1), respectively. CONCLUSION: Vit E administration may improve the endometrial response in unexplained infertile women via the likely antioxidant and the anticoagulant effects. It may also modulate the antiestrogenic effect of clomiphene citrate and the problem of a thin endometrium in these cycles may beadjusted

L-arginine pathway in neonates with meconium-stained amniotic fluid.

OBJECTIVE: To study the arginase, nitric oxide synthase and nitric oxide pathways associated with passage of meconium. STUDY DESIGN: Cord blood samples were collected from 20 newborns with meconium-stained amniotic fluid (MSAF) and from 23 newborns with clear amniotic fluid. Cord blood pH, arginase, nitric oxide synthase and nitric oxide levels were compared between the groups. RESULT: The differences between the arginase and nitric oxide measurements of the newborns with MSAF and those with clear amniotic fluid were significant. In the MSAF group arginase levels were significantly lower (p=0.007) and nitric oxide levels were significantly higher (p=0.032) than the clear amniotic fluid group. CONCLUSION: Hypoxia may be involved in the pathogenesis of meconium passage due to decreased arginase and increased nitric oxide levels.

Prolonged GnRH suppression period in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation cycles: Impacts on IVF outcomes?

BACKGROUND: Prolonged GnRH-a administration in IVF cycles may have some advantages related to the treatment outcomes. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to analyse the effect of prolonged gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) administration on controlled ovarian hyperstimulation outcomes of in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, 55 patients with a GnRH-a administration period more than 10 days were compared with 55 patients whose same period was ≤10 days with respect to the demographic characteristics, metaphase II (MII) oocyte ratio, grade I (GI) embryo ratio, blastocyst ratio, fertilization, implantation, and the clinical pregnancy rates. RESULTS: The mean hospital visit count of the prolonged GnRH-a patients was 2.6±0.4. As we expected, total GnRH-a doses used during hypophyseal down regulation were significantly different between the groups (p<0.0001). MII oocyte, G1 embryo and the blastocyst ratios were also significantly different between the groups (p<0.0001; p<0.01 and p<0.05). All the other parameters were insignificant. CONCLUSION: Prolonged GnRH-a administration during ovarian suppression in IVF patients may have positive impacts on the oocytes and the embryos, but this affect may not be observed in the overall pregnancy rates.

Low VEGF expression in conceptus material and maternal serum AFP and ß-hCG levels as indicators of defective angiogenesis in first-trimester miscarriages.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to assess the relationship between early miscarriages and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and to determine the serum levels of first-trimester maternal alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and human chorionic gonadotropin (ß-hCG) as markers of angiogenesis and predictors of abortion and intrauterine fetal loss. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The present study was a prospective, single-center, randomized controlled clinical trial. Ninety-five women who were 6-10 weeks pregnant between May and June 2010 were included in the study. The subjects were divided into three groups, i.e., incomplete abortion (IA) (n=31), intrauterine death (IU-D) (n=32) and control (elective pregnancy termination) (n=32). Feto-placental materials were compared based on immune staining for VEGF in the pathology laboratory, and maternal serum samples were tested in the hormone laboratory. RESULTS: Serum ß-hCG levels in the patient groups were significantly lower than the controls (p=0.001). The serum AFP level was lower than the controls in the IA group while it was higher than the controls in the IU-D (p=0.016). Immunohistochemistry showed that the cytotrophoblast, syncytiotrophoblast and endometrial gland epithelium were weakly stained for VEGF in the patient groups (IA and IU-D) in comparison to the control group (p=0.06, p=0.028, p=0.006). CONCLUSION: Early pregnancy losses are related to insufficient angiogenesis, and maternal serum AFP and ß-hCG can be used as markers of angiogenesis in the first trimester.

Melatonin improves the oocyte and the embryo in IVF patients with sleep disturbances, but does not improve the sleeping problems.

PURPOSE: We aimed to analyse the in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) outcomes of the patients with sleep disturbances who were administered melatonin. METHODS: A total of 60 patients with sleep disturbances were divided into two groups. The study group (group A, n=30) had underwent the IVF-ET with melatonin administration and the control group (group B, n=30) without melatonin. Sleeping status after melatonin administration and the IVF outcomes were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Sleeping status change was not significant (p>0.05). The mean number of the retrieved oocytes, the mean MII oocyte counts, the G1 embryo ratio were significantly higher in the melatonin administered group (group A) than that the non-administered group (group B); p=0.0001; p=0.0001; p<0.05 respectively. CONCLUSION: IVF patients with sleep disorders may benefit from melatonin administration in improving the oocyte and the embryo quality, but the sleeping problem itself may not be fixed.

Can myomectomy be performed during pregnancy?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness, safety, complications and outcome of pregnancy after myomectomy performed during pregnancy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Five pregnant women with myomas requiring operation because of severe abdominal pain were included in the series at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Selçuk University Faculty of Medicine between October 1, 1996 and February 24, 2001. The patients were controlled with ultrasonography and cardiotocography every month up to 32 gestational weeks and then every 2 weeks. Cesarean section was performed on all patients at 37-40 weeks. Complications and fetoneonatal outcome were recorded. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 31.4 +/- 3.5 years. The mean parity was 1.4 +/- 1.6. The median gestational age at the time of myomectomy was 17.8 +/- 3.4 weeks. The mean size of the myomas was 14.0 +/- 3.8 cm. The main symptom of all patients was severe abdominal pain in spite of analgesic medication. The mean duration of the operation was 40.0 +/- 7.9 min. The mean blood loss was 280.0 +/- 83.6 ml. The mean number of myomas removed was 2.8 +/- 1.3. CONCLUSION: Myomectomy during pregnancy can be performed if necessary.