The relationship between maternal relaxation and plasma beta-endorphin levels during parturition.

beta-endorphin (beta-EP) levels increase in maternal plasma starting from the 10th to the 12th week of pregnancy and reach a peak during labor and at delivery. Respiratory autogenous training (RAT) has been acclaimed as one of the most effective non-pharmacological methods of obtaining hypoalgesia and relaxing perineal muscles during labor. In order to study the effects of the RAT method in both maternal and fetal beta-EP levels during labor, 28 pregnant women were enrolled in this study. Fourteen attended a RAT program, while the others (control group) did not. beta-EP levels in both groups were measured in maternal plasma at early and late labor, at delivery and on the 4th day of the puerperium and in umbilical cord blood at birth. From late labor on, beta-EP maternal plasma levels increased significantly less in the RAT group than in the control group. The gap in the beta-EP levels between both groups was still significant at puerperium and in umbilical cord blood. In conclusion, the RAT method favorably modulates the secretion of beta-EP during labor and at delivery. This result supports the effectiveness of the RAT method in reducing both maternal and fetal stress during labor.

Epidemiology and therapy of Chlamydia trachomatis genital infection in women.

Out of 1172 females recruited in a screening program for genital infections, 144 (12.28%) were cervical and/or urethral positive for Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) by enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Patients positive for Ct showed no significant differences in terms of demography, sexual practices and clinical evidence as compared to a control group formed by Ct-negative females randomly selected. Historical data showed a higher frequency of previous pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in patients as compared to controls. 11 of the 94 patients' partners tested were sperm positive for Ct. Of the 63 patients for whom therapeutic data were available, 38 were treated with josamycin, 16 with tetracycline and the others with different drugs. After treatment, EIA for Ct was negative for 92.1% of the patients treated with josamycin and for 68.7% of those treated with tetracycline. The results of this study confirm a high prevalence of asymptomatic Ct infection which may be correctly diagnosed by EIA performed on cervical and urethral samples. They also indicate that negative test results can be obtained by an appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Isolation of Chlamydia trachomatis during IVF-ET.

The Authors isolated Chlamydia Trachomatis from the granulosa and from the spermatozoa of an infertile couple taking part in the IVF-ET program at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the University of Pisa.

A possible role of Chlamydia trachomatis in unexplained infertility and sterility.

To estimate the presence of latent Chlamydia Trachomatis (C.T.) infections, we have carried out a study on a selected group of couples affected by unexplained sterility and infertility. We examined 193 women and, as control group 210 healthy fertile women. For both groups the main risk factors that could explain the infection epidemiology have been analyzed. The parameters considered are age of first intercourse, number of partners, social-economic conditions and number of voluntary abortions. Amongst all the causal agents of sexually transmitted diseases (STD), C.T. was most common, with an incidence of about 12 per cent in the study group versus the 5.7 per cent of the control group (chi 2 = 4.12).

PIP: The incidence of Chlamydia infection and factors associated with it in 193 women consulting for infertility was analyzed in comparison with 210 matched controls. All study subjects received a clinical exam, history interview, Pap test, vaginal bacteriology, colposcopy, cervical virology for Chlamydia and enzyme-linked assay for Chlamydia, herpes, rubella and toxoplasma antibodies. Results were tabulated as percent distributions for Chlamydia-positive and -negative in index cases and controls, broken down by the descriptive factors, age at 1st intercourse, number of partners, socio economic class and numbers of induced abortions. 43.5% of the index cases had primary infertility, 21.7% had secondary infertility and 34.8% were sterile. 11.9% of the study group were positive for Chlamydia infection, compared to 5.7% of controls. The only significant difference in factors related to STD infection were: earlier age at 1st intercourse among controls; higher percentage with 3 sexual partners, higher socioeconomic class and more induced abortions in the study group of infertile women; but no difference in chlamydia infection rates with abortion history. This study is unusual in finding higher socioeconomic class in the infertile women than in controls.