[Epidemiological and clinical aspects of voluntary interruption of pregnancy 2 years after passing of Law 194]. / Aspetti epidemiologici e clinici della interruzione volontaria di gravidanza a due anni dall'approvazione della Legge 194.

PIP: Abortion has been legal in Italy since June 1978. At the Obstetrical and Gynecological Clinic of the University of Siena a doctor is assisted by a psychologist and by a social worker, who deal mostly with adolescents; all patients are given a brochure with information on the procedure and with detailed instructions for the postabortum period. Abortion is commonly carried out by vacuum aspiration and under total anesthesia in 98% of cases. 2171 abortions were done from June 1978 to June 1980; the 1st year there were 1138 abortions and 1107 live births; the second year there were 1133 abortions and 1190 live births. 30% of patients came from districts outside of the Siena region, 32.2% of patients were housewives and 15.29% students. Most abortions were done between the 9-10th gestational week because of the shortage of medical personnel at the clinic. All ages were more or less equally represented, with a slight majority of patients in the age group 25-35; minors were only 2.67% of all patients in the 1st year, but the percentage doubled in the 2nd year. In 86.87% of cases hospitalization was only 1 day. 10.78% of patients had had previous abortions; 68.17% of patients were married. 65.45% of women did not use any type of contraception, and 23.44% used coitus interruptus, or 88.89% of women without effective contraception. There were 35 cases of complications, or a rate of 1.61%, 2 requiring laparotomy and 1 requiring hysterectomy. From these data it seems obvious to conclude that many women use abortion as a fertility control method and information on birth control methods and family planning education are sorely lacking.^ieng

Adrenal and gonadal steroids and pituitary response to LHRH in girls. II. Precocious puberty.

Three baby girls between 22 and 30 months of age, presenting with isosexual idiopathic precocious puberty apparently not due to any organic cause, were studied. Basal levels of plasma steroids of adrenal and gonadal origin, circadian rhythm of plasma cortisol, and pituitary response to 25 microgram of LHRH were evaluated. All cases were characterized by high levels of plasma gonadotropins and by a marked response to exogenous LHRH. Normal cortisol circadia rhythm was found in all cases, one of which characterized by slightly raised plasma values. The other adrenal steroids were all higher than those expected for the chronological age, corresponding to those of 5-6 years old girls. On the other hand, steroids of both adrenal and ovarian (A, T) or mainly ovarian origin (E2) and DHT were all found to be higher than those normally reported in girls at stage 2 of sexual development. These data indicate a hypersecretion of gonadotropins in idiopathic isosexual precocious puberty, with a marked gonadal steroidogenetic response. The secretion of adrenal androgens does not appear to have an important role in the etiology of this condition.