Sexual function in women from infertile couples and in women seeking surgical sterilization.

The purpose of this study was to compare sexual function between women of infertile couples (AR) and women seeking tubal ligation (TL). Women who attended Setor de Infertilidade do Serviço de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia do Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA) or the Serviço de Orientação e Planejamento Familiar (SERPLAN) completed the Female Sexual Function Index, a questionnaire about sexual activity in the last 4 weeks. Scored data were collected on six different domains: desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and discomfort/pain. The greatest positive correlation in the TL group was between orgasm and sexual satisfaction (0.798), and in group AR between desire and arousal (0.627). Infertile women and fertile women who want to undergo surgical sterilization have similar sexual satisfaction scores.

The effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory compounds on human myometrial contractility.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of inhibitors of COX-1 or COX-2 on myometrial prostaglandin synthesis and on spontaneous contractions in human myometrium. METHODS: Cultured myometrial cells were incubated with SC 58560 (COX-1 selective inhibitor) or SC 58236 (COX-2 selective inhibitor), and the production of prostaglandins determined by ELISA. Spontaneously contracting strips of isolated gravid human lower segment myometrium were incubated with SC 58236, meloxicam, DFU, or nimesulide (COX-2 selective inhibitors), with SC 58560 (COX-1 selective inhibitor) or indomethacin (non-selective inhibitor). RESULTS: SC 58236 inhibited the production of prostaglandins from myometrial cells, whereas SC 58560 had less effect. Nimesulide (100 microM) and indomethacin (300 microM) completely inhibited myometrial contractions, whereas meloxicam, DFU, SC 58236 and SC 58560 had less effect. CONCLUSIONS: There was no relationship between the inhibition of prostaglandin production and the effects of the compounds on contractility. Myometrial prostaglandin synthesis does not seem to be essential for spontaneous contractility.

A double-blind randomized study of fetal side effects during and after the short-term maternal administration of indomethacin, sulindac, and nimesulide for the treatment of preterm labor.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to establish whether nimesulide causes fewer fetal side effects than indomethacin or sulindac after short-term maternal exposure for tocolysis. STUDY DESIGN: This was a double-blind, double-dummy prospective randomized study with three drug treatment groups (n = 10 per group) that were comprised of subjects who were at 28 to 32 weeks of gestation with preterm contractions. The subjects were treated in the delivery suites of two busy inner-city teaching hospitals; the intervention consisted of 48 hours of treatment and with 72 hours of follow-up observation with indomethacin 100 mg (twice daily), sulindac 200 mg (twice daily), or nimesulide 200 mg (twice daily). The amniotic fluid index, hourly fetal urine production, and ductal Doppler pulsatility index observations were monitored before the treatment and at 4, 24, 48, 72, and 120 hours after the treatment was started. The statistical analysis used repeated measures analysis of variance, Bonferroni test, and Bland-Altman agreement. Significance assumed when the probability value was <.05. RESULTS: Each drug caused a significant reduction in all three observations over the 48-hour treatment period, which recovered to pretreatment levels by 72 hours after treatment. There were no significant differences among drugs for any of these effects. CONCLUSION: Nimesulide causes similar short-term fetal side effects to indomethacin and sulindac.