A comparison between the efficacy of dydrogesterone and calcium plus vitamin D in improving women's general health.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was to evaluate the effect of dydrogesterone and calcium plus vitamin D on young women's general health. METHOD: One hundred and eighty students studying at Shiraz University were recruited. Students completed the General Health Questionnaires (GHQ-28) prior to participation. They were then randomly assigned to take a tablet containing either 5 mg of dydrogesterone, 500 mg of calcium plus 200 mg of vitamin D, or a placebo twice daily from the 15th to the 24th day of their menstrual cycle for 2 consecutive cycles, and to complete the same questionnaires during both the intervention cycles. RESULTS: The effects of dydrogesterone and calcium plus vitamin D on general health scores were similar during the first month of intervention (11.41 ± 4.28, 12.23 ± 3.76, respectively) (p>0.05) and both of them were more effective than placebo (16.69 ± 3.28) (p<0.05). However, dydrogesterone was more effective than calcium plus vitamin D and placebo during the second month of intervention (4.33 ± 2.69, 6.2 ± 3.55, 14.39 ± 3.45, respectively) (p<0.05). No significant differences between groups regarding drugs' side effects (p>0.05) were found. CONCLUSION: Both dydrogesterone and calcium D were more effective than placebo in promoting women's general health. Dydrogesterone was, however, more efficient than calcium plus vitamin D.

Diurnal nonstress test variations in the human fetus at risk.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the results of the nonstress test (NST) performed at 9:00 PM and 9:00 AM on women with high-risk pregnancies. METHOD: The NST was performed 2 h after a meal, at 9:00 AM and 9:00 PM, in a quiet room exposed to daylight, on 80 women with high-risk singleton pregnancies. Each session lasted 20 min. If the NST was nonreactive, the entire biophysical profile was immediately performed. The women's blood pressure was measured before, 10 min within, and at the end of the NST. Women who smoked or had uterine contractions were excluded from the study. RESULTS: Diurnal nonstress test variations were manifested by a higher incidence of reactive NSTs and an increased number of fetal heart accelerations after 9:00 PM (82.5%) than at 9:00 AM (68.8%) (p<0.027 P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Evening appointments for fetal assessments, except in emergency conditions, may eliminate the need for additional tests such as the entire biophysical profile because of the decreased incidence of nonreactive NSTs. Evening NSTs would save time and decrease maternal anxiety.

A comparative analysis of three methods of contraception: Effects on blood glucose and serum lipid profiles.

BACKGROUND: Hormonal contraceptives are one of the major means of family planning, yet their use is not without side effects. In this study, we have tried to assess some of the metabolic effects of three hormonal contraceptives commonly used by young females. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Three hundred young, healthy, nonsmoking and normotensive women of childbearing age who were seeking contraceptive advice were randomly allocated to one of the three groups receiving ethinyl estradiol and norgestrel (group 1), medroxyprogesterone acetate (group 2), and levonorgestrel capsules (group 3). Levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), were measured prior to the initiation of therapy and after termination of the study (6 months). RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the three groups as far as the mean age, height and weight were concerned. FBG increased in all three groups, but the difference in the rate of increase was not statistically significant (P=0.29). Total cholesterol, TG and LDL-C increased, while HDL-C level decreased in groups 1 and 2. These changes were, however, more profound in the group 2 cases. In those receiving levonorgestrel, all lipid parameters decreased. The amount of change for the total cholesterol and triglyceride was quite significant (P<0.001), while the reduction in HDL-C was not significantly different from the other two groups by pairwise comparisons (Tukey-HSD procedure). The LDL-C/HDL-C ratio was found to be significantly increased in groups 1 and 2, but it remained almost unchanged in the group 3 cases (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Because of these favorable biochemical findings, we believe that levonorgestrel should be the contraceptive drug of choice for women of childbearing age who are seeking a safe method of contraception.