OBJECTIVES: To verify non-inferiority of the clinical pregnancy rate of Early hCG administration (leading follicle sizes within 16.0-16.9mm in diameter) compared to Late hCG administration (leading follicle sizes within 18.0-18.9mm in diameter). STUDY DESIGN: Prospective randomized trial. Six hundred and twelve infertile women candidates for intrauterine insemination (IUI) received HP-hMG ...

A randomized clinical trial examined the efficiency and tolerability of twice weekly versus daily iron supplementation during pregnancy. A total of 370 pregnant women were randomly assigned to receive either daily or twice weekly iron supplementation during pregnancy. There were no significant differences in initial and delivery haemoglobin and haematocrit ...

Objective: To compare efficacy of sterilization reversals by laparotomy versus laparoscopy. Design: Meta-analysis. Search Strategy: Electronic searches were carried out for randomized controlled trials and retrospective and prospective clinical studies. Search engines such as PubMed, Science Direct, Medline and the Cochrane database were made use of. Our restrictions were English ...

ABSTRACT: The initial sample size calculation in our protocol (Hegeman et al, BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 2009, 9:44) was based on the expected proportion of 'bad neonatal outcome' in the intervention group (3.9%) and control group (7.2%) and accounts for the fact that the outcomes in children form multiple pregnancies are ...

Impairment of pelvic organ support has been described in mice with genetic modifications of the proteins involved in elastogenesis, such as lysyl oxidase-like 1 (LOXL1) and fibulin 5. During pregnancy, elastic fiber-enriched pelvic tissues are modified to allow safe delivery. In addition, the mouse pubic symphysis is remodeled in a ...

To compare the clinical efficiency of different modes of treatment of infertile couples and to estimate the possible benefit of nutraceutical food supplementation (NFS), the numbers needed to treat (NNT) was calculated in 4143 infertile couples based on controlled trials in recent literature and personal data. The NNT expresses the ...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of hCG to induce follicular stimulation. DESIGN: Systematic literature searches of PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and SciSearch databases. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using hCG in early or late follicular phases were included. SETTING: Three reproductive medicine services of gynecology in Spain and two universities. ...

OBJECTIVE: To identify by an inductive statistical analysis mutually similar and clinically relevant clinicoplacental clusters. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty-nine maternofetal and 49 placental variables have been retrospectively analyzed in a 3382 case clinicoplacental database using a hierarchical agglomerative Ward dendrogram and multidimensional scaling. RESULTS: The exploratory cluster analysis identified 9 clinicoplacental ...

An existing randomised controlled trial was used to investigate whether multiple ultrasound scans may be associated with the autism phenotype. From 2,834 single pregnancies, 1,415 were selected at random to receive ultrasound imaging and continuous wave Doppler flow studies at five points throughout pregnancy (Intensive) and 1,419 to receive a ...

The purpose of this review article is to evaluate the peripartum outcomes of yoga during pregnancy, including the postpartum period and lactation. The PubMed database was analyzed from January 1970 to January 2011. We identified five prospective observational studies (n = 575) and three randomized clinical trials (RCTs; n = ...

The distinctive feature of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa is the burden on women, in particular young women of reproductive age. Consequently, most late-phase effectiveness microbicide clinical trials are conducted in sub-Saharan Africa where fertility rates are high. Because late-phase clinical trials are conducted over prolonged ...

To compare the clinical outcomes of elective single morula embryo transfer (eSMET) versus elective single blastocyst embryo transfer (eSBET) in selected patients. This study was a retrospective study which analyzed for 271 cycles in women under 37 years of age who are undergoing their first or second trial of in ...

Only few case reports describe the pregnancy course and outcome of breast cancer patients, who were under treatment with trastuzumab at the time of conception or who have completed trastuzumab therapy before becoming pregnant. The HERA trial is a large phase III randomized clinical trial in which patients with early ...

The imaging changes in the breast associated with pregnancy and the perinatal period may not only deviate from the baseline appearance for each patient, but may also mimic disease or confound evaluation of disease. The hormonal changes can influence a range of disorders, from benign or inflammatory changes to malignant ...

The rationale for in utero repair of myelomeningocele (MMC) in the context of pathologic observations, animal models, and outcomes from the initial experience with human fetal MMC repair is presented. This has now culminated in a randomized trial, Management of Myelomeningocele Study, the findings of which are listed. The story ...

Placental abruption is a serious condition that increases perinatal morbidity and mortality. Clinical prevention and treatment options are limited, especially in human preterm deliveries. Knowledge of the mechanisms that keep the placenta in place during pregnancy is critical for developing strategies for the prevention of abruption. Failure of physiological transformation ...

Tinzaparin sodium is a low molecular weight heparin formed by the enzymatic degradation of porcine unfractionated heparin, and is effective in the prevention and treatment of thromboembolic disease. We report a 31-year-old female patient with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss due to thrombophilia, who developed nail discoloration after 8 ...

Cardiac arrest is a rare occurrence in pregnancy and may be related to obstetric or medical causes. Pregnancy is associated with profound physiologic changes that prepare the gravida for the challenges of labor and delivery, and resuscitation of the pregnant patient needs to take these changes into consideration. Cardiac output ...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Parvovirus B19 infection is often considered a mild and self-limiting disease of minor clinical importance. This review aims to raise awareness of recently discovered potentially devastating consequences of this infection in pregnancy, and provides updated guidelines on diagnosis and management. RECENT FINDINGS: In contrast to previous beliefs, ...

Hyperhemolysis syndrome in patients with sickle cell disease who are given compatible blood has been well described in the literature but a similar condition complicating pregnancy in β-thalassemia (β-thal) has not been reported. Pregnancy itself or continuation of blood transfusions can further exacerbate the condition which may become life-threatening. The ...

OBJECTIVE: The increased use of assisted reproduction techniques has been accompanied by an increase in ectopic pregnancies with unusual location being associated with significant maternal morbidity and mortality. This article reports on seven cases of ectopic pregnancies with unusual location and an angular pregnancy. Diagnostic and therapeutic strategies are discussed ...

In endometrial carcinoma (EC) and atypical hyperplasia (AH) diagnosed in childbearing years, the principle of uterine sparing consists in prescription of antigonadotropic treatment to obtain the remission of the endometrial lesion and allow pregnancy, always with a close follow-up looking for progression or persistence of the tumour. Studies evaluating this ...

Embryo transfer (ET) involves the placement of one or more embryos into the uterine cavity, usually by passing a catheter through the cervical os. ET is the final step in an assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycle, where a woman has undergone controlled ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval and in vitro fertilisation ...

Suspected fetal distress usually results in expedited delivery of a baby (often operatively). The potential harm to a mother and baby from operative delivery may not always be justified especially when fetal distress may be misdiagnosed. Even with a correct diagnosis it is not clear whether an operative or conservative ...

Background. The presence of anti-SSA/Ro and anti-SSB/La antibodies during pregnancy is associated with fetal congenital heart block (CHB), which is primarily diagnosed through fetal echocardiography. Conclusive information about the complete electrophysiology of the fetal cardiac conducting system is still lacking. In addition to echocardiography, fetal magnetocardiography (fMCG) can be used. ...

The increase in selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) use during pregnancy, questions concerning abnormal development of the enteric nervous system (ENS), increase in laxative use in children and the association of fluoxetine with infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS) gave rise to this pharmacological literature review. The role of 5-HT and ...

In a vaginal breech birth there may be benefit from rapid delivery of the baby to prevent progressive acidosis. However, this needs to be weighed against the potential trauma of a quick delivery. The objective of this review was to assess the effects of expedited vaginal delivery (breech delivery from ...

Symphysis fundal height (SFH) measurement is commonly practiced primarily to detect fetal intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Undiagnosed IUGR may lead to fetal death as well as increase perinatal mortality and morbidity. The objective of this review is to compare SFH measurement with serial ultrasound measurement of fetal parameters or clinical ...

A 23-year-old primigravida was referred to our clinic for evaluation of high blood pressure (BP) in her 16th week of gestation. She had an operation to repair congenital aortic coarctation and patent ductus arteriosus 8 years ago. On physical examination the blood pressure in upper extremity was 155/95 and in ...

The aim of this paper was to provide reliable evidence by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis for evaluating the role of acupuncture in assisted reproductive technology. All randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effects of acupuncture, including manual, electrical, and laser acupuncture (LA) techniques, on the clinical pregnancy rate ...

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is an often under-reported and under-treated condition. It can affect the psychological and social wellbeing of a woman; it can have long-term effects on their quality of life and is associated with enormous health-related costs. SUI is the most common type of urinary incontinence (UI) in ...

The aim of this study was to describe gender differences in patients operated on for TOF and to define the impact of pregnancy in late post-surgical follow-up in women. In this research, we studied 145 patients after correction of TOF: 66 male, 79 women, 41 of which reported history of ...

During Pregnancy, heart develops physiological left ventricular hypertrophy as a result of the natural volume overload. Previously we have characterized the molecular and functional signature of heart hypertrophy during pregnancy. Cardiac hypertrophy during pregnancy is a complex process that involves many changes including in the signalling pathways, composition of extracellular ...

When, in June 1921, a clairvoyant informed Christabel Russell, to her great surprise, that she was pregnant, her husband denied paternity and petitioned for divorce on grounds of adultery. The Hon. John Russell claimed that on the very few occasions that they had slept in the same bed in their ...

Objectives. To describe the process of selection of candidates for fetal cardiac intervention (FCI) in fetuses diagnosed with pulmonary atresia-critical stenosis with intact ventricular septum (PA/CS-IVS) and report our own experience with FCI for such disease. Methods. We searched our database for cases of PA/CS-IVS prenatally diagnosed in 2003-2012. Data ...

Excessive weight gain during pregnancy is associated with multiple maternal and neonatal complications. However, interventions to prevent excessive weight gain during pregnancy have not been adequately evaluated. To evaluate the effectiveness of interventions for preventing excessive weight gain during pregnancy and associated pregnancy complications. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and ...

Clinical observations indicate that mothers commonly perceive a reduction in, or absence of, the baby's movements for some days preceding a baby's death. For this reason, fetal movement monitoring is advised by caregivers and used spontaneously by mothers to assess the baby's well-being. However, it is possible that the harmful ...

During pregnancy, the heart develops physiological hypertrophy. Proteasomal degradation has been shown to be altered in various models of pathological cardiac hypertrophy. Since the molecular signature of pregnancy-induced heart hypertrophy differs significantly from that of pathological heart hypertrophy, we investigated whether the cardiac proteasomal proteolytic pathway is affected by pregnancy ...

Data on efficacy of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) to treat Plasmodium falciparum during pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa is scarce. A recent open label, randomized controlled trial in Mbarara, Uganda demonstrated that artemether-lumefantrine (AL) is not inferior to quinine to treat uncomplicated malaria in pregnancy. Haemozoin can persist in the placenta ...

Pregnancy can precipitate cardiac arrhythmias not previously present in seemingly well individuals. Atrial and ventricular premature beats are frequently present during pregnancy and are usually benign. Supraventricular tachycardia and malignant ventricular tachyarrhythmias occur less frequently. Maternal and fetal arrhythmias occurring during pregnancy may jeopardize the life of the mother and ...

Fetal heart rate monitoring is the most common obstetric procedure, and yet it remains a frustrating technology, plagued by false-positive results and miscommunication between providers. A new generation of invasive and noninvasive monitoring technologies is under development and entering the clinic, including the STAN monitor (Neoventa Medical, Mölndal, Sweden), which ...

It has been suggested that low serum zinc levels may be associated with suboptimal outcomes of pregnancy such as prolonged labour, atonic postpartum haemorrhage, pregnancy-induced hypertension, preterm labour and post-term pregnancies, although many of these associations have not yet been established. To assess the effects of zinc supplementation in pregnancy ...

Preterm birth is the principal factor contributing to adverse outcomes in multiple pregnancies. Randomized controlled trials of progestogens to prevent preterm birth in twin pregnancies have shown no clear benefits. However, individual studies have not had sufficient power to evaluate potential benefits in women at particular high risk of early ...

Spontaneous procreation in Turner syndrome (TS) is a rare condition, and repeated gestation is even rarer. We report two spontaneous and successful pregnancies (at the age of 25 and 28 y) in a patient with TS (karyotype: 45,X/47,XXX, in 30 metaphases). Births were by caesarean section due to fetal-pelvic disproportion. ...

Summary.  Women with factor X deficiency (FXD) who want to become pregnant face uncertain risks to themselves and to an unborn infant from haemorrhagic complications during pregnancy and at parturition. Women with FXD may also experience difficulty achieving pregnancy secondary to haemorrhagic symptoms of the reproductive organs. Case reports describe ...

Foetal counselling is best achieved by a multidisciplinary team that can favourably influence the perinatal management of prenatally diagnosed anomalies and provide this information to prospective parents. Prenatal diagnosis has remarkably improved our understanding of surgically correctable congenital malformations. It has allowed us to influence the delivery of the baby, ...

ABSTRACT: Management of the pregnant woman with a neuro-ophthalmic disorder may be challenging. Physiologic changes in pregnancy make vascular conditions more frequent, including retinal artery occlusion, spontaneous orbital hemorrhage, and pituitary apoplexy. Papilledema may signal cerebral venous sinus thrombosis or idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Manifestations of severe preeclampsia and eclampsia include ...

Traditionally, obstetricians have grouped together all pregnancy losses before the mid-second trimester as spontaneous abortions. However, this nomenclature is arbitrary, outdated, and not clinically useful. Using this system, miscarriages due to genetic abnormalities, fetal deaths associated with abnormal placental growth and development, and spontaneous preterm births of liveborn fetuses at ...

The impact of endometriosis on in vitro fertilization (IVF) has been the subject of numerous publications, although a number of critical issues related to the management of affected patients remain unsolved. Accurate assessment of the effect of this disease on IVF outcome requires an appraisal of the diagnostic limitations, the ...

Endocrine tumours occur rarely in pregnant women but present clinicians with unique challenges. A high index of suspicion is often required to make a diagnosis since the symptoms and signs associated with many of these tumours, including insulinoma, adrenocortical carcinoma and phaeochromocytoma, mimic those of normal pregnancy or its complications, ...