Adolescent pregnancy places girls at increased risk for poor health and educational outcomes that limit livelihood options, economic independence, and empowerment in adulthood. In Tanzania, adolescent pregnancy remains a significant concern, with over half of all first births occurring before women reach the age of 20. A participatory research and ...

OBJECTIVES. To identify factors affecting the sex ratio at birth. DESIGN. Cross-sectional study. SETTING. Obstetric department of a public hospital in Hong Kong. PARTICIPANTS. All pregnant women delivered between 2001 and 2010. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES. Sex ratio at birth versus women's eligibility status, age, parity, number of miscarriages or terminations ...

During pregnancy, females undergo several physiologically driven changes that facilitate adaptive behaviours and prepare the mother to care for her developing offspring. The nonapeptide hormone oxytocin is best recognised for its involvement in mammalian pregnancy and has been tightly associated with maternal care, in addition to its roles in pregnancy, ...

This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that continuous epididymal sperm depletion after recurrent ejaculations (REC) in contrast to a period of abstinence (ABS) results in a decreased level of sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) and a consequent increased rate of pregnancy. Forty couples undergoing intra-cytoplasmic injection (ICSI) were asked ...

BACKGROUND: Abruptio placentae is a serious problem with a high rate of maternal and fetal mortality and documented sexual dimorphism in reoccurrence. Macaca fascicularis is a well-described reproductive model; however, there are no data available regarding sexual dimorphism in abruptio placentae in these species. METHODS: A retrospective study of pathology ...

Factor V Leiden is a procoagulant mutation associated with venous and arterial thrombosis and pregnancy complications. Its high prevalence of 5% in Caucasians suggests that there are evolutionary benefits as well. Carriers are indeed reported to have various advantageous phenotypes related to haemostasis, inflammation and fertility: less acute blood loss; ...

When considering selective forces shaping human evolution, the importance of pregnancy to fitness should not be underestimated. Although specific mortality factors may only impact upon a fraction of the population, birth is a funnel through which all individuals must pass. Human pregnancy places exceptional energetic, physical, and immunological demands on ...

ABSTRACT Objectives To compare risky sexual behaviour and risk factors associated with unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among female fine arts undergraduates and students of other disciplines in China. Method Anonymously completed questionnaires were received from 4769 unmarried female undergraduates, recruited using randomised cluster sampling. Multiple regression analyses ...

OBJECTIVE:To present new data on sexual initiation, contraceptive use, and pregnancy among US adolescents aged 10 to 19, and to compare the youngest adolescents' behaviors with those of older adolescents.METHODS:Using nationally representative data from several rounds of the National Survey of Family Growth, we performed event history (ie, survival) analyses ...

Maternal effect genes control early events of embryogenesis. Maternal homozygous and compound mutations in two such genes, NLRP7 and c6orf221, have been detected in the majority of women experiencing recurrent biparental hydatidiform moles. It was suggested that other forms of reproductive wastage, including diploid androgenetic moles, partial moles, polyploidy, recurrent ...

Understanding the basic reproductive biology and limitations to successful breeding of the southern three-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes matacus) is necessary to maintain viable zoo populations. Our objectives were to: 1) describe the reproductive biology using non-invasive, fecal hormone analysis; 2) assess influence of season on gonadal hormonal patterns in both the ...

Across taxa, cooperative breeding has been associated with high reproductive skew. Cooperatively breeding golden lion tamarins (Leontopithecus rosalia) were long thought to have a monogynous mating system in which reproduction was limited to a single dominant female. Subordinates with few reproductive opportunities delayed dispersal and remained in the natal group ...

Functional morphology may provide important information that could improve methodologies for the diagnosis of the reproductive phase of females, and develop assisted breeding techniques for wildlife. This study examined features of genital organs in 19 Peruvian red uakari monkey (Cacajao calvus ucayalii) females in different reproductive stages, collected from wild ...

Prediction of fetal sex in the ovine species could be useful in the management decisions, such as sex selection in breeding programs, culling decisions, and lowering the progeny test cost. In the present study detection of fetal SRY gene in maternal blood plasma using the polymerase chain reaction technique was ...

: Heterotopic abdominal pregnancies with coexisting intrauterine pregnancies pose unique therapeutic challenges, and management options, particularly nonsurgical approaches, are limited. : We present a case in which selective reduction of a heterotopic abdominal pregnancy during the second trimester using fetal intracardiac injection with potassium chloride enabled subsequent vaginal delivery of ...

The female reproductive system contains two principal components: the uterus, which supports the developing fetus, and the ovaries, which produce the female gametes. This manuscript will review how the hypothalamus, pituitary, ovary and uterus are integrated into the female reproductive system. The endocrinology of pregnancy, as well as a cursory ...

Status of premarital sex, unintended pregnancy and associated factors among Chinese graduate students remain unclear. And unmarried graduate students' needs of family planning services seem to be ignored. In the present study, we ascertained the prevalence rate of premarital sex and unintended pregnancy, as well as estimated the possible factors ...

Preeclampsia is a major cause of perinatal mortality and disease affecting 5-10% of all pregnancies worldwide, but its etiology remains poorly understood despite considerable research effort. Parent-offspring conflict theory suggests that such hypertensive disorders of pregnancy may have evolved through the ability of fetal genes to increase maternal blood pressure ...

Rates of preterm birth vary between different populations and ethnic groups. Epidemiologic studies have suggested that the incidence of preterm birth is also higher in pregnancies carrying a male fetus; the male:female difference is greater in earlier preterm pregnancy. Placental or chorion trophoblast cells from pregnancies with a male fetus produced ...

A life history strategy that favours somatic growth over reproduction is well known for long-lived iteroparous species, especially in unpredictable environments. Risk-sensitive female reproductive allocation can be achieved by a reduced reproductive effort at conception, or the subsequent adjustment of investment during gestation or lactation in response to unexpected environmental ...

Fetal sex determination in horses is increasingly practiced because of commercial interests, such as obtaining offspring of a desired sex. However, in the last several years, the sex determination technique has been done exclusively by genital tubercle evaluation (55 to 70 days of pregnancy), and it has begun to be ...

Aims: To investigate the impact of pregnancy and the post partum period on the female sexuality and the coupledom, and to evaluate the quality of information and dialogue about this subject. Methods: A prospective descriptive and analytical study included patients from the department of obstetrics and gynecology in the university ...

Little is known about the response of the bitch's reproductive tract to mating or of the role of male accessory gland secretions in the female. In this clinical study, the component stimuli causing mating-induced uterine contractions were investigated in 64 bitches. Basal uterine contractions were present during oestrus and a ...

In many species a transient uterine inflammatory response follows mating and is proposed to remove excess spermatozoa, bacteria, and other contaminants from the uterus. Similar events have been documented in the bitch involving increased uterine contractions, polymorphonuclear neutrophil influx and uterine artery vasodilation. Some healthy bitches with endometrial hyperplasia have ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate women's perception of sexual activity during pregnancy in Shahroud, Iran. METHODS: Data were gathered during 4 semi-structured group interviews with 33 pregnant women attending 2 obstetric outpatient clinics of a teaching hospital in Shahroud. The interviewers taped the interviews, coded and categorized their content, and performed a ...

ABSTRACT: Nongestational choriocarcinoma, a rare ovarian tumor, may present in young women with amenorrhea, abdominal distention, and elevated urine human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), all of which may be mistaken for pregnancy. A 15-year-old Hispanic female, who reported no sexual activity, presented with 6 months of amenorrhea, abdominal pain, and progressive ...

Prescribing of medicines during pregnancy is common, and for some groups of women is essential for maintaining maternal and therefore fetal health. Pregnant women and prescribers are rightly concerned, however, about the potential adverse fetal effects of medicines. These may include fetal death or stillbirth, congenital malformations, developmental impairment, neonatal ...

Pregnancy complications and poor birth outcomes can affect the survival and long-term health of children. The preconception period represents an opportunity to intervene and improve outcomes; however little is known about women's mental health prior to pregnancy as a predictor of such outcomes. We sought to determine if and to ...

Case control studies evaluating the relationship between dietary intake of specific nutrients and risk of congenital, neonatal or early childhood disease require the ability to rank relative maternal dietary intake during pregnancy. Such studies are limited by the lack of validated instruments for assessing gestational dietary intake several years post-partum. ...

This study examines predictors of drinking during pregnancy among first-time mothers, in order to distinguish those in need of targeted screening and intervention. Data from the prenatal panel of the Parenting for the First Time study were used in hierarchical linear regressions to determine likelihood of prenatal alcohol consumption among ...

The effectiveness of ex situ breeding programs for endangered species can be limited by challenges in mimicking mating competitions that naturally occur among multiple mates in the wild. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of timed natural matings and/or artificial inseminations (AI) in the context of ...

Circulating aldosterone levels are increased in human pregnancy. Inadequately low aldosterone levels as present in preeclampsia, a life-threatening disease for both mother and child, are discussed to be involved in its pathogenesis or severity. Moreover, inactivating polymorphisms in the aldosterone synthase gene have been detected in preeclamptic women. Here, we ...

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a major health concern worldwide and results from maternal consumption of alcohol during pregnancy. It produces tremendous individual, social, and economic losses. This review will first summarize the structural, functional, and behavior changes seen in FASD. The development of the neuroimmune system will be ...

In this work we analyzed the effects of three culture systems on developmental ability of bovine embryos in vitro produced with sexed sperm, the survival to vitrification (cryologic vitrification method) of such blastocysts, and their pregnancy rates after embryo transfer to recipients, both as fresh and after vitrification/warming. Finally, we ...

Fetal programming of metabolic diseases is now a well established concept. The scope of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease has, however, widened and led to the identification of new targets of fetal programming, notably effects on reproductive function. Epidemiologic studies about maternal nutrition and effects on offspring's fertility ...

AKI in pregnancy remains a cause of significant fetomaternal mortality and morbidity, particularly in developing countries. Hypertensive complications of pregnancy (preeclampsia/eclampsia or hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets count syndrome) are the leading cause of AKI in pregnancy worldwide. Thrombotic microangiopathy is another peculiar and devastating cause of AKI ...

Few studies have examined the health and developmental consequences, including unintended pregnancy, of different sexual behavior initiation sequences. Some work suggests that engaging in oral-genital sex first may slow the transition to coital activity and lead to more consistent contraception among adolescents. Using logistic regression analysis, we investigated the association ...

This study used an event-based approach to understand condom use in a probability sample of 309 homeless youth recruited from service and street sites in Los Angeles County. Condom use was significantly less likely when hard drug use preceded sex, the relationship was serious, the partners talked about "pulling out", ...

More than 50 percent of pregnancies in the United States are unplanned. Emergency contraception has been shown to possibly reduce the risk of pregnancy by as much as 75 percent. Ulipristal acetate is a selective progesterone receptor modulator that was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for ...

A typical autoimmune neuro-inflammatory disease (NID), multiple sclerosis (MS), is more prevalent in women than in men. Majority of patients with MS are of child-bearing age; therefore, occurrence in pregnancy is common. Herein, we review proposed disease mechanisms and suggest therapeutic interventions, focusing on the remarkable pregnancy-induced protection against MS ...

Fetal cardiac function has been shown to be a marker of disease severity in many conditions, including intrauterine growth restriction, congenital heart defects or disease (CHD), twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, idiopathic hydrops, fetal arrhythmias, and others. It is often targeted for evaluation of patient management, for providing complete and accurate diagnoses ...

Therapeutic hypothermia is an effective intervention for the postresuscitative care of patients who have sustained a cardiac arrest. There has been only 1 documented case of successful resuscitation of a pregnant patient and fetus with therapeutic hypothermia, with an abbreviated developmental follow-up of the child. A 33-year-old woman in her ...

The terms mistimed pregnancy (MP) and unwanted pregnancy (UWP) refer to a woman's intentions regarding childbearing. Determinants for each type of pregnancy have not been well understood. The present study aims to investigate whether MP and UWP have different sets of psychosocial determinants compared to intended pregnancy, with a particular ...

Background Observation of drug use patterns during pregnancy is necessary for the recognition of potential bad practices and improvement of safe drug use in pregnancy. Objective To investigate prescription and over the counter drug use among Serbian women in the 6 months before pregnancy and in the first 6 months of pregnancy, ...

When treating pregnant women with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), clinicians have to balance potential fetal adverse effects against the risks of uncontrolled maternal disease. Only recently have emerging scientic data provided a rational basis for treatment decisions considering both aspects. The focus of research is currently moving from the first to ...

Inflammatory eye diseases (IED) such as uveitis affect females and males in the prime of their reproductive life. Despite their propensity to lead to significant visual loss, there have been very few studies of the management of patients with IED who are pregnant or plan a pregnancy during the course ...

To assess a new method for numerical quantification of cervical elastography during pregnancy and to evaluate the repeatability of the measurements. Cervical elastography was carried out twice by a single operator in 112 singleton pregnancies at a median of 21 (range, 12-40) weeks' gestation. In 50 of the cases a ...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic disease affecting mainly young people in their reproductive years. IBD therefore has a major impact on patients' family planning decisions. Management of IBD in pregnancy requires a challenging balance between optimal disease control and drug safety considerations. This article aims ...

The objective of this study was to determine the frequency and clinical significance of intra-amniotic inflammation in patients with preterm increased uterine contractility with intact membranes but without cervical change. Amniocentesis was performed in 132 patients with regular uterine contractions and intact membranes without cervical change. Amniotic fluid was cultured ...

Antihistamines are one of the most common drugs that are used extensively in various dermatological and nondermatological conditions. The use of H-1-antihistamines during pregnancy has been very controversial due to possible teratogenic effects of these drugs. None of the antihistamines available today have been categorized as safe during pregnancy. Control ...