Pelvic floor muscle training increases pelvic floor muscle strength more in post-menopausal women who are not using hormone therapy than in women who are using hormone therapy: a randomised trial.

Question: Are there differences in the effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle training on pelvic floor muscle strength and urinary incontinence symptoms in postmenopausal women who are and are not using hormone therapy?

Design: Randomised, controlled trial with concealed allocation, blinded assessors, and intention-to-treat analysis.

Participants: Ninety-nine postmenopausal women, 38 of whom were using daily systemic oestrogen/progestogen therapy.

Intervention: The experimental group (n=51) received an intensive supervised pelvic floor muscle training protocol, and the control group (n=48) received no intervention.

Development of macaque secondary follicles exposed to neutral red prior to 3-dimensional culture.

Purpose: Neutral red (NR) may assist identification of preantral follicles in pieces of cortical tissue prior to cryopreservation in cancer patients requesting fertility preservation. This study is the first to analyze this effect by follicle growth rate after long-term culture in primates.

Methods: Ovarian cortex was obtained from adult rhesus macaques, was cut into fragments, and was incubated with NR.

Relationship between pelvic floor muscle strength and sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction And Hypothesis: The prevalence of sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women is high. Theoretically pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strength could influence sexual function, but to date there is scant evidence on this topic. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between PFM strength and sexual function in postmenopausal women.

Small for gestational age babies are not related to changes in markers of adipose tissue dysfunction during reproductive age.

Background: Small for gestational age (SGA) birth has been associated with adipocyte dysfunction during later phases of life. Because SGA women are at a higher risk of developing polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), adipocyte dysfunction detected in patients with PCOS may be associated with SGA birth.

Aims: To determine whether SGA birth is related to altered serum markers of adipose tissue dysfunction during the third decade of life in Brazilian women.

Sexual function of women practicing sex in nonconventional settings.

The quality of sexual intercourse in the context of conjugal visits by women to their jailed partners is unknown. This study aimed to assess the quality of the sex lives and psychological conditions of women attending conjugal visits with their jailed inmate partners. This controlled study involved 124 women between the ages of 18 to 40 years who engaged in sexual relations with their inmate partners (conjugal visit group) or with their partners at home (control group).

Pelvic floor muscle strength and urinary incontinence in hyperandrogenic women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Introduction And Hypothesis: Hyperandrogenism in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) could increase muscle mass and thereby pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strength, reducing the risk of urinary incontinence (UI). The aim of the present study was to assess PFM strength and UI among hyperandrogenic women with PCOS and a control group for comparison.

Methods: This is an observational, cross-sectional, case-control study.

Single-cell expression analysis of BMP15 and GDF9 in mature oocytes and BMPR2 in cumulus cells of women with polycystic ovary syndrome undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation.

Purpose: To detect expression of bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) and growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) in oocytes, and their receptor type 2 receptor for BMPs (BMPR2) in cumulus cells in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF), and determine if BMPR2, BMP15, and GDF9 expression correlate with hyperandrogenism in FF of PCOS patients.

Methods: Prospective case-control study. Eighteen MII-oocytes and their respective cumulus cells were obtained from 18 patients with PCOS, and 48 MII-oocytes and cumulus cells (CCs) from 35 controls, both subjected to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH), and follicular fluid (FF) was collected from small (10-14 mm) and large (>18 mm) follicles.

[Concentration of steroid hormones in the follicular fluid of mature and immature ovarian follicles of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome submitted to in vitro fertilization].

Purpose: to evaluate the concentration of steroid hormones in follicular fluid (FF) of small (10-14 mm) and large (> 18 mm) follicles of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) submitted to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles.

Methods: a case-control study was conducted on 13 infertile women with PCOS (17 cycles) and 31 infertile women due to male factor - Control Group (31 cycles). FF was aspirated individually and divided into four groups: G1 (FF of small follicles of the Control Group), G2 (FF of small follicles of the PCOS group), G3 (FF of large follicles of the Control Group) and G4 (FF of large follicles of the PCOS group).

Genital manifestation of graft-vs.-host disease: a series of case reports.

Introduction: After hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), many patients present genital graft-vs.-host disease (GVHD) that can culminate with sexual problems, which are poorly dimensioned.

Aim: We hope to draw attention to the need to perform genital biopsy to diagnose genital GVHD, and thus to call attention to the need to incorporate careful attention to sexual health in the treatment of these patients.

Sexual dysfunction treatment in a patient with müllerian agenesy submitted to neovaginoplasty: a case report.

Vagina agenesis is a rare entity. Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome is the most significant cause of vagina agenesis, whereas the second most common cause is complete androgen syndrome. Surgical treatment can propitiate a vaginal reconstruction, but sexual function depends on several factors that affect sexual performance.

Menopause leading to increased vaginal wall thickness in women with genital prolapse: impact on sexual response.

Introduction: Hypoestrogenism causes structural changes in the vaginal wall that can lead to sexual dysfunction. A reduction in vaginal wall thickness has been reported to occur after menopause, although without precise morphometry.

Aim: To measure vaginal wall thickness in women with genital prolapse in normal and hypoestrogenic conditions and to correlate sexual dysfunction with vaginal wall thickness and estradiol levels.

Increased cell proliferation in experimentally induced endometriosis in rabbits.

Objective: To characterize the pattern of cell proliferation and apoptosis of eutopic and ectopic endometrium in rabbits after endometrium implantation for the experimental induction of endometriosis.

Design: Animal experimental study.

Setting: Sector of experimental surgery.

Sexuality during the climacteric period.

Background: Cultural, social, physiological and psychological factors may alter the course of sexual function in climacteric women.

Objective: The objective of the present literature review is to survey the prevalence of sexual dysfunctions in the climacteric and to establish the association between the organic and psychic changes that occur during this phase and sexual dysfunction. We also discuss potential treatments.

Uterine ultrasonographic changes during endometriosis treatment: a comparison between levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine devices and a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist.

We compared the effects of levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine devices (LNG-IUD) and a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) on uterine volume, uterine arteries pulsatility index (PI) and endometrial thickness before and after six months of endometriosis treatment. Sixty women aged 18-40 y were allocated randomly to one of two groups: LNG-IUDs were inserted in 30 women, and GnRHa monthly injections were performed on the other 30. All 60 women were submitted to transvaginal 2-D ultrasound scans on the day that the treatment started and then six months later.

Conservative management of large uterine arteriovenous malformation: case report.

Uterine arteriovenous malformation is a rare condition that may be associated with uterine bleeding. Eventually morphologic aspects of the lesions induce unnecessary aggressive surgery; we report here a case of successful expectant management.

The levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device reduces CA-125 serum levels in patients with endometriosis.

This study compared the long-term effects of the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device with those of GnRH agonist administration on serum levels of CA-125 in patients with endometriosis. The levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device was found to be as efficient as GnRH agonist in reducing CA-125 serum levels.

Isolated endometrial polypoid sarcoidosis in a post-menopausal patient: case report.

We report here the first case of isolated uterine endometrial sarcoidosis presenting as an asymptomatic polypoid lesion. A 52-year-old patient, who had her last menstrual period 2 years before, was submitted to an office hysteroscopy because of an ultrasonographic finding of endometrial thickening preceding hormonal therapy. A polypoid endometrial lesion removed by surgical hysteroscopy revealed chronic granulomatous endometritis.

Use of a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device for the symptomatic treatment of uterine myomas.

Objective: To assess the effect of a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device (LNG-IUD) for the treatment of women with uterine myomas with increased bleeding by measuring total uterine volume and by determining patient clinical improvement, uterine artery flow velocity and hemoglobin levels.

Study Design: Ten patients with a complaint of increased uterine bleeding associated with the presence of uterine myomas were assessed in a descriptive case series and studied before and 6 months after placement of an LNG-IUD. The patients were assessed for intensity of bleeding, uterine volume, Doppler velocimetry of the uterine arteries, hematocrit and hemoglobin.

Insulin resistance in adolescents with menstrual irregularities.

Purpose: To assess the presence of insulin resistance as well as the incidence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in adolescents with menstrual disorders.

Methods: A case-control study was conducted with 34 adolescents during the period of 2 to 4 years after menarche. The patients were divided into two groups: group I (G I) with 22 patients with menstrual irregularity, and group II (G II) with 12 patients with regular menstrual cycles.