Vaginal ring delivering estradiol and progesterone: a possible alternative to relieve climacteric symptoms.

Background: Relief of climacteric symptoms is currently the main role of hormone therapy. However, vaginal bleeding complicating this therapy is among the leading causes for its early discontinuation.

Objectives: To assess the effect of a vaginal ring delivering estradiol and progesterone in postmenopausal women and to determine whether continuous administration can relieve climacteric symptoms, produce an acceptable pattern of vaginal bleeding and control endometrial proliferation.

Modified vulvar vestibulectomy: simple and effective surgery for the treatment of vulvar vestibulitis.

Objective: To evaluate the success of a simple modified vestibulectomy in treating vulvar vestibulitis.

Study Design: Fifty-nine patients with vulvar vestibulitis refractory to nonsurgical treatment underwent modified vestibulectomy. Response was defined as return to normal coitus and was graded as complete, partial or non-responsive.

Mifepristone does not induce cervical softening in non-pregnant women.

Background: Many techniques have been developed to soften the cervix to reduce complications following surgical dilatation. Progesterone inhibits myometrial contractility and its secretion during pregnancy ensures cervical competence. We used the progesterone antagonist mifepristone as a cervical ripening agent and evaluated its effect prior to office hysteroscopy.

[The effectiveness of estrogen replacement therapy to reduce ischemic heart disease--revaluation].

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death of postmenopausal women in developed countries. One of the main reasons for providing hormone treatment for women was the possible prevention of ischemic heart disease (IHD). There are many cellular and molecular studies showing the effectiveness of estrogen in reducing risk factors of IHD, but none of these studies deal directly with the reduction of IHD.

Umbilical cord fluoride serum levels may not reflect fetal fluoride status.

Objective: To evaluate the reliability of fluoride levels in the umbilical cord as reflecting neonate fluoride status.

Design: Prospective study of fluoride levels of pregnant women at term and their neonates.

Setting: Delivery room and maternity unite of Hadassah Hospital Mount Scopus.