Tubal flushing with oil-based contrast during hysterosalpingography versus tubal flushing by hysterosalpingo-foam sonography in infertile women undergoing fertility work-up: study protocol of a randomised controlled trial (FOil study).

Introduction: Hysterosalpingography (HSG) and hysterosalpingo-foam sonography (HyFoSy) are commonly used tubal patency tests during the fertility work-up. Besides its diagnostic purpose, HSG with oil-based contrast can also be applied for its fertility-enhancing effect, by tubal flushing. HyFoSy is considered as less painful compared with HSG, it lacks exposure to iodinated contrast medium and ionising radiation.

[A new way of performing hysterectomy: natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery].

Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is a minimally invasive surgical technique that uses the natural orifices of the human body such as the vagina (vNOTES) in order to access the abdominal cavity. Currently, the vNOTES hysterectomy technique is carried out on benign indication such as dysfunctional blood loss, uterine myomatosis or adenomyosis. During surgery, the surgeon and the assistant are able to operate in a better ergonomic position than at a total laparoscopic or vaginal hysterectomy.

Motives and considerations regarding PGT in couples carrying a structural chromosomal abnormality: a qualitative exploration.

Purpose: This study aims to describe the motives and considerations of couples carrying a structural chromosomal abnormality deciding on preimplantation genetic testing (PGT).

Methods: A qualitative exploratory study was conducted using semi-structured dyadic interviews with 13 couples (N = 26) carrying a structural chromosomal abnormality. All couples had an informative consultation in our PGT centre in the Netherlands.

Recurrent miscarriage in translocation carriers: no differences in clinical characteristics between couples who accept and couples who decline PGD.

Study Question: Do clinical characteristics of recurrent miscarriage couples with a chromosomal abnormality and who opt for PGD differ from couples that decline PGD after extensive genetic counselling?

Summary Answer: No differences in clinical characteristics are identified between recurrent miscarriage couples carrying a structural chromosomal abnormality who opt for PGD compared with those that decline PGD after extensive genetic counselling.

What Is Known Already: Couples who have experienced two or more miscarriages (recurrent miscarriage) are at increased recurrence risk if one of the partners carries a structural chromosomal abnormality. PGD can be offered to avoid (another) miscarriage or pregnancy termination when (invasive) prenatal diagnosis shows an abnormal result.

"Pitch" accent in alaryngeal speech.

Highly proficient alaryngeal speakers are known to convey prosody successfully. The present study investigated whether alaryngeal speakers not selected on grounds of proficiency were able to convey pitch accent (a pitch accent is realized on the word that is in focus, cf. Bolinger, 1958).