Red blood cell n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in first trimester of pregnancy are inversely associated with placental weight.

Objective: To investigate pregnancy outcome in relation to red blood cell (RBC) level of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in the first trimester of pregnancy and the influence of lifestyle factors on the RBC level of long-chain n-3 PUFA.

Design And Setting: Observational study in a community with traditional fish and cod liver oil consumption.

Population: Seventy-seven healthy pregnant women.

Quantification of menstrual flow by weighing protective pads in women with normal, decreased or increased menstruation.

Objective: To investigate the association between menstrual flow weight measured from modern sanitary pads (converting liquid to non-evaporating gel) and clinically assessed normal, increased or decreased menstrual flow.

Design: Objective method development study.

Setting: Outpatient clinic, University Hospital, Reykjavik.

Combined effects of maternal smoking status and dietary intake related to weight gain and birth size parameters.

Objective: To investigate the interaction of smoking status and dietary intake during pregnancy and its relationship to maternal weight gain and birth size parameters.

Design: An observational prospective study.

Setting: Free-living conditions.

[Carriage of group B beta-haemolytic streptococci among pregnant women in Iceland and colonisation of their newborn infants.].

Objective: To determine the carrier rate of group B beta-haemolytic streptococci (GBS) of pregnant women in Iceland and the colonisation of their newborns.

Material And Methods: A prospective study was conducted from October 1994 until October 1997, where culture specimens for GBS were taken from vagina and rectum of pregnant women attending the prenatal clinics at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Landspitali University Hospital and the Reykjavik Health Centre. The samples were taken at 23 and 36 weeks gestation and at delivery.

Maternal diet in early and late pregnancy in relation to weight gain.

Objective: To identify dietary factors related to the risk of gaining weight outside recommendations for pregnancy weight gain and birth outcome.

Design: An observational study with free-living conditions.

Subjects: Four hundred and ninety five healthy pregnant Icelandic women.

Relationship between dietary intake of cod liver oil in early pregnancy and birthweight.

Objective: To investigate the possible association between birth outcome and marine food and cod liver oil intake of healthy women in early (prior to 15 weeks of gestation) pregnancy.

Design: An observational study.

Setting: Free-living conditions in a community with traditional fish and cod liver oil consumption.

Low back pain, smoking and employment during pregnancy and after delivery - a 3-month follow-up study.

Low back pain (LBP.), smoking and employment was studied among 111 consecutive women admitted to a maternity ward over a 6-week period, 40 were primiparas and 71 multiparas. LBP was defined as any pain in the low back, irrespective of the specific cause of the pain.

[Society must denounce violence against women].

In Iceland there is no established procedure for the care of adult victims of criminal assault (mainly women). There is no statutory obligation to make a report, such as is mandatory in the case of children. Most victims of assault do not figure in statistics.

Effects of a tocolytic oxytocin analogue on lipid and carbohydrate metabolism.

The effect of a newly developed tocolytic oxytocin analogue, 1-deamino-2-D-Tyr(OEt)-4-Thr-8-Orn-oxytocin on lipid and carbohydrate metabolism was investigated. Oxytocin and vasopressin both stimulated lipogenesis in isolated rat adipocytes, an effect which was dose-dependently inhibited by the oxytocin analogue. In vivo, intravenous injection of 10 nmol/kg body weight of the analogue to 11 healthy subjects caused an initial, but insignificant peak after 4 min in both plasma glucose and glycerol, which thereafter remained at basal level.

The influence of a combined oral contraceptive on uterine activity and reactivity to agonists in primary dysmenorrhea.

The mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effect of an oral contraceptive (150 micrograms levonorgestrel and 30 micrograms ethinyl estradiol daily for 21 days) in primary dysmenorrhea were studied by recordings of uterine activity and reactivity to lysine (L) vasopressin (VP) and prostaglandin (PG) F2 alpha on the first day of menstruation in 14 women before and after one period of oral contraceptive treatment. During the first session, when all women had moderate to severe dysmenorrhea, intra-uterine pressure recording showed an intensive uterine activity, and bolus injections of LVP (6 pmol/kg body weight; 6 subjects) or PGF2 alpha (6 or 12 nmol/kg body weight; 4 subjects in each group) increased contractile activity and discomfort. After oral contraceptive treatment, spontaneous uterine activity, measured as total pressure area, decreased significantly (p = 0.

Uterine blood flow and myometrial activity at menstruation, and the action of vasopressin and a synthetic antagonist.

Local endometrial blood flow was measured by a thermistor technique and myometrial activity by intrauterine pressure recording in 10 women before and during menstruation. The effect of lysine vasopressin infusion (1 pmol/kg body-weight per min) and of bolus injection of a synthetic oxytocin analogue, 1-deamino-2-D-Tyr(OEt)-4-Thr-8-Orn-oxytocin (10 nmol/kg body-weight), were studied. Spontaneous variations in blood flow were seen synchronous with clearly demarcated uterine contractions, the myometrial activity being significantly increased in early (day -1 to day +2) compared with late (day +3 to day +5) menstrual phase.

Inhibition of uterine contractions of premature labour with an oxytocin analogue. Results from a pilot study.

A competitive inhibitor of the action of oxytocin on the uterus, 1-deamino-2-D-Tyr-(OEt)-4-Thr-8-Orn-oxytocin, was studied for the first time in 13 patients with established, uncomplicated premature labour. Intravenous infusion of 10-100 micrograms/min of the analogue was given for 1-10 h and the effect was monitored by external cardiotocography. In all women an inhibition of uterine activity was observed, and in the majority of patients infused with 25 micrograms/min and a total dose of about 5 mg or more of the drug total inhibition of uterine contractions was achieved.

Plasma concentrations of vasopressin and a prostaglandin F2 alpha metabolite in women with primary dysmenorrhoea before and during treatment with a combined oral contraceptive.

Oral contraceptives reduce menstrual pain but the interaction with vasopressin and prostaglandin F2 alpha, two uterine stimulants related to the condition, is unknown. Ten women with a history of moderate to severe dysmenorrhoea were studied. Repeated blood samples were taken during a first menstrual cycle without treatment, during the first 21 days of a second cycle when they received an oral contraceptive (150 micrograms levonorgestrel and 30 micrograms ethynyloestradiol) and on the first or second day of the bleeding following hormonal withdrawal.

A serious ovarian cystadenocarcinoma metastatic to both eyes.

A patient with a stage IV ovarian cystadenocarcinoma is described. She seems to constitute the first reported case of this kind of tumour metastasizing to the eyes.

An instrument for measuring endometrial blood flow in the uterus, using two thermistor probes.

An instrument was developed for continuous measurement of thermal conductance reflecting blood flow locally in the endometrium. The probe consists of two small thermistors, one sensing the tissue temperature, and the other working at 5 degrees C elevated temperature, sensing the heat loss caused by thermal conduction mainly due to the blood flow. The power needed to keep this temperature difference was recorded as a measure of flow.

Pharmacokinetics in the human of a new synthetic vasopressin and oxytocin uterine antagonist.

The pharmacokinetics in the human of 1-deamino-2-D-Tyr(OEt)-4-Thr-8-Orn-vasotocin (dE-TVT), was studied after iv and intranasal administration in 11 subjects at 12 experiments each route. The plasma concentration of the analogue was analysed by means of an arginine vasopressin antibody, which cross-reacted with dE-TVT to 4.7%.

Vasotocin analogues which competitively inhibit vasopressin stimulated uterine activity in healthy women.

Three analogues of posterior pituitary hormones, 1-deamino-2-D-Tyr(OEt)-4-Val-8-Orn-vasotocin(dE-VVT), 1-deamino-2-D-Tyr(OEt)-4-Thr-8-Orn-vasotocin(dE-TVT) and 1-deamino-2-D-Tyr(OEt)-oxytocin(dE-OXY) were compared for their inhibitory effects on vasopressin (VP)-induced uterine activity in healthy women. At menstruation, during recording of intrauterine pressure (18 recording sessions in 11 women), intravenous infusion of lysine vasopressin (LVP, 1 ng/min/kg/body weight) induced an increase of the uterine activity and dysmenorrhoea-like symptoms. Intravenous injections of all analogues (10 micrograms/kg body weight) caused relief of symptoms and inhibition of uterine activity, dE-TVT was the most effective and dE-OXY was least active.

Splenic mesothelial cysts at laparoscopy.

One case of splenic mesothelial cyst formation fortuitously found and biopsied during laparoscopic operation is described.

High-dose metoclopramide in the treatment of cis-platinum induced emesis. A dose-finding study.

In 92 patients receiving 270 cytostatic courses which all included cis-platinum, the antiemetic efficacy of medium- or high-dose metoclopramide was investigated. Metoclopramide was given intravenously 4 times during a 6-hour period (1/2 h before and 1 1/2, 3 1/2 and 5 1/2 h after cytostatic treatment) in a total dose of 1, 2, 4, 6, or 8 mg/kg. Nausea, emetic episodes, and side effects were registered during 24 h.

Computed tomography in advanced carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

Computed tomography (CT) and clinical examination including complete evaluation of the true pelvis were performed in 32 patients of whom 2 had possible advanced primary and 30 possible recurrent carcinoma of the uterine cervix. Confirmation of the staging by surgery or autopsy was obtained in 22 patients and by repeat clinical examinations and CT in 10 patients. The CT diagnosis was correct in 29 and the clinical pelvic examination in 25 patients.