Hypoxic conditions affect transcriptome of endometrial stromal cells in endometriosis and promote TGFBI axis.

Background: Endometriosis is characterized by the ectopic growth of endometrial-like cells, causing chronic pelvic pain, adhesions and impaired fertility in women of reproductive age. Usually, these lesions grow in the peritoneal cavity in a hypoxic environment. Hypoxia is known to affect gene expression and protein kinase (PK) activity.

SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy and perinatal outcomes in Estonia in 2020 and 2021: A register-based study.

Introduction: Data from different countries show partly controversial impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on pregnancy outcomes. A nationwide register-based study was conducted in Estonia to assess the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection at any time during pregnancy on stillbirth, perinatal mortality, Apgar score at 5 minutes, cesarean section rates, rates of preterm birth and preeclampsia.

Material And Methods: Data on all newborns and their mothers were obtained from the Estonian Medical Birth Registry, and data on SARS-CoV-2 testing dates, test results and vaccination dates against SARS-CoV-2 from the Estonian Health Information System.

Lactobacillus crispatus-dominated vaginal microbiome and Acinetobacter-dominated seminal microbiome support beneficial ART outcome.

Introduction: Despite the considerable progress made in assisted reproductive technologies (ART), the implantation rate of transferred embryos remains low and in many cases, the reasons for failure remain unclear. We aimed to determine the potential impact of female and male partners' reproductive tract microbiome composition on ART outcome.

Material And Methods: The ART couples (n = 97) and healthy couples (n = 12) were recruited into the study.

The expression pattern of endometrial receptivity genes is desynchronized between endometrium and matched endometriomas.

Research Question: Are paired samples of endometrium and ovarian endometriomas synchronous with each other throughout the menstrual cycle?

Design: The expression levels of 57 endometrial receptivity-associated genes were determined from matched endometrial and endometrioma samples (n=31) collected from women with endometriosis throughout the menstrual cycle.

Results: The expression profile of endometrial receptivity genes divided endometrial samples according to their menstrual cycle phase. Endometrioma samples grouped together irrespective of the menstrual cycle phase and formed a cluster distinct from endometrial samples.

Endometriosis and irritable bowel syndrome: similarities and differences in the spectrum of comorbidities.

Study Question: Do the spectrum and prevalence of comorbidities of endometriosis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) overlap?

Summary Answer: Despite several overlapping symptoms, the most significantly associated comorbidities of endometriosis and IBS are different and are rather related to the organ systems primarily involved in the index diagnosis.

What Is Known Already: Endometriosis and IBS both have several similar unspecific symptoms, such as recurrent abdominal pain, cramping and anxiety, and both diseases affect young women and are associated with a number of comorbidities causing a poor quality of life. However, a detailed study, revealing the full spectrum of endometriosis and IBS comorbidities in the same study population, is lacking.

Singleton pregnancies after in vitro fertilization in Estonia: a register-based study of complications and adverse outcomes in relation to the maternal socio-demographic background.

Background: An increased risk of adverse conditions related to in vitro fertilization (IVF) pregnancies has been repeatedly reported. Our study aimed to summarize outcome differences between pregnancies after IVF and after spontaneous conception (SC) in Estonia.

Methods: Data on all liveborn singletons to primiparas women aged 25-40 years during the period 2005-2014 were obtained from the Estonian Medical Birth Registry.

Differentially-Expressed miRNAs in Ectopic Stromal Cells Contribute to Endometriosis Development: The Plausible Role of miR-139-5p and miR-375.

microRNA (miRNA) expression level alterations between endometrial tissue and endometriotic lesions indicate their involvement in endometriosis pathogenesis. However, as both endometrium and endometriotic lesions consist of different cell types in various proportions, it is not clear which cells contribute to variability in miRNA levels and the overall knowledge about cell-type specific miRNA expression in ectopic cells is scarce. Therefore, we utilized fluorescence-activated cell sorting to isolate endometrial stromal cells from paired endometrial and endometrioma biopsies and combined it with high-throughput sequencing to determine miRNA alterations in endometriotic stroma.

Quality of IVF status registration in the Estonian Medical Birth Registry: a national record linkage study.

Background: Information regarding in vitro fertilization (IVF) as a pregnancy risk factor (yes/ no) is stored in each birth record of the Estonian Medical Birth Registry (EMBR). This study aimed to assess the validity of registration of newborns' IVF status in the EMBR.

Methods: To identify the newborns conceived by IVF, the birth records in the EMBR were compared to individual records on the embryo transfer procedures in the Estonian Health Insurance Fund (EHIF) database as a reference.

Polyvictimization and the Associations Between Poor Self-Perceived Health, Dissatisfaction With Life, and Sexual Dysfunction Among Women in Estonia.

The severe impact of different forms of violence on health has been demonstrated in a substantial number of studies. At the same time, it has been acknowledged that different forms of violence tend to co-occur, such that many survivors of violence have been exposed to more than one violent event and/or more than one form of violence. Despite mounting evidence concerning the associations between polyvictimization and health, there are still important gaps in this knowledge concerning adult female population's sexual health, including both physical and mental aspects associated with it.

Circulating miR-200-family micro-RNAs have altered plasma levels in patients with endometriosis and vary with blood collection time.

Objective: To determine whether circulating micro-RNA (miR) 200a, miR-200b, and miR-141 have altered levels in patients with endometriosis compared with control individuals.

Design: Experimental laboratory study.

Setting: University.

Contraceptive use among young women in Estonia: Association with contraceptive services.

Objectives: Our study aimed to explore the association between the use of effective contraceptive methods and access to different contraceptive services, as well as to describe accessibility-related obstacles when using contraceptive services and satisfaction with those services.

Methods: From a population-based cross-sectional study carried out in 2004 (response rate 53.8%), the data of 16- to 24-year-old women requiring contraception (N = 868) were analysed.

Pregnancy intendedness and the association with physical, sexual and emotional abuse - a European multi-country cross-sectional study.

Background: Unintended pregnancies are common and when not resulting in a termination of pregnancy may lead to unintended childbirth. Unintended pregnancies are associated with increased health risks, also for women for whom pregnancy continues to childbirth. Our objective was to present the prevalence of unintended pregnancy in six European countries among pregnant women attending routine antenatal care, and to investigate the association with a history of physical, sexual and emotional abuse.

High-throughput sequencing approach uncovers the miRNome of peritoneal endometriotic lesions and adjacent healthy tissues.

Accumulating data have shown the involvement of microRNAs (miRNAs) in endometriosis pathogenesis. In this study, we used a novel approach to determine the endometriotic lesion-specific miRNAs by high-throughput small RNA sequencing of paired samples of peritoneal endometriotic lesions and matched healthy surrounding tissues together with eutopic endometria of the same patients. We found five miRNAs specific to epithelial cells--miR-34c, miR-449a, miR-200a, miR-200b and miR-141 showing significantly higher expression in peritoneal endometriotic lesions compared to healthy peritoneal tissues.

Pregnancy rate in endometriosis patients according to the severity of the disease after using a combined approach of laparoscopy, GnRH agonist treatment and in vitro fertilization.

Aim: To evaluate the effects of combined treatment approaches on endometriosis-associated infertility in different stages of endometriosis using laparoscopy, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist (GnRHa) therapy and in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Methods: This retrospective study was carried out on 179 women with surgically confirmed endometriosis. Patients were divided into subgroups: group 1 (stage I-II, n = 121) and group 2 (stage III-IV, n = 58).