High pregnancy rates and successful prevention of severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome by 'prolonged coasting' of very hyperstimulated patients: a multicentre study.

In a multicentre trial, 65 in-vitro fertilization (IVF)-embryo transfer cycles were severely hyperstimulated. Instead of cancelling the cycle, gonadotrophins were withheld for a 'coasting period' until serum oestradiol concentrations had dropped below 10,000 pmol/l (mean 4.3 days), and then human chorionic gonadotrophin was administered.

First trimester live pregnancy and subsequent fetal loss. Impact of transcervical CVS and colonization of the cervix.

A consecutive series of 224 women undergoing transcervical chorionic villi sampling (CVS) were analyzed for the presence of cervical microbes. The outcome of pregnancy was related to age, number of aspirations and to the presence or not of microbes. The CVS group was compared to a group of 200 women with live fetuses at 8-11 weeks of gestation not undergoing CVS (ultrasound, US group).

Information on prenatal diagnosis at the antenatal clinic. The women's experiences.

The issue of information and autonomy (informed consent) in prenatal diagnosis (PND) was studied by questionnaires given to women undergoing amniocentesis (group A, n = 122) or chorionic villus biopsy (group V, n = 90). About 1/4 of the women were also interviewed. Sixty-eight percent of the women had learnt most about PND already before visiting the antenatal clinic.

Outcome of pregnancy in relation to maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels in the second trimester. An evaluation of a screening program and a longitudinal follow-up.

120 women with elevated alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in pregnancy week 16-17 were subsequently supervised every 4th week until a few days postpartum. A group of 102 women with normal (n = 78) or low (n = 24) serum AFP concentrations in pregnancy week 16-17 were studied in the same way. In the last week before parturition the AFP serum level declined and the decrease was more pronounced with increasing gestational duration up to pregnancy week 41.