Basal and metoclopramide induced prolactin secretion in lean PCOS women.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) as well as hyperprolactinemia can cause infertility. In retrospective study the prolactin levels during the oral metoclopramide test among lean PCOS woman according to four phenotypes and free androgen index (FAI) were compared. The study population consisted of 314 lean PCOS women.

Blood pressure in postmenopausal women with a history of polycystic ovary syndrome.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder at reproductive age, affecting 6-10% of females in this group. The aetiology of this syndrome is not fully understood. Genetics, endocrinology factors, and the influence of the environment are possible causes of this syndrome.

Perinatal outcome of fertilization singletons - 10 years' experience of one center.

Introduction: fertilization (IVF) singletons have a worse perinatal outcome than spontaneously conceived singletons, especially in terms of preterm birth and its complications.

Material And Methods: An observational retrospective case control study was carried out. The study population consisted of 644 women in singleton pregnancies (336 IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI); 308 controls) who delivered > 22 weeks of gestation at the 1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland, between 2004 and 2014.

Endometrial injury for women with previous in vitro fertilization failure - does it improve pregnancy rate?

Implantation failure is one of the major factors limiting success of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. According to ESHRE 2009 data only 32% of fresh embryo transfers resulted in clinical pregnancies. There are many ideas to improve the treatment outcomes, endometrial injury being one of them.

Do We Pay Enough Attention to Culture Conditions in Context of Perinatal Outcome after In Vitro Fertilization? Up-to-Date Literature Review.

Adverse perinatal outcomes in singleton IVF pregnancies have been most often explained by parental underlying diseases and so far laboratory conditions during embryo culture are still not explored well. The following review discusses the current state of knowledge on the influence of IVF laboratory procedures on the possible perinatal outcome. The role of improved media for human embryo culture is unquestionable.

Poor responders in IVF--is there any evidence-based treatment for them?

Despite the vast experience in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation, there are still women who respond poorly to gonadotropins, which results in few oocytes at retrieval, reduced number of embryos for transfer and consequently unsatisfactory pregnancy rates. Although such patients are quite common in IVF practice, the exact prevalence of so-called "poor responders" is difficult to estimate due to the variety of applied definitions. The urgent need for an internationally accepted definition of poor ovarian response (POR) was addressed by an ESHRE Workshop held in Bologna in 2010, where the consensus was reached and criteria were finally established.

Proteomic analysis of eutopic and ectopic endometriotic tissues based on isobaric peptide tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) method.

Objective: The present study aimed at performing proteomic analysis of matched eutopic endometrium and ovarian endometrioid cysts from women with endometriosis in order to discover any abnormal protein expression related to the disease.

Design And Setting: The study included 8 women with stage III/IV endometriosis according to revised American Fertility Society (rAFS) classification and one woman with no signs of the disease as a reference. Proteomic analysis was performed using a novel isobaric tag-based methodology for relative and absolute peptide quantification (iTRAQ) coupled with multidimensional liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry.

[Proteomics in endometriosis].

Despite significant scientific progress, etiology of endometriosis remains enigmatic. New advances in molecular biology have allowed the use of proteomics in demystifying this puzzling disease. Proteomics is a technology that permits the visualization of thousands of proteins inside a cell, tissue, or organism, and simultaneous observation of any alterations in protein expression and post-translational modification that may have important, clinical implications.

[Robotic surgery in gynecology].

Introduction of robotic surgery in the first decade of the 21 century was one of the biggest breakthroughs in surgery since the introduction of anesthesia. For the first time in history the surgeon was placed remotely from the patient and was able to operate with the device that has more degrees of freedom than human hand. Initially developed for the US Military in order to allow surgeons to be removed from the battlefield, surgical robots quickly made a leap to the mainstream medicine.

Is mid-gestational cervical length measurement as sensitive prediction factor of preterm delivery in IVF as in spontaneous singleton pregnancies?

Objectives: To verify the relation between pregnancy duration and cervical length (CL) at 22-24 wks of spontaneous and IVF singleton gestations and to assess its predictive value for preterm delivery (< 37 wks).

Material & Methods: CL at 22-24 wks was performed according to FMF recommendations in 344 women who conceived spontaneously and in 107 IVF singleton pregnancies. The results of CL in both groups were divided into subgroups: ≤ 29 mm, 30-34 mm; 35-39 mm; 40-44 mm; 45-49 mm and ≥ 50 mm.

Polymorphic variants of folate and choline metabolism genes and the risk of endometriosis-associated infertility.

Objective: Endometriosis has been considered an epigenetic disease. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in genes encoding enzymes of the folate and choline metabolism may affect DNA methyltransferase activity.

Study Design: We studied 16 SNPs in 12 folate and choline metabolism genes, including BHMT (rs7356530 and rs3733890), BHMT2 (rs625879), CBS (844ins68), CHDH (rs893363 and rs2289205), CHKA (rs7928739), MTHFD1 (rs2236225), MTHFR (rs1801133), MTR (rs1805087), MTRR (rs1801394), PCYT1A (rs712012 and rs7639752), PEMT (rs4244593 and rs4646406) and TCN (rs1801198) in one hundred and sixty-three infertile women with minimal endometriosis and one hundred and fifty fertile women.

Are patient characteristics associated with the accuracy of hysterosalpingography in diagnosing tubal pathology? An individual patient data meta-analysis.

Background: Conventional meta-analysis has estimated the sensitivity and specificity of hysterosalpingography (HSG) to be 65% and 83%. The impact of patient characteristics on the accuracy of HSG is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess by individual patient data meta-analysis whether the accuracy of HSG is associated with different patient characteristics.

Differences in the soluble HLA-G blood serum concentration levels in patients with ovarian cancer and ovarian and deep endometriosis.

Problem: The relationship between endometriosis and cancer has been widely discussed in the literature but is still not well clarified. Perhaps significantly, soluble human leukocyte antigen-G (sHLA-G) has been identified in the microenvironment of both ovarian cancer and endometrioma. The aim of this study has been to evaluate the sHLA-G levels in the blood sera of women with deep endometriosis and ovarian endometrioma over the course of the menstrual cycle and to compare to the levels of sHLA-G in the blood sera of women with ovarian cancer.

The characterization of the subpopulation of suppressive B7H4(+) macrophages and the subpopulation of CD25(+) CD4(+) and FOXP3(+) regulatory T-cells in decidua during the secretory cycle phase, Arias Stella reaction, and spontaneous abortion - a preliminary report.

Problem: The presence of immunosuppressive cells within the endometrium and decidua is crucial for establishing maternal immune tolerance against fetal antigens. We decided to evaluate the subpopulations of Treg cells and B7H4 macrophages in eutopic endometrium typified by Arias Stella reaction during the development of Fallopian tube pregnancy as well as in decidua at the time of spontaneous abortion (SA), and to compare these findings to those observed in the endometrium during the secretory cycle phase of healthy women.

Method Of Study: The decidual tissue samples evaluated in our study were obtained from 26 women who underwent curettage as a result of the following circumstances: five of the women because of a laparoscopic procedure necessitated by Fallopian tube pregnancy, and 11 of them because of SA.

The comparison of two different embryo culture methods in the course of in vitro fertilization program.

The objective of the study was to compare two different embryo culture methods in the course of in vitro fertilization program by means of fertilization rate, embryo development, total time and cost. 98 patients undergoing assisted reproduction procedures due to infertility were analyzed. The inclusion criteria for the study: first IVF-ET program, at least 10 MII oocytes, no indications for ICSI.

Laparoscopic treatment of uterine myomas in women of reproductive age.

Objectives: To analyze the indications, safety and feasibility of laparoscopic myomectomies performed during the last 10 years.

Material And Methods: The studied material consisted of 187 typically performed laparoscopies, mostly due to uterine myomas. All the patients underwent an ultrasound examination at the time of admission and those with the maximum of 3 tumors, where the largest tumors were less than 10cm in diameter, were qualified for endoscopic surgery.

The comparison of microlaparoscopy and laparoscopy in pelvic region assessment in infertile women.

Objectives: To compare the efficacy of microlaparoscopy and laparoscopy in the assessment of pelvic region in infertile women.

Materials And Methods: 47 patients (aged 24-35) had microlaparoscopy and subsequent laparoscopy performed in order to diagnose the cause of infertility. Pelvic region assessment was performed in both procedures and the results were afterwards compared in regard to duration of the operations and findings reported by independent surgeons.

Comparison of tubal patency assessment during microlaparoscopy and laparoscopy, and its compatibility with previous histerosalpingography results.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to compare tubal patency assessment during microlaparoscopy and laparoscopy and its compatibility with previously performed histerosalpingography (HSG).

Material & Methods: Endoscopic evaluation of tubal patency was performed on 135 women, aged 30-39 (microlaparoscopy in 65 cases, laparoscopy in 70). In the group of 42 patients qualified for endoscopy, histerosalpingography was carried out in the past.

The occurrence of genital types of human papillomavirus in normal pregnancy and in pregnant renal transplant recipients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate: 1) The prevalence of human papillomavirus (types 6 and 11 carrying a low risk of neoplasia, and type 16 implicated as cause of cervical neoplasia and cancer) in normal pregnant women and pregnant renal transplant recipients. 2) The correlation between maternal HPV infection and HPV presence in the cord blood and the oral cavity of the neonate. Evaluation of a likely, additional route of HPV transmission to the fetus, apart from the infected birth canal during vaginal delivery.

The changes of hormonal serum levels and ovulation/pregnancy rates after ovarian electrocautery in microlaparoscopy and laparoscopy in patients with PCOS.

Objectives: To compare the efficacy of ovarian electrocautery performed during microlaparoscopy and laparoscopy, basing on ovulation and pregnancy rates obtained within one year of follow-up.

Materials And Methods: Ovarian drillings, performed with the use of endoscopic methods, were carried out in 135 women with hormonal and ultrasound features of PCOS, aged 30-39 (average age 36 +/- 3.3).

[Preterm deliveries after in vitro fertilization treatment of infertility].

Wide access to the assisted reproductive technics as a tool in the treatment of infertility arisen many questions regarding the outcome of the pregnancy, its possible complications and the neonatal outcome in women after IVF treatment. We completed the literature search in order to present this subject. It seems that the increased rate of spontaneous abortions and preterm deliveries in this group is caused by such factors as: maternal age, chromosomal, hormonal and uterine abnormalities and immunological factors.

[Protocol of GNRH antagonist in poor responders in IVF-ET cycles].

Introduction: Response to stimulation is one of the factors that affect the results of infertility treatment in IVF-ET cycles. Poor responders as well as the occurrence of ovulation prior to the oocyte retrieval is a main reason of nearly 30% of cancellations of the treatment cycles. In poor responders high doses of gonadotrophins are sometimes required.

Localization of a proteasomal antigen in human spermatozoa: immunohistochemical electron microscopic study.

The ultrastructural localization of a proteasomal antigen in human spermatozoa was studied by means of immunolabeling with the MPC21 monoclonal antibody and secondary gold labeled antibody with 1.4 nm gold particles in combination with silver enhancement reaction using pre-embedding technique. The labeling was found in the acrosomal and postacrosomal regions, in the connecting-piece (neck) and, in some cases, in the middle-piece and also in the residual bodies.

Cyclodextrin enhances spermicidal effects of magainin-2-amide.

Magainins are antimicrobial peptides with known spermicidal activity. Their activity is inhibited by cholesterol present in eukaryotic cell membranes. Pretreatment of spermatozoa with methyl-beta-cyclodextrin, which extracts cholesterol from cell membranes and induces capacitation, sensitizes them to magainin-2-amide as shown by a decrease in human sperm motility determined by computer-assisted sperm analysis and a concomitant decrease in sperm viability, as measured by MitoTracker(R) Red CMXRos labeling.