Publications by authors named "Maya Al Memar"

Article Synopsis
  • Understanding the risks of fertility treatments (FTs) is crucial for making informed clinical decisions and providing patient counseling regarding women's health issues, particularly cancer.
  • This study aimed to analyze the relationship between FTs and the incidence of specific female-related cancers such as ovarian, endometrial, breast, and cervical cancers, using systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
  • Results indicated a significant increase in ovarian cancer and borderline ovarian tumors among women undergoing FTs compared to those not treated, especially with certain fertility drug regimens like clomiphene citrate and human menopausal gonadotropin.
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Article Synopsis
  • The study aims to link clinical history with MRI imaging findings in women diagnosed with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome.
  • Conducted at a specialized UK center, the retrospective cohort included 134 patients who underwent MRI from 2011 to 2021, with data analyzed by gynaecological radiologists using statistical software.
  • The results revealed that most women had uterine remnants and a significant portion experienced abdominal pain related to functional remnants, highlighting the need for further research on the impact of other gynecological conditions in MRKH patients.
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A low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasm (LAMN) is a cystic dilatation of the appendix resulting from the accumulation of mucinous secretions caused by a luminal obstruction. Although usually benign, pseudomyxoma peritonei may occur in the event of rupture, and 10% of cases may be secondary to appendiceal cystadenocarcinoma. A LAMN is both more common and more likely to have a malignant association in women, making it an entity with which practitioners of gynaecological ultrasound should be familiar.

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Ultrasound-based models exist to support the classification of adnexal masses but are subjective and rely upon ultrasound expertise. We aimed to develop an end-to-end machine learning (ML) model capable of automating the classification of adnexal masses. In this retrospective study, transvaginal ultrasound scan images with linked diagnoses (ultrasound subjective assessment or histology) were extracted and segmented from Imperial College Healthcare, UK (ICH development dataset; n = 577 masses; 1444 images) and Morgagni-Pierantoni Hospital, Italy (MPH external dataset; n = 184 masses; 476 images).

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Introduction: Early prediction of pregnancies destined to miscarry will allow couples to prepare for this common but often unexpected eventuality, and clinicians to allocate finite resources. We aimed to develop a prediction model combining clinical, demographic, and sonographic data as a clinical tool to aid counselling about first trimester pregnancy outcome.

Material And Methods: This is a prospective, observational cohort study conducted at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital, UK from March 2014 to May 2019.

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Objective: Functioning gonadotroph adenomas (FGAs) are rare pituitary tumours stimulating ovarian function with potential life-threatening consequences in women. However, a lack of aggregated clinical experience of FGAs impairs management in affected women. The aim of this study is to present the clinical course of FGA-induced ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) cases as identified by some of the largest UK pituitary endocrine tertiary centres with a view to increasing awareness and improving diagnosis and management of women with FGA.

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Objective: To develop core outcome sets (COS) for miscarriage management and prevention.

Design: Modified Delphi survey combined with a consensus development meeting.

Setting: International.

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To determine the oncological outcomes following fertility-sparing surgery (FSS) for the management of Borderline Ovarian Tumours (BOTs). A retrospective analysis of participants diagnosed with BOTs between January 2004 and December 2020 at the West London Gynaecological Oncology Centre was conducted. A total of 172 women were diagnosed; 52.

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Objectives: To investigate prognostic factors for anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptoms 1 month after early pregnancy loss (EPL).

Design: A prospective cohort study. Consecutive women were recruited, and demographic and clinical data were collected.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the relationship between vaginal microbiota and miscarriage risks, focusing on both chromosomally normal (euploid) and abnormal (aneuploid) miscarriages compared to healthy pregnancies.
  • Researchers analyzed vaginal microbial composition using advanced genetic techniques on samples from 167 women and measured various immune response cytokines in cervical vaginal fluid to understand their connection to miscarriage outcomes.
  • Findings indicate that euploid miscarriages showed lower levels of beneficial Lactobacillus species and higher pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, suggesting that vaginal microbiota could be significant in preventing pregnancy loss.
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Introduction: There is no global agreement on how to best determine pregnancy of unknown location viability and location using biomarkers. Measurements of progesterone and β human chorionic gonadotropin (βhCG) are still used in clinical practice to exclude the possibility of a viable intrauterine pregnancy (VIUP). We evaluate the predictive value of progesterone, βhCG, and βhCG ratio cut-off levels to exclude a VIUP in women with a pregnancy of unknown location.

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Background: Clinical models to predict first trimester viability are traditionally based on multivariable logistic regression (LR) which is not directly interpretable for non-statistical experts like physicians. Furthermore, LR requires complete datasets and pre-established variables specifications. In this study, we leveraged the internal non-linearity, feature selection and missing values handling mechanisms of machine learning algorithms, along with a post-hoc interpretability strategy, as potential advantages over LR for clinical modeling.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study investigates the relationship between kisspeptin levels and antenatal complications like hypertensive disorders, fetal growth restriction, gestational diabetes, and preterm birth, analyzing data from 105 women with complications and 265 with normal pregnancies.
  • - Findings show that kisspeptin levels vary by condition: higher levels in hypertensive disorders and lower in fetal growth restriction during the third trimester, suggesting a potential link to placental function.
  • - The results indicate kisspeptin could serve as a biomarker for antenatal complications, highlighting the need for further research to understand its clinical implications.
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Key Content: Following the diagnosis of absolute uterine factor infertility (AUFI), women may experience considerable psychological harm as a result of a loss of reproductive function and the realisation of permanent and irreversible infertility.Adoption enables women with AUFI, and their partners, to experience social and legal parenthood, also often providing benefits for the adopted child.Surrogacy offers the opportunity to have genetically related offspring.

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Objective: To compare the performance of kisspeptin and beta human chorionic gonadotropin (βhCG), both alone and in combination, as biomarkers for miscarriage throughout the first trimester.

Design: Prospective, nested case-control study.

Setting: Tertiary Centre, Queen Charlotte Hospital, London, United Kingdom.

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Women who have had repeated miscarriages often have uncertainties about the cause, the likelihood of recurrence, the investigations they need, and the treatments that might help. Health-care policy makers and providers have uncertainties about the optimal ways to organise and provide care. For this Series paper, we have developed recommendations for practice from literature reviews, appraisal of guidelines, and a UK-wide consensus conference that was held in December, 2019.

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The physical and psychological effect of miscarriage is commonly underappreciated. The journey from diagnosis of miscarriage, through clinical management, to supportive aftercare can be challenging for women, their partners, and caregivers. Diagnostic challenges can lead to delayed or ineffective care and increased anxiety.

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Article Synopsis
  • Miscarriage is when a pregnancy ends before the baby can survive outside the mother, and there are about 23 million miscarriages each year around the world.
  • Many factors can increase the risk of having a miscarriage, such as the age of the parents, health habits like smoking and drinking, and even environmental factors like pollution.
  • Miscarriages can cause both physical problems and emotional issues, like anxiety and depression, so it's important for women who have experienced this to get proper medical care and support.
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Multiple measurements of serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) are used to predict the final pregnancy outcome for women with a pregnancy of unknown location (PUL) and monitor the management of ectopic pregnancy (EP). Urine-based testing would be more convenient and economical. This prospective cohort study involving 80 women assessed the degree of correlation between serum and urine hCG levels and whether urine hCG levels have the potential to impact clinical decision making in the management of women with a PUL.

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Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a glycoprotein hormone that is essential for the maintenance of pregnancy. Glycosylation of hCG is known to be essential for its biological activity. "Hyperglycosylated" variants secreted during early pregnancy have been proposed to be involved in initial implantation of the embryo and as a potential diagnostic marker for gestational diseases.

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Progesterone is essential for the maintenance of pregnancy. Several small trials have suggested that progesterone supplementation may reduce the risk of miscarriage in women with recurrent or threatened miscarriage. Cochrane Reviews summarized the evidence and found that the trials were small with substantial methodologic weaknesses.

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Article Synopsis
  • Fertility-sparing surgery (FSS) is a key technique in gynecology that aims to remove problematic tissues while preserving fertility, and intraoperative ultrasound (IOUS) can improve this process.
  • This paper reviews existing research on the use of IOUS in FSS and offers recommendations on how to effectively implement IOUS during these operations.
  • The findings suggest that IOUS enhances the accuracy of tumor removal with high success rates and reduced risk of harming healthy tissues, highlighting the importance of improved training in ultrasound techniques for better outcomes in FSS.
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Background: Early pregnancy losses are common, but their psychologic sequelae are often overlooked. Previous studies have established links between miscarriage and early symptoms of anxiety and depression. However, the incidence of posttraumatic stress symptoms and the psychologic response specifically to ectopic pregnancies have not been investigated.

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Introduction: Small-for-gestational-age (SGA) confers a higher perinatal risk of adverse outcomes. Birthweight cannot be accurately measured until delivery, therefore accurate estimated fetal weight (EFW) based on ultrasonography is important in identifying this high-risk population. We aimed to establish the sensitivity of detecting SGA infants antenatally in a unit with a selective third-trimester ultrasound policy and to investigate the association between EFW and birthweight in these babies.

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Vaginal bacterial community composition influences pregnancy outcome. Preterm prelabor rupture of the fetal membranes (PPROM), which precedes 30% of all spontaneous preterm births, is associated with high vaginal bacterial diversity prior to rupture. The point at which vaginal bacterial diversity is established before PPROM is unknown.

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