Influence of endometrial thickness on pregnancy rates in modified natural cycle frozen-thawed embryo transfer.

Introduction: Pregnancy after frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) is a multifactorial process. Although embryo quality is a key factor in determining pregnancy, other factors, including maternal determinants, are also considered to be predictive. Even though an association between endometrial thickness measured by transvaginal ultrasound and pregnancy rates has been reported in patients undergoing various assisted reproductive technology treatments, whether endometrial thickness predicts achieving pregnancy after natural cycle FET (NC-FET) remains unclear.

The effectiveness of intrauterine insemination: A matched cohort study.

Objective: To study the effectiveness of an intrauterine insemination (IUI) program compared to no treatment in subfertile couples with unexplained subfertility and a poor prognosis on natural conception.

Study Design: A retrospective matched cohort study in which ongoing pregnancy rates in 72 couples who voluntarily dropped out of treatment with IUI were compared to ongoing pregnancy rates in 144 couples who continued treatment with IUI. Couples with unexplained subfertility, mild male subfertility or cervical factor subfertility who started treatment with IUI between January 2000 and December 2008 were included.

Attitude of maternity staff regarding episiotomies in an African rural hospital with high HIV prevalence: a descriptive qualitative study.

In a typical sub-Saharan African rural hospital, maternity staff seems to avoid episiotomies. The aim of this research is to develop a deeper understanding in the attitude of maternity staff regarding episiotomies. We used a descriptive qualitative approach: interviews, written questionnaires, and a group discussion.

Barriers and facilitators for the implementation of an online clinical health community in addition to usual fertility care: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Online health communities are becoming more popular in health care. Patients and professionals can communicate with one another online, patients can find peer support, and professionals can use it as an additional information channel to their patients. However, the implementation of online health communities into daily practice is challenging.

Tissue composition of the vaginal wall in women with pelvic organ prolapse.

Background/aims: To determine the composition of the vaginal wall and to explore the connective tissue layer, muscularis and basement membrane in relation to the pathogenesis of pelvic organ prolapse (POP).

Methods: We performed a histopathological study with respect to the composition of the vaginal wall of 33 patients and 9 controls. Tissue samples from the vaginal wall were analysed for collagens II and IV, desmin, elastin, fibronectin, smooth muscle actin (SMA) and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 using (immuno)histochemistry.

A comparison of suprapubic and transurethral catheterization on postoperative urinary retention after vaginal prolapse repair: a randomized controlled trial.

Aim: To compare the effect of suprapubic and transurethral catheterization on postvoid residual volumes (PRVs) after cystocele repair.

Methods: 126 women who underwent pelvic organ prolapse surgery including cystocele repair were randomized to suprapubic or transurethral catheterization. At the third postoperative day, PRVs were measured.

Patients' attitude towards residents' participation during gynaecological surgery.

Objective: To evaluate patients' attitude towards participation of residents in training in gynaecological surgery and patients understanding of resident position.

Study Design: An observational survey study was performed between July and February 2007-2008 in an outpatient clinic of a department of obstetrics and gynaecology of a teaching hospital. Patients planned for gynaecological surgery were concerned eligible.

Reliability of an automatic ultrasound system in the post partum period in measuring urinary retention.

Background: Urinary retention in the post partum period may lead to short- and long-term complications.

Objective: To investigate the reliability of an automatic ultrasound system to measure the volume of the bladder post partum.

Methods: About 85 women, who delivered vaginally were observed 6 hr post partum.

Obesity and Clomiphene Challenge Test as predictors of outcome of in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

One hundred and sixty-two consecutive patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) or IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) were studied to determine the effect of obesity on the outcome of this treatment and to evaluate the prognostic value of the Clomiphene Challenge Test (CCT) in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. In this prospective clinical study, we assessed the mean number of stimulation days, the mean gonadotropin level/day, cancellation rate, the mean thickness of the endometrium, the mean number of oocytes retrieved, the fertilization rate, the clinical pregnancy rate/embryo transfer and the abortion rate. Obese women had a doubled risk of cancellation due to poor response, although this was not statistically significant.

Cytokeratin 17 and p63 are markers of the HPV target cell, the cervical stem cell.

Background: Basic research on HPV has focused on identifying the genetic changes that lead to cervical carcinoma. However, while focusing on the molecular biology of the cancer, understanding of its cellular biology has lagged: the target cell of the HPV infection is unknown.

Materials And Methods: In this study we identified the stem cell population of the cervical epithelium by monoclonal antibodies against p63, a homologue of the tumor suppressor gene p53 and cytokeratin 17 (CK17).