Thyroid peroxidase antibody in women with unexplained recurrent miscarriage: prevalence, prognostic value, and response to empirical thyroxine therapy.

Objective: To determine the prevalence, prognostic value, and response to thyroxine therapy of thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) in women with unexplained recurrent miscarriage (RM).

Design: Observational, cohort study. The index cases included women with unexplained RM who tested positive for thyroid peroxidase antibody, and control cases included women with unexplained RM who tested negative for the antibodies; a second age-matched control group included women with RM who had a known cause for the repeated pregnancy loss.

Relationship between semen parameters and spontaneous pregnancy.

Objective: To explore the association between semen parameters and spontaneous pregnancy.

Design: Case-control study.

Setting: Aberdeen Fertility Centre, Aberdeen, Scotland.

Absence of chlamydial deoxyribonucleic acid from testicular and epididymal samples from men with obstructive azoospermia.

Objective: To identify Chlamydia trachomatis DNA by polymerase chain reaction in the upper genital tract of men with obstructive azoospermia compared with men seeking vasectomy reversal.

Design: Case-control study.

Setting: Tertiary referral center, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Aberdeen, United Kingdom.

Trends in semen parameters in the northeast of Scotland.

The data on trends in semen quality are conflicting and sensitive to geographical variations. Although previous British surveys on semen quality indicate a decline, the northeast of Scotland has never been included in these surveys. This is an area with low out migration rates where andrology services for a population of 500 000 are centralized within a single laboratory, thus providing a unique opportunity to study population-based trends in semen quality over time.