[Contraception and voluntary termination of pregnancy. Survey of a sample of 500 women]. / Contraccezione e interruzione volontaria della gravidanza. Indagine conoscitiva su di un campione di 500 donne.

In order to better evaluate the link between contraceptive attitudes and induced abortion, 500 women who underwent voluntary termination of pregnancy (VTP) at the First Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the University of Rome "La Sapienza" were interviewed. They were young (median age 28 years), medium to high educated (61%), non married (52.4%), nulliparous (59.2%) women. Forty-two percent of them had the first sexual intercourse before 18 years of age and 72.6% at least five years before. Ninety-five women (19%) admitted a previous voluntary termination of pregnancy. Withdrawal (305 women), oral contraceptives (246 women) and condom (223 women) were the most widely used methods of fertility regulation, but the pill had been taken only for short periods of time, never exceeding one year. Withdrawal resulted to be the most utilized method during the cycle in which conception occurred (49.4%); no method had been employed by 34.8% of the women. The diffusion of modern methods of fertility regulation greatly influences the number of induced abortions in Italy, as clearly indicated by the progressive reduction of VIP starting from 1982 paralleled by a constant increase in OCs diffusion. Our data, although limited in number, confirm that induced abortion is the consequence of an insufficient use of modern methods of fertility regulation.

[Pharmacological preparation of the endometrium in surgical hysteroscopy]. / La preparazione farmacologica dell'endometrio nell'isteroscopia operativa.

Danazol, GnRH analogues (GnRH-A), progestins and gestrinone have been indicated for medical pre-treatment of surgical hysteroscopy, although only danazol and GnRH-A had some clinical evaluation. Pre-hysteroscopic pharmacological preparation is, in general, intended to reduce endometrial thickness, intraoperative bleeding and the need for endouterine distension with fluid media. In addition, in case of endometrial ablation, medical pre-treatment should facilitate the complete removal of endometrium, thus allowing better long-term results. The mechanism of action of progestins, danazol and gestrinone is partly indirect, through inhibition of ovulation and mild reduction in the synthesis of gonadotropins, and partly direct, through, first, decidualization of the endometrium, and then complete inactivation. On the other hand, GnRH-A have only an indirect, central mechanism of action of inhibition, through pituitary desensitization, of the synthesis of gonadotropins, thus inducing a profound hypoestrogenism. GnRH analogues appear to be more effective and rapid than danazol at the endometrial level and better tolerated. However, the effectiveness of pre-treatment versus no treatment needs to be clearly demonstrated in well-designed controlled studies. No significant difference, so far, has been found between danazol and GnRH analogues in terms of both surgical safety and long-term results.