Parents' 'fault' must not weigh on their children. Surrogacy as a universal crime in Italy: Is it compatible with bioethical principles?

Abstract: Assisted reproduction techniques (ARTs) have given rise to novel, non-traditional family models. Still, among the various applications and approaches of 'medically assisted procreation' (MAP), the most divisive one undoubtedly is 'gestational surrogacy' (GS), also in light of the rising number of couples who have chosen it over the past twenty years. Another major implication of ARTs is the creation of intentional (or intended) parenthood in addition to genetic one: the genetic parent's partner is thus defined as the intentional (or second) parent, who by free choice, shares the family project with the genetic parent, even without any biological tie with the child. Hence, the intended parent takes on the same rights and responsibilities towards the child as the biological one. Several countries, including Italy, have enacted norms to discourage cross-border surrogacy, deeming it harmful to the dignity of women and children. Recently, however, the Italian government has decided intensify the fight against this practice: the Chamber of Deputies (Italy's lower chamber of parliament) has passed a law which punishes couples that resort to surrogacy even if the agreement and the birth take place abroad. Therefore, surrogacy would become a so-called universal crime. In light of the fact that criminalization is a serious and highly consequential step, which may have life-changing consequences for the intended parents, the aim of this paper is to assess whether this may be an effective instrument for regulating the interests at stake and, therefore, whether it would be desirable for other countries to follow such a model. Ultimately, it is worth remarking that for those who seek to achieve parenthood, such a desire is among the most profound aspects of a person's existential realization. When due to a delicate balance of ethics standards and potentially conflicting rights, lawmakers inter-vene, an authoritarian approach is unlikely to be beneficial. Offering real alternatives to surrogacy in an organic and pragmatic fashion (i.e. expediting adoption procedures, favoring motherhood at a younger age, when infertility issues are less likely to have set in) may be the best way to disincentivize fertility traveling and make sure the rights, hopes and aspirations of all the parties involved are upheld properly.

The role of thyroid function in female and male infertility: a narrative review.

PURPOSE: We herein aimed to review the new insights into the impact of impaired thyroid function on male and female fertility, spacing from spontaneous pregnancy to ART, with the objective of providing an updated narrative revision of the literature. METHODS: This narrative review was performed for all available prospective, retrospective and review articles, published up to 2021 in PubMed. Data were extracted from the text and from the tables of the manuscript. RESULTS: Thyroid dysfunction is frequently associated with female infertility, whereas its link with male infertility is debated. Female wise, impaired function is detrimental to obstetric and fetal outcomes both in spontaneous pregnancies and in those achieved thanks to assisted reproduction technologies (ART). Furthermore, the reference range of TSH in natural pregnancy and ART procedures has recently become a matter of debate following recent reports in this field. On the other hand, the impact of thyroid function on the male reproductive system is less clear, although a possible role is suggested via modulation of Sertoli and Leydig cells function and spermatogenesis. CONCLUSION: Thyroid function should be carefully monitored in both male and female, in couples seeking spontaneous pregnancy as well as ART, as treatment is generally immediate and likely to improve chances of success.

Anatomy of the feeding arteries of the cerebral arteriovenous malformations.

BACKGROUND: Identification and anatomic features of the feeding arteries of the arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) is very important due to neurologic, radiologic, and surgical reasons. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-seven patients with AVMs were examined by using a digital subtraction angiographic (DSA) and computerised tomographic (CT) examination, including three-dimensional reconstruction of the brain vessels. In addition, the arteries of 4 human brain stems and 8 cerebral hemispheres were microdissected. RESULTS: The anatomic examination showed a sporadic hypoplasia, hyperplasia, early bifurcation and duplication of certain cerebral arteries. The perforating arteries varied from 1 to 8 in number. The features of the leptomeningeal and choroidal vessels were presented. The radiologic examination revealed singular (22.08%), double (32.48%) or multiple primary feeding arteries (45.45%), which were dilated and elongated in 58.44% of the patients. The feeders most often originated from the middle cerebral artery (MCA; (23.38%), less frequently from the anterior cerebral artery (ACA; 12.99%), and the posterior cerebral artery (PCA; 10.39%). Multiple feeders commonly originated from the ACA and MCA (11.69%), the MCA and PCA (10.39%), the ACA and PCA (7.79%), and the ACA, MCA and PCA (5.19%). The infratentorial feeders were found in 9.1% of the AVMs. Contribution from the middle meningeal and occipital arteries was seen in 3.9% angiograms. Two cerebral arteries had a saccular aneurysm. The AVM haemorrhage appeared in 63.6% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: The knowledge of the origin and anatomic features of the AVMs feeders is important in the explanation of neurologic signs, and in a decision regarding the endovascular embolisation, neurosurgical and radiosurgical treatments.

Autoimmunity and thyrotropin level in developing thyroid malignancy.

OBJECTIVE: Malignancies and autoimmune thyroid disease are still controversial, but recent studies prove that a long lasting thyroid disease may be linked with malignancy, e.g. papillary thyroid carcinoma in patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis. Having in mind that thyrotropin is a thyroid growth factor, the relationship between its serum values, as well as the levels of anti-peroxidase and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies and thyroid malignancy in patients with nodular thyroid goiter was examined. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Six-hundred-thirty-seven medical records, which included the thyroid fine-needle aspiration cytology were retrospectively evaluated. Patients were grouped regarding the levels of thyrotropin, anti-peroxidase and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (in or out of the reference ranges) and compared with cytology findings for establishing their prognostic potential for malignancy. RESULTS: Elevated serum thyrotropin (≥ 4.5 mIU/L) was found in 27.3% of patients with thyroid malignancy compared with 10.8% with benign and 16.1% with unspecified cytology finding (p < 0.01). In the group of patients with malignant cytology findings 7.0% of them had elevated anti-peroxidase antibodies level, and 1.4% had anti-peroxidase antibodies level in reference range. In the group of patients with malignant cytology findings 4.2% of them had elevated anti-thyroglobulin antibodies level, and 1.4% had anti-thyroglobulin antibodies level in reference range. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with elevated serum thyrotropin concentration and/or chronic thyroiditis the occurrence of thyroid malignancy is increased.

Thyroid dysfunction and thyroid autoimmunity in euthyroid women in achieving fertility.

OBJECTIVE: Thyroid disease is the second most common endocrine condition in women of childbearing age. Thyroid hormones are involved in control of menstrual cycle and in achieving fertility affecting the actions of follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone on steroid biosynthesis by specific triiodothyronine sites on oocytes; therefore, affect all aspects of reproduction. It remains controversial if pregnant women should be screened for thyroid dysfunction. Purpose of this review was to examine recent studies on the assessment of thyroid dysfunction in pregnancy, its treatment and newly perspective of thyroid autoimmunity in pregnant euthyroid women in achieving fertility. METHODS: An electronic search was conducted using the internet medical databases: Medline/PubMed, EMBASE, EBSCO, and the Cochrane library. RESULTS: Thyroid gland faces great challenge in pregnancy when many hormonal changes occur. Precondition for normal follicular development and ovulation is pulsate gonadothropin realizing hormone secretion. Thyroid dysfunction in pregnancy is classified as forms of hypothyroidism (positivity of thyroid autoantibody, isolated hypothyroidism, and subclinical or overt hypothyroidism), hyperthyroidism, and autoimmune disease, but also thyroid nodules and cancer, iodine insufficiency and postpartum thyroiditis. These conditions can cause adverse effects on mother and fetus including pregnancy loss, gestational hypertension, or pre-eclampsia, pre-term delivery, low birth weight, placental abruption and postpartum hemorrhage. There is an evidence that thyroid autoimmunity, in thyroid dysfunction adversely affects conception and pregnancy outcomes, but it is unclear what impact has isolated eumetabolic thyroid autoimmunity in achieving fertility, especially in women undergoing in vitro fertilization. Treatment of euthyroid pregnant women with positive thyroid peroxides antibodies is still controverse, but not few studies show that levothyroxine substitution is able to lower the chance of miscarriage and premature delivery. CONCLUSIONS: Further randomized trials are needed to expand our knowledge of physiologic changes in thyroid function during the pregnancy and to reveal mechanisms by which thyroid autoimmunity in euthyroid women affect fertility, especially the success of assisted reproductive technology in achieving the same and validity of levothyroxine administration in thyroid autoimmunity positive women.

Endovascular treatment of wide-neck, ruptured and unruptured aneurysms without supporting devices. A single center experience.

Despite of development of various supporting devices in the endovascular treatment (EVT) of wide-neck aneurysms, the procedure remains very challenging. We describe a small series of patients with relatively wide-neck aneurysms treated only by use of 3D coils without supporting devices. In the period July 2011 - August 2012, we treated 23 patients with aneurysm necks > 4 mm or dome/neck ratios < 2. Aneurysms were located in the anterior circulation in 16 patients and in the posterior circulation in seven. The size of aneurysms ranged from three to 21 mm. EVT was achieved by introducing 3D coils of different dimensions in a "Russian doll" fashion. Immediate angiographic results showed complete aneurysm obliteration in 15 patients, small neck remnant in two, and coil protrusion/herniation in four. In one of these cases we had an occlusion of the parent artery and in another case occlusion of the ascending branch (superior cerebellar artery), fortunately both patients remained symptom-free. Clinical results were excellent in 19 patients. One patient developed mild neurologic deficit in the treated territory immediately after the procedure; the patient recovered with mild hemiparesis. One patient developed a delayed stroke in another territory: after treatment the patient left hospital with dysphasia and hemiparesis. The use of 3D coils without neck supporting devices may be a useful alternative in selected cases of wide-neck aneurysms. Larger series with longer follow-up are needed to evaluate the value of this approach.

Neurocysticercosis mimicking brain tumor.

Neurocysticercosis together with brain tumors is one of the leading causes of seizures in the developing world. In Western Europe NCC is rare and a high degree of physician awareness is necessary for diagnosis.

Evaluation of Spinal Vascular Malformations Using 64-Slice CT-Angiography. A Report of Three Cases.

Spinal vascular malformations are rare but they pose a great risk of disability for patients. Although spinal DSA is the gold standard in the diagnostic evaluation of these vascular anomalies, it is an invasive, technically complicated and time-consuming method. The purpose of this report is to add to the knowledge of CT angiography as a non-invasive method that may become an alternative diagnostic tool in the imaging of spinal vascular anomalies.

64-Slice CT Angiography in the Detection of Intracranial Aneurysms: Comparison with DSA and Surgical Findings.

The overall results of CT angiography on 64-slice MSCT published in the last five years are very close to results of DSA which is still a gold standard in the diagnosis of intracranial aneurysms. The aim of this study is to contribute to the confidence in reliability of this method and to try to answer the question of whether CTA should be used as the first diagnostic modality in patients with suspect intracranial aneurysms. In the period from October 2008 to August 2009 we diagnosed 118 aneurysms in 73 patients. We included in this study only those patients who underwent either DSA, surgical treatment or both after MSCTA, and the remainder of the above patients were not treated and are followed up, or died before treatment. So our group comprised 47 patients who were divided into two groups. The first group of 22 patients underwent DSA after MSCTA. We found 36 aneurysms in this group. One aneurysm was falsely positive compared to DSA, while 35 were in concordance with DSA. DSA revealed five aneurysms smaller than 4 mm not disclosed by MSCTA. The second group comprised 25 patients who were operated according to MSCTA findings only. There were 33 aneurysms in this group: 25 aneurysms were operated and surgical findings agreed with MSCTA. Eight aneurysms smaller than 4 mm were not operated and we do not have confirmation for them. In all false positive and false negative cases the misdiagnosed aneurysms were in fact 1-1.5 mm outpouchings that were not responsible for SAH. According to the available literature and our results, MSCTA has proved a very reliable method, simple and safe, competent to be used as a diagnostic modality of choice in the patients with SAH or suspect unruptured aneurysm. DSA should be used in cases of negative or uncertain findings on MSCTA, excluding cases of perimesencephalic SAH with negative MSCTA. The relative disadvantage of this method is its lower sensitivity in the detection of tiny outpouchings, especially in the infraclionid region where this method has still limited possibilities.