Incidence and risk factors for postpartum mood and anxiety disorders among women veterans.

BACKGROUND: Our aim was to determine rates of postpartum mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) among U.S. women Veterans and the overlap among PMADs. We further sought to identify PMAD risk factors, including those unique to military service. METHODS: A national sample of women Veterans completed a computer-assisted telephone interview (N = 1414). Eligible participants were aged 20-45 and had separated from service within the last 10 years. Self-report measures included demographics, general health, reproductive health, military exposures, sexual assault, childhood trauma, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The PMADs of interest were postpartum depression (PPD), postpartum anxiety (PPA) and postpartum PTSD (PPPTSD). This analysis included 1039 women Veterans who had ever been pregnant and who answered questions about PPMDs related to their most recent pregnancy. RESULTS: A third (340/1039, 32.7%) of participants were diagnosed with at least one PMAD and one-fifth (215/1039, 20.7%) with two or more. Risk factors common for developing a PMAD included: a mental health diagnosis prior to pregnancy, a self-report of ever having had a traumatic birth experience, and most recent pregnancy occurring during military service. Additional risk factors were found for PPD and PPPTSD. CONCLUSION: Women Veterans may be at an increased risk for developing PMADs due to high rates of lifetime sexual assault, mental health disorders, and military-specific factors including giving birth during military service and military combat deployment exposures.

The Effect of Financial Incentives on Adherence to Glucose Self-Monitoring during Pregnancy among Patients with Insulin-Requiring Diabetes: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE: Glucose self-monitoring is critical for the management of diabetes in pregnancy, and increased adherence to testing is associated with improved obstetrical outcomes. Incentives have been shown to improve adherence to diabetes self-management. We hypothesized that use of financial incentives in pregnancies complicated by diabetes would improve adherence to glucose self-monitoring. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a single center, randomized clinical trial from May 2016 to July 2019. In total, 130 pregnant patients, <29 weeks with insulin requiring diabetes, were recruited. Participants were randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio to one of three payment groups: control, positive incentive, and loss aversion. The control group received $25 upon enrollment. The positive incentive group received 10 cents/test, and the loss aversion group received $100 for >95% adherence and "lost" payment for decreasing adherence. The primary outcome was percent adherence to recommended glucose self-monitoring where adherence was reliably quantified using a cellular-enabled glucometer. Adherence, calculated as the number of tests per day divided by the number of recommended tests per day×100%, was averaged from time of enrollment until admission for delivery. RESULTS: We enrolled 130 participants and the 117 participants included in the final analysis had similar baseline characteristics across the three groups. Average adherence rates in the loss aversion, control and positive incentive groups were 69% (SE=5.12), 57% (SE = 4.60), and 58% (SE=3.75), respectively (p=0.099). The loss aversion group received an average of $50 compared with $38 (positive incentive) and $25 (control). CONCLUSION: In this randomized clinical trial, loss aversion incentives tended toward higher adherence to glucose self-monitoring among patients whose pregnancies were complicated by diabetes, though did not reach statistical significance. Further studies are needed to determine whether use of incentives improve maternal and neonatal outcomes. KEY POINTS: · Self-glucose monitoring is a critical part of diabetes management in pregnancy.. · Loss aversion financial incentives may increase adherence to glucose self-monitoring in pregnancy.. · The impact of testing incentives on maternal and neonatal outcomes requires further investigation..

Associations Between Sexual Assault and Reproductive and Family Planning Behaviors and Outcomes in Female Veterans.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between lifetime sexual assault (defined as someone having experienced sexual assault in their lifetime) and reproductive health care seeking, contraception usage, and family planning outcomes in female veterans. METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of data collected between 2005 and 2008 from computer-assisted telephone interviews with 1,004 female veterans aged 20-52 years who were enrolled at two Midwestern Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care systems. Participants were asked about reproductive, mental, and general health histories, and about lifetime sexual assault. We assessed associations between reproductive histories and contraceptive use among participants who reported lifetime sexual assault, compared with those who had not experienced lifetime sexual assault, by using bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Lastly, we examined reasons why these participants had not sought Pap test screening. RESULTS: More than half (62%) of participants reported experiencing lifetime sexual assault. Because there was an association between older age and history of lifetime sexual assault (P<.001), we stratified the analysis by age. Women with a history of lifetime sexual assault were more likely to have had unprotected intercourse for a year or more (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.31, 95% CI 1.35-3.96) and a teen pregnancy (aOR 2.10, 95% CI 1.07-4.12) than women who did not report lifetime sexual assault. When stratified by age, women aged 40-52 years with a history of lifetime sexual assault were more likely to report more than a year of unprotected sex, teen pregnancy, and not seeking prenatal care with their first pregnancy, than women aged 40-52 who did not report lifetime sexual assault. Women who experienced lifetime sexual assault were more likely to report not seeking Pap tests in the past owing to fear and anxiety when compared with women who had not experienced lifetime sexual assault. CONCLUSION: Female veterans who reported lifetime sexual assault had differences in family planning behaviors compared with women who did not report lifetime sexual assault. These findings have implications for clinicians and VA policymakers when determining family planning and reproductive care delivery needs for female veterans of reproductive age.

Redesigned Care Delivery for Insulin-Requiring Diabetes in Pregnancy Improves Perinatal Glycemic Control While Reducing Neonatal Intensive Care Admissions, Length of Stay, and Costs.

Objective: We sought to improve perinatal glycemic control and downstream neonatal outcomes through redesigned ambulatory management for women with insulin-requiring diabetes in pregnancy. Methods: To address gaps in perinatal glycemic management of women with insulin-requiring diabetes in pregnancy, redesigned care delivery (RCD) utilized integrated practice unit and minimally disruptive medicine concepts with incorporation of cellular-enabled glucose monitoring. Primary outcomes of RCD (N = 129) included hemoglobin A1c ([HbA1c], within RCD cohort), and gestational age (GA) at delivery, neonatal intensive care (NICU) admission, and NICU length of stay (LOS) compared with a preredesign care cohort (Pre-RCD; N = 122). Secondary outcomes included facility, payer reimbursement, and program costs. Generalized linear models assessed continuous variables while logistic regression methods assessed categorical outcomes. Results: Utilizing RCD, 92% of women with an initial HbA1c <6.5% maintained glycemic control until delivery, and 67.2% with an initial HbA1c ≥6.5% achieved delivery levels <6.5%. NICU admissions and GA-adjusted LOS decreased significantly [Pre-RCD vs. RCD: NICU admissions, 41.0% vs. 27.3%, p < 0.024; NICU LOS (95% confidence interval [CI]), 21.9 (17.1-26.6) vs. 14.6 (9.1-20.1), p = 0.045]. Every 10 days of redesigned management decreased mean NICU LOS by 1 day. Mean payer neonatal reimbursements decreased over $18,000 per delivery (p = 0.08) compared with implementation costs of $1,942 per delivery. Conclusion: Redesigned perinatal diabetes care with remote glucose monitoring demonstrated improved outcomes and value through downstream neonatal outcomes and lower payer costs. Therefore, subsequent dissemination and sustainability of similar programs' improved outcomes will likely require payer support.

Lifetime History of Sexual Assault and Emergency Department Service Use among Women Veterans.

BACKGROUND: Although sexual assault survivors are at increased risk for adverse physical and mental health outcomes and tend to use more health care services, little is known about women veterans' lifetime history of experiencing sexual assault (lifetime sexual assault [LSA]) and emergency department (ED) use. We sought to examine associations between experiencing LSA, mental health diagnoses, and ED use among women veterans. METHODS: Computer-assisted telephone interviews were conducted with 980 women veterans enrolled at two Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers to assess history of experiencing LSA, health care use, sociodemographic characteristics, and military history. Administrative data provided VA use, mental health, and medical diagnoses. Logistic regression analyses examined associations between experiencing LSA and mental health diagnoses and past 5-year ED use. Classification tree analysis characterized ED use in participant subgroups. RESULTS: Sixty-four percent of participants visited a VA or non-VA ED during the previous 5 years. Women veterans with histories of mental health diagnoses and who experienced sexual assault had an odds of ED use almost two times greater than those with no history of experiencing sexual assault and no mental health diagnoses. The odds were similar for experiencing attempted (adjusted odds ratio, 1.85) and completed (adjusted odds ratio, 1.95) sexual assault. Classification tree analysis identified reliance on VA care and the composite variable representing experiencing LSA and mental health diagnoses as factors that best discriminated ED users from nonusers. CONCLUSIONS: Experiencing LSA is associated with greater ED use in women veterans enrolled in the VA. Whether finding this reflects greater emergent health care needs, suboptimal access and treatment for conditions that could be managed in other settings, lack of health care coordination, or some combination of these factors is unclear.

Cellular-Enabled Glucometers and Maternal Glucose Control: A Quality Improvement Initiative.

BACKGROUND: Management of diabetes in pregnancy is burdensome due to self-glucose monitoring, recording, and reporting demands. Cellular-enabled glucometers provide real-time transmission of glucose values independent of internet access and cell phone data plans. We describe a quality improvement (QI) intervention that introduced cellular-enabled glucometers for use during pregnancies complicated by diabetes. METHODS: Our aim was to improve maternal glucose control in a cohort of insulin-requiring pregnant women enrolled in a telemedicine diabetes program. During initial establishment of a QI program, women were offered cellular-enabled glucometers but could elect to keep their standard meter. The primary outcome evaluated was glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) at delivery. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics including initial HbA1c were similar between women using a standard glucometer (n = 45) and those using a cellular-enabled glucometer (n = 72). Women who used a cellular-enabled glucometer had a lower HbA1c at delivery compared to those using a standard glucometer (5.8% vs 6.3%, P = .03). This improvement was particularly notable for women with poor glucose control (defined as HbA1c >6.5%) at initial obstetric visit. Women with poor glucose control who used a cellular-enabled glucose monitor had significantly lower HbA1c at delivery (6.0% vs 6.8%, P = .03) and greater change from initial visit compared to those using a standard glucometer (-2.6% vs -1.4%, P = .02). No statistically significant differences were detected in tracked neonatal outcomes. CONCLUSION: For pregnancies complicated by insulin-requiring diabetes, use of cellular-enabled glucometers as part of a perinatal diabetes program improves glucose control at delivery with timely transmission of accurate values throughout gestation.

Sexual Assault in the Military and Increased Odds of Sexual Pain Among Female Veterans.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and sexual function in civilian women is also found among female veterans, and to consider the additional effects of sexual assault in the military. METHODS: Using a retrospective cohort design, participants (N=1,004) from two midwestern Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers and associated clinics completed a telephone-assisted interview on sexual assault, sexual pain, and mental health. Binary logistic regression was used to compare the rates of sexual pain between women with no sexual assault history, histories of childhood sexual abuse alone, histories of sexual assault in the military alone, and histories of childhood sexual abuse and sexual assault in the military. RESULTS: Female veterans with histories of childhood sexual abuse and sexual assault in the military reported the highest rates of sexual pain (χ(3)=40.98, P<.001), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD, χ(3)=88.18, P<.001), and depression (χ(3)=56.07, P<.001), followed by women with sexual assault in the military histories alone, women with childhood sexual abuse histories alone, and women with no sexual assault. Female veterans with histories of childhood sexual abuse and sexual assault in the military were 4.33 times more likely to report sexual pain, 6.35 times more likely to report PTSD, and 3.91 times more likely to report depression than female veterans with no sexual assault. CONCLUSION: The relationship between sexual assault and sexual pain in female veterans is distinct from their civilian peers. For female veterans, sexual assault in the military is more detrimental to sexual function (specifically sexual pain) than childhood sexual abuse alone, and the combination of childhood sexual abuse and sexual assault in the military confers the greatest risk for sexual pain. Given this difference in sexual health, treatments for sexual dysfunction related to a history of childhood sexual abuse in civilian women may not be adequate for female veterans. Female veterans may require a targeted treatment approach that takes into account the particular nature and consequences of sexual assault in the military.

Adherence to self-glucose monitoring recommendations and perinatal outcomes in pregnancies complicated by diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Self-glucose monitoring is critical for the management of diabetes mellitus in pregnancy; yet, validated reports of adherence to testing recommendations and associated perinatal outcomes are limited. OBJECTIVE: Using cloud-based, self-glucose monitoring technology, we sought to answer the following questions: (1) Are there differences in the rates of testing adherence based on type of diabetes mellitus in pregnancy? (2) Is adherence to glucose monitoring recommendations associated with perinatal outcomes in pregnancies that are complicated by diabetes mellitus? We hypothesized that adherence to glucose testing recommendations varies by type of diabetes mellitus and that increased adherence to testing recommendations would be associated with improved perinatal outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: This single-center, prospective cohort study included women with type 2 diabetes mellitus and gestational diabetes mellitus who were enrolled in a perinatal diabetes program at <29 weeks gestation between December 2015 and June 2018. All women received a cellular-enabled glucometer that uploaded glucose values to a cloud-based, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant platform in real time that ensured transmission of accurate glucose values. The primary outcome was adherence to self-glucose monitoring recommendations. Four glucose checks were advised daily, and percentage of adherence was calculated. Secondary outcomes were preeclampsia, cesarean delivery, large-for-gestational-age neonates, and neonatal hypoglycemia. The study was powered to detect a 10% difference in the primary outcome of adherence to advised self-glucose monitoring by diabetes mellitus type. Adjusted risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals were generated with the use of logistic regression. RESULTS: This study included 103 eligible women. Baseline characteristics differed between groups, with women with type 2 diabetes mellitus having higher initial HgbA1c and body mass index when compared with women with gestational diabetes mellitus. No differences were noted in age or parity. Adherence was calculated over 20±6 weeks for women with type 2 diabetes mellitus compared with 9±4 weeks for women with gestational diabetes mellitus. Overall adherence to glucose monitoring was significantly less for women with type 2 diabetes mellitus compared with those with gestational diabetes mellitus. Mean testing adherence rates were 51%, 66%, and 70% for type 2 diabetes mellitus, and gestational diabetes mellitus, class A1 and A2, respectively (P=.016). We found that, for every 10% increase in adherence to testing recommendations, the odds of cesarean delivery, neonatal hypoglycemia, and large-for-gestational-age fetuses decreases by 15-20%. There was no association between adherence and rates of preeclampsia. CONCLUSION: This study shows that overall adherence to testing recommendations differs by diabetes mellitus type and is associated with neonatal outcomes. Improved outcomes with higher adherence may reflect more timely medication adjustments in response to real-time glucose values. Programs aimed at improving adherence could prove beneficial.

Ethnic Minority Status and Experiences of Infertility in Female Veterans.

BACKGROUND: In the general population, infertility is increasingly prevalent in ethnic minority women; these women suffer longer and are less likely to access care. There is a paucity of data regarding the issue of race and infertility in the growing female military veteran population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional observational study involved computer-assisted telephone interviews of 1,004 Veterans Administration (VA)-enrolled women aged ≤52 years. RESULTS: Racial minority veterans were more likely than white veterans to self-report infertility (24% vs. 18%), equally likely to report infertility evaluation (52% vs. 52%), and less likely to report receiving infertility treatment (31% vs. 63%). Differences in self-reported infertility (odds ratios [OR]: 1.50, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-2.22) and infertility treatment (OR: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.13-0.81) were retained after controlling for age, income, marital status, education, insurance, history of pelvic inflammatory disease, and lifetime sexual assault. While racial minority veterans were equally as likely as white veterans to be evaluated for infertility, white and racial minority groups reported different reasons for not seeking evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with civilian studies, our data suggest that racial minority VA-enrolled female veterans are more likely to self-report infertility and less likely to receive infertility treatment. Future research should investigate whether these findings are consistent nationwide and regardless of VA enrollment, and if minority veterans have unique barriers to care. A better understanding of how the VA might improve awareness of infertility evaluation and treatment options, especially for racial minority veterans, is needed.

Lifetime Sexual Assault and Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Women Veterans.

OBJECTIVE: Women veterans report a high prevalence of sexual assault. Unfortunately, there are limited data on the reproductive health sequelae faced by these women. Our objective was to evaluate the association between completed lifetime sexual assault (LSA) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among a cohort of women veterans, adjusting for sexual risk behaviors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study among women veterans aged 51 years or younger who enrolled for care at two Veterans Administration (VA) healthcare sites between 2000 and 2008. Participants completed a telephone interview assessing reproductive health and sexual violence history. We compared the frequencies of past STI diagnoses among those who had and had not experienced LSA. We used logistic regression to assess the effect of sexual assault with history of an STI diagnosis after adjusting for age, sexual risk behaviors, and substance abuse treatment. RESULTS: Among 996 women veterans, a history of STIs was reported by 32%, including a lifetime history of gonorrhea (5%), chlamydia (15%), genital herpes infection (8%), and human papillomavirus infection (15%), not mutually exclusive; 51% reported LSA. Women with a history of LSA were significantly more likely to report a history of STIs (unadjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.91, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.45-2.50; adjusted OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.07-2.08). CONCLUSIONS: Women veterans who have experienced LSA are at increased risk for lifetime STI diagnoses. To adequately address the reproductive health needs of the growing population of women veterans, STI risk assessments should include queries of military service and LSA histories.

Hysterectomy risk in premenopausal-aged military veterans: associations with sexual assault and gynecologic symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Several gynecological conditions associated with hysterectomy, including abnormal bleeding and pelvic pain, have been observed at increased rates in women who have experienced sexual assault. Previous findings have suggested that one of the unique health care needs for female military veterans may be an increased prevalence of hysterectomy and that this increase may partially be due to their higher risk of sexual assault history and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although associations between trauma, PTSD, and gynecological symptoms have been identified, little work has been done to date to directly examine the relationship between sexual assault, PTSD, and hysterectomy within the rapidly growing female veteran population. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to assess the prevalence of hysterectomy in premenopausal-aged female veterans, compare with general population prevalence, and examine associations between hysterectomy and sexual assault, PTSD, and gynecological symptoms in this veteran population. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a computer-assisted telephone interview between July 2005 and August 2008 of 1004 female Veterans Affairs (VA)-enrolled veterans ≤ 52 years old from 2 Midwestern US Veterans Affairs medical centers and associated community-based outreach clinics. Within the veteran study population, associations between hysterectomy and sexual assault, PTSD, and gynecological symptoms were assessed with bivariate analyses using χ(2), Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney, and Student t tests; multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to look for independent associations. Hysterectomy prevalence and ages were compared with large civilian populations represented in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program databases from similar timeframes using χ(2) and Student t tests. RESULTS: Prevalence of hysterectomy was significantly higher (16.8% vs 13.3%, P = .0002), and mean age at hysterectomy was significantly lower (35 vs 43 years old, P < .0001) in this VA-enrolled sample of female veterans compared with civilian population-based data sets. Sixty-two percent of subjects had experienced attempted or completed sexual assault in their lifetimes. A history of completed lifetime sexual assault with vaginal penetration (LSA-V) was a significant risk factor for hysterectomy (age-adjusted odds ratio, 1.85), with those experiencing their first LSA-V in childhood or in military at particular risk. A history of PTSD was also associated with hysterectomy (age-adjusted odds ratio, 1.83), even when controlling for LSA-V. These associations were no longer significant when controlling for the increased rates of gynecological pain, abnormal gynecological bleeding, and pelvic inflammatory disease seen in those veterans with a history of LSA-V. CONCLUSION: Premenopausal-aged veterans may be at higher overall risk for hysterectomy, and for hysterectomy at younger ages, than their civilian counterparts. Veterans who have experienced completed sexual assault with vaginal penetration in childhood or in military and those with a history of PTSD may be at particularly high risk for hysterectomy, potentially related to their higher risk of gynecological symptoms. If confirmed in future studies, these findings have important implications for women's health care providers and policy makers within both the VA and civilian health care systems related to primary and secondary prevention, costs, and the potential for increased chronic disease and mortality.

Voluntary and involuntary childlessness in female veterans: associations with sexual assault.

OBJECTIVE: To assess associations between lifetime sexual assault and childlessness in female veterans. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, computer-assisted telephone interview study. SETTING: Two Midwestern Veterans Administration (VA) medical centers. PATIENT(S): A total of 1,004 women aged ≤52 years, VA-enrolled between 2000 and 2008. INTERVENTION(S): None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Sociodemographic variables, reproductive history and care utilization, and mental health. RESULT(S): A total of 620 veterans (62%) reported at least one attempted or completed sexual assault in their lifetime (LSA). Veterans with LSA more often self-reported a history of pregnancy termination (31% vs. 19%) and infertility (23% vs. 12%), as well as sexually transmitted infection (42% vs. 27%), posttraumatic stress disorder (32% vs. 10%), and postpartum dysphoria (62% vs. 44%). Lifetime sexual assault was independently associated with termination and infertility in multivariate models; sexually transmitted infection, posttraumatic stress disorder, and postpartum dysphoria were not. The LSA by period of life was as follows: 41% of participants in childhood, 15% in adulthood before the military, 33% in military, and 13% after the military (not mutually exclusive). Among the 511 who experienced a completed LSA, 23% self-reported delaying or foregoing pregnancy because of their assault. CONCLUSION(S): This study demonstrated associations between sexual assault history and pregnancy termination, delay or avoidance (voluntary childlessness), and infertility (involuntary childlessness) among female veterans. Improved gender-specific veteran medical care must attend to these reproductive complexities.

Lifetime sexual assault and cervical cytologic abnormalities among military women.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the reproductive health of military women. This study sought to determine women Veterans' competing risk factors, including life span sexual assault (LSA) exposures, associated with recent and lifetime cervical cytologic abnormalities. METHODS: This cross-sectional study of a retrospective cohort of 999 Midwestern Veterans (enrolled in the VA) included computer-assisted telephone interviews and chart reviews. RESULTS: Over half (57%) of participants self-reported lifetime abnormal cytology. Chart review demonstrated 16% had abnormal cytology in the preceding 5 years. Almost two thirds of participants (62%) reported LSA, and one third (32%) reported assault during military service. Women with completed LSA were more likely to self-report abnormal cytology than peers with no or attempted-only assaults (63% vs. 51%, p<0.01). In logistic regression models comparing competing risks for abnormal cytology, type of military service (Active Component [AC] or both AC and Reserve or National Guard) was significant even when human papillomavirus (HPV) was included. LSA was significant when well-established risk factors, except HPV, were included. Nearly all participants had health insurance (84%), and only one third (32%) used the VA for all care. CONCLUSIONS: Military type and completed LSA are significant risk factors for abnormal cervical cytology and should be routinely assessed by women's care providers. LSA and gynecologic health risk factors are widespread in the female Veteran population. These findings have clinical implications for vigilant screening, gynecologic follow-up, and behavioral health interventions. Most participants had insurance and used only some or no VA care, so findings are relevant to all women's health providers.

A mandatory single blastocyst transfer policy with educational campaign in a United States IVF program reduces multiple gestation rates without sacrificing pregnancy rates.

OBJECTIVE: To reduce the twin rate in our IVF program. DESIGN: A prospective educational study of infertile couples; a retrospective review of IVF outcomes before vs. after mandatory single embryo transfer (mSBT) policy change. SETTING: University-based infertility center. PATIENT(S): One hundred ten of 120 consecutive new infertile couples completed the educational study. Outcomes of all embryo transfers (n = 693) performed 17 months before and 17 months after mSBT were evaluated. INTERVENTION(S): A 1-page educational summary of comparative risks of twins vs. singletons to maternal and child health. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Knowledge of twin risks and desired number of embryos transferred before and after education. Pregnancy rates, number of embryos transferred, and multiple-gestation rates before and after mSBT policy. RESULT(S): After education, knowledge of twin risks improved and a significant number of subjects changed their desired outcome to a lower gestational number. There was no change in ongoing pregnancy rates with blastocyst transfer before and after mSBT (63% vs. 58%; NS). Program-wide number of embryos transferred (2.1 +/- 0.6 vs. 1.9 +/- 0.7) and multiple-gestation rates (35% vs. 19%) decreased significantly while pregnancy rates were maintained. CONCLUSION(S): Simple educational materials can improve knowledge of twin pregnancy risks and affect decision making. In high-risk patients, mSBT results in pregnancy rates similar to two-blastocyst transfer, with decreased twin rates.

Risk of metabolic complications in the new PCOS phenotypes based on the Rotterdam criteria.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the risk of metabolic complications, primarily metabolic syndrome, in all polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) phenotypes compared with control subjects. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: University practice. PATIENT(S): Women with PCOS (Rotterdam definition; n = 258) and women without PCOS seen during the same time period for an annual exam used as controls (n = 110). INTERVENTION(S): None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Metabolic syndrome. RESULT(S): Three PCOS phenotypes had a significantly higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome compared with the control subjects: oligomenorrhea/oligo-ovulation (O) + hyperandrogenism (H) + polycystic ovaries (P), age-adjusted odds ratio [OR] 6.3 (95% confidence interval 2.1-18.9); O+H, OR 7.8 (2.2-27.5); and H+P, OR 8.2 (2.3-29.3). There was no significant difference in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome between women with O+P and control subjects, even in obese women. The prevalence of insulin resistance and glucose intolerance was not significantly different between POCS phenotypes CONCLUSION(S): The risk of metabolic syndrome may vary among the four phenotypes of PCOS based on the Rotterdam criteria. This new information may be of relevance in counseling women with PCOS although larger studies may be needed to validate our findings.

Supernumerary minute ring chromosome 14 in a man with primary infertility and left varicocele.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a case of supernumerary minute ring chromosome (SMRC) in an infertile man, with the concurrent finding of a left varicocele. DESIGN: Case report. SETTING: Urologic infertility clinic in a university hospital. PATIENT(S): Male patient presenting with primary infertility. INTERVENTION(S): Karyotyping, genetic counseling, and microsurgical left varicocelectomy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Sperm concentration and motility, chromosomal number and structure. RESULT(S): Fluorescence in situ hybridization revealing SMRC 14. Sperm concentration and motility improved after left varicocele repair. CONCLUSION(S): A karyotype should be included in the evaluation of severe oligospermia. Although SMRC 14 may be associated with fertility problems, repair of a coexisting varicocele should be considered in these patients.

Obstetric outcomes after in vitro fertilization in obese and morbidly obese women.

OBJECTIVE: In addition to numerous health detriments caused by obesity, fertility and pregnancy success may also be compromised. The aims of this study were to compare the effects of obesity and morbid obesity on in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes. We also investigated the effects of obesity on obstetric outcomes after IVF treatment. METHODS: Retrospective study of women less than 38 years of age during their first fresh IVF cycle (January 1995 to April 2005). RESULTS: A total of 1,293 women were included in the study, with 236 obese women (body mass index [BMI] = 30-39.9) and 79 morbidly obese women (BMI > or = 40). The morbidly obese group had a 25.3% IVF cycle cancellation rate compared with 10.9% in normal-weight women (odds ratio 2.73, 95% confidence interval 1.49-5.0), P < .001). Morbidly obese women without polycystic ovarian syndrome had an even higher cancellation rate (33%). Women with higher BMI required significantly more days of gonadotropin stimulation but had lower peak estradiol levels (P < .001). There were no significant differences in clinical pregnancy or delivery rates between the four BMI groups. Of the women who delivered, there was a significant linear trend for risk of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and cesarean delivery with increasing BMI (P < .03). CONCLUSION: We report a significantly higher risk for IVF cycle cancellation in morbidly obese patients with no effect of BMI on clinical pregnancy or delivery rate. However, obese and morbidly obese subjects had a significantly higher risk for obstetric complications. This target population should be aggressively counseled regarding their increased obstetric risk and offered treatment options for weight reduction before the initiation of fertility therapy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II-2.

Computational models for prediction of IVF/ICSI outcomes with surgically retrieved spermatozoa.

IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) using surgically retrieved spermatozoa (SRS) is a key option in the treatment of severe male infertility. It was aimed to develop a computational model for the prediction of this modality's outcome. A dataset of 113 exemplars, derived from patients who underwent IVF/ICSI with SRS, was retrospectively analysed. The dataset, containing input features maternal age, sperm retrieval technique, type of spermatozoa used, type of male factor and output intrauterine pregnancy, was randomized into a modelling ('training') set of 83 and cross-validation ('test') set of 30. neUROn++, a set of C++ programs, was used to model the dataset using linear and quadratic discriminant function analysis, logistic regression, and neural computation. A 4-hidden node neural network was found to have the highest accuracy, with a test set receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve area of 0.783. Reverse regression of this neural network showed maternal age to be the most significant feature in predicting pregnancy (P = 0.025), followed by sperm type (P = 0.076). Type of male factor (P = 0.47) and sperm retrieval technique (P = 0.88) did not predict outcome. In summary, a neural network of clinical relevance was found to be superior in terms of IVF/ICSI outcome prediction. Future media deployment is planned.