Cancer during pregnancy: Twenty-two years of experience from a tertiary referral center.

INTRODUCTION: Cancer complicating pregnancy is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition for both the mother and her child. The aim of the present study was to assess the outcomes for mothers and children after pregnancy complicated by malignancy and to investigate which parameters are important for their 1-year survival. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 84 pregnant women diagnosed with malignant tumors during pregnancy from 2001 to 2022. The pregnancy course and outcome, as well as parameters that could influence the survival and condition of the mother and child were evaluated. Mothers and children were followed up for 1 year after delivery to assess their condition/complications and overall survival. RESULTS: Most malignancies were gynecological (31%) or hematological (23.8%) and were diagnosed and surgically treated in the second trimester. Most children (69%) showed adequate growth and development throughout pregnancy but were delivered before term (53.6%) to allow mothers to receive therapy. Adjuvant therapy during pregnancy mostly caused a transitory deterioration of the child's condition, while surgery did not significantly impact the pregnancy course. Deliveries, on average, occurred during the 33.01 ± 6.16 gestational week (range: 20-40) and mostly by cesarean section (76.2%). For mothers, the pregnancy survival rate was 95.2% and survival after 1 year was 87.5%. However, 37.5% of women were still ill and required additional therapy 1 year postpartum. The pregnancy survival rate for children was 94%, whereas the 1-year survival rate was 76.2%. Most children had a favorable condition (alive, adequately growing and developing, and without complications) at birth (81%) as well as at the 1-year follow-up (63.7%). Regression analysis identified the following predictors of favorable 1-year maternal condition: applying therapy during pregnancy, no progression of the malignancy during pregnancy, and delivery at a later gestational week. Predictors of favorable 1-year condition of children were lower histopathological grade of malignancy, surgery as therapy for malignancy, obtaining higher birthweight, and delivery by cesarean section. CONCLUSIONS: If the malignancy is not progressing, pregnancy should be continued as long as possible for the child to obtain adequate birthweight. Both surgery and chemotherapy were safe therapeutic choices, as most pregnancies continued successfully after therapy.

COVID-19-related stress response among adult females: Relevance of sociodemographics, health-related behaviors and COVID-19 contact.

Women were more affected than men during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to investigate COVID-19-related stress response in adult women and its association with the relevant socioeconomic, lifestyle and COVID-19-related factors. This research was carried out in eight randomly chosen cities from September 2020 to October 2021. To examine stress, we distributed the COVID Stress Scales (CSS) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Women also fulfilled a general socio-epidemiologic questionnaire. The study included 1,264 women. Most women were healthy, highly educated, employed, married, nonsmokers who consumed alcohol. The average total CSS score suggested a relatively low COVID-19 related stress), while 1.7% of women had CSS ≥ 100. The mean PSS was around the mid-point value of the scale. Older women, who were not in a relationship, didn't smoke, didn't drink alcohol, but used immune boosters, had chronic illnesses and reported losing money during the pandemic had higher CSS scores. A higher level of stress was also experienced by women exposed to the intense reporting about COVID-19, had contact with COVID-19 positive people or took care of COVID-19 positive family members. In this sample of predominantly highly educated women few women experienced very high stress level, probably due to the study timing (after the initial wave) when the pandemic saw attenuated stress levels. To relieve women from stress, structural organization and planning in terms of health care delivery, offsetting economic losses, controlled information dissemination and psychological support for women are needed.

Currently Available Treatment Modalities for Uterine Fibroids.

Uterine fibroids (leiomyomas and myomas) are the most common benign gynecological condition in patients presenting with abnormal uterine bleeding, pelvic masses causing pressure or pain, infertility and obstetric complications. Almost a third of women with fibroids need treatment due to symptoms. OBJECTIVES: In this review we present all currently available treatment modalities for uterine fibroids. METHODS: An extensive search for the available data regarding surgical, medical and other treatment options for uterine fibroids was conducted. REVIEW: Nowadays, treatment for fibroids is intended to control symptoms while preserving future fertility. The choice of treatment depends on the patient's age and fertility and the number, size and location of the fibroids. Current management strategies mainly involve surgical interventions (hysterectomy and myomectomy hysteroscopy, laparoscopy or laparotomy). Other surgical and non-surgical minimally invasive techniques include interventions performed under radiologic or ultrasound guidance (uterine artery embolization and occlusion, myolysis, magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound surgery, radiofrequency ablation of fibroids and endometrial ablation). Medical treatment options for fibroids are still restricted and available medications (progestogens, combined oral contraceptives andgonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists and antagonists) are generally used for short-term treatment of fibroid-induced bleeding. Recently, it was shown that SPRMs could be administered intermittently long-term with good results on bleeding and fibroid size reduction. Novel medical treatments are still under investigation but with promising results. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of fibroids must be individualized based on the presence and severity of symptoms and the patient's desire for definitive treatment or fertility preservation.

Mandatory and seasonal vaccination against COVID-19: Attitudes of the vaccinated people in Serbia.

The aim of our study was to examine the position of vaccinated people regarding the proposal for mandatory and seasonal vaccination against COVID-19 in Serbia. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of people who came to receive a third dose of COVID-19 at the Institute of Public Health of Serbia in September and October 2021. Data were collected by means of a sociodemographic questionnaire. The study sample comprised 366 vaccinated adults. Factors associated with the belief that vaccination against COVID-19 should become mandatory were being married, being informed about COVID-19 from TV programmes and medical journals, trust in health professionals, and having friends affected by COVID-19. In addition to these predictors, factors associated with the belief that COVID-19 vaccination should become seasonal were being older, consistently wearing facemasks, and not being employed. The results of this study highlight that trust in information delivery, evidence-based data, and healthcare providers may be a major driver of mandatory and seasonal vaccine uptake. A careful assessment of the epidemiological situation, the capacity of the health system, and the risk-benefit ratio is needed in order to introduce seasonal and/or mandatory vaccination against COVID-19.

Accuracy of IOTA Simple Rules, IOTA ADNEX Model, RMI, and Subjective Assessment for Preoperative Adnexal Mass Evaluation: The Experience of a Tertiary Care Referral Hospital.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of IOTA Simple Rules (SR), IOTA ADNEX model, Risk of Malignancy Index (RMI), and subjective assessment (SA) which is used for adnexal mass assessment in our institution. DESIGN: This is a prospective observational study. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: We included patients with at least one adnexal mass who needed elective surgical evaluation based on clinical and laboratory findings. Patients admitted to Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Clinical Center of Serbia, were recruited for the study between January 2019 and June 2021. Level II ultrasonographers performed a gray scale and Doppler exam for each patient. Preoperative classification of adnexal masses (benign or malignant) was performed by SA, the International Ovarian Analysis Group (IOTA) SR, IOTA ADNEX model, and Risk of Malignancy Index (RMI). Postoperatively obtained histological findings were used as a reference. RESULTS: During the study period, we enrolled 179 premenopausal and 217 postmenopausal patients, representing 396 patients in our sample. Prevalence of malignant disease in pre- and postmenopausal groups was 16.2% (29/179) and 41% (89/217), respectively. Malignant disease was diagnosed in 29.8% (118/396) of patients. SA achieved the highest discrimination accuracy between benign and malignant tumors (area under the curve [AUC] of 0.928, 95% CI [0.898-0.952]). For SA, the overall diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (LR+), and negative likelihood ratio (LR-) were 91.4%, 88.1%, 92.8%, 12.25, and 0.13. The AUC for Simple Rules with subjective assessment in inconclusive cases (SR + SA) was 0.912 (95% CI [0.880-0.938]). Regarding SR + SA, diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, LR+, and LR- were 92.4%, 88.1%, 94.2%, 15.31, and 0.13. The ADNEX model had the AUC of 0.914 (95% CI [0.882-0.940]). Binary classification using the ADNEX model at a cut-off value of 10% for malignancy had the sensitivity, specificity, LR+ and LR- of 92.4%, 73.0%, 3.42, and 0.10. This resulted in the lowest overall accuracy of 78.8%. The AUC for RMI was 0.854 (95% CI [0.815-0.887]), with overall accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, LR+ and LR- of 82.3%, 73.7%, 86.0%, 5.26, and 0.31. There was no difference in the AUCs of the SA and IOTA models for the whole group, premenopausal, and postmenopausal groups. RMI performed worse compared to SA and the IOTA models. The ADNEX model achieved the highest accuracy at the cut-off value of 35%. LIMITATIONS: The data generalizability is limited by a single institution-dependent sampling. CONCLUSIONS: The IOTA SR and ADNEX model were reliable and comparable with the SA and performed better than the RMI. The IOTA SR model offers the potential for immediate and reliable diagnosis, even in the hands of less experienced ultrasonographers. Both IOTA models studied can be a valuable adjunct to a clinician's decision-making process.

Patterns of smoking and menopause-specific quality of life: smoking duration matters more.

Evidence about the association of quantity of cigarettes smoked and duration of smoking with quality of life in menopause is sparse. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between smoking patterns and menopause-specific quality of life. This cross-sectional study included 513 consecutive midlife women at two primary health care centers in Belgrade, Serbia. Collection of data was carried out from February 2014 to January 2015, using three questionnaires: socio-epidemiologic questionnaire, Menopause-specific Quality of Life questionnaire (MENQOL) and Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI). Women reported their smoking status (smoker, former smoker, non-smoker), the length of time spent smoking and quantity of cigarettes smoked per day. There was no difference in proportions of ever smokers compared to never smokers. However, there were more women who were current nonsmokers than current smokers. A linear regression model, adjusted for residency district, relationship status, educational level, employment, drinking alcohol, having exercise, age and BDI, showed that longer duration of smoking, but not number of cigarettes smoked per day, was associated with worse Physical domain and total MENQOL score. Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis showed that menopausal symptoms as measured by total MENQOL score were significantly less bothersome for women who smoked less than 10 years and significantly more intense in women who smoked 21 to 30 years. Midlife women should be encouraged to quit smoking as soon as possible, preferably before menopause. Strategies to prevent and quit smoking should be prioritized at all levels of health care delivery for women.Supplemental data for this article is available online at.

"It Bothered Me": The Mental Burden of COVID-19 Media Reports on Community-Dwelling Elderly People.

Background and Objectives: Elderly people may have difficulties understanding the quality and quantity of information about the COVID-19 epidemic, which can put an additional mental strain on their health and well-being. The purpose of this study was to explore the processing of COVID-19 information among older people. Materials and Methods: A qualitative study was carried out in summer 2021. The sampling was based on the snowball method. This approach allowed us to communicate with the next potential participants relatively freely and without reservations. Two female researchers (both MD, PhD) conducted the interviews. All interviews were held in Serbian. The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: The interviews were conducted with 13 participants (average age 71 years). The analysis of qualitative content suggested that four topics could be identified: (1) sources of information, (2) information interest and need, (3) reporting of information and (4) suggestions for better reporting. The participants were troubled by the excess of information, repetitive information about death tolls, unqualified people in media discussing the pandemic and inconsistent reporting. These features caused the participants to feel the psychological burden in processing all the pieces of information. Conclusions: The elderly people in Serbia followed mainstream media to get information about COVID-19; however, they perceived a variety of problems with reporting, which made the understanding of the information difficult and psychologically burdensome. These findings should be taken into consideration when delivering health-related information to elderly people.

An Analysis of Early Results after Valve Replacement in Isolated Aortic Valve Stenosis by Using Sutureless vs. Stented Bioprostheses: A Single-Center Middle-Income Country Experience.

Background and Objectives: There is a lack of data about the survival of patients after the implantation of sutureless relative to stented bioprostheses in middle-income settings. The objective of this study was to compare the survival of people with isolated severe aortic stenosis after the implantation of sutureless and stented bioprostheses in a tertiary referral center in Serbia. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study included all people treated for isolated severe aortic stenosis with sutureless and stented bioprostheses from 1 January 2018 to 1 July 2021 at the Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases "Dedinje". Demographic, clinical, perioperative and postoperative data were extracted from the medical records. The follow-up lasted for a median of 2 years. Results: The study sample comprised a total of 238 people with a stented (conventional) bioprosthesis and 101 people with a sutureless bioprosthesis (Perceval). Over the follow-up, 13.9% of people who received the conventional and 10.9% of people who received the Perceval valve died (p = 0.400). No difference in the overall survival was observed (p = 0.797). The multivariate Cox proportional hazard model suggested that being older, having a higher preoperative EuroScore II, having a stroke over the follow-up period and having valve-related complications were independently associated with all-cause mortality over a median of 2 years after the bioprosthesis implantation. Conclusions: This research conducted in a middle-income country supports previous findings in high-income countries regarding the survival of people with sutureless and stented valves. Survival after bioprosthesis implantation should be monitored long-term to ensure optimum postoperative outcomes.

Severe Hemoperitoneum due to Ovarian Bleeding after Transvaginal Oocyte Retrieval with Surgical Management: A Retrospective Analysis and Comprehensive Review of the Literature.

Background and Objectives: Severe hemoperitoneum of ovarian bleeding origin is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication of transvaginal oocyte retrieval (TVOR) procedure. The study aimed to present a case series of surgically managed patients from our clinic with hemoperitoneum caused by ovarian bleeding after TVOR, as well as to perform a comprehensive literature review in order to summarize and analyze all published cases with this condition and their management. Materials and Methods: The data of 2939 patients, who underwent TVOR procedures for IVF/ICSI (in vitro fertilization, intracytoplasmic sperm injection) in our clinic between 2010 and 2021 were reviewed. Moreover, a systemic literature search was performed. Main outcome measures from the pooled analysis were incidence and risk factors, type of surgery, intraoperative finding and intervention leading to hemostasis. Results: In our Clinic 4 (0.136%), cases of hemoperitoneum due to ovarian bleeding were surgically managed. Moreover, 39 cases from 18 studies reported in the literature were identified. No risk factors besides lean women with PCOS were identified. In the pooled analysis, the bleeding symptoms appeared in 58.1% of patients within eight hours after TVOR and cumulatively in 81.4% cases during the 24 h after TVOR. The average time from TVOR to surgery was 27.19 ± 53.25 h. Hemostasis was mostly established using electrocoagulation, although few cases of ovariectomy were also reported. Embryo transfer at 60% of cases was postponed and embryos cryopreserved. Conclusions: Severe hemoperitoneum due to ovarian bleeding after TVOR is a rare event that should be treated by techniques of minimally invasive surgery whenever possible. Protocols should be developed to enable optimal management strategies for infertility patients. Embryos obtained should be cryopreserved.

Preferences of COVID-19 Vaccines in the General Population in Belgrade, Serbia: A Qualitative Study.

Few countries provided multiple COVID-19 vaccines for their citizens right from the start of mass immunization. In Serbia, four vaccines were available. Circumstances in which people had several options to choose from are unique. The purpose of this study was to identify motivators behind COVID-19 vaccination and the choice of COVID-19 vaccine among people who were immunized against COVID-19. Qualitative interviews with 35 vaccinated people aged > 18 years were conducted in May 2021 at the Institute of Public Health of Serbia, a reference institution for vaccination. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Four topics emerged: 1) Decision to receive COVID-19 vaccine; 2) Sources of information about the vaccine; 3) Choice of the COVID-19 vaccine and 4) Anti-vaccination sentiment around the vaccinated people. Participants were classified in two groups: those who were determined to receive the vaccine and those who were hesitant. People who were hesitant decided to receive the vaccine after reviewing the information collected from various sources, especially physicians. Although some participants accepted any vaccine regardless of their characteristics, there were others who had explicit preferences. These preferences stemmed mainly from their beliefs about particular vaccine's efficacy and safety, COVID-19 status (previous infection), living or lifestyle circumstances (residence or travel abroad), doctor's recommendation (underlying health status) or trust in expertise of that particular manufacturer's country of origin. Opting for appropriate vaccine was motivated by reasons specific to various individuals, which enabled them to make choices in line with their preferences and values.

The Significance of COVID-19 Diseases in Lipid Metabolism Pregnancy Women and Newborns.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. Elderly people, people with immunodeficiency, autoimmune and malignant diseases, as well as people with chronic diseases have a higher risk of developing more severe forms of the disease. Pregnant women and children can becomesick, although more often they are only the carriers of the virus. Recent studies have indicated that infants can also be infected by SARS-CoV-2 and develop a severe form of the disease with a fatal outcome. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) ina pregnant woman can affect the supply of oxygen to the fetus and initiate the mechanism of metabolic disorders of the fetus and newborn caused by asphyxia. The initial metabolic response of the newborn to the lack of oxygen in the tissues is the activation of anaerobic glycolysis in the tissues and an increase in the concentration of lactate and ketones. Lipid peroxidation, especially in nerve cells, is catalyzed by iron released from hemoglobin, transferrin and ferritin, whose release is induced by tissue acidosis and free oxygen radicals. Ferroptosis-inducing factors can directly or indirectly affect glutathione peroxidase through various pathways, resulting in a decrease in the antioxidant capacity and accumulation of lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cells, ultimately leading to oxidative cell stress, and finally, death. Conclusion: damage to the mitochondria as a result of lipid peroxidation caused by the COVID-19 disease can cause the death of a newborn and pregnant women as well as short time and long-time sequelae.

A comparative study of climacteric symptoms among two populations of mid-aged women.

The purpose of this study was to compare climacteric symptoms associated with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among women from Madrid (Spain) and Belgrade (Serbia). A cross-sectional study included 461 women from Madrid and 513 women from Belgrade aged 40-65 years. Climacteric symptoms and HRQOL were examined using the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS). There were no differences in MRS total score (p = 0.873), somato-vegetative and urogenital domain scores regarding country groups. However, women from Belgrade had poorer psychological domain score than women from Madrid (p = 0.027). Madrilenian women were more likely to have worse MRS score if they were coupled, had gynaecological complaints and longer duration of amenorrhoea. In Belgradian women, having higher level of education and using hormone-replacement therapy was associated with worse MRS score. Midlife women from Madrid and Belgrade had similar perception of intensity of urogenital and somato-vegetative climacteric symptoms. Belgradian women, however, perceived psychological symptoms as more severe.IMPACT STATEMENTWhat is already known on this subject? Social and cultural meanings of menopause vary across countries. It is quite delicate to strike a balance between two or more populations of women that can be compared, but also have specific features that are unique to their area. Similarities such as position of women in the society, access to education, contraception and safe induced abortion can facilitate this comparison.What do the results of this study add? Spanish and Serbian women rated similarly somato-vegetative and urogenital complaints, but Serbian women had worse psychological symptoms compared to Spanish women. Spanish women were more likely to endure climacteric symptoms until they withdraw spontaneously. Serbian women of higher education were more likely to use hormone-replacement therapy to manage climacteric complaints.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? This study is the first to compare climacteric symptoms between women in Spain and Serbia. Despite the universality of menopause, culture seems to play a major role in differences in the perception of specific climacteric symptoms. Examination of quality of life in menopausal transition is an important measure of health status and should become a part of the routine health care in midlife.

The Effect of Glucose Metabolism and Breastfeeding on the Intestinal Microbiota of Newborns of Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a pregnancy complication in which women without previously diagnosed diabetes develop chronic hyperglycemia during gestation. The diet and lifestyle of the mother during pregnancy as well as lactation have long-term effects on the child's health and development. Detection of early risk markers of adult-age chronic diseases that begin during prenatal life and the application of complex nutritional interventions at the right time may reduce the risk of these diseases. Newborns adapt to the ectopic environment by developing intestinal immune homeostasis. Adequate initial colonization of bacteria is necessary for sufficient development of intestinal immunity. The environmental determinant of adequate colonization is breast milk. Although a developing newborn is capable of producing an immune response, the effector immune component requires bacterial stimulation. Breast milk stimulates the proliferation of a well-balanced and diverse microbiota, which initially influences the switch from an intrauterine TH2 predominant to a TH1/TH2 balanced response and the activation of T-regulatory cells by breast milk-stimulated specific organisms (Bifidobacteria, Lactobacillus, and Bacteroides). Breastfeeding in newborns of mothers with diabetes mellitus regulates the adequate immune response of the newborn and prevents diseases of the neonatal and postnatal period.

Neonatal Pneumothorax Outcome in Preterm and Term Newborns.

Background and Objectives: Pneumothorax implies the presence of air in the pleural space between the visceral and parietal pleura. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence, clinical characteristics, risk factors, therapy and perinatal outcome in neonates with pneumothorax in a tertiary care center. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study based on a five-year data sample of neonates with pneumothorax was conducted in a Maternity Hospital with a tertiary NICU from 2015 to 2020. We included all neonates with pneumothorax born in our hospital and compared demographic characteristics, perinatal risk factors, anthropometric parameters, comorbidities, clinical course and method of chest drainage between term (≥37 GW) and preterm (<37 GW) neonates. Results: The study included 74 newborns with pneumothorax, of which 67.6% were male and 32.5% were female. The majority of women (59.5%) had no complications during pregnancy. Delivery was mainly performed via CS (68.9%). Delivery occurred on average in 34.62 ± 4.03 GW. Significantly more (p = 0.001) children with pneumothorax were born prematurely (n = 53; 71.6%) than at term (n = 21; 28.4%). Most of the neonates had to be treated with ATD (63.5%) and nCPAP (39.2%), but less often they were treated with surfactant (40.5%) and corticosteroids (35.1%). O2 therapy lasted an average of 8.89 ± 4.57 days. Significantly more (p = 0.001) neonates with pneumothorax had additional complications, pneumonia, sepsis, convulsions and intraventricular hemorrhage (68.9%). However, most children had a good outcome (83.8%) and were discharged from the clinic. Fatal outcomes occurred in six cases, while another six neonates had to be transferred to referral neonatal centers for further treatment and care. Conclusion: Significantly more children with pneumothorax were born prematurely than at term. With adequate therapy, even premature newborns can successfully recover from pneumothorax.

The influence of advanced age and obesity on pregnancy course and outcome in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Introduction: Older women are at greater risk of suffering from a series of comorbidities such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension that could negatively affect pregnancy course and outcomes. This study aims to investigate the impact of maternal age and pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) on pregnancy outcomes of women with diabetes mellitus (DM). Material and methods: The study included 323 diabetic pregnant women. All complications throughout pregnancy and the early neonatal period were noted. The women were divided into groups according to age decade and BMI. Results: 84.8% of women reported pregnancy complications, with a higher prevalence in obese women (p = 0.003). However, most children had a good outcome with few early neonatal complications (36.85%). Old and obese women with DM often showed complications, and their newborns had higher birth weight (p = 0.003) and more neonatal complications (p = 0.041). Maternal BMI (p = 0.016; OR = 1.064), but not age (p = 0.801), was found to be a significant predictor of pregnancy complications. Conclusions: Pregnant women with DM should be considered as high-risk patients. Advanced age and increased BMI prior to pregnancy are risk factors for pregnancy complications. Maternal obesity is the most important predictor of pregnancy complications in women with DM. Pregnancy outcome can be good for both mothers and children with a timely and adequate approach.

Pregnancy outcomes in women with diabetes mellitus - the impact of diabetes type and treatment.

Introduction: It has been estimated that approximately 16% of pregnancies worldwide are affected by pre-existing or gestational insulin-dependent (type 1) or independent (type 2) diabetes mellitus (DM). Diabetes mellitus in pregnancy remains a high-risk condition for both mother and child. This study aimed to investigate pregnancy outcomes regarding DM types. Material and methods: The study included 323 DM patients delivered for 6 years (2012-2017). General and obstetric history data and all complications throughout the pregnancy and the early neonatal period were noted. Based on DM type, women were divided into 4 groups: pre-pregnancy/pre-existing DM, insulin-dependent or independent, and gestational diabetes mellitus with or without insulin therapy. Results: The majority of women had pre-existing insulin-independent DM (type II 62%). Some types of pregnancy/maternal complications were registered in almost 85% of examined pregnancies. However, all babies were live born and mostly with good outcome (36.85% with early neonatal complications). Diabetes mellitus type could not predict the occurrence of neonatal complications (p = 0.342). Pre-existing insulin-dependent DM increased the risk for pregnancy complications (p = 0.031; OR = 1.656). Conclusions: Diabetes mellitus type has a limited impact on pregnancy outcomes and the occurrence of maternal and neonatal complications. With adequate therapy the pregnancy outcome can be good regardless of DM type.

Subspecialty training in Europe: a report by the European Network of Young Gynaecological Oncologists.

BACKGROUND: ESGO (European Society of Gynaecological Oncology) and partners are continually improving the developmental opportunities for gynaecological oncology fellows. The objectives of this survey were to evaluate the progress in the infrastructure of the training systems in Europe over the past decade. We also evaluated training and assessment techniques, the perceived relevance of ENYGO (European Network of Young Gynaecological Oncologists) initiatives, and unmet needs of trainees. METHODOLOGY: National representatives of ENYGO from 39 countries were contacted with an electronic survey. A graduation in well/moderately/loosely-structured training systems was performed. Descriptive statistical analysis and frequency tables, as well as two-sided Fisher's exact test, were used. RESULTS: National representatives from 33 countries answered our survey questionnaire, yielding a response rate of 85%. A national fellowship is offered in 22 countries (66.7%). A logbook to document progress during training is mandatory in 24 (72.7%) countries. A logbook of experience is only utilized in a minority of nations (18%) for assessment purposes. In 42.4% of countries, objective assessments are recognized. Trainees in most countries (22 (66.7%)) requested additional training in advanced laparoscopic surgery. 13 (39.4%) countries have a loosely-structured training system, 11 (33.3%) a moderately-structured training system, and 9 (27.3%) a well-structured training system. CONCLUSION: Since the last publication in 2011, ENYGO was able to implement new activities, workshops, and online education to support training of gynaecological oncology fellows, which were all rated by the respondents as highly useful. This survey also reveals the limitations in establishing more accredited centers, centralized cancer care, and the lack of laparoscopic training.

Neurological outcomes of antenatal corticosteroid therapy.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of the study was to investigate whether antenatal corticosteroid therapy (ACST) could impact neurological condition, as assessed through muscular tone, of prematurely born infants. METHODS: All 82 patients at risk of preterm delivery treated and delivered over 12 months were divided into two equal groups regarding the use of ACST. The investigated parameters were pregnancy complications, biophysical profile, Apgar score, gestational age of delivery and all postpartum complications. Neurological development and muscular tone were evaluated at the 1st, 3rd, 6th and 12th months of life using Vojta's method, which classifies muscular tone as good, hypotonic or hypertonic. RESULTS: After therapy, infants from the treated and control groups differed in biophysical profile, Apgar score, length of intensive care, occurrence of respiratory distress syndrome and intraventricular haemorrhage. During the follow-up, significantly more infants from the ACST group had good muscular tone when compared with those from the control group. Regression analysis showed that ASCT can significantly impact an infant's muscular tone. Still, the week of delivery and the complications such as diabetes mellitus, intrauterine growth restriction and respiratory distress syndrome, could change the association of ACST and infants' muscular tone. CONCLUSION: ACST was associated with the positive neurological outcomes of prematurely born infants when assessed through their muscular tone.

Relevance of students' demographic characteristics, sources of information and personal attitudes towards HIV testing for HIV knowledge: evidence from a post-conflict setting.

Although studies on HIV knowledge have previously been conducted in central Serbia and southern Kosovo, none has included the Serbian population residing in the northern part of the Kosovo province. The aim of this study was to assess HIV-related knowledge and to estimate factors contributing to a higher HIV-related knowledge level among Serbian university students in the Kosovo province. A cross-sectional study including 1017 first- and fourth-year students enrolled at the University of Pristina temporarily seated in Kosovska Mitrovica was carried out during the academic year 2013-2014. The students completed a 31-item questionnaire comprising demographic data, HIV transmission knowledge and attitude towards HIV testing. Data were statistically analysed. Students demonstrated good knowledge of HIV (average 32.8 ± 3.3 out of a maximum 42). Only 5% of the students reported having been tested for HIV. Factors associated with being more knowledgeable about HIV were studying health-related disciplines (ß = -0.09; 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.13, 0.00), using the internet as a source of information about HIV (ß = -1.09; 95% CI -1.65, -0.52), having a positive attitude towards HIV testing (ß = -0.43; 95% CI -0.59, -0.26), having a low self-perceived risk for HIV infection (ß = 0.41; 95% CI 0.23, 0.56) and the position that one would keep the same level of contact with an HIV-positive person after learning their HIV status (ß = 0.38; 95% CI 0.21, 0.55). Setting up specialized classes on this topic at high schools and universities could help to increase the awareness of HIV infection and promote HIV testing and a positive attitude towards HIV-positive persons.

Hormonal therapy in menopausal transition: implications for improvement of health-related quality of life.

The study aim was to assess scores of the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) among women who use and desire to use hormonal therapy (HT), as well as to evaluate factors contributing to HT use and desire to use HT among women in menopausal transition. A total of 513 mid-aged women participated in the study. Data were collected using socio-demographic questionnaire, MRS and Beck Depression Inventory. The prevalence of current HT use was 9.7%, while 4.5% of women who did not use HT expressed a desire to start using HT. The MRS cutoff score for HT use was 10.5 and 11.5 among those who desire to use HT. Living in the central city districts, having lower body mass index, younger age at menopause, more gynecological illnesses, and worse MRS were associated with HT use. Living in the central city districts, having fewer births, more gynecological and chronic illnesses and having more depressive symptoms were associated with the desire to use HT. Mid-aged women who perceive their quality of life as poor due to climacteric symptoms should be advised to consider HT to improve their health status and everyday functioning.