Protective effect of curcumin on ovarian reserve in a rat ischemia model: an experimental study.

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION: To determine the protective effect of curcumin on ovarian reserve in a rat ischemia model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty female Albino rats were randomly divided into two groups by time of unilateral, left ovary ischemia/reperfusion (group 1: two-hour ischemia / two-hour reperfusion; group 2: four-hour ischemia / four-hour reperfusion). Each group was subdivided into three subgroups, sham, control, and curcumin (intraperitoneal curcumin (200 mg/kg) simultaneously with reperfusion). Histological grading of ischemic indices of paraffin-embedded ovarian tissue using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), and anti-Mulerian hormone (AMH) levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), were measured 40 days later. RESULTS: No difference was found between groups 1 and 2 or among subgroups within either group for right and left ovary grades. AMH levels were significantly higher in the curcumin subgroup compared to sham and control within group 2 and in group 2 versus group 1 curcumin subgroups. CONCLUSION: Curcumin maintains and protects ovarian functions in an ischemia-reperfusion rat model.

Clitoral and labial sizes in women with PCOS.

The aim of this study was to examine the external genital features in Turkish women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Thirty-two newly diagnosed PCOS cases and 35 healthy women were included the study. All women underwent a thorough gynaecological examination. Clitoral length, and labia minora length and width were recorded. The groups were compared for features of external genital structures. Clitoral and labial lengths were significantly higher in PCOS group. There was a strong correlation between clitoral length and modified Ferriman-Gallwey score. The most effective predictor of PCOS was found to be clitoral length. Clitoral length alone predicted 99.9% of PCOS patients. There were some subclinical genital changes in women with PCOS. These changes in PCOS patients may be a sign of hyperandrogenism and might have diagnostic value in indistinct cases.

Cardiac arrest: an unexpected complication during laparoscopic bilateral tubal ligation--a rare case report.

Data consistently show that in experienced trained hands, laparoscopic tubal sterilization is safe and highly effective regardless of the approach or occlusive method. The known mortality rate is between four and eight deaths per 100,000 cases and the rate of intraoperative and postoperative major complications is less than 1%. The anesthetic complication rate for laparoscopy is between 0.016% and 0.75%. Carbon dioxide (CO2) pneumoperitoneum effects are still controversial. Here the authors present a case report of patient who suffered from intraoperative cardiac arrest during laparoscopic tubal ligation under general anesthesia. No definite cause has been identified. The authors outline several possible mechanisms that could have been involved and attempt to discuss these events in the face of published reports describing similar complications.

Adolescent pregnancy and depression: is there an association?

OBJECTIVE: The impact of being an adolescent and socio-demographic parameters on depression development during pregnancy were evaluated in this study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between September 2010 and September 2011, 105 consecutive adolescent women ≤ 17 years of age were defined as the study group and 105 consecutive pregnant women over 18 years of age and matched for gestational age, were defined as the control group. Groups were compared according to depression development. The predictors of depression were analyzed by regression analysis. RESULTS: Median Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) scores in adolescent and control groups were 16 and 6, respectively. The difference was statistically significant. In the adolescent group, 39.0% of patients had mild depression, 37.1% moderate, and 10.5% had severe depression. Only 4.8% of patients in the control group had mild depression while none of the control cases had moderate or severe depression. Multivariate analysis showed that most important factor that was associated with depression development during pregnancy was being an adolescent. CONCLUSION: Depression risk was increased 18.2-fold in adolescent patients with pregnancy. Therefore psychiatric evaluation should be considered for these patients.

Does quality of female sexual function improve after a transobturator tape procedure?

The aim of this study was to use a questionnaire to evaluate any changes in sexual satisfaction of women who underwent a transobturator tape (TOT) procedure for stress urinary incontinence. A total of 30 women agreed to participate in the study and were invited to fill out the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire prior to surgery and 3 months after surgery. As a result, after the TOT operation, there was a statistically significant improvement in libido (desire), arousal, lubrication, orgasm and satisfaction. The TOT procedure seems to have a positive effect on female sexual function by reducing the urinary leakage during sexual activity and by decreasing the pain during or after sexual activity.

Hearing levels in menopausal women and the effect of tibolone on audiological functions.

The aim of this study was to examine the hearing levels of menopausal and premenopausal women of the same age and to evaluate the effect of tibolone on hearing. The study involved 83 postmenopausal women. Cases using tibolone were grouped into the tibolone group (T-group) and women without any hormone therapy were grouped into the non-tibolone group (NT-group). A total of 45 premenopausal women of the same age were taken as controls. Hearing levels of both ears were measured by audiometry. Significantly lower levels of hearing threshold at different levels were detected in the control group compared with the other groups. Postmenopausal women with and without tibolone therapy have poorer thresholds compared with still menstruating women of the same age. Thus, intrinsic oestrogen at physiological levels might slow down hearing loss in ageing women. Tibolone had no negative effect on hearing function.

Effect of tibolone on audiologic functions in menopausal women.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of tibolone on hearing function in postmenopausal women. METHODS: This prospective study involved 60 postmenopausal women. Participants were randomly divided into two groups. The tibolone group was assigned to receive a tibolone tablet daily (n = 30). The other 30 cases who had not received any kind of hormone therapy were taken as the control group. The hearing levels of both ears in all women were measured by audiometry before initiation of tibolone therapy and 6 months after therapy. RESULTS: The baseline hearing threshold levels of the two groups were similiar. After 6 months, audiometry results did not differ from baseline levels in the control group. In the tibolone group, there was some improvement in almost all hearing threshold levels after therapy. Statistically significant differences were only observed on the right side at pure tone audiometry and at the 500 and 6000 Hz levels. CONCLUSIONS: Although tibolone has both gestagenic and androgenic properties together with estrogenic properties, no negative effect on hearing after 6 months of treatment was observed. On the contrary, there was significant improvement in audiometry results at low frequencies after 6 months' treatment. Although statistically not significant, there was some improvement at high frequencies.

Spontaneous rupture of fetal hydronephrosis: case report.

Hydronephrosis is the most common congenital anomaly observed with prenatal ultrasonography. Ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) is the most common cause of prenatal hydronephrosis. Spontaneous rupture has been reported in adults with severe hydronephrosis. There is no reported spontaneous rupture case in the fetus in the literature. A spontaneous ureteral rupture due to severe UPJO was reported in this case report. Prenatal ultrasound at 33 week gestation in a 21-year-old pregnant woman, revealed a female fetus with grade IV hydronephrosis of the right kidney, suggestive of a UPJO. During the follow-up at XXXVIII week, 5 cm cystic structure was not observed in right kidney. Mild ectasia was present in pelvicalyciel part which make us think about spontaneous rupture. Ultrasonographic examination after a week post-delivery revealed 15 mm pelvicalyciel ectasia on right side which persisted during the second control after 1 month. Vesicoureteral reflux was not detected during voiding cystourethrogram. Diuretic renography revealed loss of right renal function completely. Because there was not any complain or any clinical sign, surgery was not thought. Spontaneous follow-up was recommended.

Maternal arrhythmias detected with electrocardiography during labour: are they significant clinically?

This study examines the maternal and fetal effects of arrhythmias detected by electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring during labour in parturients at term, with no cardiovascular pathology. Pregnant cases were classified into three groups based on determined stages of labour and a standard 12-lead surface electrocardiogram and long-lead 2 rhythm strips were recorded during the labour. Cardiac arrhythmia of any kind was detected in 82.3% of patients in all stages of labour. Sinus tachycardia was the most commonly observed arrhythmia. Arrhythmias in the form of supraventricular tachycardia, T-wave inversion and ventricular extrasystole were also detected. The highest rate of arrhythmia was recorded for the active phase and 2nd phase of labour. Arrhythmias that are detected by ECG during or after the labour in patients with no cardiovascular pathology display a benign nature and do not create any clinical risk for the mother and the baby.

Do cigarette smoke and vitamin E affect the development of endometrial pinopods? An animal study.

OBJECTIVES: To study the effects of cigarette smoke and vitamin E on the development of endometrial pinopods. STUDY DESIGN: Eighteen female and 12 male Swiss albino mice, 12-14 weeks old, with a mean weight of 25g (standard deviation 5g) were used in this study. Female mice were divided into three equal groups. Every day for 10 weeks, mice in Group 1 (control group) received normal saline intraperitoneally; mice in Group 2 were exposed to smoke from 20 cigarettes/day using a smoke machine; and mice in Group 3 were exposed to smoke from 20 cigarettes/day using a smoke machine and also received 50mg/kg vitamin E intraperitoneally. After 10 weeks, vaginal smears were taken from the female mice and they were copulated with the 12 male Swiss albino mice on the day of oestrus. Day 0 was defined as the day on which sperm were detected in the vagina by smear test. Mice were killed at the end of Day 5, which was considered to represent the optimal day for implantation. The uteri were removed and the effects of cigarette smoke and vitamin E on the development of endometrial pinopods were studied using an electron microscope. RESULTS: The endometrial tissue of the control group appeared morphologically normal, with short microvilli, cytoplasm and pinopods in the form of cytoplasm and cell membrane enlargements in patches. In total, 149 pinopods were counted in the control group using a scanning electron microscope (two histologists performed the analysis and were blinded to each other's findings). In the smoke-exposed group, the cytoplasmic structure was degenerated considerably, and fewer pinopods were counted (n=11). The number of pinopods in mice who were exposed to cigarette smoke and vitamin E (n=67) was significantly higher compared with the cigarette-exposed group (p=0.002), but considerably lower compared with the control group (p=0.002). CONCLUSION: Smoke exposure led to a significant decrease in the development of endometrial pinopods. Vitamin E, an antioxidant, partially reversed the adverse effects of cigarette smoke. This suggests that cigarettes may have a negative effect on fertility by decreasing the number of pinopods. However, this negative effect can be reduced using vitamin E. More studies should be conducted to support this finding.