Clinical Medicine Insights-Reproductive Health最新文献

Background: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) has a tendency to occur in women in their reproductive years, causing complications during pregnancy and labour. Conversely, pregnancy can cause flares of disease activity, often necessitating immediate intervention.

Aim of study: to study pregnancy related complications in patients with SLE.

Patients and methods: The study included 48 SLE pregnant females. 27 patients with 38 pregnancies, their data viewed retrospectively from medical records, and 21 patients with 21 pregnancies followed up prospectively. The laboratory data included ANA, DNA, APL antibodies and anti Ro/SSA. The disease activity was calculated according to the Systemic Lupus Activity Measure. Ultrasound was performed to confirm gestational age and assess for the presence of any congenital fetal malformations, and then repeated monthly to detect any abnormality including intrauterine growth restriction. At 30 weeks gestation and onwards, assessment of fetal wellbeing including daily fetal kick chart and once weekly non stress test was performed. Doppler blood flow velocimetry was done for those with abnormal fetal heart rate pattern. After labour, the neonate was examined for complications including complete heart block and neonatal lupus.

Results: Anti dsDNA was found in 95% of the patients, anti Ro/SSA in 6% and anti APL in 30%. 57% of the patients followed up prospectively had active disease in the 1st trimester, 24% in the 2nd and 62% in the 3rd trimester. The most common maternal complication was preeclampsia 33%, followed by spontaneous abortion 20%. Prematurity was the most common fetal complication 37%, followed by intrauterine growth restriction 29%. 2 neonates were born with congenital heart block and 1 with neonatal lupus.

Conclusion: Pregnancy in SLE patients is associated with a higher risk of obstetric complications affecting both the mother and the fetus. Preeclampsia was the most common complication followed by prematurity. Preeclampsia was significantly associated with third trimester disease activity.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrinopathies affecting women in the reproductive age group, and is one of the most common causes of hyperandrogenic anovulatory infertility. The aromatase inhibitor, letrozole, has been used for induction of ovulation. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of letrozole and clomiphene citrate in induction of ovulation among patients with PCOS undergoing intrauterine insemination.

Methods: In a double-blind randomized study, 60 infertile patients with PCOS received standard doses of either clomiphene citrate or letrozole as an induction protocol prior to intrauterine insemination. A hormonal profile, pelvic ultrasound, hysterosalpingogram, and/ or laparoscopy were done for all patients. The patients were monitored for ovulation by translational ultrasonographic folliculometry, with measurement of number and size of the follicles, as well as endometrial thickness. Human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) was injected intramuscularly when at least one mature follicle ≥18 mm diameter was detected, and intrauterine insemination was performed 32-36 hours later. Transvaginal ultrasound and β-HCG measurement were performed for confirmation of pregnancy.

Results: Letrozole and clomiphene citrate achieved follicle maturation within a mean ± standard deviation (SD) of 13.2 ± 1.53 and 14.1 ± 1.35 days, respectively, showing no significant difference (P > 0.05). The mean number of follicles reaching ≥18 mm on the day of HCG administration was significantly higher in patients who received clomiphene citrate (2.9 ± 1.77) than in those receiving letrozole (1.2 ± 0.9). Letrozole had a significantly greater effect than clomiphene citrate on endometrial thickness (9.16 ± 1.36 versus 4.46 ± 1.71). The number of pregnancies achieved in the letrozole group was significantly (P < 0.05) greater than in the clomiphene group.

Conclusion: Letrozole in patients with PCOS is as effective as clomiphene citrate in inducing ovulation, and although the number of follicles produced by induction with letrozole were less than those produced by clomiphene, letrozole had a significantly greater effect on endometrial thickness than clomiphene citrate, and the incidence of pregnancy after intrauterine insemination was significantly higher, with a lower incidence of multiple pregnancy.

Objective: To compare the clinical results of four different protocols of COH for IVF-ICSI in normovulatory women, using in all cases pituitary suppression with GnRH antagonists.

Materials/methods: A single center, open label, parallel-controlled, prospective, post-authorization study under the approved conditions for use where 305 normal responders women who were candidates to COH were assigned to r-FSH +hp-hMG (n = 51, Group I), hp-hMG (n = 61, Group II), fixed-dose r-FSH (n = 118, Group III), and r-FSH with potential dose adjustment (n = 75, Group IV) to subsequently undergo IVF-ICSI.

Results: During stimulation, Group IV needed significantly more days of stimulation as compared to Group II [8.09 ± 1.25 vs. 7.62 ± 1.17; P < 0.05], but was the group in which more oocytes were recovered [Group I: 9.43 ± 4.99 vs. Group II: 8.96 ± 4.82 vs. Group III: 8.78 ± 3.72 vs. Group IV: 11.62 ± 5.80; P < 0.05]. No significant differences were seen between the groups in terms of clinical and ongoing pregnancy, but among patients in whom two embryos with similar quality parameters (ASEBIR) were transferred, the group treated with hp-hMG alone achieved a significantly greater clinical pregnancy rate as compared to all other groups [Group I: 31.6%, Group II: 56.4%, Group III: 28.7%, Group IV: 32.7%; P < 0.05].

Conclusions: Although randomized clinical trials should be conducted to achieve a more reliable conclusion, these observations support the concept that stimulation with hp-hMG could be beneficial in normal responders women undergoing pituitary suppression with GnRH antagonists.