Caspian Journal of Reproductive Medicine
Volume:1 Issue: 1, Winter-Spring 2015

Application of doxorubicin (DOX), an anticancer anthracycline antibiotic, carries the risk of serious dose-dependent toxicity to non-target tissues. The aim of this study was to investigate whether DOX-induced spermatotoxicity could be prevented by using the Satureja hortensis hydroalcoholic extract (SE).
Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups of six rats each. DOX was administered to two groups of rats in 5 equal intraperitoneal injections over a period of 4 weeks (accumulated dose of 20 mg/kg). One of these groups received SE at a dose of 100 mg/kg per day subcutaneously for 28 days along with DOX. A vehicle treated control group and a SE control group were also included.
Epididymal sperm analyses revealed that DOX caused significant decreases in sperm concentration, viability and motility along with elevated sperm abnormality, while SE co-administration provided marked normalization in the sperm quantity and quality compared to the DOX-only treated group.
It is reasonable to suppose that protective effects of SE against DOX-induced reproductive toxicity might have been related to the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of this substance.

Fertility specialists assess ovarian responses prior to estimating the prognosis for women who are suffering from anovulation. To diagnose the inconsistencies between chronological and biological age of ovaries and predict ovarian response, transvaginal sonography (TVS) ovarian act as an operant method. The aim of the current study was to assess the correlation between the number of antral follicles in both ovaries and the age of women in predicting the ovarian response in intrauterine insemination (IUI).
The research design of the present study was a cross-sectional. A total of 171 individuals, who were non-smoker patients and had already undergone a standard regimen of ovarian stimulation for IUI, were selected as participants of this study from the Infertility and Reproductive Health Research Center in Babol (Iran). On the third day of the cycle, TVS was conducted to measure the mean of every ovary and also to count the number of antral follicles on the both ovaries.
The mean age of our patients was 27.7. The increased aged of women is significantly associated with lower total number of antral follicles. (P = 0.001). The mean ovarian diameter was significantly correlated with high number of antral follicles (p = 0.0001).
The findings of the present study indicated that the age of women and the ovarian diameter are leading factors to help determine ovarian response as well as basal antral follicle counts.

The treatment of infertility and the quality of life in women is now considered equally important. The aim of the study was to determine the quality of life (QoL) of married women aged 20-45 years and to compare QoL domain in fertile and infertile women.
In a community based study, the Wellness and Quality of Life Questionnaire (WHOQOL) was used to assess the QoL of married women. A total of 1,140 women with the age range of 20-45 were selected using standard cluster sampling technique in Babol, Iran. Among those women who attempted conception, 168 of the women experienced difficulty conceiving at some stage in their lives. Then, the QoL of the women who had experienced infertility were compared with those of other fertile women. The questionnaire containing 55 items comprised five domains: physical state, mental/emotional state, stress evaluation, life enjoyment, and overall quality of life. Lower scores in three domains: physical state, mental/emotional state, and stress evaluation mean better QoL. Higher scores in life enjoyment and overall quality of life mean better QoL.
The means of the QoL of married women in physical status, mental/emotional state, stress evaluation, life enjoyment, and overall QoL were 19.0±5.3, 20.0±6.8, 23.4±7.8, 32.6±5.3, and 61.5±10.1, respectively. There was no significant relationship in the mean scores in the five domains of QoL between the fertile and infertile groups. Logistic regression also indicated that infertility was associated with higher (worse) scores in the mental/emotional state domain (p=0.018), and fertility was associated with higher scores (better) in overall score QoL (p=0.003).
The results can be regarded as useful findings to make more efficient interventions for infertile women.

The hormonal changes that happen during pregnancy may have effects on weight, blood pressure, dyslipidaemia, and possibly metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to determine the association between parity and metabolic syndrome in middle-aged women in Babol, Iran.
A total number of 800 women, with the age range of 30 to 50, were selected through a systematic random sampling method and sampling propionate to size from Babol. The metabolic syndrome was diagnosed based on the criteria set by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) III. The individual's socio-demographic characteristics, the number of live births, pregnancies, lifestyles, current physical activity, and dietary factors were assessed. Logistic regression was used to determine the independent association between parity and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome.
The data were obtained from 633 participants (79.1%). The women, who reported a history of gravidity or parity, had a mean score of 2.4 ± 1.0. One hundred and ten (110, 17.4%) women had less than two parities and 523(82.6%) had two or more parties. Women who developed metabolic syndrome were more likely to have a higher parity at the time of interview (p= 0.001). Women with ≥ 2 parity had significantly higher odds of metabolic syndrome (OR= 1.91, 95% CI= 1.08-3.37). In addition, logistic regression analyses were then performed to assess the association of parity with each component of the metabolic syndrome. The women with ≥ 2 parity were significantly more likely to have abdominal obesity (p= 0.010).
Higher parity or gravidity was associated with higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome in middle-aged women. Health policy makers should work with health providers to reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome in middle-aged multipar women.

Vaginal yeast infections (candidiasis) are among the most common gynecologic infections in women. Due to the high prevalence of vaginal candidiasis and its recurrence, followed by such chemical treatment as Clotrimazole, this study was performed with the broad aim of comparing the in vitro effects of Lavender brew, Lavender essential oil, and Clotrimazole on the growth of the standard strains of Candida albicans.
The fungus cell count was done through Thoma counting chambers and Hemocytometer slide. Having prepared the dilution (6 × 106 of standard Candida albicans, S.C.a-PTCC-2657) in the Sabouraud Agar liquid medium, the essential oil and brew of Lavandula angustifolia and Clotrimazole were added to different dilutions (½ , ¼ , ⅛) (in 4 stages) before the fungus cell count was done. Having obtained the necessary information, the data were analyzed through Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), and a general linear model was used for the analysis of the data. The test results were then compared.
The number of fungi cells in Lavender brew (14 × 106) and Lavender essential oil (35× 106) decreased significantly compared with those of Clotrimazole (93 × 106) and fungus control (188 × 106) (p Lavender brew and Lavender essential oil had more antifungal effect on the standard Candida albicans when compared with Clotrimazole.

Infertility is a common problem as it is observed in 10 - 15% of couples to whom developing approaches for treatment is an issue of utmost importance. The aim of the current study was to determine the accuracy of diagnostic transvaginal ultrasongraphy (TVS) for the investigation of uterin pathologies in women before the application of assisted reproductive technique (ART).
In this observational, cross-sectional study, TVS and diagnostic hysteroscopy were performed consecutively on 100 infertile women, who were candidates for ART. All the findings of TVS were compared with hysteroscopic appearance of uterine cavity. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative likelihood ratios were also calculated for diagnostic polyp and uterine anomalies.
Polyp was detected through diagnosis hysteroscopy in 6 cases (6.0%), out of whom 4 were diagnosed by TVS. The sensitivity and specificity ratios with TVS, diagnosed for polyp, were 50.00% and 98.94%, respectively. In addition, the sensitivity and specificity ratios with TVS, diagnosed for uterine abnormalities were 27.78 % and 98.78%, respectively.
The researchers concluded that TVS allows for the diagnosis of polyp uterine in the most cases, but its sensitivity for diagnosis of uterine anomalies is low. Therefore, TVS is not useful technique, compared with hysteroscopy, in patients who are candidates for ART. Thus, hysteroscopy is highly recommended.