Journal of Family and Reproductive Health
Volume:15 Issue: 3, Sep 2021

The incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is rising, which warrants attention due to the associated complications during pregnancy and in the long term for both mother and offspring. Studies have suggested a relationship between maternal folate (vitamin B9) and vitamin B12 status and GDM risk. Seemingly the most problematic scenario occurs when there is B-vitamin imbalance, with high folate and low vitamin B12. This nutritional state can occur in vitamin B12 deficient women who exceed the recommended folic acid supplementation. However, the pathological mechanisms behind this relationship are currently unclear and are explored in this review article. A high folate/low B12 can lead to a functional folate deficiency through the methyl-trap phenomenon, impairing re-methylation of homocysteine and regeneration of folates for DNA synthesis and repair. Consequently elevated homocysteine concentration leads to endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress. Vitamin B12 deficiency also leads to an impairment of the conversion of methylmalonyl-CoA to succinyl-CoA, which has been associated with insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is thought to contribute to the etiology of GDM. More studies are needed to confirm the impact of these and other mechanisms on disease development. However, it highlights a potential avenue for GDM risk modification through a vitamin B12 supplement and improvement of maternal metabolic health.

Female sex hormones have a pro-inflammatory effect, which may help to minimize inflammation. Estrogen's immunoregulatory properties play a significant role in the bi-directional neuroendocrine-immune activity in females. As a result, sex hormones can play a role in men's high mortality rate from coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19). It is aimed to clarify the role of 17-estradiol (E2) in the battle against COVID-19.

Until April 2021, a study on PubMed was performed. COVID-19, 17-estradiol (E2), immunoregulatory properties, pregnancy, menopausal symptoms, hormonal therapy,
ER/ expression on immune cells, and mortality were some of the concepts used in the search.

Regulation of pro-inflammatory immune processes against COVID-19 appears to be associated with increased immune function (pro-inflammatory), anti-inflammatory regulation, and antiviral defense. Women with a severe coronavirus infection had higher serum IgG antibody levels than men, and their IgG production was faster in the early stages of infection. 17-estradiol (E2) levels of blood will increase by 100-fold during pregnancy. COVID-19 in pregnant women had a 15-fold lower mortality rate than other women. While menopause replacement therapy (MRT) for pre/post-menopausal women and its effectiveness in reducing COVID-19 infection is debatable.

MRT may be considered as a viable treatment option for pre/post-menopause women with coronavirus, referring to the fact that sex hormones reduce inflammatory responses and modulate
ACE2 expression. The task's difficulty and achieving the desired outcome seem to be challenging.

The objective of our study is to characterize the knowledge, information sources, and institutional trust of patients regarding medication use in pregnancy.

We conducted a review of three databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL. We included observational studies and knowledge assessments that examined the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs or information sources of pregnant patients related to medication use during pregnancy. Extraction was completed by two independent reviewers, outcomes were summarized descriptively, and appraisal was conducted.

Of the 1359 search results, 34 studies met inclusion criteria. Thus, our systematic review encompasses the beliefs of 11,757 pregnant participants. In most studies, participants described apprehension regarding potential risks to the fetus and the inadequacy of safety information. Across the 23 knowledge assessments, the majority of studies reported patient misconceptions about prescription medication in pregnancy. The most preferred information source was a healthcare provider. However, many participants expressed frustration, mistrust, and skepticism regarding physician knowledge. A common source of mistrust was due to perceived physician self-interest as well as a lack of education tailored to pregnancy. Consequently, informal sources of information were also popular.

There is a need to improve the health literacy and trust among pregnant patients regarding drug prescribing. There are modifiable risk factors for mistrust that require further attention.

Due to the growing use of communication instruments such as cell phones and wireless devices, there is growing public concern about possible harmful effects, especially in sensitive groups such as pregnant women. This study aimed to investigate the oxidative stress induced by exposure to 900 MHz mobile phone radiation and the effect of vitamin C intake on reducing possible changes in pregnant mice.

Twenty-one pregnant mice were divided into three groups (control, mobile radiation-exposed, and mobile radiation plus with vitamin C intake co-exposed (200 mg /kg)). The mice in exposure groups were exposed to 900 MHz, 2 watts, and a power density of 0.045 μw /cm2 mobile radiation for eight hours/day for ten consecutive days. After five days of rest, MDA (Malondialdehyde), 8-OHdG (8-hydroxy-2' -deoxyguanosine), and TAC (Total Antioxidant Capacity) levels were measured in the blood of animals. The results were analyzed by SPSS.22.0 software.

The results showed that exposure to mobile radiation increased MDA (P=0.002), and 8-OHdG (P=0.001) significantly and decreased Total Antioxidant Capacity in the exposed groups (P=0.001). Taking vitamin C inhibited the significant increase in MDA and 8-OHdG levels in exposed groups.

Although exposure to mobile radiation can cause oxidative stress in the blood of pregnant mice, vitamin C as an antioxidant can prevent it.

To analyze and compare four methods for estimating the chance of treatment success in infertile couples.

In a retrospective cohort study, information on demographic and clinical features, including age, body mass index (BMI), duration of infertility, semen analysis, previous history of treatment and clinical examination of infertile couples were analyzed. Treatment success (childbearing) was calculated with four methods as live birth ratio, conditional probability and survival analysis (life table and Kaplan-Meyer method) and results are compared.

The fertility ratio for the first treatment cycle was 29.72% which decreased to 23.13% by total treatment cycles. The success rate was 75.4%. With conditional probability calculation at the end of the five treatment cycles. With the life table method in a five-year period, the probability for live birth was 78% and by Kaplan-Meyer method 73.1% and the median of treatment time was 562 days.

Calculation of infertility treatment success rate by only simple live birth ratio of childbearing couples is associated with underestimation. Using the conditional probability method reduces that underestimation, but it is not considered the censored cases in the treatments. It seems life table (as a proxy of survival analysis) presents the closest estimation to clinical facts with considering the repetition of the treatment cycle and the duration of treatment.

Different factors have an important role in the positive and negative childbirth experiences of the mothers. The parturient mother’s privacy preservation is one of the factors for increasing the mothers’ satisfaction consistent with natural childbirth. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the factors affecting the parturient mother’s privacy preservation.

Content analysis was used in this qualitative study that is based on the semi structured individual interviews with women who had experienced natural vaginal delivery, midwives, and the specialist in a maternity ward from 2018 to 2021 in Shahroud, Iran. The collected data were analyzed simultaneously with the sampling procedure using a five-step qualitative content analysis method. To ensure the robustness of the data, Lincoln and Guba's four criteria (credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability) were used.

The findings of the study with 40 participants resulted in the extraction of 28 codes, 9 subcategories, and 2 main categories entitled extra-and intra personal factors affecting the mother’s privacy.

To foster the mother’s awareness of her rights and privacy during pregnancy and delivery, continuous education, monitoring, and evaluating both the students and the staff to respect preserving the mother’s privacy is necessary to develop an instrument to measure the preservation of the mother’s privacy in the maternity ward.

breast arterial calcification (BAC) is one of the most prevalent mammographic findings and has been debated as a marker of cardiovascular disease (CVDs). The present study aimed to assess the findings of stress echo in women with BAC.

This cross-sectional study was conducted on women who undergo mammography for routine breast cancer screening at Imam Reza hospital, western Iran from March 2018 to July 2018. The patients underwent stress echocardiography to evaluate the probability of myocardial ischemia (MI). Chi-square and independent t-tests were used to assess the differences between subgroups.

BAC was present in 61 (15.2%) women. The mean age of the patients with BAC was significantly higher than the patients without BAC (58.59± 7.82 vs. 55.32±6.57, p =0.003). Prevalence rates of the menopause (88.5% vs. 71.1%, p=0.009), hypertension (29.5% vs. 17.7%, p=0.032), and hypercholesterolemia (24.6% vs. 13.0, p=0.018) were significantly higher in the patients with BAC compared to the patients without BAC. The prevalence rate of MI symptoms in the patients with BAC was equal to 24.6%. Significantly, more women with BAC were positive for myocardial ischemia compared to the women without BAC (24.6% vs. 8.5%, p<0.001). The prevalence rates of the diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and history of CVDs were significantly higher in the patients who were positive for MI.

It was found that BACs are correlated with an increased occurrence rate of CVDs. Our results illustrated that the patients who were positive for MI were more plausible to be diabetic, hyperlipidemic, hypertensive, and having a history of CVDs.

This study aimed to emphasize facilitation training and strengthening of abdominal and core muscles in improving the inter-recti distance (IRD) and associated low back pain (LBP) among young postpartum females.

A single-blinded randomized controlled trial, among forty young postpartum females, was conducted at a community health center. The females were divided into two equal groups through the envelope method where Group A received abdominal crunch training protocol whereas group B received double straight leg raise (DSLR) exercise protocol for 6 weeks and pre and post IRD and Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores were recorded.

Group A showed improvement in IRD with a mean difference of 1.95±0.4 whereas in group B it was found to be 2.85±0.35 when assessed through finger palpation method. The mean difference of IRD, when measured through digital nylon caliper method in abdominal crunch and DSLR exercise group was 4.06±0.74 and 1.2±0.49 respectively. Moreover, ODI scores of group A were 2.70±1.05 whereas, group B scores were found to be 1.1±0.06 showing that LBP reduced in participants who performed abdominal crunch exercise.

This study reveals that 6 weeks of exercise protocol was observed to be effective in the management of DRA. Thus, abdominal crunch exercise seemed to produce promising results in a reduction of IRD and associated LBP.

Arteriovenous malformation (AVM) can occur in cesarean scar ectopic pregnancy. The presence of retained product of conception can pose a diagnostic dilemma and clinical presentation could be similar.

Case report:

 A 27 year old female presented with continuous vaginal bleeding for two and half months following dilatation and evacuation (D&E) done for cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) of 10 weeks 4days period of gestation. Sonography with color Doppler revealed dilated tortuous vessels around the mass in lower uterine segment suggesting CSP with AVM. Digital subtraction angiography confirmed the diagnosis. Bilateral uterine artery embolization achieved complete devascularisation as confirmed on post intervention angiogram. Patient became symptom free since then.

Uterine artery embolization is an effective mode of treatment of AVM complicating CSP if future fertility is desired.

Intraosseous Arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a vascular hamartoma with almost 50% of cases occurring in the head and neck. These lesions are of great importance as they may cause massive bleeding during tooth extraction and surgeries.

Case report: 

A 33 year old female complained of swelling and gingival bleeding on the right side of the maxilla and hard palate. The swelling was noticed during pregnancy and the patient underwent a surgical excision 6 months after labor. The specimen was submitted for histological examination. An intraosseous AVM presenting in maxilla was diagnosed.

Although rare, intraosseous AVM may occur. The role of pregnancy and hormonal changes is still controversial. Clinical, radiographic and histological characteristics of AVM should be thoroughly assessed before surgical excision.