International Journal of Reproductive BioMedicine
Volume:21 Issue: 6, Jun 2023

Given the significant changes in family formation through donation procedures, providing an optimal level of care that is responsive to the needs of mothers who get pregnant via oocyte donation is pivotal to improve their maternal role. Therefore, it is necessary to recognize the needs of oocyte donation mothers to address their specific needs.

This study aimed to review the needs of women in their journey towards motherhood via oocyte donation.

In this systematic review, which followed the updated Joanna Briggs Institute’s methodological guidance for conducting a mixed methods systematic review, the quantitative observational and qualitative studies were searched through databases including PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, the Cochran Library, and Google Scholar search engine. Letters to the editor, commentaries, magazine articles, articles without full text and abstracts presented in congresses were excluded. All English-language articles related to the needs of oocyte donation mothers, without time limitation, were reviewed. The eligible studies were critically appraised independently by 2 researchers.

4649 records were identified from those 18 articles were finally included in the review. The needs of oocyte donation mothers comprised 8 categories: The need for special services in fertility clinics, the need to improve the quality of care, the need for emotional support and psychological consultation, information needs, the need for financial support, the need for disclosure counseling, educational needs, and the need for sociocultural and religious support.

This review suggests various needs of oocyte donation mothers. The results can be used in carefully planning supportive programs for this vulnerable population.

In 15% of all clinical pregnancies, a miscarriage can occur, but the exact cause of this phenomenon is not fully understood. However, it is believed that a faulty placenta, which triggers an inflammatory response in the mother's body, may be one of the causes. Medical literature has increasingly focused on 2 indicators of inflammation, the platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR). Despite this, there has yet to be a study conducted that examines the rates of PLR and NLR in cases of miscarriage.

This study aims to determine whether there is an increase in complete blood count inflammatory parameters such as NLR and PLR in women who experience miscarriages.

This retrospective case-control study was conducted from March 2021 to March 2022, across 3 academic hospitals in Tehran, Iran. A total of 240 participants were enrolled comprising individuals with either miscarriages or normal pregnancies (n=120/each). Data were collected from the medical records of participants aged between 18-42 yr old, with gestational age ranging from 6-13 wk. The demographic information, including age, body mass index, parity, history of abortion, number of abortions, number of living children, hematocrit and hemoglobin levels, platelet distribution width (PDW), PLR, NLR, mean platelet volume, and platelet were extracted from their records. The gestational age was also recorded.

A total of 240 participants were recruited for the study. PDW, NLR, PLR, and lymphocyte values were higher in the miscarriage group compared to the healthy normal pregnant women (p < 0.001). Mean platelet volumes were found to be lower in the miscarriage group compared to the healthy normal pregnant women (p < 0.001).

Although, no statistically significant difference was observed in the hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelets, and neutrophils in these 2 groups of pregnant women. The higher inflammatory markers including PDW, NLR, and PLR could potentially aid in the speculation of defective placentation as a contributing factor to the development of miscarriage. Measurement of these markers may be useful to predict pregnancy leading to miscarriage.

Endometriosis is a challenging gynecological disease and a debilitating condition that profoundly affects the individual’s quality of life. Besides pathological confirmation, diagnostic laparoscopy has been internationally accepted as the standard method to identify the accurate mapping of endometriosis. Transvaginal sonography (TVS) is the first non-invasive imaging modality to estimate the severity of endometriosis.

This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of TVS in affected women compared with surgical findings.

This retrospective cross-sectional study surveyed 170 women with deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) referred to the endometriosis part of the Avicenna Infertility Center, Tehran, Iran and they underwent TVS followed by laparoscopy. Recorded data of individuals under study in the medical database system were reviewed. Finally, the agreement rate was calculated for ultrasound reports and intraoperative (IO) findings regarding ovarian endometrium, ovarian adhesion, involvement of cul-de-sac, rectovaginal septum, and bowel and ureter.

170 women with DIE entered the study. The agreement of TVS and IO findings were 86.76% for left ovarian endometriosis and 70.86% for right ovarian endometriosis, 93.90% for left ovarian adhesion, and 88.90% for right ovarian adhesion, 88.90% for a cul-de-sac, and 84.82% for bowel nodules. The findings, based on a laparoscopic assessment of the pelvic floor, were completely compatible with ultrasound reports (100%).

TVS allows a preoperative evaluation in planning the surgical policy associated. TVS is beneficial for dedicated mapping of DIE; thus, an expert radiologist can aid the surgeon in preoperative evaluation and IO management.

Selecting a suitable and preferable method for endometrial preparation in frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles for women with adenomyosis is still challenging in infertility treatment.

To compare 2 artificial endometrial preparation regimens with and without gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) pretreatment in women with adenomyosis undergoing FET cycles.

This randomized clinical trial study was conducted on 140 adenomyosis cases who underwent FET cycles at Arash Women’s hospital, Tehran, Iran from May 2020 to March 2021. Participants were randomly allocated into hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) and HRT+GnRHa pretreatment groups (n = 70/each). Endometrial preparation with 2-6 mg daily estradiol was started in the HRT+GnRHa group, taking after down-regulation with the GnRHa. Within the HRT group, the same dose of estradiol was commenced within the early follicular stage. The main (chemical and clinical pregnancy rates) and auxiliary results (twin pregnancy, miscarriage, and live birth rates) were compared between groups.

The demographic characteristics and severity of adenomyosis, endometrial thickness, and pattern at starting progesterone administration were similar in the 2 groups, and triple-line endometrium was found to be the dominant pattern in both groups (p = 0.65). No significant differences were observed in chemical, clinical, and twin pregnancy rates as well as miscarriage and live birth rates between groups (p = 0.71, p = 0.81, p = 0.11, and p = 0.84, respectively). However, the total estrogen dose and duration of estrogen consumption were significantly higher in the pretreatment group (p = 0.001, and p = 0.003).

These results indicated that the hormonal endometrial preparation with estrogen and progestin for FET cycles is as efficacious as a protocol involving preceding pituitary suppression with a GnRHa. Further large randomized clinical studies are required to confirm these findings.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are one of the world's most severe health challenges. The existence of STIs such as human papillomavirus (HPV) might cause cervical cell changes leading to cervical cancer.

This study aims to assess the association of STIs with cervical cytological abnormalities and genital warts among women in northeastern Iran.

This cross-sectional study was carried out on 190 women referred to the central laboratory of Academic Center for Education, Culture, and Research, Mashhad, Iran from March to July 2022. The presence of genital infections caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma genitalium, and Herpes simplex viruses (1 and 2) were assessed using the real-time polymerase chain reaction method. HPV genital infection was detected based on the principles of reverse hybridization, and cellular changes in the cervix were examined by the liquid-based cytology technique.

The mean age of participants was 35.33 ± 8.9 yr. 34 different HPV genotypes were detected in all HPV-positive cases, and the most common genotype was low-risk HPV6. No significant association was found between STIs and cervical cytology abnormalities. The prevalence rates of sexually transmitted pathogens among HPV-positive and HPV-negative individuals were 10.9 and 1.6%, respectively. The frequency of genital warts was significantly higher in cases with multiple infections of high- and low-risk HPV genotypes.

High percentages of the participants with non-HPV STIs and HPV infection had normal cervical cytology. It is advised to use STIs and HPV diagnostic tests along with cytology examinations for cervical cancer screening.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPS) are widely used in human life; however, they do have side effects on human health.

This study aimed to evaluate the different doses of ZnO-NPS on testicular tissue.

35 male Wistar rats (10-12 wk, 220 ± 20 gr) were divided into 7 groups of 5, including the control group (gavaged distilled water daily), sham group (received intraperitoneal doses of distilled water twice a week). The group received intraperitoneal ZnO-NPS (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg body weight, twice a week), and gavage (150 and 200 mg/kg body weight daily). All stages of the test were performed in 4 wk then serum testosterone and tissue malondialdehyde, and ferric reducing antioxidant power levels were measured, also testes histopathological evaluation was performed.

Our results showed that a reduced cell population of spermatozoa was observed in the group that received 25 mg/kg ZnO-NPS, while a reduced cell population of spermatozoa, edema, hyperemia, and vacuolar degeneration were observed in the group that received 50 and 100 mg/kg ZnO-NPS. The maximum amount of lesions were observed in the dose of 200 mg/kg. The highest amount of ferric reducing antioxidant power and testosterone levels were observed in the control group. Also, a 100 mg/kg intraperitoneal dose of ZnO-NPS and 150 mg/kg oral dose of ZnO-NPS were suitable doses to create a model of male genital lesions.

Nanoparticles are harmful factors for the reproductive system and consequently affect infertility, which requires the toxicity of the concentration of these nanoparticles to be evaluated and controlled.

Endometriosis is a disease that affects women throughout their sexual life. Sexual health is, therefore, a major concern for these women.

This study aimed to assess the effects of the sensate focus technique and position changing on the sexual function of women with deep-infiltrating endometriosis 3-6 months after surgery.

This clinical trial study was performed on 80 women with deep endometriosis, aged 18-45 yr, who were referred to the endometriosis clinic of Avicenna fertility center, Tehran, Iran for follow-up after surgery from January to September 2021. They were divided randomly into 2 groups. In the intervention group, 2-hr virtual training sessions were held and the control group only completed the questionnaires without any intervention. Sexual function was evaluated after 4 and 8 wk.

8 wk after the intervention, the mean score of sexual function in the intervention group was significantly improved (p < 0.001). The mean total score of sexual function in the pre-intervention period reached from 24.16 to 28.31 in 4 wk after the intervention and 29.85, 8 wk after the intervention. The mean score of sexual pain during the follow-up periods was significantly improved in the intervention group (p < 0.001).

Sensate focus technique and sexual position changing improved sexual function in women with deep endometriosis after surgery.