Journal of Reproduction & Infertility
Volume:11 Issue: 3, 2010

Macroprolactin is a significant cause of misdiagnosis, unnecessary investigation, and inappropriate treatment in patients with hyperprolactinemia. Its frequency has not been clearly established due to technical difficulties in identifying it. Most laboratories and clinicians are unaware of macroprolactin interferences in prolactin assays.

A comprehensive literature search was conducted on the websites of the National Library of Medicine (http://www.ncbl.nlm.nih.gov) and PubMed Central, the US National Library of Medicine’s digital archive of life sciences literature (http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/). The data were also looked for in relevant books and journal.

Macroprolactin is a non-bioactive prolactin isoform usually composed of a prolactin monomer and an IgG molecule having a prolonged clearance rate similar to that of immunoglobulins. This isoform is clinically non-reactive but it interferes with immunological assays used for the detection of prolactin.

There is a need to understand and explore the recent progress in the diagnosis and pathophysiology of macroprolactinemia for improving patient care.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine and metabolic disorder associated with ovulatory dysfunction. Presently, little is known about the primary factors that initiate PCOS. Chamomile flowers are used in alternative medicine for its anti-spasmolytic and anti-inflammatory effects. Antispasmodic properties of chamomile ease menstrual cramps and lessen the possibility of premature labor. This medicinal herb also stimulates menstruation. In this study, we evaluated the effects of Chamomile alcoholic-extract on the biochemical and clinical parameters in a rat model of PCOS. Estrous cyclicity of 30 virgin adult cycling rats was monitored by vaginal smears obtained between 0800 and 1200 hours. After about 4 days, each rat received an i.m. injection of Estradiol Valerate (Aburaihan Co., Iran), 2 mg in 0.2 ml of corn oil, to induce PCO. Corn oil was injected to the rats in the control group. All the rats in the experimental group were evaluated for follicular cysts 60 days after the injection. Rats with PCOS were treated by multiple doses (25, 50, 75 mg/kg) of intraperitoneal injections of Chamomile alcoholic-extract for ten days. The data were statistically analyzed at a significance level of p < 0.05 by ANOVA, followed by the Student Newman-Keuls post hoc test. The histological and hormonal results showed that Chamomile can decrease the signs of PCOS in the ovarian tissue and help LH secretion in rats (p < 0.05). The alcoholic-extract of dried Matricaria chamomilla L. flowers can not only induce recovery from a PCO induced state in rats, but also increase dominant follicles. Additionally better endometrial tissue arrangements can be regarded as another therapeutic effect of Chamomile.

The prevalence of somatic chromosomal abnormalities in infertile male individuals has been reported to vary in different literatures. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of chromosomal aberrations among infertile men referred to the Cytogenetic Laboratory of Iran Blood Transfusion Organization Research Centre (IBTO). Chromosomal analysis was performed on phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated peripheral lymphocyte cultures of 1052 infertile men using standard cytogenetic methods. The study took place during 1997 to 2007. Total chromosome alterations were revealed in 161 (15.30%) infertile men. The most prevalent chromosomal abnormality in the infertile men was 47, XXY, that was seen in 94 (58.38%) men while one of them had a mosaic karyotype: mos 47, XX[54]/47,XXY[18]/46,XY[9]. In 37 (22.98%) cases, structural aberrations were detected. There were 30 (18.63%) cases of sex reversal. Cytogenetic studies of these patients showed increased chromosomal abnormalities in infertile men in comparison with that of the normal population, justifying the need for cytogenetic analysis of men with idiopathic infertility.

Infertility is a significant multifactorial disorder that can be caused by chromosomal abnormalities. In this study, we aimed to cytogenetically investigate male and female patients admitted to the Genetic Diagnostic Laboratory of Kayseri Educational Hospital in Kayseri, Turkey with varied clinical prediagnoses of infertility. Chromosomes from cultured peripheral blood lymphocytes of 274 patients and 427 individuals as the controls were analyzed using GiemsaTrypsin-Giemsa (GTG) banding. The individuals with sex chromosome aneuploidy or mosaicism were classified as carriers and with chromosomal polymorphism, respectively. The results of the two groups were compared statistically. Pure sex chromosome aneuploidy was found in 29 (10.5%) patients and mosaic sex chromosome aneuploidy in 15 (5.5%) cases and the total rate of abnormalities was 16%. Karyotypes were composed of an overall polymorphism rate of 8% in the patient and 4% in the control groups with no statistically significant difference (p = 0.2 and p > 0.05, respectively). The present study shows that chromosomal polymorphisms are common among infertile patients. Chromosomal abnormalities and even heteromorphisms are significant etiologic factors leading to fertility problems. The overall high prevalence of chromosomal polymorphisms in infertile couples, compared to the normal population, needs to be confirmed with further investigations and larger study populations to delineate the role of “harmless” chromosomal aberrations in the etiology of infertility.

Many postmenopausal women who are on hormone replacement therapy discontinue medications due to vaginal bleeding. Tibolone, a synthetic steroid, has minimal stimulatory effect on the endometrium. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of continuous HRT regimen and tibolone on the onset of vaginal bleeding and vaginal maturation value. A total of 150 healthy women in postmenopausal period were randomly enrolled in this controlled clinical trial. Patients were randomly allocated into three groups, and were followed for six months. The first 50 women received 2.5 mg tibolone plus a Cal D tablet (500 mg Calcium and 200 IU vitamin D) daily, the second 50 women received 0.625 mg conjugated equine estrogen and 2.5 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate (CEE/MPA) plus one Cal D tablet daily, and the remaining 50 received only one Cal D tablet per day and served as the control group. Symptoms were recorded using a questionnaire that assessed vaginal bleeding or spotting, vaginal dryness and intention to continue the medications. Vaginal maturation value was assessed by examining vaginal smears before and after the treatment. The results for the three groups were analyzed using statistical methods. In comparison with the control group, CEE/MPA and tibolone increased vaginal maturation value and decreased the frequency of vaginal dryness (p < 0.01). Women in tibolone group were more likely to continue the treatment regimen than those in the CEE/MPA or the control groups (p < 0.01). Tibolone can serve as an appropriate choice for HRT as it has low rates of vaginal bleeding/ spotting episodes and high acceptance rate in postmenopausal women.

Unsafe and illegal abortions are the third leading cause of maternal death. It affects physical, emotional and social health of women and their families. Abortion is a multi-dimensional phenomenon with several social, legal, and religious implications. The views of policy-makers affect the approach to abortion in every society. Understanding the attitudes and knowledge of high-ranking decision makers towards abortion was the purpose of this study. A qualitative research was implemented by carrying out individual interviews with 29 out of a selection of 80 presidents of medical sciences universities, senior executive managers in the legal system, forensic medicine and decision-makers in the health system and a number of top Muslim clerics, using a semi-structured questionnaire for data gathering. Content analysis revealed the results. There were considerable unwillingness and reluctance among the interview-ees to participate in the study. The majority of participants fairly knew about the prevalence of illegal abortions and their complications. There was strong agreement on abortion when health of the mother or the fetus was at risk. Abortion for reproductive health reasons was supported by a minority of the respondents. The majority of them disagreed with abortion when pregnancy was the result of a rape, temporary marriage or out of wedlock affairs. Making decision for abortion by the pregnant mother, as a matter of her right, did not gain too much approval. It seemed that physical health of the mother or the fetus was of more importance to the respondents than their mental or social health. The mother’s hardship was not any indication for induced abortion in the viewpoints of the interviewed policy-makers. Strengthening family planning programs, making appro-priate laws in lines with religious orders and advocacy programs targeting decision makers are determined as strategies for improving womenes health rights.

Robertsonian translocation is one of the major chromosomal rearrangements with a prevalence rate of 0.1% of the general population and 1% of the infertile population. In this report, we present a nonhomologous Robertsonian translocation in a female patient with a history of repeated abortions. A couple with the complaint of repeated abortions was admitted in the Institute of Genetics and Hospital for Genetic Diseases in Begumpet, Hyderabad, India for cytogenetic evaluation. Chromosomal analysis of the couple revealed an abnormal karyotype in the female partner with 45, XX, rob (14, 15) (q10; q10) chromosomal constitution, while the male partner showed normal 46, XY karyotype. The cytogenetic analysis of couples with repeated abortions is mandatory to identify any probable chromosomal aberrations. Prenatal diagnosis should be offered to couples with repeated abortions in the case of future pregnancies.

Ectopic molar pregnancy is a rare occurrence and consequently not often considered as a diagnostic possibility. In this article, an attempt was made to stress on the need for histopathological examination and follow up of every case of ectopic pregnancy. This was substantiated with the help of a case report. A 30-year-old gravida 4, para 3, pregnant woman with a 7-week history of amenorrhea attended hospital with abdominal pain. Per vaginal examination revealed a tender left adnexal mass measuring 4x4 cm and on ultrasonography there was a live fetus corresponding to a 7-week and 6 days gestation with free fluid in the pelvic cavity. Laparotomy, revealed a ruptured left tubal ectopic pregnancy and histopathological examination was suggestive of a molar pregnancy. Although rare, molar changes can occur at any site of an ectopic pregnancy. Clinical diagnosis of a molar pregnancy is difficult but histopathology is the gold standard for diagnosis.