摘要:

The objective of the present study was to compare the rate of embryo cleavage after oocyte insemination with capacitated spermatozoa in the presence or absence of follicular fluid. In the first experiment, a total of 67 oocytes were inseminated with spermatozoa which had been submitted to part of the capacitation procedures in the presence of follicular fluid (21 oocytes) and with spermatozoa capacitated only with Menezo B2 culture medium (46 oocytes). Thirteen and 29 cleaved embryos were obtained, respectively (p = 0.89). In the second experiment, a total of 61 oocytes were inseminated with spermatozoa submitted to the entire capacitation procedure in follicular fluid (17 oocytes) and capacitated only with Menezo B2 cultue medium (44 oocytes). Eleven and 31 cleaved embryos were obtained, respectively (p = 0.67). The absence of significant differences in cleavage rate between the two experiments indicates that the quality of the spermatozoa capacitation process is not changed by the addition of follicular fluid.

ISSN:0378-7346    

DOI:10.1159/000292545

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Cervical ripening in gestation occurs spontaneously in a timely but species specific fashion as if it were genetically programmed. This study shows that the numbers of dying smooth muscle cells in the cervix increased along with cervical softening in pregnant rats from day 12 of gestation to day 21. The morphological characteristics of the chromatin cleavage in apoptosis are identified. Internucleosomal DNA fragments in the DNA preparations as well as the ladder pattern of double-stranded DNA observed on gel electrophoresis are observed. The deletion and decrease of the cell population in the cervices was demonstrated by a decrease of total DNA in these tissues. The interesting possibility is raised that programmed smooth muscle cell death in the cervix may be involved in the processes of the cervical ripening.

ISSN:0378-7346    

DOI:10.1159/000292546

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Erythrocyte deformability and red cell characteristics (MCV, MCHC, Hct) were studied in 18 patients with gestational hypertension, 24 normotensive primigravidae and 20 nonpregnant nulliparous women. The deformability of red cells was determined by red cell filtration in a filtrometer MF4 after prefiltration through cotton wool. We found a statistically reduced deformability in patients with gestational hypertension compared with normal pregnancy and nonpregnant controls. Our data suggest a strong correlation between red cell filterability and newborn weight (r = 0.59, p < 0.02). The deformability of erythrocyte in gestational hypertension mainly depends on the fluidity of the cell membrane (lipid content). Other factors are the hemoglobin viscosity and the cell membrane surface area/cell volume ratio.

ISSN:0378-7346    

DOI:10.1159/000292547

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

The significance of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) was studied in 51 ANA-positive women who had had a total of 170 pregnancies. 60 ANA-negative age-and parity-matched women with a total of 142 pregnancies served as controls. The perinatal mortality rate in the ANA-positive group was 18.6% (8/43), while there were no perinatal deaths in the ANA-negative control group. All the perinatal losses were stillbirths. The rate of spontaneous abortions was low in both groups, 2.0 vs. 3.3%, respectively. The ANA titer, complement-fixing activity and antigenic specificity did not correlate with the outcome of the pregnancy. Two infants of the ANA-positive women (3.9%) had a congenital atrioventricular heart block. In both cases the ANA was of the complement fixing type.

ISSN:0378-7346    

DOI:10.1159/000292548

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

To assess whether Candida species can penetrate intact fetal membranes under in vitro conditions, Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida guil-liermondii, Candida pseudotropicalis and Candida glabrata were inoculated onto the surface of the maternal side of the membranes obtained from 4 pregnant women undergoing repeat cesarean section. After incubation under culture conditions, membranes were evaluated by histological examination. C.albicans inoculated onto the maternal side penetrated and passed to the fetal side and caused some degeneration of the structure of the membrane epithelium. The other four Candida species grew heavily on the maternal surface but did not penetrate and invade the membranes. This effect of C. albicans on fetal membranes may explain the potential mechanism in the development of Candida infections of the amniotic fluid, fetal membranes and possibly the fetus.

ISSN:0378-7346    

DOI:10.1159/000292549

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

ISSN:0378-7346    

DOI:10.1159/000292550

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Pregnancies ending before 37 weeks gestation are the leading cause of infant morbidity and death. A recent study involving over 2,000 patients concluded that the β-adrenergic agonist, ritodrine (Yutopar®), the only tocolytic agent currently approved for clinical use, had no significant beneficial effect on perinatal mortality, the frequency of prolongation of pregnancy to term, or birth weight despite proven efficacy in suppressing uterine smooth muscle contraction for 24–48 h. Our previous studies in anesthetized, pregnant rats found that both isoproterenol and ritodrine decreased blood flow to the ovary, apparently via a ‘vascular steal’ phenomenon. Because decreased ovarian blood flow and blood flow-mediated decrease in progesterone secretion represents one potential mechanism to explain the long-term ineffectiveness of β-agonist tocolysis, ovarian blood flow studies were conducted in conscious, pregnant rats. Our results indicate that, indeed, ritodrine infusion significantly decreases ovarian blood flow (40%) in the conscious, near-term pregnant rat.

ISSN:0378-7346    

DOI:10.1159/000292551

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

We observed the effect of maternal oxygen administration on the computerized fetal heart rate analysis in 34 small-for-gestational-age fetuses (SGA) ante-partum in late pregnancy. A statistically significant increase in the number of accelerations and in variation was observed after maternal oxygen administration.

ISSN:0378-7346    

DOI:10.1159/000292552

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Mononuclear cell subpopulations from the peripheral blood (PB) and peritoneal fluid (PF) of fertile and infertile women were quantified by flow cytometry using a double-staining monoclonal antibody technique. No differences in the percentage distribution of mononuclear cells between fertile and infertile women were demonstrated when either the PB constituents or the PF components were compared to one another. When the mononuclear cell composition in the PB was compared with that in the PF however, the percentage of PF-activated T cells and monocytes was increased in both fertile and infertile women as opposed to that in the PB, while there was a decrease in T helper cells (fertile and infertile women) and natural killer cells (fertile women and infertile women with endometriosis). Even though shifts do exist in the immunocytes of PF from fertile and infertile women, evidence is lacking that the PF is an immunologic mediator of infertility.

ISSN:0378-7346    

DOI:10.1159/000292553

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

The antiestrogenic action of clomiphene citrate (CC) is claimed to have an adverse effect on the development of the secretory endometrium. This effect can be assessed: (1) sonographically by measuring endometrial thickness, and (2) by serum hormone levels. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether administering ethinyl estradiol (EE) during CC treatment has any effect on endometrial thickness and/or hormone levels. Seventeen patients were treated with CC for one cycle and with CC plus EE in an adjacent cycle either before or after. The patients were followed by daily assessment of endometrial thickness, follicular growth and serum estradiol levels as well as midluteal prolactin and progesterone levels. We did not find any significant difference in either endometrial thickness, estradiol level, midluteal prolactin or progesterone levels between the two treatment protocols. We conclude that exogenous EE, in the dosage used in this study, does not overcome CC-induced alterations in endometrial thickness.

ISSN:0378-7346    

DOI:10.1159/000292554

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger