B.A. Peretz

Tetra-amelia with multiple malformations in six male fetuses of one kindred.

An Arab Moslem kindred is reported in which six abnormal male fetuses were born in three closely related sibships. They had amelia, malformed head and other severe skeletal and visceral malformations. The similarities and differences between the developmental and inherent characteristics found in our patients and in families with Roberts syndrome are discussed.

Maternal exposure to music and fetal activity

Abstract The influence of music on fetal behavior was examined in 20 women to whom two different types of music were played via earphones. A real-time ultrasound scanner was used for direct observation of fetal body movements and breathing movements. A significant decrease in breathing activity was observed in fetuses while their mothers listened to a preferred type of music.

Mullerian adenosarcoma of the uterine cervix

The management of cervical adenosarcoma in a 14-year-old girl is described. The tumor had an exceptionally violent biological nature and did not respond to a variety of customary and unorthodox therapeutic measures. These included conventional intravenous chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, intraarterial chemotherapy, colostomy, and peritoneovenous shunt for untreatable ascites. The patient died within 16 months of diagnosis. This is the fifth case of cervical adenosarcoma in the English literature. This tumor usually has a better prognosis and none of the previous four cases succumbed to the disease. The unusual virulence of the present case is discussed and the literature reviewed.

Serotonin and the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome was induced in rabbit by administration of human menopausal gonadotropin (HMG) and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). In an attempt to establish whether serotonin plays a part in the induction of this syndrome, the hyperstimulated rabbits were divided into two groups and were administered known anti-serotonin drugs, cyproheptadine and methysergide, respectively. The group treated with cyproheptadine, a non-specific serotonin antagonist, exhibited significant acceleration in the regression of the syndrome. Methysergide, a specific serotonin antagonist, administered to the second group, neither prevented the occurrence of the syndrome nor accelerated its regression. The results of this work indicate that serotonin does not seem to be directly involved in the production of the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome in rabbits.

Bilateral adnexal agenesis with an ectopic ovary — Case report and review of the literature

Bilateral adnexal agenesis (both ovaries and tubes) is not a common finding. Ectopic ovaries are also very rare. A report of the combination of the two, as far as we know, has never been published. Such a case is presented here with its endocrinological evaluation. The literature concerning these entities is reviewed.

Intrauterine rupture of the umbilical cord during delivery

Two cases of bleeding from ruptured umbilical vein during delivery are reported. In one case the rupture was spontaneous, leading to fetal distress. In the second case the rupture was probably iatrogenic, and was caused by forceps delivery. Bleeding from ruptured umbilical vessel should be considered when a combination of variable decelerations during fetal heart rate monitoring, blood-stained amniotic fluid and fetal distress are detected during delivery.

The influence of maternal hypnosis on fetal movements in anxious pregnant women

The influence of maternal hypnotherapy on fetal body movements in anxious parturients was studied in 25 patients at 35-37 weeks of gestation. There were two groups of patients. Group A consisted of 16 parturients who performed self-hypnosis. Group B consisted of 9 parturients in whom hypnosis was induced by a physician. When compared to a control period of 30 min there was a significant increase in the duration of fetal body movements recorded by ultrasound during 30 min of maternal hypnosis, p less than 0.005 for group A and p less than 0.01 for group B. It is suggested that in anxious parturients fetuses move into a more active state when maternal relaxation is achieved by hypnotherapy.

Cyclopia with trisomy D

Abstract A case of cyclopia with trisomy D is reported. The mother was treated with chorionic gonadotropin in the first trimester of pregnancy. Microcephaly and omphalocele were diagnosed by ultrasound. Fetal activity was recorded pre- and postglucose administration.

Gestational age assessment by the lens examination method in normal and pathological pregnancies

The anterior vascular capsule of the lens was examined in 100 premature infants. It was found that the normal embryological process of gradual disappearance of the anterior vascular capsule between 27 and 34 weeks of gestation is not significantly influenced by maternal and fetal high risk factors, nor by maternal drug intake. It seems that lens examination could be regarded as a good method of gestational age estimation between the 27th and 34th week of gestation.

Retroperitoneal Metastatic Spread of Malignant Brenner Tumor

It became evident that ovarian cancer spreads mainly by continuity to the adjacent pelvic organs. Retroperitoneal node metastases, especially in the absence of other forms of spread, when the neoplasm is confined to the ovary, is less well described. Recent literature stressed that different histological types of ovarian epithelial cancer can and do spread to the retroperitoneal lymphatics early in the course of the disease. In this report we present a patient with FIGO Ia malignant Brenner tumor in whom metastatic disease was found in retroperitoneal lymph nodes. To our knowledge, a similar observation has not been previously described. It should be concluded that selective biopsies of the retroperitoneal lymph nodes should be part of the staging laparotomy for any ovarian carcinoma.