Deniz Balsak

Emergency cervical cerclage: effect on pregnancy outcome and mode of delivery

Abstract Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of emergency cervical cerclage (ECC) and its effect on the mode of delivery. Patients and methods: Between April 2007 and July 2011 patients attending MH Diyarbakir Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital and MH Seferihisar State Necat Hepkon Hospital who underwent ECC were included in this retrospective analysis. Results: At the time of ECC, the mean gestational age, cervical length and cervical dilatation were 21.4 ± 2.2 weeks, 4.3 ± 0.8 cm and 11 ± 2.4 mm, respectively. The average time between the procedure and birth was 13.8 ± 4.9 weeks and this period was sufficient to maintain a viable pregnancy (p < 0.05). In this study, 12 patients (60%) were delivered vaginally and eight (40%) patients delivered with CS (40%). the difference was statistically insignificant (p = 0.371). Regarding the gestational age at time of delivery, 55% of patients delivered at 36 weeks, 70% at 32 weeks, and 80% of them delivered at 28 weeks. The total live birth rate was 90%. Conclusion: ECC provides satisfactory time for the fetus to gain sufficient viability. Pregnancies with emergency cerclage show no difference in terms of birth method, whether cesarean or vaginal birth, and delivery type does not appears to be linked to ECC.

Ramadan fasting and pregnancy: implications for fetal development in summer season

Abstract Aims: In the Islamic religion, Ramadan is a month in the year that is passed by fasting. Healthy adult individuals are prohibited to eat, drink, and smoke from sunrise to sunset. In the present study, our aim was to assess the relation of Ramadan fasting with fetal development and maternal-fetal Doppler indices in pregnant women. Methods: This is a prospective case-control study carried out in the month of Ramadan in 2013 (9 July–7 August). One hundred and six pregnant women at the second and third trimesters of pregnancy were enrolled into the study. The sample size of the fasting group was 83 and the non-fasting group sample size was also 83. Fetal biometric measurements, such as biparietal diameter, head circumference, abdominal circumference, femur length, estimated fetal weight, amniotic fluid index, and Doppler indices of both uterine and umbilical arteries were evaluated by gray scala and color Doppler ultrasound at the beginning and end of Ramadan. Results: At the end of the Ramadan, increase in biparietal diameter, head circumference, and femur length showed a statistically significant difference from initial measurements (P<0.05). When fasting and non-fasting groups were compared separately, an increase in amniotic fluid index was statistically significant in the non-fasting group (P<0.05). Conclusion: We demonstrated some adverse effects of Ramadan fasting on fetal development. In the Islamic religion, pregnant individuals have the privilege of not fasting; therefore, they should consider postponing fasting to the postpartum period, especially in the summer season. If they are willing to do so, an appropriate nutritional program should be recommended.

Association of endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene G894T polymorphism and serum nitric oxide levels in patients with preeclampsia and gestational hypertension

Abstract Objective: Pregnancy-induced hypertension is one of the most important cause of maternal-fetal morbidity and mortality. Pregnancy-related hypertensive disorders are usually associated with diminished nitric oxide (NO) levels. We aimed to evaluate the role of serum NO levels and eNOS gene G894T polymorphism on hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Methods: Eighty patients with gestational hypertension or preeclampsia, and 80 healthy pregnants were enrolled to analyze serum NO levels and G894T polymorphism of the eNOS gene. NO level was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. The G894T polymorphism of the eNOS gene was determined by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Results: There was no significant difference between groups in terms of G894T/eNOS genotype and allele frequencies (p > 0.05). Serum NO levels were significantly lower in the patients group. In the control group, subjects with thymine-thymine (TT) genotype had significantly lower NO levels when compared to subjects with guanine-guanine (GG) or guanine-thymine (GT) genotype (p < 0.05). Conclusions: We failed to demonstrate an association between eNOS gene G894T polymorphism and serum NO levels in patients with pregnancy-induced hypertensive disorders. We established a relation between pregnancy-induced hypertension and low NO levels.

Potential adverse effects of prophylactic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy on skin aging in premenopausal women undergoing hysterectomy for benign conditions.

Objective:This study aimed to assess the effects of hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO)—compared with the effects of hysterectomy alone—on skin aging in premenopausal women undergoing hysterectomy for benign conditions. Methods:One hundred thirty-five premenopausal women who underwent hysterectomy with BSO were compared with a control group of women who underwent hysterectomy alone based on skin parameters (including wrinkling, laxity/sagging, and texture/dryness) and Skindex-29 questionnaire scores. The inclusion criteria were as follows: aged between 40 and 50 years, follicle-stimulating hormone level lower than 40 mIU/mL, undergoing hysterectomy with or without BSO for benign conditions, and not receiving estrogen or progesterone treatment. The exclusion criteria were as follows: adrenocortical hyperplasia or Cushings syndrome; use of corticosteroids for autoimmune diseases; malignancy, connective tissue diseases (eg, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome), or dermatological diseases (eg, lichen sclerosus); or regular use of medications known to interfere with the condition of the skin. Results:All skin parameters in the hysterectomy group and the hysterectomy with BSO group worsened on weeks 24 and 48. Laxity/sagging and texture/dryness scores on weeks 24 and 48 were significantly worse in the BSO group; laxity/sagging and texture/dryness scores continued to worsen between 24 and 48 weeks. Scores for the Skindex-29 questionnaire emotion and symptom subscales were significantly higher in the BSO group compared with the non-BSO group. Conclusions:Prophylactic BSO during hysterectomy is a significant independent risk factor for worsening skin laxity/sagging and texture/dryness in premenopausal women undergoing hysterectomy for benign conditions. Prophylactic BSO in the presence of dermatological conditions is also associated with reduced quality of life.

Comparison of hysterosalpingography and transvaginal hydrolaparoscopy in patients with tubal factor infertility: a prospective cohort study

Aim To evaluate the usefulness, diagnostic accuracy, and cost-effectiveness of transvaginal hydrolaparoscopy (THL) in infertile women with abnormal hysterosalpingogram (HSG) results without obvious pelvic pathology. Material and methods Thirty infertile women (age: 20–40 years) who had tubal pathology in HSG were enrolled in the study. All patients underwent THL instead of standard laparoscopy. A cost analysis was performed comparing HSG and THL methods. Results In comparison of the HSG of cases by considering the chromopertubation results by THL, the sensitivity and specificity of HSG were 85.1% and 56%, respectively. The reasons for preferring standard laparoscopy rather than THL were: failure in accessing of Douglas (n = 3), insufficient monitoring of pelvis (n = 1), hydrosalpinx (n = 1), and intense peritubal adhesion (n = 1), which were 10%, 3%, 3%, and 3%, respectively. The complication rate was 3.8%. Cost analysis of the procedures showed that the total cost of the THL group was 34.8% lower than the HSG group. Conclusions In the elective patients group, THL is more feasible than HSG. Transvaginal hydrolaparoscopy is effective, simple and safe, avoiding the cost, possible complications, time and postoperative patient discomfort compared to conventional laparoscopy.

Outcomes of Transobturator Tape Surgery with Safyre T® Slings for Female Stress Urinary Incontinence after 96 Months of Follow-Up.

Background/Aims: To report the outcomes of transobturator tape (TOT) surgery with Safyre T® (Promedon, Argentina) slings for female stress urinary incontinence (SUI) at a 96- month follow-up. Methods: We conducted a clinical follow-up study of 153 patients diagnosed with SUI between January 2005 and December 2014. Patients were provided with detailed a priori information pertaining to the TOT procedure and were invited to attend follow-up visits at 1, 3, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 months. Follow-up visits included physical examination involving sling palpation, checking of the vaginal mucosa for erosion, cough test, as well as validated Urinary Distress Inventory-6 (UDI-6) and Incontinence Impact Questionnaire-7 (IIQ-7) questionnaires. Results: The overall objective success rates, based on cough test results, were 91.3% at 12 months, 86.8% at 48 months and 77.6% at 96 months. Similarly, the overall subjective success rate, based on the validated UDI-6 and IIQ-7 scales, was 77.6% at 96 months. Conclusion: The cure rates achieved, following TOT treatment of SUI at 1-year follow-up, showed a statistically significant decline over an 8-year period, especially at months 48 and 96.