Jasmina Popovic

Venous thromboembolism and oral contraception

INTRODUCTION Because of their safety and efficacy oral contraceptives are available without prescription in many countries. Monophasic combined oral contraceptives are a combination of estrogen and progestin taken in constant amounts. VENOUS THROMBOEMBOLISM Combined oral contraceptives slightly increase the risk of venous thromboemolism, but this event is very rare among non-pregnant women of reproductive age. The absolute risk rises with age, obesity, recent surgery and certain forms of thrombophilia. The estrogen component of combined oral contraceptives increases the synthesis of several coagulation factors in a dose-dependent manner. Changes of most of these parameters are very small and there is no evidence that they have any effect upon the clinical risk of developing venous thrombosis. If a woman has an inherited coagulation disorder that increases her risk of developing thrombosis, the risk is increased several fold if she ingests estrogen containing oral contraception. CONCLUSION The increased risk of venous thromboembolism associated with combined oral contraceptives should have little impact on healthy women, but may have substantial impact on women with a history of thromboembolism. Combined oral contraceptive use increases the risk of venous thromboembolosm in a dose-dependent manner. The absolute risk of venous thromboembolism rises with age, obesity, recent surgery and certain forms of thrombophilia, as well.

Postpartum HELLP syndrome—the case of lost battle

Abstract Unexpected rapid maternal death after delivery due to HELLP syndrome is rarely encountered and may become the subject of forensic expertise. Unexpectedness, suddenness, and fulminant course of this syndrome as well as absence of classical signs of pre-eclampsia can confuse physicians and lead to diagnostic delay. A definitive post-mortem diagnosis of HELLP syndrome in questionable cases of maternal death should be based on accepted laboratory criteria and characteristic histopathological alterations. We present a case of acute postpartum HELLP syndrome complicated by disseminated intravascular coagulation and acute renal failure which caused rapid maternal death only 20 hours after a caesarean section following an uncomplicated pregnancy.

Laparoscopic Surgery in the Treatment of Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a benign disease, which affects about 10% of reproductive age women and almost 50% of infertile women. Although every year at least 300 new articles deal with this topic, endometriosis is still a enigmatic disease starting with theories of etiopathogenesis where there is still no consensus about the major cause of endometriosis. Also there is still no consensus about the management of the disease, mainly when there is an infertile patient who is preparing for in vitro fertilization procedure.

Influence of body mass index on in vitro fertilization outcome in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

INTRODUCTION The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of the body mass index on the outcome of in vitro fertilization in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study sample consisted of 123 patients with polycystic ovary syndrome who completed their in vitro fertilization treatment at the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinical Center Nis. Republic of Serbia, and they were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided by body mass index into two groups for the comparison of the findings. One group (normal weight) consi- sted ofwomenwithbodymass index ≤25 kg/in² (mean22.O8±1.90), and the other group (overweight) included women with body mass index>25 kg/in² (mean 27.65±1.47). The patients underwent either the standard long gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist protocol or flexible multidose gonadotrophin-releasing hormone antagonist protocol. RESULTS The normal-weight patients had a higher number of mature oncytes, significantly higher fertilization rate (p<O.OOI) and significantly higher number of the obtained embryos class I (p<O.O1) than the overweight patients. However, the implantation rate and clinical pregnancy rate were the same in both groups. CONCLUSION In the group of overweight women the numbers ofmature oocytes and good quality embryos were lower. However, since this study dealt with the patients with polycystic ovary syndrome who generally had a higher number of the obtained oocytes and embryos, this shortfall did not affect clinical pregnancy rates, which were the same in both groups. Certainly, before starting the in vitro fertilization, each infertile patient should be informed about the possible negative effect of her high body mass index on the treatment outcome.

Number of decidual natural killer cells & macrophages in pre-eclampsia

Background & objectives: The process of human placentation is complex and still not well understood. This study was aimed to examine the relationship between clinical features of pre-eclampsia and degree of trophoblastic invasion after its immunohistochemical visualization in the context of possible alterations in the number of natural killer (NK) cells and macrophages in the decidua. Methods: This prospective study included a study group comprising 30 pregnant women with pre-eclampsia delivered by caesarean section and a control group comprising 20 healthy pregnant women also delivered by caesarean section. Samples of placental bed obtained during caesarean section were analyzed after immunohistochemical labelling CD56+ NK cells, CD68+ macrophages and cytokeratin 7 trophoblastic cells. Results: In pre-eclampsia, there was a significantly lower number of CD56+ NK cells in the decidua (P<0.001) and a higher number of CD68+ macrophages (P<0.001) compared to control group. In the subgroup of pre-eclampsia with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), a significantly greater number of NK cells (P<0.05) was recorded, as well as an increased number of macrophages, but not significantly compared to pre-eclampsia without IUGR. There was no significant difference in the distribution of these cells in the decidua in relation to the severity of pre-eclampsia. CD56+ NK cells were significantly less (P<0.05) and macrophages were more (P<0.05) in the group with poor trophoblastic invasion. Interpretation & conclusions: Alterations in the number of immune cells in relation to the degree of trophoblastic invasion indicated their role in aetiopathogenesis of pre-eclampsia, while the direct association between their number and severity of pre-eclampsia was not confirmed.

Flexible GnRH antagonist protocol vs. long GnRH agonist protocol in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome treated for IVF: comparison of clinical outcome and embryo quality.

OBJECTIVES Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder, primarily affecting women of the reproductive age. The aim of the study was to assess the clinical efficacy and embryo quality in flexible gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist protocol in comparison to the long GnRH agonist protocol in PCOS women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). MATERIAL AND METHODS This prospective, randomized study was conducted at the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinical Center Niš, Serbia, between 2013 and 2014. The treatment included either a flexible GnRH antagonist protocol (n = 45, antagonist group) or a long GnRH agonist protocol (n = 45, agonist group). RESULTS The length of the stimulation, total amount of gonadotropins used, as well as the average number of the aspirated and mature oocytes were higher in the agonists group. The endometrial thickness was also greater in the agonists group. A higher number of Class I and Class IV embryos were obtained after the agonist treatment and higher number of Class II and Class III embryos were obtained after the antagonist treatment. Pregnancy, implantation, and miscarriage rates were comparable between the groups. CONCLUSIONS The GnRH antagonist protocol in PCOS patients has a pregnancy rate comparable to that of the GnRH agonist protocol. Since this protocol has a lower rate of complications and is more convenient for patients, we believe that the GnRH antagonist protocol should be used as the first-line treatment for PCOS patients in an IVF program.