Journal of Reproduction & Infertility
Year:2003 | Volume:4 | Issue:1 (13)|Papers Count:11

The advantage of fallopian tube epithelial cell (FTEC) co-culture system on development of human embryo has been shown. However, lack of appropriate media for both FTEC and embryo is one of the disadvantages of this system. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of different culture media on both FTEC and human embryo development. Healthy fallopian tube samples were removed from 19 previously fertile women under 40 ages undergoing total abdominal hysterectomy. Epithelial cell-rich suspension was prepared mechanically and enzymatically and cultured in three different media (DMEM/F12, RPMI-1640 and Hams F10). After four passages, the cells were cultured on plastic to obtain unpolarised confluent cells, or seeded into matrigel to produce polarized cells for 7 days. Viability of cells during and after passages was evaluated by neutral red and trypan blue vital staining. In addition, 117, 45 and 48 surplus 4-8 cell human embryos were cultured in Hams F10, RPMI and DMEM/F12 for 120 hours, respectively. Their morphology was assessed daily. Cellular vitality during culture in DMEM/F12 was 100%, which was significantly different from that in RPMI and Hams F10 (95% and 93%, respectively) (P<0.05). However, after cellular proliferation and passages, no significant difference was observed for different media. Moreover, a significantly higher ratio of embryos reached the morula stage in Hams F10 (79.4%) than RPMI (68.8%) and DMEM/F112 (62.5%) (P<0.05). It is concluded that DMEM/F12 was superior to other media during cell proliferation and passage of FTEC. However, after cell passage and during co-culture of embryos with FTEC, Hams F10 was a more appropriate medium than the other two.

Dendritic cells (DC) are the principal antigen-presenting cells (APC) responsible for induction of primary immune responses by T lymphocytes. Although DCs are present in most lymphoid tissues, they occur in very low frequency accounting for 0.5% or less of nucleated cells in peripheral lymphoid organs. In the present study, we report the purification of DCs from mouse spleen with high yield and purity using a three-step purification technique including: collagenase digestion of tissue, selection of low-density cells using Optiprep density gradient medium and plastic adherence. By using techniques outlined above, we obtained 5-7×107 DC/spleen with purity of 97%. Such large numbers of purified DCs enables us to further document their different characteristics including morphology, immunophenotype and to evaluation of their role in immune system. Finally, since DCs have been reported to be present in all reproductive organs, we suggest that this protocol be used for isolation and purification of DCs from those organs for further in vitro studies.

The ability to use only a few spermatozoa using testicular biopsy and by microinjection technique to achieve fertilization and pregnancy has revolutionized the potentials to treat patients suffering from azoospermia. However, spermatogenesis is defective in men with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) resulting in failure to detect spermatozoa. In order to achieve a more sensitive and reliable method for detecting sperm/spermatid in testes of NOA patients, we compared histopathological and cytological methods. Eighty six NOA patients were included in a prospective study. History taking, physical examination and hormonal profile (including FSH) were done initially. Thirty six patients had testis pathology report before enrolling in to our study. The patients underwent multiple bilateral testis biopsies until successful retrieval of sperm/spermatid. Half of each biopsy specimen underwent cytological evaluation (mechanical and enzymatic) and the other half was sent for pathological evaluation (TBX). The male and female mean ages were 37 (25-59) and 32 (23-42) years, respectively. The mean infertility duration was 7 years. The mean volume of right and left testis was 16.4 and 16.2ml, respectively. Mean FSH level was 18.1±4.2 mIU/ml. In cytology, sperms and spermatids were seen in 65 and 18 patients, respectively and in pathology slides in 51 and 16 patients, respectively. In our study, the relationship between visualizing testicular sperm/spermatid and TESE had sensitivity of 80% and negative predictive value of 15%. Sixty one patients had sufficient number of sperm/spermatid for ICSI and with this treatment fifty seven embryos were transferred and seven clinical pregnancies were observed. In conclusion, in men with non-obstructive azoospermia, TESE is more sensitive and reliable than histopathology evaluation. This means that TESE may help in deciding for treatment of severe male factor infertility, even when histopathologic examination is inconclusive.

Although planned pregnancy is a desirable event for any family, the unwanted pregnancies have undesired effects on mother, infant, and all family members. A method of qualitative assessment of family planning and reproductive health care is the survey of unwanted pregnancies. This study is an analytical descriptive study that was carried out to investigate unwanted pregnancies in year 2001 on 414 pregnant women who visited maternity wards of Kerman hospitals. Findings showed that mean age of women was 27.4±6.73 and of husbands 31.9±7.60. Mean existing children of women were 1.9±1.95. Women with high school diploma composed 35.7% and those with lower education 44.5% of total cases. A high percentage (72.2%) of women was housewives and 25.6% were employee. Most (65.1%) of cases had wanted and 34.9% had unwanted pregnancies. Of husbands, 67.2% also wanted this pregnancy and 32.8% disagreed. Forty two percent of women were pregnant while using contraception. The results showed that unwanted pregnancy was associated with mother and her husband's education level, husband's job, type of family planning methods, husband's age, number of previous pregnancies. Due to high rate of unwanted pregnancies and the need for its prevention, it is suggested that family planning be presented with counseling to guarantee high quality and effective service.

Male involvement is one of the main factors in good performance of family planning programs, and interspouse communication appears to be a precondition for its success. A quasi-experimental study (before and after counseling) was conducted in Zahedan in 2002, to investigate the effect of group-counseling with women on KAP of their husbands concerning family planning. Forty four women with two or more children who had not used contraception were selected by non-probability sampling from 3 health centers. After completing a questionnaire asked from women and their husbands and determining their educational needs, women in 5 groups, 8 members, each participated 3 Counseling sessions. The program was evaluated one month after intervention (by a questionnaire and a checklist). T-Paired Test showed that mean scores of knowledge and attitude of women and their husbands before and after intervention were significantly different (P<000.1). After intervention, 43% of cases selected one of the contraceptive methods (P<0.00001). Findings showed that we can improve the KAP of husbands regarding family planning by appropriate counseling of women.

Problems in cognitive processes were reported in infertile persons. The present study has focused on biases as a type of cognitive vulnerability in these persons. The aim was at first, to determine whether there is memory, attention and problem-solving baises in these persons, and then which type of processing there are involved? One hundred ten subjects participated in the study including 55 infertile (30 females and 25 males), and 55 fertile (30 females and 25 males). In memory, subjects were asked to listen to a list of words including 12 infertility related words, 12 neutral words and 12 animal names. They were given free recall test to remember as many words as possible and then they were asked to recognize target words among 36 distractor words. In attention, the subjects were required to name the color of 34 words (17 infertility related and 17 neutral) as fast as possible. The subjects reaction time was recorded by computer. In problem solving, the subjects were required to complete 10 words (5 infertility related and 5 neutral) which were fragmented by some letters. Repeated messure analysis variance was used, in memory, the design was 2 groups (fertile, infertile) ×2 sex (male, female) ×3 type of word (infertility related, neutral and animal name) and in attention the design was 2 group (fertile and infertile) ×2 sex (male, female) ×2 type of word (infertility related and neutral), in problem solving independent T test was used for comparison between fertile and infertile women. The results of memory tests showed that infertile women as compared to fertile men recalled and recognized more infertility related words than other type of words. In attention test, there was no significant difference in reaction time between infertile and fertile groups in infertility related words and neutral words. In problem solving test in neutral words, infertile women as compared with fertile men, completed fewer words significantly, but in infertility related words there was no significant difference between them. Since, memory and problem solving the processes are deep and strategic and in attention are automatic, the results of memory and problem solving, showed that infertile women process the infertility related stimulus in controlled, strategic, and deep manner, and on the basis of attention results, they do not show the automatic and uncontrolled processing. Thus in treatment of psychological consequence of infertility, cognitive methods is the best method, because they focus directly on conscious thought.

Naturally, blastocyte implants in the uterine cavity. Implantation of blastocyst in any other place is considered an ectopic pregnancy, which is in more than 95% a tubal pregnancy. Cervical ectopic pregnancy is a rare type of ectopic pregnancy in wich blastocyte is implanted in the cervical canal. Therefore due to serious risks of cervical pregnancy, all obstetricians facing first-trimester vaginal bleedings should consider it as a differential diagnosis. In this article a case report of missed cervical pregnancy in a 32-year old woman is presented. The patient complained of temporary vaginal bleeding during the last 25 weeks. Sonography had been performed twice; the first one in the 12th week of gestation showing no fetal echo and the second in 22nd week of gestation showing a 27×12 mm mass and fluid in the endometrium. With the diagnosis of missed abortion suction curettage was performed at 25th week of gestation and it was lead to laparatomy due to active hemorrhage and clinical picture of deterioration of vital signs. During laparatomy, a dilated cervix completely invaded by throphoblasts was observed. Hysterectomy was performed with ovarian preservation as a final management. Pathologic findings showed complete implantation of placenta in the end cervix.

Mycotoxins are naturally secondary metabolites of filamentous fungi, more specifically molds, that have adverse effects on biological organisms. A class of mycotoxins with estrogenic activity is Estrogenic mycotoxins (mycoestrogens) that produced by Fusarium fungi. The only class of mycoestrogens so far determined is the zearalenones (ZEAs). Zearalenones are non-steroidal compounds belonged to -resorcylic acid lactones. ZEAs can bind estrogen receptors because they are able to adopt a conformation sufficiently resembling 17 -estradiol and other natural estrogens. For this reason, ZEAs have shown to cause alterations in the reproductive tract of laboratory and domestic animals, resulting in estrogenic syndrome. ZEAs have been observed to possess tumor-promoting activity in the human similar to that of estrogens and hypothetically can induce proliferation and carcinogenesis in estrogen dependent tissues such as endometrium and cervix. ZEAs were suspected to be the causative agent in some epidemics of precocious pubertal changes such as premature thelarche and gynecomastia in young children in some countries. Contamination of cereals especially corn with fusarium fungi, produces ZEAs. Therefore, routine laboratory determination of mycotoxins especially zearalenones are necessary to evaluate contamination rate of fungi toxins.