جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه « female infertility » در نشریات گروه « پزشکی »

Primary infertility affects a significant proportion of couples and is often attributed to female factors. Obesity, which is associated with increased levels of the hormone leptin, is a known risk factor for female infertility. The present study was conducted with aim to investigate the association between BMI and leptin levels in females with primary infertility.

This cross-sectional study was performed on 100 women with primary infertility at Al-Nuaman Hospital and Al-Salama private hospital from September 2022 to March 2023. The participants were divided into four groups: Group 1 (normal weight, fertile), Group 2 (overweight infertile), Group 3 (obese infertile), and Group 4 (severely obese infertile) women, each consisting of 25 participants, categorized based on their BMI: normal BMI (18.5–24.9 kg/m²), overweight BMI (25–29.9 kg/m²), obesity BMI (≥30 kg/m²), and severely obese BMI (35-40 kg/m²). The mean leptin levels were compared between the four groups using ANOVA, and the association between BMI and leptin levels was assessed using Pearson''s correlation coefficient.

There was a highly significant correlation between primary infertility and the parameters (BMI and leptin) (P

There is evident inter-individual variability in women's responses to Chlamydial infections and reproductive tract problems. Women's genetic variations within the Interleukin-10 (IL-10) gene have been linked to variances in response to Chlamydia trachomatis infection. This study was aimed to demonstrate the profound association of IL-10 with infertility and demonstrate the role of IL-10 (-592 C/A rs1800872) and (-1082 A>G rs1800896) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) gene in the susceptibility and severity of a C. trachomatis infection.

In this evaluation study, serum IL-10 concentration was measured in 134 women diagnosed with infertility and 50 healthy volunteers by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The tetra-amplification refractory mutation system-PCR (T-ARMS-PCR) analysis was performed to detect the genotyping of the rs1800872 and rs1800896 SNPs genes.

Both female groups were positive for anti-chlamydial IgM antibody, but the intensity of response differed between cases. At the same time, the incidence of genital C. trachomatis by PCR was 46.2% in infertile women. The serum concentration of IL10 was lower in infertile women than healthy participants and higher in infertile C. trachomatis-positive women compared to infertile C. trachomatis-negative in all groups except endometriosis (Endo) infertility. In rs1800872, the CA genotype and C allele are associated with an increased risk for infertility, except in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), which is an A allele. In the case of rs1800896, the AG genotype and G allele show a greater risk for infertility.

Our results confirmed that rs1800872 and rs1800896 gene polymorphisms were associated with an increased risk of C. trachomatis infection.

Urtica pilulifera L. seed (UPS) is a Persian traditional medicine prescription that positively affects female infertility.

This study aimed to evaluate the beneficial effects of UPS on a diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) model induced by cyclophosphamide in Balb/c mice.

A single intraperitoneal (75 mg/kg) of cyclophosphamide was administered to establish a DOR model. 25 female Balb/c mice (6-8 wk, 25 ± 2 gr) were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 5/each), including control (normal saline), model (DOR), DOR+50, DOR+100, and DOR+200 (mg/kg UPS, gavage) groups for 14 days. The levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, estradiol, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutases, apoptosis, and histopathological alterations were analyzed. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis performed to identify the phytochemicals of the UPS.

It was observed that the UPS extract reduced malondialdehyde concentration and apoptosis in the DOR model as well as enhanced superoxide dismutases activity in the ovaries in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, it exerted a modulatory effect on steroidal hormones such as follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and estradiol. The histopathological analysis revealed the therapeutic potential of the UPS extract. The main chemical components of UPS were linoleic acid (59.25%), n-hexadecanoic acid (10.36%), and oleic acid (8.29%).

The results indicated that the UPS extract has therapeutic potential in the DOR model. This potential is attributed to the reduction of oxidative stress, modulation of apoptosis, and regulation of steroidal hormones that may be associated with the observed beneficial effects of fatty acids on fertility improvement

Introduction:

 Female infertility is responsible for approximately half of all cases of infertility and one of the causes of infertility in women is related to ovarian disorders.  Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) is one of the clinical markers of ovarian reserve. Physical activity may affect the reproductive system and AMH concentration in serum. We aim to evaluate the relationship between physical activity and reproductive determining fertility and anti-mullerin hormone (AMH)  in infertile women in northern Iran.

Materials and methods: 

This cross-sectional study included 234 women aged 18–45 referred to the Infertility Clinic of the Al-Zahra Hospital, Rasht, Iran. The reproductive characteristics and the amount of physical activity of the patients were recorded. Exclusion criteria included menopause, cancer, underlying endocrine diseases, use of hormonal drugs, diagnosis of PCOS based on Rotterdam criteria, any ovarian and uterine surgery, and endometriosis.

Results: 

As expected, we observed significantly lower AMH concentrations in older participants. There was no association between reproductive determinants and AMH level (P> 0.05). We observed lack of physical activity as well as vigorous physical activity, is associated with lower AMH concentration (P= 0.025, and P= 0.039 respectively).

Conclusion:

 In this study, AMH levels appear to be significantly lower in patients with a lack of physical activity as well as vigorous physical activity. The results of this study showed that by improving lifestyle, including the appropriate amount of physical activity, it may be possible to improve the results of infertility treatments. However, a larger study is needed to verify the findings of this study.

Infertility is recognized as a stressful and critical experience worldwide and across cultures and disrupts individual, marital, family, and social stability. Religion serves as a source of support in dealing with health-related problems. This study investigates the relationship between religious coping mechanisms and health-promoting lifestyle (HPL) among Iranian infertile women.

A cross-sectional correlational study was conducted on 177 infertile women referring to the Sarem Sub-specialized Infertility Treatment and Research Center in Tehran City, Iran, 2019. The subjects were recruited by continuous sampling. The data in this study were collected using a demographic information form, the Iranian religious coping scale (IRCS), and the health-promoting lifestyle profile-II (HPLP-II). Statistical analyses, including the independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient, were performed using SPSS software, version 22. The significance level was set at P<0.05.

The highest mean was related to active religious coping (7.86±2.39), while passive religious coping (2.89±1.76) and negative feelings towards God (3.95±2.07) had the lowest mean scores. The Mean±SD score of health-promoting lifestyle was 128.34±13.46; the score range was 52-208, lower than the median score of the scale. A weak but significant inverse relationship was observed between negative feelings towards God and HPL (r=-0.19; P=0.013) and its three subscales: Physical activity (r=-0.18; P=0.019), nutrition (r=-0.21; P=0.011), and interpersonal relationships (r=-0.21; P=0.01). Also, a weak yet statistically significant inverse association was observed between passive religious coping and interpersonal relations (r=-0.18; P=0.029).

Considering that the mean HPL score of infertile women was lower than the median score of the scale, community-oriented education and care programs are recommended to improve HPL in infertile women. Teaching and strengthening positive/active religious coping strategies to improve HPL are also advised.

Infertility is an escalating global concern, impacting approximately one-sixth of the reproductive age population worldwide. Employing data from the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5, 2019-21), this study assessed the prevalence of primary infertility at both national and state levels in India.

The data of the study was extracted from the National Family Health Survey and Individual file (women file) of the fifth round of NFHS encompassing a sample of 491,484 currently married women in the age group of 15–49 years.

The findings showed that the prevalence of infertility is 18.7 per 1,000 women among those married for at least five years and currently in union. This prevalence increases as the duration of marriage decreases. On a state-level analysis, regions such as Goa, Lakshadweep, and Chhattisgarh exhibit the highest burdens.

These findings underscore the growing challenge posed by primary infertility in India, calling for targeted interventions and policy measures. The establishment of a national infertility surveillance system is of pivotal importance in addressing this pressing public health issue.

Infertility and its treatment, as one of the most difficult experiences in life, affects the mental health and happiness of couples, especially women. This study compared the happiness of infertile women and the wives of infertile men.

This research was a comparative cross-sectional study. The study sample included 142 women (71 infertile women and 71 wives of infertile men) referring to the infertility clinic of Akbarabadi Hospital in Tehran, Iran, selected by consecutive sampling from February to August 2020. Demographic information and the Oxford happiness inventory (OHI) were used to collect the data. The data analysis was performed in SPSS software, version 16 using the Fisher exact-test, Chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis, and independent t-test. A P<0.05 was considered significant.

The study showed that infertile women are happier than the wives of infertile men (P=0.006). Also, the subscales of life satisfaction (P=0.016), efficacy (P=0.025), cheerfulness (P=0.001), and self-esteem (P=0.017) were higher in infertile women than in the other group. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in the subscales of sociability and wellbeing.

According to the findings, spouses of infertile men may experience lower happiness levels than infertile women. In addition to paying more attention to the psychological condition of infertile men’s wives, more detailed studies with a larger sample size are needed to confirm the results. Also, qualitative studies are recommended to clarify all dimensions of happiness of infertile couples.

Decellularized uterine scaffold, as a new achievement in tissue engineering, enables recellularization and regeneration of uterine tissues and supports pregnancy in a fashion comparable to the intact uterus. The acellular methods are methods preferred in many respects due to their similarity to normal tissue, so it is necessary to try to introduce an acellularization protocol with minimum disadvantages and maximum advantages. Therefore, this study aimed to compare different protocols to achieve the optimal uterus decellularization method for future in vitro and in vivo bioengineering experiments.

In this experimental study, rat uteri were decellularized by four different protocols (P) using sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), with different doses and time incubations (P1 and P2), SDS/Triton-X100 sequentially (P3), and a combination of physical (freeze/thaw) and chemical reagents (SDS/Triton X-100). The scaffolds were examined by histopathological staining, DNA quantification, MTT assay, blood compatibility assay, FESEM, and mechanical studies.

Histology assessment showed that only in P4, cell residues were completely removed. Masson’s trichrome staining demonstrated that in P3, collagen fibers were decreased; however, no damage was observed in the collagen bundles using other protocols. In indirect MTT assays, cell viabilities achieved by all used protocols were significantly higher than the native samples. The percentage of red blood cell (RBC) hemolysis in the presence of prepared scaffolds from all 4 protocols was less than 2%. The mechanical properties of none of the obtained scaffolds were significantly different from the native sample except for P3.

Uteri decellularized with a combination of physical and chemical treatments (P4) was the most favorable treatment in our study with the complete removal of cell residue, preservation of the three-dimensional structure, complete removal of detergents, and preservation of the mechanical property of the scaffolds.

Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a rare disease clinically characterized by ovarian follicles depletion or dysfunction and menopause before the age of 40 yr as the cut-off age for POI. It is a complex disease, and its etiology involves several factors. However, genetic factors have a predominant role in the susceptibility to the disease.

This study aims to investigate the polymorphisms of rs243865 in the matrix metallopeptidase 2 (MMP2) gene and rs2234693 and rs9340799 in the estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) gene with susceptibility to POI in Iranian women under 35 yr.

This case-control study was performed on 150 women with POI and 150 healthy women who were referred to Yazd Reproductive Sciences Institute, Yazd, Iran between May-October 2020. The genotyping of ESR1 rs9340799, rs2234693, and MMP2 rs243865 polymorphism was done using tetra-amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction. In addition, haplotype analysis and linkage disequilibrium were investigated by SNPanalyzer software.

Our study revealed the frequency of rs243865 TT, CC genotypes in the MMP2 gene and rs2234693 CC, TT; and rs9340799 GG, AA in the ESR1 gene were more prevalent in the case group compared to the control group. In addition, ESR1 rs2234693 and rs9340799 genotypes showed significant association with the development of the disease in our population. Among 4 haplotypes for 2 polymorphisms in the ESR1 gene, rs2234693T/rs9340799A haplotype was associated with conferring risk to POI.

ESR1 rs2234693 and rs9340799 polymorphism were strongly associated with our population’s POI.

Impaired expression of genes which act on hormone signaling pathways is one of the factors affecting miscarriage. In this study, the expression levels of insulin receptor (INSR) and insulin receptor substrates-1 (IRS-1) genes in endometrial tissue of infertile women and fertile women with miscarriage in less than twenty weeks gestation for unknown reasons were evaluated.

In this case-control study, forty-two fertile women with children and 42 infertile women, who underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF), were selected. Both groups had abortions under twenty weeks gestation for unknown reasons. The endometrial tissue of all patients was prepared to evaluate the expression of INSR and IRS-1 genes by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method after RNA extraction.

There was a statistically significant relationship between the expressions of INSR and IRS-1 genes in the endometrial tissue of the infertile women compared with the fertile women (P=0.002 and P=0.008, respectively). The expression level of genes was decreased in both groups by age and increasing body mass index (BMI). Comparison of genes expression levels in healthy and diabetic participants in each group showed a significant difference (P<0.0001), but no meaningful difference was indicated between diabetic infertile and fertile groups in terms of gene expression. INSR gene expression levels showed an increase in the fertile group in the second 10 weeks and a decrease in IRS-1 gene expression. But in the infertile group, both genes showed a slight increase in expression.

It seems a decreased expression of insulin signaling pathway genes in the endometrial tissue of infertile women can be one of reasons for unspecified abortion. These genes may be strong molecular markers for infertility

Infertility is one of the most painful experiences of life leads to marital burnout. Psychological, emotional, and social factors affect marital burnout of infertile women. This study was done to predict marital burnout based on feelings of loneliness and emotional divorce in infertile women.

The method of the research was descriptive-correlational. The participants were women (aged 25-45) referring to Ibn-e Sina Infertility Clinic in 2019 in Tehran. A sample of 175 participants was selected by convenience sampling and completed the Marital Burnout questionnaire, Feeling of Longlines questionnaire, and Emotional Divorce questionnaire. Data were analyzed by Pearson’s correlation and multiple regression using SPSS v. 22. 

The results indicated that there was a significant and positive relationship between loneliness and its subscales (lack of intimacy and lack of social network) (r= 0.62) and also a positive and significant relationship was found between emotional divorce and its subscales (feeling of separation from each other, feeling of loneliness the need for a companion, boredom, and restlessness) and marital burnout (r= 0.65). Also, feeling lonely and its subscales and emotional divorce and its subscales could predict the marital boredom of infertile women (P<0.01).

Feeling lonely and emotional divorce have a significant and positive relationship with marital boredom and can predict marital boredom in infertile women.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic struck global health systems with overgrowing demands in many fields of health care; yet, reproductive care, particularly pregnancy care remains a special focus of interest. Pregnancy is a major physiologic change that alters temporarily normal function of many organs, and specifically the immune system. Therefore, pregnant women are more susceptible to respiratory pathogens compared to the others. The current pandemic may have serious consequences on pregnancy whether directly or indirectly. In the present review, direct and indirect possible adverse effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on female reproductive system by focusing on pregnancy and delivery has been discussed in details. In addition, the pregnancy consequences and whether maternal infection can affect infants were deliberated. The adverse impact of luck down and related psychological complications and obesity on pregnant women were discussed as well. Finally, the effects of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination on maternal health and pregnancy outcome was analyzed.

Infertility, as a crisis in marital life, has multiple psychological and social consequences for couples, especially women. Infertile women are more vulnerable to violence than fertile women. The purpose of this study was to examine violence and its related factors in infertile women referring to infertility centers of Rasht, Iran.

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 245 women with primary infertility who referred to infertility canters in Rasht, Iran in 2017, using sequential sampling method. The data collection tool was a self-structured questionnaire to examine the demographic characteristics of the couples and Onat's violence standard questionnaire for assessing the exposure of infertile women to violence. The data were analyzed using Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Friedman, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests as well as Spearman correlation and logistic regression.

The results showed that the mean total score of violence was 50.93 ± 18.76. Also, there were significant relationships between the total score of violence and the variables of the duration of marriage, the duration of awareness and treatment of infertility, the age of married couples, occupation/education of the  couples, the family relationship between couples, unwillingly marriage and the number of infertility treatment attempts (P<0.05).

Infertility is not merely a biomedical disorder and can lead to violence against women, therefore providing counselling services to infertile couples, making them aware of infertility treatments, improving the socio -economic status of women as well as teaching the way of managing marital, cultural and family issues to couples can be effective in reducing violence against infertile women.

Adherence to lifestyle modification recommendations remains problematic for women undergoing fertility treatment, raising concerns about the extent to which women adhere to prescribed medication regimens. Limited data have shown suboptimal oral medication adherence rates of 19% to 74%. The objective of this study was to explore what women perceive as barriers to and facilitators of oral medication adherence during fertility treatment cycles.

An exploratory mixed methods pilot study was conducted among a sample of 30 women who were actively taking one to two cycles of letrozole or clomiphene citrate for ovarian stimulation in conjunction with intrauterine insemination cycles. Medication adherence barriers were measured using a 20-item survey. Medication adherence facilitators and personal experiences with fertility treatment were assessed with structured interviews. Medication adherence was assessed with electronic event monitoring.

The overall medication adherence median was 0.97 with a range of 0.75 to 1.00, and nine women (50%) demonstrated perfect adherence. The most commonly reported barriers were recently feeling sad, down, or blue (53%), and taking medication more than once per day (40%). Women with higher barrier scores had significantly lower medication adherence scores (p=0.02) compared to women with lower total barrier scores. Facilitators included using physical aides as reminders (60%) and establishing a daily routine (50%). No significant correlation was found between medication adherence scores and facilitators.

The dynamic interplay between perceived barriers and facilitators and women’s medication-taking patterns could influence whether or not medication regimens are followed correctly.

  Infertility stigma is a phenomenon associated with various psychological and social tensions especially for women. The stigma is associated with a feeling of shame and secrecy. The present study was aimed to explore the concept of infertility stigma based on the experiences and perceptions of infertile women. This qualitative conventional content analysis study was conducted in Isfahan Fertility and Infertility Center, Iran. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 17 women who had primary infertility. All the interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed according to the steps suggested by Graneheim and Lundman. The Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR) checklist was followed for this research. Eight hundred thirty-six initial codes were extracted from the interviews and divided into 25 sub-categories, 10 categories, and four themes. The themes included “stigma profile, self-stigma, defensive mechanism and balancing”. Stigma profile was perceived in the form of verbal, social and same sex stigma. Self-stigma was experienced as negative feelings and devaluation. Defensive mechanism was formed from three categories of escaping from the stigma, acceptance and infertility behind the mask. Two categories; empowered women and pressure levers, created a balancing theme against the infertility stigma.   Infertile women face social and self-stigma which threatenstheir psychosocial wellbeing and self-esteem. They use defensive response mechanisms and social support to mitigate these effects. Education focused on coping strategies might be helpful against infertility stigma.

Surgery and chemotherapy are the two most common treatments for cancers, including ovarian cancer. Although most ovarian cancers occur over the age of 45 yr, it may involve younger women and affect their reproductive ability.

To assess the expression of Leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein coupled receptor 5 (LGR5), Forkhead Box O1 (FOXO1), and miR-340 genes in the ovarian cancer tissues as well as ovarian cancer cell lines.

In this case-control study, 30 ovarian cancer samples (with the average age of 37 ± 2.5 years) coupled with their non-tumor marginal tissue (as a control) were collected. Proliferated cell lines were treated with several concentrations of cisplatin, and the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of cisplatin was quantified by MTT-assay. After RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis and qRT-PCR were done. Finally, the results were analyzed.

While the expression levels of miR-340 and FOXO1 genes in tumor samples displayed a significant reduction (p ≤ 0.001), the LGR5 gene presented a significant increase in expression (p ≤ 0.0001). However, conversely, the expression levels of miR-340 and FOXO1 genes in cisplatin-sensitive cell lines, after 24, 48, and 72 hr of cisplatin treatment, indicated a significant increase (p ≤ 0.001) while the expression of LGR5 gene showed a significant decrease in the cisplatin-sensitive cell line (p < 0.05).

The LGR5, FOXO1, and miR-340 genes can be targeted for early diagnosis and more accurate treatment of ovarian cancer and may prevent some of the ovarian cancer complications such as infertility.