Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2023;45(11):635-637
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2023;45(11):638-645
This study focused on pregnant and postpartum women during the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming to determine the attitudes and behaviors of vaccinated and unvaccinated groups, and the vaccination behaviors in the groups with and without the disease. The reasons for refusing the vaccine were also questioned.
This cross-sectional study was performed from September 2021 to October 2021. The study data were collected using a face-to-face questionnaire. The participants were pregnant women who applied to the hospital for routine antenatal care and were hospitalized, and women in the postpartum period. Additionally, pregnant and postpartum patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 at the time of admission and were hospitalized and admitted to the intensive care unit due to this disease were also included in the study.
A total of 1,146 pregnant and postpartum women who completed the questionnaire were included in our study. Only 43 (3.8%) of the participants were vaccinated; 154 (13.4%) of the participants had comorbidities. The number of COVID-19-positive patients was 153. The lack of sufficient information about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine is the most common reason for the refusal.
Vaccine refusal can significantly delay or hinder herd immunity, resulting in higher morbidity and mortality. Considering the adverse effects of COVID-19 on pregnancy, it is essential to understand pregnant and postpartum women's perceptions toward vaccination to end the pandemic.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2023;45(11):646-653
Currently, uteroplacental vascular disorders are considered one of the main mechanisms of spontaneous preterm delivery (PTD). Low-dose aspirin is used to prevent pre-eclampsia, which has a similar mechanism; hence, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of low-dose aspirin on the prevention of PTD in women with a history of spontaneous PTD.
The present pilot randomized clinical trial was conducted on 54 pregnant women in the aspirin group (taking 80 mg daily until the 36th week and classic treatment) and 53 patients in the control group (only receiving classic treatment).
Forty-three patients (40%) presented before 37 weeks due to symptoms of PTL. Preterm delivery (< 37 weeks) occurred in 28 patients (26%), and there was no significant difference between the aspirin and control groups (10 patients [19%] and 18 patients [34%], respectively; p = 0.069). The time of preterm delivery was early (< 34 weeks) in 6 patients (21%), and its cause was spontaneous labor in 23 patients (82%) which was not significantly different between the two groups (p > 0.05). Out of 40 patients with spontaneous labor, 25 patients (63%) had a PTD, which was significantly lower in the aspirin group than in the control group (9 patients [45%] versus 16 patients [80%], respectively; p = 0.022).
The findings of the present study demonstrated that despite the reduction in the incidence of PTD using low-dose aspirin, the reduction rate was not statistically significant. On the other hand, in patients with spontaneous labor prone to PTD, aspirin was effective in reducing the incidence of PTD.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2023;45(11):654-660
To evaluate the continuation rates of the 52-mg levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) during the first 5 years of use, reasons for its discontinuation, bleeding patterns, and new contraceptive choice after the 5th year, in adolescents and young women.
The present study was a 5-year prospective cohort conducted in a Family Planning Service of a tertiary hospital in Brazil. We selected 100 healthy women between 15 and 24 years old who used 52-mg LNG-IUS for contraception. The clinical follow-up of these women took place from June 2017 to December 2022. The study evaluated the continuation rates of the method, reasons for its discontinuation, bleeding patterns, and new contraceptive choice after the 5th year. Continuous data were reported as mean ± standard deviation (SD) and range (minimum-maximum). Categorical variables were described as percentages.
The continuation rates of LNG-IUS were 89.1% (82/92), 82.9% (72/87), 75.3% (64/85), 70.5% (60/85), and 64.2% (54/84) in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th years of use, respectively. The main reason for discontinuation was acne (11/30). Amenorrhea rates were 50, 54.1, 39, 35.7, and 51.8% at 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months, respectively. All patients who completed the study and needed contraception after the 5th year opted for long-acting contraceptive methods (LARC).
The LNG-IUS showed high continuation rates in adolescents and young women in the first 5 years of use. Most patients who completed the study chose a LARC method after the 5th year.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2023;45(11):661-675
To assess the loss to follow-up after emergency care and during 6-months of outpatient follow-up, and the associated variables, among adolescent sexual violence survivors.
This is a retrospective study with review of the medical records of 521 females, aged 10 to 18 years, who received emergency care in a referral service in São Paulo, Brazil. The variables were sociodemographic; personal history; characteristics of abuse, disclosure, and reactions triggered after abuse (physical and mental disorders as well as social changes), psychotropic prescription needs, and moment of abandonment: after emergency care and before completing 6 months of outpatient follow-up. To compare groups of patients lost to follow-up at each time point, we used the Chi-square and Fisher exact tests followed by multiple logistic regression with stepwise criterion for selection of associated variables. We calculated the odds ratio with confidence interval (OR, CI 95%). The level of significance adopted was 5%.
A total of 249/521 (47.7%) adolescents discontinued follow-up, 184 (35.3%) after emergency care and 65 (12.4%) before completing outpatient follow-up. The variables of living with a partner (OR = 5.94 [CI 95%; 2.49–14.20]); not having a religion (OR = 2.38 [CI 95%;1.29–4.38)]), having a Catholic religion [OR = 2.11 (CI 95%; 1.17–3.78)]; and not disclosing the abuse [OR = 2.07 (CI 95%; 1.25–3.44)] were associated with loss to follow-up after emergency care. Not needing mental disorder care (OR = 2.72 [CI 95%; 1.36–5.46]) or social support (OR = 2.33 [CI 95%; 1.09–4.99]) were directly associated with loss to outpatient follow-up.
Measures to improve adherence to follow-up should be aimed at adolescents who live with a partner and those who do not tell anyone about the violence.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2023;45(11):676-682
Recurrent miscarriage has been linked to hormonal disturbance due to dysregulation of its receptors rather than to the availability of the hormone. We aimed to investigate endometrial expression of progesterone and estrogen receptors in relation to serum and endometrial hormonal levels in unexplained recurrent miscarriage.
The present case control study included 20 cases with unexplained recurrent miscarriage and 20 parous women as controls. Ovulation was confirmed using an ovulation kit and 10 to 12 days after detecting the urinary luteinizing hormone surge, all women were subjected to a blood sample and to an endometrial biopsy. Progesterone and estrogen levels were measured in serum and in endometrial tissue and receptor concentrations were in the endometrial sample.
Women with recurrent miscarriage showed significantly lower concentration of receptors in both the cytoplasm and the nucleus of endometrial tissue compared with controls. The nuclear/cytoplasm ratio of progesterone receptor was significantly higher in cases compared with controls, implicating that recurrent miscarriage is probably linked to nongenomic activity of the hormone; this was also significant for estrogen receptor. Serum progesterone and estrogen hormonal levels were comparable between groups while both hormones were significantly reduced in the endometrium of recurrent miscarriage cases. Receptors significantly correlated with endometrial hormonal level but not to serum level.
Recurrent miscarriage might be linked to reduced endometrial progesterone and estrogen receptors and appears to be more related to nongenomic activity of progesterone. Endometrial receptors expression correlates to tissue hormonal level rather than to serum hormonal level.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2023;45(11):683-688
It is well known that female infertility is multifactorial. Therefore, we aimed to compare the effects of thyroid dysfunction, vitamin deficiency, and microelement deficiency in fertile and infertile patients.
Between May 1st, 2017, and April 1st, 2019, we conducted a retrospective case-control study with of 380 infertile and 346 pregnant patients (who normally fertile and able to conceive spontaneously). The fertile patients were selected among those who got pregnant spontaneously without treatment, had a term birth, and did not have systemic or obstetric diseases. The levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO), vitamin D, vitamin B12, folic acid, ferritin, and zinc of both groups were compared.
There was no difference between patients in the infertile and pregnant groups in terms of low normal and high serum T3 and T4 levels (p = 0.938; p > 0.05) respectively, nor in terms of normal and high anti-TPO levels (p = 0.182; p > 0.05) respectively. There was no significant difference regarding patients with low, insufficient, and sufficient vitamin D levels in the infertile and pregnant groups (p = 0.160; p >0.05) respectively. The levels of folic acid, ferritin, and zinc of the infertile group were significantly lower than those of the pregnant group.
The serum levels of folic acid, ferritin, and zinc in infertile patients presenting to our outpatient clinic were lower than those o the fertile patients.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2023;45(11):689-698
The present study aims to establish a risk profile for high-grade cervical lesions and cervical cancer (CIN2 + ) in women undergoing colposcopy at the Hospital do Câncer de Barretos, through the analysis of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection, cervical cytology, and patient's age.
Retrospective cross-sectional study based on a computerized database of women aged ≥ 18 years old who underwent colposcopy at the Prevention Department of the Hospital do Câncer de Barretos from 2017 to 2019.
A total of 3,411 women were included, 58.0% were positive for high-risk-HPV test, with a higher prevalence of CIN2+ for HPV16 (30.3%) and other HPV (45.0%). Cytological findings that suggest invasive cervical cancer (squamous cells or adenocarcinoma), regardless of the status of HPV test, showed 100% diagnosis of CIN2 + , while atypias that suggest high-grade lesions, HSIL and ASC-H, positive for HPV test, showed in 86 and 55.2%, respectively, diagnosis of CIN2 + . ASC-H cytological results among women aged > 40 years old and negative HPV were mainly associated with benign findings. We observed that ≤ CIN1 has a higher prevalence among older women with negative HPV, while for high-grade lesions there is an increase among young women HPV16- and/or 18-positive. In cancer diagnosis, we observed a predominance of HPV 16/18 regardless of the age group.
The highest risks of precursor lesions and cervical cancer were found among women with positive HPV 16/18 tests and severe cytological atypia in population screening tests. In addition, cytological findings of ASC-H HPV negative in women > 40 years old usually represent benign findings in histological investigation.