Current Women's Health Reviews - Volume 4, Issue 2, 2008

WHO definition of reproductive health reads: “Within the framework of WHO's definition of health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, reproductive health addresses the reproductive processes, functions and system at all stages of life. Reproductive health, therefore, implies that people are able to have a responsible, satisfying and safe sex life and that t Read More

The endeavor to cryopreserve gonadal tissues and gametes in young patients who must undergo severe systemic anti-cancer treatment is entirely focused on the possibility of preserving their fertility potential. In this Review we deal with the development of ovarian tissue cryopreservation and the efforts to optimise the number of variables that appeared to affect frozen tissue survival, particularly the type and the concentration Read More

Epithelial ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from female genital malignancies, with more than half of the patients diagnosed at an advanced stage of the disease. E-cadherin ant the catenins play key roles in cell adhesion and motility. Little is known about the changes in expression of these molecules in the progression of ovarian carcinomas. This minireview summarizes our results obtained concerning th Read More

The mucosal immune system in the upper female reproductive tract is uniquely prepared to maintain a balance between the presence of commensal bacteria, sexually transmitted bacterial and viral pathogens, allogeneic spermatozoa, and an immunologically distinct fetus. At the center of this dynamic system are the epithelial cells that line the Fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix and vagina. Epithelial cells provide a firs Read More

Sexual transmission is the main route for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) spreading throughout the world. Heterosexual transmission of HIV is the predominant transmission modality among adults worldwide, while mother-to-child transmission accounts for the majority of HIV infections in children. Factors that affect genital tract shedding of the HIV virus or cell-associated provirus in women are probably important determi Read More

A woman with a growth restricted fetus should be surveyed appropriately and delivered at an optimal time. Pub Med and Cochrane databases have been used and searched for literature on fetal biophysical profile (BPP), cardiotocography (CTG), non-stress test (NST), contraction stress-test (CST) as well as Doppler investigation and indications for delivery. Surveillance of women with IUGR can include BPP, NST and appropriate Dop Read More

Infusion of sterile saline solution into the amniotic cavity has been used to increase the volume of intrauterine fluid or to dilute potentially damaging substances in the fluid. Regarding the route of administration, amnioinfusion can be done transabdominally or transcervically, and with regard to the timing of the procedure, it can be performed before labor or during labor. The present review updates our knowledge of transcervic Read More

Vitamins are obligatory nutrients to the developing fetus, these compounds being obtained from the maternal blood through placental transport. The strict importance of vitamins to fetal and pregnancy health is the motor for the current and emerging research on the molecular mechanisms of placental vitamin transport. This mini-review summarizes recent findings concerning the placental transport of the B-vitamins folate a Read More