OBJECTIVE To evaluate the tolerability of cervical insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 (IGFBP-1) and its value as a predictor of successful labour induction, compared with Bishop score and transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) cervical length. DESIGN A prospective study. SETTING A tertiary hospital in Malaysia. POPULATION A cohort of 193 term nulliparous women with intact membranes. M...

Background. A Nugent score > 7 has been defined as the gold standard for the diagnosis for bacterial vaginosis (BV), though it is resource intensive and impractical as point of care testing. We sought to determine if colorimetric assessment of vaginal pH can accurately predict the occurrence of BV. Methods. We performed a planned subanalysis of 1,216 pregnant women between 13 0/7 and 19 6/7 wee...

Retrospectively it was examined whether the number of retrieved oocytes, the maturation rate and cleavage rate can be predicted in regularly menstruating women by the use of the following predictive variables on cycle day 3-4: the concentration of FSH, oestradiol, inhibin B and inhibin A in serum and and the number of ovarian follicles seen by vaginal ultrasound. The study included 132 consecut...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW To evaluate current and previous findings related to a timely implementation of in-vitro maturation (IVM) of germinal vesicle, metaphase I and metaphase II oocytes with an optimal cryopreservation to determine whether IVM should be attempted prior to (fresh IVM) or IVM after cryopreservation (postthaw IVM). Mitochondrion, chromatin and spindle formation in both groups were int...

The changes in serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FHS), estradiol, and progesterone that occur both early and late in reproductive life were characterized and compared with findings in young, normal women and in patients with certain menstrual disorders. A total of 50 complete menstrual cycles in 37 were examined. Five distinct patterns of hormonal regulatio...

We previously reported that mouse strains with lower circulating insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) level at 6 mo have significantly extended longevity. Here we report that strains with lower IGF1 have significantly delayed age of female sexual maturation, measured by vaginal patency (VP). Among strains with normal lifespans (mean lifespan >600 d), delayed age of VP associated with greater lon...

Background: Setting up an in vitro follicle culture system that resembles in vivo ovary condition has high value in research. Additionally, expression evaluation of folliculogenesis involved genes could lead us to the designing of better culture system. Materials and Methods: ovaries of 12-day-old female NMRI mice were removed, 100-130 μm pre-antral follicles were mechanically isolated from fre...

Precipitins to mannan and cytoplasmic antigens of three Candida species were determined in an unselected series of 289 non-pregnant women. Precipitins were present in 20% of sera of women with vaginal candidiasis, in 23% of women harbouring yeasts in the vagina without clinical signs of infection, and in 21% of women harbouring yeasts in sites other than the vagina. Of the 47 patients who react...