The two classes of cytokines Th1 and Th2 determine the type of immune response elicited. The Th2 immune response is associated with successful pregnancy. Brucellosis is an intracellular bacterium that elicits the Th1 response and is known to cause spontaneous abortion in mammalian species. This study sought to determine if Brucella infection causes spontaneous abortion by causing the circulatin...

Prenatal exposure to trace metals, whether they are essential, non-essential, or toxic, must be assessed for their potential health effects in the offspring. Herein is reported an approach to this end which involved collection of urine samples during the first and third trimesters of pregnancy from 489 mothers from Sabadell (Catalonia, Spain), a highly industrialized town. These samples were an...

BACKGROUND Cervical ripening during pregnancy resembles an inflammatory process. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), particularly MMP-8, have been linked to inflammatory processes. We studied the concentrations of, and factors associated with, MMP-8 in the lower genital tract fluids in the first and second trimesters. METHODS In a prospective population-based cohort study, vaginal and cervical ...

BACKGROUND The laparoscopic approach for appendicectomy in pregnancy was not considered the preferred procedure until recently. The aim of this study was to examine our experience with laparoscopic appendicectomy in pregnancy and review the scientific evidence available in the medical literature. METHOD The clinical data of all patients who underwent laparoscopic appendicectomy during pregnan...

Back ground Anemia in pregnancy is associated with increased rates of maternal and perinatal mortality, premature delivery, low birth weight, and other adverse outcomes Materials and Methods A prospective study was conducted on 1405 Iranian pregnant women who delivered during 2015. Blood was collected from all the subjects to measure the hemoglobin (Hb) during 16-19 weeks, 22-24 weeks,...

BACKGROUND Despite the volume of knowledge and daily reports on pre-eclampsia, its pathogenesis is still yet to be ascertained. Oxidative stress (oxidant (free radical) in excess of antioxidant) injury is one of the recently suggested pathogenetic mechanisms. This study, however, was designed to determine second and third trimesters of plasma malondialdehyde (product of free radical attack on m...

BACKGROUND The accuracy of common ultrasound parameters for the estimation of gestational age (GA) decreases as pregnancy advances in age. Hence, there is need to explore other parameters that may complement the established fetal biometric parameters in predicting GA in late pregnancy. AIM The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between the sonographic placental thickness (PT) ...

OBJECTIVE To determine the effects of Ramadan fasting on dietary intakes, nutritional status and biochemical parameters of Turkish pregnant women. METHODS We carried out this study at Dr. Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Care and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey from October 15th to November 13th 2004. Forty-nine fasting group and 49 non-fasting group (control group) voluntarily enrolled for...