No abstract available.
C-Reactive Protein* ; Female ; Obstetric Labor, Premature* ; Pregnancy ; Tocolysis*

OBJECTIVE: Increasingly it is being recognized that genetic factors play a significant role in causing malformation. There are many available prenatal diagnostic methods including cytogenetic karyotyping using amniocentesis and cordocentesis, fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH), and primed in situ labelling(PRINS). Our purpose was to attempt to discuss the clinical use of cytogenetic karyotyping, FISH, and PRINS. METHODS: We conducted 222 cases of cytogenetic karyotyping using amniocentesis and cordocentesis, l0 cases of FISH, and 10 cases of PRINS from January 1996 to July 1998 at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital. Age distribution, chromosomal abnormalities by age group, indication, karyotype, and baby outcomes were performed. RESULTS: Overall incidence of chromosomal abnormalities was 7.7%(17cases) and chromosomal abnormalities were most frequently noted in 30-34 year old women and 35-39 year old women(2.3%, respectively). Among 222 cases, 25-29 year old women were highest(30.2%). Chromosomal abnormalities among cytogenetic karyotyping cases were Down syndrome, Edward syndrome, Patau syndrome, Deletion(8), Inversion(9), etc. The 5 cases of healthy baby among chromosomal abnormalities were delevered. Among 213 cases of karyotyping using amniocentesis, abnormal karyotyping cases were 15 cases. Among 15 cases, 8 cases were terminated and 5 cases of healthy baby were delivered. Among 9 cases of karyotyping using cordocentesis, 2 cases of chromosomal abnormalities(Edward, Down syndrome) were found and 3 cases healthy baby were delivered. Among 10 cases of FISH results, 6 case of FISH results were the same with G-banding and were different from G-banding. Among 10 cases of PRINS results, we got the PRINS results from 7 cases. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that cytogenetic karyotyping, FISH, and PRINS are very useful to detect chromosomal abnormalities.
Age Distribution ; Amniocentesis ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Cordocentesis ; Cytogenetics* ; Down Syndrome ; Female ; Fluorescence* ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization* ; Incidence ; Karyotype ; Karyotyping* ; Prenatal Diagnosis* ; Primed In Situ Labeling

No abstract available.
Estradiol* ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic* ; Progesterone*

No abstract available.
Cervix Uteri* ; Chlamydia trachomatis* ; Chlamydia* ; Female

No abstract available.
Chorionic Gonadotropin* ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Humans*

OBJECTIVE: Currently, preparation for childbirth is becoming an increasingly popular addition to patient education. Because of this interest, it seems advisable to review the evidence on the effect of prepared childbirth. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of Lamaze preparation on labor and delivery. METHODS: To investigate whether prepared-childbirth courses offer measurable physical advantages, we compared the labor and delivery characteristics of 80 primiparas who had taken Lamaze-training classes with 76 control patients who had not. We reviewed retrospectively obstetrical records of 156 pregnant women delivered in Ewha Womans University MokDong Hospital from January to December, 1997. RESULT: The length of the first stage of labor in the group that attended childbirth preparation classes was 5.70 hours and 6.93 hours in the comparison group. This difference was statistically significant (P= .040). The mean duration of the second stage of labor in attenders was 42.43 minutes and 41.16 minutes in the nonattenders(P= .719). Average duration of labor in attenders was 1.07 hours shorter than in nonattenders (P= .075). The cesarean section rate in attenders was 25% compared with 36.8% in nonattenders (P= .10920). CONCLUSION: No statistical significance was found in this study. However we need to be aware that the length of first stage of labor was shorter and the rate of cesarean section was lower in prepared group. Childbirth education should be integrated into prenatal health care to be readily available for all women.
Cesarean Section ; Delivery of Health Care ; Female ; Humans ; Parturition ; Patient Education as Topic ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Prenatal Education ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Pregnancy* ; Spermatozoa*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Embryonic Structures* ; Mice*

This study was purosed to investigate maternal and fetal clinical parameters effecting on maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein(MSAFP) levels at late normal singleton pregnancies. The subjects of this study were 171 pregnant women with gestational age of 36 to 42 weeks, and didn`t have any medical or gynecologic diseases. They delivered fetuses within three days after blood test of MSAFP. MSAFP levels were measured by enzyme-immunoassay. The analysed clinical parameters included fetal sex, fetal weight, gestatioal age, maternal age, gravidity, parity, maternal weight and maternal total weight gain during pregnancy. The results were as follows: At uncomplicated late pregnancies, 1. Male fetus bearers had higher MSAFP(mean: 191.8 ng/ml, SD: 80.8 ng/ml, n=79) than female-fetus bearers(mean 153.6 ng/ml, SD 73.0 ng/ml, n=92)(p=0.0014). 2. Multiparas had higher MSAFP(mean: 192.7 ng/ml, SD: 77.9 ng/ml, n=80) than nulliparas(mean: 152.3 ng/ml, SD 75.1 ng/ml, n=91)(p=0.0007). 3. MSAFP did not have correlation with maternal age, maternal weight, maternal total wight gain during pregnancy, gestational age, fetal weight. According to the above results, fetal sex and parity are the factors that influences MSAFP levels at uncomplicated late pregnancies. So MSAFP values should be interpreted with cautions.
Female ; Fetal Weight ; Fetus ; Genital Diseases, Female ; Gestational Age ; Gravidity ; Hematologic Tests ; Humans ; Male ; Maternal Age ; Parity ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Weight Gain

OBJECT: This study was carried out to investigate the effect of pentoxifylline on in vitro fertillization and developmen of preimplantation stage of mouse embryos. MATERIAL AND METHODS:F1 hybrid mice was superovulated with PMSG/hCG and mouse oocytes were recruited. After the normal sperms were incubated with PTX before in vitro fertilization, it was observed whether the fertilization and embryo development was affected or not by the sperm preparation(washing, dilution and no washing or no dilution). And after 1-cell and 2-cell stage of mouse embryos were incubated with PTX, the development to hatching blastocyst was also observed. RESULTS: When in vitro fertilization was revealed by using the washed normal sperms after 0, 3.6 and 7.2 mM PTX incubation, the fertilization rates were 92.5%, 48.8%, 36.8%, respectively. So 3.6 and 7.2 mM groups presented significantly low fertilizatin rate, but the development rates were 93.9%, 85.0%, 95.2%, respectively. Therefore, there were no significant difference between each group. When in vitro fertilization was revealed by using the diluted normal sperms after 0, 3.6, and 7.2 mM PTX incubation, the fertilization rates were 58.6%, 5.4%, 9.4%, respectively. So 3.6 and 7.2 mM groups presented significantly low fertilization rate. The developmental rates were 88.2%, 100%, 100%. And there were no significant difference between each group. When in vitro fertilization was revealed by using the not washed and not diluted normal sperms after 0, 3.6 and 7.2 mM PTX incubation, the fertilizatin rates were 61.2%, 5.7%, 3.8%, respectively. 3.6 and 7.2 mM group presented significantly low fertilization rate. The development rates were 73.3%, 0%, 0%, respectively. So 3.6, 7.2 mM group presented significantly low developmental rate. After 1-cell stage of mouse embryos were incubated in 0, 5, 10, 50 nM of PTX, the development rates were not significantly different among them. After 2-cell stage of mouse embryos were incubated in 0, 5, 10, 50 nM of PTX, the development rates were not significantly different among them. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, when PTX is used in in vitro fertilization program with normal sperms, it may affect the fertilization and embryo development in high concentration. And if PTX concentration is very low, the developmental rate would not be affected. So PTX must not be used to normal sperms and where use of PTX is indicated, it is recommended that remainder PTX must be removed as completely as possible.
Animals ; Blastocyst ; Embryonic Development ; Embryonic Structures ; Female ; Fertilization ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Mice* ; Oocytes ; Pentoxifylline* ; Pregnancy ; Spermatozoa*