Ovarian pregnancy is comparatively rare form of ectopic pregnancy. Although earlier diagnosis is now possible due to the availability of quantitative beta-hCG measurement and the development of transvaginal ultrasonograghy, it is mostly difficult to diagnosis before surgery, and frequently misdiagnosed as a ruptured corpus luteum accompanied with massive hemoperitoneum. Definite diagnosis is made only by cytopathologic examination of tissue specimen. The treatment of ovarian pregnancy has been operative management including oophorectomy, salpingo-oophorectomy and ovarian wedge resection. But recently conservative management using laparoscopic technique has become the preferred treatment. We have experienced a case of primary ovarian pregnancy and reviewed it briefly.
Corpus Luteum ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Hemoperitoneum ; Ovariectomy ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic*

Ovarian pregnancy is a rare form of ectopic pregnancy that is often difficult to diagnose. The diagnostic criteria were described in 1878 by Spiegelberg, which comprise that the pregnancy is in the ovary and does not involve the tube. Ovarian pregnancy occurs in the corpus luteum, and is usually accompanied with the rupture of the ovary and massive hemoperitoneum. It presents as a hemorrhagic ovary and frequently misdiagnosed as a ruptured corpus luteum. We have experienced a case of ovarian pregnancy and reviewed it briefly.
Corpus Luteum ; Female ; Hemoperitoneum ; Ovary ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic* ; Rupture

Primary ovarian pregnancy is a rare form of ectopic pregnancy, and the prevalence rate is reported to be between 1/7,000 and 1/40,000 pregnancies. Ovarian pegnancy occurs within the ovary and on the corpus luteum, usually with rupture and massive bleeding. It is frequently misdiagnosed as a ruptured corpus luteum and the differentiation may be made only by micoroscopic examination of a tissue specimen. We have experienced four cases of ovarian pegnancy, which are presented with a brief review in the literature.
Corpus Luteum ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Ovary ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic* ; Prevalence ; Rupture

OBJECTIVE: To understand the physiologic effects and secretion pattern of inhibin A and inhibin B throughout menstrual cycle in the normal reproductive women, serum values of inhibin A and inhibin B were measured. METHODS: Inhibin A and inhibin B levels were measured in 320 serum samples from 160 normal reproductive women by solid phase sandwich ELISA. RESULTS: In the normal reproductive women, inhibin A is secreted in low serum levels until the mid- proliferative phase, begins to increase in the late proliferative phase (16.53+/-1.57 pg/ml), reaches the peak in the early secretory and mid-secretory phase (45.56+/-2.37 and 45.85+/-2.08 pg/ml), and subsequently decreases in the late secretory phase. We found that inhibin B begins to increase in the early proliferative phase (65.40+/-4.08 pg/ml), is secreted in high concentration in the proliferative phase, reaches the peak in the ovulatory phase (110.74+/-9.83 pg/ml), and thereafter declines rapidly to the lowest level in the mid-secretory phase (29.59+/-2.08 pg/ml). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, serum inhibin A levels peak during the luteal phase, indicating the greatest production by the corpus luteum and serum inhibin B levels increase during the follicular phase, indicating the greatest production by follicles in early stage of development. Inhibin A is associated with the luteal function and inhibin B, the follicular function. Both inhibins are associated with the follicular maturation and development.
Corpus Luteum ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Follicular Phase ; Humans ; Inhibins* ; Luteal Phase ; Menstrual Cycle*

Pregnancy maintenance is dependent on the presence of a functional corpusluteum (CL) for a few weeks after implantation. However, the factors responsible for the rescue of the CL during earlypregnancy have not been fully clarified. This study was designed to evaluate whether the change in size of the CL ofearly pregnancy, serum concentration of progesterone, 17alpha-hydroxyprogesterone,or beta-hCG correlated with the gestational age or were predictive of pregnancyoutcome. We retrospectively analysed thirty-six women between 4~9 weeks' gestation. All women underwent transvaginal ultrasound measurement of the CL size andgestational sac(or crown-rump length). Blood was drawn from each patient on the day of the ultrasound examinationto measure hormone concentration. Fifteen women experienced vaginal bleeding and abdominal pain.Among them, four women were aborted. There was no significant positive correlation between CL size and serumprogesterone, 17alpha-hydroxyprogesterone or beta-hCG both in normal and abnormal pregnancy. A positive correlation was observed between the gestational age and progesterone orbeta-hCG in normal pregnancy, but not in abnormal pregnancy(threatened or spontanousabortion). In conclusion, close correlation between the gestational age and serum concentrationof progesterone or beta-hCG may reflect the normal function of CL. Therefore, abnormal response of CL or abnormal production of beta-hCG cause a disturbancein progesterone secretion leading to the abnormal pregnancy.
Corpus Luteum* ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Pregnancy Maintenance ; Pregnancy* ; Progesterone* ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography ; Uterine Hemorrhage

Pregnancy maintenance is dependent on the presence of a functional corpusluteum (CL) for a few weeks after implantation. However, the factors responsible for the rescue of the CL during earlypregnancy have not been fully clarified. This study was designed to evaluate whether the change in size of the CL ofearly pregnancy, serum concentration of progesterone, 17alpha-hydroxyprogesterone,or beta-hCG correlated with the gestational age or were predictive of pregnancyoutcome. We retrospectively analysed thirty-six women between 4~9 weeks' gestation. All women underwent transvaginal ultrasound measurement of the CL size andgestational sac(or crown-rump length). Blood was drawn from each patient on the day of the ultrasound examinationto measure hormone concentration. Fifteen women experienced vaginal bleeding and abdominal pain.Among them, four women were aborted. There was no significant positive correlation between CL size and serumprogesterone, 17alpha-hydroxyprogesterone or beta-hCG both in normal and abnormal pregnancy. A positive correlation was observed between the gestational age and progesterone orbeta-hCG in normal pregnancy, but not in abnormal pregnancy(threatened or spontanousabortion). In conclusion, close correlation between the gestational age and serum concentrationof progesterone or beta-hCG may reflect the normal function of CL. Therefore, abnormal response of CL or abnormal production of beta-hCG cause a disturbancein progesterone secretion leading to the abnormal pregnancy.
Corpus Luteum* ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Pregnancy Maintenance ; Pregnancy* ; Progesterone* ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography ; Uterine Hemorrhage

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the endocrine response to step-up microdose GnRH agonist. METHODS: Administration of triptorelin acetate was initiated from 2 mg and gradually increased to 50 mg during 6-day period to five normal menstruating women. Serum FSH, LH, and estradiol levels were serially measured for 6 days. The same set of experiment was duplicated after taking oral contraceptive for 3 weeks. Serum testosterone and progesterone levels were measured on day 1 and day 5 of experiment. RESULTS: The flare of gonadotropin continued for 6 days. When subjects were pretreated with oral contraceptive, serum FSH levels 4 hrs after GnRH agonist injection were 17.35+/-7.88 mIU/mL, 11.26+/-4.81 mIU/mL, and 9.60+/-4.08 mIU/mL for day 1, 2, and 3 respectively. The FSH levels were not statistically different when pretreatment with oral contraceptive was not applied. The level of serum LH was significantly lower in the cycle, which was pretreated by oral contraceptive (32.13+/-9.61 mIU/mL vs. 14.12+/-5.63 mIU/mL for day 1, 28.95+/-3.09 mIU/mL vs. 15.76+/-9.92 mIU/mL for day 2, and 24.45+/-2.52 mIU/mL vs. 16.86+/-8.56 mIU/mL for day 3). The sign of corpus luteum rescue was found in 2 out of 5 subjects only in non-treated cycle. CONCLUSION: Step-up microdose GnRH agonist protocol could induce persistent gonadotropin flare for 6 days and this regimen could be applied in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation especially for poor responders. The pretreatment with oral contraceptive is necessary to prevent supraphysiologic LH elevation and corpus luteum rescue.
Corpus Luteum ; Estradiol ; Female ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone* ; Gonadotropins ; Humans ; Progesterone ; Testosterone ; Triptorelin Pamoate

Ovarian myoma is a rare mesenchymal tumor, accounting for only 1% of benign ovarian neoplasm. These tumors only originate from smooth muscle on the walls of blood vessels in the cortical stroma, in the corpus luteum and in the ovarian ligaments at the point of attachment to the ovary. Most patients are asymptomatic and the tumors are usually found incidently during operations or at autopsies. Two cases of ovarian myoma experienced in our hospital recently are reported with a brief review of the literatures."
Autopsy ; Blood Vessels ; Corpus Luteum ; Female ; Humans ; Leiomyoma* ; Ligaments ; Muscle, Smooth ; Myoma ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Ovary

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to investigate the expression of CDK (Cyclin dependent kinase) inhibitor, p57(kip2) in human ovarian corpus luteum, benign and malignant ovarian tumors. METHODS: 46 women undergoing laparoscopic surgery or laparotomy for ovarian tumors were enrolled. Total 46 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections of corpus luteum, benign and malignant ovarian tumors were stained by immunohistochemistry for expression of p57(kip2). RESULTS: p57(kip2) was stained in theca cell of growing follicle but not induced in human corpus luteum. There was the expression of p57(kip2) in mature teratoma, immature teratoma and endometrioma but not in epithelial ovarian tumors. CONCLUSIONS: These results showed that p57(kip2) expression may be not important in luteinization of the ovary and seemed not to play a role in development of epithelial ovarian tumors. However, it may involve pathogenesis of mature teratoma, immature teratoma and endometrioma.
Corpus Luteum ; Endometriosis ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Laparoscopy ; Laparotomy ; Lutein ; Luteinization ; Ovary ; Teratoma ; Theca Cells

Primary ovarian ectopic pregnancy has remained a rare event. It is difficult preoperatively to diagnose and differentiate ovarian pregnancy from hemorrhagic ovarian cyst and tubal ectopic pregnancy. However, improved diagnosis of acute hemoperitoneum of ovarian origin may reveal a higher incidence than reported earlier. The diagnostic criteria were described in 1878 by Spiegelberg, which comprise that the pregnancy is in the ovary and does not involve the tube. Ovarian pregnancy occurs within the ovary and on the corpus luteum, usually with rupture of the ovary and a massive hemoperitoneum. We report a relatively intact primary ovarian pregnancy with a brief review of the literatures.
Corpus Luteum ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Hemoperitoneum ; Incidence ; Ovarian Cysts ; Ovary ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic* ; Rupture