OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of acupoint catgut embedding on miscarriage prevention and pregnancy outcome in patients with threatened abortion after in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET). METHODS: Sixty cases of patients with threatened abortion after IVF-ET were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each group. The patients in the control group were treated with intramuscular injection of progesterone (40 mg) once every day, while the patients in the observation group, on the basis of the treatment of control group, were treated with catgut embedding at Geshu (BL 17), Ganshu (BL 18), Shenshu (BL 23), Pishu (BL 20), Weishu (BL 21), Xuehai (SP 10), Diji (SP 8) and Fuliu (KI 7), once every two weeks, six times as a course of treatment. The treatment was given until 12 weeks into pregnancy. The level of serum human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), estradiol (E) and progesterone (P) before and after treatment was recorded; the TCM syndrome score before and after treatment was compared; the successful pregnancy rate and spontaneous abortion rate after treatment were observed in the two groups. RESULTS: Compared before treatment, the scores of TCM syndrome in both groups were reduced after treatment (both <0.01), and score in the observation group was superior to that in the control group (<0.05). After treatment, the clinical efficacy in the observation group was superior to that in the control group (<0.05). After treatment, the hormone levels (β-HCG, E, P) in both groups were increased steadily; the hormone levels in 6-week pregnancy, 8-week pregnancy and 10-week pregnancy were significantly higher than those in 4-week pregnancy (all <0.05); except the levels of P and β-HCG in 10-week pregnancy, the hormone levels in the observation group were superior to those in the control group (all <0.05). After treatment, the early abortion rate was 16.7% (5/30) in the observation group, which was lower than 33.3% (10/30) in the control group (<0.01); the pregnancy rate was 96.0% (24/25) in the observation group, which was higher than 80.0% (16/20) in the control group (<0.01). CONCLUSION Acupoint catgut embedding is effective for preventing threatened abortion, which could significantly reduce the spontaneous abortion rate, improve the pregnancy success rate, regulate hormone levels in patients after IVF-ET.
Abortion, Threatened ; prevention & control ; Acupuncture Points ; Catgut ; Embryo Transfer ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Pregnancy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of auricular acupuncture combined with dydrogesterone for threatened abortion in early pregnancy complicated with subchorionic hematoma. METHODS: A total of 80 patients were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 40 cases in each one. In the control group, dydrogesterone was taken orally twice a day, 10 mg a time until 12-week into pregnancy. In the observation group，auricular acupuncture was applied at penqiang (TF), pizhixia (AT), shen (CO), xin(CO), gan (CO), jiaogan (AH) and neifenmi (CO) on the basis of the control group, the auricular points on both sides were used alternatively. The auricular points were replaced every 3 days with 1 day break, totally 3 weeks (20 days) were required. Before treatment and after 10, 20 days of treatment, the percentage of helper T lymphocyte (Th) and inhibitory T lymphocyte (Ts), ratio of Th and Ts and serum level of CA125 were compared in the two groups. The areas of subchorionic hematoma and gestational sac were evaluated by B ultrasound. The therapeutic effect in the two groups were compared. RESULTS: The effective rate in the observation group was 80.0% (32/40), which was superior to 65.0% (26/40) in the control group (<0.05). After 10, 20 days of treatment, the percentage of Th and ratio of Th and Ts were lower than before treatment, the percentage of Ts were increased in the two groups (<0.01). After 20 days of treatment, the percentage of Th and ratio of Th and Ts in the observation group were lower than the control group (<0.01), the percentage of Ts was higher than the control group (<0.01). After 10, 20 days of treatment, the serum levels of CA125 were reduced compared before treatment in the two groups (<0.01), and the serum levels of CA125 in the observation group were lower than the control group (<0.01). After 10, 20 days of treatment, the ratio of subchorionic hematoma area and gestational sac area in the observation group was lower than the control group (<0.01). CONCLUSION Auricular acupuncture combined with dextroprogesterone can improve the effective rate of patients with threatened abortion in early pregnancy complicated with subchorionic hematoma, regulate immune factors, promote the hematoma absorption, and has a better synergistic effect with dextroprogesterone.
Abortion, Threatened ; prevention & control ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture, Ear ; methods ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Dydrogesterone ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hematoma ; complications ; Humans ; Immunologic Factors ; Pregnancy

OBJECTIVE: Yun Kang oral liquid is a listed proprietary Chinese Medicine. To further evaluate its efficacy, this experiment established a kidney deficiency and luteum inhibition threatened abortion rat model to observe the effects of Yun Kang oral liquid. METHODS: Sixty pregnant rats were randomly divided into normal control group (NC), model group (MG), dydrogesterone group (DT, 3.02 mg/kg), and Yun Kang oral liquid low-dose group (YK-L, 4 ml/kg), medium dose group (YK-M, 6 ml/kg), high dose group (YK-H, 9 ml/kg), 10 in each group. On the first day of pregnancy, each administration group was treated with the test drug at the prescribed dose every morning, and the NC group and the MG group were given an equal volume of purified water for 10 days; the rats were intragastrically administrated every afternoon, except for the NC group. In addition, the other groups were intragastrically administered with hydroxyurea at a dose of 450 mg/kg for 9 days, and mifepristone was administered at a dose of 4.0 mg/kg on the 10th day. On the 9th day of pregnancy, behavioral signs such as back temperature, grasping force, pain threshold, and autonomic activity were measured in each group. On the 11th day of pregnancy, blood was collected from the abdominal aorta in each group to determine serum levels of estradiol (E) , progesterone (P) and thromboxane B (TXB) . Ovary and fetal uterus were removed, the number and diameter of embryos were observed, and the ovary and uterus indexes were calculated. RESULTS: Compared with the NC group, the back temperature, grip, pain threshold, number of spontaneous activities, number of embryos, embryo diameter, uterus index and serum E, P, TXB levels in the MG group were decreased significantly (P＜0.05, 0.01). Compared with the MG group, the back temperature, grasping force, number of embryos, embryo diameter and serum E and P levels were increased significantly in each dose group (P＜0.05, 0.01); the pain threshold, autonomic activity, and uterus index of YK-M and YK-H group were increased significantly (P＜0.05); serum level of TXB in YK-H group were increased significantly (P＜0.05). CONCLUSION Yun Kang oral liquid has a clear kidney-filling effect on rats with threatened abortion caused by kidney deficiency-luteal suppression. The mechanism may be related to raising serum E, P, TXB levels, improving kidney deficiency and improving embryo quality.
Abortion, Spontaneous ; prevention & control ; Abortion, Threatened ; prevention & control ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Estradiol ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney ; physiopathology ; Luteal Phase ; Pregnancy ; Progesterone ; Rats ; Uterus

OBJECTIVETo investigate the serum levels of estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) in patients with the auras of threatened abortion (ATA), i.e., fetal irritability and vaginal bleeding, and the relation with prognosis.

METHODSChinese medicine syndrome of 598 pregnant women with ATA consulted in authors' hospital were differentiated into 5 types, 151 patients of Shen-deficiency type; 151 of Pi-Shen deficiency type; 36 of qi-blood insufficiency type, 235 of blood-heat type, and 25 of traumatic injured type. Their serum levels of E2 and P at the 5th to 13th gestation week were monitored by competitive chemiluminescnet enzyme immunoassay. And the outcome of pregnancy, continued or defeated, was observed.

RESULTS(1) From the 7th gestation week on, serum E2 level in women with continued pregnancy (CP) increased continuously, showed a higher value than that at the previous week (P < 0.05), and was higher than that in women with defeated pregnancy (DP) of same gestation age (P < 0.05). (2) Serum P level was not different in CP women at various gestation age (P > 0.05), but from the 7th week on, it was higher in CP women than in DP women of same gestation age (P < 0.05). (3) The comparison of serum E2 in CP versus DP of women with Shen-deficiency type or Pi-Shen deficiency type was identical to that in CP versus DP of all women enrolled.

CONCLUSIONSSerum levels of E2 and P in women with ATA at 5th to 13th gestation weeks were obtained. The 7th week of pregnancy is the critical period of pregnancy development, a comparative high E2 levels and its sustained and steady elevation indicates the good-ending of pregnancy with fetal irritability and vaginal bleeding. The Chinese medicine syndrome presented in women with ATA is dominantly the Shen-deficiency type. The variation of serum E2 is one of the important material foundation in pregnancy with fetal irritability and vaginal bleeding of Shen-deficiency type.

Abortion, Threatened ; blood ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Estradiol ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, First ; Progesterone ; blood ; Uterine Hemorrhage

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical effects of Prescription Zhuyun-III (ZYIII) on early pregnant women diagnosed as threatened abortion, and its mechanism in immunity and endocrine by determining serum Th1- and Th2-type cytokines, progesterone, and beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-HCG).

METHODSThe treatment group comprised 30 early pregnant women diagnosed as threatened abortion of deficiency syndrome of Pi, Shen, or both. The control group consisted of 20 normal early pregnant women of similar gestational age. Patients in the treatment group were administered with ZYIII for 4 weeks. Peripheral blood samples were collected pre- and post-treatment from both the treatment and the control groups. Serum Th1-type cytokine [interleukin-2 (IL-2)] and Th2-type cytokine [interleukin-10 (IL-10)] were determined by flow cytometry, and serum progesterone and beta-HCG were determined by ELISA.

RESULTS(1) The treatment was effective in 26 and ineffective in 4 patients of the treatment group. Therefore, the cure percentage was 86.67%. (2) In the treatment group before the treatment, IL-2 was significantly higher, IL-10 tended to be less, and the Th1/Th2 balance shifted toward Th1 compared with those in the control group. (3) After the treatment, IL-2 was decreased, IL-10 was increased, and IL-2/IL-10 was decreased. Both progesterone and beta-HCG were increased. Changes of progesterone were positively correlated with changes of IL-10, whereas changes of beta-HCG were negatively correlated with changes of IL-2.

CONCLUSIONSOur study suggests that ZYIII has an evident function of protecting the fetus, and one of its mechanisms is inhibiting the secretion of Th1 cytokines, promoting the secretion of Th2 cytokines, and recovering the pathological shift of the Th1/Th2 balance. The other possible mechanism is increasing serum progesterone and beta-HCG concentrations. Moreover, there are some correlations between the above two effects.

Abortion, Threatened ; Chorionic Gonadotropin ; blood ; Cytokines ; blood ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Pregnancy ; Progesterone ; blood ; Th1 Cells ; immunology ; Th2 Cells ; immunology

OBJECTIVE: To compare pregnancy prognosis by surgical management methods for adnexal mass in pregnancy, we evaluated laparoscopic surgery and laparotomy. METHODS: Between January 2000 and April 2008, 62 patients diagnosed with adnexal mass in pregnancy from St. Mary's hospital, Kangnam St. Mary's hospital, and Daejeon St. Mary's hospital were included. We performed a systemic retrospective chart review of patient who received by exploratory laparotomy or laparoscopy. The following factors were assessed: preoperative diagnosis, gestational age at the time of surgery, operative time, hospital stay, pathology, gestational age at delivery, complication and pregnancy outcome in both groups. Student's t-test and Fisher's exact test were used for statistical analysis. P-value below 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Laparoscopy 23 cases and exploratory laparotomy 39 cases underwent surgery during the study period. Lower abdominal pain due to cystic mass (50.0%) was the first operative indication and cystic torsion (30.6%) was followed. There was no difference in operative time, hospital stay, pregnancy outcome (spontaneous abortion, threatened abortion, preterm labor or birth) between two groups. But threatened abortion and preterm labor were increased in emergency operation than elective operation (P=0.028). Pregnancy outcomes were similar between laparoscopy and laparotomy. CONCLUSION: There was no difference in pregnancy complication and prognosis. Laparoscopic surgery can be managed safely as laparotomy in pregnancy women with adnexal mass.
Abdominal Pain ; Abortion, Threatened ; Emergencies ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Laparotomy ; Length of Stay ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Operative Time ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: To compare pregnancy prognosis by surgical management methods for adnexal mass in pregnancy, we evaluated laparoscopic surgery and laparotomy. METHODS: Between January 2000 and April 2008, 62 patients diagnosed with adnexal mass in pregnancy from St. Mary's hospital, Kangnam St. Mary's hospital, and Daejeon St. Mary's hospital were included. We performed a systemic retrospective chart review of patient who received by exploratory laparotomy or laparoscopy. The following factors were assessed: preoperative diagnosis, gestational age at the time of surgery, operative time, hospital stay, pathology, gestational age at delivery, complication and pregnancy outcome in both groups. Student's t-test and Fisher's exact test were used for statistical analysis. P-value below 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Laparoscopy 23 cases and exploratory laparotomy 39 cases underwent surgery during the study period. Lower abdominal pain due to cystic mass (50.0%) was the first operative indication and cystic torsion (30.6%) was followed. There was no difference in operative time, hospital stay, pregnancy outcome (spontaneous abortion, threatened abortion, preterm labor or birth) between two groups. But threatened abortion and preterm labor were increased in emergency operation than elective operation (P=0.028). Pregnancy outcomes were similar between laparoscopy and laparotomy. CONCLUSION: There was no difference in pregnancy complication and prognosis. Laparoscopic surgery can be managed safely as laparotomy in pregnancy women with adnexal mass.
Abdominal Pain ; Abortion, Threatened ; Emergencies ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Laparotomy ; Length of Stay ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Operative Time ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to investigate the relationship between prognosis of threatened abortion and embryonic heart rate at diagnosis. METHODS: The study group included 86 patients in which a singleton fetus with cardiac activity was initially documented. The study population was divided into successful pregnancy group (73 cases, pregnancy was maintained above 20 weeks of gestation) and spontaneous abortion group (13 cases). We compared the embryonic heart rate, age of mother, gestational age at diagnosis between two groups. RESULTS: A significant difference of embryonic heart rate was noted between the successful group and the spontaneous abortion group (153.1+/-22.9 vs 134.6+/-18.8 beats/min, p=0.0076). There was no statistical difference in the gestational age at diagnosis (8.0+/-1.9 vs 7.5+/-1.9 weeks), the age of mother, and primi para proportion. CONCLUSION: The prognosis of threatened abortion was related to the embryonic heart rate. Embryos with slow heart rates had a greater risk of spontaneous abortion. All cases with slow embryonic heart rate (<110 beats/min) had occurred spontaneous abortion. Therefore, these case were needed more information and aggressive treatment.
Abortion, Spontaneous ; Abortion, Threatened* ; Diagnosis ; Embryonic Structures ; Female ; Fetus ; Gestational Age ; Heart Rate* ; Heart* ; Human ; Humans ; Mothers ; Pregnancy ; Prognosis* ; Surrogate Mothers

OBJECTIVETo observe the fetus protection effects of Zhixue Baotai Decoction (ZBD) on women of early threatened abortion with dark area surrounding pregnancy sac.

METHODSThe 105 patients with early threatened abortion, in whom vaginal bleeding was shown already, were randomly assigned to the treatment group and the control group, who were treated respectively with ZBD and progesterone to protect fetus. The efficacy of treatment was evaluated by dynamic monitoring of serum hormone and B-ultrasonic examination.

RESULTSAmong the 54 cases in the treatment group the fetus was protected successfully, showing a fetus protecting rate of 81.5%; while among the 51 cases in the control group, the protection was effective in 22 cases (43.1%), the success rate in the former was better (P<0.01). The dark area was absorbed in 16 out of 19 cases (84.2%) in the treatment group, while in the control group absorption occurred only in 6 out of 17 (35.3%).

CONCLUSIONThe effect of ZBD is superior to that of progesterone in treating women of early threatened abortion with dark area surrounding pregnancy sac.

Abortion, Threatened ; diagnostic imaging ; drug therapy ; Adult ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Extraembryonic Membranes ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Phytotherapy ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, First ; Treatment Outcome ; Ultrasonography ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: Threatened abortion, one of the most common problems of pregnancy, develops 15-20% of pregnant women and progresses into the abortion in 20-50%. It is related to many obstetrical sequelae. We analyzed the prevalence of complication, disruption of pregnancy and the effect of recent treatments. In ultrasonographic examination, we divided all cases into two groups according to existence of hematoma. We compared the difference of two groups about the prognosis of pregnancy and maternal serum concentration of FP. METHODS: A total 88 cases of threatened abortion and 5741 cases of normal pregnancy were studied from Jan., 1999 through Dec., 2003 at St. Paul Hospital in Seoul, Korea. We analyzed age, gestational age of menstruation and ultrasonogram, parity, results of triple test, existence of hematoma, efficacy of treatment. In all cases, we carried out ultrasonic examination with LogiQ-400 (General Electronics Medical System, Tokyo, Japan). We checked the concentration of FP from triple test. RESULTS: The mean gestational age at diagnosis was 9.2 +/- 3.4 weeks. After threatened abortion, successful cases were 71 and mean gestational age at diagnosis was 9.6 +/- 3.6 weeks. In comparison with 17 unsuccessful cases, whose mean gestational age at diagnosis was 6.6 +/- 1.8 weeks, it was thought to be significant differences (p=0.001). The success rates of pregnancy prolongation between groups of different treatments modalities are nearly similar. Existence of hematoma seems to have little impact on prognoses of pregnancy outcome and there were no meaningful differences of maternal serum FP concentration. CONCLUSION: In this study, we could find no difference between the groups those were treated with various methods. We thought that more systematic analysis about the treatment of threatened abortion would be needed. In the cases that were diagnosed threatened abortion at later gestational age, we could find obvious improvement of the pregnancy outcome. So we conclude that gestational age at the diagnosis is potential parameter of prognosis.
Abortion, Threatened* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Korea ; Menstruation ; Parity ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnant Women ; Prevalence ; Prognosis ; Seoul ; Ultrasonics ; Ultrasonography