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In this article we review the historically important cases of conjoined twins (Biddenden Maids, Siamese twins, Blazek sisters) and contemporary knowledge regarding incidence, etiopathogenesis, antenatal diagnosis, antenatal management, and outcome of conjoined twins. We also present a case of male cephalothoracoomphalopagus, which is extremely rare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective . To analyze the cause of changing maternal mortality ratios (MMRs) in a tertiary women's health center in Turkey in the last eight years. Materials and methods . Charts of patients seen between 1998 and 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. Statistical analysis was performed using the Chi-square test. The results were accepted to be significant when the p value was <50.05. Results. During this period, 27 pregnancy-related deaths were identified via hospital death records. The MMR was found to have decreased in rate by approximately 50% from 822.2/100 000 live births in the previous report including the years 1978–1997 to 412.0/100 000 during the last eight years (p<50.01). Pregnancy-induced hypertension was still the most frequent cause of maternal death. The decrease in MMR was due to the decrease in the ratio of maternal infection (26.4% in 1978–1997 to 7.4% in 1998–2005, p<50.01). Conclusion. Although treatment in the antenatal care and health service has decreased maternal deaths, it was discovered that the MMR has not reached the optimum levels found in developed countries in the last eight years. Also the percentage of direct obstetric deaths (with the exception of those caused by infection) showed no change and was similar to that found in the previous report (1978–1997). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this abdominal pregnancy, the dead fetus was delivered through an abdominal incision at the 36th gestational week. The placenta invaded the small intestine and the omentum was leftin situ. The placental degeneration was monitored using serial serumβ-human chorionic gonadotropin values. In certain periods, the follow up of the placental regression was carried out using the Cavalieri method with abdominal ultrasound. It was seen that the placental volume had decreased by 83% at the end of 1 year. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time this method has been used for this purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is now clear that estrogen intervention reduces bone loss in postmenopausal osteoporosis. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the route of estrogen administration or addition of progesterone changes this positive effect. Transdermal estrogen (T-E), oral estrogen (E), and oral estrogen plus progestogen (E-P) were administered to 15, 18, and 17 postmenopausal women, respectively, who all had normal bone mineral density (BMD) before hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Calcium (500 mg/day) was routinely added to all HRT regimens. The BMD of the lumbar spine (L2-L4) was measured initially and at the end of the first and second years of treatment. The paired-sample t test, independent-sample t test, and Pearson correlation analysis were used for the statistical evaluation. The initial BMD measurements and the values at the end of the first and second years of the therapy were not significantly different either within or among the groups (P > 0.05). These results indicate a similar therapeutic value of each HRT regimen in the prevention of bone loss in postmenopausal women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a case of pure gonadal dysgenesis with streak gonads in which spontaneous conception occurred 10 years after the diagnosis. Her pregnancy proceeded as normal, and she gave birth to a live baby at term by cesarean section. A lactation period lasting for 1 year and afterwards proceeded as amenorrheic. Gonadotropins measurements in post-lactational period were at the menopausal levels again. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of pure gonadal dysgenesis with streak gonads in which spontaneous conception occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intrauterine device (IUD) is common method of contraception among women because of its low cost and high efficacy. Perforations are possible; most perforations occur at the time of insertion, yet the complication can occur with a previously inserted IUD. Perforation of the bladder by an IUD is extremely rare. In this report, we present a case in which the IUD perforated the uterus and migrated to the bladder. At the time of the diagnosis, the patient was 8 weeks pregnant.

In the present study we aimed to investigate whether basal inhibin A and B levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) would be used in diagnosis of the condition. Forty women with PCOS and 40 women with normal cycles (control group) were evaluated. There was no statistically significant difference in mean age and mean body mass index between the two groups (p > 0.05). Serum levels of inhibin A and B, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone and total testosterone, and total ovarian volume, were determined in the PCOS group and the control group on day 3. In the PCOS group, total follicle number was obtained by counting follicles of diameter > or =2 mm in both ovaries. Results were evaluated using Student's t test, Pearson correlation and regression tests. There was no significant difference in mean basal inhibin A or inhibin B levels between the two groups. Basal inhibin B levels showed a statistically significant negative correlation with basal FSH levels and a positive correlation with total follicle number in the PCOS group (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). We conclude that basal inhibin A or B levels cannot be used in the diagnosis of PCOS.

Background: In this prospective clinical single blind study, we aimed to investigate whether day 3 serum inhibin B levels in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome(PCOS) are of predictive value for the estimation of the ovarian response to gonadotropins., Methods: Ovulation induction with low dose step-up gonadotropin protocol, starting with 75 IU/day, was performed for 30 cycles on 25 patients with PCOS. Day 3 serum inhibin B, follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH) and estradiol, and midluteal serum progesterone levels were measured during each cycle. The correlations between day 3 inhibin B levels and day 3 FSH, day 3 estradiol and midluteal progesterone measurements, as well as the amount of gonadotropin required to provide an ovulatory cycle were investigated., Results: Five (27.8%) out of 18 cycles with day 3 inhibin levels <50.0 pg/ml; and 11 (91.7%) out of 12 cycles with levels > or = 50.0 pg/ml were ovulatory (chi(2)=9.38, p<0.01). Moreover, day 3 inhibin B levels had statistically significant negative correlation with the gonadotropin used; and significant positive correlation with the midluteal progesterone levels (p<0.05). There wasn't any significant relation between day 3 FSH and estradiol levels with the gonadotropin used and progesterone levels., Conclusions: It has been observed that as day 3 serum inhibin B levels increased in women with PCOS, the ovulatory response to gonadotropins and the rate of ovulatory cycles increased significantly.