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Purpose: To study trends regarding the use of contraceptive methods and digital health modalities and to identify target groups of natural family planning (NFP)., Material and Methods: Using an online questionnaire specifically developed for this study in German (utilizing the online tool at 'www.surveymonkey.com'), we analysed the attitude towards NFP -methods and -apps, the need for contraceptive effectiveness in general, the perceived contraceptive effectiveness of NFP methods, and differences between NFP users and non-NFP users among 779 sexually active German-speaking women of fertile age (18-50 years) from November 2019 to October 2020., Results and Conclusions: Participants used NFP more frequently than they did five years ago. Women aged 30 years and older, with higher levels of education, who are living with a partner and have children, seem to be the target group for NFP methods. Concerning the wish for contraceptive effectiveness we found significant ( p  < .001) differences between NFP and non-NFP users. Furthermore, an increasing number of women wants to use NFP-methods and -apps for contraception; thus, non-hormonal contraceptive options should be offered. The majority of current NFP users stated that the handling and effectiveness of NFP have been improved by digitalisation.

Objective: To determine whether the prescribing practice of physicians with regard to estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) in symptomatic women with previous endometrial cancer is consistent with the available evidence., Methods: A descriptive survey was conducted among physicians in Germany, using a questionnaire containing two hypothetical cases of endometrial cancer patients ('low-risk' and 'high-risk' disease) and menopausal symptoms. Physicians were asked about their prescribing practice concerning moderate to severe menopausal symptoms., Results: Four hundred and twenty questionnaires were sent out, with an overall response rate of 39.8%; 45.6% in the 'low-risk' case and 75.4% in the 'high-risk' case (p < 0.0001) stated that ERT is contraindicated. Only 12.9% were willing to prescribe ERT; 81.9% preferred to prescribe non-estrogenic alternatives (44.8% phytoestrogens, 29.0% selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors)., Conclusion: Despite the evidence that ERT does not increase the risk of recurrence of endometrial cancer, many physicians are reluctant to prescribe ERT in women suffering from moderate to severe menopausal symptoms.

Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate whether sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), an apoptosis-inhibitor would be able to protect ovarian follicles from hypoxia-induced cell death in ovarian transplantation., Methods: In four sheep, both ovaries were removed and immediately transplanted back into the abdominal wall. In two of them, one ovary was treated with S1P locally by injection and incubation after dissecting the ovarian cortex. The contra lateral ovary of both sheep and both ovaries of the remaining sheep served as controls. After 2 weeks, all grafts were evaluated histologically., Results: Although the mean number of apoptotic cells were increased after grafting compared with fresh tissue, we were not able to demonstrate a significant difference regarding the follicular density in tissue with S1P treatment (mean number of follicles per field of view: 0.21 vs. 0.23, p = 0.909)., Conclusion: Apoptosis seems to play a role in follicular loss during ovarian transplantation; however, local application of S1P does not prevent primordial/primary follicles from hypoxia-induced cell death in cortical grafts in our study.