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Background : Cervical cancer is one of the most common malignancies in women in terms of prevalence and mortality. Cervical cancer has some particularities that distinguish it from any other oncologic pathology: first, it is completely preventable by prompt detection of its precursor, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN); second, the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a known etiological agent; third, the mean age at diagnosis is much lower than in other oncologic conditions, as a consequence of the sexually-transmitted HPV. Methods : We evaluated the expression level of several long noncoding RNAs and a microRNA in samples from 30 patients with CIN, 9 with cervical cancer and 38 normal samples using qRT-PCR technology. Results : We observed higher expression levels for MEG3, DAPK1 , MLH1 and MALAT1 in CIN samples than in normal samples, whereas TIMP3 and SOX1 had lower expression levels. For cancer samples, DAPK1 , MLH1 and MALAT1 had higher expression, and MEG3 , TIMP3 and SOX1 had lower expression when compared to normal samples. In the case of CIN versus cancer samples, only MEG3 gene showed a statistically significant difference. The expression of miR-205-5p was lower in both CIN and cancer samples compared to normal samples. Conclusion: Decreased MEG3 expression could be considered an alarm signal in the transition from a premalignant cervical lesion to invasive cancer, while altered expression levels of TIMP3 , SOX1 , MLH1 , MALAT1 and miR-205-5p could serve as early biomarkers in the diagnosis of premalignant cervical lesions. Future studies, including a larger number of patients with CIN, will be of particular importance in validating these observations.

Background and objective : Spontaneous heterotopic pregnancy (SHP) is a rare condition represented by the synchronous coexistence of an intrauterine and an ectopic pregnancy. It rarely occurs with natural conception and is usually a consequence of assisted reproductive techniques. Diagnosis of SHP can be a challenge for the clinician. The evolution of the intrauterine pregnancy is dependent on many factors, such as the location of the heterotopic pregnancy, gestational age at the time of diagnosis, the surgical procedure, the presence of other risk factors, early or delayed management. The aim of this systematic review of the literature was to extract existing evidence on spontaneous heterotopic pregnancy with otherwise unaffected intrauterine pregnancy. Materials and Methods : From a total of 1907 database entries identified in PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane reviews, we selected 18 papers for narrative synthesis, for which we explored the diagnostic options, treatment, and outcome of these extremely rare epidemiologic occurrences. Manuscripts were assessed using the CARE guidelines for reporting case reports. Results : The main symptom was abdominal pain, and the preferred treatment approach was surgical, more precisely, using a laparoscopic approach. Most cases presented no risk factors, and the diagnosis was mostly made in the first semester. Conclusions : Normal follow-up and evolution of intrauterine pregnancy have been observed regardless of surgical approach (open or laparoscopic). Early diagnosis and treatment are advised, as they impact maternal and fetal outcomes. Evidence on this topic is scarce, predominantly comprised of case reports with variable degrees of adherence to dissemination guidelines. More studies on this topic are required to optimize care protocols for this type of pregnancy.

Background and objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of first trimester uterine artery Doppler ultrasonography for the early prediction of preeclampsia (PE), in at-risk pregnant women. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective longitudinal study, including 120 Caucasian pregnant women with risk factors for PE. The potential of pulsatility indexes (PI) and notch was assessed as a tool for preeclampsia screening. Results: Doppler examination of the uterine artery performed early at 11-14 WA allows the detection of pregnancies that will develop PE with a sensitivity of 61.5% and a specificity of 63.8% based on PI analysis. Predictive power increases slightly by adding bilateral notch (sensitivity = 65.4%; specificity = 66%). Conclusions: Uterine artery Doppler examination is an effective non-invasive screening test for the development of PE in pregnancies at risk, particularly appropriate in health systems with limited means of evaluating other biomarkers.

Background and objectives : As pelvic floor disorders are often difficult to assess thoroughly based on clinical examination alone, the use of imaging as a complementary technique is helpful. This study's aim was to investigate by transperineal ultrasound (US) if there was any significant difference in the mobility of the bladder neck in women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) without a cystocele and in those with SUI and an associated cystocele. The study also investigated whether the number of vaginal births and/or the heaviest newborn's birth weight was correlated with the bladder neck mobility. Materials and Methods : A total of 71 women suffering from SUI were included in the study and divided into two groups based on the presence of a cystocele. Their bladder neck mobility was evaluated by transperineal US, calculating the distance from the inferior margin of the symphysis pubis to the bladder neck (SPBN), and the dorsocaudal linear movement (DLM), term used to illustrate the displacement of the bladder neck by subtracting rest and Valsalva values. GraphPad Prism 8 was used for statistical analysis. Results : Within both study groups, the SPBN values were significantly higher and the DLM values were significantly lower at rest as compared to Valsalva maneuver ( p < 0.05). No significant difference between the groups regarding SPBN and DLM values at rest, Valsalva, or subtraction was demonstrated. A significant positive correlation was found between the bladder neck mobility and the heaviest newborn's birth weight, regardless of the presence of a cystocele ( p = 0.042). Conclusions : The presence of a cystocele had no significant impact on the bladder neck mobility measurements in patients with SUI. The heaviest newborn's birth weight positively correlated with bladder neck hypermobility, as quantified by SPBN.