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Biomedical subjects

Z Ben-Rafael

Publications and source records attributed to Z Ben-Rafael.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

The rationale for requesting a second consecutive sperm ejaculate for assisted reproductive technology.

We assessed the value of requesting a second semen sample provided within 1 hour of the first in cases of unacceptable ejaculate quality (compared to previous occasions) or very poor semen characteristics. The study population consisted of 109 males with severe oligo-terato-astenospermic (OTA) syndrome in an assisted reproduction program. Semen volume, sperm count and sperm motility were recorded in the first and second samples with a Makler Counting Chamber before sperm processing, and total motile sperm in the ejaculate was calculated. Differences in sperm parameters between the consecutive samples were determined by paired-sample t test. In 36 cases (33%) the second sample was found to be superior in quality to the first and was therefore used for the fertilization process. Of the 12/109 cases in which the first ejaculate demonstrated no motile sperm, five (41%) had detectable motile sperm in the second (total 0.1 x 10(6), 0.2 x 10(6), 0.3 x 10(6), 8.4 x 10(6) and 20.8 x 10(6)). We conclude that a request for second ejaculate immediately after the first in males with poor semen quality or no detectable motile sperm can yield a better sample in a significant percentage of cases. Using this method, clinicians can avoid the utilization of elaborate sperm processing techniques and the need for unnecessary micromanipulative fertilization.

Ejaculation↗
PubMed2000

Pregnancy outcome in women with primary renal disease.

BACKGROUND: The preconception and intraconception parameters that are relevant to outcome in women with underlying renal disease remain controversial. OBJECTIVES: To analyze the types and frequencies of short- and long-term (2 years after delivery) maternal and neonatal complications in 38 patients with primary renal disease (46 pregnancies), most of them with mild renal insufficiency. METHODS: Logistic regression models were formulated to predict successful outcome. RESULTS: Successful pregnancy outcome (live, healthy infant without severe handicap 2 years after delivery) was observed in 98% of the patients with primary renal disease. Factors found to be significantly predictive of successful outcome were absence of pre-existing hypertension, in addition to low preconception serum uric acid level. CONCLUSIONS: Most women with primary renal disease who receive proper prenatal care have a successful pregnancy outcome. Worse pregnancy outcome was observed in women with moderate or severe renal failure. Fitted logistic models may provide useful guidelines for counseling women with preexisting renal disease about their prospects for a successful pregnancy in terms of immediate and long-term maternal and neonatal outcome.

Female↗
PubMed2000

Prediction of pregnancy outcome in subgroups of women with renal disease.

BACKGROUND: The preconception and intraconception parameters that are relevant to outcome in women with underlying renal disease remain controversial. SUBJECTS, MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed the types and frequencies of short- and long-term (2 years after delivery) maternal and neonatal complications in 38 patients with primary renal disease (46 pregnancies), 24 IDDM patients with diabetic nephropathy (24 pregnancies), and 27 patients with a functioning renal allograft (42 pregnancies), most of them with mild renal insufficiency. Logistic regression models were formulated to predict successful outcome. RESULTS: Successful pregnancy outcome (live, healthy infant without severe handicap 2 years after delivery) was observed in 98% of the patients with primary renal disease, 96% of the IDDM patients with diabetic nephropathy, and 89% of the patients with a functioning renal allograft. Factors found to be significantly predictive of successful outcome were absence of preexisting hypertension in all groups, in addition to low preconception serum uric acid level in the primary renal disease patients, and long interval from transplantation to conception and use of a low dose ofprednisone in the renal transplant patients. CONCLUSION: Most women with different subtypes of renal disease have a successful pregnancy outcome with proper prenatal care. Worse pregnancy outcome was observed in women with moderate or severe renal failure. Fitted logistic models may provide useful guidelines for counseling women with preexisting renal disease about their prospects for a successful pregnancy in terms of immediate and long-term maternal and neonatal outcome.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Regulation of platelet aggregation and adenosine triphosphate release in vitro by 17beta-estradiol and medroxyprogesterone acetate in postmenopausal women.

Clinical studies have suggested that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease in postmenopausal women. Although progestins are commonly added to HRT preparations for uteroprotection, the perceived beneficial cardiovascular effects of HRT are thought to be mediated predominantly by the estrogen component. Platelets play a critical role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease and, hence, it is possible that the cardiovascular effects of estrogens are mediated, at least in part, through inhibition of illicit platelet activation. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of sex steroids on adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced platelet aggregation and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) release in vitro in postmenopausal women. In addition, the effects of antiestrogens 14-hydroxy tamoxifen (4-OHT) and ICI 182780] and antiprogestins (RU 486 and ZK 98299) were also investigated. Preincubation of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) with antiestrogens or antiprogestins did not alter subsequent platelet aggregation or ATP release in response to ADP. However, preincubation with 17beta-estradiol (E2) significantly inhibited ADP-mediated platelet aggregation by a mean (+/-SEM) of 37%+/-6% (p = 0.02) and ATP release by 82%+/-6% (p = 0.03), an effect that was reversed by the addition of ICI 182780 or 4-OHT but not RU 486 and ZK 98299. Although the progestin medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) also significantly inhibited platelet aggregation (by 28%+/-5%, p = 0.02) and ATP release (by 63%+/-9%, p = 0.02), this inhibition was not reversed by the addition of antiprogestins or antiestrogens. These data show that sex steroids can modulate platelet function in vitro. Furthermore, as platelets are devoid of nuclear components, these findings indicate that estrogens may regulate platelet function through binding to a non-nuclear receptor with ligand-binding properties similar or identical to the wild-type receptor. By contrast, MPA appears to exert its effect through a mechanism that does not involve binding to the "classical" progesterone receptor.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1999

Elective cytogenetic amniocentesis in the third trimester for pregnancies with high risk factors.

The aim of the present study was to report the findings in 14 women with extremely high risk ('precious') pregnancies, 5 of whom had twins, who underwent elective third-trimester cytogenetic amniocentesis. There were no procedure-related complications, and all newborns weighed more than 2000 g and showed normal development. This practice is accepted under Israeli law and our institutional policy. This preliminary work does not attempt to answer the moral and ethical questions surrounding the use of third (versus second) trimester amniocentesis in either 'precious' or normal pregnancies. We do show, however, that the procedure is safe and may constitute a good alternative for patients who are unwilling to accept the risks of early fetal karyotyping.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Fibrin glue improves pregnancy rates in women of advanced reproductive age and in patients in whom in vitro fertilization attempts repeatedly fail.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the possible contribution of fibrin sealant to the ET stage of IVF. DESIGN: Case-control study. SETTING: An assisted reproductive technology unit that performed 2,535 treatment cycles from 1996-1997. PATIENT(S): All consecutively seen patients who underwent ET from January 1996 to September 1997. INTERVENTION(S): All women who underwent ET with the aid of fibrin sealant during the study period were compared with those who underwent standard ET (controls). Thereafter, a case-control study was conducted on the first consecutively seen 174 women who underwent ET with fibrin sealant and a control group that was matched for age and number of previous unsuccessful cycles. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Patient age, number of previous unsuccessful IVF attempts, number of embryos transferred, and pregnancy rates. RESULT(S): During the study period, ET was performed with fibrin sealant in 265 women and by the standard procedure in 1,402 women. Women in the fibrin sealant group were significantly older. The pregnancy rate was not significantly different between the groups in the whole-cohort study (20.4% versus 23.1%), but it was significantly higher in the fibrin sealant group in the case-control study (25.3% versus 14.9%). This also was true when the older women (>35 years) and the women with > or =4 previous failed IVF attempts were analyzed separately (23.2% versus 9.8% and 26.1% versus 13.4%, respectively). CONCLUSION(S): The use of fibrin sealant in ET appears to be beneficial in women of advanced reproductive age and in patients in whom IVF attempts repeatedly fail.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Improving pregnancy outcome in twin gestations with one malformed fetus by postponing selective feticide in the third trimester.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the course of pregnancy and fetal outcome in patients with twin gestations in which one abnormal fetus underwent selective feticide in the third trimester of pregnancy. DESIGN: A study of 23 consecutive late selective feticide procedures. SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rabin Medical Center, Israel. PATIENT(S): Twenty-three patients with twin pregnancies with one malformed fetus. INTERVENTION(S): Selective feticide with intracardiac injection of KCl was performed at 28-33 weeks of gestation after the diagnosis of fetal genetic (56.5%) or structural (43.5%) malformations made in the second trimester (18-24 weeks). All procedures were performed at the patient's request and on approval of a committee for fetal termination late in pregnancy. Betamethasone treatment was initiated to enhance lung maturity 3 weeks before selective feticide. All patients were placed on complete bed rest until 35 weeks' gestation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Early and late complications related to the procedure; outcome of pregnancy and fetal survival. RESULT(S): All 23 twin pregnancies had an uneventful course after selective feticide performed at 28-33 weeks. All birth weights were > 2,000 g (mean +/- SD, 2,628 +/- 646 g), indicating an excellent chance of survival. CONCLUSION(S): Our results suggest that late selective feticide in twin gestations is safe and efficient and results in a favorable outcome for the surviving fetus. This procedure should be performed at 28-30 weeks after treatment for enhancement of lung maturity.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1999

The role of purified follicle stimulating hormone therapy in the male partner before intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of long-term purified FSH (pFSH) therapy in male partners before intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, controlled study. SETTING: Large university-based IVF unit. PATIENT(S): Seventy-eight patients made up the study and control groups (39 patients each). All patients had severe male factor infertility. INTERVENTION(S): Induction of ovulation, oocyte retrieval, ICSI, and ET were carried out in both groups. In the study group, male partners received pFSH (75 IU FSH, <1 IU LH) for > or = 50 days before oocyte retrieval. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Fertilization rate, embryo quality, implantation and pregnancy rates. RESULT(S): Fertilization and pregnancy rates were higher in the study group (68% and 35.9%, respectively) were higher than in the control group (59% and 17.9%, respectively), although the differences did not reach statistical significance. The implantation rate was significantly higher in the study group (15.5% versus 6.5%). The study group showed a trend toward a higher number of better-quality embryos per transfer (mean +/- SD, 2.2 +/- 1.6 versus 1.6 +/- 1.6). CONCLUSION(S): Purified FSH therapy in male partners before ICSI improves implantation rate. Improved embryo quality may be a contributory factor.

Embryo Implantation↗
PubMed1999

Maternal infectious morbidity following multiple courses of betamethasone.

OBJECTIVE: the beneficial effects of antepartum corticosteroids on the reduction of morbidity and mortality in the premature neonate have been amply demonstrated. The NIH consensus statement has, therefore, endorsed their use in women at risk from pre-term delivery between 24 and 34 weeks gestation. Patients at persistent risk of pre-term delivery nay receive multiple weekly courses. However, increased susceptibility to infection is a well-recognized complication of prolonged high-dose steroid therapy. We examined infectious morbidity among women exposed to three or more courses of betamethasone. METHODS AND OUTCOMES MEASURES: thirty-seven patients at risk of pre-term delivery who received three or more courses of betamethasone (median = 6: range 3-10) and 74 normal controls, matched for maternal age, route of delivery, and year of delivery were included in the study. Data on medical care provided to study and control patients between 24 weeks gestation and 6 weeks postpartum were retrieved from centralized medical records. Incidences and types of infections were compared by Chi-square and Fisher's exact test, as appropriate. Only infections diagnosed at least 1 week after betamethasone therapy was initiated were included. Patients with pre-existing conditions predisposing to infectious morbidity were excluded. RESULTS: twenty-four of 37 patients (64.8%) exposed to betamethasone vs. 13 of 74 (17.5%) controls developed infectious diseases (P < 0.001). Symptomatic lower urinary tract infections occurred in 13 of 37 (35.1%) and two of 74 (2.7%) in the study and control groups, respectively (P < 0.001). Serious bacterial infections were found in nine of 37 (24.3%) vs. none of 74 (0%) patients, respectively (P < 0.001). These included sepsis (n=2), pneumonia (n=4), pyelonephritis (n=2), and cholangitis (n=1). Eight of nine serious infections occurred in patients exposed to five or more weekly courses of betamethasone. Postpartum endometritis related to Caesarean delivery was found in five of 37 patients (13.5%) vs. seven of 74 (9.4%), respectively (P=NS). CONCLUSIONS: Three or more courses of antepartum betamethasone in women at risk of pre-term delivery are associated with substantial infectious maternal morbidity. The excess morbidity consisted mainly of bacterial infections, some of which were associated with systemic and potentially life-threatening infections.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Neonatal atrial flutter following fetal exposure to vibroacoustic stimulation.

The use of vibroacoustic stimulation (VAS) has become a common modality for testing fetal well being. A case of neonatal atrial flutter, following fetal exposure to VAS is presented. It should be emphasized that although VAS is a common and reliable test for evaluating fetal status, complications may occur.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMed1999

Laparoscopic management of suspicious ovarian cysts in elderly, postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVES: To present our experience with laparoscopic treatment of ovarian cysts in elderly, postmenopausal women. STUDY DESIGN: During the period January 1996 to August 1997, 21 elderly, postmenopausal women were admitted to the Rabin Medical Center for laparoscopy. The indications for the operation were an ovarian cyst that did not meet the criteria of a simple cyst, was larger than 4 cm, had pathological Doppler flow or elevated CA-125 level. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 67.19 (range 60-74). Despite the fact that 15 (71.4%) of the patients suffered from chronic disease, all laparoscopies were successfully accomplished. No case of malignancy was found. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic management of carefully selected ovarian cysts is an appropriate alternative for exploratory laparotomy even in elderly patients with or without underlying diseases.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Midtrimester maternal serum screening after multifetal pregnancy reduction in pregnancies conceived by in vitro fertilization.

PURPOSE: Data about the effect of multifetal pregnancy reduction on midtrimester maternal serum levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and unconjugated estriol (uE3) are scarce and contradictory. Differing gestational ages at fetal reduction, transvaginal versus transabdominal needle insertion, and injection of different feticidal agents compound the analysis of published data. METHODS: We examined clinical and laboratory data about 27 high-order gestations that were reduced to twins in the first trimester. Fetal reductions were performed transabdominally at 11.41 +/- 1.15 weeks' gestation by fetal intrathoracic injection of KCl, and maternal blood sampling was performed at 16.48 +/- 1.05 weeks. "Pseudo-risks" for singleton pregnancies were calculated by correcting serum analyte levels for twins. RESULTS: Twenty-four (88.9%) of 27 patients had maternal serum AFP levels above 2.0 MoM (mean, 4.60 +/- 3.48 MoM; range, 1.49-14.85 MoM), however, none of the newborns had structural anomalies. AFP serum levels did not correlate with the number of reduced fetuses or with adverse obstetric outcome. The mean hCG levels were 1.22 +/- 0.49 MoM (range, 0.14-2.47), and the mean uE3 levels were 1.15 +/- 0.31 MoM (range, 0.56-1.84). Based on maternal age alone, seven patients (25.9%) would have been offered amniocentesis for a term Down syndrome risk greater than 1:384, whereas combined risk calculations with hCG and uE3 levels resulted in 1 (3.7%) screen-positive case (P < 0.01).

Adult↗