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At least 415 records · Page 23Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Interobserver variation in estimation of day of conception intercourse using selected natural family planning charts.

In order to study outcome of pregnancy related to timing of conception it is necessary to have both markers of ovulation and records of intercourse. Natural family planning (NFP) charts where the woman records basal body temperature (BBT) and mucus signs are ideal for this purpose. Much work has been done relating timing of BBT and mucus signs to ovulation, but very little work has been done to examine interobserver agreement on the interpretation of these signs. Four NFP experts examined 28 NFP pregnancy charts to determine the BBT rise, the mucus peak, and two most likely days of conception intercourse. The charts were selected because they provided difficulties in interpretation. The reviewers were able to agree on the most probable day of conception intercourse in 96.4% of cases, on the mucus peak in 74.1% of cases, and on the interval between the most probable conception intercourse and mucus peak in 70.4% of cases. There was poor agreement on the first day of the BBT rise (38.5%). The authors conclude that in selected difficult NFP charts, the mucus peak is a more valid indirect measure of ovulation both because it is subject to less interobserver variation and because it more closely approximates the timing of ovulation.

Body Temperature↗
PubMed1978

[Diagnosis and treatment of intra-epithelial carcinoma of the uterine cervix. About 124 cases (author's transl)].

The means for diagnosis, treatment and long follow-up of intra epithelial carcinomas of the uterine cervix are assessed by the authors, about 124 cases seen at the Hotel-Dieu de Paris. The diagnosis is given by cytologic means and mostly by colposcopic examination. When the cylindro-pavimental junction (usual initial focus) is seen in totality, direct biopsies always gave an accurate diagnosis. When the junction is not seen, only a diagnostic--conisation can allow a definitive answer. Two types of surgical treatment were applied: amputation of the cervix conservative of menstrual and/or reproductive functions and, hysterectomy led by vaginal or abdominal route. The patients were followed from 1 to 16 years by the triple cytologic, Schiller test and colposcopic examination: none of them showed any recurrence either of intra-epithelial or of invasive type.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1995

Immunological aspects of subfertility.

No significant relationship between semen quality [determined by standard sperm analysis and sperm-cervical mucus (CM) interaction testing in vivo and in vitro] and the presence of antisperm antibodies (ASA) [determined using three different methods] in serum samples of males and/or females of subfertile partnerships was found. These circulating ASA were not associated with reduced fertility in prospective studies. On the other hand, ASA in semen, particularly those of the IgA class, significantly impaired the ability of spermatozoa to penetrate CM and the fertility prognosis of the couple. ASA in CM must also be considered as a severe infertility factor but are a very rare cause of poor mucus quality.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Immunoglobulin (Ig) G, IgA, and IgA subclass antibodies against fertilization antigen-1 in cervical secretions and sera of women of infertile couples.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the occurrence of immunoglobulin (Ig) G, IgA, and IgA subclass antibodies against human sperm fertilization antigen-1 (FA-1) in cervical mucus (CM) and serum of women of infertile couples. DESIGN: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay methodology was used to detect anti-FA-1 antibodies. Antisperm antibodies were detected by agglutinating, immobilizing, and indirect immunobead (IB) methods. Control samples for the ELISA were from 10 women negative in the antisperm antibody assays. PARTICIPANTS: Samples were from women of 32 infertile couples undergoing antisperm antibody analysis. RESULTS: One of 10 control CM samples was slightly positive for IgG anti-FA-1 and none for IgA. Of the 22 CM samples from antisperm antibody-positive women, 9 were positive for IgG antibodies, 9 for IgA, 7 for IgA1, and 6 for IgA2. Cervical mucus samples from eight women were positive for both IgA and IgG antibodies. Assay of 19 serum samples, including 8 controls, by ELISA, indicated 9 of 11 from antisperm antibody-positive women and none from controls were positive for IgA and IgG (7 of 9 identical women). In addition, of the nine IgA-positive sera, seven were of the A1 subclass and five were of the A2 subclass. Positive IB assays occurred more frequently in CM and serum samples positive for anti-FA-1 antibodies than in negative samples. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that cervical secretions and sera of antisperm antibody-positive women contain IgA and IgG antibodies against sperm antigen FA-1 that may be involved in antifertility effects.

Antibodies↗
PubMed1994

Antibody diffusion in human cervical mucus.

The mucosal immune system actively transports large quantities of antibodies into all mucus secretions, and these secreted antibodies help prevent infectious entry of many pathogens. Mucus is generally thought to protect epithelial cells by forming a diffusional barrier through which only small molecules can pass. However, electron microscopy indicates that the pore size in mucus is approximately 100 nm, which suggests that antibodies as well as other large molecules might also diffuse through mucus. We measured the diffusion coefficients for antibodies and other proteins within human midcycle cervical mucus using two techniques: fluorescence imaging of concentration profiles and fluorescence photobleaching recovery. The two techniques are complementary, since the rates of diffusion are observed over millimeter distances with fluorescence imaging of concentration profiles and micron distances with fluorescence photobleaching recovery. Both methods yielded essentially the same diffusion coefficients. In contrast to previous reports indicating mucus significantly impedes diffusion of small molecules, antibody diffusion in mucus was relatively unimpeded. In our observations IgG, IgG fragments, IgA, and IgM diffused almost as rapidly in cervical mucus as in water (1.0 > Dmucus/Dwater > 0.7). Simple models for diffusion through water-filled pores suggest that the hydrodynamic pore size for cervical mucus is approximately 100 nm, smaller than the approximately 1000 nm pore size of a collagen gel (at 1 mg/ml) and larger than the approximately 10 nm pore size of gelatin (at 100 mg/ml). This estimated pore size is consistent both with electron micrographs and geometric models of interfiber spacing. Based on these results, we predict that particles as large as viruses can diffuse rapidly through human midcycle cervical mucus, provided the particle forms no adhesive interactions with mucus glycoproteins.

Antibodies↗
PubMed2002

Antibody levels against galactosyl (alpha1 --> 3) galactose epitopes in cervical mucus from patients with human papillomavirus infection.

OBJECTIVES: The general objective of the present study is to quantify antigalactosyl (alpha1 --> 3) galactose (anti-Gal) antibody levels in the cervical mucus of patients with/without human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and, as specific objectives, to compare these levels in the different HPV subgroups and with the presence of intraepithelial lesions. METHODS: Sixty women between 18 and 35 years old (mean: 26 years) were studied through the following methods: vaginal cytology, colposcopy, biopsy of suspicious lesions, sample taking for evaluating HPV presence through PCR and hybridization, and quantification of anti-Gal levels using ELISA with laminin antigen extracted from the Engelbreth-Horm-Swarm cell line. RESULTS: The presence of HPV was detected in 55% of patients; 45% of them had intermediate/high oncogenic risk HPV, 12% had low oncogenic risk HPV, and the other 43% had both subgroups. There were significantly higher anti-Gal levels in the HPV+ group when compared with the HPV- group (P < 0.0001); also, when dividing the HPV+ group into one subgroup with normal cytology and another with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 1, we found higher values in the latter group (P < 0.0001). There was no significant difference in anti-Gal levels in the various HPV subgroups. CONCLUSION: High anti-Gal levels are found in the cervical mucus of patients with HPV infection and CIN 1, which suggests the participation of local humoral immunity in cervical lesions.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Variation of the sialic acid-protein ratio in the human cervical mucus (author's transl)].

Serial determinations of total protein and sialic acid concentrations were carried out in individual cervical mucus samples of normal women, throughout the menstrual cycle as well as under the influence of estrogen and progestagen steroids. Total protein was titrated by a modified micro-biuret method and sialic acid was determined using the "Direct Ehrlich" method. Both parameters diminished gradually during the follicular phase of the cycle with lowest values around the time of ovulation, and showed a strong increase during the luteal phase. Administration of ethinylestradiol yielded values significantly lower than those of normal ovulatory phase and under d-Nosgestrel treatment the values were significantly higher than in normal luteal phase. However the proportion of sialic acid as related to total protein showed an inverse behavior, i.e. increased under estrogenic and decreased under progestogenic influence. The cyclic and hormone-induced variations of this ratio were more specific than those of both separate components. Thus, estrogens produce an increase of the sialic acid containing fraction of cervical mucus proteins, while progestagens have an opposite effect. The role of these actions in reproductive physiology is discussed.

Cervix Mucus↗
PubMed1972

Purification and properties of a human seminal proteinase.

1. A method is described for the purification of a proteinase, present in human seminal plasma and previously shown to accelerate migration of spermatozoa through cervical mucus in vitro. A 25-fold purification was achieved in three steps, consisting of ammonium sulphate fractionation, chromatography on CM-cellulose and gel filtration. 2. The enzyme displays some properties similar to chymotrypsin: pH optimum 7.5-8.0; substrate preference of casein, haemoglobin and benzoyltyrosine ethyl ester but not benzoylarginine ethyl ester; mol.wt. 33000. However, it is unaffected by 1mm-di-isopropyl phosphofluoridate or 1mm metal cations, and in this respect differs from chymotrypsin. 3. The properties of the enzyme strongly resemble those of the ;chymotrypsin-like' enzyme discovered in seminal plasma by Lundquist et al. (1955). 4. The use of dimethyl-casein permitted the performance of enzyme assays at substrate concentrations five times higher (up to 50mg/ml) than could be achieved with ordinary casein (10mg/ml).

Ammonium Sulfate↗
PubMed1994

[The 1st phase of a prospective study of the effectiveness of natural family planning conducted in French-speaking Belgium].

UNLABELLED: The aim of this pilot-study is to check the practical efficiency and the acceptability of a recent NFP method in Western Europe. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a first stage, 58 participants, aged 18 to 49, provided 940 cycles (78 woman-years) being with an average of 16 cycles each, all well-documented (sympto-thermal chart and supporting card). The average age of the women was 32 years. 53% of them have chosen NFP after giving up another contraceptive method. The applied NFP method uses a double check to accurately define the beginning as well as the end of the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle. The indicators of the beginning of the fertile phase were: the first sign of cervical mucus and a calendar calculation. The indicators of the end of the fertile period were: the third morning of high temperature and the evening of the fourth day after the peak mucus or the peak cervix. Four participants out of five regularly uses the cervix index. RESULTS: No method failure was seen. One unplanned pregnancy (user failure) was recorded. Pearl-Index (practical effectiveness of the method) was: 1.75. Pure NFP (i.e. no additional contraceptive means during the fertile phase) was applied in 85% of the cycles. Moreover unprotected sexual intercourse during the fertile phase occurred in 17% of the cycles. So in 71% of the cycles, couples had accepted periodic abstinence. CONCLUSIONS: After more than 78 years of use, it appears that an accurate and thoroughly taught sympto-thermal method of NFP shows a use-effectiveness which can be compared to that of the up-to-date contraceptive methods. The acceptance of the method proved to be excellent. The acceptability turns out to be very good.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Prediction and detection of ovulation: an evaluation of the cervical mucus score.

The use of cervical mucus scoring (modified Insler Score) in prediction and detection of ovulation in ovulatory cycles has been evaluated against serial ultrasonic follicular monitor and estimation of mid-luteal phase progesterone assay using the WHO match reagent system. The study showed that there was a very high positive correlation (r = +0.96) between the determination of day of ovulation by serial Insler score assessment and serial ultrasonography. Being simple to perform, cheap, rapid and reasonably accurate method of ovulation prediction and detection, cervical score assessment is recommended for use in fertility management in our environment with limited manpower, infrastructure and resources.

Cervix Mucus↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The characterization of human spermatozoa membrane proteins--surface antigens and immunological infertility.

The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize highly enriched membrane proteins by two-dimensional (2-D) electrophoresis and to identify surface antigens binding sperm autoantibodies (SpAb). The presence of SpAb may reduce fertility by affecting sperm motility and acrosome reaction. The presence of the SpAb was shown to prevent sperm penetration of cervical mucus, to inhibit sperm-zona pellucida interaction, and to interfere with the sperm-egg fusion. The swim-up method was used to separate mature and motile sperm. Sperm membranes were obtained by hypoosmotic swelling, homogenization and sonication. Membranes were further isolated by differential centrifugation steps. The highly purified human sperm membrane proteins were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and electrotransferred to polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) membrane. The antigens were identified by bound SpAb, the sources of which were seminal plasma samples of infertile patients or of patients following vasectomy. Fourteen surface antigens were detected. Their identification may be (i) important for understanding the mechanism by which SpAb impair sperm fertilization capacity, (ii) suitable as a basis of new methods of fertility regulation, and (iii) helpful in developing reproducible and reliable methods for determinations of SpAb.

Antigens, Surface↗
PubMed1988

The measurement of the oral and vaginal electrolytes as a new method of predicting ovulation.

To be able to know with certainty the day of ovulation has always posed a major problem to the gynecologist, for various reasons. Today, knowing the day of ovulation and, still better, being able to forecast it with some assurance, is even more necessary for the various fecundation programs. The results are here presented of experimentation in a new method of prediction of ovulation which is based on the measuring of the electrolytes present in the saliva and in the cervical mucus in the first phase of the cycle, with the aim of being able to predict in advance the day of ovulation.

Calcium↗
PubMed1989

Swim-over: an alternative method for harvesting motile spermatozoa.

An alternative method for harvesting motile spermatozoa has been developed. Two plastic chambers, one with human semen and one with Earle's medium, were connected by a glass tube filled with cervical mucus. Semen samples were obtained from 18 men. Mid-cycle, sperm-free cervical mucus was provided by 18 women. During incubation aliquots were drawn from the culture chamber every hour for analysis of sperm characteristics. A pronounced increase in motility was observed. The number of penetrated sperms averaged 1 million after 3 hr. The percentage normal morphology increased from 42 +/- 11 to 73 +/- 15 (mean +/- SD). It is suggested that "swim-over" should prove useful for obtaining sperm of high quality. Further studies for refinement and evolution of the method are currently in progress.

Cervix Mucus↗
PubMed2003

Vulvar mucus observations and the probability of pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the day-specific and cycle-specific probabilities of conception leading to clinical pregnancy, in relation to the timing of intercourse and vulvar mucus observations. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of women beginning use of the Creighton Model Fertility Care System in Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, and California. Data were abstracted from Creighton Model Fertility Care System records, including women's daily standardized vulvar observations of cervical mucus discharge, days of intercourse, and clinically evident pregnancy (conception). Established statistical models were used to estimate day-specific probabilities of conception. RESULTS: Data were analyzed from 1681 cycles with 81 conceptions from 309 normally fertile couples (initially seeking to avoid pregnancy) and from 373 cycles with 30 conceptions from 117 subfertile couples (who were initially trying to achieve pregnancy). The highest probability of pregnancy occurred on the peak day of vulvar mucus observation (.38 for normally fertile couples and.14 for subfertile couples). The probability of pregnancy was greater than.05 for normally fertile couples from 3 days before to 2 days after the peak, and for subfertile couples from 1 day before to 1 day after the peak. The cycle-specific probability of conception correlated with the quality of mucus discharge in normally fertile couples but not in subfertile couples. CONCLUSION: Standardized vulvar observations of vaginal mucus discharge identify the days with the greatest likelihood of conception from intercourse in normal fertility and subfertility and provide an indicator of the overall potential for conception in a given menstrual cycle in normal fertility.

Cervix Mucus↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of three sperm preparation media.

OBJECTIVE: In assisted reproduction, spermatozoa must be effectively separated from seminal plasma to undergo capacitation, a prerequisite for fertilization. Percoll was recently withdrawn from the American market because of safety concerns. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality of sperm separated by two different sperm washing media, and compare these results to sperm quality after separation on a Percoll (Perwash) gradient. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Semen samples from 10 normozoospermic men were compared after separation on three media: Perwash, a Percoll-type medium (Conception Technologies, La Jolla, CA), ISolate (Irvine Scientific, Santa Ana, CA), and SpermFertil (Embryotech Laboratories, Wilmington, MA). Semen characteristics examined were: sperm count, percentage motility, curvilinear velocity, lateral head displacement, percentage recovery of motile sperm, viability, hypo-osmotic swelling, and penetration in bovine cervical mucus. Sperm morphology was scored using World Health Organization and Kruger's strict criteria. The motility of the sperm was examined at one-hour intervals for three hours to determine which method produced samples with the longest period of motility. RESULTS: Total motile sperm count, motility, curvilinear velocity, and percentage of normal morphological forms as determined by the WHO method were significantly lower in specimens prepared by SpermFertil than in ISolate or Perwash specimens (P < .05). Tail abnormalities were significantly more frequent in specimens prepared by SpermFertil than in ISolate and Perwash specimens (P < .001). Percentage recovery of motile sperm was significantly higher in ISolate and Perwash specimens than in SpermFertil specimens (P < .05). Semen characteristics were similar in specimens prepared with ISolate and with Perwash. At all time intervals, sperm motility was higher in ISolate and Perwash specimens than in SpermFertil specimens (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Sperm samples separated with a SpermFertil column have poorer sperm quality in several respects than samples prepared with ISolate or Perwash. This finding and the similarity between ISolate and Percoll procedures suggests that ISolate is a good alternative to Percoll-type media to prepare sperm for assisted reproduction.

Analysis of Variance↗