Frequency Of Abortion Research Articles

Pathogenicity of Nc-Bahia and Nc-1 strains of Neospora caninum in experimentally infected cows and buffaloes in early pregnancy

Neospora caninum is a protozoan parasite known as an important cause of bovine abortion worldwide. Little is currently known about how different strains of N. caninum vary in their pathogenicity. In this study, we compared a Brazilian strain, Nc-Bahia, with the first isolate of this coccidian, Nc-1. Eight cows and seven buffaloes were submitted to fixed-time artificial insemination protocols for a better control of pregnancy. Group 1 was inoculated with Nc-Bahia (n = 8; five cows and three buffaloes), and Group 2 was inoculated with Nc-1 (n = 5; two cows and three buffaloes). One nonpregnant female of each species was left uninfected as sentinel controls for potential environmental infection. All inoculated animals received 5 × 10(8) tachyzoites of N. caninum, by intravenous route, on the 70th day of gestation. Uninfected animals remained seronegative throughout the experiment, indicating no exogenous infection, whereas all inoculated animals became seropositive to N. caninum. In Group 1, abortion was found in only one cow on 42 days postinfection (dpi; frequency of abortion = 12.5%), whilst all animals from Group 2 aborted on 35 dpi (frequency of abortion = 100%). Parasite DNA was detected by seminested PCR in maternal, foetal and placental tissues, confirming vertical transmission in Groups 1 and 2, although histological lesions had different frequencies and degrees of severity between the groups. There was evidence of lower pathogenicity of Nc-Bahia compared to Nc-1 when used in experimental infection, as it caused fewer abortions, as well as less frequent and milder histological lesions. This was the first time Nc-Bahia has been used for experimental infection.

Human parvovirus B19 in Iranian pregnant women: a serologic survey.

Parvovirus B19 infection is associated with clinical symptoms that vary in the spectrum from trivial to severe. The important clinical manifestations are erythema infectiosum or the fifth disease, transient aplastic anemia in patients with hemoglobinopathies, acute polyarthralgia syndrome in adults, hydrops fetalis, spontaneous abortion and stillbirth. Acute infection in nonimmune pregnant women can lead to fetal hydrops. In view of the many complications that can result from acute parvovirus B19 infections during pregnancy, documenting the seroprevalence of anti-parvovirus B19 IgG and its association with the history of abortion in an Iranian population of pregnant women would be of value. Serum samples from 86 pregnant women were collected between May and September 2011 in West Azerbaijan province of Iran. Every pregnant woman completed a questionnaire which included age, history of tattooing, blood transfusion, and abortion. Anti-B19 specific IgG was detected by using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Anti-B19-specific IgG antibody was detected in (65/86, 75.6%) of pregnant women. The mean age was 25.56 ± 5.30 years and three women had a documented history of blood transfusion (2 of them tested seropositive for B19). 16/18 (88.8%) of women with a history of abortion were IgG positive. The frequency of abortion sessions in the seropositive group (25 sessions of abortion: 11 women experienced once, 2 twice, 2 thrice and one 4 times) was 4.03 times greater than abortion in seronegative group (2 abortions/21 seronegative women). Our study reaffirms previous reports regarding the higher frequency of abortion among anti-B19 IgG seropositive pregnant women and a possible role of this viral infection in the pathogenesis of abortion.

Bringing epigenetics into the diagnostics of the andrology laboratory: challenges and perspectives.

Recent studies have shown significant associations of aberrant DNA methylation in spermatozoa with idiopathic male infertility, increased frequency of spontaneous abortions and imprinting disorders. Thus, the analysis of DNA methylation of specific genes in spermatozoa has the potential to become a new valuable diagnostic marker in clinical andrology. This perspective article discusses the current state and value of DNA methylation analysis in the diagnostic setup of infertile men and outlines challenges and perspectives. It highlights the potential of DNA methylation in andrological diagnostics and its putative benefit in the examination of hitherto idiopathic infertile patients is described.

Seroprevalence of cytomegalovirus Antibodies among pregnant women and it’s correlation with spontaneous abortion in Khartoum state

Background : Cytomegalovirus is a common virus that infects most people at some time during their lives. It becomes dormant for a while and may reactivate later. In pregnant women, intrauterine infection may be associated with congenital abnormalities, intrauterine growth retardation and intrauterine death of the fetus as well as late sequelae such as developmental delay, blindness and congenital deafness. Objectives : The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of CMV infection among women presenting with spontaneous abortion to major hospitals in Khartoum State and to find out the correlation between CMV infection and spontaneous abortion in the group under study. Methodology : In this study a total of 180 spontaneously aborted females, and 80 normally delivered females (control) were included. Three mls of venous blood were collected from each subject under study in a plain container allowed to clot and after clot retraction centrifuged at 4000rpm. The sera were then separated and stored at -20c0 in a deep freezer. The stored sera were tested for CMV IgG and IgM antibodies using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (BIOTECH –ENGLAND). Results : In the case group, 176 (97.8%) women were positive for Anti-CMV IgG and 69 (38.3%) for Anti-CMV IgM. The CMV antibodies significantly co related with increasing age (P-value = -0.0185), the number of abortion (P-value = -0.0177) and congenital malformation in children (P value= 0.037). Conclusion : Seroprevalence of CMV antibodies was found to be 97.8% and 38.3% for IgG & IgM respectively. There was significant association between CMV infection and frequency of abortion, age and congenital malformation in children. Key words : CMV, seroprevalnce, pregnancy, spontaneous abortion, Sudan

The effect of advancing paternal age on semen parameters and seminal oxidative stress markers in infertile men

Advancing paternal age has been associated with increased frequency of spontaneous abortions and increased the risk of genetic diseases. The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of male ageing on sperm quality and seminal oxidative stress markers (ROS, TAC and sperm DNA damage).

Therapeutic Effects of Focused Ultrasound in 4014 Patients with Symptomatic Cervical Ectopy

This study aimed to explore the therapeutic effect of focused ultrasound (FU) therapy in patients with symptomatic cervical ectopy. 4677 patients with symptomatic cervical ectopy were enrolled and treated with FU. Three months after treatment, we analyzed the therapeutic effects and the adverse reactions in 4014 cases with complete records. All influential factors were also analyzed with logistic regression analysis. For the treatment of symptomatic cervical ectopy, the effective rate of FU was 99.8%, and the cure rate was 72.52%. Bleeding that either reached or exceeded normal menstrual volume occurred in 12 cases. Logistic regression analysis showed that the degree of illness, vaginal cleanliness, economic level, occupation, age and artificial abortion frequency were all influential factors. Focused ultrasound is a promising new therapeutic option for the treatment of symptomatic cervical ectopy. Additionally, it can be widely used for a variety of patients.

Assessment of the Effects of Climate Change on Livestock Husbandry and Practices in Jigawa State, Nigeria

The investigation of the effects of climate change on livestock husbandry and practices in Jigawa State, Nigeria, was aimed at assessing the level of awareness of climate change by nomads and also determine the effect of climate change on livestock husbandry and practices. Using random sampling method, data were collected from 105 livestock nomads in seven nomadic communities covering seven Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Jigawa State. Data were collected by the use of questionnaire and observation. Data were analyzed by the use of frequency, percentage, and weighted means. About 98% of nomads understood what was meant by climate change and also 94.3% observed variations in their environment as a result of climate change. Majority of respondents (76.2%) observed and experienced the effect of climate change since 5-20 years ago; while 7.6% observed and experienced the effects of climate change for over 20 years back. Ranking of effects of climate change on livestock husbandry and practices showed reduced feed intake (1st), reduced growth rate (2nd), increased frequency of abortion (3rd), reduced birth rate (4th), increased disease condition (5th), increased incidence of parasites (6th) and increased mortality rate (7th) as major effects. It was recommended that animal production/veterinary services should be stepped up, diversify their production to include crops and other sources of income generation and establish more gazing reserves.

Pregnancy and fetal outcomes after Glatiramer Acetate exposure in patients with multiple sclerosis: a prospective observational multicentric study

BackgroundOnly few studies have assessed safety of in utero exposure to glatiramer acetate (GA). Following a previous study assessing the safety of interferon beta (IFNB) pregnancy exposure in multiple sclerosis (MS), we aimed to assess pregnancy and fetal outcomes after in utero exposure to GA, using the same dataset, with a specific focus on the risk of spontaneous abortion.Materials and methodsWe recruited MS patients, prospectively followed-up in 21 Italian MS Centres, for whom a pregnancy was recorded in the period 2002–2008. Patients were divided into 2 groups: drug-exposed pregnancies (EP: suspension of the drug less than 4 weeks from conception); non-exposed pregnancies (NEP: suspension of the drug at least 4 weeks from conception or never treated pregnancies). All the patients were administered a structured interview which gathered detailed information on pregnancy course and outcomes, as well as on possible confounders. Multivariate logistic and linear models were used for treatment comparisons.ResultsData on 423 pregnancies were collected, 17 were classified as EP to GA, 88 as EP to IFNB, 318 as NEP. Pregnancies resulted in 16 live births in the GA EP, 75 live births in the IFNB EP, 295 live births in the NEP. GA exposure was not significantly associated with an increased risk of spontaneous abortion (OR = 0.44;95% CI 0.044-4.51;p = 0.49). Mean birth weight and length were not significantly different in pregnancies exposed to GA than in non exposed pregnancies (p = 0.751). The frequency of preterm delivery, observed in 4 subjects exposed to GA (25% of full term deliveries), was not significantly higher in pregnancies exposed to GA than in those non exposed (p > 0.735). These findings were confirmed in the multivariate analysis. There were neither major complications nor malformations after GA exposure.ConclusionsData in our cohort show that mother’s GA exposure is not associated with a higher frequency of spontaneous abortion, neither other negative pregnancy and fetal outcomes. Our findings point to the safety of in utero GA exposure and can support neurologists in the therapeutic counselling of MS women planning a pregnancy.

Chlamydia trachomatis Detection by Nested-PCR Method on Females Referred to Medical Centers of Tehran, Iran

Background: Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial infectious disease in the world. Moreover, it plays a role in spontaneous abortion. The accuracy of PCR in detection of C. trachomatis infections has been shown in several studies. Objectives: The frequency of spontaneous abortion and known side effects and statistics vary in Chlamydia trachomatis infection in women with spontaneous abortion and different ways to identify and determine the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis are used. Materials and Methods: Four sterile Dacron swabs were used to collect specimens from endocervix and vagina from women with miscarriage. DNA was extracted by AccuPrep Genomic DNA extraction kit. The nested PCR procedure was performed with two pair primers. This study was conducted on women referred to Medical Centers of Tehran, Iran in 1391. Results : The number of intercourses per week and history of miscarriage can be known as the risk factors of abortion. Frequency of C. trachomatis in endocervix was 13.25%; the amount of vaginal infection among this group was 19%. Conclusions: Nested PCR as a sensitive Chlamydia trachomatis detection test and endocervical specimens has been offered to detect this bacterium in spontaneous abortion. Besides, C. trachomatis screening among pregnant women can be suggested to prevent abortion.

Frequency of recurrent spontaneous abortion and its influence on further marital relationship and illness: The Okazaki Cohort Study in Japan

The aim of this study was to examine the influence of recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) on marital relationships, and the association between past/present illness and RSA. A total of 2733 Japanese women who underwent a medical examination responded to the questionnaire. The frequency of recurrent miscarriage and two or more consecutive RSA were 0.88% and 4.2%, respectively. Women with a history of miscarriages (hazard ratio: 1.596) and RSA (hazard ratio: 3.103) were at a higher risk of their relationships ending as compared with the women without a history of miscarriage. Existence of a relation was seen between a history of RSA and the occurrence of gastric ulcer, gastritis, fatty liver, and atopic dermatitis. Overall, 89.5% of the women with RSA experienced cumulative live births. Miscarriage was found to be a severe life event with an influence on marital relationships, and to be associated with an elevated risk of gastric disease or atopic dermatitis.

Factors associated with frequency of abortions recorded through Dairy Herd Improvement test plans

Frequency of abortions recorded through Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) testing was summarized for cows with lactations completed from 2001 through 2009. For 8.5million DHI lactations of cows that had recorded breeding dates and were >151d pregnant at lactation termination, the frequency of recorded abortions was 1.31%. Effects of year, herd-year, month, and pregnancy stage at lactation termination; parity; breed; milk yield; herd size; geographic region; and state within region associated with DHI-recorded abortion were examined. Abortions recorded through DHI (minimum gestation of 152d required) were more frequent during early gestation; least squares means (LSM) were 4.38, 3.27, 1.19, and 0.59% for 152 to 175, 176 to 200, 201 to 225, and 226 to 250d pregnant, respectively. Frequency of DHI-recorded abortions was 1.40% for parity 1 and 1.01% for parity ≥8. Abortion frequency was highest from May through August (1.42 to 1.53%) and lowest from October through February (1.09 to 1.21%). Frequency of DHI-recorded abortions was higher for Holsteins (1.32%) than for Jerseys (1.10%) and other breeds (1.27%). Little relationship was found between DHI-recorded abortions and herd size. Abortion frequencies for effects should be considered to be underestimated because many abortions, especially those caused by genetic recessives, go undetected. Therefore, various nonreturn rates (NRR; 60, 80, …, 200d) were calculated to document pregnancy loss confirmed by the absence of homozygotes in the population. Breeding records for April 2011 US Department of Agriculture sire conception rate evaluations were analyzed with the model used for official evaluations with the addition of an interaction between carrier status of the service sire (embryo's sire) and cow sire (embryo's maternal grandsire). Over 13million matings were examined using various NRR for Holstein lethal recessive traits (brachyspina and complex vertebral malformation) and undesirable recessive haplotypes (HH1, HH2, and HH3) as well as >61,000 matings for a Brown Swiss haplotype (BH1), and 670,000 matings for a Jersey haplotype (JH1). Over 80% of fertility loss occurred by 60d after breeding for BH1, HH3, and JH1, by 80d for HH2, by 100d for BY, and by 180d for HH1. For complex vertebral malformation, fertility loss increased from 40 to 74% across gestation. Association of undesirable recessives with DHI-recorded abortions ranged from 0.0% for Jerseys to 2.4% for Holsteins.

Age at pollination modifies relative male and female reproductive success in a monoecious fig tree

Plants that depend on a single species of insect pollinator must often contend with infrequent and unpredictable visitation. Prolongation of floral receptivity comes at the cost of reduced male and/or female reproductive success among older flowers. Fig trees (Ficus spp.) have a highly specific pollination symbiosis and individual inflorescences (syconia) that remain receptive for days or weeks. Reproductive success in monoecious fig trees involves production of both seeds and fig wasp offspring. We assessed whether the reproductive output of individual syconia changes with the length of time they waited for pollination, and whether the relative female and male reproductive success also changes. A pollination experiment was conducted in an SE Asian monoecious fig tree Ficus curtipes, in which receptive syconia were covered with mesh bags to exclude wasps and pollinated by single pollinators of this fig tree at their different receptive ages. When the syconia matured their size and contents were recorded. Seed quality was also assessed. The results showed that pollinators entered syconia that had been waiting for up to 36 days. The frequencies of abortions among syconia pollinated at different ages were low throughout. The number of un-utilised flowers increased progressively in older syconia. Seed production was highest in syconia entered on the first day of receptivity, whereas pollinator production peaked in syconia pollinated on day 12, then declined in older syconia. Consequently, overall reproductive efficiency declined with syconium age and floral sex allocation became more male-biased in older syconia. Older syconia also produced lighter seeds. These results suggest that un-pollinated syconia of F. curtipes can remain receptive for several weeks. This makes pollination of each syconium more likely, but at the cost of reduced productivity and with more ovules allocated to male function. However, the prolongation of floral receptivity has significance for the co-adaptation between syconia and fig wasps and for the evolution of the fig tree-fig wasp symbiosis.

Pregnancy Outcome of Mothers who Used Smokeless Tobacco for Five Years or More

Background: Approximately 39% women in Bangladesh use smokeless tobacco (ST). The incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes like spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, preterm birth and delivery of low birth weight baby (LBW) are quite high in our country. Objective: To determine the frequency of spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, delivery of preterm & LBW baby of mothers who used ST for prolonged period. Methodology: This retrospective cohort study was carried out in the Department of Paediatrics and Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, Sylhet, between July 2007 and June 2009. A total of 150 mothers using ST for 5 years or more & their recently delivered newborn infants (mother-neonate pair) satisfying the selection criteria were enrolled as cases by purposive sampling. 150 suitably matched mother-neonate pairs were enrolled as controls. Detailed history of each mother about the outcome of recent and previous pregnancy/ pregnancies within the last 5 years was taken meticulously. Physical examination of the mother was done thoroughly. Each newborn was assessed for birth weight and gestational age. Results: Baseline characteristics of cases and controls were comparable. Use of ST for > 5 years was significantly associated with spontaneous abortion (P < 0.01) and carried a risk of having spontaneous abortion 2.3 times more than that of non-ST users. It was also significantly associated with stillbirth (P < 0.01) and carried a risk of having stillbirth 2 times higher than that of non-ST users. Use of ST for > 5 years was significantly associated with preterm delivery (P < 0.001) and carried a risk of having preterm delivery 3.1 times more than that of non-ST users. It was also significantly associated with delivery of LBW baby (P < 0.001) and carried a risk of having delivery of LBW baby 4.1 times higher than that of non-ST users. Conclusion: Frequency of spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, preterm delivery & delivery of LBW babies were much higher among mothers who used ST for about 7½ years. Women of child bearing age should be discouraged to use ST. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjch.v35i1.10366 BJCH 2011; 35(1): 6-10

Meiotic segregation analysis of embryos from reciprocal translocation carriers in PGD cycles

Meiotic segregation patterns of 278 embryos from 41 preimplantation genetic diagnosis cycles of 34 reciprocal translocation carriers were analysed to investigate whether some characteristics of reciprocal translocation, including terminal breakpoints, acrocentric chromosome or carrier gender, are related to meiotic segregation patterns. The incidence of normal/balanced karyotypes in translocations with terminal breakpoints was significantly lower than those without terminal breakpoints (6.5% versus 14.4%, P = 0.005). The incidences of adjacent-1 (21.0% versus 29.6%), adjacent-2 (16.1% versus 11.1%) and 3:1 (41.9% versus 30.6%) segregation were not statistically significantly different in translocations with terminal breakpoints versus those without. Translocation with acrocentric chromosomes showed a significantly lower rate of 2:2 segregation (39.2% versus 60.2%, P = 0.001) and a higher rate of 3:1 segregation (43.1% versus 27.3%, P = 0.005) than those without acrocentric chromosomes. The incidence of 2:2 segregation was significantly higher in male than in female carriers (58.2% versus 45.0%, P = 0.019). This study suggested that reciprocal translocation involving terminal breakpoints resulted in a lower rate of normal/balanced karyotype in preimplantation embryos. Some characteristics of reciprocal translocation, such as terminal breakpoints, acrocentric chromosome and carrier gender, are related to the segregation patterns. Reciprocal translocations result from exchange of two terminal segments from different chromosomes. During meiosis I of reciprocal translocations, translocated chromosomes and their normal homologues segregate by alternate, adjacent-I, adjacent-II, 3:1 or 4:0 modes. Genetically normal/balanced gametes are only produced by alternate segregation while other segregation modes would lead to the production of chromosomally unbalanced gametes. Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) has been offered to carriers of reciprocal translocations to reduce the frequency of spontaneous abortions and affected newborns by selecting chromosomally normal/balanced embryos. In the present study, meiotic segregation patterns of 278 embryos from 41 PGD cycles of 34 reciprocal translocation carriers were analysed to investigate whether some characteristics of reciprocal translocation, including terminal breakpoints, acrocentric chromosome or carrier gender are related to meiotic segregation patterns. The incidence of normal/balanced karyotypes in translocations with terminal breakpoints was significantly lower than those without terminal breakpoints. The incidence of adjacent-1 segregation was lower and the incidences of adjacent-2 and 3:1 segregation were higher in translocations with terminal breakpoints. Translocation with acrocentric chromosomes showed a significantly lower rate of 2:2 segregation and a higher rate of 3:1 segregation than those without acrocentric chromosomes. The incidence of 2:2 segregation was significantly higher in male than in female carriers. Our study suggests that reciprocal translocations involving terminal breakpoints resulted in a lower rate of normal/balanced karyotype in preimplantation embryos. Some characteristics of reciprocal translocation, such as terminal breakpoints, acrocentric chromosome and carrier gender, are related to the segregation patterns.

Pregnancy outcome in inflammatory bowel disease: prospective European case-control ECCO-EpiCom study, 2003-2006

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) frequently affects women during their reproductive years. Pregnancy outcome in women with IBD is well described, particularly in retrospective studies. To evaluate the pregnancy outcome in patients with IBD in a prospective European multicentre case-control study. Inflammatory bowel disease pregnant women from 12 European countries were enrolled between January 2003 and December 2006 and matched (1:1) to non-IBD pregnant controls by age at conception and number of previous pregnancies. Data on pregnancy and newborn outcome, disease activity and therapy were prospectively collected every third month using a standard questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis with odds ratio was used for statistical analyses. P value<0.05 was considered significant. A total of 332 pregnant women with IBD were included: 145 with Crohn's disease (CD) and 187 with ulcerative colitis (UC). Median age (range) at conception was 31 years (15-40) in CD and 31 (19-42) in UC patients. No statistically significant differences in frequency of abortions, preterm deliveries, caesarean sections, congenital abnormalities and birth weight were observed comparing CD and UC women with their non-IBD controls. In CD, older age was associated with congenital abnormalities and preterm delivery; smoking increased the risk of preterm delivery. For UC, older age and active disease were associated with low birth weight; while older age and combination therapy were risk factors for preterm delivery. In this prospective case-control study, women with either Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis have a similar pregnancy outcome when compared with a population of non-inflammatory bowel disease pregnant women.

Assessment of time to pregnancy and spontaneous abortion status following occupational exposure to organic solvents mixture

Due to increasing usage of chemicals in various industries, occupational exposure of women with these materials is unavoidable. Nowadays, some studies indicate adverse effects of exposure to these chemicals, especially organic solvents on the reproductive system of females. This study aimed to assess the relationship between spontaneous abortion and occupational exposure to organic solvents mixture in pharmaceutical industry. This study was carried out in a pharmaceutical factory located in the suburb of Tehran in 2010. During the study, married women who were working in the factory laboratory units and had exposure to mixed organic solvents were compared with married women who were working in the packing units of the factory without occupational exposure to organic solvents in terms of spontaneous abortion frequency and duration of pregnancy using statistical methods. In this study, the frequency of spontaneous abortion in employees with and without exposure to organic solvents mixture was 10.7 and 2.9% respectively. This study showed that even after adjustment for confounding factors, there was a significant correlation between spontaneous abortion and occupational exposure to organic solvents mixture and this correlation increased with increasing levels of exposure to organic solvents. Also, a significant correlation was observed between occupational exposure to mixed organic solvents and waiting time to become pregnant (TTP). Furthermore, this study showed that even after adjustment for confounding variables, shift workers were significantly more affected by spontaneous abortion compared to daytime workers (P < 0.001). Also, in our study, synergistic effect between shift working and occupational exposure to organic solvents mixture on spontaneous abortion was seen. According to the results of this study, since there is probability of spontaneous abortion resulting from occupational exposure to various chemicals including organic solvents, recommendation to review the status of occupational exposure of workers can be helpful in improving fertility consultations and reproductive health.

Misoprostol teratogenicity: a prospective study in Argentina

Misoprostol is commonly used in Argentina to attempt abortion, although a certain proportion of pregnancies is not interrupted. On the other hand, various reports showed an association between misoprostol and congenital anomalies. To estimate the risk of major congenital anomalies in children prenatally exposed to misoprostol, and to know their way of consumption during pregnancy. A cohort study compared the frequency of abortion and major congenital abnormalities in offspring of pregnant women exposed to misoprostol (94) and an unexposed group of pregnant women (401), both groups consulting to a teratology information service. Among women exposed to misoprostol only the 8.2% purchased it on prescription, 81.5% heard about its abortifacient effect by friends, neighbors or relatives, the average dose was 1.439 μg which was used both orally and vaginally by the 77.2%; the mean gestational age was 48.5 days and 35.2% used an additional abortive agent. Women exposed to misoprostol had a significantly higher frequency of abortions (exposed: 17/94= 18.1%, unexposed, 29/401= 7.2%, RR= 2.27, 95%: 1,30-3,98), and offspring with major congenital abnormalities (exposed: 5/77= 6.49%, unexposed: 8/372= 2.15%, RR= 3.02, 95%:1,02-8.98). The five malformed children prenatally exposed to misoprostol showed: 1) encephalocele and transverse limb defects; 2) porencephaly, 3) pulmonary adenomatous cystic malformation, 4) occipital encephalocele and, 5) intestinal malrotation. The study found a significant association between prenatal exposure to misoprostol and the occurrence of major congenital anomalies.

L'évolution démographique récente en France : les adultes vivent moins souvent en couple

Résumé Au 1 er janvier 2010, la France métropolitaine compte 62,8 millions d’habitants. L’accroissement (5,2 ‰) est un peu plus faible qu’en 2008 car le solde naturel diminue un peu. Après trois années de baisse, le nombre d’étrangers admis à séjourner a légèrement augmenté en 2008. Les immigrés nés en Algérie et au Maroc sont désormais plus nombreux que ceux originaires du Portugal. L’indicateur conjoncturel de fécondité s’est légèrement replié en 2009, mais demeure très proche de 2 enfants par femme ; l’âge moyen à la maternité atteint 30 ans. L’indicateur conjoncturel des interruptions volontaires de grossesse (IVG) reste élevé en 2007 (0,53 IVG par femme). L’âge à la première IVG tend à diminuer, et la fréquence des IVG répétées à augmenter. L’augmentation du nombre de pacs se poursuit en 2009 et, malgré la baisse du nombre de mariages, le nombre d’unions officialisées tend à augmenter. La probabilité de mariage des célibataires continue à se réduire. Les divorces diminuent encore légèrement en 2009, mais l’indicateur conjoncturel demeure proche de 45 %. En raison de l’augmentation des ruptures d’union, hommes et femmes adultes vivent un peu moins souvent en couple en 2006 qu’en 1999 ; ils vivent plus souvent seuls dans leur logement ou en famille monoparentale. La progression de l’espérance de vie à la naissance a repris en 2009, après une pause pour les femmes en 2008 : elle est estimée à 77,8 ans pour les hommes et 84,5 ans pour les femmes.

Falling through the cracks: contraceptive needs of female sex workers in Cambodia and Laos ,

Background Condom is the only method promoted for dual protection among female sex workers (FSWs) in most Asian countries, which may be insufficient to prevent pregnancies given FSWs' high frequency of sexual intercourse. Study Design Data were obtained from independent cross-sectional surveillance surveys conducted in Cambodia and Laos. Random samples of FSWs provided behavioral information. Results Respondents numbered 592 in Cambodia and 1421 in Laos. In Cambodia, 28.2% had abortions in the past year despite reporting 99.0% condom use at last commercial sex. Abortion increased with the number of clients, inconsistent condom use, recent condom breakage and recent forced unprotected sex with clients. In Laos, 26.0% of all FSWs had ever aborted as had 89.4% of those who had been pregnant in the past 6 months. Conclusions FSWs experience higher frequency of abortion than women from the general population. FSWs' reportedly high rate of condom use is insufficient to prevent pregnancies.

Induced abortion in China: problems and interventions

Pooled literatures showed that the induced abortion in China faces many problems:the number of induced abortion remains large; most cases are young and nulliparity women; the frequency of abortion is high; and the interval between one and another abortion is short. Health promotion strategies should be applied to address these problems. It is important to increase the population's awareness of contraception,especially among nulliparity and migrant populations. Routine and effective contraceptive methods should be recommended and emphasized during induced abortion and delivery to lower the rate of induced abortion.