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Front Physiol 2018 1;9:1384. Epub 2018 Oct 1.

Department of Internal Medicine F, J. Recanati Autonomic Dysfunction Center, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.

The premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a constellation of somatic and psychogenic symptoms that appear during late luteal (LL) phase of the menstrual cycle. Since many symptoms could be related to the autonomic nervous system, we hypothesized that the sympathetic nervous system is perturbed in PMS. The cardiovascular autonomic profile of nine women with PMS (30. Read More

Sleep Med Clin 2018 Sep;13(3):283-294

Department of Family Health Care Nursing, UCSF School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, Box 0606, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.

Subjective and objective sleep changes occur during the menstrual cycle. Poorer sleep quality in the premenstrual phase and menstruation is common in women with premenstrual symptoms or painful menstrual cramps. There is increased sleep spindle activity from follicular to luteal phase, potentially progesterone related. Read More

Reprod Domest Anim 2018 Dec 9;53(6):1386-1395. Epub 2018 Aug 9.

Departamento de Biología de la Reproducción, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, Mexico City, México.

Chronic stress disrupts reproductive efficiency. Yet, the manner in which stress disturbs reproduction in goats is currently unknown. The Oaxacan Mixteca region is one of Mexico's poorest, with high levels of deforestation, high ambient temperatures, and lack of water. Read More

Reprod Domest Anim 2019 Jan 29;54(1):23-30. Epub 2018 Aug 29.

Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Animal Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Atsugi, Kanagawa, Japan.

Decreased fertility associated with maternal ageing is a well-known critical problem, and progesterone (P4) concentration decreases during the menopause transition in women. The corpus luteum (CL) secretes P4, thereby supporting the implantation and maintenance of pregnancy. It is proposed that a bovine model is suitable for studying age-associated decline of fertility in women because the physiology of cows is similar to that of women and cows have a greater longevity compared with other animal models. Read More

Georgian Med News 2018 Jun(279):137-143

Tbilisi State Medical University, Department of Physiology, Georgia.

The large number of studies occurred in recent decades show the effect of sex hormones on pain sensitivity and response to analgesics. The purpose of current study was to assess the correlation between the mechanical pain sensitivity degree and the dynamics of the μ-opioid receptor protein (MOR) concentration, also to investigate the correlation of sex hormones levels with the degree of mechanical pain sensitivity and the dynamics of MOR concentration. A decreased mechanical pressure threshold, mechanical pain threshold and mechanical pain tolerance have been revealed in the luteal phase of the OMC. Read More

Behav Brain Res 2018 10 6;351:178-187. Epub 2018 Jun 6.

Personality and Individual Differences, Institute of Psychology I, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.

Emotional reactivity varies across the menstrual cycle although physiological findings are not entirely consistent. We assessed facial EMG and heart rate (HR) changes in healthy free cycling women (N = 45) with an emotional startle paradigm both during the early follicular and the late luteal phase, verified by repeated salivary 17β-estradiol, progesterone and testosterone assessments. Cycle phase impacted startle responses with larger magnitudes during the luteal phase. Read More

Neuropsychobiology 2017 5;76(2):72-81. Epub 2018 Jun 5.

Riverview Health Center, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Electrovestibulography (EVestG) recordings have been previously applied toward classifying and/or measuring the severity of several neurological disorders including depression with and without anxiety. This study's objectives were to: (1) extract EVestG features representing physiological differences of healthy women during their menses, and follicular and luteal phases of their menstrual cycle, and (2) compare these features to those observed in previous studies for depression with and without anxiety. Three EVestG recordings were made on 15 young healthy menstruating females during menses, and follicular and luteal phases. Read More

Reprod Biomed Online 2018 08 21;37(2):184-200. Epub 2018 Apr 21.

Department of Endocrinology and Female Infertility, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Centre, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address:

Research Question: What is the molecular basis of infertility related to uterine dysfunction in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?

Design: In this study, differences in protein expression between PCOS and normal endometrium were identified using a proteomic approach based on two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS). The proteome of endometrium were analysed during the proliferative (on day 2 or 3 before ovulation, n = 6) and luteal phases (on day 3-5 after ovulation, n = 6) from healthy women and PCOS patients (12-14 days after spontaneous bleeding, n = 12). The differentially expressed proteins were categorized based on the biological process using the DAVID bioinformatics resources. Read More

Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018 07 24;93:133-141. Epub 2018 Apr 24.

National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.

There is a need to identify new and more effective treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Allopregnanolone and its stereoisomer pregnanolone (together termed ALLO) are metabolites of progesterone that positively and allosterically modulate GABA effects at GABA receptors, thereby reducing anxiety and depression. Previous research revealed that women with PTSD had low cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) ALLO levels and a low ratio of ALLO to the allopregnanolone precursor 5α-DHP, consistent with deficient activity of the ALLO synthetic enzyme 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3α-HSD). Read More

Fertil Steril 2018 04;109(4):571-576

Department of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Hopital Foch-Faculté de Médecine Paris Ouest (UVSQ), Suresnes, France.

Progesterone elevation occurring in the late phases of controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) has been reported for over 25 years. Yet doubts remain regarding the mechanisms at play in this phenomenon and its net consequences on assisted reproductive technology outcome, which is known to occur in poor and good assisted reproductive technology responders. The pathophysiology of end-COS progesterone elevation encountered in gonadotropin-suppressed cycles is different from that prevailing at the time of, and just after, ovulation. Read More

Vitam Horm 2018 19;107:349-376. Epub 2018 Feb 19.

Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. Electronic address:

From a psychological perspective, the menstrual cycle has been a research topic for more than 50 years. The most recent menstrual cycle research has been driven by an increased interest in sex differences in neuroscience, and the urge to understand sex disparities in prevalence, clinical presentation, and treatment response in psychiatric or neurologic disorders. Indeed, the menstrual cycle is an excellent model of ovarian steroid influence on emotion, behavior, and cognition. Read More

Hum Reprod 2018 04;33(4):694-705

Cardiometabolic Health Division, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, 505 NW 185th Ave, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA.

Study Question: What are the impacts of elevated testosterone (T) and an obesogenic western-style diet (WSD), either independently or together, on fertility and metabolic adaptations of pregnancy in primates?

Summary Answer: Testosterone increases the time to achieve pregnancy, while a WSD reduces overall fertility, and the combination of testosterone and WSD additionally impairs glucose tolerance and causes pregnancy loss.

What Is Known Already: Both hyperandrogenemia and obesity are hallmarks of polycystic ovary syndrome, which is a leading cause of infertility among women worldwide. Female macaques receiving T and WSD beginning at puberty show increased metabolic, ovarian and uterine dysfunction in the non-pregnant state by 3 years of treatment. Read More

PLoS One 2018 24;13(1):e0191022. Epub 2018 Jan 24.

Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.

Context: About 10% of Japanese female athletes are afflicted by menstrually-related edema, mainly in the lower limbs, and, with few studies on this problem, the effect on performance remains unclear.

Objective: To quantitatively evaluate fluid retention in the calf in female students over their menstrual cycle using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to determine the relationship of MRI changes and athletic performance.

Design: The menstrual cycle was divided into 5 phases: menstrual, follicular, ovulatory, early luteal, and late luteal with sampling done in either morning (AM) or afternoon (PM) sessions. Read More

Neurol Sci 2018 Mar 5;39(3):503-508. Epub 2018 Jan 5.

Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Turkey.

Premenstrual syndrome is a term which is used for describing of somatic, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral symptoms that occur during the luteal phase of menstrual cycle in women of reproductive age; symptoms rapidly improve at the onset of menstruation. In this study, we aimed to reveal if cognitive functions are affected or not in PMS and if the subjects are affected, we try to explain this situation by an objective diagnostic test. Ethical committee approval was taken for this project on 09. Read More

Eur Radiol 2018 May 19;28(5):1900-1908. Epub 2017 Dec 19.

Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi, 530023, China.

Objectives: To assess structural and functional changes of the amygdala due to premenstrual syndrome (PMS) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods: Twenty PMS patients and 21 healthy control (HC) subjects underwent a 6-min resting-state fMRI scan during the luteal phase as well as scanning high-resolution T1-weighted images. Subcortical amygdala-related volume and functional connectivity (FC) were estimated between the two groups. Read More

Theriogenology 2018 Mar 14;108:262-268. Epub 2017 Dec 14.

Department of Animal Science, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, P.O. Box 578, Sari, Mazandaran, Iran.

This study was undertaken to determine the effect of inflammatory status on different patterns of postpartum luteal activity and reproductive performance of Holstein cows during early lactation. The cows (n = 75) averaged 3.4 ± 1. Read More

Reprod Biol 2018 Mar 6;18(1):12-17. Epub 2017 Dec 6.

First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, Pl. Starynkiewicza 1/3, 02-015 Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address:

Ghrelin has been found to be expressed in the human endometrium. Emerging evidence links ghrelin and its receptor with the reproductive system. Certain associations between ghrelin and angiogenesis have also been established. Read More

J Assist Reprod Genet 2018 Mar 5;35(3):475-482. Epub 2017 Dec 5.

Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology Oncology, University of Pisa, via Roma 67, 56126, Pisa, Italy.

Purpose: During the transitional phase of premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), sporadic resumption of ovulation is possible because of fluctuation of hormonal levels but the chance of spontaneous pregnancy is low, and the main perspective of childbearing in these women is egg donation or adoption. The purpose of the study was to verify whether treatment with estrogens in POI patients in transitional phase could reduce FSH levels and to evaluate if this pre-treatment could improve reproductive outcomes of in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Methods: Study patients (26) were administered with valerate estradiol 2 mg daily adding dihydrogesterone 10 mg daily during luteal phase for 3 months before IVF. Read More

Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018 02 28;88:105-114. Epub 2017 Nov 28.

Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, 207C Kastle Hall, Lexington, KY 40506, United States. Electronic address:

Although Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder shows (ADHD) male predominance, females are significantly impaired and exhibit additional comorbid disorders during adolescence. However, no empirical work has examined the influence of cyclical fluctuating steroids on ADHD symptoms in women. The present study examined estradiol (E2), progesterone (P4), and testosterone (T) associations with ADHD symptoms across the menstrual cycle in regularly-cycling young women (N=32), examining trait impulsivity as a moderator. Read More

Hum Reprod 2018 01;33(1):128-139

Division of Reproductive & Developmental Sciences, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA.

Study Question: Does chronic hyperandrogenemia beginning at menarche, in the absence and presence of a western-style diet (WSD), alter ovarian and uterine structure-function in young adult rhesus monkeys?

Summary Answer: Phenotypic alterations in ovarian and uterine structure/function were induced by exogenous testosterone (T), and compounded in the presence of a WSD (T+WSD).

What Is Known Already: Hyperandrogenemia is a well-established component of PCOS and is observed in adolescent girls, indicating a potential pubertal onset of disease symptoms. Obesity is often associated with hyperandrogenemia and it is hypothesized that metabolic dysfunction exacerbates PCOS symptoms. Read More

Fertil Steril 2018 01 23;109(1):97-103. Epub 2017 Nov 23.

Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China. Electronic address:

Objective: To analyze the influence of the start point of luteal support on clinical pregnancy rate, implantation rate, and live birth rate of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) cycles.

Design: Single-center prospective randomized controlled trial.

Setting: University-affiliated IVF unit. Read More

Fertil Steril 2018 01 23;109(1):165-171. Epub 2017 Nov 23.

Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York. Electronic address:

Objective: To assess whether nucleolar channel systems (NCSs) can be detected in exfoliated endometrial epithelial cells (EECs) of uterine secretions and whether such noninvasively determined NCS status is associated with significant NCS prevalence in simultaneously obtained endometrial biopsies.

Design: Prospective study (December 2015-February 2017).

Setting: University-affiliated and private fertility clinics. Read More

Obstet Gynecol Surv 2017 Nov;72(11):659-662

Head of Women's Sleep Medicine Division, Departments of Psychobiology and Gynecology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo; and Department of Gynecology, Casa de Saúde Santa Marcelina, São Paulo, Brazil.

Importance: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is characterized by physical and psychological symptoms in the luteal phase. Leptin can influence PMS as it acts on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate data in the literature about the profile of plasma leptin in women with PMS. Read More

Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2018 01;51(1):126-133

Unit for Human Reproduction, 1st Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Papageorgiou General Hospital, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.

Objective: To assess ultrasound and hematological changes during the early luteal phase following triggering of final oocyte maturation with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in women at high risk for developing ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS).

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of 319 women undergoing in-vitro fertilization who were at high risk for OHSS following administration of hCG for the triggering of final oocyte maturation. Patients were treated with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist or antagonist protocol and were monitored for 5 days post-oocyte retrieval (early luteal phase). Read More

J Obstet Gynaecol 2018 Jan 26;38(1):81-84. Epub 2017 Oct 26.

d BC of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine , Mashhad University of Medical Sciences , Mashhad , Iran.

Breast pain (mastalgia) often precedes menstrual period, which is of mild to moderate severity. This study was performed to determine the effectiveness of chamomile on pain control of cyclic mastalgia. This double-blind randomised controlled clinical trial was conducted on 60 patients with mastalgia referred to the breast clinic of an academic hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Read More

Gynecol Endocrinol 2018 Apr 25;34(4):336-340. Epub 2017 Oct 25.

a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , University of Colorado School of Medicine , Aurora , CO , USA.

Hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis may play a role in the pathogenesis of comorbidities encountered in obesity, including the relative hypogonadotropic hypogonadism that we and others have observed. We sought to examine serum cortisol profiles throughout the day and evening in a sample of normal weight women and women with obesity. In this cross-sectional study, regularly cycling obese (n = 12) and normal weight (n = 10) women were recruited. Read More

Med Sci Sports Exerc 2018 03;50(3):551-561

Department of Kinesiology, Women's Health and Exercise Laboratories, Penn State University, University Park, PA.

Introduction: Chronic reductions in energy availability (EA) suppress reproductive function. A particular calculation of EA quantifies the dietary energy remaining after exercise for all physiological functions. Reductions in luteinizing hormone pulse frequency have been demonstrated when EA using this calculation is <30 kcal·kg·fat-free mass (ffm)·d. Read More

Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2018 Jan 23;140(1):37-41. Epub 2017 Oct 23.

Department of Gynecology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.

Objective: To investigate endometrial receptivity (ER), conception outcome, and other factors among women with light menstrual bleeding of unidentified etiology.

Methods: A prospective study was undertaken at a center in China. Between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2014, women meeting the inclusion criteria (aged 20-35 years, without any history of pregnancy, desire to conceive, follicle-stimulating hormone <10 IU on second or third day of cycle, and regular menstrual periods) were enrolled. Read More

Yale J Biol Med 2017 09 25;90(3):499-507. Epub 2017 Sep 25.

Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) remains the major cause of mortality among postmenopausal women living in industrialized countries. Several lines of evidence suggest that ovarian hormones (especially estrogen) protect the coronary arteries of premenopausal women. However, it is also known that women commonly experience disruptions in cyclic hormonal function during their reproductive years. Read More

J Obstet Gynaecol 2017 Oct 9;37(7):919-923. Epub 2017 Jun 9.

b Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology , CHA Gangnam Medical Center, CHA University , Seoul , Republic of Korea.

This study aimed to determine whether the menstrual cycle affects operative bleeding and postoperative ovarian reserve in patients undergoing laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy. A total of 155 patients who had undergone laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy were classified into the follicular phase (n = 84) and luteal phase (n = 71) of the menstrual cycle. The primary outcome measures were operative blood loss and the rate of decline in ovarian reserve, as calculated by measuring serial serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively. Read More

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017 06 30;114(24):E4772-E4781. Epub 2017 May 30.

Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030;

Embryo implantation remains a significant challenge for assisted reproductive technology, with implantation failure occurring in ∼50% of in vitro fertilization attempts. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying uterine receptivity will enable the development of new interventions and biomarkers. TGFβ family signaling in the uterus is critical for establishing and maintaining pregnancy. Read More

Neurol Sci 2017 May;38(Suppl 1):73-76

U.O. Neurologia e Stroke Unit, Gallarate Hospital, ASST Valle Olona, Gallarate, Italy.

Since the nineteenth century several clinical features have been observed in common between migraine and epilepsy (such as episodic attacks, triggering factors, presence of aura, frequent familiarity), but only in recent years researchers have really engaged in finding a common pathogenic mechanism. From studies of disease incidence, we understand how either migraine among patients with epilepsy or epilepsy among migraine patients are more frequent than in the general population. This association may result from a direct causality, by the same environmental risk factors and/or by a common genetic susceptibility. Read More

J Appl Physiol (1985) 2017 Aug 18;123(2):375-386. Epub 2017 May 18.

School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and

Women experience orthostatic intolerance more than men, and they experience faintness more in the early follicular [i.e., low-hormone (LH)] than luteal [i. Read More

J Affect Disord 2017 08 24;218:41-48. Epub 2017 Apr 24.

Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi 530023, China. Electronic address:

Background: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is becoming highly prevalent among female and is characterized by emotional, physical and behavior symptoms. Previous evidence suggested functional dysregulation of female brain was expected to be involved in the etiology of PMS. The aim of present study was to evaluate the alterations of spontaneous brain activity in PMS patients based on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Read More

Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2017 Jul 4;138(1):47-52. Epub 2017 May 4.

Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shebin-Elkom, Egypt.

Objective: To investigate the effect of endometrial injury on pregnancy outcomes among infertile women taking clomifene citrate.

Methods: A prospective randomized trial was undertaken at an Egyptian hospital between January 26, 2015, and July 17, 2016. Eligible women (≥1 year primary/secondary/unexplained infertility, aged 20-35 years, day-2 follicle-stimulating hormone <12 IU/L, normal prolactin/thyroid function/uterine cavity, ≥1 patent tube, male partner with normal semen count and motility, 3 cycles of clomifene citrate without success) were randomly allocated (1:1) using computer-generated numbers into intervention (received endometrial injury on cycle day 15-24) or control groups (sham procedure). Read More

Res Q Exerc Sport 2017 Jun 7;88(2):193-202. Epub 2017 Apr 7.

a University of Southern California.

Purpose: Acute muscle damage after exercise triggers subsequent regeneration, leading to hypertrophy and increased strength after repeated exercise. It has been debated whether acute exercise-induced muscle damage is altered under various premenopausal estrogen conditions. Acute contraction-induced muscle damage was compared during exogenous (oral contraceptive, OC), endogenous (luteal phase, HI), or low (menses, LO) estrogen in healthy young women aged 21 to 30 years old. Read More

Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2017 Mar 3;3:CD010503. Epub 2017 Mar 3.

Academic Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Keele University Medical School, North Staffordshire Hospital, City General Hospital, Newcastle Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, UK, ST4 6QG.

Background: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a psychological and somatic disorder of unknown aetiology, with symptoms typically including irritability, depression, mood swings, bloating, breast tenderness and sleep disturbances. About 3% to 10% of women who experience these symptoms may also meet criteria for premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). PMS symptoms recur during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and reduce by the end of menstruation. Read More

Arch Womens Ment Health 2017 06 1;20(3):411-420. Epub 2017 Mar 1.

Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, 101 Manning Drive, CB#7160, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7160, USA.

It is unclear whether women with a history of postpartum depression (PPD) have residual, abnormal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity, as has been reported in major depression (MDD). Further unclear is whether the abnormalities in HPA axis reactivity associated with MDD represent a stable, underlying predisposition or a state-dependent phenomenon. This study sought the following: (1) to determine if euthymic postpartum women with a history of depression have an abnormal HPA axis reactivity to pharmacologic and psychological challenges and (2) to compare HPA reactivity in women with histories of PPD versus MDD. Read More

Fertil Steril 2017 Apr 24;107(4):924-933.e5. Epub 2017 Feb 24.

Program in Reproductive and Adult Endocrinology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of progesterone (P) for luteal phase support after ovulation induction (OI) and intrauterine insemination (IUI).

Design: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

Setting: Not applicable. Read More

Fertil Steril 2017 01 27;107(1):130-135.e1. Epub 2016 Oct 27.

The Fertility Center from A to Z, Assuta Medical Centre, Ramat Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Israel.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of GnRH agonists (GnRH-a) as sole luteal phase support in patients undergoing IVF in antagonist-based cycles compared with standard vaginal P preparations.

Design: Retrospective cohort.

Setting: Private fertility clinic. Read More

Reprod Biol 2017 Mar 4;17(1):105-110. Epub 2017 Feb 4.

The Fertility Clinic, Fertility, Skive Regional Hospital, Faculty of Health, Aarhus University, Resenvej 25, 7800 Skive, Aarhus C, Denmark.

The current study aimed to investigate the effects of luteal gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist pretreatment on the outcomes of diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) patients who were treated using a FSH/letrozole/GnRH antagonist (FLA) protocol. Thus, patients who had luteal GnRH antagonist pretreatment (AFLA) prior to stimulation were compared to patients who had the FLA protocol, only. An electronic database was used to identify patients and stimulation characteristics. Read More

Psychoneuroendocrinology 2017 04 16;78:31-38. Epub 2017 Jan 16.

Laboratory of Pharmacological Neuroendocrinology, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia. Electronic address:

A decreased responsiveness of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis to stress stimuli in patients with atopy is well documented. The aim of this study was to investigate personality traits, salivary alpha-amylase activity and the aldosterone response to psychosocial stress procedure based on public speech in atopic patients with respect to sex and the menstrual cycle (MC) phase. The study was performed in 106 subjects of both sexes, 53 atopic patients suffering from allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma or atopic dermatitis and 53 age-, sex-, the MC phase- and BMI- matched healthy controls. Read More

Fertil Steril 2017 Mar 9;107(3):684-690.e2. Epub 2017 Jan 9.

Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Reproductive and Placental Research Unit, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of luteal start vaginal micronized P in a recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) cohort.

Design: Observational cohort study using prospectively collected data.

Setting: Not applicable. Read More

Psychoneuroendocrinology 2017 03 21;77:158-164. Epub 2016 Dec 21.

Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Inonu, 44280, Malatya, Turkey. Electronic address:

Background And Aims: The incidence of menstrual symptoms is reported to be as high as 90% in cyclic women. These symptoms, including anxiety and pain, might be associated with cortisol, as its receptors are widely distributed in the brain areas associated with behavior. Therefore, the current study aimed to assess the cortisol awakening response (CAR) throughout the menstrual cycle and correlate it with pain perception and trait anxiety. Read More

Physiol Behav 2017 03 15;170:37-46. Epub 2016 Dec 15.

Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.

There is information indicating that the variations induced by the menstrual cycle may influence the capacity of young women to respond to stress. The physiological response to stress changes across the stages of the lifespan; however, in spite of the great increase in life expectancy, the way women react after menopause, a period characterized by a dramatic decline in sex hormones, has not been sufficiently studied. The main objective of the study was to examine the capacity to respond to and recover from an acute social stressor in post-menopausal women compared to young women. Read More

J Ultrasound Med 2016 Dec 25;35(12):2583-2587. Epub 2016 Oct 25.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, China.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate differences in uterine artery blood flow parameters and pregnancy outcomes, if any. An investigation was conducted to determine the effects of low-dose aspirin on uterine artery blood flow indices in patients with recurrent pregnancy loss.

Methods: This observational study included 353 Chinese women with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss and 85 women without a history of recurrent pregnancy loss (control group) from Ren Ji Hospital. Read More

Linacre Q 2016 Feb;83(1):35-51

Gynecology in the Department of Woman's and Child's Health, University of Padua, Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit, University of Padova, Italy.

Background: Recent studies have identified that levonorgestrel administered orally in emergency contraception (LNG-EC) is only efficacious when taken before ovulation. However, the drug does not consistently prevent follicular rupture or impair sperm function.

Objective: The present systematic review is performed to analyze and more precisely define the extent to which pre-fertilization mechanisms of action may explain the drug's efficacy in pregnancy avoidance. Read More

Fertil Steril 2017 01 2;107(1):269-275. Epub 2016 Nov 2.

The Magda and Richard Hoffman Center for Human Placenta Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel; IVF Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel. Electronic address:

Objective: To study the role of micro-RNA (miRNA)-200b and miRNA-429 in human ovulation and to measure their expression levels in ovulatory and anovulatory patients.

Design: Micro-RNA-200b and miRNA-429 expression analysis in human serum and granulosa cells at different phases of the ovulation cycle in normal cycling women and women undergoing assisted reproductive technology cycles.

Setting: University-affiliated hospital and academic research laboratory. Read More

Fertil Steril 2017 01 31;107(1):198-204. Epub 2016 Oct 31.

McGill University Health Centre, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and the efficacy of in vitro maturation (IVM) when immature oocyte collection was performed in the early follicular, late follicular, or luteal phases in women with cancer who require urgent chemotherapy.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: University teaching hospital. Read More

Psychoneuroendocrinology 2017 01 14;75:44-51. Epub 2016 Oct 14.

Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA; Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2000, South Africa. Electronic address:

Insomnia is considered a hyperarousal disorder, in which several psychophysiological domains including the autonomic nervous system (ANS) are over-activated, potentially contributing to increased risk for cardiovascular (CV) disease. Here, we aimed to determine whether insomnia that develops in the context of the transition to menopause (menopausal transition insomnia, MTI) is similarly characterized by autonomic arousal. We also took into account modulation of the ANS by the hormonal changes of the menstrual cycle, a factor that has not previously been considered in studies on insomnia. Read More