Effect of emotion management and nursing on patients with painless induced abortion after operation

BACKGROUND With an estimated 121 million abortions following unwanted pregnancies occurring worldwide each year,many countries are now committed to protecting women’s reproductive rights.AIM To analyze the impact of emotional management and care on anxiety and contraceptive knowledge mastery in painless induced abortion(IA)patients.METHODS This study was retrospective analysis of 84 patients with IA at our hospital.According to different nursing methods,the patients were divided into a control group and an observation group,with 42 cases in each group.Degree of pain,rate of postoperative uterine relaxation,surgical bleeding volume,and postoperative bleeding volume at 1 h between the two groups of patients;nursing satisfaction;and mastery of contraceptive knowledge were analyzed.RESULTS After nursing,Self-Assessment Scale,Depression Self-Assessment Scale,and Hamilton Anxiety Scale scores were 39.18±2.18,30.27±2.64,6.69±2.15,respectively,vs 45.63±2.66,38.61±2.17,13.45±2.12,respectively,with the observation group being lower than the control group(P<0.05).Comparing visual analog scales,the observation group was lower than the control group(4.55±0.22 vs 3.23±0.41;P<0.05).The relaxation rate of the cervix after nursing,surgical bleeding volume,and 1-h postoperative bleeding volumes were 25(59.5),31.72±2.23,and 22.41±1.23,respectively,vs 36(85.7),42.39±3.53,28.51±3.34,respec tively,for the observation group compared to the control group.The observation group had a better nursing situation(P<0.05),and higher nursing satisfaction and contraceptive knowledge mastery scores compared to the control group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION The application of emotional management in postoperative care of IA has an ideal effect.

Populational change of CD4^(+)CD25^(+)Treg cells is responsible for the synergistic effect of the combination of RAMP2 with baicalin in treating recurrent spontaneous abortion mouse models

Background: The absence of a safe and effective therapy for recurrent spontaneous abortion due to a maternofetal failure in immunological tolerance remains an intractable clinical obstacle for surgeons. Recently, traditional Chinese medicine has become a feasible alternative for certain diseases, including recurrent spontaneous abortion. However, because of the complex composition of the traditional Chinese medicine formula, its action mechanism remains unclear. Methods: We selected two isolated active ingredients (RAMP and baicalin) from the traditional Chinese medicine formula and used an abortion-prone CBA/J × DBA/2 model to simulate human RSA and compared the changes in fetal resorption rate, Treg cell percentage, and relevant cytokines before and after combination therapy. In addition, The mechanisms were preliminarily discussed using in vitro differentiation models. Results: In CBA/J × DBA/2 abortion-prone mice, the combination therapy resulted in a lower embryo resorption rate compared to that obtained with individual delivery of either RAMP or baicalin, thereby playing an embryo-protective role through the increase in Treg cells for the maintenance of maternal-fetal immune tolerance. In in vitro primary cell differentiation experiments, the concentration of Treg cells significantly increased from 11% to 17.9% after the combination therapy compared to that of the single administration group. Conclusion: the synergistic effects of RAMP and baicalin were responsible for Treg differentiation. The present study provides a solid basis for improving the applicability of traditional Chinese herbs in the treatment of recurrent spontaneous abortion.

Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Clinical Study of Ciprofol and Propofol in Patients with Painless Artificial Abortion

Background and Objectives: Propofol is a commonly used intravenous anesthetic for painless artificial abortion, but the injection pain and related adverse reactions such as those related to respiration and circulation it induces have also been criticized. We aimed to conduct a comparative study on the efficacy, safety and comfort of ciprofol and propofol applied in painless artificial abortion. Materials and Methods: A total of 140 early pregnant patients undergoing painless induced abortion were selected and randomly divided into the ciprofol combined with fentanyl group (Group C) and the propofol combined with fentanyl group (Group P), with 70 cases in each group. The anesthetic effect, depth of anesthesia sedation (NI), onset time, recovery time, recovery time of orientation, retention time in the anesthesia recovery room and total amount of intravenous anesthetic drug were recorded in both groups. The respiratory rate (RR), oxygen saturation (SpO2), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and heart rate (HR) at different time points were recorded. The occurrence of perioperative adverse events, injection pain, postoperative nausea and vomiting, and dizziness were compared. The pain score at 30 minutes after operation and the satisfaction of patients and surgeons with anesthesia were evaluated. Results: The success rate of anesthesia in both groups was 100%. There were no statistically significant differences in the NI value at each time point, intraoperative body movement, recovery time, recovery time of orientation, retention time in the anesthesia recovery room, and total dosage of sedative drugs (ml) between the two groups;the onset time in Group C was longer than that in Group P, with a statistically significant difference (P Conclusion: The efficacy of ciprofol in painless induced abortion is equivalent to that of propofol, and the incidence of adverse reactions is lower than that of propofol, with higher safety and comfort.

Patterns of Infertility and Abortion in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Infertility and abortion are significant reproductive health concerns globally, impacting individuals' well-being and healthcare systems. In Saudi Arabia, cultural, social, and religious factors influence perceptions and management of these issues, necessitating research to understand the patterns and associated factors. Study Aim: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the patterns of infertility and abortion among 458 women in Saudi Arabia, focusing on demographic profiles, reproductive histories, medical conditions, and lifestyle factors. Methodology: Participants were recruited from healthcare facilities, and data on age, BMI, reproductive history, medical conditions, assisted reproduction methods, and lifestyle behaviors were collected. Statistical analyses, including chi-square tests, were conducted to examine associations between variables. Results: The majority of participants were aged 30 - 39 years (47.4%), with 76.9% experiencing secondary infertility. Among those with offspring (76.9%), 31% reported using assisted reproduction methods, primarily ovarian stimulators (54.2%). Abortion history was reported by 39.5% of participants. Significant associations were found between age and infertility type (X2 = 5.8, p = 0.054), having offspring and infertility type (X2 = 458.0, p = 0.001), menstrual irregularity and infertility type (X2 = 11.4, p = 0.001), and abortion history and delayed fertility (X2 = 10.4, p = 0.001). Conclusion: Our study reveals significant associations between demographic, medical, and lifestyle factors with infertility patterns and abortion history among Saudi women. These findings emphasize the need for tailored interventions addressing medical conditions, age-related factors, and access to reproductive healthcare services.

Prevalence of Induced Abortion among Female Students in Selected Tertiary Learning Institutions in Gaborone City, Botswana

Induced abortion signifies that pregnancy has been tempered with. Abortion is the removal of an embryo or fetus weighing less than 500 grams from its mother. It can either be spontaneous (unprompted) or induced. Abortion remains one of the leading causes of maternal deaths in developing countries with induced abortion being the key cause. In 2014 from January to August, 9 abortion related deaths occurred in Botswana. There are several reasons female students in tertiary institutions resort to seeking induced abortion which include the socio-demographics like age and socio-economic factors like financial instability. Parental fears, unintended pregnancy and pressure from the partner also force females to terminate pregnancy. Induced abortion has claimed many women’s lives especially in developing countries with very restrictive abortion laws like Botswana as women do not access safe abortion care services. The study intends to establish the determinants of induced abortion among female students in selected tertiary learning institutions in Gaborone City, Botswana. It concentrated primarily on determining the prevalence of induced abortion. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study using both quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques. Systematic random sampling technique was used to come up with 278 participants. Prior to commencement of data collection, all ethical and logistical prerequisites were satisfied. Informed consent was solicited from all the study participants and the purpose of the study was fully explained. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Microsoft Excel spread sheet was used to code, clean, and enter the data, which was then exported for analysis to the statistical package for social sciences version 24. Frequency distribution tables, percentages graphs, and pie charts were used to illustrate the descriptive information. The study revealed that prevalence of induced abortion among female students in Gaborone City is 7.9%. They even suggested that induced abortion be liberalized. Age was the only socio-demographic factor associated with induced abortion with p = 0.047 using Chi Square test χ2 = 7.609, df = 3. The study findings concluded that female students resort to induced abortion as a result of pressure from both parents and male partners especially when the pregnancy is unintended. The study recommends that the abortion law in Botswana be made liberal to ease access to safe abortion care services. It also recommends that contraceptive commodities should consistently be available in public health facilities.

Spontaneous Abortions in the Second Trimester of Pregnancy: Research and Analysis of Factors Associated at Laquintinie Hospital in Douala

Introduction: Spontaneous abortion of the second trimester is an interruption of pregnancy with complete expulsion or not of the product of conception between 15 and 28 weeks of pregnancy without any maneuvers. The objective of our study was to determine the factors associated with second trimester spontaneous abortions at Laquintinie Hospital in Douala. Methodology for this purpose: We conducted a case-control study from January to May 2019 on pregnant women who may or may not have had spontaneous second trimester abortions. Results: In total we recorded 1609 pregnancies and recruited 184 patients, including 46 cases and 138 controls;which gave a frequency of spontaneous abortion in the second trimester of pregnancy of 2.85%. A correlative analysis showed that spontaneous abortions in the second trimester were associated with housewife status (OR = 2.89;CI = 1.21 - 6.79;p = 0.010), gestation > 5 (OR = 4.09;CI = 1.02 - 17.66;p = 0.040), multiparity (OR = 3.81;CI = 1.59 - 9.16;p = 0.002), history of endouterine maneuvers (OR = 5.64;CI = 2.43 - 13 .03;p = 0.000), malaria in pregnancy (OR = 3.99;CI = 1.1 - 14.76;p = 0.030), incompleteness on the second trimester ultrasound (OR = 2.37;CI = 1.18 - 4.70;p = 0.010), jolts when traveling (OR = 46.04;CI = 17.29 - 123.66;p = 0.000), long car journeys (OR = 7.05;CI = 1.99 - 27.77;p = 0.000). After logistic regression eliminating the confounding factors, only the following were associated with abortions: Multiparity (OR = 13.90;CI = 2.96 - 65.18;p = 0.000), endo uterine maneuvers (OR = 3.69;CI = 1. 01 - 13.44;p = 0.047), jolts when traveling (OR = 72.63;CI = 19.47 - 270.96;p = 0.000), long car journeys (OR = 15.41;CI = 2.7 - 85, 95;p = 0.000). Conclusion: Our study reveals that a set of factors contribute to the occurrence of spontaneous abortions in the second trimester of pregnancy in our context.

Morbi-Mortality Linked to Unsafe Abortions—Difficulties in Accessing Safe Abortions in Cameroon: Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review

Background: Unsafe abortions are one of the leading causes of maternal mortality, especially in developing countries. In Cameroon, the maternal mortality rate remains high, and the scarcity of data on abortions leads to a lack of solid evidence to advocate on the extent of the abortions related complications. Our objective was to evaluate the unsafe abortions related complications, and to assess the difficulties of accessing safe abortions in our setting. Methods: We carried out a meta-analytic and systematic review in the biomedical databases MEDLINE (Pubmed), Google Scholar and African Journal Online concerning unsafe abortions and/or difficulties in accessing safe abortions in Cameroon. The keywords used for the search are seen in table I. Selection of studies was simultaneously done by two authors. Data were extracted through a form designed on Google Form. We used a random-effect model for proportion estimation, and The I2 and Q statistics to assess the extent of heterogeneity. Results: A total of 430 studies were identified, from which 28 were included and analysed. About 5% (95% CI: 3 - 7) of unsafe abortions leads to death. The contribution of unsafe abortions in maternal deaths was 23% (95% CI: 20 - 27). The rate of severe bleeding and/or anemia were 40% (95% CI: 18 - 63) and the rate of infection was 17% (95% CI: 7 - 28), dominated by pelvic infections, pelviperitonitis, severe sepsis, and septic shock. Case reports described uterine perforations, uterine rupture during the following pregnancy. Abortion was performed in the practitioner’s or patient’s home in 41.4% of cases, in a health center in 35.1% of cases, in a private clinic in 21.2% of cases, drugs selling places and in traditional healer clinics. The restriction of abortion laws, the stigma surrounding abortion and its consequences at any level of the society, lead to the underreporting of unsafe abortions and a deep reluctance to advocate for safe abortion services. Conclusion: The strengthening of awareness campaigns for provider behavior change communication, family planning, the de-stigmatization of abortions, the training of health personnel in post-abortion care, a multidisciplinary and multicentric action would contribute to the reduction in morbidity and mortality due to abortions.

Abnormal Uterine Bleeding due to Retention of Fetal Bones after Abortion: A Case Report

Background: Retention of fetal bones is a rare cause of abnormal uterine bleeding. Others may present as subfertility, chronic pelvic pain, abnormal vaginal discharge, menometrorrhagia, dysmenorrhea and spontaneous expulsion of bony fragments. Incidence is 0.26% among patients undergoing hysteroscopy. Aim: To document a pattern of presentation of retained fetal bone and its management. Case Presentation: Our patient is an 18-year old who presented with vaginal bleeding of four weeks duration and managed for abnormal uterine bleeding due to retained fetal bone following second trimester abortion. Conclusion: The use of transvaginal ultrasound in making diagnosis of retained fetal bone is effective. Treatment by removal of bones through evacuation by dilatation and curettage or hysteroscopy brings about resolution of symptoms. Use of pelvic ultrasonography to confirm complete evacuation of the uterus after abortion especially second trimester abortion could aid in early diagnosis and management of incomplete abortion.

Clandestine Abortions and Its Complications at the University Hospital Center of the Sino-Central African Friendship

Introduction: In developed countries in general and particularly in the Central African Republic, clandestine abortions constitute a real health problem. The aim of our work was to study the method of carrying out clandestine abortions, to describe the profile of the providers and the complications that result from it. Patients and Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study of patients hospitalized at the University Hospital Center for Sino-Central African Friendship (CHUASC) from 2015 to 2019 on 236 cases. Results: We identified a total of 254 patients for 8039 live births in the same period, a frequency of 3.16%. The age of the patients was between 15 years old and 48 years old with an average of 25 years old. Singles accounted for 42.5%. Induced abortions were more performed among students (32.6%) and the unemployed 53.6%. Contraception was used in 11.5% of cases. The methods used were numerous: misoprostol (32%), the traditional method (18%), the mechanical method (50%). In this method, we note the dilation of the cervix by the cassava stem;Hegar’s candles;the probes, which are infusion tubes cut and introduced into the cervix, of which 2 cases had escaped at the level of the uterine muscles and emerged under the skin at the pubis part two years later. The practice of induced abortions in our series was done by medical students in 37.3% followed by unqualified staff in 49.7%. It took place either at home or in centers managed by Non-Governmental Organizations. The aseptic conditions were not perfect. Some patients (43.2%) were aware of the ensuing complications. All complications were present: hemorrhage (60.7%), pelviperitonitis (23.6%), uterine perforation (6.6%), peritonitis (2.8%) and death (2%) related to sepsis. Conclusion: Clandestine abortion remains a real health problem for young Central African women.

Medication Rules of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Treating Threatened Abortion in the Early Stage of Pregnancy with Subchorionic Haematoma Based on Data Mining

Objective:Using data mining technology to explore the rules of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)in the treatment of threatened abortion in the early stage of pregnancy with sub-chorionic haematoma(SCH).Methods:Literature of TCM in the treatment of threatened abortion in the early stage of pregnancy with SCH were retrieved from CNKI,VIP,WANFANG and Pubmed,EMBASE.The literature information database was established to be used for descriptive analysis,association rule analysis and cluster analysis of relevant data.Results:A total of 100 literatures were included,involving 114 Chinese herbs.The efficacy of Chinese herbs were mainly tonic drugs,hemostatic drugs,heat-clearing drugs,dissolving blood stasis and hemostatic drugs.The medicinal properties were mostly mild and warm,and the taste of the drug was mainly sweet,bitter and pungent.The liver meridian,spleen meridian and kidney meridian were frequently used.The commonly used drug pair combination was"Xu duan(Radix dipsaci,续断)-Tusizi(Semen Cuscutae,菟丝子)",and the core combination was"Tusizi-Xu duan-Ejiao(Donkeyhide gelatin,阿胶)-Baizhu(Atractylodes macrocephala,白术)-Dangshen(Codonopsis pilosula,党参)".Commonly used drugs for removing blood stasis and hemostasis were with Sanqi(Panax notoginseng,三七),Puhuang(cattail pollen,蒲黄),and Qiancao(Radix Rubiae,茜草).Conclusion:Data mining traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of threatened abortion in the early stage of pregnancy with SCH clinically commonly used drug efficacy,taste,meridian,commonly used drug pairs,core combination and commonly used blood stasis hemostatic drugs,has important reference significance for the treatment of threatened abortion in the early stage of pregnancy combined with SCH.

Advances of Genetic Testing Technology in Etiology Diagnosis of Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion

Recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) is a complex and heterogeneous disorder with multiple etiologies. Genetic factors are thought to play an important role in the etiology of RSA. With recent advances in genetic testing technologies, there has been an increasing interest in using these tools to diagnose the etiology of RSA. This review discusses the different types of genetic testing methods, such as karyotyping, chromosomal microarray analysis, next-generation sequencing, and their applications in the diagnosis of the etiology RSA. The use of genetic testing in the diagnosis of RSA has the potential to improve the accuracy of diagnosis and the understanding of the underlying mechanisms of the disorder, which could lead to better management and treatment of affected individuals.

Research Priorities for Preventing Unsafe Abortions in the WHO Africa Region

Background: Unsafe abortion is a commonly neglected sexual and reproductive health and rights issue despite the serious health problems it causes to women and girls in their reproductive ages. It is classified as a main cause of maternal mortality and morbidity. This paper has considered questions that have the greatest potential to successfully reduce unsafe abortions in the resource poor settings. Methods: We adapted the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI) to identify and prioritize many competing sexual and reproductive health and rights research ideas that impact the health of the populations. The implementation was done in three phases which included generation and collection of research ideas from various experts virtually in August 2019 consolidation of the potential questions through thematic analysis conducted in September 2019. Finally, scoring and ranking of the research questions was done in a workshop of experts. Results: Out of a list of 45 priority research questions, two questions were ranked the highest scoring 28 out of the possible 30. The research priorities include: “The effectiveness of interventions (e.g. counseling or incentives or home visits) to increase post abortion uptake and continuance”, “Reducing repeat abortion on improving maternal health outcomes” and “Evaluation of community-based awareness programs to reduce unwanted pregnancies and encourage women to seek help early”. Conclusions: Ten key research priorities in preventing unsafe abortion were identified. The priority list covers areas of focus that could effectively impact preventing unsafe abortions while also acting as a knowledge base for researchers, policy makers and other interested stakeholders who would want to invest in this area.

Relationship Between Litchi Embryo Abortion and Phenolic Inhibitors

Phenolic inhibitors were preliminarily isolated from the normal and abortive litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) ovules with a series of solvents, and then separated and purified by thin-layer chromatography (TLC), further isolated and identified with GC-MS, and finally checked with standards. p-Hydroxybenzoic acid (p-HBA) was isolated and identified from litchi ovules in this experiment for the first time. Determination of its biological activity showed that p-HBA was a very strong growth inhibitory substance. In abortive ovules, p-HBA content and IAA oxidase activity were much higher; IAA content was much lower than those in normal ovules (P<0.01). It is suggested that p-HBA may be involved in the regulation of litchi embryo development; high content of p-HBA may accelerate IAA oxidation and affect the balance of growth promoting and inhibitory substances, causing embryo abortion.

The Relation between Anther's Nutrient Metabolism and Pollen Abortion of Male Sterile Lines in Lycium barbarum L.

[ Objective] This study deals with the relation between anther nutrient metabolism and pollen abortion of male sterile lines in Lycium barbarum L., and provides some theoretical references for the pollen abortion mechanism of male sterile lines in Lyciurn barbarurn L.. [Method] By using semi-thin section and cytochemistry technology, the accumulation and distribution of anther nutrient of male sterile and fertile lines in Lycium barbarum L. were observed and compared. [ Result] The result showed that after meiosis, starch grains in the connective parenchyma of anther decreased sharply, and starch grains in epidermis and endothecium were also greatly decreased, while nearly no lipid accumulated in tapetal cells in male sterile lines compared with the fertile lines. The tapetal cells and tetraspore had vacuoles appear successively, and then entered the degenerate process. During the degeneration stage of tapetal cells and tetraspore, starch grains in epidermis and endothecium were still in a smell number and in the connective parenchyme as well. [ Conclusion] The decrease of polysaccharide supplying in anther vascular leads to the disorder of mechanism of glycelipid transforming in tapetal ceils, which triggers the tapetal cells degenerating ahead of time, and the latter gives rise to callus wall failing to degenerate in time. Therefore, the tetrads disintegrate and disappear ultimately due to lack of nutrition.

A Review of the Development and Effect of Contraceptive Counseling After Abortion

Objective To introduce the background and development of post-abortion services such as contraceptive counseling at home and abroad,and its important role for women so as to provide a reference for the further popularization of this service in China.Methods Chinese and English databases such as CNKI,WanFang Database,VIP,PubMed,and Web of Science were searched to find relevant studies on the implementation of post-abortion service,including post-abortion family planning and post-abortion contraceptive counseling in China.And then the literature on the implementation effect of post-abortion contraceptive counseling and related services was reviewed in China.Results and Conclusion The post-abortion contraceptive counseling service can effectively improve the reproductive health of the patients with induced abortion and the level of knowledge about contraception and birth control,so as to change the contraceptive behavior and adverse psychological state of the patients.Besides.it can guide patients to use more long-term and effective contraceptive measures,thereby reducing the occurrence of unintended pregnancy and repeated abortion.Standardized contraceptive counseling and related services can also improve patient satisfaction.According to the development and implementation effect of post-abortion service and post-abortion contraceptive counseling at home and abroad,it is necessary to further promote post-abortion contraceptive counseling service in the future.Much consideration should be given to carrying out a health technical assessment of the standardized post-abortion contraceptive counseling service as well as its implementation costs.Therefore,medical institutions will have a reference to carry out standardized post-abortion contraceptive counseling service.

Study on Relation between Endogenous Phytohormones and Ovule Abortion in Tetraploid Robinia pseudoacacia

This study was conducted to investigate ovule abortion of tetraploid Robinia pseudoacacia and its reasons. It was found that in the ovule development period of tetraploid R. pseudoacacia from 15 d after coronal opening, the levels of growth-promoting endogenous hormones in abortive ovules were lower than those in normal ovules, and the level of a growth-inhibiting hormone was always higher than those in normal ovules, indicating that ovule abortion of tetraploid R. pseudoacacia might be related to abnormal endogenous phytohormones in ovules. This study laid a foundation for further study on highly sterile phenomenon of tetraploid R. pseudoacacia seeds.

Clinical Observation of Misoprostol before and after Painless Induced Abortion

Background: Though painless abortion is a safe, effective and excellent method of artificial abortion, intravenous anesthesia cannot effectively expand the cervix. Hard and tight cervix often affects the operation and easily inducesabortion complications. Misoprostol can induce uterine contraction and soften the cervix. Objective: To investigate the clinical effect of misoprostol on abortion before and after painless induced abortion. Methods: 600 case pregnant women were divided into three groups: A, B and C, 200 case in each group. All patients were anesthetized. In group A, misoprostol 0.2 ug was placed in the posterior fornix of vagina 2 hours before the operation of induced abortion;in group B, misoprostol 0.2 ug was not only placed in the posterior fornix of vagina 2 hours before the operation of induced abortion but also taken orally 2 hours and 6 hours after the operation;in group C, misoprostol was not used before and after the operation. The operation time, intraoperative bleeding volume, postoperative bleeding, the percentage of cervical relaxation and the rate of incomplete abortion among the three groups were compared. Results: Compared with group A and group B, the operation time of group C was longer and the amount of bleeding was more (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference between group A and group B (P > 0.05). The duration of bleeding in group B was less than that in group A (P < 0.05). The percentage of cervical relaxation in group A and B was higher than that in group C (P < 0.05). The rate of incomplete abortion in group B < group A < group C (P < 0.05), and there was no residual uterine cavity in group B. Conclusion: The use of misoprostol before and after painless induced abortion can not only shorten the time of operation, reduce intraoperative and postoperative vaginal bleeding, but also has not incurred incomplete abortion(primary outcome).

Increase of tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 expression in women with unexplained early spontaneous abortion

Objective: To investigate membrane tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 protein expression level in decidua and concentration of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 in serum in women with unexplained early spontaneous abortion, threatened abortion, and compare the levels with healthy pregnant women. Methods: Thirty-seven women with unexplained early spontaneous abortion, 27 women with threatened abortion, and 34 healthy pregnant women undergoing artificial abortion of pregnancy at 6 - 10 weeks of gestation were selected. Decidual samples were collected when women were undergoing artificial abortion, and blood samples were collected at the same time. The level of membrane tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 in decidua was detected by flow cytometer, and the concentration of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 in sera was measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: The percentages of membrane tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 positive decidual cells were 16.42 ± 7.10 Mean ± SD for women with unexplained early spontaneous abortion and 13. 14 ± 6.30 for healthy pregnant women ( P < 0.05). Serum concentration of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 was significantly higher in women with unexplained early spontaneous abortion than in healthy pregnant women and in women with threatened abortion, and no difference was found between healthy pregnant women and women with threatened abortion. Conclusion: Women with unexplained early spontaneous abortion present significantly higher expression of tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 than healthy pregnant women, suggesting that over-expression of tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 may contribute to the development of early spontaneous abortion.

Implementation and Follow-Up of Medical Abortion in Catalonia (2010-2014)

In 2011 a protocol for medical abortions (MA) up to 49 days of pregnancy was approved by the Ministry of Health of Catalonia’s autonomous government and it was progressively introduced through the public network of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Units (SRHU). In 2014, a new protocol extended to 63 days of pregnancy was set up. Data come from the official abortion registry held by the Ministry of Health, which collects statistical data from all abortions performed in Catalonia. Since 2011, the number and rate of abortions in Catalonia have decreased while the number of health centers providing abortions has increased, especially the SRHU. The proportion of MA abortions went from 0.4% (2010) to 36.9% (2014), while the percentage of early abortions (up to 7 weeks) surged by 14.7%. SRHU reported 73.4% of all MA and hospitals performed 18.7% of the total, while outpatient centers accounted for the remaining 7.9%. Compared to surgical abortions, women having had MA have higher levels of education and lower rates of unemployment. Furthermore, they have more living offspring and fewer previous terminations as well as more frequent attendance to a public family planning center.

The Relationship between Activated Protein C-Resistance and Recurrent Abortion

The activated protein C-resistance (APC-R) method based on APTT was used in 40 nonpregnant multiparas (control group) and 55 patients with abortion of unknown origin (experimental group) in order to explore the relationship between APC-R and recurrent abortion. A significant difference in APC-R-positive rate was found (P<0. 01 ) between control group and experimental group, with the rate being 5 % in the controls and 25. 5 % in the experimental group. And the APC-R-pos- itive rates in the patients with only twice abortions and the patients over-3-time abortions were 22. 6 % and 29. 2 %, respectively (P>0. 05). The APC-R-positive rate, which was 37. 9 % in the patients of late abortion, was much higher than that in the patients of early abortion. It is concluded that APC-R has something to do with recurrent abortion, and is closely related to late abortion, but bears no obvious relationship with times of abortions.