In women with pre-eclampsia, sera antioxidant activity and antioxidant level of plasma are decreased when compared with normotensive pregnancies. Impaired antioxidant activity and the reduction of antioxidant levels which increase the level of lipid peroxidation products may cause peroxidative damage of vascular endothelium and result in clinical symptoms of pre-eclampsia.

Objective  To evaluate the effectiveness of live lactobacilli in combination with low dose oestriol for restoration of the vaginal flora after anti‐infective treatment. Design  The study was designed as a single centre, randomised, placebo‐controlled, double‐blind clinical trial. Setting  University Hospital. Sample  Three hundred and sixty women out of 1750 were randomised. Methods  Three hundred and sixty women with the complaints of vaginal infections (bacterial vaginosis, candidiasis, trichomoniasis or fluor vaginalis) were randomly assigned two to seven days after the end of the anti‐infective therapy, to therapy with live lactobacilli in combination with low dose oestriol (study group, n= 240) or placebo (n= 120). The follow up visits occurred three to seven days and four to six weeks after the end of the restoration therapy. Main outcome measures  The Normal Flora Index (NFI), which consists of numbers of lactobacilli, pathogenic microorganisms, leucocytes and vaginal pH, was used as the primary outcome of the study. Secondary outcomes included the total symptoms score, the degree of purity of the vaginal flora and the global assessment of the treatment by the investigator and the women. Results  During restoration therapy, the NFI increased significantly more in the study group than in the control group in both first and second control visits (P= 0.002 and P= 0.006, respectively). The degree of purity of the vaginal flora also increased significantly more in the study group compared with the control group (P < 0.0001 and P= 0.001, respectively). No serious adverse event was reported during restoration therapy. Conclusion  Restoration of the vaginal flora can be significantly enhanced by the administration of live lactobacilli in combination with low dose oestriol.

We report a case of hydatid cyst of the pelvis in a 36-year-old woman presented with right adnexal cystic mass with similar cystic lesions in the liver. Laparatomy revealed a right paraovarian cystic mass densely adhered to the uterus, to the pelvic side wall, and to the right fallopian tube. Histopathological examination of the cyst wall showed the cuticular layer of the cyst. Cystic liver lesion was later proved to be hepatic hemangioma by magnetic resonance imaging.

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We determined the relationship between the histopathological findings of the placental bed and Doppler flow measurements of the uterine artery in women with preeclampsia and fetal growth retardation. Doppler velocimetry in the uterine artery was evaluated in 17 pregnant women with preeclampsia, 15 of whom had fetal growth retardation, and 20 normal pregnant women, within 14 days of Caesarean delivery and placental bed biopsy. The placental bed biopsies were evaluated in terms of trophoblast migration into the myometrium and physiological changes of the spiral arteries. The results were compared with Doppler velocimetry values. Trophoblast migration and physiological changes were not detected in 10 (59%) cases with preeclampsia and in 4 (20%) with normal pregnancies (p<0.05). In the preeclamptic group, 9 of 15 cases that were complicated with intrauterine growth retardation had no trophoblastic migration into the myometrium. The mean systolic/diastolic ratio, resistance index and pulsatility index of the uterine artery in women with preeclampsia and fetal growth retardation was significantly higher than women with normal pregnancies (p<0.01). The mean resistance index of the uterine artery in the impaired migration group was significantly higher than the migration group (p=0.02). The incidence of impaired trophoblast migration was significantly higher in the group with a high systolic/diastolic ratio (above 2.5) and resistance index (above 0.58) than cases with low systolic/diastolic ratio and resistance index (72%, 23% respectively, p<0.05). The incidence of early diastolic notch in the impaired trophoblast migration group was significantly higher than the migration group (57% versus 13%, p<0.01). Our study supports the hypothesis that high uterine artery flow resistance is related to the reduced trophoblast migration into the myometrium and inadequate physiological changes in the spiral arteries in women with intrauterine growth retardation and preeclampsia.