Leukemia inhibitory factor is essential for embryo implantation, and a shift from type 1 T-helper to type 2 T-helper response at the fetal-maternal interface may contribute to successful pregnancy. We show that LIF production is associated with type 2 T-helper cells, is upregulated by IL-4 and progesterone and is downregulated by IL-12, IFN-gamma and IFN-alpha. We also show a decreased production of LIF, IL-4 and IL-10 by decidual T cells of women with unexplained recurrent abortions in comparison with that of women with normal gestation. The defective production of LIF and/or type 2 T-helper cytokines may contribute to the development of unexplained recurrent abortions.

Abstract-The risk for an adverse pregnancy outcome is markedly higher in women with history of preeclampsia. This may stem from impaired placentation in early gestation and from high impedance to flow in uteroplacental circulation. The renin-angiotensin system is one of the mediators of the remodeling of spiral arteries throughout pregnancy. The D allele of the Insertion/Deletion (I/D) polymorphism in the ACE gene has been associated with higher ACE activity, accounting for 47% of the total phenotypic variance of serum enzyme levels. To investigate whether the ACE I/D polymorphism affects maternal uteroplacental and fetal umbilical circulation and the pregnancy outcome in women with a history of preeclampsia, 106 women underwent Doppler examination of uterine arteries resistance index and umbilical artery pulsatility index at the 16th, 20th, and 24th weeks of gestation and were genotyped for the I/D polymorphism. This study found a difference in genotype distribution (Pϭ0.0002) and allele frequency (PϽ0.0001) between women with and those without preeclampsia recurrence and fetal growth restriction as well as an association (Pϭ0.0007) between DD genotype and risk of recurrent preeclampsia or fetal growth restriction. At the 16th, 20th, and 24th weeks, uterine artery resistance indexes were significantly lower in II, higher in DD, and intermediate in ID genotype carriers, whereas the umbilical artery pulsatility index values were significantly higher in the DD group in comparison to ID and II genotypes. Key Words: angiotensin-converting enzyme Ⅲ polymorphism Ⅲ preeclampsia Ⅲ pregnancy T he risk for an adverse pregnancy outcome in women who have previously had preeclampsia is markedly higher (from 20% to 40%) 1,2 in comparison to women with history of normal pregnancy, but the mechanisms involved have not yet been identified. The maternal syndrome of preeclampsia (PE) and the fetal syndrome of fetal growth restriction (FGR) during the latter half of pregnancy are believed to result from impaired placentation in early gestation. 3,4 Deficient placentation is characterized by inadequate trophoblast invasion into the maternal spiral arteries and a failure to develop lowresistance uteroplacental circulation. 3 Doppler ultrasonographic studies of uteroplacental 5 and fetal umbilical circulation 6 have shown that high impedance to flow is associated with subsequent PE, FGR, and related complications.Previous experimental studies 7 suggested that the "physiological remodeling" of spiral arteries throughout pregnancy is mediated by the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), which is one of the main factors regulating blood pressure, and fluid and electrolyte balance. 8 Throughout normal pregnancy, the RAS is stimulated; plasma renin activity, angiotensinogen, angiotensin II, and aldosterone levels are all increased. 9 At the same time, pregnancy induces a refractoriness to the pressor effects of angiotensin II. 10 In patients with PE, a significant association between the T235 molecular variant of the angiotensinogen (AGT) gene, ...

Patients who had been operated on for bilateral endometriomas have an increased risk of POF. Ovarian parenchyma loss at the time of surgery seems related to cyst diameter. In the case of unilateral ovarian endometrioma, the contralateral intact ovary might adequately compensate.

The evaluation of vessel distribution by color Doppler sonography in complex adnexal cysts seems to increase the diagnostic accuracy of gray scale sonography in the detection of adnexal malignancies in a large study population.

Stage III-IV was strongly associated with poor IVF outcome. A decreased fertilization rate in stage I-II might be a cause of subfertility in these women, owing to a hostile environment caused by the disease.