In the early days, all mucosal invasions of abdominal organs were considered to be one pathological condition of uncertain origin, termed adenomyoma. It was only in the 1920s that endometriosis and adenomyosis were clearly separated and it took approximately 80 years to put forward a new theory reunifying their pathogenesis. Today, identification of adenomyosis is carried out exclusively through vaginal ultrasonography and MRI. These techniques have made a careful evaluation of a distinct anatomical structure and the inner myometrial layers underlying the endometrium, termed the junctional zone, possible. Adenomyosis is characterized by a homogeneous thickening of this portion of the myometrium. When this hyperplasia is associated to an alteration of spiral arterioles' angiogenesis, then both adenomyosis and endometriosis may develop. Evidence is being accumulated that pre-eclampsia, fetal growth restriction and premature delivery may be linked, together representing a new, major obstetrical syndrome characterized by a modified uterine environment around the time of nidation. A dozen different medical or surgical techniques are utilized for the treatment of adenomyosis and novel approaches are being tested. These include use of inhibitors of angiogenesis that have been shown to cause reduced neo-angiogenesis, a significant modification of gene expression and a decrease in the percentage of active lesions. Encouraging results have also been obtained with the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system.
For decades, the Roman Catholic Church opposed use of condoms to prevent spread of sexually transmitted infections (STI) because of their contraceptive effect. In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI said that widespread use of condoms could worsen the situation, a position rejected as 'unscientific'. Recently, however the Pontiff stated that because the Church considers acts of prostitution and homosexuality to be gravely immoral and disordered, in such specific cases use of a condom might become an initial step in the direction of a moralization leading to an assumption of responsibility and a new awareness of the meaning of sexuality. In doing so, he reaffirmed his belief that condoms cannot solve the problem of STI spread, stressing the Church's position that modern societies no longer see sexuality as an 'expression of love, but only as a sort of drug that people administer to themselves'. The new Papal position has been widely applauded, but made conservative Catholics unhappy. A dialogue with the Church now seems possible: Does concentrating on condoms hinder the effectiveness of other strategies? What are the respective roles of condoms and other approaches to prevent infection spread? Does a special situation exist in Africa requiring specific and focused interventions?
Technological advances in the field of reproductive biology have enabled couples considered infertile to conceive and have healthy babies, causing a revolution in culture and customs. Today the independence of sex and reproduction is established and in the future human reproduction may move even further away from the sexual act, an option definitely unacceptable to some ethicists.
Men's violent sexual behaviour has often been interpreted as a consequence of blind sexual drive. Today, however, aggressive behaviour is considered to be sensitive to and influenced by environmental cues. Eradication is possible and efforts to eliminate gender-based violence should be intensified.
The progestational steroid norgestrel was synthesized and tested between 1960 and 1965 through an international cooperation between Wyeth, USA and Schering, Berlin. It is a mixture of two “enantiomers,” with only one form (designated as levonorgestrel) biologically active. When taken orally, it is rapidly absorbed, not subjected to a “first-pass” effect and is approximately 90% bioavailable, with a circulating half-life around 15 hours. Its contraceptive action is exerted at the central (hypothalamic) and peripheral (cervical mucus and endometrium) levels. Levonorgestrel (LNG), alone or in combination with ethinyl estradiol (EE), is the most widely employed contraceptive progestin: it is used in combined oral contraceptives, progestogen-only pills, long-acting contraceptive implants, intrauterine contraceptive systems and in emergency contraception. It is also the steroid of choice for new oral contraceptive regimens aimed at reducing the frequency of bleeding episodes. This novel approach, already tried more than 30 years ago, gained interest around the year 2000 when surveys of women’s attitudes toward monthly menstrual bleeding started to show a major change: more and more women declared that they would welcome a hormonal contraceptive method that reduced bleeding episodes to 4, 2 or even 1 per year. At this point, while the debate on the significance and “usefulness” of menstruation went on, attention focused on new regimens. The first new modality consisted of changing the 7-day medication-free interval, either shortening it to fewer than 7 days, or by the administration of low-dose estrogens during the interval between packages. Then, continuous administration regimens started to be investigated. This, however, did not happen suddenly, since, in specific situations, doctors had for years empirically utilized various continuous administration regimens. The first extended-cycle oral contraceptive regimen introduced in clinical practice is an 84-day regimen that results in bleeding only 4 times a year. A commercial product specifically packed for continuous use is now available in Europe and contains 30 μg EE and 150 μg LNG. In a variation of this regimen, after administration of the same combination for 84 days, women are given 7 pills containing 10 μg EE. A 6-monthly regimen has also been tested in a small study using EE 20 μg plus LNG 100 μg taken with and without a hormone-free interval. Women in the continuous group reported significantly fewer bleeding days requiring protection and were more likely to have amenorrhea; in addition they also reported significantly fewer days of bloating and menstrual pain. A yearly regimen is now being developed. Each pill of this novel formulation contains EE 20 μg and LNG 90 μg to be taken continuously for 364 days (13 cycles) per year. A phase III trial has now evaluated safety, efficacy and menses inhibition. At the end of the 1-year trial amenorrhea was present in 58.7% of the women and a complete absence of bleeding in 79.0%. Overall, the number of bleeding and spott...
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