Pelvic floor muscle strength and mode of delivery did not affect sexual function in our study participants. The muscular component of female sexual function should be further investigated.

Congenital high airway obstruction syndrome (CHAOS) is the obstruction of the fetal upper airways, which may be partial or complete. It is usually incompatible with life. Prenatal recognition of the disease is quite important due to the recently described management options. We report here two cases of CHAOS due to tracheal atresia diagnosed by antenatal ultrasonography and fetal MRI. We also briefly review the relevant literature with the associated management options.

Body mass index and transvaginal cervical length were better predictors compared to the Bishop score in determining the success of labor induction.

Background/Aims: Endometrial polyps are quite common in the general population, they have a significant role in postmenopausal bleeding, and the pathogenesis is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate proliferation markers and expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors in endometrial polyps in postmenopausal women. Methods: Endometrial polyps were removed by hysteroscopy from 36 women who presented with postmenopausal bleeding. None were using hormonal therapy. The control group consisted of 16 inactive-atrophic postmenopausal endometrial specimens removed at hysterectomy. Immunohistochemistry was used to demonstrate expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors and the cell growth and apoptosis markers, Ki67, bcl-2, c-erbB-2. Results: In both the glandular epithelium and stroma of endometrial polyps, estrogen and progesterone receptors, Ki67 and bcl-2 showed significantly more positive staining than the inactive endometrium from the control group. There was no difference in expression of c-erbB-2 between the two groups. Conclusions: Estrogen may have a role in the development of postmenopausal endometrial polyps, either by direct stimulation of localized proliferation or by stimulation of proliferation via other pathways, such as activation of Ki67 or through inhibition of apoptosis via bcl-2. c- erbB-2 is unlikely to play any role in development of these lesions.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to determine influence of prenatal granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) administration on lung growth, maturation, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression. Twenty Wistar rats received sterile saline (1 mL) or recombinant human GM-CSF (50 micro g/kg) on day 16 of pregnancy. Rats were sacrificed on days 18 and 20 of gestation. H-score for VEGF was calculated immunohistochemically. Alveolar VEGF expression on days 18 and 20 of gestation was significantly higher in the GM-CSF group (P < .01). Increase in VEGF with prenatal GM-CSF administration indicates that GM-CSF may stimulate lung growth and maturation and may be protective against lung disease due to prematurity.

surgical history. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed.Cases (n = 245) and controls (n = 287) were similar in smoking status, postmenopausal status, prior surgical history, and estrogen use. Variables associated with POPUI surgery in the multivariate analysis were parity (OR, 4.1 [95% CI, 1.7-9.4]; P= 0.001) and chronic lung disease (OR, 2.4 [95% CI, 1.4-4.2]; P= 0.002). The first vaginal birth conferred a risk of 2.6 (95% CI, 1.0-7.0). Each subsequent vaginal birth increased the risk of surgery. Women younger than 50 years had a higher risk associated with vaginal parity (OR, 8.0 [95% CI,.1]; P= 0.001) than women aged 50 years or older. In the latter, the risk was not statistically significant (OR 1.9 [95% CI, 0.6-6.3]; P=0.3) (Table 1).This age-matched, case-control study demonstrates that women who underwent surgery for POPUI were nearly 4 times more likely to have been delivered vaginally, and twice as likely to have chronic lung disease. Parity is a greater risk factor for women younger than 50 years than for older women. The present study encompasses the adult lifespan and links prior studies of disparate age groups. These findings are in agreement with previous reports that parturition injury is a stronger risk factor for women during midlife [2], and that age-associated changes in pelvic floor function become stronger as women age [3,4].

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