Current Women's Health Reviews - Volume 21, Issue 6, 2025

Acute urinary retention (AUR) is a rare but serious condition during pregnancy that can lead to significant maternal and fetal complications. Pregnancy induces various anatomical and functional changes in the lower urinary tract, increasing the risk of AUR. In this report, we present a novel case of acute urinary retention secondary to a large infected anterior vaginal wall cyst.

A 31-year-old woman in her second pregnancy at 18 weeks of gestation presented with vulval pain, fever, and urinary retention. On examination, a 5x6 cm tense mass on the anterior vaginal wall was identified, with no abnormalities in the cervix or lateral fornixes. For the above complaints, the patient visited another hospital; she was started on oral antibiotics and Foley catheterization was performed. A transvaginal ultrasound imaging showed a hypoechoic lesion on the anterior vaginal wall with increased vascularity. After 24 hours of intravenous antibiotic therapy post-admission, the cyst started collapsing and there was evidence of spontaneous pus drainage from the cyst wall. The remaining loculi were removed under aseptic conditions. The symptoms subsided and, hence, Foley’s catheter was removed. The patient comfortably passed urine post-catheter removal. She was discharged after five days of oral antibiotics and returned for a follow-up two weeks later with no recurrence of symptoms. Further surgical intervention was postponed due to increased vascularity from pregnancy.

An infected large anterior vaginal wall cyst during pregnancy can cause acute urinary retention. This condition is managed with conservative treatment, with cyst excision typically deferred until after delivery.

Visceral artery aneurysm is an uncommon pathology with a potential risk of rupture and disastrous complications, especially during pregnancy. Sudden rupture is associated with higher fetal mortality. The exact etiology of splenic artery aneurysm remains unclear. However, intimomedial mucoid degeneration is a rare vascular disorder that can lead to aneurysms in young individuals.

In this case, we present a case of unexpected and sudden intra-abdominal hemorrhage in a 26-years-old woman in her first pregnancy (27^th week) with fetal death but maternal survival. At the onset, blood pressure was 90/70 mmHg, and blood tests showed anemia. The trans-abdominal ultrasound showed fluid in the sub-hepatic area and a significantly slowed fetal heartbeat. Cesarean section was performed, and upon opening the abdomen, there was a massive hemoperitoneum, and the incision of the uterus led to the extraction of a dead fetus. Surgical pathology revealed an aneurysm of the splenic artery, and histological examination supported a diagnosis of intimomedial mucoid degeneration of the vessel.

Abdominal pain in pregnancy is a frequent presentation in obstetric departments with a wide possibility of diagnosis. Clinicians face significant diagnostic challenges due to the wide range of potential causes of abdominal pain. The rarity of this pathology and the objective diagnostic difficulties make this condition obscure and unpredictable. Routine screening of the splenic artery with ultrasound and Doppler can be considered in pregnant women with predisposing factors. Timely surgical intervention is necessary to spare the life of the mother and the fetus.

Considering the prevalence of sexual dysfunctions among Iranian women and the effects of sexual self-concepts on sexual performance, further studies on the effects of sex counseling on the sexual self-concepts of brides-to-be seem necessary.

The objective of this study is to determine the effects of EX-PLISSIT sex counseling on the sexual self-concepts of brides-to-be.

This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 64 women visiting the premarital counseling centers of Tabriz, Iran, in 2022. The 15-plus-year-old brides-to-be were selected as participants and were then assigned to intervention and control groups with a randomized block design. Participants in the intervention group attended four 60–90-minute individual counseling sessions with an interval of one week in accordance with the EX-PLISSIT model, whereas those in the control group received routine premarital counseling. The researcher interviewed all participants before and four weeks after the intervention and then completed the Multidimensional Sexual Self-Concept Questionnaire and the Sexual Dysfunctional Belief Questionnaire.

Results showed no significant differences between the intervention and control groups in terms of demographics and the baseline scores of sexual self-concept and sexual dysfunction beliefs. The post-intervention mean score of negative sexual self-concept was significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group (mean difference=-5.8, 95% confidence interval: -3.3 to -8.2, p<0.001), and the post-intervention mean score of situational self-concept was significantly higher in the intervention group than the control group (mean difference=3.0, 95% confidence interval: 0.9 to 5.1, p=0.004). However, results indicated no significant differences between the two groups in the post-intervention mean score of positive sexual self-concept (mean difference=-0.5, 95% confidence interval: -5.1 to 4.0, p=0.815). In addition, the post-intervention mean score of sexual dysfunction beliefs was significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group (mean difference=-15.3, 95% confidence interval: -20.1 to -10.5, p<0.001).

The findings indicated the positive effects of EX-PLISSIT sex counseling on negative and situational sexual self-concept and sexual dysfunction beliefs in brides-to-be. Hence, this model is recommended to be used in combination with other sex counseling methods in order to improve the sexual health of brides-to-be.

IRCT20110922007618N10

Quercetin (QT) is an effective plant compound in treating various diseases, including certain types of cancer. Therefore, this systematic review study was conducted to investigate the positive effects of quercetin (QT) on different breast cancer cell lines under in vitro conditions.

The purpose of this study was to explore the beneficial effects of quercetin (QT) on various breast cancer cell lines in an in vitro setting.

Using various databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar, we searched for publications from 2018 to May 2024 based on relevant terms and keywords for this systematic review. Inclusion criteria focused on English, open access, and original studies that exclusively examined the effects of QT on breast cancer cell types in vitro.

From the initial search, 1308 publications were identified. However, only 46 met the inclusion criteria and were included in this systematic review.

In summary, quercetin (QT) shows anti-tumor effects on different breast cancer cell lines by activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR, IGF1/IGF1R, MAPK, Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGFβ), and JAK/STAT1 pathways. Nonetheless, further extensive animal and clinical studies are essential to draw definitive conclusions.

Preeclampsia is a significant multisystem disorder in pregnancy care that hormonal, environmental, and genetic factors can cause.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between preeclampsia and thyroid hormone levels in pregnant women.

This case-control study was conducted in 2022 with 200 pregnant women in southeast Iran, utilizing a convenience sampling method. The participants included 100 women in the preeclampsia group and 100 in the normal pregnancy group. Data related to preeclampsia were obtained from the Integrated Health System (SIB) at the health center in Jiroft city, while information about the thyroid hormones was extracted from the Ministry of Health's SIB system. The data were analyzed using SPSS-26 software, employing both descriptive and inferential statistical tests.

Systolic pressure was significantly higher in the preeclampsia group (149.14 mmHg) than in the control group (105.33 mmHg), and diastolic pressure also showed a significant difference (94.57 mmHg in preeclampsia vs. 64.33 mmHg in normal pregnancies). Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were significantly higher in the preeclampsia group (3.7) compared to the normal pregnancy group (2.5), indicating a notable difference (p<0.005). Thyroid thyroxine (TT4) levels were significantly lower in the preeclampsia group (10.78) compared to the control group (12.5) (p<0.005).

Thyroid function significantly impacts the risk and severity of preeclampsia, with elevated TSH and reduced TT4 levels indicating potential complications. Monitoring these hormone levels is crucial for managing affected pregnancies. It is recommended that health policymakers include thyroid function screening in prenatal care protocols.

Infertility is an important issue in reproductive health. In the field of reproductive medicine, In vitro Fertilization (IVF) stands out as a central approach to helping infertile couples. Pregnancy-associated Plasma Protein-A (PAPP-A) levels increase progressively throughout pregnancy until delivery. Therefore, the present study aimed to conduct a detailed examination and comparison of PAPP-A levels between women who have undergone IVF treatment due to infertility and those with natural pregnancies, all of whom have been referred to the Gynecology and Infertility Clinic of Besat Hospital in 2020.

The present case-control study was conducted on women with IVF-induced pregnancies and those with physiological pregnancies who have been referred to the Gynecology and Infertility Clinic of Besat Hospital in 2020. Pregnant women who did not have a complete medical record and had a history of other diseases were excluded from the study. In this study, venous blood was collected from the pregnant women, and the serum level of the PAPP-A marker was checked. This information was recorded in their medical records and then subjected to statistical analysis.

For this purpose, 28 pregnant women by IVF and 34 physiological pregnant women were included in the study. There was a significant relationship between the type of pregnancy (IVF and physiological pregnancy) and the serum level of PAPP-A dispersion based on the KID test, and 70.59% of pregnancies were physiological at the level of 0.5-0.9. Based on the results of the ROC curve test, the cut-off point of the serum level of PAPP-A in pregnancy caused by IVF and physiological pregnancy was 0.63. This means that in 90.91% of people whose serum level of PAPP-A was less than 0.63, the method of pregnancy was IVF.

The results of the present study have revealed the serum level of PAPP-A to be different depending on the type of pregnancy, and it has been found to be significantly higher in pregnant women with physiological pregnancy than in pregnancy due to IVF.

Assessment of women's satisfaction with the quality of prenatal care (PNC) services leads to identifying the needs and planning the appropriate interventions for quality improvement. This study aimed to assess women's satisfaction with the provision of prenatal service by the midwife and non-midwifery PNC providers and the related factors.

This was an analytical cross-sectional study on 200 pregnant women for prenatal care services. The participants were recruited using a multi-stage sampling method. The tools for data collection were a demographic and fertility questionnaire and a questionnaire for the assessment of clients' satisfaction with the quality of prenatal care services. The questionnaires were completed by the participants in their last weeks of pregnancy and following six PNC visits. T-tests, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, and multiple linear regression tests were conducted using SPSS-24 to analyze the data.

The total score of satisfaction with the quality of PNC services was 68.99 ± 9.54 percent. There was no significant correlation between the women's satisfaction with demographic and fertility variables (p>0.05). However, the T-test showed that women’s satisfaction with the care provided by midwives is significantly higher than that provided by non-midwifery personnel. Multiple linear regression showed that providing PNC by the midwives substantially increases the total satisfaction score by 42.48 compared to the non-midwifery personnel.

Providing PNC by midwives increases satisfaction compared to non-midwife PNC providers. Therefore, the provision of care during pregnancy by midwives who are specifically trained for perinatal care services is emphasized to improve women's satisfaction and the quality of PNC services, which is necessary to reduce mortality and maternal and neonatal complications.

Preeclampsia is a significant threat to maternal health worldwide, leading to both infant and maternal morbidity or mortality. It also increases the risk of premature births and cardiovascular disease in affected mothers. Early risk assessments for preeclampsia in pregnant women are essential. Our study aims to identify a method for early detection of preeclampsia in low-resource areas by using tools such as risk assessment, BMI measurements, MAP, and urine protein tests at Public Primary Health Care facilities.

A cross-sectional study with a correlational analytic design was employed among 115 pregnant women from Public Primary Health Care facilities in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Data collection included a questionnaire using a demographic questionnaire, maternal history of disease, and direct measurement for BMI, MAP, and urine protein. The statistical analysis used the Fisher exact test to test the difference in proportion among categorical data, and the Pearson r correlation was used to estimate the prediction of BMI with maternal blood pressure and MAP during pregnancy.

Our study found that increased BMI in pregnant women is associated with elevated diastolic, systolic, and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) (p-value 0.001). Additionally, we discovered significant correlations between age group, chronic hypertension, maternal preeclampsia history, and family history of preeclampsia with preeclampsia (p-value < 0.05).

This study identified several contributory factors that are significantly associated with preeclampsia, including maternal age, a history of preeclampsia, a history of chronic hypertension, body mass index, and MAP.

Transverse vaginal septum is a rare mullerian anomaly. Patients with a complete transverse vaginal septum are diagnosed during menarche with symptoms of abdominal pain and amenorrhea. Here, we present a patient who underwent septal resection during puberty and was referred in pregnancy due to vaginal synechiae.

The patient was a 40-year-old primigravid referred to the maternity department at 39 weeks of gestational age with labor pain and inability to perform a vaginal examination. She had a past surgical history of low vaginal septum at 13 years old. The vagina was completely obstructed. A thorough resection of the synechiae was performed along with a cesarean section to create a drainage path.

It is important to consider a pregnant woman's history of Müllerian abnormalities. In these patients, due to the low frequency of intercourse and the conditions of progesterone dominance, there is a possibility of re-stenosis and the imposition of cesarean section. Paying attention to this possible complication and preventing it by using a dilator can be helpful.

Breast cancer remains a prevalent malignancy among women globally. Survivors often experience diminished quality of life, pain, and sleep disturbances after treatment and suffer feelings of isolation. Non-pharmacological traditional Chinese medicine (NP-TCM) interventions have been increasingly applied in clinical practice, yet their efficacy requires further clarification.

This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the impact of NP-TCM interventions (e.g. Qigong, Tai Chi, Baduanjin) on the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in breast cancer patients.

Randomized controlled trials published between 1999 and 2024 were retrieved from various databases. Studies comparing NP-TCM and control groups in quality of life and other outcomes were included. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software. 14 RCTs with 688 patients were included.

NP-TCM interventions significantly improved overall quality of life (SMD=0.13, 95%CI 0.24~0.51, P<0.001). Specifically, Baduanjin demonstrated substantial benefits (SMD=0.82, P<0.001). NP-TCM also enhanced sleep (SMD=1.16, P=0.04) and alleviated anxiety (SMD=-0.46, P<0.05).

NP-TCM interventions effectively improved the HRQOL and certain symptoms for breast cancer patients, providing practical adjunctive therapies. However, study qualities require optimization.