Aynaoglu Yildiz, Gulsah; Yildiz, Duran; Yapca, Omer Erkan; Suleyman, Bahadir; Arslan, Yusuf Kemal; Kurt, Nezahat; Suleyman, Halis

Objective: Psychological stress is an important factor triggering depression and anxiety. Infertility is known to cause stress; however, it is not clearly known whether stress causes infertility as well. In addition, there are different opinions accounting for the relation of stress-induced oxidative stress to infertility and intrauterine growth restriction. The aim of the study is to examine the effect of sertraline, diazepam and melatonin on the infertility, intrauterine growth restriction and oxidative stress that can be caused by forced immobilization stress management (FISM) in female rats. Materials and methods: Wistar rats were grouped as healthy rats (HG) applied distilled water, stress treated control group (SC), and 20 mg/kg sertraline + stress (SS), 2 mg/kg diazepam + stress (DS) and 10 mg/kg melatonin + stress (MS) treated rats. The medicines were administered orally once a day for 30 days. At the end of this period, oxidant/antioxidant parameters were measured through the blood samples collected from the tail veins of all rats. Then the rats were kept in a suitable environment for 2 months for breeding. Results: FISM caused oxidative stress in blood serum of animals, infertility and intrauterine growth restriction (decrease in birth weight of the baby). Best medicines to suppress FISM-related oxidative stress are melatonin > diazepam > sertraline respectively, while sertraline > diazepam > melatonin were most successful in terms of preventing infertility. The best medicines preventing the FISM-caused intrauterine growth restriction were found to be melatonin > diazepam > sertraline, respectively. Conclusion: FISM causes oxidative stress in animals. Oxidative stress is understood to affect the intrauterine growth negatively although it is not a major component in the pathogenesis of infertility. While melatonin is only effective in preventing the oxidative stress-related intrauterine growth restriction, antidepressants and anxiolytic treatment were found to be helpful in preventing both infertility and intrauterine growth restriction.

Uludaǧ, Eda Ülkü; Gözükar, Ilay Öztürk; Kucur, Suna Kabil; Uluǧ, Paşa; Özdeǧirmenci, Özlem; Erkaya, Salim

Objective: To compare the initial serum magnesium levels between preterm labor (PL) and control groups and to evaluate MgSO4 treatment response in preterm labor group according to their initial serum magnesium levels. Methods: Hundred women diagnosed as preterm labor between 28 and 33 weeks of gestation and 100 non-complicated pregnant women were enrolled in this prospective study. Total basal serum magnesium levels were measured in both the groups. After a 6 g intravenous bolus of MgSO4, a dose of 2 g/h was given as an infusion in the preterm labor group. Results: Serum magnesium levels were significantly lower in preterm labor group (p50.001). The active contractions stopped in 69 (73,4%) preterm patients. The basal Mg level was significantly lower in this preterm group (1.6 versus 1.9, respectively, p50.001). Predictive value of basal magnesium level measurement for magnesium tocolysis response was calculated by receiver operating characteristic analyses with 95% confidence interval. Positive predictive and negative predictive values were found as 64.5% and 92.5%, respectively, with 83% accuracy, when cut-off magnesium value was taken as a 51.75 mg/dl (sensitivity=80%, specificity=84,1%). Conclusions: Basal magnesium levels in preterm labor had a predictive value in evaluating MgSO4 tocolysis response. It may help to select patients who are appropriate for MgSO4 tocolysis.