A sandwich enzymeimmunoassay (EIA) for pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) using a microtiter plate was developed. Sensitivity of the assay to PMSG was 15.6 mIU/ml (0.2 ng/well). The PMSG levels in serum were measured with the EIA in superovulated and anti-PMSG rabbit antiserum treated mice and heifers. In mice, the PMSG blood level was measurable in the serum 4-6 days after intraperitoneal...

A trial was conducted to test the efficiency of different doses of intravaginal progestagen in the synchronization of different goat breeds, in the breeding season. Sixty Multiparous Boer and 60 Indigenous feral does were allocated to three treatment groups. The groups consisted of a control group (natural oestrus) (n=20/breed); 60mg MAP sponge groups inserted for 14 days plus 300IU PMSG at spo...

BACKGROUND The World Health Organization now recommends initiating all pregnant women on life-long antiretroviral therapy (ART), yet there is limited information about the characteristics and program outcomes of pregnant women already on ART in Africa. Our hypothesis was that pregnant women comprised an increasing proportion of those starting ART, and that sub-groups of these women were at high...

OBJECTIVES Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids found in seafood are essential for optimal neurodevelopment of the fetus. However, concerns about mercury contamination of seafood and its potential harm to the developing fetus have created uncertainty about seafood consumption for pregnant women. We compared fish and shellfish consumption patterns, as well as their predictors, among pregnant a...

BACKGROUND Successful pregnancy may depend on a Th2-type cytokine response, whilst, conversely, a poor pregnancy outcome may be associated with an increase in Th1 cytokines and a concomitant decrease in Th2 cytokines. This prospective study was designed to elucidate whether a failure of the cytokine shift pre-dated miscarriage and was therefore likely to be an aetiological factor in recurrent p...

BACKGROUND/AIMS Noninvasive activity markers are extremely important in conditions, such as pregnancy, when endoscopy is not recommended. The aim of this prospective study was to determine fecal calprotectin (FC) concentrations in healthy non-pregnant and pregnant women and in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). MATERIALS AND METHODS Healthy pregnant and non-pregnant women and pat...

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to elucidate changes in balance strategy during pregnancy from a kinematics perspective. [Subjects] Eight pregnant women and eight non-pregnant women participated. [Methods] A 3D motion analysis system, two force plates, and 10 infrared cameras were used to measure the kinematics of the balance strategy. The 3D motion analysis system was used to analyze p...

BACKGROUND Influenza vaccination during pregnancy can prevent serious illness in expectant mothers and provide protection to newborns; however, historically uptake has been limited due to a number of factors, including safety concerns. Symptomatic complaints are common during pregnancy and may be mistakenly associated with reactions to trivalent influenza vaccine (TIV). To investigate this, we ...

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to describe the experience of pregnant and non-pregnant HIV-infected women regarding fertility and childbearing, with a view to inform policies and practices to improve reproductive outcome. METHODS A cross-sectional survey collected information on socio-demographic and basic reproductive characteristics of HIV-infected women in Europe. A total of 403 wome...

OBJECTIVES Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of hospitalized trauma during pregnancy. Maternal injury puts the fetus at great risk, yet little is known about the incidence, risks, and characteristics of pregnant women in crashes. SETTING AND METHODS Police reported crashes were analyzed from the National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System. Since 1995, this system...