Asian Pacific Journal of Reproduction

241-251

Authors: Shonitha Sagadevan, Oorvashree Sri Hari, Mohamed Jahangir Sirajudeen, Gopi Ramalingam, Roopa Satyanarayan Basutkar

Objective: To summarize whether the supplementation of L-arginine in pregnant women helps in management of preeclampsia and its impact on maternal and neonatal outcomes. Methods: Studies conducted from the past 17 years (1999 to 2016). were referred from database like Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Scopus, Google Scholar and PubMed. Out of 134 studies, 7 studies were included. L-arginine versus placebo was considered for quantitative analysis. Modified Cochrane data extraction form was used to collect the data. The risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane’s risk of bias assessment tool in RevMan 5.4 and the summary of findings was determined using GradePro software. Results: L-arginine showed a significant reduction of preeclampsia [odds ratio (OR) 0.38; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.25, 0.58)]. There was a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure [mean difference (MD) -2.47; 95% CI -4.53, -0.42] and diastolic blood pressure (MD -0.97; 95% CI -3.83, 1.89). The effects of L-arginine on secondary outcomes like maternal gestational age, latency, neonatal weight, and appearance, pulse, grimace, activity, respiration (APGAR) score at 1st and 5th minute were not statistically significant. Conclusions: L-arginine supplementation is effective in lowering systolic and diastolic blood pressure of preeclamptic patients. However, it has no noticeable effects on maternal and neonatal outcomes.

262-268

Authors: Suha Baloushah, Samira Barjasteh, Aymen Elsous, Ali Aldirawi , Soha Abu Eid, Atef Masad

Objective: To investigate the quality of life of infertile couples who seek in vitro fertilizations (IVFs) by gender in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, from February 2019 to November 2019, among 383 infertile couples selected through convenient sampling. A valid and reliable Arabic version of the fertility quality of life questionnaire (FertiQoL) was used in data collection. One way analysis of variance and independent t-test were applied to compare between males and females. Results: The mean age of males and females was (34.54±8.54) years and (29.28±6.71) years, respectively. More than half of them had university degree (64% and 60%, respectively). The mean duration of infertility was (5.66±3.54) years. The mean males’ scores of FertiQoL and its subscales (emotion, mind/body, social, core, tolerability, and treatment) were significantly higher than females’ scores (P<0.05). Conclusions: Males have higher scores of FertiQoL and its subscales than females. The mean score of FertiQoL increases with better education, but decreases with increase of age, duration of marriage, duration of infertility and number of IVF attempts. Routine psychological assessment and counseling are necessary for infertile women taking into considerations factors affecting their quality of life.

274-283

Authors: Ray Dibyendu, Chatterjee Tiasa, Monalisha Das, Panda Pradip , Mukherjee Sandip

Objective: To investigate the effects of folic acid on testicular oxidative damage in sodium fluoride-induced male Wistar rats. Methods: A total of 24 male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups: the control, sodium fluoride (fed with 100 mg/L sodium fluoride through drinking water orally for 21 days), folic acid (36 µg/kg body weight/day, orally), and sodium fluoride plus folic acid (received similar dose orally) groups. At the end of 21 days, epididymal sperm parameters, biochemical analysis of testicular tissue, and serum hormonal levels were performed along with histopathological studies. Results: Sodium fluoride intoxication resulted in marked reduction in gonado somatic index, serum luteinizing hormone, and testosterone level along with 3 毬 -hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 17 毬 -hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activities. In addition, reduction in sperm density, as well as loss of sperm motility and sperm viability, were also observed. Besides, increased levels of testicular malondialdehyde, nitrite, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor- 毩 as well as decreased levels of superoxide dismutase and catalase activities and reduced glutathione content were found to be associated with this toxicity. Folic acid co-treatment, on the other hand, could prevent all the sodium fluoride-induced testicular pathophysiology and oxidative stress related parameters. Histological examinations of testicular sections from the experimental rats supported these results. Conclusions: Combining all, this study suggests that being an antioxidant, folic acid plays a beneficial role against fluoride- induced adverse effects on the male reproductive system.