The important prevalence of autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) in the general population was the main motivation for conducting the present study. The present paper aims to estimate the possible comorbidities related to female sexual dysfunction (FSD) and depression related to AITD. The study group consisted of 320 patients: 250 cases known with untreated AITD, divided into subgroups (euthyroid subgroup, subclinical hypothyroidism subgroup and clinical hypothyroidism subgroup); respectively 70 healthy females in the control group. Patients underwent thyroid evaluation, ovarian evaluation and laboratory assays. At the time of the diagnosis of autoimmune thyroid disease, psychometric scales were filled in by the patients: the Female Sexual Function Index 6 (FSFI-6) and the Beck’s Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). It was observed that healthy patients had significantly higher FSFI scores than patients with AITD (28 vs. 27; p = 0.006). In the AITD group, the risk of FSD increases with the severity of thyroid disease. The most affected areas were: sexual desire (p < 0.001), lubrication (p = 0.001) and orgasm (p = 0.008), followed by excitability and sexual satisfaction. The severity of hypothyroidism influences the degree of decrease in libido, central and peripheral excitability. Sexual satisfaction and orgasm were less influenced. The field related to pain seems uninfluenced by the presence of thyroid disease. The concomitant presence of depression and the value of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) are risk factors in the development of FSD. Higher TSH value and BDI-II score increase the risk of female sexual dysfunction by 1.083 and 1.295 times, respectively. Our findings are significant and promising; they may help professionals dealing with sexual and reproductive health. Despite the importance of female sexual dysfunction and its prevalence, clinicians and patients often ignore it. In fact, only a small percentage of patients consult their doctors about sexual health, and their doctors do not often ask them questions related to this aspect.

Patients with severe COVID-19 experience high-stress levels and thus are at risk for developing acute stress disorder (ASD) and/or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The present study aims to search for correlations between psychiatric response to stress and coping strategies among individuals with acute vs. remitted COVID-19. Ninety subjects with COVID-19 were included in the study, divided into two samples by disease category. Our focus was analysing the perceived stress intensity according to NSESSS and PCL-C-17 scales, and coping strategies with COPE-60. High NSESSS scores were found in 40% of acute patients, and 15.6% of remitted patients had high PCL-C-17 scores fulfilling the criteria for PTSD. We found a negative correlation between stress level and disease category. Acute patients used significantly more engagement and emotion-focused coping methods, but less disengagement types of coping than patients in the remitted phase. Remitted patients under high stress levels are prone to use disengagement and emotion-focused coping strategies. In conclusion, remitted COVID-19 patients experience lower levels of stress and use less emotion-focused strategies, except among those who developed PTSD post-COVID-19 infection, presenting with high-stress levels and using more disengagement and emotion-focused types of coping strategies.

This study assesses the empathy level, cognitive performance and emotion recognition skills of remitted patients with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder and bipolar disorder, and also explores the relationship between impairments in the mentioned domains. The study was performed on 77 subjects divided into two groups: PAT sample (N = 37) included remitted patients with either schizophrenia, schizoaffective or bipolar disorder who were compared with healthy control subjects from the HC sample (N = 40). Along with sociodemographic and clinical data, empathy levels (using EQ (Empathy Quotient) scale), the ability to recognize another person’s emotional state (using RMET (Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test)), and cognitive performance (using MoCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment) Scale) were investigated. The intensity of the psychiatric symptoms was measured with BPRS-E (Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale—Expanded). The remitted patients had lower EQ (p = 0.02) and RMET (p < 0.0001) scores than the healthy subjects. In the PAT group, RMET scores were positively correlated with MoCA total scores. Both EQ and RMET scores were negatively correlated with BPRS-E total scores. Psychiatric disorder was a significant predictor for deficits in emotion recognition. There were no significant differences in RMET, EQ and MoCA scores between patients with respect to diagnosis, the type of antipsychotic or the associated medication. In both samples, females had higher empathy levels (p = 0.04) and better emotion recognition abilities (p = 0.04) than males. Patients with schizophrenia, schizoaffective or bipolar disorder, currently in remission, displayed lower empathy levels and poorer emotion recognition skills than healthy subjects. Poor emotion recognition skills were associated with symptom severity and impairments in global cognition.

The aim of this study is to analyze the evolution of sexual function throughout pregnancy and highlight the predicting factors of sexual dysfunction in pregnant women. Our study included 144 participants, aged 16 to 45. Patients were evaluated three times during pregnancy by filling out the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and the Body Exposure in Sexual Activities Questionnaire (BESAQ). At the time of the last evaluation, we asked patients to also fill out Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI-II) and a questionnaire regarding their psychological status and relationship satisfaction. We observed that the FSFI lubrication, satisfaction, and pain domains and the FSFI total score significantly decreased from the 1st to the 3rd evaluation. We observed that an increase in BDI score and the presence of abortion in the patient’s history increase the risk of developing female sexual dysfunction (FSD). Higher BMIs were found to be a protective factor against FSD, as was being unmarried. The relationship satisfaction score was found to be an independent predictor of FSD. These findings support previous studies that indicate that pregnancy and postpartum sexuality are multifaceted phenomena and that psycho-social factors have a greater impact on sexuality than biological factors.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hyperandrogenic endocrinological disorder associated with chronic oligo-anovulation and polycystic ovarian morphology. Compared to women without PCOS, women with PCOS have a risk of sexual dysfunction that is more than 30% higher. Although alterations in sex hormones and psychosocial wellbeing have been proposed, the precise mechanisms of FSD in PCOS remain unclear. The aim of our study was to analyze how the hormonal, clinical and psychometric parameters of PCOS patients are involved in the development of sexual dysfunction. The study group consisted of 54 women, aged between 21 and 32 years, diagnosed with PCOS. We collected the following parameters: age, body mass index (BMI), the Ferriman–Gallwey score (FG), maximum duration of oligomenorrhea, abdominal circumference (AC), free testosterone value (FT), luteinizing hormone/follicle stimulating hormone (LH/FSH) ratio value, serum cortisol value and ovarian ultrasound appearance. At the time of the examination, patients were asked to fill in the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and the Body Exposure during Sexual Activities Questionnaire (BESAQ). Statistically significant differences were observed between normal weight and overweight women regarding BESAQ (p-value = 0.02) and FSFI total (p-value <0.001). Elevated BMI, AC or BESAQ scores correlated with a lower FSFI score. The most involved domains of the scale were orgasm, arousal, and desire. Elevated BESAQ scores increase the risk of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) by 4.24 times. FT, BESAQ score, BMI, and LH/FSH ratio were found to independently predict FSD. The cutoff point for the BESAQ score in detecting FSD was found to be 1.97. Weight, body image and anxiety related to sexual activities seem to be significant components in the development of sexual dysfunction in PCOS patients, beyond the effect due to hyperandrogenism. FT value has a U-shape effect in sexual dysfunction, because both in the case of deficit and in the case of excess, sexual function is impaired. BESAQ is a strong predictor for sexual dysfunction in women with PCOS, along with FT value, LH/FSH ratio and BMI.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV), a DNA virus that belongs to the Orthoherpesviridae family, infects 40–100% of people. Primary/non-primary CMV infection during pregnancy could cause fetal disabilities. After primary infection, CMV causes a latent infection and resides in cells of the myeloid compartment (CD34⁺, monocytes). Few studies have analyzed the impact of latent CMV infections on miscarriage history, pregnancy complications, and neonatal outcomes. Methods: Serum samples from 806 pregnant women (28.29 ± 4.50 years old) who came for a consultation at the Timisoara Clinical Emergency City Hospital between 2008 and 2010 were tested for anti-CMV IgM/IgG antibodies, and data about demography, obstetrical history, pregnancy complications, birth, and neonate were collected. The data were compared between the groups with and without latent CMV infection, and statistical significance was calculated. Results: We did not find a difference regarding cesarean section (OR = 0.916, p = 0.856), placental abruption (OR = 1.004, p = 1.00), pregnancy-induced hypertension rate (OR = 1.078, p = 1.00), secondary sex ratio (0.882, p = 0.857), APGAR score (p = 0.225), gestational age at birth (p = 0.434), or birth weight (p = 0.365). A borderline significant difference was found regarding the presence of miscarriage history: OR = 8.467, p = 0.051. Conclusions: The presence of latent CMV infection does not affect the likelihood of complications in healthy women. A borderline significantly higher prevalence of miscarriage history was found in women with latent CMV infection.