Objective: The relationship between sexual functions and infertility remains controversial and there is a limited number of studies reporting the effects of infertility on sexual functions in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Aims: The present study aims to investigate the effects of infertility on sexual functions and depression levels in women with PCOS. Methods: A total of 150 participants who were either fertile patients with PCOS, infertile patients with PCOS, or fertile women without PCOS (control) (n = 50) were included for the study. Sociodemographic data were recorded and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were used for evaluation of subjects. Results: Body mass index (BMI) was found to be significantly higher in the PCOS plus infertility group (27.9 ± 2.9, P = 0.01) than the other groups. Total BDI score was higher and total FSFI score was significantly lower in the PCOS plus infertility group than in the other groups. The PCOS plus infertility group showed significantly lower FSFI scores than the PCOS group in terms of desire, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain. A significant negative correlation was observed between BMI and BDI scores in the PCOS plus infertility group (r:−0.384, P = 0.04). Conclusion: Our study results show lower sexual functions in PCOS women with infertility and that infertility negatively affects sexual functions with obesity associated depression.

Development of in vitro technologies that will allow the culture of early stage follicles before antral stage is an essential part of research in reproductive biology in order to understand the ovarian folliculogenesis better. Current evidence suggests that oocyte and somatic cells-derived growth factors interacting with each other and extracellular matrix proteins at paracrine level are involved in this early, gonadotrophin-independent phase of follicle growth. Basement membrane matrix protein (Matrigel™) is a soluble gel rich in extracellular matrix proteins and growth factors. Activin A promotes preantral follicle growth in vivo by inducing the proliferation of granulosa cells and by upregulating the expression of FSH receptor and aromatase enzyme. We hypothesized that activin A and matrigel may provide a better in vitro environment for early stage preantral follicles. Preantral follicles isolated from 14-21 day old BALB/c mice were cultured in matrigel ± activin A for four days. The growth (119.4% versus 45.4%, p < 0.05; respectively) and survival rates (76.3% versus 43.7%, p < 0.05; respectively) of the follicles treated with activin A were significantly higher compared to those without activin A. These results suggest that Activin A and matrigel provide a better in vitro milieu for the growth of isolated ovarian follicles.

Obesity and infertility are health problems that are increasing in frequency. In this study, sexual dysfunction in obese infertile women was investigated. A total of 450 women who met the inclusion criteria were recruited for the study; 150 women who had obesity without infertility, 150 women who had obesity with infertility and 150 women with normal weight but without infertility, which was the control group. The mean age of the groups were 31.3 ± 3.9, 31.2 ± 3.8 and 31.1 ± 4.5, respectively. The participants were administered a sociodemographic data form, the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and the Beck Depression Inventory following the measurement of body mass index (BMI). FSFI score below 26.55 was defined as sexual dysfunction. Our data were analysed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) 21.0 for Windows (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). FSFI scores were observed to be statistically significantly lower in the group of obese women with infertility than in the other two groups. In our study, sexual dysfunction was found to be statistically significantly higher in obese women with infertility compared to the control group. Therefore, healthcare professionals should evaluate infertility in obese women in terms of sexual dysfunction as well as infertility treatment.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of age, parity, body mass index (BMI) and maternal risk factors on 50 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) positivity and to evaluate the predictive value of 50 g OGTT in the diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods: Medical data of pregnant women who were followed in a private obstetrics and gynecology clinic between June 2012 and April 2020 were analyzed in this retrospective cohort study. All patients underwent 50 g OGTT between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation. A 1-h postprandial venous plasma glucose cut-off of ≥140 mg/dL was considered positive for OGTT and the diagnosis was confirmed by 2-h 75 g OGTT. The relationship between the GDM and OGTT results, BMI, parity, age, and other maternal risk factors was analyzed in the regression analysis. Results: A total of 323 pregnant women were included in the study. The mean age was 29.35 (5.29) years and the mean BMI was 27.23 (6.07) kg/m2. Among them, 35.9% had ≥1 risk factors. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 50 g OGTT for GDM were 100%, 80.7%, 27.5%, and 100%, respectively. Regression analysis revealed that family history of diabetes, history of GDM, and macrosomic birth increased the GDM risk by 5.73, 4.95, and 1.43 folds, respectively. Conclusion: Evaluation of advanced maternal age, pre-pregnancy BMI, and maternal risk factors is useful to predict GDM. In addition, 50 g OGTT is helpful in diagnosing GDM for both maternal and fetal health. '+st+' Kampmann U, Madsen LR, Skajaa GO, Iversen DS, Moeller N, Ovesen P. Gestational diabetes: a clinical update. World J Diabetes. 2015;6(8):1065. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v6.i8.1065 Menato G, Bo S, Signorile A, Gallo ML, Cotrino I, Poala CB, et al. Current management of gestational diabetes mellitus. 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Gestasyonel diabet taramasında 50 gr oral glukoz testinin...