Although the rates of adolescent pregnancies appear to have dropped according to the World Health Organization (WHO), the decrease in the age of the first menarche and better nutrition seems to contribute to the otherwise high rate of adolescent pregnancy worldwide, despite the efforts of different organizations to improve upon this trend. We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study from January 2015 to December 2021 using our hospitals’ database. We totaled 2.954 adolescent and 6.802 adult pregnancies. First, we compared younger adolescents’ outcomes with those of older adolescents, as well as with adolescents aged between 18 and 19 years old; secondly, we compared adolescent pregnancies with adult ones. We detected higher percentages of cephalo-pelvic disproportion (43.2%), cervical dystocia (20.7%), and twin pregnancy (2.7%) in underage adolescents compared with 32%, 14.1%, and 1% in older underage adolescents, respectively, and 15.3%, 3.1%, and 0.6% in older ones. As teens became older, the likelihood of malpresentations and previous C-sections rose, whereas the likelihood of vaginal lacerations declined. When comparing adolescents with adult women, we found more cases that required episiotomy (48.1% compared with 34.6%), instrumental delivery (2.1% compared with 1%), and cervical laceration (10.7% compared with 8.4%) in the adolescent group, but the rates of malpresentation (11.4% compared with 13.5%), previous C-section (13.9% compared with 17.7%), and placenta and vasa praevia (4.5.6% compared with 14%) were higher in the adult women group. Adolescent pregnancy is prone to being associated with higher risks and complications and continues to represent a challenge for our medical system.

Pediatric ovarian tumors exhibit unique diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. This study evaluates the expression of SALL4 and OCT3/4 biomarkers in pediatric ovarian tumors and their associations with tumor subtype, stage, and clinical outcome. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 64 patients under 18 years old, examining demographic data, tumor characteristics, immunohistochemical staining, and clinical outcomes. Our results show that SALL4 was significantly expressed in adenocarcinoma, dysgerminoma (DSG), mixed germ cell tumors (GCTs), and immature teratoma, while OCT3/4 was highly expressed in DSG and mixed GCTs. Both markers are associated with a higher tumor grade and stage, indicating a more aggressive disease. The SALL4 positivity expression was correlated with high alpha fetoprotein (AFP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, while OCT3/4 positivity significantly predicted the risk of subsequent metastasis. The mean progression-free survival (PFS) was notably shorter in patients with positive markers. These findings underscore the diagnostic and prognostic value of SALL4 and OCT3/4 in pediatric ovarian tumors, aligning with previous research and supporting their use in clinical practice for better disease management and patient outcomes.

(1) Background: The effects of serum vitamin D levels, the vitamin D receptor (VDR), and phosphohistone H3 (PHH3) in endometriosis were investigated in two cohorts of women with this pathology: those receiving hormonal treatment and those without treatment. (2) Methods: In 60 cases of women with endometriosis (26 with progestin treatment and 34 without), paraffin-embedded endometriosis tissue samples retrieved after surgery were immunohistochemically (IHC) analyzed to determine the expression statuses of VDR and PHH3. In addition, serum levels of 25(OH) vitamin D were assessed for each patient. (3) Results: The serum 25(OH) vitamin D evaluations revealed higher levels of 25(OH) vitamin D in women with treatment compared with those without. The positive IHC indexes of VDR and PHH3 in these two groups were compared. Vitamin D receptor levels were positively correlated with PHH3 levels, both being increased in patients without treatment. (4) Conclusions: Serum 25(OH) vitamin D levels and IHC analysis of VDR and PHH3 can be used as additional tools for risk stratification and prognostic assessment in patients with endometriosis.

Background: Our study aimed to examine the osteopontin (OPN) serum levels and tissue expression of CD44 and OPN in endometriosis-affected women both undergoing and not undergoing progestin treatment, and also to determine their involvement in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Methods: Using an ELISA kit, we evaluated the OPN serum levels of healthy and endometriosis-affected women both undergoing and not undergoing progestin treatment. Immunohistochemical (IHC) analyses were used to assess the endometriotic tissue expressions of CD44 and OPN. Results: There were statistically significant higher OPN serum levels in the healthy control group compared to the women with endometriosis. Furthermore, there were higher OPN serum levels in the endometriosis-affected women undergoing the progestin treatment, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. In comparison to OPN, CD44 expression was significantly higher in all the endometriotic tissue glands and stroma, regardless of the patient’s treatment status. Compared to the group receiving therapy, the OPN levels were higher in the endometriosis group not receiving therapy. OPN’s robust cytoplasmic expression seemed to be associated with the non-treatment group. Conclusion: Endometriosis, CD44, and OPN appear to be closely related. This study suggests that endometriosis that has not been treated has an immunological profile distinct to endometriosis that has received treatment.

(1) Background: the worldwide impact of overweight and obesity is rising, increasingly resembling an epidemic (a price we have to pay for our new way of living). (2) Methods: our study aims to evaluate the temporal trends and patterns of singleton pregnant women’s BMI (body mass index) in our region during a 12-year time frame between 2010 and 2021. (3) Results: We noticed a statistically significant difference between the BMIs of nulliparous and multiparous women and a significantly increased pregestational BMI in women with previous ART (assisted reproductive technology) procedures. Smoking pregnant women had a higher second trimester weight gain, regardless of parity. Women with folic acid supplementation alone had a higher BMI than those with folic acid and multivitamin intake. The weight of both nulliparous and multiparous women with chronic hypertension was statistically significantly higher in all three timeframes. Global weight gain did not reveal any statistically significant changes concerning women with pregestational diabetes, regardless of parity and the pregnancy trimester. (4) Conclusions: our article describes the trends in obesity and overweight in our middle-income country, in which this pathology is continuously growing, negatively influencing our reproductive-aged women and future generations.

(1) Generating the need to impose social distancing to reduce the spread of the virus, the COVID-19 pandemic altered the ways in which the teaching process normally happens. The aim of our study was to determine the impact of online teaching on medical students during this period. (2) Our study included 2059 medical, dental and pharmacy students from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Grigore T. Popa”, Iasi, Romania. We used a modified metacognition questionnaire after translation into Romanian and validation. Our questionnaire included 38 items, and it was divided into four parts. Academic results and preferences regarding the on-site or online courses, information regarding practical training, self-awareness in terms of one’s feelings such as anger, boredom and anxiety and also substance use linked to online teaching, and contextualization of the relationship with colleagues, teachers, friends and family were among the most important points evaluated. A comparison was made between preclinical and clinical students. A five-item Linkert-like scale was used for rating the answers in the last three parts that evaluated the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the educational process. (3) Preclinical medical students, compared to preclinical dental students, obtained statistically significant improvements in their evaluation results, with fewer failed exams (p < 0.001) and with similar results being obtained by comparing dental with pharmacy students. All students obtained statistically significant improvements in their academic results during the online evaluation. A statistically significant increase in anxiety and depression with a p-value of <0.001 was registered among our students. (4) The majority found it difficult to cope with this intense period. Both teachers and students found it difficult to adjust on such short notice to the challenges posed by the new concept of online teaching and learning.