Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess general knowledge regarding human papillomavirus (HPV) and the attitude to primary prevention in form of HPV vaccination (HPVv) among Polish obstetricians and gynecologists (OBGYNs). In addition, we wanted to study the willingness of physicians to promote the HPVv among patients, based on their general attitude to vaccinations as well as HPV-related knowledge. The gynecologists were also asked to assess their patients’ awareness of HPV infection. Material and methods: A questionnaire consisting of 25 questions was used to collect the data and with support of the Polish Society of Gynecologists and Obstetricians (PTGiP) and the Polish Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (PTKiPSM) sent via their mailing lists to all members and beyond. The total amount of 213 fully filled questionnaires were gathered and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: Most of the surveyed OBGYNs showed a good knowledge of HPV and HPVv. They were able to correctly identify the high-risk oncogenic HPV types (hrHPV) and admitted to using HPV genotyping in their daily practice and actively promoting HPVv, being in majority supporters of mandatory vaccinations in general. Almost 90% confirmed the importance of informing patients about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). On the other hand, there was a group of OBGYNs with clearly insufficient knowledge about the HPV and its prevention. Conclusions: General knowledge of Polish physicians about HPV is good, independent of gender and age. The acceptance of all vaccines is high, but the low availability of the HPV vaccines seems to be the biggest problem stopping patients from getting them. Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess general knowledge regarding human papillomavirus (HPV) and the attitude to primary prevention in form of HPV vaccination (HPVv) among Polish obstetricians and gynecologists (OBGYNs). In addition, we wanted to study the willingness of physicians to promote the HPVv among patients, based on their general attitude to vaccinations as well as HPV-related knowledge. The gynecologists were also asked to assess their patients’ awareness of HPV infection. Material and methods: A questionnaire consisting of 25 questions was used to collect the data and with support of the Polish Society of Gynecologists and Obstetricians (PTGiP) and the Polish Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (PTKiPSM) sent via their mailing lists to all members and beyond. The total amount of 213 fully filled questionnaires were gathered and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: Most of the surveyed OBGYNs showed a good knowledge of HPV and HPVv. They were able to correctly identify the high-risk oncogenic HPV types (hrHPV) and admitted to using HPV genotyping in their daily practice and actively promoting HPVv, being in majority supporters of mandatory vaccinations in general. Almost 90% confirmed the importance of informing patients about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). On the other hand, there was a group of OBGYNs with clearly insufficient knowledge about the HPV and its prevention. Conclusions: General knowledge of Polish physicians about HPV is good, independent of gender and age. The acceptance of all vaccines is high, but the low availability of the HPV vaccines seems to be the biggest problem stopping patients from getting them.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the knowledge of human papillomavirus (HPV) and attitudes toward HPV vaccination (HPVv) among female patients in Poland, investigating the impact of sociodemographic factors on these aspects. The study also explored awareness of state-funded bivalent vaccination and gauged willingness to vaccinate children, especially in the aspect of the newly introduced nonavalent vaccine. Material and methods: An 11-question questionnaire was administered to newly referred patients at a dysplasia consultation center in Kraków University Hospital between February and December 2022. Statistical analysis using IBM SPSS Statistics 25 evaluated sociodemographic characteristics, HPV knowledge, attitudes toward HPVv and correlations among responses. Results: By December 2022, 187 completed forms were received, primarily from women aged 30-40 years, residing in large cities, and with higher education qualifications. While most were aware of HPV’s association with cancer and abnormal cytology, over 40% were unaware of its asymptomatic nature. Higher education is correlated with better HPV awareness. Participants generally showed positive attitudes toward HPVv for themselves and their children, yet only a small fraction had received the vaccine. Education significantly influenced HPV knowledge, with higher education levels linked to better awareness and willingness to vaccinate children. Awareness of HPV is positively correlated with knowledge test performance and vaccination attitudes. Conclusion: The study revealed a lack of awareness regarding government co-financing for the bivalent vaccine. Campaigns endorsing reimbursed vaccination were found to be inadequate, highlighting the need for corrective measures to enhance awareness and improve vaccination rates, particularly for individuals outside the age range between 12 and 13 years relying on self-financing or sporadic government initiatives.

Pelvic endometriosis is an estrogen-driven inflammatory syndrome of unknown origin that alters the peritoneal microenvironment and likely impairs endometrial receptivity, adversely affecting fertility. Chronic endometritis (CE) may be a potential contributing factor to reduced endometrial receptivity in endometriosis. The aim of the study was to analyze the correlation between pelvic endometriosis and CE. The study included women undergoing laparoscopy for suspected pelvic endometriosis, and each underwent endometrial aspiration biopsy for CE. The stage of endometriosis was assessed intraoperatively, and CE activity was evaluated histopathologically and immunohistochemically. The associations between selected clinical characteristics of the disease and the density of endometrial plasma cells, immunohistochemical status, and histopathological profile of the endometrium were analyzed. Stage III endometriosis reduced the risk of the inflammatory immunohistochemical profile by 80% (OR = 0.18, p = 0.037) when compared to Stage I. Peritoneal endometriosis was associated with a 3.429-fold increase in the risk of the immunohistochemical endometrial inflammatory profile (OR = 3.429, p = 0.038). No significant associations were found between the clinical features of the disease and plasma cell density or the histopathological profile of the endometrium (all p values > 0.05). No significant differences were observed in IVF use (p = 0.67), pregnancy rates (p = 1), or live birth rates (p = 0.41) between infertile women with and without CE. Should peritoneal endometriosis be diagnosed during a laparoscopy conducted for the treatment of infertility, it is advisable to obtain an endometrial biopsy for CE evaluation, as this may enhance the efficacy of the therapeutic approach. The hypothetical link between pelvic endometriosis-related inflammation, its clinical manifestations, and CE requires further investigation. The lack of a noninvasive marker for endometriosis and its grade limits the study results due to reliance on surgical cases, highlighting the need for advanced research in the field of noninvasive diagnostic tools. NCT05824507 (registered April 20, 2023).

Evidence indicates benefits of HPV vaccination beyond primary prevention, including for women treated for high-grade lesions (HSIL/CIN2+), immunocompromise

Live Unilateral Ectopic Twin Pregnancy in a 29-Year-Old Primigravid Woman: A Case Report and Literature Review - Article abstract #951347

Objectives: The study examined the natural progression of squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) and human papilloma virus (HPV) infection during pregnancy, comparing initial and postpartum results. It also assessed delivery mode’s impact on outcomes and strategies to improve follow-up care for women with abnormal cervical cancer screening results. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed data from 59 pregnant women with SIL/positive HPV, assessing variables such as cytology, HPV status, and delivery mode. Statistical tests included Wilcoxon rank-sum and Fisher’s exact tests. Results: The average age of patients was 29 years. Over 50% were primigravidas. A significant reduction in abnormal cytology was observed postpartum (89.83% vs. 62.50%, p = 0.009), with an increase in normal results (10.17% vs. 37.50%). No significant differences were found in HPV status (88.89% vs. 81.25%, p = 0.655). Colposcopy findings were stable for 76.32% of patients between Visits 1 and 2, with 50% stability between Visits 2 and 3. Postpartum, 30.43% showed regression, while 8.70% showed progression (p = 0.017, padj >0.050). Higher regression rates were observed after vaginal birth compared to the cesarean section (45.45% vs. 15.38%, p = 0.182) but no significant differences were found (p = 1.000). Almost 60% of patients were lost to postpartum follow-up. Conclusion: Further studies with a larger population of Polish patients are needed. Cervical cancer screening should be optimized and integrated into a national registry. Pregnant patients with abnormal screening results should be managed by experts, and strategies to enhance patient compliance must be implemented.