Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the markers of oxidative stress (OS), as well as the magnesium (Mg) concentration, pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) and human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) values in patients with previous recurrent miscarriages, with the purpose of comparing the level of OS with normal pregnancy. Methods: The study was conducted as a prospective study, which included a total of 95 pregnant women divided into two groups. In the study group (n = 35), there were women with at least three consecutive previous miscarriages. The control group (n = 60) consisted of healthy pregnant women without previous miscarriages and complications in pregnancy. Blood samples were taken between the 11^th and 14^th weeks of gestation, and the values of superoxide dismutase (SOD-1), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and total antioxidant status (TAS) in the serum, as well as the Mg concentration, PAPP-A and β-hCG values were determined. Results: The values of SOD and GHS-Px were statistically higher in the study group, while the values of TAS were statistically significantly higher in the control group. The values of the Mg concentration were statistically significantly higher in the control group, while the values of β-hCG were statistically significantly higher in the study group. When the study group was divided into subgroups according to the outcome of pregnancy, there were statistical differences in the level of GSH-Px, SOD between miscarriages and the term delivery group, as well as in the Mg concentration between miscarriages and the term delivery group and between the term and preterm delivery groups. Higher values of SOD and GHS-Px, and lower values of TAS and Mg concentration could be used as markers for the prediction of spontaneous miscarriages. Conclusions: The results of this research indicated higher OS and exhaustion of antioxidant mechanisms in early pregnancy in a group with recurrent miscarriages. Also, lower values of serum Mg concentration could be one of the markers for the prediction of spontaneous miscarriages.

Commercial essential oils (EOs) of incense, Boswellia serrata Roxb, and mint, Mentha piperita L., were investigated against vaginal bacterial and Candida albicans isolates for antimicrobial potential and safety use. The antimicrobial activity of EOs was investigated through a double-dilution micro-plate assay. A brine shrimp assay was used for the determination of toxicity, while the determination of the chemical composition of EOs was carried out using GS–MS. Obtained minimal inhibitory (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) point to the activity of mint essential oil (EO) against the multi-resistant P. aeruginosa isolate (MIC/MBC at 6.25 µL/mL), while MIC and MBC values for other isolates were reached at higher concentrations (25–50 µL/mL). According to the toxicity assay, the incense EO reached the LC₅₀ value at 3.07 µL/mL, while mint EO showed higher toxicity at lower concentrations (0.5 µL/mL) and the LC₅₀ could not be determined. The highest antimicrobial potential was obtained for incense against P. aeruginosa. Although the toxicity assay showed high toxicity of mint EO to the eggs of aquatic crustaceans Artemia salina, further testing of EO toxicity is proposed, for example on healthy cell-lines. According to the GC/MS spectrometry, the most represented components of mint EO were the oxygenated hydrocarbons L-menthone (20.86%) and menthol (31.86%), and they could be proposed for further antimicrobial and toxicity investigation.

Background: The prevention of preterm delivery (PTD) represents one of the major topics in modern obstetrics. The aim was to design a prospective study and investigate if mid-trimester serum and amniotic fluid levels of MCP-1 could predict the occurence of spontaneous PTD. Methods: The study involved 198 women who underwent genetic amniocentesis and blood sampling in the middle of their trimester. After applying the criteria for inclusion in the study, there were 16 respondents in the study group, and 38 respondents in the control group. Level of MCP-1 in amniotic fluid and serum was measured with commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and statistical analysis was conducted. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in serum or amniotic fluid MCP1 levels between PTD and the control groups. Conclusion: The results suggest that MCP-1 is probably not the most relevant marker for predicting PTD. This study provides new normative data for MCP-1 levels in amniotic fluid and maternal sera and is a valuable tool for future diagnostic and comparative studies.

Introduction. Benign pituitary tumors are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms with varying clinical presentations depending on their hormonal activity, size, and mass effects. These tumors can cause significant morbidity due to endocrine dysfunction and compression of adjacent structures. Understanding their clinical characteristics is essential for improving diagnostic accuracy, optimizing treatment strategies, and predicting complications. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical profiles of patients with benign pituitary tumors, focusing on demographic characteristics, hormonal activity, and tumor size.Methods. This retrospective five-year study (2019–2023) conductedat the University Clinical Center of Republic of Srpska, Banja Luka included patients diagnosed with benign pituitary tumors who underwent clinical, biochemical, and radiological evaluations. Demographic data, hormonal profiles, and tumor dimensions assessed via MRI were analyzed. Tumors were classified as functioning or non-functioning based on hormonal secretion. Statistical analysis explored associations between clinical parameters and tumor characteristics.Results. This study analyzed data from patients diagnosed with benign pituitary gland neoplasms. The mean patient age was 48.61 years (SD = 17.60), ranging from 20 to 85 years. Among 53 patients with available tumor functionality data, 79.2% had functional adenomas, with prolactinomas being the most common (64.1%). Macroadenomas were present in 58.0% of cases, and 22.4% of tumors were invasive. Surgery was performed in 21 patients, with 76.2% undergoing transsphenoidal surgery. Remission was achieved in 5.9%, and complete resection in 17.7%.Conclusions. A comprehensive assessment of clinical features in benign pituitary tumors is essential for tailoring individualized treatment and improving patient outcomes.

Introduction. A significant proportion of women globally, consti tuting 38%, are obese, among whom 24.5% reside in Europe. Obe sity elevates the risk of premature birth due to associated maternal conditions, such as preeclampsia. The objectives were to assess: variations in demographic and clinical characteristics among preg nant women across groups; the impact of obesity on the incidence of preeclampsia and preterm delivery; and the influence of obesity on newborn characteristics. Methods. One-year prospective study included 133 pregnant wom en gestational age 11-14 gestational week (GW), divided into two groups: OB (41.35%) and CG (58.65%). The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 23. Results. There is statistically significant difference in average body mass index (BMI) (22.01 ± 1.83 vs. 30.26 ± 4.52; p < 0.001) and de livery time (37.94 ± 2.05 vs. 36.87 ± 2.45; p = 0.003) between CG and OB. Obese pregnant women developed preeclampsia significantly more often than normal weight (61.82% vs. 28.21%; p < 0.001). Body mass index has significant moderate predictive ability to predict preeclampsia (AUC 0.696 (95% CI: [0.601; 0.79]). Higher BMI (OR = 1.19, [1.09; 1.29], p < 0.0001) was associated with higher rates of pre eclampsia. Overweight (OR = 2.41, [1.07; 5.43], p = 0.0335), obesity class I, II and III (OR = 20.36, [4.32; 95.99], p = 0.0001) were associated with higher rates of preeclampsia. A poor negative correlation was found between BMI and GW of pregnancy outcome (p = -0.24; r2 = 0.104; p = 0.006). Higher BMI (β = -0.14, [-0.21; -0.07], p = 0.0002) was associated with lower values of GW of pregnancy outcome. Conclusions. Presence of obesity or overweightness in the first tri mester of pregnancy poses a significant risk factor for preeclampsia and preterm delivery.

Background and Objectives: Pre-eclampsia (PE) is an obstetric complication defined by placental insufficiency, including intrauterine growth restriction and placental abruption. Timely and accurate detection and treatment of pre-eclampsia are difficult because its diagnostic criteria are still based on nonspecific signs and symptoms and because the association between common severity criteria, and unfavorable outcomes for mother and fetus remain unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the potential use of blood and urine PE risk markers—soluble Fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1), placental growth factor (PlGF), sFlt-1/PlGF ratio, and albumin/creatin ratio—in predicting and managing PE in groups at risk for preterm and term PE (gestational weeks 24–37) and to correlate the levels of blood and urine PE markers with pregnancy outcome indicators. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and at the Center of Laboratory Diagnostics and Nuclear Medicine, University Clinical Center of Vojvodina. This study included 166 pregnant women (GW 24–37) divided into two groups: study group P (n = 52), consisting of pregnant women who were identified as a high-risk group for PE according to clinical signs and medical history and who subsequently developed PE; control group C (n = 114), consisting of pregnant women who had risk factors in their medical history but did not eventually develop PE symptoms. The evaluated parameters included two groups: blood and urine PE risk indicators—biochemical markers such as PlGF, sFlt-1, and sFlt-1/PlGF ratio; urine risk indicators such as albumin/creatine ratio; and pregnancy outcome indicators—gestational age of delivery (GW) and neonatal birth weight (NW). Results: The results of the analysis support that the PE risk biochemical indicators (PlGF, sFlt-1, sFlt-1/PlGF ratio, and albumin/creatine ratio) show statistically significant differences between the analyzed groups, that they correlate with PE occurrence, and that they have good predictive value. As expected, sFlt-1/PlGF ratio and albumin/creatine ratio, as the most valuable PE risk indicators, show good predictive value. However, our results also demonstrate that pro- and antiangiogenic indicators alone, especially sFlt-1 (high values), may play roles in risk evaluation and prediction of preterm and term PE (GW 24–37). Conclusions: In our study, all evaluated blood and urine indicators (PlGF, sFlt-1, sFlt-1/PlGF ratio, and albumin/creatine ratio) show high predictive value for PE in a PE risk group of pregnancies between GW 24 and 37. The results suggest that sFlt-1 alone has equal predictive value to sFlt-1/PlGF ratio and outperformed PlGF in predicting PE onset. The combined use of pro- and antiangiogenic biochemical markers, indices, and urine markers in blood, together with patient history and clinical parameters, shows potential as a more effective means of predicting PE than a single biochemical parameter such as sFlt-1/PlGF ratio.