No abstract

Intrinsic role of preovulatory and nidatory estrogen and progesterone and presence of viable blastocysts in utero in pinopod development on the uterine luminal epithelial surface and correlation between time of their development and onset of endometrial sensitivity were investigated. In adult rats, pinopods were observed on the entire epithelium even before secretion of nidatory estrogen, i.e. at 14.00 h on day 4 post-coitum (p.c.). Apparently, their number increased, more so on the antimesometrial than the mesometrial side, at 10.00 h on day 5, but were fewer and mostly collapsed at 10.00 h on day 6. Pinopods on day 4 were located within epithelial depressions and foldings, but protruded from the surface on days 5 and 6. Normal pinopods were also present on day 8 p.c. in rats under delayed implantation, but an implantation-inducing dose of estradiol-17 beta administered about 18 h earlier caused their collapse like that on day 6 in intact rats. Development and appearance of pinopods in intact or delayed rats was unaffected when native preimplantation embryos were prevented from entering the uterus. Normal pinopods were seen in immature rats receiving progesterone for at least 3 days or cyproterone acetate for 4 days, but not after estradiol alone. In animals receiving progesterone or priming/sensitizing estradiol in addition to progesterone, the decidual response was suboptimal, irrespective of the presence of pinopods on the day of stimulation. In animals in which a condition mimicking preimplantation had been produced by suitable hormone supplementation, optimal endometrial sensitivity and decidual response were elicited, even though most pinopods appeared collapsed, resembling those on day 6 in intact rats and about 18 h after estradiol in implantation-delayed rats. Findings confirm that pinopod development on uterine luminal epithelium was dependent on progesterone alone and demonstrate that: (i) preovulatory (priming) or nidatory (endometrial sensitizing) estrogen or viable blastocysts in utero have no role in their development. Nidatory estrogen, instead, appears to limit pinopod development by causing their collapse; (ii) pinopod development/presence on the endometrial surface might indicate the uterus coming into a period of sensitivity rather than actually being in it and might thus serve as a useful marker of "transfer window" rather than "implantation window"; (iii) in the rat, pinopod development might serve as an alternate assay for evaluation of progestational activity of newer test agents.

Findings suggest a need to educate the community about psychological implications of LBW, large family size and overcrowding in children. Improving maternal education and controlling alcoholism could help in reducing childhood psychopathology.

Background: Menarche is an important milestone in the life of a girl which signifies the onset of fertility in a woman. To understand the health consequences and importance of menstrual hygiene practices among adolescent girls, it is important to study the current practices about the same so that future interventions can be planned accordingly.Methods: This study adopted a cross-sectional study design. A total of 85 adolescent girls (10-19 years old) were interviewed by the investigator over a period of 3 months (Jan-Mar 2015). Data were analyzed using the software SPSS version 17.Results: Out of 85 adolescent girls studied, the majority was between 15 to 19 years. In our study 71(83.5%) out of 85 adolescent girls had already started their menstruation. The mean (±SD) age of menarche in the study subjects was 11.4±5.3 years. Around 33 out of 71 (46.4%) girls practiced different restrictions during menstruation. Out of 71 (85.9%) girls used sanitary pads during menstruation. In cases of reused cloth, the place of its drying was observed, responses stated were; outside the house in sunlight in 1 (5.8%) girl, 14 (82.2%) dried them inside the house, and 2 (11.7%) girls dried them outside in a dark place.Conclusions: It is imperative to strengthen the menstrual hygiene management (MHM) programs of the country and have a greater outreach. Multiple strategies need to be used to address this such as education on reproductive health and menstruation provided in schools, media campaign’s and improving water and sanitation for improving school retention of adolescent girls and their overall health.

Day-6 rabbit blastocysts were incubated with 3H-labelled neutral steroids. Pregnenolone metabolism was insignificant, but progesterone was extensively metabolized to 5\g=b\-pregnanedione (5\g=b\-pregnane-3,20-dione) and 5\g=b\-pregnanolone ( 5\ g=b\ \ x =r eq-\ pregnan-3\g=b\-ol-20-one). Some dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA) was converted to 5-androstene-3\g=b\,17\g=b\-diol; androstenedione and testosterone were interconverted, and both 4-ene steroids were metabolized to 5\g=a\-reduced compounds. There was no evidence for oestrogen synthesis from progesterone or androgens. Exogenous cofactors had no significant effect on the course of steroid metabolism. Oestradiol and oestrone were determined in blastocysts, and high levels of oestrogen were found in blastocysts from superovulating rabbits. Injection of [3H]oestradiol into pregnant rabbits gave rise to radioactivity associated primarily with oestradiol in uterine tissue, uterine flushings and blastocysts.It is concluded (1) that the capacity of the Day-6 rabbit blastocyst to metabolize progesterone and androgen may be utilized in vivo to protect the blastocyst from excess maternal progesterone, and to involve androgens in an anabolic role, and (2) that blastocyst oestrogen may be partly of maternal origin.