Prevalence of non-specific vaginitis and correlation with isolation of Gardnerella vaginalis in Italian outpatients

Among all subjects attending a Center for prevention of female genital tract cancer Gardnerella vaginalis was isolated from 57 out of 171 women affected by non-specific vaginitis (NSV), from 15 of 703 non-NSV vaginitis patients and from 10 of 338 healthy adults. Postmenopausal women showed an increased rate of asymptomatic carriage of G. vaginalis. The data suggest a relatively weak association between clinical diagnosis of NSV and isolation of G. vaginalis.

[Cervical maturation. Physiologic aspects and pharmacologic implications]

The latest theories on cervical maturation and the techniques of pharmacological induction of labour are summarised. The role of the prostaglandins is particularly stressed both from the physiological viewpoint and as drugs of choice for effective pharmacological induction of uterine cervix. Finally, the personal clinical protocol for the induction and management of labour is reviewed.

Pericentric inversion of chromosome 19 in three families

Pericentric inversion of chromosome 19 has been found in several members of three unrelated families from a restricted geographical region. In one of the families, an additional pericentric inversion of chromosome 9 was observed. Reproductive problems, multiple abortions in two families and a neonatal death in the third, were present. A review of previously described cases is included, and the genetic risk connected with this type of rearrangement is also discussed.

Familial paracentric inversion of chromosome 15 (q15q24)

A paracentric inversion of chromosome 15 was observed in the father of two infants who died 29 days and 24 hours, respectively, after birth. The same inversion was found in two sisters of the proband.

[Evaluation of gestational age by comparing ecographic results with amniotic cell morphology]

The Authors compared the foetal growth, evaluated by using echographic technique, and the study of amniotic cells morphology, following the Philippe's classification. The results obtained show a good correlation between the two methods.