Planned Oocyte Cryopreservation: A Review of Current Evidence on Outcomes, Safety and Risks

Screening and Diagnostic Mammography During Pregnancy and Lactation: A Systematic Review of the Literature

In recent years, the age of childbearing has been increasing in Western countries, and consequently the need to conduct mammography during pregnancy and lactation is also increasing. The aim of the present study was to systematically review the existing evidence regarding the overall use of mammography during pregnancy and lactation. A systematic review of the literature was conducted in PubMed, Epistemonikos, and clinicaltrials.gov, by using the search terms "pregnancy" AND "mammography", and "lactation" AND "mammography". The review protocol was prospectively registered in PROSPERO (CRD42024543971). Initially, 1,038 articles were identified; the titles and abstracts of 441 studies were screened; 40 studies were retrieved; after assessment of full texts, 20 studies were included for data extraction and further analysis. All 20 studies were retrospective; 14 studies included women with pregnancy-associated breast cancer, five studies included women with breast symptoms during pregnancy and/or lactation and one study included young breast cancer patients under age 40. Overall, 420 diagnostic and one incidental screening mammography examinations were performed during pregnancy and/or lactation with a 78.6% cumulative detection rate of breast cancer. The role of mammography was confounded by the use of breast ultrasound in most studies. In conclusion, the use of mammography during pregnancy and lactation is based on empirical data from retrospective studies, not directly addressing this issue. Hence, well-designed, focused, prospective clinical studies are needed in order to improve existing evidence regarding the use of diagnostic and screening mammography during pregnancy and lactation.

Social Egg Freezing-A Trend or Modern Reality?

INTRODUCTION

Egg freezing for social reasons is a process in which women who want to preserve their ability to fertilize their own oocytes at an older age freeze their eggs. With the help of in vitro fertilization, the cryopreservation of oocytes for future use is achieved. The aim of this article is to study the reasons, the risks and the effectiveness of the method from a worldwide aspect.

METHODS

A literature search was conducted to evaluate pertinent studies, using data from the search engines PubMed, Google and UptoDate as well as the medical literature.

RESULTS

The reasons for delayed procreation are non-medical, with the lack of an appropriate partner for a family being first on the list. The success rate of this method differs with the age of the woman, the number of fertilized eggs and other factors. Like every medical procedure, this method carries risks that relate to the mother (being of advanced age), the embryo and the procedure of in vitro fertilization. The policies that apply in each country differ depending on respective social, economic, religious and cultural factors. Due to the high cost of the method, its selection remains a choice for only a few, reinforcing social inequality. The question of the medicalization of reproduction remains unanswered in the industry of assisted reproduction.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, egg freezing for social reasons is gradually becoming more widely known, with the United States of America and Israel being at the top the list. Unfortunately, there is no official data registry, and consequently, no statistical results are yet available for Greece, even though it is a method that more and more women are considering. Nevertheless, there is an imperative need for a universal legal framework for all countries with respect for the needs of every woman and different social conditions. More research and data from the literature are needed in relation to the effectiveness of the method from moral and social perspectives.