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Infertility is defined as the inability of a couple to conceive a child after 12 months of regular and unprotected sexual intercourse or after 6 months, in case of women who are over 35 years. Currently, assisted human reproductive techniques (ART) can help infertility couples worldwide and promise unquestionable benefits to humanity. The study proposes an assessment of problems that couples with fertility issues are facing in Romania using a special questionnaire composed of 8 segments and 65 items. The questionnaire was completed by 860 women who benefited from ART in different fertility clinics nationwide. By analyzing the results, we identifed the socio-economical and legal concerns that occured when couples approached these methods. They all represent direct challenges for society in order to review how these methods are applied. Moreover, the presented results may pursue decision makers to modify the existing laws in order to adapt them to the challenges that have arisen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Romania, a country with no organized national surveillance program regarding cervical cancer, the early diagnosis of HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) infections is a major requirement, especially in HIV-infected women. The objective of this study was to determine the HPV prevalence and type distribution in young HIV-positive women and to assess the difference in the risk factors for developing cervical cancer compared to those of HIV-negative women. Method: We conducted one cross-sectional cohort study from June 2013–September 2014, including 1,032 women: 992 HIV- women who were 36.5 years old (limits: 17 ÷ 84) and 40 HIV + women who were 22.9 years old (limits: 17 ÷ 30) with iatrogenic HIV infected. We detected HPV types with the Linear Array HPV Genotyping test (Roche, Romania). Results: DNA/HPV was detected in 18/40 (45%) of the HIV+ patients and in 350/992 (35.2%) of the HIV- patients (OR = 1.5, 95%CI 0.76÷2.96). After age adjustment, the overall HPV prevalence was 51.6% in HIV+ versus 63.2% in HIV- women aged under 25, and 22.2% in HPV+ versus 47.2% in HIV- women aged 25–34. We detect HIV being a risk factor for acquiring multiple HPV type infections (OR = 2.30, 95% CI 0.88÷5.97). The eight most common HPV types (high-risk, and low-risk) for women below age 30, HIV+ / - were: HPV 16, 18, 31, 51, 58, 68, and 6 and 82 respectively. To assess the risk factors of HIV-positive women for acquiring HPV infection, we analyzed the CD4/μL, ARN/HIV copies/μL, the age group, the number of sexual partners, smoking, and the type of HPV infection (single versus multiple infections). We found that the number of sexual partners and smoking are statistically significant risk factors. Conclusion: Even though there are no significant differences regarding the prevalence of HPV infection in HIV + versus HIV – patients, multiple infections were more frequent in the first group. In our study group young HIV-infected patients under HAART therapy, high number of sexual partners (more than 3) and smoking were detected to be risk factors. Future organized screening for HPV infection using sensitive and specific methods are necessary at the national level in Romania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), that ultimately determines the development of AIDS, evolved in time in a pandemic disease. Objectives. Our study evaluated first-trimester markers for aneuploidy in HIV-positive pregnant women under HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy). Materials and method. This was a prospective study that took place between January 2018 and December 2019 in the “Cuza Vodă” Clinical Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Iaşi, Romania. We analyzed first-trimester PAPP-A (pregnancy-associated plasma protein A) and βHCG (β human chorionic gonadotropin) levels in 25 HIV-positive pregnant women under HAART and compared them with the values of these markers in 31 seronegative pregnant women. Results. Both βHCG and PAPP-A were lower in HIV-positive women under HAART. Discussion. These alterations of first-trimester markers for aneuploidy might lead to an overestimation of the risk for Down syndrome. Conclusions. Obstetricians need to know the alterations of first-trimester markers for aneuploidy, so that they can correctly advise these women accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryopreservation of embryos has been for many years a well-established part of assisted reproduction technology (ART) with increasing delivery rates as reported by European and US registries. The pregnancy and live birth rates after cryopreservation have increased, and are now described to be close to or even higher compared with fresh cycles. In addition, both the increasing use of single-embryo transfer and the introduction of more effective cryopreservation techniques, such as vitrification, have made more embryos available for freezing and increased the use of cryopreservation of human embryos. Many studies have shown a similar or even better outcome for singletons after cryopreservation compared with singletons conceived after fresh cycles, while compared with singletons from spontaneous conception, the outcome has been less good. However, recently, higher rates of newborns being large for gestational age (LGA) and macrosomic (birthweight ≥4500 g) compared with both singletons from fresh cycles and singletons from spontaneous conception have been described. When stratifying for sex, we found that, although both boys and girls conceived after frozen embryo transfer had a higher risk of LGA compared with children conceived after fresh embryo transfer, the risk for boys was significantly higher. Singletons born after frozen embryo transfer have a lower rate of low birth weight and preterm birth compared with singletons born after fresh IVF and ICSI. We emphasize the need to expand cryopreservation techniques in Romania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cervical cancer is a major public health problem worldwide. While Romania has the highest incidence of cervical cancer in Europe, the prevalence of HPV has not been evaluated. We report the first data on HPV prevalence and type distribution in Northeast Romania., Methods: HPV prevalence and genotype distribution was investigated in 514 consecutively women with or without cervical lesions in Northeast Romania. Genotyping was performed with Linear Array Genotyping/Roche kit., Results: In our study group, 192/514 (37.4%) patients were positive for HPV (infected with single and with multiple HPV types). Most frequent types were: 16 (10.5%), 53 (5.44%), 51 (5.05%), 52 (4.08%) 18 (2.91%) and 31 (2.73%)., Conclusions: Infection with high risk types of HPV is common in Northeast Romania. Enhanced and systematic screening for cervical cancer is needed. Our results call for the implementation of a National HPV vaccine program in Romania.

The paper describes a research-development which had the objective to implement and manage the Electronic Patient Record in a multifunctional pilot platform named PROMED. The Electronic Patient Record implemented by PROMED platform is mainly aimed to facilitate both patient and health providers access to the health records and to provide an optimization of diagnostic and decision in healthcare services based on patients' medical history and medical statistics. The project promotes modern information and communication technologies for increasing quality and efficiency of healthcare services in an information based society. The PROMED platform is expected to contribute specifically to the improvement of the healthcare services in Romania by offering a solution for the integration of the main stakeholders involved in national healthcare system: patients, health service providers and public health authorities. The pilot system is first implemented in the "Cuza Voda" Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital in Iassy, an important universitary and cultural city in the North East of Romania.