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Biomedical subjects

B Kjessler

Publications and source records attributed to B Kjessler.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Who declines from antenatal serum alpha-fetoprotein screening--and why?

One hundred women who declined a voluntary alpha-fetoprotein screening test during early pregnancy and one hundred women who accepted the test were investigated by means of semistructured interviews with particular reference to background factors which could have influenced upon the decision making. Those who declined were, as expected, overrepresented among those opposed to legal abortion and they often showed an ambivalent or negative attitude towards prenatal diagnosis as such. These women were also more frequently legally married and active members of various religious denominations. Otherwise there were no socioeconomic, psychologic or other background factors specially associated with women who declined. The paramount individual reason given for abstaining from the test was the feeling that the test was 'unreliable'. The personal ethical attitude, together with the current reputation of the test in society, seem to be major factors affecting the rate of participation in an AFP-screening program.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Pregnancy-specific beta 1-glycoprotein, SP1, in maternal serum during uncomplicated single pregnancies.

Pregnancy-specific beta 1-glycoprotein (SP1) levels in uncomplicated single pregnancies were measured by radioimmunoassay from the time of ovulation until the 8th week of pregnancy in 129 blood samples from 78 women. SP1 was detectable in all samples examined from 34 days after the last menstrual period (LMP), and thereafter the SP1 level increased rapidly with time and 38 to 40 days after LMP the geometric mean SP1 concentration was 90 micrograms/l. From pregnancy weeks 8 to 41, SP1 levels were measured by nephelometry in 1255 blood samples from 1255 women. A 95% reference range was established using logarithmic transformation. There was a steady increase in the SP1 concentration until the last month of pregnancy, in which a tendency to level off was seen, the geometric mean levels ranging from 149 to 170 mg/l. The day-to-day variation was studied during 5 consecutive days in 10 women. No significant variation was found. The diurnal variation was studied in blood samples taken every 4th hour during a 24-hour period form 10 women. A significant decrease was found at midnight and at 4 a.m. The elimination rate of SP1 from serum was studied in 10 women following labor. Elimination was non-linear and the time taken for SP1 to decrease to 50% ranged from 24 to 50 hours. No correlation was found between the concentration of SP1 and parity, maternal age, or the sex of the infant. The SP1 concentration was significantly lower in heavier women (greater than 70 kg) than in lighter women (less than or equal to 70 kg).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Analysis of steroid conversion in vitro by testicular tissue as a means of selection of infertile males for gonadotrophic substitution therapy.

Testicular biopsy specimens from 11 infertile men were incubated in vitro with [3H]progesterone before and during long term gonadotrophic treatment. The main metabolites along the delta-4 metabolic pathway and 20 alpha-dihydro-progesterone were determined and the ratio between 20 alpha-dihydro-progesterone and 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone formed in vitro was calculated. In 5 patients with originally high ratios (indicating gonadotrophic understimulation), steroid metabolism changed significantly towards a more stimulated pattern. Three of these patients also showed a significant increase in sperm output and 2 of them fathered children. In 6 patients with an originally low ratio (indicating adequate gonadotrophic stimulation) no change in steroid metabolism in vitro or spermatogenesis was seen during therapy. Thus, this ratio between formed 20 alpha-dihydro-progesterone and 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone in vitro seems to be of value in predicting whether gonadotrophic treatment will be of clinical benefit.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Experience of delivery in women with and without antenatal fear of childbirth.

Late pregnant women with and without fear of childbirth were identified by means of a questionnaire. Their delivery experiences were estimated by means of interviews 3-4 days after parturition. Women with antenatal fear of delivery were found to run an increased risk of having a negative delivery experience and of possibly also finding difficulties in the attachment to their children in the immediate postnatal period.

Fear↗
PubMed1982

Identification of women with significant fear of childbirth during late pregnancy.

An unselected, consecutive series of 139 third-trimester pregnant women was investigated concerning 'fear of delivery'. Two methods to identify women with this sentiment were used independently and on the same occasion; i.e. a personal interview and a questionnaire including statements concerning 'fear of childbirth' to be affirmed or denied. The results obtained by the two methods were found to correspond well, i.e. much the same women who had verbally expressed significant fear of delivery during a personal interview were also identified by means of the inventory technique. A questionnaire may therefore replace a personal interview as an instrument to conveniently accumulate a sample of pregnant, 'anxious' women to be further studied with regard to the possible etiology and various expressions of their 'fear of giving birth'.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Fear of childbirth in late pregnancy.

A consecutive unselected series of 139 pregnant women were personally interviewed during their 31st--33rd week of gestation concerning their feelings at the prospect of the anticipated delivery. A severe fear of childbirth was admitted by 9 women (6%), and another 23 (17%) expressed a more moderate, but still distinct fear of delivery. Fear of physical pain was not found to be a dominant contributing factor, and an augmented service for obstetrical analgesia will, therefore, not suffice to curtail the problem of fear of childbirth. Instead, fear of childbirth, if present, must be promptly identified and correctly evaluated to be adequately treated.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Incidence of Down's syndrome in Sweden during the years 1968-1977.

The incidence of Down's syndrome has been studied among children born in Sweden during the years 1968-1977. The risk for mothers of different ages of bearing such a child did not change during these years. This does not exclude that a change in incidence might have occurred in smaller areas of the country but escaped detection for statistical reasons. A higher than expected number of children with Down's syndrome were born in a few communities, which most likely is a chance event. No correlation could be detected between the incidence of Down's syndrome and a number of socioeconomic variables. The correlation with maternal age was studied in detail. There was a significant excess of males among both the newborn children with Down's syndrome and fetuses with trisomy 21 aborted after prenatal diagnosis. A similar tendency was found among the cases with a chromosome mosaicism but not among those with a translocation. Two hypotheses are put forward to explain the excess of males with trisomy 21.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Prenatal diagnosis of an XXY foetal karyotype in a woman with a previous 21-trisomic child.

Prenatal chromosome analysis revealed that a 34-year-old, gravida 2 mother was pregnant with a XXY foetus. She had previously given birth to a 21-trisomic boy with another spouse. Both parental karyotypes were normal, but a high frequency of associations between satellited chromosomes was observed in maternal lymphocytes. The possibility that increased satellite associations may predispose to aneuploidy in the offspring is discussed. The finding of normal testicular histology in the aborted XXY foetus provides evidence that the characteristic XXY testicular dysgenetic lesions are likely to occur not earlier than in the late prenatal period.

Chromosomes, Human, 21-22 and Y↗
PubMed1978

Apparently non-deleted ring-1 chromosome and extreme growth failure in a mentally retarded girl.

A girl, who was the product of the first recognized conception by healthy and chromosomally normal parents, and who was born 5 weeks before term with a birth weight of only 1,690 g, was found to have a ring-1 chromosome, r(1), in almost all cells analysed. A minor proportion of cells had a normal diploid chromosome complement including two regular No. 1 homologues. A few cells contained a large dicentric ring, and two monocentric ring-1 chromosomes were simultaneously observed in a few other cells. Q- and G- banding revealed the r(1) chromosome to be apparently non-deleted. The patient phenotypically resembled the three previously described human subjects with r(1) chromosomes, especially with respect to her remarkable growth failure and metal retardation. From consideration of data available on general development in subjects with an autosomal ring chromosome, it appears likely that the presence of such a ring chromosome per se in an early foetal chromosome complement may predispose to significantly retarded intrauterine and postnatal growth. Various genetical implications, including mitotic irregularities with subsequent loss of cells at division, are thought to account for the significant reduction of body mass in these patients.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1978

A variant chromosome 17 in a mother with repeated abortions and a 46, XY/47, XXY Klinefelter son.

A female with a satellited chromosome 17 is presented. She had suffered repeated abortions and later gave birth to a 46,XY/47,XXY Klinefelter boy. The significance of the variant chromosome 17 in the etiology of the mother's reproductive failure is discussed. The mental and physical development of her now 8-year-old 46,XY/47,XXY son has been checked regularly since birth. The boy showed a significant deviation in behaviour pattern and development of body habitus already from early infancy.

Abortion, Habitual↗
PubMed1978

Delayed diagnosis in a case of secondary amenorrhea caused by a long arm isochromosome--X; i(xq).

Secondary amenorrhea was observed in a 27-year-old woman with a structurally abnormal isochromosome--X, i(Xq), in all cells analyzed. The apparent phenotypical variability that may be observed in subjects with functional monosomy for the short arm of X, must be taken into consideration when patients with amenorrhea are clinically investigated. A correct, and early diagnosis of the etiology of the dysgenetic state of the gonads may only be obtained by accurate cytogenetic investigations, i.e., by utilizing various modern banding techniques.

Adult↗