BACKGROUND: Pregnancies resulting from in vitro fertilisation are associated with an increased risk of developing hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, such as preeclampsia, when compared with naturally conceived pregnancies.
OBJECTIVE: The efficacy of aspirin prophylaxis to reduce the incidence of preeclampsia is well established in naturally conceived pregnancies identified as high risk for developing preeclampsia. However, the efficacy of aspirin to reduce the rate of preeclampsia for all pregnancies resulting from in vitro fertilisation remains uncertain, although in vitro fertilisation conception is a well-known risk factor for preeclampsia. Therefore, the purpose of this scoping review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current literature regarding the use of low-dose aspirin to prevent hypertensive disorders of pregnancy after in vitro fertilisation.
METHODS: This review will identify all peer-reviewed published articles including pregnant women who underwent embryo transfer after in vitro fertilisation and were prescribed low-dose aspirin to reduce the risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.
METHODS: We have devised a comprehensive search strategy to systematically identify pertinent studies published from January 2000 until May 2024, within the Medline (PubMed interface), Embase and Scopus databases. The search strategy is based on the keywords \'aspirin,\' \'pregnancy-induced hypertension,\' and (\'in vitro fertilization\' OR \'oocyte donation\' OR \'embryo transfer\' OR \'donor conception\'). Two reviewers will independently screen the titles, abstracts and full-text articles to select the relevant articles, using the Covidence software.
BACKGROUND: No patients are involved in this study. This study aims to be published in a peer-reviewed journal and could be presented at a conference.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to explore and understand the extent and type of evidence on fertility reduction and its association with family planning (FP) in Southeast Asia.
METHODS: Scoping review, following the methodological principles developed by Arksey and O\'Malley and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines for reporting.
METHODS: We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, ProQuest, EBSCO, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar and reference lists of relevant articles between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2022. Only open-access articles in English were considered.
METHODS: For inclusion, observational studies were selected for eligibility based on the original articles investigating the uptake of FP on women aged 15-49 years and its association with fertility decline in Southeast Asian (SEA) countries.
METHODS: Two reviewers screened the records independently for eligibility and extracted all data. The specific details of the studies, including data on the authors, year of publication, setting, study design, aims/objectives of the study, specific intervention, outcomes and main findings, were reported.
RESULTS: We retrieved 615 articles and retained 12 articles included in the analysis. Of these, 11 were quantitative studies and 1 was qualitative study. The frequently reported strategy of FP was the use of contraception. FP not only allows women to control their birth by spacing and limiting their pregnancies but also delay their first childbirth by using contraceptive methods.
CONCLUSIONS: Our review suggests that the FP programmes aiming at reducing fertility should have a specific focus on improving the uptake and continuation of FP services.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the incidence, associated factors and interventions to address teen pregnancy involvement (TPI) among African, Caribbean and Black (ACB) adolescents in North America.
METHODS: We conducted a scoping review of the literature, guided by the social-ecological model.
METHODS: Studies were retrieved from databases such as Ovid Medline, Ovid Embase, CINAHL, CAB Direct and Google Scholar and imported into COVIDENCE for screening.
METHODS: The Joanna Briggs Institute scoping reviews protocol guided the establishment of eligibility criteria. Included studies focused on rates, associated factors and interventions related to TPI among ACB boys and girls aged 10-19 in North America. The publication time frame was restricted to 2010-2023, encompassing both peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed studies with diverse settings.
METHODS: Data were extracted from 32 articles using a form developed by the principal author, focusing on variables aligned with the research question.
RESULTS: The scoping review revealed a dearth of knowledge in Canadian and other North American literature on TPI in ACB adolescents. Despite an overall decline in teen pregnancy rates, disparities persist, with interventions such as postpartum prescription of long-acting birth control and teen mentorship programmes proving effective.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlight the need for increased awareness, research and recognition of male involvement in adolescent pregnancies. Addressing gaps in housing, employment, healthcare, sexual health education and health systems policies for marginalised populations is crucial to mitigating TPI among ACB adolescents.
CONCLUSIONS: The review underscores the urgent need for more knowledge from other North American countries, particularly those with growing ACB migrant populations.

BACKGROUND: Preconception care is the provision of behavioural, social or biomedical interventions to women and couples prior to conception. To date, preconception research has primarily focused on maternal health, despite the male partner\'s contribution before birth to both short-term and long-term child outcomes. The objectives of the reviews are: (1) to identify, consolidate and analyse the literature on paternal preconception health on pregnancy and intrapartum outcomes, and (2) to identify, consolidate and analyse the literature on paternal preconception health on postpartum and early childhood outcomes.
METHODS: A scoping review will be conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, Scopus and CINAHL databases will be searched for articles published in English. Two independent reviewers will screen titles and abstracts and then full text using Covidence, with conflicts resolved by a third reviewer. Data extraction will be performed using Covidence.
BACKGROUND: Ethics approval is not required for this scoping review. Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals as well as presented at relevant national and international conferences and meetings.

OBJECTIVE: Inconsistent findings on the associations of preconception care with the utilisation of family planning and previous adverse birth outcomes have not been systematically reviewed in Ethiopia. Thus, this review aims to estimate the pooled association of preconception care with the utilisation of family planning and previous adverse birth outcomes in Ethiopia.
METHODS: Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.
METHODS: MEDLINE Complete, CINAHL Complete, Scopus and Global Health were searched from inception to 28 July 2023.
METHODS: Observational studies that reported preconception care as an outcome variable and the use of family planning before pregnancy or previous adverse birth outcomes as exposure variables were included.
METHODS: Two reviewers independently conducted study screening, data extraction and quality assessment. A fixed-effects model was used to determine the pooled association of preconception care with the utilisation of family planning and previous adverse birth outcomes.
RESULTS: Eight studies involving a total of 3829 participants were included in the review. The pooled meta-analysis found that women with a history of family planning use had a higher likelihood of using preconception care (OR 2.09, 95% CI 1.74 to 2.52) than those women who did not use family planning before their current pregnancy. Likewise, the pooled meta-analysis found that women with prior adverse birth outcomes had a higher chance of using preconception care (OR 3.38, 95% CI 1.06 to 10.74) than women with no history of prior adverse birth outcomes.
CONCLUSIONS: This review indicated that utilisation of preconception care had a positive association with previous use of family planning and prior adverse birth outcomes. Thus, policymakers and other relevant stakeholders should strengthen the integration of preconception care with family planning and other maternal healthcare services.
UNASSIGNED: CRD42023443855.

Recent advancements in reproductive medicine have guided novel strategies for addressing male infertility, particularly in cases of non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). Two prominent invasive interventions, namely testicular sperm extraction (TESE) and microdissection TESE (micro-TESE), have emerged as key techniques to retrieve gametes for assisted reproduction technologies (ART). Both heterogeneity and complexity of NOA pose a multifaceted challenge to clinicians, as the invasiveness of these procedures and their unpredictable success underscore the need for more precise guidance. Seminal plasma can be aptly regarded as a liquid biopsy of the male reproductive tract, encompassing secretions from the testes, epididymides, seminal vesicles, bulbourethral glands, and prostate. This fluid harbors a variety of cell-free nucleic acids, microvesicles, proteins, and metabolites intricately linked to gonadal activity. However, despite numerous investigations exploring potential biomarkers from seminal fluid, their widespread inclusion into the clinical practice remains limited. This could be partially due to the complex interplay of diverse clinical and genetic factors inherent to NOA that likely contributes to the absence of definitive biomarkers for residual spermatogenesis. It is conceivable that the integration of clinical data with biomarkers could increase the potential in predicting surgical procedure outcomes and their choice in NOA cases. This comprehensive review addresses the challenge of sperm retrieval in NOA through non-invasive biomarkers. Moreover, we delve into promising perspectives, elucidating innovative approaches grounded in multi-omics methodologies, including genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics. These cutting-edge techniques, combined with the clinical and genetics features of patients, could improve the use of biomarkers in personalized medical approaches, patient counseling, and the decision-making continuum. Finally, Artificial intelligence (AI) holds significant potential in the realm of combining biomarkers and clinical data, also in the context of identifying non-invasive biomarkers for sperm retrieval.

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis is a prevalent gynaecological condition for women of reproductive age worldwide. While endometriosis primarily involves the reproductive system, it can also infiltrate additional viscera such as the gastrointestinal tract. Patients with colorectal endometriosis can have severe symptoms that require surgical intervention. There are limited data available to guide the choice of resection technique based on the functional outcomes of bowel resection versus shaving or disc excision in treating colorectal endometriosis. This protocol aims to outline the methods that will be used in a systematic review of the literature comparing the functional outcomes of bowel resection to shaving and disc excision when surgically treating colorectal endometriosis.
METHODS: Papers will be identified through database searches, scanning reference lists of relevant studies and citation searching of key papers. Two independent reviewers will screen studies against eligibility criteria and extract data using standardised forms. Databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane will be searched from the beginning of each database until February 2024. The primary outcome is comparing the functional bowel outcomes between the different methods of surgical treatment. Secondary outcome will be quality of life, based on the Low Anterior Resection Syndrome score and the incidence of postoperative pain. A meta-analysis will be performed if the data are homogenous.
BACKGROUND: This study does not require ethics approval. The results of the systematic review described within this protocol will be disseminated through presentations at relevant conferences and publication in a peer-reviewed journal. The methods will be used to inform future reviews.
UNASSIGNED: CRD42023461711.

BACKGROUND: Increasing numbers of women serve in the armed forces in countries worldwide. Stress experienced during pregnancy is associated with adverse birth outcomes including preterm delivery (PTD) and low birth weight (LBW). Several characteristics of military employment and lifestyle can increase stress acting on active-duty servicewomen (ADSW) and hence may increase the risk of adverse neonatal outcomes. This paper reviews the prevalence of PTD, preterm labour (PTL), LBW and stillbirth in babies born to ADSW in the armed forces.
METHODS: This systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol. Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, Global Health and CINAHL Plus databases were searched from inception to July 2021 (November 2023, EMBASE) using subject heading and keyword searches for English language journal articles on babies born to ADSW in any military branch and any country. The Joanna Briggs Institute prevalence critical appraisal tool assessed risk of bias in included papers. Studies were paired with a comparator non-active-duty population to generate a prevalence ratio as the effect measure. A narrative synthesis was conducted.
RESULTS: 21 observational studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria. They were all conducted in the US military, involved a total of 650 628 participants, and were published between 1979 and 2023. Their results indicate increased LBW in ADSW compared with non-service women. There was insufficient evidence to conclude or rule out whether ADSW have increased rates of PTD or PTL.
CONCLUSIONS: ADSW may be at increased risk of having an LBW baby. However, caution is needed if seeking to generalise the findings beyond the US context. This review highlights a growing need for female-specific research in other armed forces and, specifically, into reproductive health. Such research is necessary to inform military maternity pathways and policies in ways that safeguard mothers and their babies while enhancing military readiness.

Infertility is a common clinical condition and about half of the major causes are due to male-related infertility. Pathogenesis of this abnormality is generally undefined; so establishing a proper treatment option is relatively uncertain. In recent years, several evidences demonstrated that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be a hope for innovative and efficient treatment of male infertility. This study reviews possible applications of MSCs in the restoration of spermatogenesis in male infertility of both humans and animals to suggest new avenues for future clinical practices. Articles published in \"PubMed\" and \"Google Scholar\" from January 1, 2000, to August 1, 2023, were investigated by searching items of \"mesenchymal stem cells\", \"cell therapy\", \"cell transplantation\", and, \"regenerative medicine\" keywords, in addition to the \"urology\", \"andrology\", \"reproductive medicine\", \"male infertility\", \"azoospermia\", and \"spermatogenesis\". The results obtained from the transplantation of MSCs in the treatment of male infertility seemed encouraging and they revealed the safety and efficacy of these cells to recover spermatogenesis; eventhough further stem cell research is still required before recruiting clinical application of MSCs in the treatment of human male infertility. Undertaking more well-defined, standardized, and reproducible protocols and enrolling larger sample sizes during a longer follow-up period can benefit the relevance of MSC transplantation in the restoration of spermatogenesis and treatment of male infertility. It seems that developing and utilizing stem cell transplantations, exosomes, scaffold delivery systems, and three dimensional (3D) culture methods may open a new window to getting more benefits from cell therapy in the treatment of men infertility.

BACKGROUND: Increasing the midwifery workforce has been identified as an evidence-based approach to decrease maternal mortality and reproductive health disparities worldwide. Concurrently, the profession of midwifery, as with all healthcare professions, has undergone a significant shift in practice with acceleration of telehealth use to expand access. We conducted a systematic literature review to identify and synthesize the existing evidence regarding how midwives experience, perceive and accept providing sexual and reproductive healthcare services at a distance with telehealth.
METHODS: Five databases were searched, PubMed, CINHAL, PsychInfo, Embase and the Web of Science, using search terms related to \'midwives\', \'telehealth\' and \'experience\'. Peer-reviewed studies with quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods designs published in English were retrieved and screened. Studies meeting the inclusion criteria were subjected to full-text data extraction and appraisal of quality. Using a convergent approach, the findings were synthesized into major themes and subthemes.
RESULTS: After applying the inclusion/exclusion criteria, 10 articles on midwives\' experience of telehealth were reviewed. The major themes that emerged were summarized as integrating telehealth into clinical practice; balancing increased connectivity; challenges with building relationships via telehealth; centring some patients while distancing others; and experiences of telehealth by age and professional experience.
CONCLUSIONS: Most current studies suggest that midwives\' experience of telehealth is deeply intertwined with midwives\' experience of the response to COVID-19 pandemic in general. More research is needed to understand how sustained use of telehealth or newer hybrid models of telehealth and in-person care are perceived by midwives.