Implantation and the Fetal Health

Implantation is one of the crucial periods in human reproduction. Increasing body of evidence suggests that the improper (dysfunctional) implantation and the formation of the placenta can endanger life and health of both the fetus and the mother, during prenatal life and decades after delivery. The idea of the inverted pyramid of prenatal care has emerged in the recent years, as the early detection and prevention of health disorders of the fetus are specially focusing on the first trimester. By applying this principle, disorders in the perinatal period could be prevented or treated with better outcome. The changes that lead to the deficient implantation should be sought in the preimplantation period, in relation between the embryo and the endometrium. It is possible that the time is approaching when the disorders of the pregnancy caused by dysfunctional implantation would be the indication for the application of a natural IVF (without ovarian stimulation) with the use of new biotechnological achievements. For better results of the perinatal medicine, it is necessary to apply earlier (in the preconception and preimplantation periods) the therapy based on the subcellular and genetic level by applying the latest biotechnological procedures

Clients' Perception of Outcome of Team-Based Prenatal and Reproductive Genetic Counseling in Serbian Service Using the Perceived Personal Control (PPC) Questionnaire

This is the first study in Serbia and the region of South-East Europe dedicated to clients' perception of outcome and efficiency of prenatal and reproductive genetic counseling. The primary aim of this study was to assess overall value and success of genetic counseling in prenatal and reproductive care with regard to perceived personal control of clients, reflecting also in a part patient comprehension, knowledge retention, and empowerment in decision-making. The standardized Perceived Personal Control questionnaire (PPC) was used for the assessment of 239 female participants. First, we performed a complete validation of the psychometric characteristics of the Serbian-language version of the PPC questionnaire. The validation of the questionnaire permits other researchers from Serbian-speaking regions of South-East Europe to use this standard instrument to assess the effectiveness of prenatal genetic counseling in their communities and analyze advantages and disadvantages of their counseling models. We also measured social and demographic characteristics of participants. Further, we analyzed effects of our team-based prenatal and reproductive genetic counseling model through (a) calculation of PPC scores at three different stages (before initial, after initial, and before second counseling session), and (b) by assessing participants' responses by indication for referral (advanced maternal age, abnormal biochemical screening, family history of hereditary disorders, maternal exposure to drugs, exposure to radiation, exposure to infective agents, infertility or recurrent abortions, and miscellaneous). The results indicate that participants' knowledge after initial counseling increased significantly and after that remained stable and sustainable. A satisfactory level of confidence among participants had been achieved, in that many felt an increased sense of control over their situation and emotional response to it. Indirectly, these results indicate the success of a team-based prenatal genetic counseling model, which has not been assessed in the literature to date