Özge Özkaya, PhD
Özge has a Phd in Molecular Biology and several years experience working as a bench scientists. She has been working in science communication since 2014.
Self-Compassion May Help Cope With Endometriosis
The health-related quality of life of women living with endometriosis in New Zealand is “significantly impaired” confirms a new study published in the scientific journal Psychology & Health. This result highlights the potential role of self-compassion and resilience to support positive coping styles to manage the symptoms of the disease and maintain a high health-related quality of life. “Interventions targeting self-compassion may be a promising tool to improve well-being in individuals with endometriosis,” the authors of the study said. It…
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Study Sheds Light on the Molecular Mechanism of Endometriosis Lesion Formation
The production of a protein called Nucleotide-binding Oligomerization Domain 1 (NOD1) in ectopic mesenchymal stem cells may be associated with the formation of ectopic endometrial lesions, according to a new study published in the International Journal of Stem Cells. This finding sheds light on the potential mechanism of endometriosis formation and progression and may help researchers develop new treatments against the disease in the future. To study the potential role of NOD1 in ectopic endometrial lesions, a team of researchers from…
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Long-term Dienogest Treatment and the Chance of Conceiving With IVF
It is not clear whether long-term treatment with dienogest before in vitro fertilization (IVF) affects pregnancy and live birth rates in women with endometriosis, according to a new study published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada. “Given limited data and very low evidence quality, doubts arise about the benefits of long-term dienogest pre-treatment before conventional IVF in endometriosis patients,” the authors of the study concluded. To assess the efficacy of dienogest in patients with endometriosis undergoing IVF, the…
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Does The Severity of Endometriosis Pain Affect the Chance of Having a Baby With IVF?
Severe pain symptoms in endometriosis have no relation with the outcomes of assisted reproductive techniques such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), according to a new study published in the journal Human Reproduction. This finding suggests that the decision-making process for deciding between assisted reproduction and surgery in women with endometriosis who are infertile should be based on a “multitude of aspects” instead of just focusing on a single point such as pain, according to the authors. These aspects should include the…
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Study Identifies Best Questionnaires to Assess Sexual Function in Patients With Endometriosis
The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and the Sexual Activity Questionnaire (SAQ) have the best measurement properties according to the Consensus-Based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) criteria for the measurement of sexual function in women with endometriosis, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica. While the FSFI is more suitable for evaluating medical treatment, the SAQ is best for surgical treatment. The Subjective Impact of Dyspareunia Inventory (SIDI) is the…
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New Predictive Model Can Identify Minimal and Mild Endometriosis
Researchers from China developed a predictive model that can identify minimal and mild endometriosis in infertile women. The paper appeared in the March 2024 issue of the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology. “This model would assist clinicians in screening infertile women for minimal or mild endometriosis, thereby facilitating early diagnosis and treatment,” they wrote in a report that they published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology. It can be difficult to accurately identify endometriosis, especially in the early stages…
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Can We Reliably Measure Sleep Quality in Women With Endometriosis?
The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) lead to consistent scores comparable in women with deep infiltrating endometriosis, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Sleep Medicine. However, the cutoff values of the questionnaires seem not to be adequate for these women. “. . . we can probably rely on both questionnaire scores”, the authors of the study said, “yet their recommended cutoff values should be approached with caution”. The team of…
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Vitamin D Levels Associated With Endometriosis Risk
Endometriosis is inversely correlated with the levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 in the serum, according to a new study published in the scientific journal PLoS One. However, more research is necessary to establish a causal link between the disease and vitamin D3 levels and understand whether maintaining sufficient vitamin D levels could help prevent endometriosis. There is currently no consensus on the association between vitamin D and endometriosis. In the present study, a team of researchers from China led by Dr.…
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What Happens to all Those Frozen Eggs?
The rate of return to use previously vitrified oocytes is notably low even though there is an increase in the number of patients pursuing oocyte cryopreservation, found a new study published in JAMA Network Open. According to the authors of the study, patients with a poor ovarian response to stimulation are more likely to return to use vitrified oocytes. However, the time to return is comparable to patients with normal ovarian responses. “Ultimately, this study accentuates the paramount importance of…
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Can Endometriosis Affect the Chance of Giving Birth to a Live Baby?
Deep infiltrating endometriosis and/or endometrioma diagnosed by transvaginal ultrasound is associated with a lower chance of giving birth to a live baby in patients undergoing their first in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), according to a new study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility. However, the exact cause of this finding is not clear. In order to assess the live birth rate following the first IVF or ICSI in women with deep infiltrating endometriosis and/or endometrioma…
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Psychosocial Factors Must Be Taken Into Account When Dealing With Endometriosis
It is crucial to take into account both physical and psychosocial factors to maintain physical and mental health in patients with endometriosis, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Psychology & Health. “Treatment should address both pelvic pain and psychosocial factors to improve long-term physical and mental health in [endometriosis],” the authors of the study wrote. To assess the possible link between physical and psychosocial factors and the physical and mental health of patients living with endometriosis,…
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Should I Have Endometriosis Surgery Before IVF-ICSI?
The live birth rate per in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intrauterine sperm injection (ICSI) cycle was significantly reduced in women who underwent surgery to treat endometriosis before the procedures, found a new study published in the scientific journal Reproductive Sciences. “These data urge the clinician to carefully weigh the pros and cons before referring infertile patients with endometriosis to surgery before IVF,” the authors of the study said, “highlighting the key role of multidisciplinary referral centers”. To clarify the long-standing issue…
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Effects of Perceived Loneliness in Endometriosis
Perceived loneliness directly affects quality of life, according to a new study conducted in women with endometriosis. It also plays a crucial role in mediating the effects of experiences that women find difficult to verbalize. “It is possible that endometriosis patients’ difficulties in describing, understanding, and recognizing their emotions increased the feelings of being lonely, isolated, likely disbelieved and not understood, which in turn leads to pooper perceived endometriosis-related quality of life,” the researchers wrote in a report that they…
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Surgery Pivotal in Improving Quality of Life in Endometriosis Patients
Surgery plays a pivotal role in improving the quality of life of women with endometriosis who have previously not responded to medical therapy. This is according to a new study published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology. During the prospective observational study, a team of researchers from Italy led by Dr. Giacomo Ruffo analyzed patient-reported outcomes in 140 patients who had segmental colorectal resection for the treatment of deep infiltrating endometriosis. The patients were asked to respond to the MD…
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Study Identifies Potential New Theraputic Target in Endometriosis
Lactate could drive the progression of endometriosis by upregulating the expression of a gene called HMGB1, according to a new study published in the Journal of Biomedical Research. This finding identifies novel targets for the prevention and treatment of endometriosis. The possible role of lactylation in endometriosis is not yet known. However, it is known that the process is involved in the proliferation and metastasis of certain types of cancer. In the present study, a team of researchers from China…
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Is Your Surgeon Stressed?
Stress during endometriosis surgery among surgeons is greater than what they anticipate, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica. The stress symptoms reported by surgeons start before surgery and is more common among those operating as primary surgeons and surgeons in training. The authors of the study said that future studies should focus on factors that increase stress before surgery and pinpoint when these factors start having a detrimental effect on the performance…
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Study Finds Link Between Exposure to Pollutants and Increased Riks of Endometriosis
High concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urine may be associated with a higher risk of endometriosis, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Environmental Science and Pollution Research. The study also found that the concentration of 9-fluorene in urine was associated with a high susceptibility to endometriosis in overweight women. These findings shed light on the possible link between exposure to pollutants and the risk of endometriosis. For the study, a team of researchers led by…
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Robotic Surgery For Endometriosis
Robotic surgery is an option for the treatment of severe endometriosis, according to the results of a preliminary comparative study published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology. However, the approach is associated with higher costs. “Next studies should identify specific indications for robotic surgery”, the authors of the study wrote, “where technical advantages provided by the technology are followed by objective improvement of patients' outcomes”. In order to compare the postoperative outcomes and the overall expenses between conventional laparoscopy…
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Cells Constituting Endometriosis Have Different Properties
Many cell types are altered in endometriosis, found a new study published in the Journal of Pathology. The study also found that depending on the subtype of endometriosis, endometriosis cells show signatures of estrogen responsiveness, immunologic cytotoxicity, and proinflammation. Finally, it identified novel cellular interactions that could be meaningful for the development and progression of the disease. “Our results may help extend pathologic insights, dissect aggressive diseases, and discover therapeutic targets in endometriosis,” the authors of the study said. In order to better…
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Endometriosis With or Without Chronic Pain Linked to Anxiety and Depression
There may be a potential link between endometriosis, with and without chronic pain, anxiety, and depression, according to a new study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders. “We recommended that clinicians provide proper medical management of endometriosis-related pain through symptom management and adequate counseling for those suffering from anxiety and depression,” the authors of the study said. In order to assess the association between endometriosis, chronic pain, anxiety, and depression, a team of researchers from McGill University in Montréal,…
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