Cochrane

Review question Cochrane researchers reviewed the evidence about the effectiveness and safety of aspirin used with the aim of increasing the chance of live birth in women undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART). Background Aspirin has been commonly used in an attempt to increase the chance of live birth in women undergoing ART. However, ...

Review question: Cochrane authors investigated whether the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) can reduce the risk of endometrial polyps, abnormal thickening of the lining of the uterus and endometrial cancer in women taking tamoxifen following breast cancer. The review also investigated whether use of the LNG-IUS influences the ...

Review question Are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) safe and effective for relief of period pain (dysmenorrhoea) and how do they compare with each other and with paracetamol? Background Nearly three-quarters of women suffer from period pain or menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhoea). Research has shown that women with severe period pain have ...

Background As many as one in six couples encounter problems with fertility, defined as failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy after regular intercourse for 12 months. Increasingly, couples are turning to assisted reproductive technology (ART) for help with conceiving and ultimately giving birth to a healthy live baby of their own. Fertility treatments ...

Review question Are cervical ripening agents effective for dilating the cervix before operative hysteroscopy and do they reduce the risk of complications during the surgery? Background Hysteroscopy is an operation in which the gynaecologist examines the uterine cavity using a small telescope (hysteroscope) inserted via the vagina and the cervix. Potential ...

Review question To assess the safety and efficacy of performing an endometrial injury (such as endometrial biopsy) on reproductive outcomes in women undergoing ART. Background Couples who have trouble getting pregnant may seek fertility treatments to help them conceive. These treatments are known as assisted reproductive techniques (ART), such as ...

Hormone therapy is used for controlling menopausal symptoms. It has also been used for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in post-menopausal women. The present review assessed the effects of using hormone therapy for six months or more. Nineteen randomised controlled trials (involving 40,410 women) compared oral hormone therapy (oestrogen, with ...

This is an updated review originally covered by two separate Cochrane reviews on robot-assisted surgery for benign and malignant gynaecological disease. The question Laparoscopic surgery is widely used in gynaecology. Robot-assisted surgery (RAS) is a relatively new type of laparoscopic surgery, which allows the surgeon to conduct the operation from ...

Review question: Cochrane authors reviewed the evidence on the risks and benefits of the removal or conservation of ovaries at the time of hysterectomy for benign gynaecological disease in premenopausal women. Background: removing the ovaries at the time of hysterectomy could potentially reduce the risk of ovarian cancer and the need for future gynaecological ...

Review question: Cochrane authors examined the evidence about aromatase inhibitors for subfertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Background: PCOS is the most common cause of infrequent or absent menstrual periods, and affects about 4% to 8% of women worldwide. It often causes anovulatory subfertility (subfertility related to failure ...