Objective: To compare the effects of coronaviruses, such as Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) or coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), on pregnant women in Saudi Arabia, and to understand the disease dynamics of these coronaviruses so as to konw how to provide care and management of infected pregnant women and infants. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of all published papers on MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 infections in pregnant women in Saudi Arabia to identify knowledge gaps. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were based on the PRISMA system. The search included all papers which were published between September 1, 2012 and November 29, 2020 on pregnant women with MERS-CoV and/ or COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia. Of 26 papers screened, five were included in the analysis. Results: A total of 11 pregnant women with MERS-CoV and four with COVID-19 were reported in Saudi Arabia in the medical literature during the review period. The mean ages of the women were 33 and 31 years old for MERS-CoV and COVID-19, respectively. Maternal and fetal mortality in cases of MERS-CoV were 35% and 30%, respectively, while no maternal or fetal mortalities were reported in COVID-19 cases. Conclusions: Very limited data has emerged from Saudi Arabia on pregnant women MERS-CoV and COVID-19. With such high mortality observed with MERS-CoV compared to COVID-19, there is a need for greater reporting of cases to truly grasp the extent of these infections in pregnant women in a country where both coronaviruses are circulating.

To prevent iodine deficiency disorders, the universal salt iodization programme has been introduced all over the globe, including environmentally iodine sufficient regions irrespective of their iodine status. As a result, iodine-induced thyroid dysfunctions namely hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, autoimmune thyroid diseases, endemic goiter and even thyroid cancer including infertility, still births, abortions and embryo toxicity have emerged as a major public health problem. In other words, the consequence of iodine deficiency and excess is almost ‘U’-shaped. Hypothyroidism caused by iodine deficiency affects reproductive functions of organisms; however, such undesirable effects of iodine overload on male gonadal physiology together with hormonal profiles are yet to be adequately explored. The discovery of iodide transporter in the testis justifies an independent role of iodine in male reproductive function, which is not entirely known. Recent studies on human subjects and animal models are now revealing further perceptions into the effect of excess iodine on male infertility with euthyroid status. Excess iodine exposure has been linked with deterioration of structural and functional changes of testis leading to compromised spermatogenesis by affecting various cellular and molecular signaling pathways culminating into disrupted the blood-testis barrier and cytoskeleton. This review provides an update and summarizes various novel insights of excess iodine exposure on reproduction by establishing the independent role of iodine on male reproductive endocrinology, which might help in formulating future strategies to prevent iodine-induced male infertility, an emerging global concern, especially in the post-salt iodization era.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of aqueous leaf extract of Adansonia (A.) digitata L on dexamethasone-induced testicular damage in male Wistar rats. Methods: Twenty adult male Wistar rats weighing 170-190 g were divided into four groups. Group I received 0.5 mL of phosphate buffer orally for 28 days and served as the normal control group; group II received 10 mg/kg of dexamethasone (a synthetic glucocorticoid) intraperitoneally for 7 days and 0.5 mL of phosphate buffer orally for 21 days, group III received 10 mg/kg of dexamethasone for 7 days and 800 mg/kg of A. digitata extract orally for 21 days; group IV received 10 mg/kg of dexamethasone for 7 days and 300 mg/kg of vitamin-E orally for 21 days. Dexamethasone was administered intra-peritoneally for 7 days and all administration lasted for 28 days. The rats were sacrificed by anesthesia with diethyl ether and the testes of each animal were harvested. The testis was homogenized in 0.25 M sucrose at 4 °C for biochemical and histological analyses. Results: Administration of dexamethasone significantly decreased body weight, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) (P<0.05), and significantly increased malondialdehyde (MDA) activities (P<0.05). The degeneration in the population of spermatogonia and vacuolation and abnormal widening of the interstitial spaces were observed in the rats treated with dexamethasone. However, administration of A. digitata significantly increased SOD, GPx, G6PDH, and LDH levels, significantly decreased MDA activities and improved the histoarchitecture of the testis (P<0.05). Conclusions: A. digitata may have an ameliorative effect on dexamethasone-induced testicular damage in Wistar rats because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Objective: To scrutinize the protective role of royal jelly as an antioxidant on nicotine-induced changes in malondialdehyde (MDA) level, p53 expression, in vitro fertilization (IVF) rate, and early embryo development in adult female rats. Methods: A total of 56 adult female Wistar rats were divided into 8 groups (n=7 in each group). Group 1 served as an untreated control group, group 2, 3 and 4 received nicotine at a dose of 0.50, 1.00 and 2.00 mg/kg respectively, group 5 received royal jelly at a dose of 100.00 mg/kg, and group 6, 7 and 8 received 0.50, 1.00 and 2.00 mg/kg nicotine, respectively, with 100.00 mg/kg body weight royal jelly. Nicotine and royal jelly were administered daily for 49 days in the experimental groups intra-peritoneally and orally, respectively. At the end of the experimental period, p53 expression, IVF rate and early embryo development as well as MDA concentration were measured. Results: The IVF rate, number of cumulus oocytes, two-cell embryos and blastocysts decreased in the nicotine-treated groups in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, p53 mRNA expression and MDA levels increased in the nicotine-treated groups. Royal jelly co-administration led to partial improvement in the aforementioned parameters. Conclusions: Royal jelly may have a repro-protective effect in nicotine-administered female rats in terms of its anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic properties.

Objective: To assess the effect of flaxseed supplementation on metabolic profile, endocrine concentrations, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), body composition variables, and reproductive performance of sows. Methods: All the 21 crossbred Large White Yorkshire sows were considered in the study period starting at day 1 of current farrowing when the feeding of specific supplemental ration was started until the day of subsequent farrowing (days 150-155) and were equally allocated into three groups. Group 1 served as the control group and followed their normal feeding schedule. Group 2 and group 3, in addition to their normal feeding schedule, were supplemented with flaxseed at a rate of 0.5% and 1.0% of the dry matter, respectively. Blood samples were collected 15 days prior to farrowing, on the day of farrowing (day 0), at weekly intervals until day 28 of lactation and at monthly intervals during gestation to harvest the plasma. Plasma was used to assess the metabolic and endocrine status of sows. Body weight of each sow and individual birth weight of all piglets born were measured. Results: Flaxseed supplementation led to decrease in plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the supplemented groups than in the control group (P<0.05). Plasma estradiol-17β level was higher in group 2 than that in group 1 and 3 on day 90 of the gestation period (P<0.05). The mean plasma level of insulin-like growth factor 1 was higher in group 3 than that in group 1 and 2 both in late lactation (day 28) as well as in early gestation (day 30) (P<0.05). Plasma NEFA and weight gain were greater in sows of group 2 and 3 compared to those fed with the normal control diets (P<0.05). The proportion of pregnant sows relative to sows bred was 100.0% in group 2 and 3 and 85.7% in the control group. Piglet mortality was lower in group 2 and 3 compared to group 1 (P>0.05). Conclusions: Flaxseed improves endocrine profiles, NEFA concentrations and body weight, resulting in better pregnancy rate and litter size.

Objective: To observe the effects of vitamin E on post-vitrification preimplantation development, gross morphology as well as mitochondrial distribution and ultrastructure. Methods: Twenty-four female C57BL/6NTac mice, aged 12-16 weeks, were randomly divided into four groups. Group A did not receive any treatment and served as the control group. Group B was treated with corn oil stripped of tocopherols and served as the vehicle group. Group C was treated with 60 mg/kg body weight of tocotrienol-rich-fraction with corn oil stripped of tocopherols. Group D was treated with 60 mg/kg body weight of alpha-tocopherol with corn oil stripped of tocopherols. All treatments were administered orally for 7 consecutive days. After superovulation and mating with fertile males, 2-cell stage embryos were harvested for vitrification. Post vitrification development in vitro, gross morphology and ultrastructure were compared between groups. Results: The number of 2 and 8-cell embryo, and blastocysts in the treatment and control groups were not significantly different (P>0.05). Following vitrification, all 2-cell embryos had equal-sized blastomeres and intact zona pellucida. Mitochondrial aggregation toward the perinuclear region was seen in all of the treatment groups. Both groups C and D had vacuolated mitochondria, which was reflected in the trend of preimplantation development reduction. Conclusions: Vitamin E supplementation of 60 mg/kg body weight does not improve the viability of healthy embryos according to this study. As a result, the most effective dose of vitamin E supplementation may be determined by the initial quality of the embryos.