Research data show that the somatic cell count increases during the transition period when dairy cows are transferred from barns to pastures (month of May) and during the transition period when dairy cows are transferred from pasture to barn (month of October). During these period’s feedstuff composition changes, as does the temperature, microclimate parameters, which also have an influence on cows with Sub-clinical mastitis. Somatic cell counts are lowest in 1st lactation cows. 1st lactation cow somatic cell count in milk was 440,000 ± 66,400 cells/ml (2004) and 326,000 ± 55,500 cells/ ml (2005). Later lactation’s cow somatic cell counts in milk is higher, however the highest cow somatic cell count in milk is in 5th and upward lactations. Reproduction is usually evaluated during the span of the service period, taking into account the animal’s age at 1st parturition, its fertilisation index, timeframe between parturitions, and duration of pregnancy. These are important herd reproduction traits. Due to disorders in reproduction functions, costs of fertilisation increase and economic losses are sustained (Borman, 2006). The cow’s age at 1st parturition affects the heifer’s rate of maturity which also depends on the husbandry conditions and breed. During 2003 – 2004, the average age of 1st parturition Lithuanian Black/White breed cows was 26.7 - 32.6 months (Republic of Lithuania, Ministry of Agriculture, 2005). An early 1st parturition age (up to 23 months) is followed by a... [to full text]

Many discussions on the legal regulation of artificial fertilization are taking place in Lithuania though consensus is not yet achieved. Services of assisted reproduction cause fierce scientific, ethical, legal, and religious disputes in Lithuania and elsewhere. It is important to emphasize that legalization of in vitro fertilization at the international as well as national levels is not going to solve the problem. To do this, it is necessary to plan a mechanism of the implementation of the law which would cover many spheres of the legal regulation. The major problem becomes the shortage of scientific studies on legal regulation of artificial fertilization in Lithuania and the rest of the world. The author analyzes the issues of legal regulation of artificial fertilization in Lithuania providing a theoretical model of regulation of the procedure and implementation of the law. The analytical part of the study includes an analysis of the existing bills on artificial fertilization which reveals that both the first and the alternative bills are not quite finished yet and require improvement. Nevertheless the regulation scheme and the content of the Project IXP – 1966(2)A satisfy the main scientific paradigms defined in the theoretical part of the thesis.

Darbo tikslas. Išanalizuoti pagalbinių apvaisinimo būdų taikymo etines problemas pacientų požiūriu. Uždaviniai. Ištirti ir palyginti vaisingų ir nevaisingų šeimų požiūrį į pagalbinius apvaisinimo būdus; Nustatyti etines problemas, kylančias nevaisingoms šeimoms, naudojant pagalbinius apvaisinimo būdus; Įvertinti nevaisingų šeimų požiūrį į pagalbinių apvaisinimo būdų įstatyminę bazę. Tyrimo metodika. Anoniminė anketinė apklausa. Tirtos dvi respondentų grupės: nevaisingi asmenys (vaisingumo asociacijos nariai, n=93) ir vaisingi asmenys (besilaukiančios moterys, n=146). Rezultatai. Didžioji dalis respondentų yra girdėję apie pagalbinius apvaisinimo būdus ir jų taikymą. Vaisingi asmenys linkę pritarti įvairiems IVF taikymo apribojimams (amžiaus riba, IVF tik susituokusioms poroms ir pan.), vaisingumo sutrikimų turintys asmenys linkę naudotis PAB be jokių apribojimų. Nevaisingi žmonės pritaria embrionų užšaldymui, donorystei bei surogatinei motinystei, siekdami išnaudoti visus įmanomus būdus pasiekti norimo nėštumo. Nevaisingų asmenų nuomone, būtiname DA įstatyme privalo atsispindėti embrionų šaldymas, donorystė bei procedūrų kompensavimo tvarka. Išvados. 84,9 proc. visų tyrime dalyvavusių respondentų mano, kad nevaisingumas yra liga; 88,7 proc. visų respondentų yra girdėję apie pagalbinius apvaisinimo būdus. Abiejų grupių respondentai pritaria tiek in vivo, tiek in vitro procedūroms. Nevaisingos šeimos perteklinių embrionų sukūrime, jų šaldyme, spermos ar kiaušialąsčių... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Aim of the study. To analyse the patient‘s view of ethical issues in assisted reproductive technologies use. Objectives. To investigate and compare the fertile and infertile person‘s view of assisted reproductive technologies; To identify an ethical problems arising for infertile persons from assisted reproductive technologies use; To evaluate infertile person‘s view of assisted reproductive technologies legislative base. Methods. Anonymous questionnaire survey. Inquired two groups of respondents: infertile persons (members of Fertility Association, n=93) and fertile persons (pregnant women, n=146). Results. Most of respondents have heard about the use of assisted reproductive technologies. Fertile persons are minded to agree with various limitations of IVF use (age limit, IVF only for married couples, etc.), infertile persons prefer to use ART without any restrictions. Infertile people accept embryos cryopreservation, use of donors and surrogate motherhood, seeking to use all possibilities in order to receive pregnancy. According to infertile people opinion, new ART law is mandatory and must cover embryo cryopreservation, use of donors and reimbursement of procedures. Conclusions. 84.9 % of all respondents thinks, that infertility is a disease; 88.7 % of all respondents have heard about assisted reproductive technologies. Respondents of both groups approves in vivo and in vitro procedures. Infertile persons do not see serious ethical issues in creation of spare embryos... [to full text]