"Mémoire présenté à la Faculté des études supérieures en vue de l'obtention du grade de LLM en maîtrise option recherche axe Droit, Biotechnologies et Société" / Le diagnostic préimplantatoire (DPI), issu d'une alliance entre la procréation médicalement assistée et les techniques de diagnostic génétique, met à la disposition des êtres humains des conditions entièrement nouvelles pour le "contrôle de la qualité" des enfants. Sur la base d'un vaste ensemble de critères, telle choix du sexe ou l'élimination d'une maladie génétique, les parents peuvent désormais sélectionner leurs embryons créés par fécondation in vitro en fonction de leurs caractéristiques génétiques. Les applications du DPI suscitent toutefois de nombreuses questions. Pas surprenant que le DPI et ses différentes applications fassent l'objet d'un intense débat éthique; ils requièrent certes la mise en place d'un cadre normatif. En 2004, le Canada a finalement adopté la Loi concernant la procréation médicalement assistée et la recherche connexe (L.C. 2004, ch. 2). À titre de manipulation sur l'embryon, le DPI y est indirectement couvert. L'article 10 (2) établit en ce sens une condition générale concernant la modification, la manipulation, le traitement ou l'utilisation d'un embryon in vitro dont le régime de réglementation et d'autorisation en déterminera les limites. Nous pouvons à juste titre nous demander ce qu'il en sera dans le cas de chacune des applications du DPI. L'une d'entre elles, la sélection du sexe pour des raisons non médicales, est déjà prohibée en vertu du texte de loi. Que prévoiront les règlements pour les autres utilisations du DPI? Le gouverneur en conseil dispose du pouvoir pour désigner les catégories d'activités pouvant faire l'objet d'une autorisation ainsi que pour établir les modalités d'exercice de toute activité réglementée. De quelle nature seront ces règlements? Que doivent-ils ou peuvent-ils contenir? Je m'interroge sur le contrôle juridique des diverses applications de cette technique diagnostique. À cet égard, la France et le Royaume-Uni offrent des modèles normatifs fort intéressants pour le Canada. Au cours de cette analyse j'ai cherché à déterminer lequel de ces deux modèles est le plus adapté à la réalité canadienne en matière de procréation médicalement assistée et de DPI. J'ai d'autre part constaté que le choix d'un modèle dépend de notre position à l'égard de certaines questions éthiques telle l'importance de l'autonomie reproductive (i.e. la liberté de choix des embryons en fonction de critères établis par les individus). / Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), which results from an alliance between medically assisted reproduction and genetic diagnostic techniques, provides humans with an entirely new means of chiId "quality control." Based on a vast set of criteria, such as sex selection or the elimination of a genetic disorder, parents can now select embryos created via in vitro fertilization according to their genetic characteristics. These applications give rise to numerous questions. It is not surprising that PGD and its various applications are the subject of intense ethical debate; the implementation of a legislative framework is a definite necessity. ln 2004, Canada finally adopted the Act Respecting Assisted Human Reproduction and Related Research (S.C. 2004, ch. 2). PGD is indirectly covered under embryo manipulation. Section 10 (2) sets out general conditions concerning the modification, manipulation, treatment or use of an in vitro embryo-the limits of which are determined by the regulation and authorization framework. We may rightly ask what form this will take in each PGD application. One of them, sex selection for nonmedical reasons, is already prohibited in the text of the Act. What regulatory provisions will be made for other uses of PGD? The Governor-in-Council has the power to designate categories of activities that may be authorized and to establish conditions for the exercise of any regulated activity. What type of regulations will they be? What must they or should they contain? 1 have examined the judicial control of various applications of this diagnostic technique. Both France and the United Kingdom offer normative models of interest to Canada. During this analysis, 1 have endeavoured to determine which of these two models is most suited to the Canadian reality with respect to medically assisted reproduction and PGD. 1 thus noted that the choice of a model also depends on our position on certain ethical issues such as the importance of reproductive autonomy (i.e., freedom of choice of embryos according to criteria established by individuals).

Le contexte social dans lequel s’inscrivent le désir d’enfant et la procréation en Occident s’est profondément transformé au cours des dernières décennies. Après l’introduction de la contraception et l’augmentation du nombre d’enfants nés hors mariage, le développement des nouvelles techniques reproductives et de l’adoption, notamment l’adoption internationale, ont à leur tour contribué à la transformation des cadres dans lesquels s’inscrivent les relations de parenté et la formation des familles. À partir de l’étude de témoignages de couples québécois dont les échecs successifs en procréation médicalement assistée (PMA) ont mené à la décision d’adopter, cette thèse interroge les multiples dimensions qu’implique un tel type de trajectoire. Sur le plan social, tant la procréation médicalement assistée que l’adoption nécessitent l’intervention d’une tierce partie pour concrétiser et faire reconnaître l’établissement du lien filiatif, soit la médecine dans le cas de la PMA et celle des autorités juridiques et gouvernementales dans le cas de l’adoption. Les deux phénomènes mettent également en scène des situations et des enjeux hautement révélateurs des valeurs et des représentations collectives en matière de parenté et de famille. D’un premier abord, le type de parcours étudié semble illustrer le passage entre deux sphères complètement distinctes: celle de la nature et du biologique incarnée par la PMA et celle de la culture et du lien social incarnée par l’adoption. Or, l’étude des trajectoires des participants donne à voir une situation beaucoup plus complexe où s’entremêlent un ensemble d’explications et de facteurs relatifs au désir d’enfant, à la famille, à la parentalité qui ne font sens qu’une fois replacés dans le contexte des grandes tendances sociales et idéologiques qui traversent notre société. Plus globalement, les analyses proposées dans cette thèse participent au développement d’une anthropologie de la parenté qui tienne compte des dynamiques et des tensions qui touchent la famille moderne. / The social context surrounding reproduction and the desire for children in the West has undergone a profound transformation in recent decades. Following the introduction of contraception and the increase in the number of children born out of wedlock, the development of new reproductive technologies and adoption, particularly international adoption, has in turn contributed to transforming the frameworks surrounding kinship and the formation of families. Based on the testimonials of Québec couples whose successive failures in medically assisted procreation (MAP) have led them to the decision to adopt, this thesis examines the multiple dimensions involved in this type of trajectory. Socially, both AR and adoption require the intervention of a third party to establish and legitimize filiation: the medical profession in the case of AR, and legal and government authorities in the case of adoption. Both phenomena also put into play situations and issues that are highly revealing of values and collective representations regarding kinship and the family. At first glance, the type of path studied seems to illustrate a transition between two completely separate spheres: that of nature and biology embodied by AR, and that of culture and social relations embodied by adoption. However, the study of the participants’ trajectories reveals a much more complex situation in which a set of explanations and factors related to the desire for children, the family, and parenthood intertwine and make sense only when viewed in the context of the major social and ideological trends that our society is undergoing. More generally, the analyses proposed in this thesis contribute to the development of an anthropology of kinship that accounts for the dynamics and tensions that affect the modern family.

Cette thèse porte sur la question des origines biogénétiques au Brésil et au Québec. Elle vise à mettre en lumière les raisons, conséquences et contraintes de la recherche des origines entreprise par les personnes conçues grâce à un don de gamètes ou adoptées. La question des origines est ici analysée à partir de trois points de vue: la parenté, le droit et la science. Le cadre proposé combine les trois approches suivantes : 1) le recours à la parenté permet dřanalyser, de par son caractère hybride, social et biologique, les tensions entre nature et culture; 2) le droit balise les comportements permis et transforme les notions associées à ce qui est correct et juste en des principes d'action; 3) la science construit, sous lřangle de la vérité, la manière dont les liens entre génétique, transmission et hérédité sous-tendent les comportements sociaux. Les représentations de lřorigine mises de lřavant dans ces trois domaines influencent la décision personnelle dřentreprendre ou non la quête de ses origines et celle, éventuelle, d'introduire un « étranger » dans la famille. Ces différents angles permettront de saisir le rôle de chacun des personnages impliqués et de décrire les conditions associées à la quête identitaire et à la filiation. La construction de la thèse sřappuie sur l'histoire des pratiques d'adoption et de procréation médicalement assistée (PMA), au Brésil et au Québec et sur les études qui sřy rapportent. La comparaison entre ces deux pays ne se limite pas à identifier leurs seules différences en termes socio- économiques ; elle prend aussi en compte leur spécificité culturelle et juridique à travers le concept dř « épistémologies civiques ». La parenté, le droit et la science fournissent le contexte permettant de comprendre les raisons mises en jeu dans la recherche des origines. De fait, la valorisation des liens de parenté sociale dialogue, entre autres, avec la curiosité pour les données génétiques. De plus, la loi sřinscrit comme une médiation entre parenté et science. Lřétude des ressemblances et différences dans la pratique de l'adoption et de la PMA au Brésil et au Québec permet de suivre les étapes de la quête des adoptés et issus d'un don de gamètes, de la découverte des conditions de leur filiation jusqu'aux « retrouvailles ». La thèse aborde également le débat entre les versants personnel et collectif de lřidentité à travers l'analyse des pratiques et des discours des associations de personnes adoptées, des couples infertiles et des familles homoparentales, autour de la thématique des origines. Le but de cette thèse est de souligner l'importance de mettre en perspective ces échanges entre la parenté, le droit et la science pour comprendre les réalités complexes que nous vivons aujourd'hui. iii L'origine et sa quête sont les véhicules utilisés ici pour mettre en évidence des formes familiales plurielles qui permettent d'analyser la manière dont nous négocions de nouvelles formes de filiation et de construction des familles. / The subject of this thesis is the biogenetic origins in Brazil and Quebec. It aims to highlight the reasons, consequences and constraints of the search for origins undertaken by persons conceived by gamete donation and adopted persons. The question of origins is here analyzed from three perspectives: kinship, law and science. The proposed framework combines the following approaches: 1) kinship, through its hybrid nature, can analyze social and biological tensions between nature and culture, 2) law, associated with notions of what is right and just are taken as principles of action, 3) science, constructed in terms of truth and how links between genetics and transmission may underlying social behaviours. Different representations of origins are put forward in this thesis where certain areas can influence the personal decision whether to undertake the search for its origins and possible decision to introduce a "foreigner" in the family. These prospects will help us to understand the role of each of the characters involved and describe the conditions associated with the search for biological identity and parenthood. The construction of the thesis is based on the literature and the history of adoption and assisted reproduction (AR) in Brazil and Quebec. The comparison between these two countries cannot be confined to identify their differences in socio-economic terms, it has to take into account the cultural and legal particularities in both countries only through the concept "civic epistemologies". Kinship, law and science provide the context for understanding the reasons brought into play in the search for origins. In a sense, the valorization of social aspects of kinship dialogue, among other things, with the curiosity for genetic information, likewise the law comes as a mediation between kinship and science. The study of similarities and differences in the practice of adoption and AR in Brazil and Quebec allows, in this thesis devoted to the question of the origin of adopted children and donor offspring, to follow the steps going through the discover of the conditions of their affiliation, their search for the biological origins and the eventual "reunion". The thesis also examines the debate between the slopes of personal and collective identity through the analysis of the discourses and practices of associations of people adopted, infertile couples and LGBT families around the theme of origins. The purpose of this thesis is to highlight the importance to dialogue kinship

My thesis deals with the child's right to know his or her genetic origin. It is a universal human right guaranteed by the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Article 7, paragraph 1 states that every child has a right to know his or her parents, if possible. European Court of Human Rights repeatedly postulated that the right to know one's origin is an integral part of the right to respect for private and family life provided by the Article 8 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. The purpose of my work is to explain on particular problems, to what extent is this right respected in the Czech Republic, in conformity with its international obligations. The text is based on valid legal status to June 21, 2011, with regard to proposed changes in the upcoming adoption of the new Civil Code. The text is systematically divided into seven chapters. The first chapter is focused in general on the right to know one's own origin in the human rights dimension. The following chapters examine particular relevant sections of family law and its imperfections. Firstly, I discuss the issue of determination and denial of parenting with an emphasis on emerging deliberate disharmony between biological and legal parenthood. Furthermore, I focus on the issue of adoption,...

Surrogate maternity ABSTRACT This graduation theses deals with surrogacy, which is really an actual and discussed issue at the present time. The thesis is divided into three main chapters, the first one is devoted to assisted reproduction, the second one belongs to surrogacy, the third chapter deals with determining parentage of artificial insemination. The first part considering assisted reproduction contains a short analysis of this issue from the medical and juridical point of view and also shows an overview of interfility causes and their therapies. The second chapter shows legal regulations of surrogacy abroad that could be seen as an inspiration for both, the current and future legislation of the Czech Republic. This chapter also pays attention to particular law institutes that temporarily adjust this subject-matter, especially the contracts between surrogate mother and requesting couple, adoptions by surrogate mother and is briefly focused on criminal legislation. A view at the change of legislation in connection with acceptance of new civil code is part of this chapter as well. The third and the last chapter is devoted to determination of parenthood. As regards the paternity, there are three basic hypothesis accepted, that are however modificated by the legislation of asisted reproduction in some...

Introdução:Até 60% das mulheres com endometriose apresentam como sintoma a infertilidade. Entretanto, os mecanismos envolvidos ainda permanecem não totalmente esclarecidos, especialmente quando não há distorção da anatomia pélvica. A etiologia multifatorial e comprometimento poligênico nesta doença têm sido amplamente aceitos. A aromatase é uma molécula das mais estudadas e há evidências de aumento da expressão do seu gene no endométrio eutópico e ectópico na endometriose. Esta enzima, codificada pelo gene CYP19A1, converte andrógenos a estrógenos e está presente normalmente nas células da granulosa, onde é fundamental para a produção esteroidogênica intrafolicular. Estudos in vitropor cultivo de células da granulosa, mostraram redução da atividade da aromatase em mulheres com endometriose. Devido à escassez de estudos que analisem a expressão do seu gene (CYP19A1) nessas células foi o que estimulou a proposta deste estudo. Este trabalho tem porobjetivo medir a expressão do gene da aromatase por PCR em tempo real nas células da granulosa luteinizadas murais de mulheres com endometriose submetidas a técnicas de reprodução assistida. Pacientes e Métodos: Estudo caso-controle, com 11 mulheres com endometriose e 11 com os fatores tubáreo ou masculino de infertilidade,submetidas à hiperestimulação ovariana controlada (HOC) para reprodução assistida, num total de 12 ciclos para o grupo com endometriose e 11 para o controle. Não houve diferença entre as características clínicas dos dois grupos quanto à idade e parâmetros do ciclo de HOC. As células da granulosa murais foram coletadas de folículos pré-ovulatórios maduros no dia da captação oocitária e isoladas. Posteriormente, procedeu-se à extração do RNA (clorofórmio/ isopropanol) e à transcrição reversa. A PCR em tempo real foi realizada para quantificar os níveis de RNA mensageiro produzidos para o gene da aromatase, normalizados aos produtos do gene endógeno, ß-actina (expressão relativa). Todos os experimentos foram realizados em duplicata. Resultados: não houve diferença na expressão do gene CYP19A1 nas células da granulosa luteinizadas murais de mulheres com endometriose quando comparadas ao grupo controle (p>0,05; Mann Whitney), mesmo na comparação combinada considerando-se separadamente os diferentes graus de endometriose (controle vs. endometriose mínima/leve vs. endometriose moderada/grave, p>0,05;Kruskall Wallis). Conclusão:Os resultados deste estudo sugerem que a aromatase apresenta um mecanismo complexo de controle para sua expressão gênica nas células da granulosa e, apesar de evidências prévias de sua reduzida atividade nessas células na endometriose, a expressão de seu gene parece não estar afetada pela doeça, de acordo com o presente estudo. / Background: Up to 60% of women with endometriosis have infertility symptoms. However, mechanisms remain unclear, mainly when there is no distortion of pelvic anatomy. The multifactorial etiology and polygenic involvement of this disease have been widely accepted. Aromatase is one of the most studied molecules and there are evidences of increased expression of its gene (CYP19A1) on eutopic and ectopic endometrium in endometriosis. This enzyme, codified by the CYP19A1 gene, converts androgens to estrogens and is normally present in granulosa cells, where it plays an essential role for the intrafollicle steroidogenic production. In vitrostudies by granulosa cells culture have demonstrated reduced aromatase activity in women with endometriosis. The scarcity of studies assessing expression of the aromatase gene (CYP19A1) on these target cells stimulated the proposal of this research. The aim of this study is to quantify aromatase gene expression, by real-time PCR, in mural lutein-granulose cells of women with endometriosis undergoing assisted reproduction techniques. Patients and Methods: a case-control study was conducted on 11 women with endometriosis and 11 with male or tubal causes of infertility submitted to ovarian hyperstimulation (HOC), with a total of 12 cycles for endometriosis and 11 for the control group. There was no difference between the groups regarding age or HOC parameters. Mural lutein-granulosacells were harvested from pre-ovulatory follicles during oocyte retrieval and properly isolated. Later, RNA extraction (clorophorm/isopropanol) and reverse transcription were performed. Real-time PCR was run to quantify RNAm products of aromatase gene normalized to those from the control gene, beta-actin (relative expression). All experiments were carried out in duplicate. Results: there was no difference between the groups regarding the gene expression of CYP19A1 (aromatase) gene on mural lutein-granulosa cells (p>0.05, Mann Whitney), even if we consider separately the different stages of endometriosis (control vs. minimal/mild vs. moderate/severe, p>0.05, Kruskall Wallis). Conclusion: These results suggest that aromatase may have a complex control of its gene expression on granulosa cells and, despite of previous evidences showing its reduced activity on these target cells in endometriosis, the gene expression seems not affected by the disease, according to this study.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-10T10:47:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ANA PAULA FELIX DE SOUZA CARMO GUALBERTO.pdf: 791996 bytes, checksum: 4c836d69c31c138ca744d32a9c64d121 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-06-11 / The Assisted Human Reproduction is a set of medical techniques that aim to make a woman pregnant when she or her partner or both do not have the natural ability to procreate. In Brazil, from the 1980s, the practice came to be regarded as adequate therapeutic indication the cases of sterility or infertility and, in our times, it is also viable resource to those who, although they may generate, just do not want the natural way. In the country, it has always been regulated so only by resolutions issued by the Federal Council of Medicine, and the current no. 2013-2013. To be linked to fundamental rights guaranteed in the Constitution, namely the right to life, the right to procreation and the right to a family, such techniques manipulate values dear to man and thus potential conflicts originated from it may result in a violation or tension between those rights, pointing to the need for proper regulation of the matter by federal law, which imposes for the procedure, requirements, limitations and sanctions and oportunize the legislature, the reflection of interests needed to guard the dignity of those involved and to safeguard the objectives inherent in the principle of legal certainty. / A Reprodução Humana Assistida consiste em um conjunto de técnicas médicas que objetivam fazer uma mulher engravidar, quando ela ou seu parceiro ou ambos, não possuem a capacidade natural de procriar. No Brasil, a partir da década de 1980, a prática passou a ser encarada como indicação terapêutica adequada a casos de esterilidade ou infertilidade e, hodiernamente, é também recurso viável àqueles que, embora possam gerar, apenas não o querem na forma natural. No país, ela sempre foi regulada tão só por resoluções expedidas pelo Conselho Federal de Medicina, sendo vigente a de nº. 2.013-2013. Por estar vinculada a direitos fundamentais assegurados na Constituição Federal, quais sejam, o direito à vida, o direito à procriação e o direito à constituição de família, tais técnicas manipulam valores caros ao homem e, assim, possíveis conflitos dela advindos podem resultar em violação ou tensão entre aqueles direitos, o que sinaliza para a necessidade de regulação adequada da matéria por lei federal, que imponha para o procedimento, requisitos, limites e sanções e oportunize ao Poder Legislativo, o sopesamento de interesses necessários ao resguardo da dignidade dos sujeitos envolvidos e de salvaguarda dos objetivos inerentes ao princípio da segurança jurídica.

Apesar da acumulada experiência e tecnologia da reprodução assistida, ainda é comum a ocorrência de má resposta (MR) à estimulação ovariana (EOC). Alguns dos mecanismos que prejudicam a resposta ovariana são conhecidos, como a obesidade e a redução de reserva funcional ovariana com o avançar da idade. No entanto, também se observa má resposta à estimulação ovariana controlada em pacientes jovens e sem comprometimento dessa reserva ovariana. Apesar do desenvolvimento de marcadores para predizer a má resposta, como o hormônio folículo estimulante (FSH), o hormônio antimulleriano (AMH) ou a contagem de folículos antrais (CFA), ainda não há disponibilidade de mecanismos amplamente confiáveis para este fim. Há controvérsias quanto a qual destes preditores apresenta maior acurácia. Esta incerteza é ainda maior quando se analisa a população infértil de aparente bom prognóstico, ou seja, jovens, não obesas e com boa reserva ovariana. Predizer a má resposta neste grupo permitiria importante incremento na qualidade do tratamento destas pacientes. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a acurácia dos marcadores de resposta ovariana como idade, FSH, AMH e CFA e comparar a acurácia destes entre si e combinados em uma fórmula para predizer má resposta à estimulação ovariana controlada em pacientes de bom prognóstico. Foram avaliadas 141 mulheres com idade <40 anos, FSH <10 mUI/ml e índice de massa corpórea (IMC) <30 Kg/m2,, consecutivamente submetidas à injeção intracitoplasmática de espermatozoides (ICSI), a partir de espermatozoides obtidos através de ejaculado. Destas, 45 (32%) obtiveram <3 oócitos e, portanto, tiveram má resposta ovariana. Avaliou-se a acurácia dos marcadores citados em predizer a má resposta através da área sob a curva ROC (AUC). A fórmula obteve AUC = 0.82, valor significativamente superior aos marcadores isolados (idade=0.67, CFA=0.74, AMH=0.75 e FSH=0,61). Também foram definidos os valores de corte para se obter a taxa de detecção de 50% e 80% e analisadas as taxas de verossimilhança dos marcadores. Concluiu-se que a fórmula é mais acurada em predizer má resposta ovariana à EOC do que qualquer dos marcadores isoladamente. / Age, antral follicle count (AFC), antimullerian hormone (AMH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) are frequently used for the prediction of the ovarian response to controlled ovarian stimulation (COS). The objective of this study is to assess the accuracy of a formula combining all these parameters in predicting poor ovarian response (POR) to COS in good prognosis women. We included all good prognosis women submitted to COS for intracitoplasmatic sperm injection (ICSI) between n Feb-2008 and Jan-2009 who accepted to participate. We defined good prognosis as: age <40 years, basal FSH <10 mIU/ml, and body mass index (BMI) <30 Kg/m2; in which the ICSI was performed with sperm obtained by ejaculation. POR was defined as 3 oocytes retrieved or cycle cancelation before oocyte retrieval due to a poor ovarian response. We performed a linear regression to determine a formula to predict POR using age and the logarithm regression of AFC, AMH and FSH. We assessed the predictive accuracy by the area under ROC curve (AUC). Additionally, we determined the cut-off values and false positive rate (FPR) for predicting POR with a detection rate of 50% and 80%. We evaluated 141 women who were submitted to COS and oocyte retrieval; 45 (32%) had POR. The formula to predict poor ovarian response was 0.024 + 0.017*Age - 0.403*LogAFC - 0.339*LogAMH + 0.204*LogFSH. The AUC observed for the formula (0.82) was significantly higher than for the isolated markers (age = 0.67, AFC = 0.74, AMH = 0.75, FSH = 0.61). We also determined the cut-off values and false positive rates for obtaining detection rates of 50% and 80%. We conclude that the formula combining age, FSH, AMH, and AFC is more accurate in predicting POR than individual markers.

Introdução:Até 60% das mulheres com endometriose apresentam como sintoma a infertilidade. Entretanto, os mecanismos envolvidos ainda permanecem não totalmente esclarecidos, especialmente quando não há distorção da anatomia pélvica. A etiologia multifatorial e comprometimento poligênico nesta doença têm sido amplamente aceitos. A aromatase é uma molécula das mais estudadas e há evidências de aumento da expressão do seu gene no endométrio eutópico e ectópico na endometriose. Esta enzima, codificada pelo gene CYP19A1, converte andrógenos a estrógenos e está presente normalmente nas células da granulosa, onde é fundamental para a produção esteroidogênica intrafolicular. Estudos in vitropor cultivo de células da granulosa, mostraram redução da atividade da aromatase em mulheres com endometriose. Devido à escassez de estudos que analisem a expressão do seu gene (CYP19A1) nessas células foi o que estimulou a proposta deste estudo. Este trabalho tem porobjetivo medir a expressão do gene da aromatase por PCR em tempo real nas células da granulosa luteinizadas murais de mulheres com endometriose submetidas a técnicas de reprodução assistida. Pacientes e Métodos: Estudo caso-controle, com 11 mulheres com endometriose e 11 com os fatores tubáreo ou masculino de infertilidade,submetidas à hiperestimulação ovariana controlada (HOC) para reprodução assistida, num total de 12 ciclos para o grupo com endometriose e 11 para o controle. Não houve diferença entre as características clínicas dos dois grupos quanto à idade e parâmetros do ciclo de HOC. As células da granulosa murais foram coletadas de folículos pré-ovulatórios maduros no dia da captação oocitária e isoladas. Posteriormente, procedeu-se à extração do RNA (clorofórmio/ isopropanol) e à transcrição reversa. A PCR em tempo real foi realizada para quantificar os níveis de RNA mensageiro produzidos para o gene da aromatase, normalizados aos produtos do gene endógeno, ß-actina (expressão relativa). Todos os experimentos foram realizados em duplicata. Resultados: não houve diferença na expressão do gene CYP19A1 nas células da granulosa luteinizadas murais de mulheres com endometriose quando comparadas ao grupo controle (p>0,05; Mann Whitney), mesmo na comparação combinada considerando-se separadamente os diferentes graus de endometriose (controle vs. endometriose mínima/leve vs. endometriose moderada/grave, p>0,05;Kruskall Wallis). Conclusão:Os resultados deste estudo sugerem que a aromatase apresenta um mecanismo complexo de controle para sua expressão gênica nas células da granulosa e, apesar de evidências prévias de sua reduzida atividade nessas células na endometriose, a expressão de seu gene parece não estar afetada pela doeça, de acordo com o presente estudo. / Background: Up to 60% of women with endometriosis have infertility symptoms. However, mechanisms remain unclear, mainly when there is no distortion of pelvic anatomy. The multifactorial etiology and polygenic involvement of this disease have been widely accepted. Aromatase is one of the most studied molecules and there are evidences of increased expression of its gene (CYP19A1) on eutopic and ectopic endometrium in endometriosis. This enzyme, codified by the CYP19A1 gene, converts androgens to estrogens and is normally present in granulosa cells, where it plays an essential role for the intrafollicle steroidogenic production. In vitrostudies by granulosa cells culture have demonstrated reduced aromatase activity in women with endometriosis. The scarcity of studies assessing expression of the aromatase gene (CYP19A1) on these target cells stimulated the proposal of this research. The aim of this study is to quantify aromatase gene expression, by real-time PCR, in mural lutein-granulose cells of women with endometriosis undergoing assisted reproduction techniques. Patients and Methods: a case-control study was conducted on 11 women with endometriosis and 11 with male or tubal causes of infertility submitted to ovarian hyperstimulation (HOC), with a total of 12 cycles for endometriosis and 11 for the control group. There was no difference between the groups regarding age or HOC parameters. Mural lutein-granulosacells were harvested from pre-ovulatory follicles during oocyte retrieval and properly isolated. Later, RNA extraction (clorophorm/isopropanol) and reverse transcription were performed. Real-time PCR was run to quantify RNAm products of aromatase gene normalized to those from the control gene, beta-actin (relative expression). All experiments were carried out in duplicate. Results: there was no difference between the groups regarding the gene expression of CYP19A1 (aromatase) gene on mural lutein-granulosa cells (p>0.05, Mann Whitney), even if we consider separately the different stages of endometriosis (control vs. minimal/mild vs. moderate/severe, p>0.05, Kruskall Wallis). Conclusion: These results suggest that aromatase may have a complex control of its gene expression on granulosa cells and, despite of previous evidences showing its reduced activity on these target cells in endometriosis, the gene expression seems not affected by the disease, according to this study.

<p>Under det senaste decenniet har svensk lagstiftning ändrats vid två tillfällen som möjliggjort för homosexuella par att gemensamt prövas som adoptivföräldrar och för lesbiska par att få barn med hjälp av assisterad befruktning inom den svenska sjukvården. I anslutning till att lagförslagen lagts fram har Sveriges Psykologförbund fungerat som remissinstans.</p><p>Syftet med studien är att närmare undersöka och skapa en fördjupad förståelse för Sveriges Psykologförbunds ställningstaganden i frågor som rör homosexuellas familjebildningar. Undersökningen består av nio enskilda intervjuer med personer som funnits i Psykologförbundets ledning under den aktuella tidsperioden. Materialet har analyserats med hjälp av kvalitativ metod inom det diskursanalytiska fältet.</p><p>Resultatet visar att homosexuella familjer framställs som problematiska med hjälp av två diskurser, vilka i sin tur är relaterade till vilken fråga som behandlas. En diskurs om svårigheter som tillförs familjen utifrån, i form av negativa samhällsattityder till homosexualitet, är retoriskt användbar i argumentation mot homoadoptioner. Frågan om assisterad befruktning för lesbiska par framställs däremot som problematisk genom argumentation som knyts till svårigheter som tillstöter inifrån familjen. Genom att jämföra den lesbiska familjen mot en heterosexuell norm skapas föreställningar om problem som kretsar kring ett underskott av män och ett överskott av kvinnor som föräldrar. Normativa bilder av biologi, kön och sexualitet framträder, vilka analyseras och diskuteras i uppsatsen.</p>