Neil J. Perkins

OBJECTIVE: To characterize variation in circulating vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFLT-1), across the menstrual cycle in normal ovulating women in relation to reproductive ho…

ObjectiveTo estimate the effect of daily 81 mg low-dose aspirin (LDA) on menstrual cycle length and hormone profiles.DesignSecondary analysis of a trial evaluating the effect of daily LDA or placebo on live birth among women with one or two…

ObjectiveTo assess systemic inflammation in relation to fecundability and anovulation.DesignProspective cohort study among participants in the Effects of Aspirin in Gestation and Reproduction trial who were assigned to the placebo.SettingAc…

ContextInflammation is linked to causes of infertility. Low-dose aspirin (LDA) may improve reproductive success in women with chronic, low-grade inflammation.ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of preconception-initiated LDA on pregnancy rat…

BackgroundOvert thyroid dysfunction has been associated with adverse obstetric outcomes. However, less is known regarding subclinical hypothyroidism or thyroid autoimmunity and their relationship to pregnancy complications.ObjectiveThe purp…

BackgroundEmerging evidence suggests potential links between some dietary fatty acids and improved fertility, because specific fatty acids may affect prostaglandin synthesis and steroidogenesis.ObjectiveThe objective of this exploratory stu…

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to characterize the patterns of medication intake in healthy, reproductive-age women not using hormonal contraception.MethodsTwo hundered fifty-nine healthy, premenopausal women (18-44 years of age) enrol…

BackgroundEvidence is growing that the equilibrium between reactive oxygen species and antioxidants plays a vital role in women's reproductive health.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to evaluate variations in serum antioxidant conce…

ContextPrior studies examining associations between subclinical hypothyroidism and antithyroid antibodies with early pregnancy loss and live birth suggest mixed results and time to pregnancy (TTP) has not been studied in this patient popula…

Study questionAre prospectively assessed dietary factors, including overall diet quality, macronutrients and micronutrients, associated with luteal phase deficiency (LPD) in healthy reproductive aged women with regular menstrual cycles?Summ…

STUDY QUESTION: Does use of commonly used over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication affect reproductive hormones and ovulatory function in premenopausal women? SUMMARY ANSWER: Few associations were found between analgesic medication use and re…

Study questionDoes serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) vary significantly throughout both ovulatory and sporadic anovulatory menstrual cycles in healthy premenopausal women?Summary answerSerum AMH levels vary statistically significantly acro…

PurposeTo determine whether depressive symptoms are associated with ovulation or reproductive hormone concentrations in eumenorrheic women without a reported diagnosis of clinical depression.MethodsA prospective cohort of 248 regularly mens…

ContextAlthough adequate luteal hormone production is essential for establishing pregnancy, luteal phase deficiency (LPD) is poorly characterized among eumenorrheic women.ObjectiveWe assessed the prevalence and overlap of two established LP…

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Biomarkers are of ever-increasing importance to clinical practice and epidemiologic research. Multiple biomarkers are often measured per patient. Measurement of true biomarker levels is limited by laboratory precis…

BackgroundOxidative stress has been associated with a variety of chronic diseases and reproductive disorders. Fruits and vegetables (F/V) may contribute to antioxidant vitamin and micronutrient levels and reduce oxidative stress.ObjectiveTo…

BACKGROUND: Despite humans being exposed to complex chemical mixtures, much of the available research continues to focus on a single compound or metabolite or a select subgroup of compounds inconsistent with the nature of human exposure. Un…

BackgroundFolic acid is recommended to reproductive-aged women to prevent birth defects, though little is known about the effects of dietary intake on other reproductive outcomes. Improved pregnancy rates have been documented after folic ac…

The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve is a tool commonly used to evaluate biomarker utility in clinical diagnosis of disease. Often, multiple biomarkers are developed to evaluate the discrimination for the same outcome. Levels o…

BACKGROUND: The goal of many studies in environmental epidemiology is to assess the relationship between chemical exposure and disease outcome. Often various assays can be used to measure a particular environmental exposure, with some assay…

The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve is used to evaluate a biomarker's ability for classifying disease status. The Youden Index (J), the maximum potential effectiveness of a biomarker, is a common summary measure of the ROC cur…

The receiver operating characteristic curve is a commonly used tool for evaluating biomarker usefulness in clinical diagnosis of disease. Frequently, biomarkers being assessed have immeasurable or unreportable samples below some limit of de…