[Family labor from the father's point of view]

Family labor becomes increasingly popular in our country. The aim of the study was answering the question: what the main motive for the men attending to labor was, whether fathers were satisfied of their participation and what the main reason of their satisfaction was. The study was performed in the district and local hospitals in south-eastern Poland during 7 months. 110 fathers were in the study group, 78 (70.9%) of urban population, and 32 (29.1%) of rural. The obtained results indicate firm acceptance of such a way of labor among majority of fathers. It was supported by the fact that almost all of them were satisfied of their participation in labor, and wished to attend the next one. The main reason for inclining them for the participation in labor was the granting of the partners' request, and internal willing. The source of satisfaction from sharing of the labor was providing the safety for the partner and setting up early contact with the baby. Significant influence of the labor schools on the feeling of readiness for delivery and the level of father's satisfaction were not evident.

[Changes of SHBG concentrations in postmenopausal women]

Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) is a serum (serous) glycoprotein binding estrogens and androgens with high affinity. Hepatic synthesis of SHBG and serous protein concentration are related to the following factors: age, sex steroids and thyroid hormones concentrations, obesity. Along with aging process, an increase of SHBG concentration is observed in both sexes. The following paper confirms a relation between age and SHBG concentration (positive correlation, p < 0.001) and a relation between body mass index (BMI) and SHBG. Concentration (r = -0.35, p < 0.039). In our studies it was found out that SHBG in postmenopausal women with recent hip fractures was significantly lower than in a group of women without fractures. The authors suggest that the determination of serum SHBG concentration might be assumed as a screening test for evaluation of the hip fracture risk in postmenopausal women.

[Hyperandrogenism as a frequent cause of hirsutism]

Excessive hair growth in androgens sensitive areas of female body is called hirsutism and it is a symptom of masculinization. Intensity of hirsutism in particular areas of the body is individual and it depends on the androgens excess rate, or increased sensitivity of hair follicles with normal androgens rate in the serum. There were 84 patients analysed, all of them hospitalized in Department of Gynecological Endocrinology Silesian Medical Academy in Katowice. The aim of this study is to check the correlation between the occurrence and intensity of hirsutism and androgens rate in the serum. In the group of patients with hirsutism the androgens rate was excessed in 72 patients but in 12 women there was an idiopathetical hirsutism diagnosed.