Obstetrics/Gynecology
Fertility Therapy Failure Tied to Increased Risk of Heart Problems
Fertility treatment failure is associated with a significant increased risk of cardiovascular disease over the long term.
Benefits of Fish Nutrition During Pregnancy Outweigh Mercury Risks
- Nutritional benefits of maternal fish consumption outweighed the risk of neurologic deficits associated with mercury.
- The better neurobehavioral performance observed in infants with higher mercury biomarkers should not be interpreted as a beneficial effect of mercury exposure, which is clearly neurotoxic.
- Better neurobehavioral performance in mercury-exposed infants likely reflects the benefits of polyunsaturated fatty acid intake associated with fish consumption.
- Polyunsaturated fatty acid intake has been shown to benefit attention, memory, and other areas of development in children.
Family Physicians’ Contraceptive Recommendations Frequently Lack Evidence
- Family physician’s contraceptive suggestions for patients were frequently not evidence based.
- The results suggested that that 23% of providers’ oral contraceptive pill recommendations and 40% of intrauterine device recommendations were inconsistent with CDC guidelines.
- As many as 50% of pregnancies are unplanned. Optimal use of contraceptive methods would reduce this number
- Results were derived from a survey study with 1054 participants.
- Misconceptions were noted with regard to eligibility for use of an intrauterine device.
Acetaminophen Increasingly Seen as Risky in Pregnancy
- A mother’s use of acetaminophen during pregnancy increased the risk of hyperactivity by 31% by the child’s age 7 years.
- Children exposed to acetaminophen prenatally are at increased risk of multiple behavioral difficulties.
- A mother’s use of acetaminophen during pregnancy raised the risk of her child developing asthma by 13%.
Update: Zika Bordering on Epidemic in the U.S.
- Florida reports 10 new cases of Zika, the largest one-day announcement ever in the U.S.
- Total case in U.S. approaches 1000.
- No vector-borne cases yet reported in U.S.
- Nearly 300 pregnant, Zika-infected Americans currently being monitored by the CDC.
- Zika linked to microcephaly, seizures and spasticity, facial abnormalities, and problems with feeding and vision in newborns.
- Disease linked to Guillain-Barré syndrome and Zika-related eye injury in adults.
Physicians Can Help Protect Patients Against Zika This Summer
- Nearly 300 pregnant, Zika-infected Americans currently being monitored by the CDC.
- Zika linked to microcephaly, seizures and spasticity, facial abnormalities, and problems with feeding and vision in newborns.
- Disease linked to Guillain-Barré syndrome and Zika-related eye injury in adults.
- Nearly 6000 cases of microcephaly have been confirmed in Brazil.
Robotic Myomectomy Is Inferior to Laparoscopic Approach
- Minimally invasive techniques were associated with less blood loss, less need for blood transfusion, and shorter duration of hospital stay.
- Cochrane meta-analysis was inconclusive in regard to postoperative pain control, fertility, and pregnancy rates.
- Uterine myomas are relatively common in premenopausal women, presenting in approximately 200,000 American women per year.
- About 25% of myomas will require medical intervention.
- Myomas are the most frequently diagnosed tumor of the female pelvis and the most common reason for a woman to have a hysterectomy.
Zika Now Sexually Transmitted: CDC
- Three cases of sexually transmitted Zika virus are reported in Texas.
- “Sexual transmission of Zika virus is possible, and is of particular concern during pregnancy,” CDC.
- Men who reside in or have traveled to an area where Zika virus transmission is active and who have a pregnant partner should abstain from sexual activity or consistently use condoms during sex.
- The virus appears to be contained in semen and has been transmitted by men who later developed symptomatic illness. The duration of persistence of Zika virus in semen remains unknown.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the use of condoms during all forms of sexual contact between partners who have traveled to or reside in Zika-infected areas.
Dangerous Mosquito-Borne Illness, Zika, Moves into Northern Hemisphere
- Zika infection is linked to microcephaly in children exposed in utero.
- The virus is carried by Aedes aegypti mosquito.
- Children with microcephaly are born, often, with incomplete brain development.
- CDC warns pregnant women to avoid travel to 14 countries and territories where Zika is currently prevalent.
- There is no vaccine against Zika infection and no treatment for the disease.
Predict Which Mothers Will Develop Postpartum Depression, Anxiety
- Seven characteristics predict who will become anxious or depressed.
- Children of depressed mothers are significantly more likely to be abused.
- Children of depressed mothers are significantly more likely to become depressed, anxious, or attempt suicide.
- Depressed mothers often suffer unnecessarily; the disorder can be effectively treated.
- Pre-natal intervention can spare significant pain and comorbidity in mother and child.
Use of Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives is 2x 2010; 6x 2002
- According to the CDC, the rate of usage of long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC), such as IUDs, by American women has doubled since 2010.
- The rate of LARC usage has grown 6-fold since 2002.
- Currently 11.6% of American women use LARC.
- LARC usage is the fastest growing sector of the contraceptive market.
- This social movement represents an opportunity for clinicians to educate patients about optimal contraception.
Breastfeeding found to Significantly Reduce Incidence of Childhood Leukemia
- Reiterate to patients that breastfeeding benefits both baby and mother.
- It is effective and inexpensive.
- Offer breastfeeding support for new mothers who find it difficult.
- Help patients surmount barriers to breastfeeding such as day care and brief maternity leave.
- Explain pumping and alternatives to formula for working mothers.
- Remind new mothers that sometimes formula is OK. There will be times where breast milk simply is not an option and the baby is hungry.