Obstetrics/Gynecology
RSSArticles
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Patients’ Contraceptive Choices Evolve Over Time and Life Needs
Women’s preferences in contraceptive methods can change with time and circumstances in their lives, new research shows. Values and preferences are influenced by the contraceptive method’s effectiveness, access, convenience, side effects, societal norms, and other issues. -
Providers Can Improve Condom Messaging to Patients
Reproductive health providers could help patients better understand their risks of both pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) by asking nonjudgmental questions about their sexual activity, and offering testing for STIs and a vaccine for HPV. -
CDC Study Shows Low Condom Use Among LARC Users
Women increasingly are using long-acting reversible contraception (LARC). But LARC users might also be forgoing condoms, the only contraceptive that protects against most sexually transmitted infections, the results of a recent study suggest. -
Accessing Hormonal Contraception by Pharmacy Prescriptions
Access to effective contraception is critical for avoiding unintended pregnancy, which accounts for about 45% of pregnancies overall in the United States. A stopgap step to increasing access is to expand prescribing authority to pharmacists.
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Benefits of Delayed Umbilical Cord Clamping
Delayed umbilical cord clamping at the time of delivery resulted in higher mean hematocrit concentrations, with no significant maternal or neonatal complications when compared to immediate umbilical cord clamping.
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Intravenous Iron: Does This Therapy Increase the Risk of Infection?
In this systematic review and meta-analysis, among all populations, intravenous iron was associated with a slight increased risk of infection (relative risk, 1.17; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.31) compared to oral iron or no iron. However, there was no difference in mortality or length of hospital stay.
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Maternal Outcomes Following COVID-19 Infection in Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Pregnant Patients
Pregnant patients who received the COVID-19 vaccine had lower rates of severe or critical COVID-19 infections compared to pregnant unvaccinated patients.
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IRBs Often Reluctant to Approve Inclusion of Pregnant Participants in Research
Some IRB members cite uncertainty on whether inclusion of pregnant participants could affect the study’s scientific validity. Others acknowledge they rely on the common, default practice of excluding pregnant individuals without requiring justification. Guidance is needed for characterizing the risk level of research procedures in the context of pregnancy.
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Are Female Surgeons at Higher Risk for Infertility and Pregnancy Complications?
In this cross-sectional national survey of 850 surgeons, compared to the partners of male surgeons, female surgeons were more likely to have fewer children (1.8 vs. 2.3) and to delay having children because of surgical training (65% vs. 44%). Female surgeons also were more likely to use assisted reproductive technology (25% vs. 17%).
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Zuranolone Trial Shows Early Promise as an Oral Neuroactive Steroid for the Treatment of Postpartum Depression
Zuranolone was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of postpartum depression (PPD) in March 2019. One potential factor identified in PPD etiology is the dramatic perinatal changes in circulating levels of allopregnanolone, a neuroactive steroid with gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor positive allosteric modulator properties. In brain regions associated with emotion and self-perception, neural network connectivity supported by GABAergic signaling is positively correlated with plasma allopregnanolone concentrations in individuals with PPD vs. healthy postpartum female individuals.