Obstetrics News and Research

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Gynecology and obstetrics are twin subjects that deal with the female reproductive system. While obstetrics deals with pregnancy and its associated procedures and complications, gynaecology involves treating women who are not pregnant.

New method for detecting premature birth

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have discovered a method for detecting intra-amniotic infections in pregnant women using state-of-the-art methods.

29 Jul 2004

Study to begin to develop patient guidelines for the use of antidepressant medications in pregnancy and following birth

The University of Arizona department of psychiatry is conducting a first-of-its kind study to begin to develop patient guidelines for the use of antidepressant medications in pregnancy and following birth.

21 Jul 2004

Women with a condition called vulvodynia process pain differently

The researchers tested 17 women with vulvodynia and 23 similar women without pain at 23 sites throughout the vulva and at the deltoid muscle, the shin and the thumbnail to assess pain tolerance. They found the women with vulvodynia had lower tolerance at all sites than the women without vulvodynia.

13 Jul 2004

Mollycoddled boys are more likely to grow into men who will be more successful at work and in their relationships

Boys who are “mollycoddled” as babies and toddlers are more likely to grow into men who will be more successful at work and in their relationships than babies who are taught to be tough.

10 Jul 2004

Antidepressants should not be avoided in treatment of pregnant women with severe depression

Antidepressants to treat from moderate to severe depression in pregnant women not only are relatively safe but necessary in many cases for the well-being of the mother and the baby

7 Jul 2004

Doctors failing to identify smoking in adolescents

Doctors are failing to identify smoking status in about half of the adolescent patients seen, according to a University of Wisconsin-Madison study.

24 Jun 2004

Minimally invasive procedure provides new childbirth hope

Beauty therapist, Jo Anastasio, who suffers from an extremely rare blood vessel abnormality, was told that she couldn’t have children and that her only option was a hysterectomy.

21 Jun 2004

£20 million funding for stem cell research in the UK

Scientists at Oxford will benefit from a share of a £20 million cross-research council investment in stem cell research which was announced last month.

9 Jun 2004

Polycystic ovary syndrome more common than originally thought

Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the University of Alabama, Birmingham, have found that a complex hormonal disorder affecting the reproductive and metabolic function of premenopausal women may be considerably more common in the United States than previously believed from earlier, smaller studies.

5 Jun 2004

How women would like to manage heavy periods

According to a new online survey of women with heavy periods, women have strong opinions about what they want – and what they don't want to do – to manage their heavy periods.

25 May 2004

Data suggests potential target for Alzheimer's disease treatment

Researchers from Weill Cornell Medical College and Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons have discovered at least one way in which beta-amyloid, the protein that forms stubborn plaques in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients, can kill nerve cells.

25 May 2004

Folic acid important before pregnancy

Only about 25 per cent of women in many countries voluntarily take folic acid tablets before conception, says a U of T researcher.

22 May 2004

Obese women more likely to have pregnancy complications and caesarean sections than women of average weight

The controlled study is one of the largest ever to look at obesity in pregnancy, following more than 16,000 pregnant women at 14 medical centers across the country.

20 May 2004

25% of women in many countries voluntarily take folic acid tablets before conception

By taking folic acid before pregnancy or during the first few weeks after conception, women can markedly lower the risk of neural tube defects in their offspring; the defects commonly manifest themselves as a debilitating health condition known as spina bifida. The neural tube is fully developed 22 to 28 days after conception

19 May 2004

Father's sperm packs more than just a fertilizer

The major function of a man's sperm was fertilization, scientists once thought. True, sperm contains the father's chromosomes; but new studies from Wayne State University show that RNAs critically important to early growth of an embryo are also delivered.

13 May 2004

Female testosterone patch significantly increased satisfying sexual activity and desire

Data from a landmark Phase III safety and efficacy study of 562 women showed treatment with an investigational female testosterone patch significantly increased satisfying sexual activity and desire in patients with Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD), who previously had both ovaries removed. HSDD is defined as a lack of sexual desire that causes a woman personal distress.

6 May 2004

Protein in the male reproductive tract is a potent anti-bacterial agent

Scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have found that a protein they discovered three years ago in the male reproductive tract is a potent anti-bacterial agent.

6 May 2004

Cervical Dysplasia treatment linked to water breaking too early

Two treatments for removing precancerous tissue from the cervix are associated with an increased risk of preterm delivery (delivery before 37 weeks gestation) caused by the pregnancy complication known as preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM).

5 May 2004

New screening helps to determine risk for having a baby with Down syndrome

Obstetricians at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, are offering a new, quicker, option for pregnant women who choose to undergo first trimester screening. The screening helps to determine whether the woman is at increased risk for having a baby with Down syndrome.

5 May 2004

Thomson launches new online medical education portal

The Thomson Corporation, a provider of scientific and healthcare information solutions, announced today that it has developed a new online medical education portal.

5 May 2004