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.

Doula's support increases satisfaction during labor and delivery

Fewer medical interventions, fewer hours in labor and increased satisfaction with the birthing experience—that's what national statistics say a doula's support during labor and delivery means to women and their partners. A doula is a trained woman who provides nonmedical support during labor and delivery.

6 Mar 2014

Research to identify exact mechanisms behind preterm birth and fetal brain injury

An inflammatory protein that triggers a pregnant mouse's immune response to an infection or other disease appears to cause brain injury in her fetus, but not the premature birth that was long believed to be linked with such neurologic damage in both rodents and humans, new Johns Hopkins-led research suggests.

6 Mar 2014

Researchers find 69% rise in pertussis vaccination rate among new mothers

Changing the hospital orders for women who have just delivered a child led to a 69% increase in the new mothers' pertussis vaccination rate, providing protection for themselves and their newborns against the disease, commonly known as whooping cough, according to a study in the March issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

6 Mar 2014

New study shows male hormones play important role; may enhance IVF therapy in women

Several fertility clinics across the country are beginning to administer testosterone, either through a patch or a gel on the skin, to increase the number of eggs produced by certain women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF).

5 Mar 2014

Novel HIV prevention products for women demonstrate safety in clinical studies

Two early clinical studies of novel HIV prevention products for women - the first combination antiretroviral (ARV) vaginal ring and a vaginal film - show the products to be safe and open the door to product improvements that could expand options for women-initiated prevention tools. The results of both studies were presented today at the 21st Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections.

5 Mar 2014

FDA clears First Response Gold Digital Pregnancy Test

Church & Dwight Co., Inc. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared the First Response Gold Digital Pregnancy Test to determine if a woman is pregnant up to six (6) days before her missed period and with over 99% accuracy from the day of her expected period – a significant step in pregnancy test innovation.

4 Mar 2014

Blocking myoferlin gene can reduce breast cancer cell migration

New research suggests that a protein only recently linked to cancer has a significant effect on the risk that breast cancer will spread, and that lowering the protein's level in cell cultures and mice reduces chances for the disease to extend beyond the initial tumor.

4 Mar 2014

Majority of women experience reproductive coercion and intimate partner violence

Enough women experience reproductive coercion - male behavior to control contraception and pregnancy outcomes - that a research team now recommends health care providers address the subjects with their patients and tailor family planning discussions and recommendations accordingly.

4 Mar 2014

Indonesia's commitment, investment in eliminating NTDs could lift millions of people out of poverty

The control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) is one of the most cost-effective ways Indonesia can sustain economic growth and reduce inequality, said scientists today in an analysis published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

3 Mar 2014

Exposure to very low concentrations of BPA by pregnant females can cause fetal abnormalities in primates

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical that is used in a wide variety of consumer products, such as resins used to line metal food and beverage containers, thermal paper store receipts, and dental composites.

28 Feb 2014

cfDNA testing lowers false positive rates and higher predictive values in general obstetric population

A study in this week's New England Journal of Medicine potentially has significant implications for prenatal testing for major fetal chromosome abnormalities. The study found that in a head-to-head comparison of noninvasive prenatal testing using cell free DNA (cfDNA) to standard screening methods, cfDNA testing (verifi- prenatal test, Illumina, Inc.) significantly reduced the rate of false positive results and had significantly higher positive predictive values for the detection of fetal trisomies 21 and 18.

From Illumina, Inc. 27 Feb 2014

UNC receives $40M for clinical trials unit devoted to HIV/AIDS treatment, prevention and research

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has received a seven-year, more than $40 million award from the National Institutes of Health for a clinical trials unit that will implement the scientific agendas of five NIH networks devoted to HIV/AIDS treatment, prevention, and cure research.

27 Feb 2014

Study finds significant risk for women exposed to secondhand smoke

Secondhand smoking is linked with pregnancy loss, including miscarriage, stillbirth and tubal ectopic pregnancy, according to new research from scientists at Roswell Park Cancer Institute and the University at Buffalo. The study findings, published online by the journal Tobacco Control, mark a significant step toward clarifying the risks of secondhand smoke exposure.

26 Feb 2014

Justice dept. joins in whistleblower suit against two hospital operators

This suit alleges that hospitals operated by Tenet Healthcare and Health Management Associates paid kickbacks to obstetrics clinics for referring certain patients.

24 Feb 2014

Doctors' groups urge members to reduce number of C-sections

The move is designed to reduce the risk of unnecessary surgery, but some physicians may resist the effort. Women with low-risk pregnancies should be allowed to spend more time in labor, to reduce the risk of having an unnecessary C-section, the nation's obstetricians say.

24 Feb 2014

Research indicates that premature babies benefit from being exposed to adult talk

Research led by a team at Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island and The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University has been published in the February 10, 2014 online edition of Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

24 Feb 2014

First Edition: February 21, 2014

Today's headlines include reports checking the status of different state health exchanges as well as efforts to expand Medicaid.

21 Feb 2014

Study determines effectiveness of gabapentin for treatment of vulvodynia in women

A chronic syndrome called vulvodynia that affects from four to seven percent of women is being studied by physicians at The Women's Health Institute at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, part of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, in hopes of alleviating sometimes excruciating pain.

21 Feb 2014

New biologic drug to prevent growth of ovarian cancer cells

Researchers at Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island have developed a biologic drug that would prevent the production of a protein known to allow ovarian cancer cells to grow aggressively while being resistant to chemotherapy. This would improve treatment and survival rates for some women.

20 Feb 2014

Discrimination against transgender people need to be addressed by medical establishment

Discrimination against transgender people -as many as one million Americans identify themselves as transgender - should immediately be addressed by the medical establishment, backed by policy change at the national level to provide equal access to quality health care.

19 Feb 2014

Obstetrics News and Research

Further Reading

Doula's support increases satisfaction during labor and delivery

Research to identify exact mechanisms behind preterm birth and fetal brain injury

Researchers find 69% rise in pertussis vaccination rate among new mothers

New study shows male hormones play important role; may enhance IVF therapy in women

Novel HIV prevention products for women demonstrate safety in clinical studies

FDA clears First Response Gold Digital Pregnancy Test

Blocking myoferlin gene can reduce breast cancer cell migration

Majority of women experience reproductive coercion and intimate partner violence

Indonesia's commitment, investment in eliminating NTDs could lift millions of people out of poverty

Exposure to very low concentrations of BPA by pregnant females can cause fetal abnormalities in primates

cfDNA testing lowers false positive rates and higher predictive values in general obstetric population

UNC receives $40M for clinical trials unit devoted to HIV/AIDS treatment, prevention and research

Study finds significant risk for women exposed to secondhand smoke

Justice dept. joins in whistleblower suit against two hospital operators

Doctors' groups urge members to reduce number of C-sections

Research indicates that premature babies benefit from being exposed to adult talk

First Edition: February 21, 2014

Study determines effectiveness of gabapentin for treatment of vulvodynia in women

New biologic drug to prevent growth of ovarian cancer cells

Discrimination against transgender people need to be addressed by medical establishment

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