Jamie L. Habib

In a highly critical re-analysis of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study of 2002, the results of which prompted safety fears about hormone replacement therapy (HRT) significantly increasing the risk of breast cancer, it was concluded that the weight of evidence supports benefits over risks for use of HRT in women with severe symptoms of menopause or other conditions.

In anovulatory women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), one-time use of progestin to induce withdrawal bleeding before ovulation induction may decrease the odds of conception and live birth, according to a new study conducted by researchers for the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NIHCD) Cooperative Reproductive Medicine Network (RMN).

Whether a woman is overweight or obese before and during pregnancy, and not glucose levels, is the most reliable predictor of a woman’s risk of giving birth to a large-for-gestational-age infant, according to a new study conducted in Canada.

The use of the anti-HIV drug tenofovir during pregnancy does not affect birth weight or birth length, according to new research conducted as part of the Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study. The impetus for this study was that previous research in laboratory animals showed that exposure to tenofovir in the womb was associated with smaller birth size compared with animals not exposed to the drug.

Dietary and lifestyle interventions in pregnancy can reduce maternal gestational weight gain and improve outcomes for both mother and baby, according to a new study. In Europe and the United States, 20% to 40% of women gain more than the recommended amount of weight during pregnancy.

Elective induction of labor between 37 and 41 weeks of gestation can lower perinatal mortality rates in developed countries without increasing the risk of cesarean deliveries, according to a new study conducted in Scotland.

There is much debate about whether pre-operative urodynamic testing (or bladder function testing) is clinically useful in patients with pure stress urinary incontinence, with some professional organizations recommending for the use of routine urodynamics and some recommending against routine use of these tests.

Several recent studies have shown that the addition of secondary ultrasound markers to the combined first-trimester screening for aneuploidies, or chromosomal abnormalities such as trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) and trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome), can slightly improve screening accuracy.

A new enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, which was developed by scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was used to distinguish specific types of Toxoplasma gondii parasite that children acquired in the womb from their acutely infected mothers.

The findings of several recent studies involving breast cancer is lending further evidence to the idea that genetics and genomics will soon be the primary focus of diagnosing and treating cancer.

Typically used for long-term contraception, the intrauterine device (IUD) is also an effective emergency contraceptive if implanted after unprotected sex. Two IUDs, which are T-shaped pieces of plastic, are available in the United States.

Two studies focusing on birth defects and fertility treatment techniques recently have been published. The finding of both studies show that certain fertility treatments are associated with increased risks of birth defects, but neither study revealed why this association occurs.

Women with opioid dependence who become pregnant are at risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes and perinatal complications.

Results of a new study conducted in The Netherlands found that children born post-term are at increased risk for behavioral and emotional problems, particularly attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The benefits and risks of breast cancer screening have often been debated by the clinical and epidemiological realms, with key arguments centering around overdiagnosis.

The association between breast cancer and cadmium, a heavy metal that can be found in food, cosmetics, water, and air, has been explored in several new studies with varied findings.

Women who experience early menopause are almost twice as likely to have osteoporosis and are at greater risk for fracture and death than women who experience menopause later in life, according to results of a 34-year study conducted in Sweden.

Use of cervical pessary-a small, silicone, ring-shaped device inserted around the cervix-is a safe, inexpensive, and reliable alternative for preventing preterm delivery in women with a short cervix, according to the authors of a new study conducted in Spain.

New screening guidelines for the prevention and early detection of cervical cancer are now largely based on the patient’s age and, for the first time, testing for human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA has been incorporated into the screening process.

Telling a patient about an adverse event is arguably one of the more difficult aspects of practicing medicine. When an adverse outcome does occur, a timely, honest, fact-based account can actually benefit the patient-physician relationship in that it can promote trust.

Poor communication is a leading cause of medical errors in this era of collaborative care. Effective communication strategies can help facilitate the continuity of care, prevent errors, and provide a safe environment for the patient.

More than one third of women in the United States will experience some form of intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetime. The consequences of IPV can be lifelong and include emotional trauma, long-term physical impairment, chronic health problems, and even death.

ACOG has issued recommendations to improve care for American Indian and Alaska Native women.

Acute-onset hypertension lasting 15 minutes or longer in women with preeclampsia or eclampsia is a hypertensive emergency that requires antihypertensive treatment, according to a new Committee Opinion of The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (The College).

In further response to the Safety Communication issued by the FDA in July 2011 regarding the use of vaginal mesh, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (The College) and the American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS) jointly state that the use of vaginal placement of synthetic mesh for the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) should be reserved for high-risk women for whom the benefits may outweigh the risks.

The first line of therapy for treating psoriasis in pregnant and breastfeeding women should be topical treatment with moisturizers and emollients, such as petroleum jelly, because these products cause no known adverse effects.

Obstetricians and gynecologists (ob-gyns) should be prepared to offer transgender patients routine screening and treatment, according to The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (The College). A significant number of transgender people experience social harassment, discrimination, and rejection from family and society in general.

In an expected move, the FDA has withdrawn its accelerated approval of Avastin (bevacizumab) for the treatment of breast cancer. Specifically, bevacizumab is no longer indicated for use in combination with paclitaxel for patients with HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer who have not undergone chemotherapy.

In the United States, nearly 1 in 5 women smoke. The College also reminds clinicians that pregnancy is often a great motivator to quit smoking.

Unless medically indicated, labor inductions or cesarean deliveries should not be performed before 39 weeks’ gestation, according to The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.