Vol. 64 No. 05

In 2012, a Virginia woman began receiving prenatal care for her seventh pregnancy, during which she was diagnosed with Type II diabetes and obesity. During the delivery, shoulder dystocia was encountered. The baby's right arm was noted to be limp and she was diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury. The woman sued those involved with the delivery, claiming that during the course of her care, the history, physical examinations, and tests showed she had an increased risk for encountering shoulder dystocia during a vaginal delivery.

In the United States, 1% to 2.5% of pregnant women are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), which carries an approximately 5% risk of transmission from mother to infant. HCV can be transmitted to an infant in utero or during the peripartum period.

Providers should be discussing Zika with their patients and educating them about preventive strategies as well as offering screening and testing to relevant populations of pregnant women.

Since hormonal contraception was introduced in the 1960s, the risks and benefits of the drugs have been the subject of considerable, and at times acrimonious, debate.