Bob Kronemyer

Freelance writer for Contemporary OB/GYN

Articles by Bob Kronemyer

A retrospective analysis has found that comprehensive examination of shallow-sequenced, whole-genome cell-free DNA (cfDNA) allows for the incidental detection of maternal tumors, with relatively high precision.

Nemvaleukin alfa (Alkermes) was mostly well tolerated and indicated antitumor activity as both monotherapy and in combination with pembrolizumab among patients with advanced solid tumors, according to study results presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), held virtually from June 4-8.

Besides sex hormone levels, predictors for the age at natural menopause (ANM) include irregularity of menstrual cycle, menopausal symptoms, life habits and socioeconomic factors, according to a retrospective study of 105 middle-aged women who kept bleeding diaries.

Although fortification of expressed breast milk (EBM) via commercially available human milk fortifiers (HMF) has been shown to increase short-term weight and length among preterm very low-birth-weight (VLMW) neonates, widespread adoption of HMF is hampered by high cost and the increased risk of severe adverse events.

“I believe in combinatorial immunotherapeutic regimens in an attempt to increase efficacy and durability of response,” said principal investigator Omid Hamid, MD, director of clinical research and immunotherapy at The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute in Los Angeles, an affiliate of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

A qualitative study in the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities has concluded that ethnic and racial considerations can have significant impact on patient experience of uterine fibroid (UF) diagnosis and management.

The interaction of sexual orientation and provider-patient communication on sexual and reproductive health (SHR) can be tricky to navigate, according to the results of a prospective study of a sample of U.S. women of diverse sexual orientations in the journal Patient Education and Counseling.

“My research centers on examining the intersection of policy, health and economics. In no other area of medicine is policy as critical to health as ob/gyn. It is essential to understand how policy can promote health, or perpetuate reproductive health disparities,” said principal investigator Maria Rodriguez, MD, MPH, an associate professor of ob/gyn in the Section of Family Planning at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland.

Women who undergo endometriosis surgery via diagnostic laparoscopy are significantly more likely to require repeat surgery within the first postoperative year, whereas women who have major conservative surgery are significantly less likely to require another surgery within the first year, according to a Canadian study in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) and progestogens are effective treatment in two-thirds of women with symptomatic endometriosis, according to a review in the Journal of Clinical Medicine.

The new analysis, which was presented virtually at the 2021 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Annual Clinical and Scientific Meeting, concludes that the TDS maintained similar safety and tolerability in the 2 groups of women.

A systematic review of the effectiveness of dietary interventions to treat endometriosis in the journal Reproductive Sciences has found a potential benefit of the Mediterranean diet and antioxidant supplementation on endometriosis-associated pain.

A prospective study has concluded that women of childbearing age with uterine fibroids (UF) who desire to preserve fertility benefit from the combined oral supplementation of vitamin D, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and vitamin B6.

“On a national level, it was decided that in spite of the lack of information, breastfeeding women should be vaccinated,” said principal investigator Ilan Youngster, MD, MMSc. “Thus, we decided to conduct a study to examine whether anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies are secreted into breastmilk and whether any infant adverse events are described.”

Breastfeeding duration among New York City Latinx mothers by their birth region significantly varies, according to a recent analysis. “Both my personal and work histories came together as motivating factors for this project,” said lead author Lauren Gerchow, MS, RN, a PhD student in nursing at the New York University (NYU) Rory Meyers College of Nursing in New York City.

Women with a history of preeclampsia were nearly 4 times as likely to have a stroke in later life compared with women without a history of preeclampsia, according to an analysis of data from the Framingham Heart Study, which was conducted from 1948 to 2016.

Poor sleep quality is linked to female sexual dysfunction, whereas good sleep quality is associated with heightened sexual activity, according to a cross-sectional analysis of the Data Registry on Experiences of Aging, Menopause and Sexuality (DREAMS).