Contemporary OB/GYN Staff

Taking high-dose vitamin D-with or without calcium-helps prevent hip and nonvertebral fractures in adults aged 65 and older, according to findings from an international study. Both dosage and frequence impact outcome.

Not only do live-birth rates with assisted reproductive technology (ART) approach those with spontaneous conception, but success rates do not diminish with advancing maternal age if donor oocytes are used. So says an analysis of data on more than 250,000 women.

Use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) during pregnancy is associated with smaller fetal head circumference-a prenatal marker of brain volume-and with higher risk of preterm birth (< 37 weeks), according to findings from a prospective population-based study from the Netherlands.

The etonogestrel subdermal contraceptive implant is just as effective in overweight and obese women as it is in women of normal weight and is as effective as an intrauterine device (IUD) (either the levonorgestrel intrauterine system or copper T380A), according to a recent study in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Babies born to moms who were in hurricanes during pregnancy have higher rates of health problems at birth, according to a working paper issued by the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Women in their 40s are getting fewer screening mammographies since the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended against routine mammograms for this age group in 2009, according to a Mayo Clinic analysis.

A review of women's health studies reveals that the hormonal fluctuations women experience throughout their lives can change conditions in the mouth, allowing for health changes.

A new study indicates that some female cancer survivors develop breast cancer as a consequence of radiation exposure.

A reversible topical male contraceptive may be close r to reality, based of the results of a randomized trial.

A population-based study indicates that extremes in birthweight lead to an increased risk of stillbirth.

Prophylactic placement of a retropubic midurethral sling during surgery for vaginal prolapse approximately halves the risk of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) after surgery, but increases the risk of adverse events.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), under its priority review program, recently approved PerjetaTM (pertuzumab), a HER2/neu receptor antagonist indicated in combination with HerceptinR (trastuzumab), another HER2 therapy, and docetaxel for treatment of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (BCa) in women who have not received prior anti-HER2 therapy or chemotherapy for metastatic disease.

Analysis by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of compounded 17α-hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17P) shows the samples meet the potency and total purity standards for Makena, the branded version of the drug. Testing was done on 16 samples of bulk 17P active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) in response to questions from K-V Pharmaceuticals, Makena’s sponsor, about potency and purity of the compounded product.

Exclusive breastfeeding is not the norm for most term newborns who leave Canadian hospitals, according to a large population-based study in Ontario.

Customized estimated fetal weight (EFW) percentiles based on ultrasound (U/S)-derived EFWs better predict adverse perinatal outcomes than older population-based methods, according to an historic cohort study.

The largest study to date of risks associated with hormonal contraceptives finds that all such products raise risk of thrombotic stroke and myocardial infarction (MI).

Clinicians approach the discussion of post-cancer fertility options in significantly different ways with male and female patients.

Women who use hormone replacement therapy after menopause have better balance and are less likely to fall than nonusers.

Currently available screening instruments are effective in identifying incidents of domestic violence, a systemic review by the US Preventive Services Task Force reports.

Shared perception of the safety of a trial of labor after cesarean delivery among all participants appears to be the deciding factor in whether that option is offered, concludes a report by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Frequent, long-term night shift work is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, particularly in early risers.

Women who undergo elective induction of labor for a history of fast labor continue the trend of delivering in about half the time of other women, but the benefit of induction is small, a study from the Summa Health System reports.

Long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) are significantly more effective than oral contraceptive pills, rings, or patches in preventing unintended pregnancy in adolescent girls and young women, a large prospective cohort study from Washington University School of Medicine reports.

According to a study presented at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, many women are unaware of their risk for cardiovascular disease (CV), but a screening tool completed during their annual ob/gyn examination could change that.

A new algorithm based on gene expression data for 151 DNA repair genes can identify outcomes and response to platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer, researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute report.

Genetic variants that affect activity of the HPA axis are present in women who experience postpartum depression, suggesting the possibility that a diagnostic test could be developed.

Menopause seems to alter the type, location, duration, and intensity of pain in women.

Although antibiotic therapy is more effective than probiotics in treating recurrent urinary tract infections, antibiotic resistance increases rapidly after onset of drug therapy.

Cigarette smoking and obesity at any stage of life are associated with an increased risk for rheumatoid arthritis.

Evidence suggests that intrauterine devices inserted within 5 days of unprotected intercourse are a safe, effective means of preventing unwanted pregnancy.