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She joined the MJH Life Sciences team in December 2019. She graduated from Youngstown State University in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in journalism and a minor in political science. Prior to graduating, Morgan worked as the editor-in-chief of her college newspaper. She went on to work as an assignment editor at a broadcast news station in Youngstown, Ohio, before joining 

 You can reach her at mebert@mjhlifesciences.com.

A new study finds that exposure to mycoestrogens during pregnancy may reduce birthweight and impair placental efficiency, with climate change expected to increase exposure risks.

Prenatal mycotoxin exposure linked to lower birthweight

Neal Barnard, MD, FACC, is president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

The American Medical Association urges plant-based diets, exercise, and reduced alcohol to lower breast cancer risk and address racial disparities.

Neal Barnard, MD, FACC, highlights AMA's new breast cancer prevention guidelines

Wildfire smoke and heat stress before and early in pregnancy raise the risk of SGA births, especially in climate-vulnerable neighborhoods.

Exposure to wildfire smoke and heat linked to worse birth outcomes in climate-vulnerable areas

Higher third-trimester glucose levels in insulin-dependent pregnancies are tied to increased obesity risk in adult offspring, a 40-year study finds.

Third-trimester hyperglycemia in pregnancy linked to adult obesity in offspring

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A Psychedelic to Treat Postpartum Depression?

CMV: In the Know

RSV Roundtable

STIs

Supplement: Closing the Gap in Cervical Cancer Screening

Vaginismus: Managing a Misunderstood and Underdiagnosed Condition

Why vNOTES Make Sense for My Patients

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Saying "obstetrician-gynecologist" is a mouthful for most people, and it's probably the most abbreviated specialty in medicine, both spoken and written. However, there doesn't seem to be a consensus on how to pronounce OB-GYN. First, is it the two-syllable "O-B" or the monosyllabic "Ob"? Second, is it "gin" or "gyne" (like "Lyme")? I wonder if you have a preference. I know I do.

Almost nobody says "obstetrician-gynecologist" when speaking about these specialist physicians. But what's the "correct" way to pronounce OB/GYN?

Is It Ob-Gin or Ob-Gyne?

Preterm birth and its complications are the largest contributors to infant death in the United States and internationally. How does the U.S. stack up? 

Put your knowledge to the test in honor of Prematurity Awareness Month. 

Quizzes

Clinical

Can you guess the U.S. preterm birth rate?

These are 3D ultrasound images of a 14-week fetus. What is your diagnosis?

occipital meningocele and umbilical hernia

DailyDx: 3D Images of a 14-week fetus

Navigating Vasomotor Symptoms From Endocrine Therapy in Breast Cancer Treatment

Many patients diagnosed with breast cancer are understandably anxious about undergoing chemotherapy, primarily due to its well-known adverse effects. However, it is important to communicate that chemotherapy is typically a short-term treatment, often lasting around 6 months. While the intensity and type of chemotherapy can vary, the limited duration means that its adverse effects, although sometimes severe, are temporary. In contrast, endocrine therapy, which is commonly prescribed for hormone receptor–positive breast cancer, has a longer treatment span, often lasting several years, that can significantly impact a patient’s quality of life over time.

The adverse effects of endocrine therapy, although generally less aggressive than those of chemotherapy, are persistent and affect most patients to some degree. For example, tamoxifen commonly causes vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes. These symptoms are especially pronounced in younger, premenopausal women who undergo induced menopause through LHRH analogues, which can lead to intense and frequent hot flashes. Aromatase inhibitors also cause vasomotor symptoms but add arthralgia and myalgia to the list, contributing to discomfort and reduced quality of life. Although many patients experience these adverse effects most acutely at the beginning of treatment, the body often adjusts over time, allowing patients to better tolerate them.

Despite this adaptation, a subset of patients—estimated at around 5% to 10%—experience adverse effects so severe that continuing the prescribed therapy becomes impossible, necessitating a change in treatment strategy. The vasomotor symptoms, especially hot flashes, often disrupt sleep, leading to insomnia and sleep disturbances. These issues can contribute to chronic fatigue, further diminishing patients’ overall well-being. The extended duration of endocrine therapy and its adverse effects highlight the importance of supportive care and symptom management to help patients maintain adherence and preserve their quality of life throughout treatment.

A panelist notes that although chemotherapy’s adverse effects are intense but short-lived, endocrine therapy for hormone receptor–positive breast cancer involves persistent symptoms over several years, making symptom management essential for patient adherence and quality of life.

Video Series

Lead Investigator Insights on Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy Landscape

Hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative breast cancer is the most common subtype, accounting for about 65% to 70% of cases. The cornerstone of treatment for this subtype is endocrine therapy, which has been used for decades. Common agents include tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors, with ovarian function suppression sometimes necessary for premenopausal women through LHRH agonists. Global guidelines recommend endocrine therapy for tumors with at least 1% estrogen receptor positivity, typically following local treatments such as surgery and radiation. The standard duration of adjuvant endocrine therapy ranges from a minimum of 5 years up to 10 years, although the optimal length for individual patients remains uncertain. Because treatment spans several years, tolerability and maintaining quality of life are crucial for patient adherence.

The outcomes within this subtype vary widely due to its heterogeneous nature. Some patients have tumors classified as luminal A-like, which are estrogen receptor positive and HER2 negative and have low proliferation rates. These tumors generally progress slowly but are prone to late recurrence, even decades after initial treatment. For example, research data have shown that even small node-negative tumors carry a roughly 10% risk of relapse over 20 years. Higher tumor burden, positive lymph nodes, or elevated proliferation rates correlate with increased relapse risk. Despite this variability, early detection and treatment have made breast cancer curable in 70% to 80% of cases. Risk assessments consider many tumor, patient, and treatment factors to guide individualized care.

Endocrine therapy significantly reduces relapse risk by about 50% and lowers breast cancer mortality by approximately 30%. It also offers a protective effect by reducing the incidence of cancer in the opposite breast. In some cases, agents such as tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors are used preventively, such as in ductal carcinoma in situ with estrogen receptor positivity, to reduce the likelihood of invasive cancer developing later. These preventive uses highlight the dual role of endocrine therapy in both treatment and risk reduction for early-stage hormone receptor–positive breast cancer.

A panelist discusses how endocrine therapy remains the cornerstone of treatment for hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative breast cancer, emphasizing its role in reducing relapse risk and mortality while highlighting the importance of tolerability and individualized care across the subtype’s heterogeneous presentations.

Thank you for visiting the Contemporary OB/GYN® website. Take a look at some of our top stories from last week (Monday, June 09, 2025 - Friday, June 13, 2025), and click each link to read and watch anything you may have missed.

Eran Bornstein, MD explains the need for first trimester preeclampsia screening

 Eran Bornstein, MD, director of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwell’s Lenox Hill Hospital, discussed the importance of early detection and targeted prevention strategies to reduce the risks associated with preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication affecting 5% to 10% of pregnant women and is a major cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. A comprehensive first-trimester screening protocol offers the most effective method for identifying women at high risk of developing early preeclampsia, defined as occurring before 37 weeks of gestation.

This first-trimester screening includes a combination of maternal characteristics, biophysical markers, and serum biomarkers. When integrated, these factors create a highly individualized risk assessment.

Secnidazole shows promise for recurrent BV treatment in new clinical trial

Further development of secnidazole oral granules (SOLOSEC; Evofem Biosciences, Inc.) for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis (BV) is supported by the results of a trial presented at the 2025 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Annual Clinical and Scientific Meeting, according to Evofem Biosciences.

The trial included 24 women with recurrent BV. These participants received a 2g dose of secnidazole oral granules once per week, displaying similar or potentially improved efficacy results compared to suppressive treatments currently recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

"These study results demonstrate that 2 g oral secnidazole granules… effectively suppressed recurrence of BV with recurrence rates equivalent to and possibly better than published study outcomes of current CDC-recommended suppressive treatments,” said Chemen M. Neal, MD, associate clinical professor at the Indiana University School of Medicine and lead investigator.

Similar IVF outcomes reported for PPOS and GnRH antagonist protocols

A gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist protocol and a progesterone-primed ovarian stimulation (PPOS) protocol lead to similar outcomes in ovarian stimulation, according to a recent study published in 

When stratifying by age, 10.9±5.6 oocytes were obtained in patients aged under 35 years in the GnRH antagonist cycle, vs 11.7±6.3 in the PPOS cycle. The number of blastocytes formed in this age group were 4.7 ± 5.4 vs 5.4 ± 3.1, respectively.

In patients aged 35 to 39 years, the number of oocytes obtained were 8.7 ± 7.4 vs 9.1 ± 5.4, respectively, while the number of blastocytes formed were 3.2 ± 3.5 vs 4.2 ± 3.3, respectively. Finally, the number of oocytes obtained were 6.4 ± 4.4 vs 7.6 ± 4.7, respectively, in those aged 40 years or older, while the number of blastocytes formed were 2.2 ± 0.4 vs 2.7 ± 2.3, respectively.

Insulin resistance linked to abnormal uterine bleeding

There is a link between insulin resistance and abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB), according to a recent study published in 

Approximately 30% of reproductive-aged women present with AUB, leading to over $34 billion in health care costs and significant adverse impacts on overall quality of life. This new data highlights shared risk factors of this condition with insulin resistance, indicating a potential link that may be used to improve prediction of AUB.

“These preliminary findings highlight the need for larger, longitudinal studies to confirm these relationships, identify causal mechanisms, and evaluate the potential of addressing hyperinsulinemia, being overweight, and obesity as part of prevention and treatment strategies for abnormal uterine bleeding,” said Stephanie Faubion, MD, MBA, medical director for The Menopause Society.

FDA accepts NDA for zoliflodacin to treat gonorrhea

The FDA has accepted a New Drug Application (NDA) for zoliflodacin as a treatment against uncomplicated gonorrhea in patients aged at least 12 years, according to Innoviva Specialty Therapeutics, Inc.

This acceptance occurred following data from multiple clinical trials highlighting the efficacy of zoliflodacin as a single-dose treatment in pediatric and adult patients with uncomplicated gonorrhea. If approved, it will be the first new oral antibiotic for gonorrhea management in decades, according to the company.

“Today’s acceptance of the zoliflodacin NDA marks significant progress toward delivering health care providers with a potential new oral treatment option for uncomplicated gonorrhea, including infections caused by drug-resistant strains,” said David Altarac, MD, chief medical officer of Innoviva Specialty Therapeutics.

Review some of the top stories from the Contemporary OB/GYN website over the last week, and catch up on anything you may have missed.

Neal Barnard, MD, FACC

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