Gynecology

Readers respond to articles on refractory vulvovaginitis and the bimanual pelvic examination.

Challenge your diagnostic skills with these images of a pelvic mass.

The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) has issued guidelines for care of women at midlife, based on the textbook Menopause Practice: A Clinician’s Guide. Published in Menopause, the recommendations cover more than 50 topics, including vasomotor symptoms, osteoporosis, and vulvovaginal health.

The clinical and scientific realms of endometriosis have significant gaps, highlighted by persistent delays in diagnosis and underestimates of harm.

Using ultrasound data from more than 4000 pregnancies in women in 8 countries, researchers have identified ideal standards of fetal growth and development.

Are women with early-stage unilateral breast cancer misinformed about the survival benefit of removing both breasts vs lumpectomy with radiation?

According to a recent prospective cohort study in Human Reproduction, women who have a history of severe acne in their adolescent years may be at greater risk of developing endometriosis.

The initial findings from the WHI were concerning, but subsequent detailed analysis and long-term follow-up of women enrolled in these trials have brought perspective.

An ongoing study of African-American women with more than 16 years of follow up suggests that those who deliver very low birth weight or low birth weight infants may be at increased risk of Type 2 diabetes.

An analysis of data from 46 states and the District of Columbia shows that the level of Medicaid reimbursement for office visits has an impact on likelihood of patient screening with Pap tests and other diagnostics for cancer.

Mary Leuchars, MD, discusses the higher prevalence of malignant or pre-malignant polyps in women undergoing recession of indometrial polyps, who are also post-menopausal and who have abnormal uterine bleeding, as reported in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Spanning a full weekend, the 2-day course afforded the students the opportunity for 3 hours of hands-on scanning per day.

Ultrasound-based evaluation is less costly than an endometrial biopsy and also allows for evaluation of the adnexa and bladder.

Maestro AR, an advanced, procedure-specific training software, gives users of the da Vinci robotic surgical system instant feedback in a 3D environment.

Complex GYN surgeries require a competency level that traditional training often can't provide. Here, the latest trends in surgical training are discussed.

A small four-institution study shows promise for use of an insufflated isolation bag as a way of reducing risks of power morcellation while retaining the benefits of minimally invasive surgery. The authors caution, however, that their results are observational and represent outcomes in the hands of high-volume surgeons.

According to a recent study in the Journal of the American Heart Association, postmenopausal women who increase their physical activity may reduce their risk of developing incident atrial fibrillation (AF).

A prospective Italian study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism suggests that low levels of vitamin D [25(OH)D] may contribute to infertility. The finding, which the authors acknowledge does not confirm causality, could point to possible therapeutic benefits of the vitamin in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Despite earlier observational studies, bisphosphonate treatment for 3 to 4 years appears not to decrease the risk of invasive postmenopausal breast cancer, according to a new study in JAMA Internal Medicine.

According to a new study in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, brisk walking or vigorous exercise may help reduce risk of breast cancer in African-American women.

Avastin (bevacizumab) has been approved to treat patients with persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Eradicating morcellators is riskier than using them, says the AAGL in a statement for why these minimally invasive devices should not be abandoned.

A National Cancer Institute-funded case control study suggests that some current formulations of oral contraception (OCs) may increase risk of breast cancer.

Mutations in the PALB2 gene may be associated with a significant increase in the risk of breast cancer, according to a recent study in The New England Journal of Medicine. PALB2 binds to BRCA2-a gene that confers increased lifetime risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer-and likely permits its stable nuclear localization and accumulation.

According to a recent study in Radiology, women older than age 75 may still derive benefits from mammography screening.

Texts, emails, and voicemails may prove effective in getting surgical patients to follow preadmission instructions aimed at reducing surgical site infections.

A single-institution retrospective study published in JSLS, The Journal of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons suggests that operative times may be shorter and blood loss lower when hysterectomy is done by high-volume surgeons.

A large insurance company has decided to no longer cover laparoscopic power morcellation. Is this the beginning of the end of power morcellators?

The best-ranked hospitals for gynecology have once again been listed by U.S. News & World Report. We noticed a trend-observational only-and want to know what you think.

The ACP’s Clinical Guideline advising against pelvic examinations for the detection of pathological conditions in asymptomatic, nonpregnant, adult women is unfounded, ill timed, and ill considered.