Obstetrics

Like much of medicine, ultrasound diagnosis of fetal anomalies is both a science and an art. Part 1 of this article will detail, within the text and with images, the anomalies that should not be missed when performing ultrasound during the first and second trimesters of pregnancy.

A collection of ultrasounds showing fetal anomalies during the first trimester of pregnancy.

A collection of ultrasounds for fetal anomalies in abdominal structures, genitourinary structures, spine, and extremities.

A collection of ultrasounds showing fetal anomalies in the brain/skull, face, neck, chest, and heart.

A CDC report looks at how effective messaging on postpartum contraception is in teenagers and the impact on repeat births. Plus: Does preeclampsia increase the risk of stroke? Also, a look at whether an old imaging technique could increase fertility.

Aspirin had been used as a way to cure preeclampsia, but then evidence-based studies clouded whether it actually helped. Two recent trials have provided encouraging data on use of low-dose aspirin in treating preeclampsia.

A round-up of research on obesity in pregnancy from the ACOG 2017 meeting in San Diego, California.

A woman sues her ob/gyn claiming that 3 miscarriages occurred because of an IUD that the ob/gyn believed had been expelled shortly after implantation, but was subsequently found using abdominal x-ray. Plus more cases.

A study looks at the long-term impact that preeclampsia can have on mothers' brains. Plus: A study examines the impact of maternal obesity on a child's risk of childhood epilepsy.

A study looks at who is being tested for BRCA mutations as testing becomes more common. Also, a look at the impact of Zika virus on birth defects using benchmark data. Plus: How is the United States doing with infant mortality?

A new option gives old obs a new life and second career. A new model of ob care offers a chance for today’s older physicians who are highly experienced and motivated to alter their career paths and avoid “forced” retirement from ob by becoming ob/gyn hospitalists.

A study looks at the impact of failed ART on the cardiovascular health of women. Plus: Does a pregnancy near the time of breast cancer lead to worse outcomes. Also, a look at how many women may have little to no access to fertility services.

EPF diagnosis can cause harm, so 100% specificity is the goal.

Give this to your patients who have questions about the role of ultrasound with cfDNA.

The society's recommendations for women who are undergoing both ultrasound and cfDNA screening.

A study examines whether postpartum depression is on the decline. Plus: Are women who develop preeclampsia at greater risk of cardiovascular disease than those who didn't? Also, a look at the impact of severe nutrition deficiency in pregnancy on the development of mental health disorders in offspring.

The risks of administering ACS at late term and term remain unknown, says this MFM specialist.

Preconception care is primary prevention. The goal is to affirm pregnancy intention, reduce any potential harm, and recognize modifiable risk factors related to pregnancy while stratifying pregnancies on a continuum of low- to high-risk.

A large study reaffirms that mothers with endometriosis and their babies face more complications than those without the condition.

It's never appropriate in pregnancy, says our editor in chief.

Susan C Olmstead and Yalda Afshar, MD, PhD, discuss birth plans and whether there is a place for them.

With incidence of this birth defect on the rise, ob/gyns need to understand how best to spot and deal with it.

Researchers in Japan have found that endometriosis ups risks of certain complications.

Editorial Director Susan C. Olmstead talks with blogger Yalda Afshar, MD, of UCLA, about how she helps patients who want to develop birth plans.

67% of residency directors reported that a lack of faculty expertise in medical ethics was a significant barrier to their attempts to provide a more comprehensive educational process. I have a proposal for a solution to these problems: Teaching about the “house of ethics” in ob/gyn, as we do at Vanderbilt University.

Fibroids are extremely common in women of reproductive age. One large study reported that 70% of Caucasian and 80% of African-American women had at least one ultrasound- or pathology-confirmed fibroid by the end of their reproductive years. While many of these women experience no negative effects of fibroids on their reproductive function, a significant number are at increased risk of infertility, miscarriage, or poor obstetric outcomes.

Find out how to do the Z technique in ultrasound while looking for an IUD.

A study looks at whether receiving the Tdap vaccine in pregnancy increases the risk of microcephaly. Plus: Are younger or older women more at risk of stroke during pregnancy?