Obstetrics

A summary of the evidence-based SMFM guidelines for the evaluation and management of nonimmune hydrops fetalis (NIHF). The guidelines cover the epidemiology, risk factors, work-up, prognosis, and treatment of pregnancies complicated by NIHF.

Tight control of hypertension in pregnancy does not produce better perinatal outcomes or fewer serious maternal complications than looser control, according to results of an international randomized clinical trial. Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the findings are consistent with those from a meta-analysis of 29 previous trials.

Results of a retrospective cohort study show that use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection is on the rise but cast doubt on whether the technology is improving reproductive outcomes. Brian Levine, MD, MS provides commentary.

Analysis of data from more than 2.2 million vaginal deliveries shows that episiotomy declined between 2006 and 2012 and nonmedical factors may have been at play. The findings were published in a Research Letter in JAMA.

A new CDC report shows that while perinatal mortality rates are continuing to decline-down 10% since 2000-the US fetal mortality rate for the latest study period (2006–2012) did not improve.

Unlike with in vitro fertilization, it appears that uterine contractions may increase the chance of a successful intrauterine insemination (IUI), according to a new study.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued a final rule altering how the labels for physicians on prescription drugs and biological products provide information for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Editor-in-Chief Charles J Lockwood, MD, MHCM discusses the recent report from the March of Dimes on the rates of premature deliveries across the United States.

A commentary on Practice Bulletin Number 146 by the Editor-in-Chief of Contemporary OB/GYN.

Questions and answers from SMFM about the implications of uterine fibroids during pregnancy

Prevalence of opioid abuse during pregnancy has more than doubled over the past 14 years, according to a new study in Anesthesiology.

A study by researchers from Yale University and Brown University suggests that low-to-moderate alcohol consumption during pregnancy may not increase risk of birth outcomes such as low birthweight.

Understanding the usual clinical course of periviable PROM helps physicians guide families who are making difficult decisions.

AAGL attendees are normally reserved, but on Wednesday they got on their feet to give an ovation to the doctor who engineered the first pregnancy in a woman with a transplanted uterus.

A panel of experts were bested only once at the “Stump the Professors” session at the 43rd AAGL Global Congress on Minimally Invasive Gynecology in Vancouver. A sarcoma was the diagnosis that got away among three complex cases presented to a packed audience.

Women who receive the tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap) may not be at increased risk of preterm birth or other adverse birth outcomes, according to a new study in JAMA.

A small study by investigators from Harvard University suggests that cryopreserved embryo transfer (CET) is a strong independent risk factor for placenta accreta in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

The 7th annual March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card shows that in 2013, the preterm birth rate fell to its lowest in 17 years-11.5%--meeting Healthy People 2020 goals. That number, however, still earns a “C” grade from the organization, which has set a goal of 9.6% of all live births by 2020.

First-trimester exposure to maternal estradiol may increase risk of thyroid dysfunction in offspring conceived via in vitro fertilization (IVF), according to a study in Fertility & Sterility.

A patient handout prepared by the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine to aid in understanding of periviable rupture of membranes.

In utero exposure to maternal gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) or hyperglycemia may increase risk of childhood adiposity in girls, according to a new study.

From a medical perspective, the care and treatment appeared to be appropriate, and the patient’s cause of death was speculative. However, from a litigation perspective, the perinatologists were fighting an uphill battle.

Pregnancy is risky for women with sickle cell disease. This overview examines concerns for the mother and fetus to help you manage the risks.

A recent population-based study showed a lack of correlation between Joint Commission indicators of elective delivery at 39 weeks’ gestation and cesarean delivery and rates of maternal and neonatal complications in deliveries at New York City hospitals in 2010.

A study of nearly 1.5 million births in the United States shows that while rates of cesarean delivery vary widely from hospital to hospital, identifying the underlying cause with existing data is difficult. The findings underscore a need for collection by hospitals of comprehensive patient data in order to fully understand and optimize use of cesarean delivery.

Adopting and adhering to a low-risk, healthy lifestyle before pregnancy is associated with a low risk of gestational diabetes and could be an effective way to prevent the complication, according to a new study in the BMJ.

Women who become pregnant again within a year of birth or more than 5 years later may be at increased risk of having a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to a recent study.

According to a recent study in Fertility and Sterility, assisted reproductive technology (ART) does not increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children conceived using the technology.

A computerized decision-support guide may help women make more informed choices about prenatal testing, according to results of a randomized trial published in JAMA. The findings, which require validation in other populations, suggest that, were women better educated about the technology, fewer prenatal tests would be done.

An expert commentary on ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 130: Premature Rupture of Membranes.