Obstetrics

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

A behavioral program that includes group meetings can help reduce pregnancy weight gain in obese women and the prevalence of large-for-gestational-age (LGA) infants, according to the results of a study supported by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. The findings, from a randomized clinical trial (RCT), were published in Obesity.

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has issued a new report supporting prophylaxis with low-dose aspirin (81 mg/d) after 12 weeks’ gestation in women at high risk of preeclampsia.

In this era of highly regulated medical training, most residency and fellowship programs establish rigorous educational objectives and procedural curricula for their trainees. Guided by the expectations set by ACOG and ABOG, Ob/Gyn training programs rely upon structured didactic sessions and guided reading recommendations to keep their residents in compliance with these benchmarks.

This first installment in a 2-part series summarizes the abilities of 4 commercially available technologies for noninvasive prenatal testing.

Pregnant women experiencing morning sickness may gain relief from Diclectin, a combination of doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride.

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

Codes for reporting complications of pregnancy, childbirth, and the puerperium are in chapter 15 of ICD-10-CM and begin with the letter O.

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

A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that the number of induced deliveries is on the decline after almost 20 years of increases. The data are taken from the Natality Data File from the National Vital Statistics System and represent births in singleton deliveries, which are the majority of newborns.

Will cell-free DNA testing replace amniocentesis?

“Dosing of oxytocin and timing of level of increase in dose has been the subject of many scientific publications,” noted study coauthor and Contemporary OB/GYN editorial board member Haywood Brown, MD.

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.

Women who have a history of pregnancy loss, either miscarriage or stillbirth, may be at greater risk of postmenopausal cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to a recent study in The Annals of Family Medicine.

New research by microbiologists at Loyola University suggests that the urinary microbiome in women with urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) may differ from that in women without the condition, which has implications for management of the disease.

A demonstration of trophectoderm biopsy

Blastocyst-stage comprehensive chromosome screening (CCS) to select euploid embryos is the key to successful elective single embryo transfer (SET).

A thorough ACOG task force report confirms that NBPP is difficult to predict and prevent.

A case hinges on the causes of a child's developmental delays.

An expert commentary on ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 137.

According to a new retrospective study in Obstetrics & Gynecology, second-stage labor that lasts more than 2 hours may increase the risk of complications.

The correct response to oligohydramnios and polyhydramnios hinges on timing, severity, and comorbidity.

The latest data on optimal timing of umbilical cord clamping, risks for maternal morbidity, and situations in which risks outweigh potential benefits.

The placenta, historically thought to be sterile, actually harbors a unique microbiome, say researchers at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Notably, they found that the placental microbiomes they studied are most akin to the human oral microbiome, strengthening the proposed association between maternal dental health and certain fetal outcomes.

Using dabigatran anticoagulation treatment for pregnant women could potentially affect fetal blood coagulation, according to a study published in Obstetrics & Gynecology. Dabigatran may cross the placenta to the fetus.

A “broader perspective” and a “comprehensive multidimensional assessment” are necessary to establish a causal link between intrapartum hypoxic events and neonatal encephalopathy, according to the latest report from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Task Force on Neonatal Encephalopathy.

Four experts discuss the guidelines from the College of American Pathologists regarding placental examination.

Where in the US are women most likely to stop drinking before they get pregnant? Get a checkup? Take folic acid? The CDC recently asked these questions to find out how to reduce risky preconception behavior.

Cigarette smoking is down, but use of new tobacco products is on the rise. Patients may be fooled into thinking they are safe for use in pregnancy.

A study of a nationally representative sample of hospitalized women who were pregnant or gave birth shows a link between obstructive sleep apnea and maternal death. The findings, published in SLEEP, point to a need for targeted interventions to improve pregnancy outcomes in women with apnea.