Pregnancy and Birth

This is an early first trimester pregnancy with pelvic discomfort. What are your findings and what is a possible diagnosis?

Use of a double-balloon catheter for preinduction cervical ripening leads to more vaginal births within 24 hours than does a prostaglandin vaginal insert, according to a new study.

The diagnostic value of the maternal “spot urine” test in suspected preeclampsia is promising, but clinical questions abound.

This is a 2nd trimester pregnancy. What are your findings and diagnosis in this case (ultrasound images are of the pelvis and uterus in particular)?

The independent risk factors for spontaneous preterm birth with intact membranes and SPTB after prelabor rupture of membranes for healthy nulliparous pregnant women are markedlydifferent, according to results of a new study.

In the first trial to evaluate which route of delivery optimizes outcomes in women with eclampsia, researchers found that labor induction and cesarean section are associated with similar maternal and perinatal outcomes.

Week of August 3, 2012: A beloved ob/gyn is suspended, IUD use is on the rise, and the Affordable Care Act's provisions for women kick in.

This is an early 3rd trimester pregnancy. What is your diagnosis of this placenta?

A new study compares how pulsatile oxytocin infusion and continuous delivery of the synthetic hormone affect delivery outcomes in labor inductions and augmentations.

Cancer passed in utero, trading art for health care, urinary incontinence in young women and more in the ob/gyn week in review.

Despite insufficient evidence to support the practice, many physicians treat obstetric cholestasis with ursodeoxycholic acid to reduce pruritis and hepatic impairment. Recently, the largest trial to date comparing UDCA with placebo also studied the timing of delivery in this group of women.

Cesarean sections are used in one-third of births, often before 39 weeks. Some major insurers are launching initiatives to reduce early elective Cesareans. Is that a good idea?

This is a common uterine condition. What's your diagnosis?

A new study shows that subfertile women undergoing in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection to conceive can eliminate the daily shots of follicle-stimulating hormone and use long-acting FSH instead.

Many women with antiphospholipid antibodies are being unnecessarily treated with anticoagulants, such as heparin, which can be costly and can cause bleeding and bone loss.

In a systematic review of UAE versus other surgical interventions for symptomatic uterine fibroids, researchers concluded that UAE offers substantial improvements in symptoms of uterine fibroids but may not help women who want to retain their reproductive potential.

From nutritional supplements to pregnancy support products to spa services, more ObGyn practices--and physicians' offices in general--are turning to ancillary products as additional sources of revenue.

This is a middle aged woman with pelvic discomfort and normal menses. Sagittal images of the uterus are shown. What is your diagnosis?

Children exposed to HIV in the womb are more susceptible to hearing loss by age 16 than unexposed children, according to results of a new study.

Pregnant women who are unable or unwilling to quit smoking can help improve lung function in their newborns by taking vitamin C daily.

In the largest study of its kind, researchers found increased risk for myocardial infarction and thrombotic stroke in women using combined estrogen-progestin contraceptives. However, news headlines tend to overstate the risk, and patients may have new concerns about the safety of their hormonal contraceptive.

Combination treatment with nevirapine and zidovudine more effectively reduces intrapartum transmission rates of HIV than treatment with zidovudine alone, according to results of a new study by a National Institutes of Health research network.

Incidence of placenta accreta has increased five-fold since the 1980s. Recently, an ACOG committee opinion highlighted advances in the management of PA.

This patient had a history of pelvic pain and five weeks amenorrhea with no h/o spotting. What is your diagnosis?

A study found substantially improved survival of offspring for women who received prenatal multiple micronutrient supplementation and early invitation to food supplementation.

Although risks increase after an EP, a history of EP alone does not warrant closer-than-usual monitoring during a future pregnancy.

Scientists are testing a procedure that allows women with a genetic disorder conceive without passing the disease on to their children, and it involves using DNA from a "third parent." Is it ethical?

The results of a new study suggest that women who are pregnant with twins should elect to give birth at 37 weeks to avoid complications.

What is your diagnosis in this 40 year-old female patient with severe suprapubic pain exacerbated during menses? Ovaries were normal.

Irrigation of the abdominal cavity is often described as a fundamental step during a C-section, but there is little evidence that this common practice actually improves outcomes.