Pregnancy and Birth

In this discussion, Ramu Perni, MD, MBA, details the benefits of using a non-invasive prenatal red blood cell fetal antigen test for pregnancies affected by or at risk for HDFN.

The successful implementation of a privacy-centered, iPad-based substance use screening tool on labor and delivery required multiyear planning, cross-disciplinary staff education, and close collaboration with institutional informatics teams, with formal patient experience assessment planned as a next step.

According to Karen Yeo, PhD, the use of 100 to 200 PBPK models is moving drug administration toward a more personalized, informed decision-making process for pregnant women.

Reducing pregnancy-related infection deaths will require interdisciplinary care protocols, expanded postpartum access points, and broad-based sepsis education across specialties, according to MMRC data showing that most decedents had a health care encounter within 1 week of death.

Azad and colleagues at Columbia University found that drug overdose, homicide, and suicide are the leading causes of death among pregnant and postpartum women.

Adnan I. Qureshi, MD, advocates for the integration of neurologists into obstetric teams to manage the increased stroke risk among pregnant persons with a previous stroke.

Simon highlights the "seamless handoff" between FQHCs and OB hospitalists as a vital mechanism for maintaining delivery access in rural and underserved communities.

A before-and-after cohort study of more than 18,000 patients found that universal aspirin 162 mg dispensation at the first prenatal visit was associated with a 29% reduction in preeclampsia with severe features, with benefit observed across patients with and without chronic hypertension and no increase in hemorrhagic complications.

Adnan I. Qureshi, MD, calls for a multidisciplinary action plan that integrates neurologists into obstetric teams to manage increased recurring stroke risk in pregnancy.

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A 4857-patient international RCT found that a single postpartum infusion of IV ferric carboxymaltose was superior to twice-daily oral iron in achieving a non-anemic hemoglobin level at 6 weeks, with sustained hemoglobin benefit through 6 months across all regions studied.

A retrospective study of more than 3200 cesarean deliveries found that patients with three or more prior cesareans have a 15% likelihood of a uterine window, supporting consideration of early-term delivery in this group.

Lam-Rachlin reported that the software did not add time to the examinations and, in some instances, appeared to speed up the process by providing a rapid preliminary analysis.

A randomized clinical trial found that weekly extended-release buprenorphine achieved significantly higher illicit opioid abstinence during pregnancy compared to daily sublingual doses.

A national EHR database study found that GLP-1 RA prescribing among perinatal patients increased more than thirtyfold between 2019 and 2024, with an estimated 20,000 pregnant individuals exposed in 2024 alone.

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A large preconception cohort study found that nearly 41% of pregnancy planners tested more than 4 days before their expected period, a pattern associated with a fivefold higher risk of false-negative results and threefold higher detection of very early pregnancy losses.

Adnan I. Qureshi, MD, reports that women with a history of stroke have 2-fold higher odds of recurrence during pregnancy and the 6-week postpartum period.

Sara Perelmuter advocates for routine postpartum screening and provider education on lactation-safe therapies when dealing with GSL symptoms.

A longitudinal study found that third-trimester levels of sFlt-1 and hs-cTnI were an independently associated with higher long-term CVD risk.

A large insurance database study found that more than 80% of pregnant patients with depression or anxiety discontinued SSRI/SNRI therapy, which was associated with nearly double the rate of mental health emergencies compared to those who continued treatment.

Sara Perelmuter details how naming Genitourinary Syndrome of Lactation (GSL) is a vital step in addressing the treatment gap in postpartum care.

Standardized, patient-completed screening for substance use at delivery admissions reduced racial disparities in urine toxicology testing while improving testing efficiency, according a study from Mariam Naqvi, MD, and colleagues.

An expert infectious disease panel discusses how recent federal vaccine schedule changes can impact maternal immunizations and potential repercussions.

Research indicates that LMWH prophylaxis effectively mitigates the high risk of pregnancy loss and reduced natural fecundity associated with protein S deficiency.