FDA approves OTC patch for overactive bladder
February 7th 2013The FDA recently approved oxybutynin transdermal (Oxytrol for Women) treatment for overactive bladder (OAB) in women aged 18 years and older. It is the first anticholinergic drug to be made available over the counter (OTC) for treatment of OAB, according to manufacturer Merck.
Pilot study shows promise for immunotherapy in advanced ovarian cancer
February 7th 2013A 2-step immunotherapy and combination chemotherapy protocol is feasible for patients with advanced, recurrent ovarian cancer, according to the results of a small pilot study by University of Pennsylvania researchers. Published in OncoImmunology and supported by the National Cancer Institute, the report documented response in women whose tumors previously had failed to respond to bevacizumab and cyclophosphamide.
Military women have higher rates of STI
February 7th 2013Rates of sexually transmitted infection (STI) are 7 times higher in women in the military than in those who are civilians. This alarming finding was published in an article that appeared in the November 2012 issue of the Journal of Women’s Health.
Best Treatments for Overactive Bladder Syndrome
February 6th 2013The symptoms of overactive bladder syndrome were most improved when patients used anticholinergic drugs either alone or in combination with bladder training exercises, according to the results of an intervention review and meta-analysis conducted by the Cochrane Incontinence Group.
Managing Postmenopausal Symptoms With Nonpharmacological Therapies
February 1st 2013Certain herbal and complementary medicines may be a valuable treatment option for women with postmenopausal symptoms, according to a new review outlining the advantages and limitations of the available treatments of postmenopausal symptoms.
Black Women’s Health Study: Abuse increases risk of fibroids
January 31st 2013A prospective U.S. cohort study of nearly 10,000 African-American women published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology indicates that child abuse-particularly sexual abuse-is an independent risk factor for uterine leiomyomata (UL).
Hypertension during pregnancy linked with end-stage renal disease
January 31st 2013Researchers in Taiwan have found that women with hypertensive disorders during pregnancy are at a high risk for end-stage renal disease. The risk was much greater for women who had preeclampsia or eclampsia than for those who had only gestational hypertension.
Postpartum hemorrhage and future pregnancies
January 31st 2013Researchers in Scotland have found that although women whose first pregnancies are complicated by postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) do not have reduced fertility, they do have an increased risk of PPH in later pregnancies. Notably, they also found that women who have cesarean sections at the time of PPH are less likely to conceive again. The study was published January 23 in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
New Medical Guidelines for Cervical Cancer Screening: Is there a role for new molecular diagnostics?
January 31st 2013Some may argue that the new ACOG, ACS and other cervical cancer screening guidelines will detect the majority of at-risk women. We should not be content with settling for identifying a majority of at risk women; rather, we should constantly reassess the availability of useful tests to see if we can improve reliability.
Surgical menopause linked to cognitive decline
January 24th 2013Analysis of data from 2 longitudinal studies shows a link between early surgical menopause-but not natural menopause-and cognitive decline. The research, supported by the National Institutes of Health, is to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) conference in March.
Vaccine for H1N1 helped prevent fetal deaths
January 24th 2013A study published online by The New England Journal of Medicine has determined that vaccination for H1N1 influenza during the pandemic of 2009 did not result in an increase in fetal mortality. The researchers performed an analysis of data on 113,331 women in Norway who became pregnant 43 weeks before December 31, 2010. They used the national health registries and data regarding reimbursement of primary care physicians in Norway to assess the effectiveness of the pandemic vaccine in pregnant women and the effect of vaccination or influenza on fetal survival.