
Antibiotics can prove invaluable in the treatment of mastitis, but before you prescribe them, it's important to distinguish breast engorgement from infectious mastitis.

Antibiotics can prove invaluable in the treatment of mastitis, but before you prescribe them, it's important to distinguish breast engorgement from infectious mastitis.

Does maternal epilepsy increase the risk of congenital malformations, or are the antiepileptic drugs to blame? Either way, the primary goal of therapy during pregnancy is to control a woman's seizures while minimizing fetal exposure to anticonvulsive drugs.

Case studies in coding gives practical advice on reimbursement.


Repeat C/S is not mandatory for all

Repeat C/S is not mandatory for all


Analgesics are everywhere, but that doesn't mean they're without risk. This timely review offers a balanced assessment of which ones pose the greatest threat.

Patients should have the option of elective repeat C/S

With new research showing that aromatase inhibitors can dramatically cut the risk of recurring breast cancer, patients will probably have many questions about drugs like anastrozole and letrozole. Two experts review the scientific evidence on these valuable agents.






Practicing obstetrics today requires not only the latest clinical knowledge but also patient- and people-management skills that can help minimize perinatal and maternal risk and reduce your legal exposure.


A patient with vasa previa need not lose her baby if the condition is diagnosed before membranes rupture and elective C/S is performed. A protocol that uses TVS with color Doppler on all women at risk has the potential to eliminate vasa previa as a cause of perinatal mortality.

Ob/gyns are having to devote significantly more time to medical genetics because of the field's increasing impact on clinical practice. The March of Dimes's new online genetics resource and continuing education program can help you respond to patients'needs with the most up-to-date, customized, and practical information



Considering how successful surgery is, how do you tell a young woman who's unable to have intercourse that she needs to learn to live with her pain? Even so, a surgical approach is only for carefully selected women--usually those with primary vestibulitis who have exhausted other treatment options.


While some hormonal contraceptives are clearly contraindicated in specific chronic disorders, others pose little or no threat for the same condition. To provide practical guidelines on the subject, two experts review the "WHO Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use."




Drs. Barnhart and Goldstein share their expertise in dealing with D&C and ectopic pregnancy.

A Web exclusive by Drs. Benoit and Copel, and only available online in conjunction with the authors' article, "Antenatal screening with fetal echocardiography: when and how," in our September 2003 issue.