Breast cancer and cervical cancer screenings on the decline
August 2nd 2021According to data from the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, the total number of cancer screening tests declined 87% for breast cancer and 84% for cervical cancer during April 2020.
Updated CDC guidelines: Diagnosing and treating STIs
August 2nd 2021The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidelines for the treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), notably for Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
ACOG and SMFM recommend COVID-19 vaccine for pregnant individuals
August 2nd 2021The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) recommend the COVID-19 vaccine for all pregnant individuals. The recommendations come amid the current low vaccination rates and increase in cases.
Oral contraceptive use during adolescence has small but meaningful link to future depression
July 29th 2021Adolescent oral contraceptive use is associated with a small yet meaningful increased risk of experiencing an episode of major depressive disorder (MDD) in early adulthood, especially among women with no history of MDD in adolescence.
Lower risk of peripheral arterial disease linked to dietary patterns
July 29th 2021An evaluation of multiple recommended eating patterns has found that intakes of legumes, dietary fiber, and vegetable protein is linked to lower risk of peripheral arterial disease (PAD), whereas intakes of unprocessed red meat, processed meat, and regular soft drinks are associated with higher risk.
Bringing sexual dysfunction into the conversation for women with diabetes
July 27th 2021The management of diabetes is multifaceted, often requiring the collaboration of a multidisciplinary team of providers. While sexual side effects of diabetes are not commonly discussed during patient visits, there is a correlation between the presence of diabetes and frequent sexual dysfunction in women.
Medicare closes gaps in racial and ethnic health care disparities
July 27th 2021A cross-sectional study in JAMA Internal Medicine has found that entry to Medicare increases coverage rates, access to care, and self-reported health, and it also closes gaps in access and health between racial and ethnic groups.
Smart default policy helps lower-income enrollees avoid inferior health plans
July 22nd 2021An analysis of individual enrollment and premium data from California’s marketplace and the American Rescue Plan premium tax credit subsidy schedule has concluded that a smart default policy avoids defaulting lower-income marketplace enrollees to objectively inferior health care insurance plans and leads to large reductions in lower-income enrollees’ deductibles, copayments, and maximum out-of-pocket amounts.
NIPT may not be as effective for twin pregnancies
July 20th 2021Clinicians should carefully consider using noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for the screening of chromosomal abnormalities in twin pregnancies because the combined positive predictive value (PPV) is limited and the screening efficiency is not stable, according to a prospective study.
Risk of miscarriage with amniocentesis
July 19th 2021Despite the inadvisability of performing early amniocentesis (EA) before 15 gestational weeks due to a high rate of miscarriage, a retrospective cohort study has found no significant difference in the procedure-related risk of miscarriage between EA, at around 14 weeks gestation, and mid-trimester amniocentesis (MA).
Racial and ethnic differences among women with gestational diabetes
July 16th 2021Nearly 1 in 5 Black women and 1 in 6 Latina women who experience gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) during pregnancy are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes within only 8 years postpartum, according to a study poster at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) virtual conference.