In June 2000, I arrived a few minutes late to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' headquarters for a meeting of the Committee on Obstetric Practice. As Chair, I was used to dealing with political hot potatoes, but that day, I was handed a real sizzler. Earlier that morning, then ACOG president, Benjamin Harer, MD, speaking for himself and not the College, had seemingly endorsed "elective" cesarean deliveries (CD) in an interview with Diane Sawyer on "Good Morning America." After watching an excerpt of the interview in which Dr. Harer debated a non-physician advocate of home VBACs attended by midwives, I was struck by the logic of his arguments and his grace under fire. Yet it fell to my committee to restate ACOG's official position against such surgeries, which we did in a press release
Link between prenatal air pollution and reduced lung function in offspring reported
July 25th 2024Higher prenatal exposure to PM2.5 pollution is associated with reduced lung volume and airflow limitation in children, highlighting the critical impact of air pollution on in utero lung development.
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Cut costs observed from out-of-home care in children with prenatal substance exposure
July 24th 2024A recent study reveals that while children exposed to maternal substance use face higher hospital costs up to age 20 years, out-of-home care significantly mitigates this financial burden.
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Global progress in neonatal tetanus elimination from 2000 to 2022
July 18th 2024Incorporating maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination strategies into national immunization activities is crucial for sustaining elimination and reducing neonatal mortality worldwide, as highlighted by the latest CDC report.
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PreTRM test shows efficacy in reducing severe neonatal morbidity and mortality
July 18th 2024The PreTRM test, a blood-based biomarker test for predicting preterm birth risk, has demonstrated significant efficacy in lowering severe neonatal morbidity and mortality, as reported by Sera Prognostics Inc.
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