OB GYN News articles from April 2005

OB GYN News archives from April 2005

Conn. ob.gyns. seek malpractice solutions.(News)
April 1, 2005... Policymakers and physicians in Connecticut are trying to come together on a solution to the state's malpractice insurance crisis--and do it quickly. Ob.gyns. in the state say a remedy is needed now, before the problem becomes much harder...

Aspirin prophylaxis cuts strokes in healthy women: benefits clearest for those 65 and older.(Gynecology)
April 1, 2005... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Aspirin's role in preventing initial cardiovascular events in women was dramatically focused by the results of the first study to test aspirin prophylaxis in a large number of apparently healthy women, the Women's Health Study....

Class-action suits against insurers moving ahead.(News)
April 1, 2005... Physicians frustrated with seemingly arbitrarily denied claims will have their day in court later this year with at least six insurers, thanks to a recent Supreme Court decision to deny the plans' appeal of a class-action suit. But settlements...

Most doctors say physician-assisted suicide is ethical.(News)
April 1, 2005... More than half of physicians in a national survey say they believe it's ethical to assist a patient in committing suicide. Approximately 57% of the 1,000 physicians surveyed in the national poll said it was ethical, while 39% said it was...

Informed consent for attempted VBAC.(GUEST EDITORIAL)
April 1, 2005... There are certain topics that we just can't discuss enough, and attempted vaginal birth after a previous cesarean section is one of those. VBAC and informed consent for VBAC seem to be the topics du jour in every obstetrics program. The...

Would pay for performance result in better care?(PRO & CON)
April 1, 2005... YES Health care in the United States is currently fragmented and uncoordinated across different practice settings. Performance measurement systems present an opportunity to establish evidence-based norms of care. In addition, valid and accepted...

Study compares hemorrhoid removal devices.(Gynecology)
April 1, 2005... Hemorrhoidectomy performed with a Ligasure hemostatic device causes less postoperative pain and takes less time to do than hemorrhoidectomy with the Harmonic Scalpel, according to Shek Yuen Kwok, M.D., and colleagues at the Pamela Youde...

Vitamin E fails to prevent major CVD events.(Gynecology)
April 1, 2005... The same Women's Health Study that proved a benefit from prophylactic aspirin among certain women showed essentially no benefit whatsoever from a prophylactic regimen of vitamin E. "Taken together, the totality of published studies...

Tubal catheterization: a low-cost IVF alternative?(Gynecology)
April 1, 2005... MIAMI BEACH -- A simple tubal catheterization procedure, done at the time of diagnosis of proximal tubal occlusion during hysterosalpingography, can restore tubal patency and enable natural conception in a large percentage of women, according...

Cryoablation is option for breast fibroadenomas.(Gynecology)
April 1, 2005... SAN ANTONIO -- Cryoablation is an attractive alternative to surgery as primary definitive therapy for breast fibroadenomas, Sheldon Feldman, M.D., said at a breast cancer symposium sponsored by the Cancer Therapy and Research Center. ...

Circulating tumor cells signal outcome in metastatic breast ca.(Gynecology)
April 1, 2005... SAN ANTONIO -- An elevated circulating tumor cell count at any point during systemic therapy for metastatic breast cancer indicates a high likelihood of rapid disease progression and mortality from that time on, Daniel F. Hayes, M.D., said at a...

Zoledronic acid protects bone in premenopausal patients with breast ca.(Gynecology)
April 1, 2005... SAN ANTONIO -- Zoledronic acid prevents the profound loss in bone mineral density that often occurs with combined adjuvant endocrine therapy in premenopausal breast cancer patients, Michael Gnant, M.D., reported at the annual breast cancer...

Pap smears may predict bone health.(Gynecology)
April 1, 2005... HARROGATE, ENGLAND -- Women whose Pap smears reveal atrophic cell patterns may be at greater risk for osteopenia and osteoporosis than women whose smears show mature cell patterns, a study has shown. The findings suggest that routine Pap...

Alcohol, DES exposure may be fibroid risk factors.(Gynecology)
April 1, 2005... BETHESDA, MD. -- Alcohol, diethyl-stilbestrol exposure, and family history are potential risk factors for fibroids, according to several recent studies presented at an international conference on uterine leiomyoma research. Data from one...

Preoperative IV rehydration can lower postoperative nausea, pain.(Gynecology)
April 1, 2005... Postoperative nausea and vomiting can be limited in a high-risk population by the use of preoperative intravenous fluid therapy tied to the length of presurgery fasting, reported C.H. Maharaj, M.B., and colleagues from the National University...

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome: karyotyping is key.(Obstetrics)
April 1, 2005... RENO, NEV. -- Fetuses with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and normal chromosomes are unlikely to die in utero, according to a retrospective study of 176 fetuses diagnosed prenatally with the disorder. Of these fetuses, which were...

Aneuploidy rate rises with miscarriage rate.(Obstetrics)
April 1, 2005... RENO, NEV. -- Women who've had three spontaneous abortions before a current pregnancy have almost a 50% higher risk of carrying a fetus with aneuploidy than those who've never had a miscarriage, according to a large review of women who had...

Benefits of prenatal steroids seen beyond 7 days.(Obstetrics)
April 1, 2005... RENO, NEV. -- A single course of prenatal steroids given to hasten fetal lung maturity is effective for longer than 7 days, meaning there may be no need for a repeat, rescue dose, Alan M. Peaceman, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the...

Metformin matches insulin in Tx of A2 gestational diabetes.(Obstetrics)
April 1, 2005... RENO, NEV. -- Metformin controlled blood glucose levels as well as insulin in patients with class A2 gestational diabetes, and was not associated with any adverse maternal or neonatal outcomes, according to a randomized trial with 63 patients....

Doppler shown superior to amnio in management of Rh disease.(Obstetrics)
April 1, 2005... RENO, NEV. -- Middle cerebral artery Doppler ultrasonography has better sensitivity and specificity for detecting severe maternal red cell alloimmunization than amniotic fluid bilirubin values, Dick Oepkes, M.D., said at the annual meeting of...

Stroke risk in pregnancy, delivery is adjusted upward.(Obstetrics)
April 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- The risk of stroke among more than 8 million American women during the pre-, peri-, and postpartum periods was 34/100,000, a higher rate than previously calculated. In addition, the risk of stroke rises with age. Women who...

Plasma volume expansion no help in preeclampsia.(Obstetrics)
April 1, 2005... RENO, NEV. -- Plasma volume expansion, once thought of as a possible treatment for severe preeclampsia, appears to confer no benefit even after a 1-year follow-up, results of a randomized controlled trial suggest. The trial, which compared...

Calcium doesn't prevent gestational hypertension.(Obstetrics)
April 1, 2005... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Data have been conflicting on the role of calcium in gestational hypertension, but findings from a recent longitudinal study suggest it does not help prevent the condition, Yi Ning, M.D., of Harvard University, Boston, and...

Maternal vitamin D status impacts bone mass of lumbar spine in offspring.(Obstetrics)
April 1, 2005... HARROGATE, ENGLAND -- A woman's vitamin D status in late pregnancy is predictive of her offspring's lumbar spine volumetric bone density at age 9, a prospective study has shown. The findings add to the growing body of evidence confirming...

Early Fetal echo detects most cardiac lesions: the technique has limitations, so reserve early echocardiography for cases at the greatest risk.(Obstetrics)
April 1, 2005... RENO, NEV. -- Fetal echocardiography before 16 weeks of gestation is feasible and can detect a substantial proportion of cardiac lesions, investigators reported in a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the Society for Maternal-Fetal...

Perinatal neurologic deaths occur more often after night delivery.(Obstetrics)
April 1, 2005... RENO, NEV. -- Newborn infants with neurologic injury resulting in death are twice as likely to have had a nighttime delivery as healthy infants, according to a study presented by Adam C. Urato, M.D., at the annual meeting of the Society for...

Better pregnancy outcomes seen with elective cerclage.(Obstetrics)
April 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Patients who received emergent cerclage had higher rates of premature birth, spontaneous premature rupture of membranes, and chorioamnionitis, compared with those receiving elective cerclages, Chi P. Dola, M.D., reported in a...

Family planning funding.(POLICY & PRACTICE)
April 1, 2005... Over the last few years, federal and state support for family planning has leveled off or declined as more U.S. women of reproductive age have become uninsured or have qualified for publicly subsidized care, according to an analysis conducted...

Roe v. Wade.(POLICY & PRACTICE)
April 1, 2005... The U.S. Supreme Court recently refused to hear an appeal of the 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade. Norma McCorvey, the original "Jane Roe" in the 1973 case, asked the court to reverse its decision on Roe v. Wade or to order a new trial. She cited...

Securing office of women's health.(POLICY & PRACTICE)
April 1, 2005... Lawmakers are trying ensure that the unique health needs of women are not overlooked by making permanent the women's health offices at five federal agencies. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D.-N.Y.) and Rep. Deborah Pryce (R.-Ohio) introduced the Women's...

Mandatory HIV testing.(POLICY & PRACTICE)
April 1, 2005... Nearly two-thirds of physicians and members of the general public say that mandatory, federally funded HIV testing would improve the overall health of the U.S. population, according to a recent survey. HCD Research, a marketing and...

Pay-for-performance principles.(POLICY & PRACTICE)
April 1, 2005... Any "pay-for-performance" program should offer voluntary physician participation and foster the relationship between physician and patient, the American Medical Association asserted in a new set of principles for such programs. Such a program...

Doctors top source for Medicare drug information.(Practice Trends)
April 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Older patients are choosing their physician over the telephone or using electronic resources to help them understand the complexities of the new prescription drug law. Many beneficiaries don't understand what the new law does,...

AHA: ban self-referrals to specialty hospitals.(Practice Trends)
April 1, 2005... The American Hospital Association is calling on Congress to permanently ban the practice of self-referral of patients to new physician-owned specialty hospitals. Congress placed an 18-month moratorium on the construction of new...

New legislation is expected to limit class-action lawsuits.(Practice Trends)
April 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- People who have suffered adverse outcomes due to drugs or medical devices may face more delays in suing manufacturers for damages now that federal class-action lawsuit legislation has been signed into law. The law--the Class...

Ethicist says medical records now open for patient requests.(Practice Trends)
April 1, 2005... The long-held perception that medical records should never be altered at a patient's request is quickly becoming erroneous, according to health lawyer and ethicist George Annas. "We can delete (items from the record), as long as we note...

Bacteria-tainted platelets focus of transfusion risks.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2005... Always consider the possibility of bacterial contamination of blood products--particularly platelets--in patients who experience a febrile reaction to a transfusion, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised. ...

Early colorectal ca screening urged for African Americans, Hispanics.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2005... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Colorectal cancer occurs at a high enough rate in African Americans and Hispanics under 50 years of age to warrant screening starting at age 40, according to Jaydutt Vadgama, Ph.D., of the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine...

Thyroid dysfunction.(WOMEN'S HEALTH ADVISER)
April 1, 2005... Thyroid dysfunction--particularly hypothyroidism--is probably greatly underdiagnosed. The 2001 Colorado health fair screening study found the condition in nearly 10% of 23,000 people not on thyroid medication. Hypothyroidism is much more...

Sunless tanning tied to decreased tanning bed use.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- Sunless tanning preparations are linked with a decrease in the use of tanning beds and a slight increase in sunscreen use, Daniel Sheehan, M.D., said in a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the American Academy of...

Sun avoidance tops survey.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Most adults say that they always or nearly always use at least one method of preventing overexposure to the sun, according to a convenience sample of 1,269 adults aged 18-39 years living in Maryland in 2004. The most common...

Terconazole vaginal cream approved.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2005... Generic terconazole vaginal cream, 0.4% has been approved for the local treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis. For more information, contact Taro Pharmaceutical Industries by visiting www.tarousa.com or by calling 914-345-9001.

Doxil receives full approval.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2005... Doxil (doxorubicin HCl liposome injection) has been granted full approval for the treatment of patients with ovarian cancer whose disease has progressed or recurred after platinum-based chemotherapy. The product label includes data from a...

Unscented hand sanitizer line.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2005... A new unscented alcohol hand sanitizer formula is available from Sprixx for use with its line of body-worn sanitizers. The formula is 63% ethyl alcohol and contains emollients. For more information, contact Sprixx by calling 866-477-7499 or by...

Instant topical anesthetic.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2005... Pain Ease is an instant topical anesthetic for use on skin, minor open wounds, and mucous membranes. The anesthetic comes in a mist or medium spray and controls pain associated with injections, minor wounds, minor surgical procedures, IVs, and...

Antimicrobial hand wipes.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2005... Sani-Dex antimicrobial alcohol gel hand wipes kill bacteria and remove soil from hands because of the natural friction caused by the wiping action. The wipes come in quick-pull canisters or pocket packs. For more information, contact...

Labeling revision for Prometrium.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2005... Additional information is being added to Prometrium's (progesterone) patient package insert to update safety information, based on postmarketing experience. Changes also are being made to the labeling, regarding the Women's Health Initiative...

Swabs for culture collection.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2005... The CultureSwab MaxV comes in a gas-impermeable package that is flushed with nitrogen to protect the media from oxidation and exposure to moisture. Consumers and others can get additional information by contacting Becton, Dickinson, and Co....

Practice automation software.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2005... Total Solution software automates most aspects of the patient management process, including registration, scheduling, and billing. For more information, contact MDeverywhere Inc. by visiting www.mdeverywhere.com or by calling 866-340-5500.

New dosage of femhrt approved.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2005... A new dosage regimen of femhrt 0.5 mg/2.5 mcg (norethindrone acetate/ethinyl estradiol) has been approved. The drug can be used to treat moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause and to prevent postmenopausal osteoporosis...

Abraxane approved.(PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2005... Abraxane for injectable suspension (paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension) (albumin-bound) has been approved for the treatment of breast cancer after failure of combination chemotherapy for metastatic disease or relapse...

Cigarette smoking linked to pancreatic cancer.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2005... HOLLYWOOD, FLA. -- Cigarette smoking plays a role in both the initiation and progression of pancreatic cancer, based on an analysis of more than 18,000 patients with the disease. "To our knowledge, this is the first compelling evidence for...

Daily drinking may cut risk of cognitive decline.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2005... A drink a day appears to protect elderly women from cognitive decline, according to new data from the ongoing Nurses' Health Study. During a 2-year follow-up study, interviewers administered four cognitive tests to more than 11,000 women...

Neighbors a world apart.(MASTER CLASS)
April 1, 2005... Infant mortality is one of the dominant measures by which a nation's health is judged. Many factors contribute to the number of babies who survive in a given country, making infant mortality a rather unrefined gauge of overall health. Yet it...

Infant mortality in the U.S. and Canada.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2005... Infant mortality is a complex issue, influenced by social, statistical, political, and geographic factors as well as medical ones. Looking at a chart of international infant mortality, one can see that the United States, as well as my native...

Favorable 5-year results for UAE.(News)
April 15, 2005... BETHESDA, MD. -- Follow-up data for women who underwent uterine artery embolization for the treatment of fibroids show that 73% still reported improved symptoms 5 years later. Treatment failure was defined as hysterectomy, myomectomy,...

Complaints of improper disclosure have declined.(VITAL SIGNS)
April 15, 2005... Complaints of Improper Disclosure Have Declined 1993 2005 Health insurer 15% 8% Clinic, hospital 11% 8% Public health agency 10% 5% Employer 9% 5% Physician ...

2005 Match Day: ob.gyn. makes slight recovery; Fill rate was 94.7% following 2-year decline.(News)
April 15, 2005... More graduating seniors from U.S. medical schools were drawn to residency programs in obstetrics-gynecology this year, reversing a decline seen for several years. Statistics released by the National Resident Matching Program show that 772...

Consensus panel cautious on menopause treatment.(News)
April 15, 2005... BETHESDA, MD. -- Night sweats, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and sleep disturbances appear to be connected to the onset of menopause, but other midlife symptoms--such as mood disorders, urinary incontinence, and somatic complaints--may not be,...

First-trimester Doppler predicts IUGR.(News)
April 15, 2005... RENO, NEV. -- Uterine artery Doppler ultrasound performed in the first trimester can predict pregnancies that are at risk for intrauterine growth restriction, Lorraine Dugoff, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the Society for Maternal-Fetal...

Test pegs resistance after single-dose nevirapine.(News)
April 15, 2005... BOSTON -- Early findings from a test for detecting the most common HIV mutation suggest that the number of women who develop resistance to the anti-HIV drug nevirapine after receiving a single intrapartum dose has been substantially...

Retrospective study shows hypothyroidism tied to lower breast Ca risk.(News)
April 15, 2005... Women treated for hypothyroidism were less likely to develop primary breast carcinoma--and more likely to have more indolent disease when they did develop cancer--than women with normal thyroid function in a retrospective, case-control study....

Rubella is no longer a major public health threat.(News)
April 15, 2005... Rubella virus is no longer a major public health threat in this country, but U.S. clinicians should remain vigilant in their vaccination efforts, according to Julie Gerberding, M.D., director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention....

Long-term bisphosphonate use may damage jaw.(News)
April 15, 2005... Prolonged use of bisphosphonate therapy can lead to osteonecrosis of the jaw--a previously unrecognized and potentially serious complication that can often be avoided, according to Salvatore Ruggiero, M.D. Patients on intravenous therapy...

Weight loss sustainable with rimonabant, 2-year results show.(News)
April 15, 2005... ORLANDO, FLA. -- The outstanding weight loss and cardiovascular-risk reduction previously reported after 1 year of rimonabant therapy were maintained after 2 years of treatment in the phase III Rimonabant in Obesity-Europe trial, Luc Van Gaal,...

Entecavir approved for chronic hepatitis B.(News)
April 15, 2005... GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- Entecavir, an oral antiviral drug that has several advantages over currently available treatments for chronic hepatitis B, was approved recently by the Food and Drug Administration. The approval came after the unanimous...

Obese women at increased risk of fetal loss after 20 weeks' gestation.(News)
April 15, 2005... RENO, NEV. -- Obese mothers have a higher risk of losing a fetus after 20 weeks' gestation than do nonobese women, even in the absence of diabetes and hypertension, D. Yvette LaCoursiere, M.D., and her colleagues reported at the annual meeting...

Medical vs. surgical abortion.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
April 15, 2005... The principal advantage of medical abortion over the surgical procedure is that it is performed in a physician's office and offers a greater guarantee of privacy ("Limit Medical Abortions," Letters, Feb. 15, p. 6). This issue is so...

Vaginal birth after C-section.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
April 15, 2005... I find it striking that some insurance companies are cited for requiring that for VBAC attempts to be covered, "physicians and the facilities in which they perform VBACs have to demonstrate that a physician capable of monitoring and performing...

Emergency contraception misuse.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
April 15, 2005... After reading a number of inflammatory articles in support of emergency contraception, I feel compelled to write and express my views as a board certified practicing obstetrician/gynecologist ("Groups Push to Obtain OTC Status for Plan B," Feb....

Pain relievers.(Opinion)(Cartoon)
April 15, 2005... "We'll be at the hospital in twenty minutes doctor. I think."

How to make health plans compete on quality.(GUEST EDITORIAL)
April 15, 2005... Today's health care plans primarily compete on price. In large part, that's because many employers seek to offer the lowest-cost health plans to their employees, which forces the health plans to offer the lowest possible rates. Many physicians...

Match the treatment to the condition.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
April 15, 2005... In his study of 87 women with localization-related epilepsy who charted their seizures in three menstrual cycles, Dr. Andrew G. Herzog astutely identified that 39% of the women "showed one of three predefined catamenial patterns" ("Look for...

Use positive adoption language.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
April 15, 2005... It was wonderful to read the article on preparing for adoption, but I have one objection to some of the language used ("How to Prepare for Adoption," The Rest of Your Life, Dec. 15, 2004, p. 18). In the section on confronting fears, Dr....

Asians react differently to oral glucose test.(Obstetrics)
April 15, 2005... RENO, NEV. -- Oral glucose challenge test results appear to have different values for patients of different ethnicity, reported Tania Esakoff, M.D. Specifically, Asians may need to meet a higher threshold cutoff than whites before...

Hyperemesis gravidarum ups obstetric risks.(Obstetrics)
April 15, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Women who experienced hyperemesis gravidarum had a significantly increased risk of preeclampsia, compared with controls, wrote Michele Soltis, M.D., and colleagues in a poster presented at the annual meeting of the American...

Failed glyburide trial in gestational diabetes not tied to long-term harm.(Obstetrics)
April 15, 2005... RENO, NEV. -- Glyburide may successfully control gestational diabetes in all but about 20% of patients, and a failed trial of glyburide appears to cause no long-term harm, Meredith Rochon, M.D., of the department of obstetrics, gynecology, and...

Pregnancy history cuts risk of unprovoked VTE.(Obstetrics)
April 15, 2005... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Having a child cuts a woman's risk of unprovoked venous thromboembolism, according to results of an epidemiologic study with more than 19,000 women. Compared with women who were never pregnant, women with a history of at...

Morbidity still a concern in fetal surgeries.(Obstetrics)
April 15, 2005... RENO, NEV. -- Newer, less invasive techniques have decreased morbidity associated with fetal surgery, but morbidity is still a concern in these surgeries, Robert H. Bell, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the Society for Maternal-Fetal...

First-trimester screening works well in clinics.(Obstetrics)
April 15, 2005... RENO, NEV. -- First-trimester aneuploidy screening is practical not just in the context of clinical trials but also in the everyday world of the clinic, according to a poster presented by Sriram C. Perni, M.D., and colleagues at the annual...

Large study confirms benefit of oral tocolysis maintenance.(Obstetrics)
April 15, 2005... RENO, NEV. -- While many physicians commonly use oral tocolysis maintenance after intravenous tocolysis in patients with preterm labor because they have a clinical impression of its effectiveness, solid evidence for this practice has been...

Rheumatoid arthritis drugs.(DRUGS, PREGNANCY, AND LACTATION)
April 15, 2005... The autoimmune disorder rheumatoid arthritis occurs in about 1%-2% of the population. The disease is more prevalent in women than men by about a 3:1 ratio, but in the reproductive years, the ratio may be as high as 6:1. During pregnancy, the...

New tests for down syndrome, preterm labor: experimental technologies diagnose Down syndrome and assess amniotic fluid to predict preterm delivery.(Obstetrics)
April 15, 2005... RENO, NEV. -- New technologies that can screen through the entire metabolite or protein compliment of a fluid will soon produce both a test that can correctly identify the patient experiencing early contractions who will deliver prematurely,...

Long induction considered safe, does not increase morbidity.(Obstetrics)
April 15, 2005... RENO, NEV. -- Allowing a labor induction in a nulliparous patient to proceed for up to 18 hours is a reasonable practice that does not increase the rate of serious neonatal or maternal morbidity and results in vaginal delivery for most...