Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in OBGYN & Women's Health for April 2012. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Screening Benefits Women in 40s With High Breast CA Risk
MONDAY, April 30 (HealthDay News) -- Women in their 40s, with at least a two-fold increased risk of breast cancer, benefit from biennial screening mammography; and having extremely dense breasts or first-degree relatives with breast cancer is associated with a two-fold increased risk of breast cancer for women in their 40s, according to two studies published in the May 1 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Prenatal Insecticide Exposure Alters Developing Brain
MONDAY, April 30 (HealthDay News) -- Prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos (CPF), an organophosphate insecticide, correlates with structural changes in the developing brain, according to a study published online April 30 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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Electronic Reminders Up Meds Adherence in Short Term
MONDAY, April 30 (HealthDay News) -- The use of electronic reminders (short message service [SMS] reminders, electronic reminder devices, or pagers) is associated with improved adherence to chronic medications in the short term, according to a review published online April 25 in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association.
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Sleep Measures Do Not Predict Clinical Pain in Fibromyalgia
FRIDAY, April 27 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with fibromyalgia, spatial extent of pain, pain aftersensation, and negative mood account for approximately one-third of the variance in clinical pain, but sleep measures do not significantly predict pain, according to a study published in the April issue of The Journal of Pain.
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Sunscreen Use May Lead to Vitamin D Deficiency
FRIDAY, April 27 (HealthDay News) -- Using the amount and sun protection factor (SPF) of sunscreen recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) is associated with little or no vitamin D production, suggesting that regular sunscreen use may lead to vitamin D deficiency, according to research published online April 18 in the British Journal of Dermatology.
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Antiretroviral Prophylaxis May Cut Breastfeeding HIV Spread
THURSDAY, April 26 (HealthDay News) -- Breastfeeding HIV-infected mothers are less likely to transmit the virus to their infants when either receive antiretroviral drugs, although weaning at six months may be detrimental, according to updated trial results published online April 26 in The Lancet.
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Berries May Slow Cognitive Decline in Older Women
THURSDAY, April 26 (HealthDay News) -- Flavonoid-rich blueberries and strawberries may reduce cognitive decline in elderly women, according to a study published online April 25 in the Annals of Neurology.
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Sleep of Short Duration Common in U.S. Workers
THURSDAY, April 26 (HealthDay News) -- A substantial proportion of workers in the United States get less sleep than recommended by the National Sleep Foundation, according to a report published in the April 27 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report.
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Nutrition, Exercise Guidelines Updated for Cancer Survivors
THURSDAY, April 26 (HealthDay News) -- The American Cancer Society has updated the 2006 guidelines to provide new evidence and clinical practices related to nutrition and physical activity for cancer survivors during the continuum of cancer care, according to a report published online April 26 in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
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Early Menopause Ups Risk of Osteoporosis, Fractures, Death
THURSDAY, April 26 (HealthDay News) -- The occurrence of menopause before age 47 correlates with increased osteoporosis at age 77, increased incidence of fragility fractures, and increased mortality, according to a study published online April 25 in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
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Anatomic Existence of the G-Spot Reported
WEDNESDAY, April 25 (HealthDay News) -- The anatomic existence of the G-spot has been documented, and it has been identified as a distinguishable anatomic structure located on the dorsal perineal membrane, according to a study published in the May issue of The Journal of Sexual Medicine.
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Nursing Excellence Ups Very Low Birth Weight Baby Outcomes
WEDNESDAY, April 25 (HealthDay News) -- For very low birth weight (VLBW) infants, hospitals with recognition for nursing excellence (RNE) have significantly lower rates for hospital infection, seven-day mortality, and severe intraventricular hemorrhage, but not 28-day mortality or hospital stay mortality, according to a study published in the April 25 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Bone Metabolism, Vitamin D Key in Postkyphoplasty Breaks
WEDNESDAY, April 25 (HealthDay News) -- For postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, bone metabolism and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels are associated with postkyphoplasty recurrent vertebral compression fractures, according to a study published online April 12 in The Spine Journal.
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Ultrasound May Safely Rule Out DVT in Pregnancy
WEDNESDAY, April 25 (HealthDay News) -- For pregnant and postpartum women, a single complete compression ultrasonography may safely exclude a diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis, according to a study published online April 24 in BMJ.
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Inducing for Premature Rupture of Membranes Not Better
WEDNESDAY, April 25 (HealthDay News) -- In pregnant women with preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM), inducing labor and watchful waiting are similarly effective in terms of pregnancy outcomes such as neonatal sepsis and cesarean section, according to a study published online April 24 in PLoS Medicine.
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Meds, Clinic Noncompliance Linked to Mortality in Diabetes
TUESDAY, April 24 (HealthDay News) -- Insulin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes who are noncompliant with their medication or clinic appointments face increased all-cause mortality, according to a study published online April 17 in Diabetes Care.
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New Fat Grafting Procedures Improve Breast Reconstruction
FRIDAY, April 20 (HealthDay News) -- Two autologous fat grafting procedures, enhanced stromal vascular fraction (SVF) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) fat grafting, maintain breast volume and three-dimensional contour better than the standard fat grafting procedure, according to a study published online April 13 in Stem Cells Translational Medicine.
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CDC: HPV-Associated Cancers Strike More Than 30,000 Yearly
THURSDAY, April 19 (HealthDay News) -- Cancers associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV) are diagnosed in nearly 11 out of 100,000 men and women in the United States annually, and HPV vaccines play an important role in reducing the incidence of those cancers for which screening is not approved, according to a report published in the April 20 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report.
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Eating Low-Fat Dairy Linked to Reduced Stroke Risk
THURSDAY, April 19 (HealthDay News) -- Eating low-fat dairy products is associated with a reduced risk of total stroke and cerebral infarctions, according to a study published online April 19 in Stroke.
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FDA: Clinicians Urged to Stop Using Certain Ultrasound Gel
WEDNESDAY, April 18 (HealthDay News) -- Hospitals, clinics, and health care professionals should immediately discontinue using Other-Sonic Generic Ultrasound Transmission Gel due to risk of bacterial contamination in certain batches, according to a safety communication issued April 18 by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.
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Basal Cell Carcinoma on Ear Significantly More Aggressive
WEDNESDAY, April 18 (HealthDay News) -- Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) on the ear is significantly more likely to be aggressive, and occurs more frequently in men, according to a study published in the May issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
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Numerous Genetic Variants Linked to Bone Mineral Density
WEDNESDAY, April 18 (HealthDay News) -- Pooling the results of numerous studies, 56 genetic variants associated with bone mineral density have been identified, of which 14 are associated with fracture risk, according to a study published online April 15 in Nature Genetics.
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Depressed Moms May Trigger Infant Night Waking
TUESDAY, April 17 (HealthDay News) -- Maternal depression and dysfunctional cognition impacts mothers' behavior at bedtime and may affect infant sleep, according to a study published online April 17 in Child Development.
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Pre-Pregnancy BMI Important Indicator of Offspring Obesity
MONDAY, April 16 (HealthDay News) -- Maternal gestational weight gain (GWG) during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy correlates with body mass index (BMI)-based overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity at age 16, but maternal pre-pregnancy BMI is a stronger indicator of offspring obesity, according to a study published in the May issue of BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
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Obesity Costs Are Higher Than Previous Estimates
FRIDAY, April 13 (HealthDay News) -- Obesity accounts for nearly 21 percent of U.S. health care costs, much higher than previously estimated, according to a study published in the January issue of the Journal of Health Economics.
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Genes Identified for Ovarian Cancer Prognosis
FRIDAY, April 13 (HealthDay News) -- Bimodal genes, or molecular on/off switches, can distinguish clinically relevant subtypes of ovarian cancer and provide ideal targets for diagnostic and prognostic testing, according to a study published online April 11 in the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics.
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Most Breast Cancer Survivors Experience Lasting Side Effects
FRIDAY, April 13 (HealthDay News) -- The majority of breast cancer survivors experience one or more treatment-related side effects, and the proportion remains stable at six years post-diagnosis, according to a study published in a special supplement to the April 15 issue of Cancer addressing the physical late effects of breast cancer treatment.
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Many Women Still Report Drinking During Pregnancy
THURSDAY, April 12 (HealthDay News) -- A considerable proportion of women report continuing to drink during pregnancy, but biomarker tests indicate they are drinking at modest levels, according to a study published online April 6 in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.
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Mentholated Cigarettes Linked to Increased Stroke Risk
THURSDAY, April 12 (HealthDay News) -- Mentholated cigarettes are associated with a significantly increased risk of stroke, particularly among women and non-African-American smokers, according to a letter published in the April 9 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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U.S. Fertility Measures Largely Unchanged Since 2002
THURSDAY, April 12 (HealthDay News) -- Fertility measures for 15- to 44-year olds for 2006 to 2010 are similar to findings from 2002, according to an April 12 data brief issued by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
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Gestational Age Affects Severity of Autism Symptoms
THURSDAY, April 12 (HealthDay News) -- Both preterm (<37 weeks) and post-term (>42 weeks) gestational age (GA) children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) display more severe symptoms compared with those born at a normal GA, according to research published online March 16 in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
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Occupational Exposures Put Nurses at Risk of Miscarriage
WEDNESDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) -- Nurses face an increased risk of spontaneous abortions during early pregnancy from occupational exposure to antineoplastic drugs and sterilizing agents, according to a study published in the April issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Perception of Breast Cancer Care Differs From Actual Care Quality
WEDNESDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) -- The perception of care for women living in inner cities with newly diagnosed, early-stage breast cancer is dependent, in large part, on factors other than the actual quality of care provided, including the quality of the process of getting care, trust in the physician, and perceptions of racism, according to research published online April 9 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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STI Screening Improves With Free, Home-Based Testing
WEDNESDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) -- The availability of free and home-based screening tests for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is associated with a higher rate of screening completion, according to a study published in the April issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Injectable Contraceptive Linked to Elevated Breast Cancer Risk
TUESDAY, April 10 (HealthDay News) -- Recent use of the injectable contraceptive depo-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) for 12 months or longer may approximately double the risk of breast cancer in young women, according to a study published online Feb. 27 in Cancer Research.
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Strategy of Offering Choice of CRC Screening Ups Adherence
TUESDAY, April 10 (HealthDay News) -- Adherence to colorectal cancer (CRC) screening varies based on the screening strategy, with adherence linked to patient preference and ethnicity/race, according to a study published in the April 9 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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HPV Vaccine Side Effects Not Serious in Young Women
TUESDAY, April 10 (HealthDay News) -- Younger girls are more likely than adult women to report side effects after receiving the quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV4; Gardasil) vaccine, but the side effects are non-serious, according to a study published online Jan. 9 in the Journal of Women's Health.
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Urinary Incontinence Drugs Have Comparable Efficacy
MONDAY, April 9 (HealthDay News) -- Available pharmacotherapies for treating women with urinary incontinence (UI) produce comparable small benefits, according to research published online April 9 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Variety of Fruits, Vegetables Linked to Lower Diabetes Risk
MONDAY, April 9 (HealthDay News) -- Eating a greater quantity of vegetables and a greater variety of fruits and vegetables (F&V) correlates with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D), according to a study published online April 3 in Diabetes Care.
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Maternal Metabolic Disease Tied to Autism
MONDAY, April 9 (HealthDay News) -- Maternal metabolic conditions (MCs) increase the risk that a child will be born with a neurodevelopmental disorder, such as autism or developmental delay, according to a study published online April 9 in Pediatrics.
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Fetal Pesticide Exposure Affects Birth Weight, Gestation Length
FRIDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) -- Fetal exposure to organophosphate (OP) insecticides can affect the length of gestation and birth weight, according to a study published online April 5 in Environmental Health Perspectives.
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Low Blood Adiponectin Predicts Future Asthma Risk in Women
FRIDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) -- Middle-aged women with low blood adiponectin levels are about twice as likely to develop asthma, particularly if they smoke, according to a study published online April 6 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
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Early Exposure to Interpersonal Trauma Harms Cognition
FRIDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) -- Exposure to interpersonal trauma (IPT) in the first years of life is associated with decreased cognitive functioning in childhood, with exposure in the first two years particularly harmful, according to a study published online April 4 in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.
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Reduction Noted in Heart Rate Variability During Hot Flashes
FRIDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) -- Women experiencing hot flashes have a significant reduction in heart rate variability during the hot flash, suggesting a role for the autonomic nervous system, according to a study published in the April issue of Menopause.
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Physical Activity Predicts Functionality in Older Adults
FRIDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) -- Physically active older adults experience significantly fewer functional limitations than more sedentary older adults, according to a study published online April 5 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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Increased Breast Cancer Risk With False-Positive Test
THURSDAY, April 5 (HealthDay News) -- Women with false-positive mammogram tests remain at significantly higher risk of breast cancer for six or more years, compared to women with negative tests, but the size of the excess risk has decreased since the early 2000s, according to a study published online April 5 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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Asbestos Exposure Linked to Cardiovascular Death
THURSDAY, April 5 (HealthDay News) -- Occupational exposure to asbestos is associated with a higher risk of dying of cardiovascular disease, according to a study published online April 2 in Occupational & Environmental Medicine.
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Prenatal Antipsychotics Impact Infant Neuromotor Function
THURSDAY, April 5 (HealthDay News) -- The use of prescribed antipsychotics during pregnancy may result in significantly lower neuromotor performance in 6-month-old infants, according to a study published online April 2 in the Archives of General Psychiatry.
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Medical Malpractice Claims Incur Substantial Defense Costs
WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- Defense costs for medical malpractice claims vary among specialties and are higher for claims that result in indemnity payments, according to a letter published in the April 5 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Mammogram Plus MRI or Ultrasound Catches More Cancer
TUESDAY, April 3 (HealthDay News) -- The addition of an ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to annual mammography results in a higher rate of detection of incident breast cancers, according to a study published in the April 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Obesity Epidemic in U.S. Worse Than Previously Thought
TUESDAY, April 3 (HealthDay News) -- The body mass index (BMI) substantially underdiagnoses obesity when compared to the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan, a direct simultaneous measure of body fat, muscle mass, and bone density, according to a study published online April 2 in PLoS One.
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Cervical Pessary Significantly Reduces Risk of Preterm Birth
TUESDAY, April 3 (HealthDay News) -- For women with a short cervix, use of a cervical pessary significantly reduces the risk of spontaneous delivery before 34 weeks, according to a randomized trial published online April 3 in The Lancet.
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Heavy Baby Girls at Future Risk of Cardiometabolic Disease
TUESDAY, April 3 (HealthDay News) -- Heavier baby girls are at increased risk for developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease at age 17 years than are overweight baby boys, according to a study published online March 22 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
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Study Estimates Overdiagnosis From Mammography Screening
TUESDAY, April 3 (HealthDay News) -- Implementation of a mammography screening program leads to a substantial amount of overdiagnosis, according to a study published in the April 3 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Most Americans Getting Adequate Amounts of Vitamins, Nutrients
MONDAY, April 2 (HealthDay News) -- Most people in the United States are getting adequate nutrition, but some groups experience lower levels of vital nutrients than that which is recommended for good health, according to the Second National Report on Biochemical Indicators of Diet and Nutrition released April 2 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Maternal Caffeine Intake Doesn't Affect Infant Sleep
MONDAY, April 2 (HealthDay News) -- Heavy caffeine consumption by nursing mothers does not increase the number of nighttime awakenings in 3-month-old infants, according to a study published online April 2 in Pediatrics.
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Melanoma Incidence Increasing Among Young Adults
MONDAY, April 2 (HealthDay News) -- From 1970 to 2009, there was an increase in the incidence of melanoma among young adults, particularly females, according to a study published in the April issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
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