Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in OBGYN & Women's Health for August 2010. 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.
Neonatal Mortality Risk Higher at Unspecialized Hospitals
TUESDAY, Aug. 31 (HealthDay News) -- Very low-birth-weight (VLBW) and very preterm (VPT) infants born at hospitals without specialized neonatal care have higher mortality risks than those born at specialized level III hospitals, according to a meta-analysis published in the Sept. 1 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Preventive Surgeries Linked to Benefit With BRCA Mutations
TUESDAY, Aug. 31 (HealthDay News) -- Among women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, risk-reducing mastectomy is linked to a lower risk of breast cancer, and risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy is associated with numerous benefits, including lower risk of ovarian cancer and first breast cancer diagnosis, according to research published in the Sept. 1 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Gestation Linked to Cerebral Palsy Risk Even in Term Births
TUESDAY, Aug. 31 (HealthDay News) -- An increased risk of cerebral palsy is seen in individuals who were delivered at 37 or 38 weeks of gestation or at 42 weeks or later, compared to 40 weeks, according to research published in the Sept. 1 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Nearly One in Three Deliveries in U.S. Is Cesarean Section
TUESDAY, Aug. 31 (HealthDay News) -- Almost a third of deliveries in the United States are by cesarean section, and more than 30 percent of cesareans can be attributed to pre-labor repeat cesarean delivery due to a previous uterine scar, according to research published online Aug. 13 in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Pediatricians Can Often Manage Gynecologic Issues
TUESDAY, Aug. 31 (HealthDay News) -- Among pediatric patients, most medical gynecologic issues can be managed in the primary care office setting, usually without a pelvic examination; although, when a pelvic exam is required, the primary care office may be the best setting, according to a clinical report published online Aug. 30 in Pediatrics.
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Drinking Alcohol Appears to Increase Breast Cancer Risks
TUESDAY, Aug. 31 (HealthDay News) -- Among women who previously were diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer, alcohol drinking may increase the risks for disease recurrence and death, especially in postmenopausal and overweight and obese women, according to research published online Aug. 30 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Vitamins Don't Reduce Preterm Births in Low-Risk Women
THURSDAY, Aug. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Supplementation with vitamins C and E starting at nine to 16 weeks of gestation in nulliparous women at low risk for delivering prematurely is not associated with a reduced risk of spontaneous preterm birth, according to research published in the September issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Elective Induction Not Always Tied to Higher C-Section Rate
THURSDAY, Aug. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Elective labor induction among nulliparous women with a favorable cervix carries the same possibility of resulting in cesarean delivery as expectant management, though it might require increased resource use, according to a study in the September issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Stress Biomarker Linked to Lower Probability of Conception
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Elevation of a stress biomarker, salivary alpha-amylase, is associated with a reduction in a woman's chances of conceiving during the fertile part of her monthly cycle, according to research published online Aug. 5 in Fertility and Sterility.
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Shorter Cervical Length Tied to Problems in Placenta Previa
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Shorter cervical length during the third trimester of pregnancy among women with placenta previa is linked to a higher risk of hemorrhage, uterine activity, and preterm delivery, according to a study published in the September issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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ACOG Makes Recommendations for Use of HPV Vaccination
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Girls should be routinely vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV) at the age of 11 or 12, though vaccination may be advisable in girls as young as 9, according to recommendations from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists published in the September issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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ACOG Recommends Antibiotics Before Cesarean Delivery
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 25 (HealthDay News) -- All women undergoing cesarean delivery should receive antimicrobial prophylaxis within 60 minutes of the start of the delivery unless they're already receiving appropriate antibiotics for issues such as chorioamnionitis, according to recommendations from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists published in the September issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Antiherpetic Antiviral Drugs Not Linked to Birth Defects
TUESDAY, Aug. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Exposure to the antiviral drugs acyclovir and valacyclovir during the first trimester of pregnancy is not associated with a higher risk of major birth defects, according to a study in the Aug. 25 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Alcohol May Not Raise Risk of All Breast Cancer Types Equally
TUESDAY, Aug. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Alcohol use in postmenopausal women appears to increase the risk of only certain subtypes of breast cancer, according to research published online Aug. 23 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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New Breast Imaging Methods May Sharply Raise Cancer Risk
TUESDAY, Aug. 24 (HealthDay News) -- One breast-specific gamma imaging (BSGI) or positron emission mammography (PEM) exam is associated with a lifetime attributable risk (LAR) of fatal cancer that is at least as high as that associated with a lifetime of annual screening mammography, according to a report published online Aug. 24 in Radiology.
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Spouse's Deployment Status Tied to Depression Risk
TUESDAY, Aug. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Deployment of a spouse during pregnancy or the postpartum period is associated with an increased risk of a positive depression screening, according to research published in the September issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Researchers Isolate BRCA2 Protein for First Time
MONDAY, Aug. 23 (HealthDay News) -- For the first time, scientists have purified the entire protein encoded by BRCA2, allowing for a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms linking BRCA2 to cancer and DNA repair; the findings are reported in three articles published online Aug. 22 in Nature and Nature Structural & Molecular Biology.
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Prenatal DDT Exposure Tied to Testicular Cancer Risk
FRIDAY, Aug. 20 (HealthDay News) -- In the early postpartum period, maternal serum DDT-related compounds appear to be associated with sons' risk of testicular cancer three decades later, according to a study in the July issue of the Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health.
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Diet Soft Drinks May Increase Risk of Preterm Birth
THURSDAY, Aug. 19 (HealthDay News) -- The consumption of artificially sweetened soft drinks, both carbonated and noncarbonated, is associated with an increased risk for births occurring before 37 weeks' gestation, according to research published online June 30, ahead of the print issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
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Pesticide Exposure in Womb May Derail Attention Later
THURSDAY, Aug. 19 (HealthDay News) -- It remains to be determined what impact paraoxonase 1 (PON1) genotypes have on the influence of in utero organophosphate exposure on subsequent childhood mental and motor development, but such exposure does appear to affect attention levels in children, according to two studies published online Aug. 19 in Environmental Health Perspectives.
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Urinary Incontinence Common in Women, Men, Children
THURSDAY, Aug. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Urinary incontinence (UI) is common -- more so in women than in men -- but exact prevalence is difficult to pinpoint due to variables in study methodology, definitions of UI, and populations studied, according to research published in the August issue of Urology.
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Disclosing Medical Errors May Cut Malpractice Claims, Costs
TUESDAY, Aug. 17 (HealthDay News) -- A malpractice claims management system implemented in Michigan that mandates full disclosure of medical errors accompanied by a monetary offer to the patient has resulted in a reduced claims rate, fewer lawsuits, faster time to resolution of claims, and lower costs, according to a study in the Aug. 17 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Nottingham Prognostic Index Accuracy Improved
TUESDAY, Aug. 17 (HealthDay News) -- The addition of progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) to the Nottingham Prognostic Index (NPI) in the classification of patients with primary operable breast cancer results in improved five-year prognostic accuracy, according to a study published online Aug. 16 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Ella Emergency Contraceptive Approved
MONDAY, Aug. 16 (HealthDay News) -- The ella (ulipristal acetate) emergency contraceptive has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It's been available in Europe for more than a year under the brand name ellaOne.
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Estrogen Alone Does Not Increase Lung Cancer Risk
MONDAY, Aug. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Postmenopausal women treated with estrogen alone do not have increased incidence of, or mortality from, lung cancer, according to research published online Aug. 13 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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CDC: Expand Food Fortification to Prevent Birth Defects
FRIDAY, Aug. 13 (HealthDay News) -- New opportunities for folic acid fortification in foods may be highly effective in preventing neural tube defects (NTDs), as food fortification makes folic acid accessible to women of childbearing age in a safe, cost-effective manner, according to a report published in the Aug. 13 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Cholesterol Levels Vary Across the Menstrual Cycle
FRIDAY, Aug. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Serum lipid levels are associated with endogenous estrogen levels in menstruating women, and vary throughout the cycle, according to research published online June 9 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.
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Mass Spectrometer Test IDs Cancer With High Accuracy
THURSDAY, Aug. 12 (HealthDay News) -- A novel method of mass spectrometer technology plus a computerized algorithm can identify ovarian cancer in blood sera with nearly 100 percent accuracy, according to research published online Aug. 10 in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
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Gestational Glucose Tolerance Status May Affect Diabetes Risk
THURSDAY, Aug. 12 (HealthDay News) -- β-cell dysfunction progresses in women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and gestational impaired glucose tolerance (GIGT) in the first year after giving birth, and may contribute to subsequent development of type 2 diabetes, according to research published in the August issue of Diabetes Care.
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Primary Dysmenorrhea May Change Brain Structure
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Women with primary dysmenorrhea (PDM) have abnormal changes in brain gray matter volume regardless of whether they are experiencing pain, according to a study in the September issue of PAIN.
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Longer HRT Duration Tied to Lower Colon Cancer Rate
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Longer duration of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use among women is linked to a greater reduction in distal large bowel cancer incidence, independent of race, according to a study published in the August issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology.
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Bisphosphonate Exposure Not Linked With Esophageal Cancer
TUESDAY, Aug. 10 (HealthDay News) -- There appears to be no association between oral bisphosphonate use and risk of esophageal or gastric cancer, according to research published in the Aug. 11 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Study Sheds More Light on Hormones, Breast Cancer Risk
TUESDAY, Aug. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Longer use of estrogen or estrogen-progestin therapy (EPT) is associated with a higher risk of breast cancer, with risks varying by body mass index (BMI) and tumor subtype, according to research published online Aug. 10 in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
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Non-White Breast Cancer Patients May Face Chemo Delay
TUESDAY, Aug. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Most breast cancer patients receive adjuvant chemotherapy in a timely fashion, but African-American and Hispanic patients are more likely than white patients to experience delays to adjuvant chemotherapy in excess of 60 or 90 days, according to research published online Aug. 9 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Endocrine Sensitivity Measure Predicts Breast Cancer Survival
MONDAY, Aug. 9 (HealthDay News) -- A patient's sensitivity to endocrine therapy (SET) index, a measure of estrogen receptor-related transcriptional activity, appears to be predictive of distant relapse-free survival in breast cancer patients who receive endocrine therapy alone or endocrine therapy after chemotherapy, but not in those who receive no adjuvant therapy, according to research published online Aug. 9 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Girls Reaching Puberty Earlier Than 10 to 30 Years Ago
MONDAY, Aug. 9 (HealthDay News) -- The proportion of girls who experience breast development at ages 7 and 8 years is greater in girls today than in those born 10 to 30 years earlier, particularly among white females; and, maternal prenatal characteristics as well as weight and body mass index (BMI) gain during infancy influence various puberty outcomes, according to research published online Aug. 9 in Pediatrics.
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Menstrual Phase Linked to Tracheal Intubation Response
MONDAY, Aug. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Menstrual cycle phase appears to influence the hemodynamic response to tracheal intubation (TI), according to research published in the August issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia.
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Study Supports Early Second Pregnancy After Miscarriage
FRIDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Women who have a miscarriage in their first pregnancy and get pregnant again within six months have better odds of a successful second pregnancy than with a longer interpregnancy interval, according to a study published Aug. 5 in BMJ.
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Smoking Tied to Increased Risk for Breast Abscesses
THURSDAY, Aug. 5 (HealthDay News) -- The risk of developing primary or recurring breast abscesses increases with smoking, and subareolar breast abscesses may be associated with nipple piercing, according to research published in the July issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
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Grand Multiparity Associated With Diabetes
THURSDAY, Aug. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Grand multiparity (giving birth to five or more children)is associated with diabetes in elderly women, but the relationship may be mediated by sociodemographic factors, according to research published in the August issue of Diabetes Care.
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Large Pregnancy Weight Gain Linked to Heavier Newborns
THURSDAY, Aug. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Women who put on excessive weight during pregnancy are more likely to give birth to heavier babies regardless of genetic factors, according to research published online Aug. 5 in The Lancet.
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Hormone Combination Effective in Metastatic Breast Cancer
TUESDAY, Aug. 3 (HealthDay News) -- The combined use of the aromatase inhibitor anastrozole and the luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist goserelin appears to have substantial antitumor activity in the treatment of premenopausal women who have hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer, according to a study published online Aug. 2 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Industry-Funded Clinical Trials Yield More Positive Outcomes
TUESDAY, Aug. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Drug clinical trials supported by industry are more likely to produce favorable results than trials supported by government or nonprofit/nonfederal organizations, and they are less likely to be published within two years of the study being completed, according to research published in the Aug. 3 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Most Pediatricians, Family Doctors Offering HPV Vaccine
MONDAY, Aug. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly all pediatricians and most family physicians were offering human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine by 18 months after licensure, though fewer strongly recommend the vaccine for 11- and 12-year-olds than for 13- to 15-year-olds, according to research published online Aug. 2 in Pediatrics.
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Peers May Strongly Influence Breast-Feeding Duration
MONDAY, Aug. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Attendance at groups for first-time parents where peers breast-feed infants of a similar age appears to strongly influence whether mothers continue breast-feeding to six months, according to research published online Aug. 2 in Pediatrics.
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