Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in OBGYN & Women's Health for December 2009. 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.
Precautions and Training Can Reduce Scalpel Injuries
THURSDAY, Dec. 31 (HealthDay News) -- Although less common than needle-stick injuries, cuts from scalpels also put operating room personnel at risk and can be reduced by closely following safety precautions and taking advantage of new technology, according to a study in the December issue of the AORN Journal.
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Psychotropic Medications Linked to Pregnancy Outcomes
THURSDAY, Dec. 31 (HealthDay News) -- In pregnant women, the use of psychotropic medications, especially benzodiazepines, is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes, according to a study in the December issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Efficacy of Glyburide for Gestational Diabetes Studied
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 30 (HealthDay News) -- In women with gestational diabetes, glyburide is more effective than metformin for achieving glycemic control, according to a study in the January issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Part-Time Ob-Gyn Faculty Projected to Increase
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 30 (HealthDay News) -- The number of full-time faculty in obstetrics and gynecology has more than doubled since the 1970s, although the number of part-time faculty is projected to increase in the next five years, according to a study in the January issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Nausea and Vomiting Found Common Heart Attack Symptoms
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Nausea and vomiting are common symptoms of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) that occurs in both inferior and anterior AMIs, but the frequency of these symptoms are unlikely related to the infarct location, according to a study in the Dec. 15 issue of the American Journal of Cardiology.
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Maternal Occupation May Impact Risk for Birth Defects
TUESDAY, Dec. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Certain occupations may be either positively or negatively associated with one or more birth defects, according to a large population-based case-control study in the January issue of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
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Method Distinguishes Benign and Malignant Breast Tumors
TUESDAY, Dec. 29 (HealthDay News) -- A new noninvasive spectroscopic method can accurately distinguish benign from malignant breast tumors based on metabolic differences, according to a study in the January issue of Radiology.
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Claustrophobia Common Cause of Refusing Breast Screening
MONDAY, Dec. 28 (HealthDay News) -- Only about 60 percent of women at high risk of breast cancer who are undergoing regular mammography and ultrasound screenings agree to supplemental screening by magnetic resonance imaging, with claustrophobia being the most common reason, according to a study in the January issue of Radiology.
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Prothrombin Mutation Studied in Obstetric Complications
MONDAY, Dec. 28 (HealthDay News) -- Presence of the prothrombin G20210A mutation does not increase the risk of obstetric complications, calling into question the practice of screening pregnant women for the mutation, according to a study in the January issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Certain Medications May Alter Quad Screen Results
MONDAY, Dec. 28 (HealthDay News) -- A pregnant woman's use of certain prescription drugs may skew results of the standard Quad screening and increase the rate of screen-positives for neural tube defects, according to a study in the December issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Higher Surgery Risks in Elderly Demand Special Attention
FRIDAY, Dec. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Common and emergency surgery carries elevated risks of mortality and complications in the elderly, and clinicians should counsel patients on these risks and make every effort to mitigate them, according to a pair of studies in the December issue of the Archives of Surgery.
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Longer Maternity Leave Found Beneficial for Working Mothers
FRIDAY, Dec. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Female urologists who take nine weeks or more of maternity leave are more likely to report satisfaction with leave arrangements than their counterparts who take less time off; however, they often take a shorter postnatal break due to financial and peer-group pressures, according to a study in the January issue of The Journal of Urology.
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2009 H1N1 Took High Toll on Pregnant Women, Children
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 23 (HealthDay News) -- The 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic took a high toll on pregnant or recently-pregnant women and on children, according to a pair of studies from California and Argentina published online Dec. 23 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Health Impact of Body Mass Index May Be Misleading
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 23 (HealthDay News) -- The adverse impact of low body mass index (BMI) on risk of respiratory disease and lung cancer mortality may be overstated, while the negative impact of high BMI on cardiovascular disease mortality may be underestimated, according to a study published online Dec. 22 in BMJ.
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Study Evaluates Postnatal Depression Screening
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Routine screening for postnatal depression is not cost-effective, largely because of the expense incurred in treating women with an incorrect postnatal depression diagnosis, according to a study published online Dec. 22 in BMJ.
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Over 85s Function Well Despite Disease and Disability
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Elders over the age of 85 report good health and functional ability despite the fact that they have to contend with a range of diseases and disabilities; however, as the fastest growing segment of the world's population, the health needs of future generations of over 85s represent a profound challenge, according to a study published online Dec. 22 in BMJ.
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Uric Acid Concentrations May Affect Pregnancy Outcomes
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 23 (HealthDay News) -- In normotensive pregnant women, high uric acid concentrations in mid-pregnancy are associated with insulin resistance and lower birth weights, according to a study in the December issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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H1N1 Flu Waning, but Many Vaccine Doses Unused
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Although the number of cases of people infected with H1N1 influenza continues to decline and the vaccine supply is now plentiful, not enough people have been inoculated, a top U.S. health official said during a Dec. 22 press briefing held by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Factors Linked to Bone Loss With Contraceptive Identified
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Women who take the contraceptive depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) are at higher risk of bone loss if they smoke, consume insufficient amounts of calcium, or have never had a child, according to a study in the January issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Contraceptives Have Benefits Beyond Pregnancy Prevention
TUESDAY, Dec. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Hormonal contraceptives have useful non-contraceptive benefits, including prevention of endometrial and ovarian cancer and treating menstruation-related disorders, according to an American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists practice bulletin published in the January issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Gene Mutation Impact on Pregnancy Outcomes Assessed
TUESDAY, Dec. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Most inherited thrombophilia mutations are not associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, with the exception of mutations in the prothrombin gene, according to a study in the January issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Thromboembolism Uncommon After Sling Surgery in Women
TUESDAY, Dec. 22 (HealthDay News) -- The rate of thromboembolism following an isolated sling procedure for stress urinary incontinence in women is low, but the rate is higher when prolapse repair is also performed, according to research published in the December issue of Urology.
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Cytologic Regression Common in Some Gynecologic Patients
TUESDAY, Dec. 22 (HealthDay News) -- In women with atypical squamous cells of unknown significance and a negative human papillomavirus (HCII) test, nearly all achieve cytologic regression within two years, according to a study in the December issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Prenatal Aspirin Not Linked to Adverse Infant Outcomes
MONDAY, Dec. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Among infants born preterm, low-dose aspirin (LDA) during pregnancy is not associated with fetal or infant deaths, infant cerebral damage, or brain development disorders, according to research published online Dec. 21 in Pediatrics.
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Antidepressants Not Found to Increase Heart Risk
FRIDAY, Dec. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Postmenopausal women taking antidepressants, whether they are tricyclic medications or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), are not at increased risk of coronary heart disease compared to their counterparts not taking the drugs, but there is a modestly higher risk of mortality and stroke, according to a study in the Dec. 14/28 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Cisplatin Linked to Complete Response in Breast Cancer
FRIDAY, Dec. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Breast cancer patients who are carriers of mutations in a breast cancer susceptibility gene are more likely to have a complete response after treatment with cisplatin, according to a study published online Dec. 14 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. In a related study published in the same journal at the same time, researchers report that geriatric assessment domains can predict treatment response and mortality in elderly breast cancer survivors.
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More Computed Tomography May Mean More Cancer Risk
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 16 (HealthDay News) -- The growing use of computed tomography (CT) scans will cause thousands more cases of cancer in the future, according to a study published in the Dec. 14/28 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, while a second study in the same issue found that the dose and cancer risk of CT scans varies widely from case to case.
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Cystic Fibrosis Testing in Italy Linked to Lower Incidence
TUESDAY, Dec. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Widespread availability of carrier testing for cystic fibrosis in an Italian region was associated with a decline in birth rates of infants with the condition, according to research published in the Dec. 16 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Breast Cancer Needle Biopsy Results Similar to Open Biopsy
TUESDAY, Dec. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Using stereotactic- and ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy to conduct breast biopsies gives results almost as accurate as open surgical biopsy, and carries a lower risk of complications, according to a study published online Dec. 14 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Racial Disparities Seen in Breast Cancer Radiotherapy
MONDAY, Dec. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Older Caucasian women with invasive breast cancer were more likely to receive radiotherapy following surgery than women of other races, a disparity seen nationwide, according to research published online Dec. 14 in Cancer.
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Heart Disease Risk Factors May Increase With Menopause
MONDAY, Dec. 14 (HealthDay News) -- The risk factors for coronary heart disease increase in women in the year before and the year after their final menstrual period (FMP), making that transition a crucial time to monitor lipid profiles and lifestyle risk factors, according to a study in the Dec. 15/22 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Lower Speed Limit Reduces Casualties in London
FRIDAY, Dec. 11 (HealthDay News) -- In London, the introduction of 20 mph speed zones has significantly reduced road injuries and deaths, according to a study published online Dec. 10 in BMJ.
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Spinal Surgeries May Improve Back Pain and Sexual Function
FRIDAY, Dec. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Total disc replacement and posterior fusion both lead to improvements in not only lower back pain but also sexual function, according to a study in the December issue of The Spine Journal.
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CDC: 15 Percent of Americans Have Had H1N1 Flu
FRIDAY, Dec. 11 (HealthDay News) -- H1N1 has sickened nearly 50 million Americans -- which is one in six people -- and killed almost 10,000, mostly children and young adults, a federal health official said in a Dec. 10 press briefing.
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Urinary Symptoms Tied to Psychiatric Issues in Women
FRIDAY, Dec. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Female veterans who have lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) have high rates of psychiatric comorbidity and history of sexual trauma compared to women in the general population, according to a study in the December issue of The Journal of Urology.
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Patients Often Lack Knowledge of Their Own Medications
THURSDAY, Dec. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Patients routinely under-report, or even over-report, their outpatient and inpatient medications, and should be included in hospital medication management to improve safety, according to a study published online Dec. 10 in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
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Aggressive Identification of Patients Cuts Hip Fractures
THURSDAY, Dec. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Aggressive identification and management of patients at risk for osteoporosis-related hip fractures can substantially reduce the incidence rate, according to a study published in the Nov. 1 supplement of the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
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Model Compares Impact of Breast Cancer Mutations
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 9 (HealthDay News) -- A computer model can help compare the impact of various treatment strategies on survival in women with mutations in the BRCA genes that increase the risk of breast cancer, according to a study published online Dec. 7 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. In a related study published at the same time in the same journal, researchers report that BRCA mutations are associated with lower responses to fertility treatment.
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Small Caseloads Hinder Gauging Medicare Performance
TUESDAY, Dec. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Most primary care physicians participating in Medicare work in practices with too few Medicare beneficiaries to reliably assess their practices' performance on common measures of quality and cost performance, according to research published in the Dec. 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Soy Foods Linked to Improved Outcomes in Breast Cancer
TUESDAY, Dec. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Among female breast cancer survivors, eating soy foods is associated with a lower risk of death and breast cancer recurrence, according to research published in the Dec. 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Study Finds Vasectomy Use Differs Between Races
TUESDAY, Dec. 8 (HealthDay News) African-American and Hispanic men appear less likely to undergo vasectomy than Caucasian men, according to research published in the November issue of Urology.
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Prenatal Microbe Exposure Protects Against Asthma
TUESDAY, Dec. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Prenatal exposure to environmental microbes protects the offspring from developing asthma, supporting the "hygiene hypothesis," or the idea that the increasing prevalence of allergies and asthma is due to decreasing exposure to environmental microbes, according to a study published online Dec. 7 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.
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Oxytocin Not Found to Aid Removal of Retained Placenta
TUESDAY, Dec. 8 (HealthDay News) -- A high-dose injection of oxytocin into the placenta of women with a retained placenta does not reduce the need for manual removal, according to a study published online Dec. 8 in The Lancet.
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Aromatase Inhibitors May Be More Effective Than Tamoxifen
MONDAY, Dec. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Long-term treatment of breast cancers with aromatase inhibitors (AIs) such as anastrozole may reduce recurrence and breast cancer deaths compared with tamoxifen, according to a study published online Nov. 30 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Childbirth Linked to Milder Multiple Sclerosis Course
MONDAY, Dec. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Women with multiple sclerosis (MS) who have children, particularly after the onset of the disease, may have a milder disease course than women without children, according to research published online Nov. 25 in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.
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Deaths Linked to Undiagnosed Infection in Young Women
MONDAY, Dec. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Undiagnosed Clostridium infection is associated with toxic shock deaths in women of childbearing age who have undergone various obstetrical or gynecological procedures, according to a study in the November issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Children's Sexual Debut Often Precedes Parental Discussion
MONDAY, Dec. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Parents do discuss sexual matters with their children, but topics such as birth control and partner condom refusal are often brought up after the child's sexual debut, according to a study published online Dec. 7 in Pediatrics.
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Decision Aid Can Increase Tamoxifen Awareness
MONDAY, Dec. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Among women at high risk of breast cancer, a state-of-the-art decision aid increases knowledge about tamoxifen prophylaxis but does not increase willingness to initiate therapy, according to a study published online Nov. 12 in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment.
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Lipid Levels Associated With Pregnancy Complications
FRIDAY, Dec. 4 (HealthDay News) -- High levels of triglycerides during pregnancy may be associated with an increased risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus or preeclampsia, according to a study in the November issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Hysterectomy Linked to Better Cervical Cancer Survival
FRIDAY, Dec. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Radical hysterectomy may provide better survival outcomes compared with radiation in women with early-stage cervical cancer whose tumors are less than 6 cm in diameter, according to a study in the November issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Passive Smoking May Increase Risk of Breast, Lung Cancer
FRIDAY, Dec. 4 (HealthDay News) -- In nonsmokers, exposure to secondhand smoke is associated with a modestly increased risk of breast cancer and a significantly increased risk of lung cancer, according to two studies published in the December Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
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Beta 2 Adrenergic Agonist Use During Pregnancy Examined
FRIDAY, Dec. 4 (HealthDay News) -- The use of beta 2 adrenergic agonist medications in pregnancy can disrupt the fetus's sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system activity, possibly resulting in autism spectrum disorders, poor cognition, impaired motor function, psychiatric problems, high blood pressure and poor school performance, according to a review published in the December issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Insect Repellent Associated With Hypospadias Risk
FRIDAY, Dec. 4 (HealthDay News) -- The use of insect repellent during the first trimester of pregnancy may be associated with a higher risk of hypospadias in infants, according to research published online Dec. 1 in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
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Post-Op Thromboembolism Risk Persists in Women
FRIDAY, Dec. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Middle-aged women who undergo inpatient surgery have a greatly elevated risk of venous thromboembolism in the weeks and months after surgery compared to women who have not had surgery, according to a study published Dec. 3 in BMJ.
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HPV Vaccine Can Maintain Effectiveness Beyond Six Years
THURSDAY, Dec. 3 (HealthDay News) -- The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline (Cervarix) provides protection beyond six years from infection by HPV-16 and HPV-18, the HPV types most commonly associated with cervical cancer, according to a study published online on Dec. 3 in The Lancet.
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Breast-Feeding May Protect Against Metabolic Syndrome
THURSDAY, Dec. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Women who breast-feed -- including those with a history of gestational diabetes -- may have a significantly decreased risk of developing metabolic syndrome, according to a study published online Dec. 3 in Diabetes: A Journal of the American Diabetes Association.
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Vitamin D Use Low in Primarily Breast-Fed Babies
THURSDAY, Dec. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Relatively few infants who were mostly breast-fed for at least six months were given supplemental vitamin D, contrary to American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations, according to research published online Nov. 30 in Pediatrics.
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Diabetes in Pregnancy Hikes Risk for Metabolic Syndrome
THURSDAY, Dec. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Women who have gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) or gestational impaired glucose tolerance (GIGT) are at increased risk for developing metabolic syndrome after they deliver their infants, according to a study published online Nov. 19 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
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Short-Term Follow-Up Enough for Some Benign Breast Lumps
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Women with palpable breast lesions with benign imaging features can be given short-term follow-up and have similar outcomes to those who undergo biopsy, according to a study in the December issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.
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H1N1 Influenza Rates Drop in Many States
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 2 (HealthDay News) -- H1N1 influenza rates are declining across the United States, but many experts say there will probably be another surge this winter, a federal health official announced Dec. 2.
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Women Researchers Lag Behind Men in Grant Awards
TUESDAY, Dec. 1 (HealthDay News) -- Female physicians with a proven interest in research are less likely to receive prestigious research grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) than are male physicians, according to a study in the Dec. 1 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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