Pediatrics

No issue is more central to global well-being than the health of mothers and their babies. Every individual, every family, every community at some point or another is intimately involved with pregnancy and the success of childbirth. And yet every day, 1,600 women and more than 10,000 newborns die due to complications that could have been prevented.

Counseling patients on screening for Down syndrome has long been a challenge. Findings from the FASTER trial provide solid evidence upon which to base recommendations for first- or second-trimester testing, or a combination of both.

Researchers from Scotland have created a model to accurately predict for how long a woman treated with ovarian radiation can still become pregnant.

Abiding by the old rules and waiting for a severely preeclamptic patient's diastolic blood pressure (BP) to reach or rise above 110 mm Hg before beginning to treat hypertension can invite a deadly stroke, warned a leading Jackson, Miss. maternal-fetal medicine researcher. Instead, consider treating as a hypertensive emergency a pregnant patient's sudden severe systolic BP reading of 155 to 160 mm Hg or more, regardless of the diastolic reading, said James N. Martin, Jr., MD, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Obstetrics at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine.

A cholesterol-lowering diet during pregnancy may do more than just modify maternal lipid levels; it may significantly reduce the rate of preterm birth among low-risk women, according to researchers from Norway.

It seems that making emergency contraception (EC) available over-the-counter (OTC) changes nothing except where such contraception is obtained.

Because there is no increased incidence of infant resuscitation during cesarean sections performed with regional anesthesia for reasons other than fetal distress or malpresentation, pediatricians need not be present, according to a recent cohort study from Australia.

Regardless of the specific screening option chosen, what is clear is that the inclusion of NT measurements optimizes Down syndrome screening.

IVF- and ICSI conceived singleton fetuses are at higher risk of birth defects, IUGR, PTD, and perinatal mortality.

Excessively large breasts can be so painful that even the rare risk of losing her nipples and areolae won't dissuade a woman from undergoing reduction surgery. This article—by two plastic surgeons—gives you information on the pros and cons of various surgical approaches so you can educate patients about all of their options.

HPV infection is on the rise in teens and typically transient—yet it still raises the risk of dysplasia. The authors offer evidence-based yet practical guidelines for this management challenge.

Nor does it reduce the risk of perinatal death or other major maternal or neonatal disorders in women in labor who have thick meconium staining of amniotic fluid.

IVF- and ICSI conceived singleton fetuses are at higher risk of birth defects, IUGR, PTD, and perinatal mortality.

Being familiar with the risk factors that predispose a patient to cord prolapse is the first step toward preventing the complication. Recognizing the early warning signs is the first step toward averting a life-threatening disaster.

The research says that the drug can benefit women at risk, but how exactly should these data be applied in clinical practice? Two experts offer some valuable insights.

Proper evaluation of a key muscle group can identify pelvic floor myalgia—an often unsuspected but highly treatable cause of insertional dyspareunia and pelvic pain. An expert tells how to proceed with diagnosis and treatment.

Glyburide is as effective as insulin for women with gestational diabetes mellitus and a fasting plasma glucose of 140 mg/dL or less on a 3-hour glucose tolerance test, according to a 4-year retrospective study of a large and diverse managed-care population.

While advances in perinatal medicine, including surfactant therapy and increased use of antenatal steroids, have increased the survival rate of extremely low birthweight (ELBW) babies (

Many readers may be surprised to learn that in 1965, 30 states had laws prohibiting or restricting the sale and/or use of contraceptives.

Practicing difficult deliveries on a manikin is not only for residents. Obstetricians in some areas may be able to reduce their malpractice premiums by taking simulation courses.

Ob/gyns rely on medical technology every day to care for their patients. But are you using the same devices as other ob/gyns across the country? A survey commissioned by Contemporary OB/GYN lets you see how you stack up with your colleagues in adopting these tools.

Can a radical approach that's counter to conventional wisdom cut climbing cesarean rates by inducing labor in patients with risk—before their risk becomes an indication for C/S? It's certainly controversial—but it just might be right!

Can a radical approach that's counter to conventional wisdom cut climbing cesarean rates by inducing labor in patients with risk—before their risk becomes an indication for C/S? It's certainly controversial—but it just might be right!

A 2004 survey of physicians aged 50 to 65 showed that 64% felt physicians being trained today are not as hard working as those with whom they trained.

The scientific evidence to date-including the authors' recent RCT-says no. Were EC to be available over-the-counter, it would not encourage risky sex nor increase rates of STI.