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Gynecologists are faced with a number of hereditary cancer tests. Understanding benefits and limits is key to counseling patients.

Mother-to-child transmission of HIV in the United States can be eliminated with the help of obstetricians.

Ob/gyns can take simple steps to help patients understand their personal health information, promoting better outcomes.

A patient filed a lawsuit on behalf of her child alleging negligence by her obstetrician in delaying the delivery when she was in the hospital contracting and had severe abdominal pain. Thus, her uterus was allowed to rupture, which caused the child’s severe brain injury. Plus more malpractice cases.

A recent study compared pretreatment with mifepristone followed by treatment with misoprostol against treating with misoprostol alone for the management of  first-trimester pregnancy loss. Plus: Are patients less satisfied with MDs who reduce opioids? Also: Does infant exposure to hypertensive disorders or pregnancy affect neurodevelopment?

Expert commentary on Practice Bulletin No. 186: Long-Acting Reversible Contraception: Implants and Intrauterine Devices.

Recognition and management of sepsis and septic shock in pregnant women remain a challenge, despite several advances made in the non-pregnant patient population. This article will review how to recognize sepsis and key principles for management of the condition in pregnant patients.

Although gabapentin is recommended and commonly prescribed for vulvodynia, its value in such cases is usually associated with complaints that have neuropathic components, such as dynamic allodynia.

The experimental agent TX-004HR effectively improved the vaginal mucosa of postmenopausal women with vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA) and reduced moderate-to-severe dyspareunia and vaginal dryness compared to placebo, according to results of a trial.

Results of a study by Canadian researchers suggest that exposure to low and medium doses of cranberry juice may have potential to reduce physician visits and costs for women who have a history of recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI).

Results of a Phase 3 randomized clinical trial (RCT) suggest that a combination carbapenem/beta-lactamase inhibitor may have potential in treatment of severe drug-resistant gram-negative urinary tract infections (UTI).

Have you broached the topic of frozen embryos with your patients? What was their response?

According to research recently published in The New England Journal of Medicine, chemotherapy is not more beneficial than treatment with hormone therapy alone for women with certain types of breast cancer. Plus: Do abortions cause depression? Also: Public comments are being solicited on a new systematic review from the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) on unhealthy alcohol use in adults aged 18 and older, including pregnant women.

A new self-administered scale to assess painful symptoms of endometriosis in research trials was recently developed by European obstetrician/gynecologists, the first time such a scale has been created with input from both clinicians and patients.

Meta-analysis of 3 studies of acupuncture for relief of endometriosis-related pain found positive results for reduction in pain intensity, according to recently published research.

The first birth from a groundbreaking trial of in utero stem cell transplantation suggests that fetal therapy may be a viable new option for alpha thalassemia (ATM). Plus: Why do vasomotor symptoms bother some women long after menopause? Also: Does CPAP improve sexual QOL in women with sleep apnea?

Results of a UK study show that while intrauterine infection may contribute to preterm birth (PTB), a reproducible “preterm placental microbiome” does not exist. Plus: Depression in the male partner of couples being treated for infertility was linked to lower pregnancy chances, according to results of a recent study.

Prenatal exposure to tobacco and marijuana can affect infant size and behavior, according to a recently published study. Plus: Is HT-NIPT cost-effective for guiding postpartum use of anti-D? Also: A recent study shows that lesbian and bisexual (LB) women have a greater likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) than their heterosexual counterparts.

Understanding the psychological underpinnings of sexual motivation can be helpful in improving the sexual and relationship well-being of couples affected by vulvodynia, according to recent research.

A small study shows that treatment with CO2 laser induces histological changes in the epithelium and lamina propria that may result in improvement in symptoms associated with vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA).

A recent study shows that mothers exposed to moderate to high levels of caffeine during pregnancy may give birth to infants that gain excess weight in early childhood. Plus: How does ART affect risk of stillbirth? Also: A study found that obese African-American women have significantly lower energy expenditure per kilogram of mass compared to obese white women with similar energy intake and physical activity levels.

Maternal chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is associated with a 16% increase in risk of preterm birth (PTB), with substantial heterogeneity, according to an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

The fetal fibronectin (fFN) test alone had a sensitivity of 66.7% and a specificity of 97.2% in predicting spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB) in symptomatic twin pregnancies, according to a small pilot study of 40 women.

In 2012, a Virginia woman began receiving prenatal care for her seventh pregnancy, during which she was diagnosed with Type II diabetes and obesity. During the delivery, shoulder dystocia was encountered. The baby's right arm was noted to be limp and she was diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury. The woman sued those involved with the delivery, claiming that during the course of her care, the history, physical examinations, and tests showed she had an increased risk for encountering shoulder dystocia during a vaginal delivery.

In the United States, 1% to 2.5% of pregnant women are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), which carries an approximately 5% risk of transmission from mother to infant. HCV can be transmitted to an infant in utero or during the peripartum period.

Providers should be discussing Zika with their patients and educating them about preventive strategies as well as offering screening and testing to relevant populations of pregnant women.

Since hormonal contraception was introduced in the 1960s, the risks and benefits of the drugs have been the subject of considerable, and at times acrimonious, debate.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are among the leading contributors to maternal mortality worldwide. This review describes hypertension-related maternal mortality in the United States and key strategies to improve outcomes.