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The latest National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2009-2010 reveal that more than 1 in 3 adult men and women in the United States are obese, as are more than 1 in 6 children and adolescents. The good news I that the figures for both adults and children are largely unchanged from previous periods, suggesting a slowing or leveling off of obesity prevalence.

The pivotal roles of vitamin D and calcium in skeletan metabolism are well known. It's their potential non-skeletal health effects-particularly in preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD)-that are controversial. In vitro and in vivo experimental studies have shown that vitamin D (Figure 1) and calcium (Figure 2) act independently and together to influence multiple physiologic processes that may modify CVD risk.

An estimated 12 million woemn in the United States use the oral contraceptive (OC) pill, making it the most popular reversible method of birth control. Many new hormonal delivery systems offer benefit superior to those of the pill. The vaginal ring, injection, and patch allow less-frequent dosing, which may improve compliance. The intrauterine device and implant are significantly more effective than the pill, with failure rates rivaling those of sterilization. Nevertheless, the pill remains the method of choice for the majority of women, and pharmaceutical companies are therefore eager to develop new formulations. Since the pill was first introduced more than 50 years ago, many of these new formulations have been little more than updated packaging. However, several new brands have emerged recently that are advertised as having noncontraceptive benefits beyond those of older pill formulations, as well as improved bleeding and side-effect profiles.

High levels of estradiol (E2), present during ovulation and immediately after, diminish a woman's ability to protect against infection, according to a recent study from Spain and Austria. This means that women are more susceptible to fungal infection, such as with Candida Albicans (C albicans), or sexually transmitted diseases, such as HPV or HIV, during ovulation than at any other time during the reproductive cycle.

A survey of 72 health organizations found that the growth of physician use of smartphones also has increased the incidence of data breaches, with 96% of respondents experiencing at least 1 data breach in the past 2 years.

A new blood test may safely reveal the gender of a fetus in the first trimester, according to new research published in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.

According to research published in the Annals of Family Medicine, midstream urine testing effectively detects Chlamydia trachomatis.

Fish oil supplements enhance the benefits of strength training in older women, a small Brazilian clinical trial suggests.

Combined oral contraceptives (COCs) reduce menstrual pain in some women, a Swedish long-term study has found. Although COCs are commonly recommended to treat primary dysmenorrhea, a 2009 Cochrane Review called their efficacy into question.

Women with sleep problems have a higher risk of developing fibromyalgia than women who don’t have trouble sleeping, according to a large prospective Norwegian study.

Baseline T score is the most useful way to determine how often to test bone mineral density (BMD) in older postmenopausal women with normal BMD or osteopenia at initial assessment, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (2012;366[3]:225-233).

The Obama administration is considering requiring drug companies to disclose all payments they make to doctors. This would include funds for research, speaking engagements, consulting, entertainment, etc.

Women who take selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) while pregnant may be doubling their unborn child’s risk for persistent pulmonary hypertension, according to new research.

A specific chemical cofactor called BH4 (tetrahydrobiopterin) may be the missing link to understanding and potentially reversing the decline in vascular health that occurs after menopause.

Pregnant women with low serum 25(OH)-vitamin D concentrations (≤46 nmol/L) are more than twice as likely as those with levels ?72 nmol/L to have a child whose language development is impaired.

Women feel pain more intensely than men across a number of diseases, including diabetes, arthritis and certain respiratory infections, according to a study of gender differences in self-reported pain.

This is our LSCS patient, post-op. Currently, she has a history of pain in the lower abdomen and pelvis with scanty discharge from wound site.

Over the past few years, there has been great concern over the presence of alkyl esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (parabens) in consumer products and their link to breast cancer. These compounds have been found in human blood, milk, urine, and breast tissue.

Kevin Giordano, Esq. and John O’Grady, MD, examine two laparoscopic hysterectomies that resulted in occult ureteric injury.Is it possible that the same event might be considered the standard of practice in one case but not the other?

ACOG has issued recommendations to improve care for American Indian and Alaska Native women.

Statin use in postmenopausal women is associated with an increased risk of new-onset diabetes mellitus, according to a new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Our patient presents with a history of 5 weeks of amenorrhoea and scanty bleeding per vagina. Based on her history and ultrasound images, what is your diagnosis?

This is a 30 year old female with polymenorrhea with dysmenorrhoea. What do the ultrasound images show?

Findings published in the latest issue of Cancer Prevention Research suggest that antiestrogen supplements help decrease the risk of subsequent melanoma in patients with breast cancer.

Is the concept of an “accepted complication”-or the identified limitations of medical science-a shield to malpractice claims? Kevin Giordano, Esq. and John O’Grady, MD, explore liability risks of diagnostic laparoscopy.

Although previous studies of a new genital herpes vaccine were encouraging, it failed to protect women in a recent large clinical trial.

Many private practice obgyn's are feeling the pinch of the current economy. Some of them are selling their practice or filing bankruptcy. Who is to blame for this state of affair?

As a gynecological oncologist, I often see patients who want to be tested for cancer because a close family member has just been diagnosed. Understandably, they want to be sure they don’t have it.

Gestational diabetes is a serious concern in pregnancy for both the fetus and mother. In this educational tutorial, review the epidemiology, classification, pathogenesis of glucose intolerance, consequences for mother and fetus, fetal evaluation, screening and more.

Two new studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine point to the importance of using bevacizumab in the treatment of ovarian cancer. Bevacizumab, a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody directed against the vascular endothelial growth factor, has shown single-agent activity in women with recurrent tumors.