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The Washington State Medical Association and five individual doctors have filed a lawsuit against Regence BlueShield for defamation and breach of contract. The WSMA claims Regence BlueShield defamed physicians when it told patients that their doctors didn't meet the "quality and efficiency" standards to be included in the insurer's new performance-based network. The WSMA also says that the health plan breached its contracts with physicians when it dropped them from the network and told patients to find new doctors.

A US Magistrate Judge ruled in November that the Center for Reproductive Rights can subpoena White House documents as part of its lawsuit against the Food and Drug Administration. The center is pursuing a lawsuit to ensure that Plan B is made widely available over the counter to women of all ages. (In August 2006, the FDA approved Plan B without a prescription, but only for women 18 years and older and only behind the pharmacy counter.)

When it comes to productivity, several specialists and primary-care providers are putting in longer hours yet seeing fewer patients. At least that's what the 2006 Medical Economics Continuing Survey (11/3/2006) shows. Chalk it up to more paperwork, the need for physicians to get involved in the administrative side of running an office, and an aging population that requires increased time and attention from doctors.

Although there are rumblings that earnings may finally be on the upswing for primary-care physicians, it doesn't seem so for ob/gyns. The 2006 Medical Economics Continuing Survey (10/20/2006), which sampled office-based MDs and DOs in 23 specialties, showed that ob/gyns saw a 2% drop in compensation from $215,000 in 2004 to $210,000 in 2005. They also saw a 5% loss in practice revenue from $569,300 in 2004 to $540,000 in 2005. These figures are still higher than the earnings of family practitioners, general practitioners, and internists.

Higher total and free estradiol levels in the early follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, and higher total and free testosterone levels in the early follicular and midluteal phases increase a premenopausal woman's risk of breast cancer, according to a prospective case–control study of over 18,000 premenopausal women nested within the Nurses' Health Study II.

The aromatase inhibitor letrozole produces the same number of mature preovulatory follicles and results in a similar pregnancy rate as clomiphene citrate in women with unexplained fertility undergoing gonadotropin-stimulated controlled ovarian hyperstimulation cycles combined with intrauterine insemination (IUI) therapy. That's the conclusion of a new randomized, blinded trial conducted in Mexico.

Despite what some observational studies have suggested, nonsurgical treatment of periodontal disease during pregnancy does not significantly lower rates of preterm birth, low birthweight, or fetal growth restriction.

Midtrimester amniocentesis causes fatal complications in only six out of 10,000 fetuses (0.06%), not five out of 1,000 (0.5%), the oft-quoted CDC statistic, according to a new study.

Long-term survivors of breast cancer are at a slightly decreased risk of stroke or transient ischemic attacks, with the exception of those who received hormone therapy or had hypertension or high cholesterol, according to the results of a study published in the Dec. 1 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Postmenopausal women who report high levels of physical activity are at reduced risk of developing breast cancer, especially estrogen receptor-positive/progesterone receptor-negative tumors (ER+/PR-), than women who are less active, according to data from the Iowa Women's Health Study published in the Dec. 11/25 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Water immersion provides little therapeutic benefit for women with preeclampsia, according to a new report in the December issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

The dramatic decline in teenage pregnancy rates in the United States since 1991 is largely due to improved contraceptive use with a decline in sexual activity playing a relatively small role, according to study findings published online Nov. 30 in the American Journal of Public Health.

Uterine contraction frequency does not predict spontaneous preterm birth occurring before 35 weeks among women pregnant with twins, according to the results of a new study published in the December issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

The use of intrapartum EFM seems to increase the number of cesarean and operative vaginal deliveries.

Are these symptoms of Menopause?Am I experiencing Perimenopause?What should I expect from HRT?

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are considered to be at increased risk of miscarriage.

It is in your best health interest to see your gynecologist or primary care physician regarding specific medical problems or concerns

It is in your best health interest to see your gynecologist or primary care physician regarding specific medical problems or concerns.

It is in your best health interest to see your gynecologist or primary care physician regarding specific medical problems or concerns.

It is in your best health interest to see your gynecologist or primary care physician regarding specific medical problems or concerns.

Women who have undergone uterine artery embolization (UAE) to treat fibroids have a significantly higher risk of delivery by cesarean section as well as an increase in preterm delivery, postpartum hemorrhage, miscarriage, and lower pregnancy rates compared to the general obstetric population, according to study findings published in the November issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Women who have had either a spontaneous or medically indicated preterm delivery (PTD) have a risk of recurrence of either condition with the next pregnancy, which suggests they may have common causes, according to a study published in the September issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Anyone who's been practicing ob/gyn for more than 20 years knows that our profession has changed tremendously, and largely to our great frustration.

Michelle, a 31-year-old G1P0, is in for a routine second-trimester prenatal visit at 18 weeks. During the visit, she mentions that her family is gearing up for their winter vacation. As you are walking out the door, she says, "Oh, by the way... can I ski?"

Metformin, which is being used increasingly to treat polycystic ovary syndrome, significantly increases the likelihood of vitamin B12 deficiency, according to the results of a nested case–control study.

A patient who declines care; Finding an ob/gyn position; Discharging a patient

Although serial amnioreduction is still widely used to treat this dangerous condition, a recent randomized trial found that when compared to amnioreduction at 15 to 26 weeks, overall perinatal survival is higher with laser ablation, which tries to reverse the disease process.

Because of the potential jury verdict exposure, infant brain injury cases attract litigation even when the plaintiff's arguments are not scientifically or biologically plausible. It's often more expedient to settle such an action even when there is no negligence because juries can allocate extraordinary awards simply out of sympathy for the child's plight and the perceived cost of medical care and supervision.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) lowers IVF success by more than 50%, according to the findings of a prospective study of 106 women.

Only third-generation aromatase inhibitors (AIs) and inactivators-not earlier agents-significantly increase survival over standard hormonal treatments in women with advanced breast cancer, according to the findings of a meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials.