Grand Rounds: Taking the guesswork out of diagnosing and managing vaginitis
April 1st 2005An expert shares ways to avoid misdiagnosing vulvovaginal infections by becoming better acquainted with the microscopy of vaginal secretions, routinely using both pH paper and the amine test, and prudently employing vaginal yeast and Trichomonas cultures.
Electrofulguration for low-grade CIN lesions
April 1st 2005An improved version of this long-standing technique is back in favor and once again yielding impressive cure rates. Two experts give step-by-step guidelines for an easy-to-perform ablative alternative for persistent low-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.
Can this assessment tool reduce high-order multiple pregnancies?
April 1st 2005A new prediction model may reduce the rate of high-order multiple pregnancy (HOMP)—triplets or more—by about 75%, but only reduces the overall pregnancy rate by 8%, according to the results of a prospective study from Spain.
Direct pharmacy access to EC does not increase use
April 1st 2005The ability to obtain emergency contraception (EC) directly from a pharmacist does not mean women would be more inclined to use it than if they only had access through a clinic, according to a randomized, controlled trial of over 2,000 women.
Editorial: Preventing VTE: Part 1, hormonal therapy
March 1st 2005Venous thromboembolism (VTE), a leading cause of death and disability in women, principally manifests as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and acute pulmonary embolism (PE). Every year, as many as 600,000 patients develop a PE in the United States, resulting in up to 200,000 deaths.
Bariatric surgery and the ob/gyn patient
March 1st 2005Weight loss surgery may increase fertility but it can also heighten her risk of nutritional deficiencies and the GI problems associated with pregnancy. As more patients seek these procedures, ob/gyns need practical guidelines for managing their care.
Diagnostic Puzzler: A simple UTI that wasn't so simple
March 1st 2005Miss SC was a 21-year-old G4, P0030 at 21 weeks' gestation by last menstrual period and confirmed by second-trimester ultrasound. Her pregnancy, which had been managed through a clinic, was complicated by multiple urinary tract infections and she had recently been diagnosed with pyelonephritis. The condition was treated with IV antibiotics at a community hospital and she was discharged with a prescription for ampicillin to be taken for 7 days. Miss SC said she felt well until 2 days before her second admission to the same community hospital, when she began having sharp, intermittent right upper-quadrant pain that was unrelated to eating.
Ultrasound Clinics: Diagnosing and managing fetal choroid plexus cysts
March 1st 2005Although isolated CPCs rarely have any effect on cerebral function in a chromosomally normal fetus, researchers have recently linked them to trisomy 18. Two experts discuss when to consider invasive prenatal testing.
What's the best way to diagnose insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia?
March 1st 2005Whether you're trying to pinpoint one of the underlying mechanisms behind PCOS, detect diabetes in its preclinical stage, or work up a patient with metabolic syndrome, a more in-depth understanding of the various laboratory approaches to assess insulin function can only improve your diagnostic skills.
What do endometrial cryoblation and cryomyolysis have to offer?
March 1st 2005As more patients with abnormal uterine bleeding look for alternatives to hysterectomy, drug therapy, and D&C, clinicians are turning to endometrial ablation to meet their needs. This brief overview takes a look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of cryoablation.
Can metabolic profiling predict preterm delivery?
March 1st 2005Metabolic profiling of amniotic fluid (AF) is a new way to identify which women experiencing preterm labor are also at risk for preterm delivery, with and without infection or inflammation, according to prize-winning research presented at the SMFM meeting.
RH disease management: Has Doppler replaced amniotic fluid assessment?
March 1st 2005Perhaps so. Measuring middle cerebral artery (MCA) peak velocity on Doppler ultrasound is significantly better at predicting severe fetal anemia than traditional assessment via amniotic fluid ?OD450, says a well-designed clinical trial involving a large cohort of fetuses. In addition, it's noninvasive and can safely replace the AF assessment in managing Rh-alloimmunized pregnancies.