OB GYN News back issues from December 2003:
Bush signs Partial-Birth Abortion Ban: legal challenges underway.(News)
Dec 01, 2003; ... With the president's signature, the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 became law on Nov. 5. Within days, three judges had signed limited temporary restraining orders on the law. Many physicians now wonder whether the law's language could apply to a larger scope of abortion ...
Offering C-section 'on demand' can be ethical: ACOG: committee opinion: doctors 'ethically justified' in performing procedure if certain conditions are met.(News)
Dec 01, 2003; ... A physician who believes elective cesarean delivery is in the best interests of the mother and her fetus is ethically justified in performing the procedure, according to a committee opinion issued last month by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. "This is ...
Studies: sexual function not hurt by hysterectomy: improvements reported: outcomes evaluated at up to 6 months.
Dec 01, 2003; ... LA JOLLA, CALIF. -- Sexual function does hot diminish and may even improve after hysterectomy, according to two new studies. In the first study, 70% of 70 women said they had no net change or an increased desire for sex at an average follow-up of 170 days after hysterectomy, ...
Oocyte cryopreservation now feasible, expert says: especially oncology patients.(News)
Dec 01, 2003; ... SAN ANTONIO -- Oocyte cryopreservation, once considered highly experimental, should now be presented as a viable option to women--especially oncology patients, according to one of the leading experts in this procedure. "Now this technique is feasible," said Dr. Eleonora Porcu ...
Doctor says laparoscopic surgery a money loser: one surgeon's experience.
Dec 01, 2003; ... LAS VEGAS -- Surgeons spend more time but make less money when they perform hysterectomies and myomectomies in Medicare and managed care patients using a laparoscopic rather than an open approach. Compared with open surgeries, laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy ...
Redefining [beta]-HCG in viable pregnancies: rose 50% every 2 days.
Dec 01, 2003; ... SAN ANTONIO -- Serial [beta]-HCG levels rose at a minimum of only 50% every 2 days in a study of 293 viable first-trimester pregnancies, contradicting the widely held belief that levels should rise at least 66%. "This should hopefully change our clinical care. We were ...
Ask about SUI.(Guest Editorial)
Dec 01, 2003; ... In my experience, the recognition of stress urinary incontinence--the most common form of incontinence in women--is poor in the primary care setting, regardless of the patient's age. More than 50% of affected women will not voluntarily discuss the condition with their physician ....
Nonspiritual history.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
Dec 01, 2003; ... The enthusiasm that Dr. Harold G. Koenig has for a documented spiritual history in the medical record is misguided at best ("Pro & Con: Should physicians conduct spiritual histories of their patients?" Oct. 15, 2003, p. 8). It is reflective of a disturbing political trend as ...
HIPAA isn't helping us.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
Dec 01, 2003; ... In "Pro & Con: Is HIPAA helping in any way?" Both Dr. Richard Sacks-Wilner and Dr. David Kibbe seemed to skirt the real issues. They made certain rather blatant points, but then missed the forest for the trees (Oct. 1,2003, p. 7). The Health Insurance Portablility and ...
Tort system or lottery?(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
Dec 01, 2003; ... The article on the recent General Accounting Office report failed to provide a sufficient critical analysis of the government's findings ("Malpractice Woes Haven't Cut Access,'" Oct. 15, 2003, p. 1). The report was the result of a fairly superficial review of the practices of a ...
Parenteral estrogen.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
Dec 01, 2003; ... Most studies done on hormone replacement have condemned estrogen with or without progestin as a major cause of adverse effects in postmenopausal women who have used oral estrogen ("Studies Confirm Adverse Effects of Combination HRT," Sept. 15, 2003, p. 1). The major circulating ...
Should PBMs work with physicians to develop formularies?(Pro & Con)
Dec 01, 2003; ... YES The job of managing the pharmacy benefit is an essential element of the overall health care management equation. Left unmanaged, plan sponsors' costs would rise at faster rates, with the ultimate result of reduced benefits and higher costs to consumers. Drug formularies are ...
C-section optional if maternal HIV load is low: below 1,000 copies/ml.(Obstetrics)
Dec 01, 2003; ... ATLANTA -- Combination antiretroviral therapy today is sufficiently effective that elective cesarean section is not always required to prevent vertical transmission in HIV-infected pregnant women. During the 1990s a European randomized clinical trial and a metaanalysis of 15 ...
C-reactive protein elevation linked to gestational diabetes: early pregnancy.(Obstetrics)
Dec 01, 2003; ... ATLANTA -- Elevations in maternal C-reactive protein during early pregnancy are associated with an increased risk for gestational diabetes, Dr. Chun-Fang Qiu said at the annual meeting of the Society for Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiologic Research. In a prospective cohort ...
In utero antidepressant exposure.(Drugs, Pregnancy, And Lactation)
Dec 01, 2003; ... Data on the risk of fetal malformations and adverse peripartum events associated with in utero exposure to antidepressants are reassuring, especially with regard to the tricyclics and some of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Prospective data on the longer-term neurobehavioral ...
Low insufflation key to laparoscopy in pregnancy: try to avoid surgery in first trimester.(Obstetrics)
Dec 01, 2003; ... LAS VEGAS -- When performing laparoscopic surgery on a pregnant patient, try to keep the pneumoperitoneum insufflation pressure between 7 and 12 mm Hg, and never exceed 15 mm Hg, speakers advised at an international congress of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons. Higher ...
Thyroid antibodies not tied to previous fetal loss: pregnant women.(Obstetrics)
Dec 01, 2003; ... PALM BEACH, FLA. -- Circulating thyroid antibodies are not associated with previous fetal loss, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Thyroid Association. Previous researchers associated recurrent fetal loss with presence of antiphospholipid and ...
Epigastric pain in preeclampsia a dangerous sign: evaluate immediately.(Obstetrics)
Dec 01, 2003; ... ATLANTA -- A woman with preeclampsia who suddenly develops epigastric pain must be evaluated immediately, because this portends the imminent development of seizures, Dr. Jeffrey H. Korotkin said at a conference on high-risk obstetrics sponsored by Symposia Medicus. Eclampsia can ...
Breast-feeding may cut diabetes risk in child: Pima Indian population.(Obstetrics)
Dec 01, 2003; ... STANFORD, CALIF. -- Women may lower the chances of their children eventually developing diabetes by exclusively breast-feeding them for 2 months or more during infancy, if data from studies in Pima Indians hold up in other populations, Dr. David J. Pettitt said at a conference on perinatal ...
Glyburide bandwagon is picking up steam: gestational diabetes.(Obstetrics)
Dec 01, 2003; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- The 14 perinatologists at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in San Francisco seldom agree on anything, but they do agree on glyburide as the drug of choice to treat gestational diabetes, Dr. Robin Field said at a meeting on antepartum and intrapartum management sponsored by ...
Brush up on ICD-9 criteria for eclampsia, preeclampsia: chart review.(Obstetrics)
Dec 01, 2003; ... LA JOLLA, CALIF. -- Of the ICD-9 coding errors associated with eclampsia and preeclampsia detected in a review of a hospital discharge database, 82% involved clinician errors, Stacie Geller, Ph.D., reported. These findings suggest that residents should be better trained to ...
Transvaginal US of cervix before labor induction: instead of digital exam?(Obstetrics)
Dec 01, 2003; ... PARIS -- Transvaginal ultrasound of the cervix is a potential alternative to digital examination before induction of labor, Dr. Elisabeth Peregrine said at the 13th World Congress on Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. The Bishop score--comprising position of the cervix in ...
Study compares urethral bulking agents at 1 year: recalcitrant stress urinary incontinence.(Gynecology)
Dec 01, 2003; ... HOLLYWOOD, FLA. -- The urethral bulking agent Uryx improved stress urinary incontinence comparably or better than Contigen 12 months after treatment in a multicenter study presented at the annual meeting of the American Urogynecologic Society. "The study is part of the attempt ...
Major perineal vaginal delivery trauma tied to fecal incontinence: 6 weeks after childbirth.(Gynecology)
Dec 01, 2003; ... HOLLYWOOD, FLA. -- Major perineal trauma from vaginal delivery increases the risk for fecal incontinence 6 weeks after childbirth, according to a follow-up study in women at low risk for the disorder. It is estimated that up to 15% of women experience fecal incontinence and up ...
Nonsurgical fecal incontinence Tx often works: biofeedback, bowel management.(Gynecology)
Dec 01, 2003; ... ST. LOUIS--Nonsurgical treatment for fecal incontinence is often sufficient, Dr. Wayne B. Tuckson said at the 13th International Pelvic Reconstructive and Vaginal Surgery Conference. Changes in dietary habits, such as avoiding gaseous foods, limiting caffeine, and increasing ...
Low postmenopausal libido? go take a hike: small study.(Gynecology)
Dec 01, 2003; ... SAN ANTONIO -- If your menopausal patients have low libido, tell them to take a hike, literally. Results of a small, 5-year study of sexual satisfaction in naturally menopausal women suggest that exercise can fight decreasing sex drive. "There's no question that treating low ...
Warmed, wet C[O.sub.2] for laparoscopy cuts swelling: study of 52 patients.(Gynecology)
Dec 01, 2003; ... LAS VEGAS -- Warming and wetting C[O.sub.2] gas for laparoscopy reduced peritoneal inflammation as measured by C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 levels, compared with unmodified gas in a study of 52 patients. Previous studies have shown that warming and humidifying C[O.sub.2] ...
Cancer of all stages can recur at port sites: gynecologic cancer.(Gynecology)
Dec 01, 2003; ... LAS VEGAS -- Gynecologic cancer of any stage may recur at laparoscopic port sites, Dr. Pedro T. Ramirez said at an international congress of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons. Though the risk is small, it is not limited to patients diagnosed with advanced-stage cancer, ...
Power Doppler data may aid endometrial Ca Dx: postmenopausal bleeding.(Gynecology)
Dec 01, 2003; ... PARIS -- Objective quantification of power Doppler signals can contribute to the diagnosis of endometrial cancer in women with postmenopausal bleeding, Dr. Elisabeth Epstein reported at the 13th World Congress on Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. However, the qualitative ...
Age, comorbidity predict use of pessaries beyond 1 year: pelvic organ prolapse.(Gynecology)
Dec 01, 2003; ... HOLLYWOOD, FLA. -- Age greater than 65 years and severe comorbidity were significant predictors of continued pessary use after 1 year for women with pelvic organ prolapse, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Urogynecologic Society. "Age was such ...
Investigational assays for STDs found accurate: involve self-collected vaginal swabs.(Gynecology)
Dec 01, 2003; ... CHICAGO -- Investigational assays for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae via self-collected vaginal swabs are equivalent in their high accuracy to nucleic acid amplification tests already approved by the Food and Drug Administration for detection of symptomatic ...
Overactive bladder symptoms may mask IC: treatment-resistant cases.(Gynecology)
Dec 01, 2003; ... LAS VEGAS -- More than hall of the 25 million Americans who surfer from overactive bladder symptoms may have interstitial cystitis, Dr. Maurice K. Chung said at an international congress of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons. Every year, an estimated 700,000 people are ...
Preventive services inconsistent in Medicare visits: 30% did not receive an influenza vaccine.(Practice Trends)
Dec 01, 2003; ... Relatively few Medicare beneficiaries get all of the preventive services they need at the physician's office, the General Accounting Office reports. Most beneficiaries visit a physician several times a year and get some preventive services. However, in 2000, 30% did not receive ...
Liability makes a hike.(Policy & Practice)
Dec 01, 2003; ... Ob.gyn. practices experienced a 67% increase in professional liability costs from 1998 to 2002, the Medical Group Management Association reports in its 2003 cost survey. Operating costs for medical group practices increased by 7.47% in 2002, due largely to rising professional liability ...
Gender differences.(Policy & Practice)
Dec 01, 2003; ... The Food and Drug Administration is seeking better information about how gender impacts response to drugs, says Dr. Mark McClellan, FDA commissioner. For example, FDA is moving toward a more fully electronic information environment for monitoring and using demographic information in ...
Women with HIV/AIDS.(Policy & Practice)
Dec 01, 2003; ... Women are more likely to get access to quality care and information about HIV/AIDS when they see a physician experienced in treating the disease, according to the results of focus groups convened by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Participants in the focus groups, which included a ...
Kansas reporting law.(Policy & Practice)
Dec 01, 2003; ... A group of physicians, counselors, and others seeks to halt enforcement of a Kansas law that requires health care professionals to report minors under age 16 who are engaging in sexual relations. This summer the Kansas attorney general interpreted the state's abuse reporting law to require ...
Galderma warned.(Policy & Practice)
Dec 01, 2003; ... Galderma Laboratories withdrew one of its patient informational sheets from distribution after the Food and Drug Administration warned that the company's promotional materials minimized risks to pregnant women. In a letter to Galderma, FDA said that the patient information on Solage ...
31% of Ore. obstetric providers to quit delivering: rural areas hardest hit.
Dec 01, 2003; ... NEW ORLEANS -- The cost of malpractice insurance is driving Oregon physicians to give up delivering babies, according to data presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Almost one-third (31%) of 511 current obstetric providers are planning to ...
Physician assistants have growing role in physician offices: national survey findings.
Dec 01, 2003; ... More physician assistants are working in solo and group medical practices, continuing a trend toward greater collaboration with physicians in the office setting. Nearly 43% of physician assistants (PAs) work in a physician's office, up from about 40% in 2002, according to the ...
Praise for decision in medical marijuana case: seen as free speech issue.
Dec 01, 2003; ... Dr. Marcus Conant is glad that he didn't get his day in court. On Oct. 14, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it had declined to take up the case of Conant v. Walters, in which Dr. Conant was the lead plaintiff. The case revolved around the question of whether doctors have ...
Specialty hospitals see fewer medicaid patients.(GAO Report)
Dec 01, 2003; ... Specialty hospitals cater to fewer low-income patients and emergency cases than do regular hospitals, underscoring their reputation for providing "boutique" care, a General Accounting Office report found. The GAO identified 100 hospitals nationwide that focused on cardiac, ...
New CPT codes for performance measurement: won't be reimbursed separately.(Practical Trends)
Dec 01, 2003; ... NEW ORLEANS -- The 2004 Current Procedural Terminology code manual includes 11 new codes for performance measurement, according to Emily Hill, a coding specialist. "There are things that you do--diabetic foot care, instruction on diet, smoking cessation [counseling]--that ...
Report identifies may errors in Medicare's UPIN files: nearly 50% are inactive.(Practice Trends)
Dec 01, 2003; ... WASHINGTON -- Nearly half of the Unique Physician/Practitioner Identification Numbers in the Medicare program are either no longer in use or have never been used, according to a report from the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector General. "We recognize ...
Focus on front-office issues to improve practice efficiency: computerized time-clocks, labels.(Practice Trends)
Dec 01, 2003; ... LAS VEGAS -- A fresh approach to front-office issues ranging from time clocks to employee perks can help you run a more efficient practice, Dr. Scott Dinehart said at the Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference. Dr. Dinehart offered some pearls he's round useful in maximizing ...
Psychotherapy may help the obese lose weight: behavior modification insufficient.(Clinical Rounds)
Dec 01, 2003; ... NASHVILLE, TENN. -- Psychotherapy is the key component of a successful weight-loss program for many obese patients, Gwendolyn Pla, Ph.D., said at the annual meeting of the American College of Nutrition. Behavior modification is a widely used tool in weight-loss programs, but ...
Walking 10,000 steps a day may not be enough: lacks intensity.(Clinical Rounds)
Dec 01, 2003; ... FT. LAUDERDALE, FLA. -- The popular 10,000 steps per day walking program may not go far enough. Dr. Herbert Marx reached that conclusion after studying a group of 25 overweight and obese men and women who increased their activity to about 10,000 steps per day during a 12-week ...
Colon cancer often diagnosed later in women: reasons unclear.(Clinical Rounds)
Dec 01, 2003; ... NEW ORLEANS -- Women are more likely to have advanced colon cancer at diagnosis and staging than are men, based on a study of Cincinnati-area colon cancer patients presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Family Physicians. "I cannot tell you why we found these ...
Botox may stop headache pain in recalcitrant cases: retrospective study.(Clinical Rounds)
Dec 01, 2003; ... CHICAGO -- Botulinum toxin type A is an effective preventive therapy for headache pain in a variety of patients with primary headache disorder, according to a poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Headache Society. The open-label, retrospective study included ...
Watch for suicide risk factors in elderly patients: depression, social isolation.(Clinical Rounds)
Dec 01, 2003; ... CHICAGO -- Primary care physicians may be the only ones to see the red flags associated with suicide in elderly patients, because most elderly suicide victims never come to the attention of psychiatrists. Primary care physicians should be highly alert to signs of depression and ...
Racial identity may affect impact of trichotillomania on black women: pulling hair from scalp, pubic region.(Clinical Rounds)
Dec 01, 2003; ... CHICAGO -- Trichotillomania among African American women often involves pulling of the pubic hair as well as pulling of hair from the scalp, eyelashes, or eyebrows, which may add to the profound sense of shame patients feel, Angela Neal-Barnett, Ph.D., reported. The compulsive ...
Cell phones, ECG leads are nosocomial pathways: hospitalized patients.(Clinical Rounds)
Dec 01, 2003; ... CHICAGO -- Cell phones and reusable ECG leads have come under scrutiny as reservoirs for multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens that may potentially play an important role in serious nosocomial infections in hospitalized patients. New evidence that the use of cell phones by ...
Women's marital bliss linked to CAD events: stressful marriage triples risk.(Clinical Rounds)
Dec 01, 2003; ... WAIKOLOA, HAWAII -- Women with highly stressful marriages had three times the risk of recurrent coronary disease events and measurable atherosclerosis progression on coronary angiography. Happily married women appeared to be protected from worsening heart disease over the course of a major ...
Type 2 diabetes.(Women's Health Adviser)
Dec 01, 2003; ... Type 2 diabetes currently affects an estimated 7.5% of American adults, and the incidence is expected to reach 9% by 2005, according to American Diabetes Association Clinical Practice Recommendations. The chronic hyperglycemia associated with the condition can impact nearly every organ ...
Cream for injection pain.(Products)
Dec 01, 2003 ... L.M.X.4 (lidocaine 4%) is available over the counter to relieve the pain associated with ...
Low back pain fact sheet.(Products)
Dec 01, 2003 ... "About Low Back Pain and Treatments Your Doctor May Recommend" is a patient education fact sheet available from McNeil Consumer ...
Paxil CR approved for SAD.(Products)
Dec 01, 2003 ... Paxil CR (paroxetine HCl controlled release tablets) is approved for the treatment of social ...
Cart moves medical equipment.(Products)
Dec 01, 2003 ... The Trolley cart can move medical equipment or small computers from room to room. For ...
Cordless surgical headlight.(Products)
Dec 01, 2003 ... The Halo surgical headlight has no cords or cables attached, Instead, the light uses rechargeable lithium ...
Counseling overweight teens.(Products)
Dec 01, 2003 ... The NutriTeen program uses e-mail to teach children and adolescents aged 12-17 about behavior modification, nutrition, ...
Hand hygiene video.(Products)
Dec 01, 2003 ... The "Hand Hygiene: Cleaning Up Our Act" video reviews new guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Produced with a grant from 3M Health Care, the ...
Thin insulin syringe needles.(Products)
Dec 01, 2003 ... The Ultra-Fine II short insulin syringe needle is 31 gauge. The Ultra-Fine insulin syringe needle is 30 gauge and 12.7 mm (0.5 ...
CoaguChek Strips recalled.(Products)
Dec 01, 2003 ... The Food and Drug Administration has posted a recall notice for CoaguChek PT diagnostic test strips (lot numbers 591 and 619), used to determine blood clotting time. Some of the foil pouches enclosing the strips were ...
Blood glucose monitor.(Products)
Dec 01, 2003 ... The FreeStyle Flash blood glucose monitor measures 3 by 1.6 inches and requires a blood sample of 0.3 [micro]L. The monitor is available in major drug ...
Prenatal screening halves CF births: data from large screening program.(News)
Dec 15, 2003; ... LOS ANGELES -- The nation's largest prenatal cystic fibrosis screening program identified 2,003 carriers of CF gene mutations in its first 4 years and resulted in the births of half the expected number of babies with the disease. The program is operated by Kaiser Permanente of ...