OB GYN News back issues from February 2004:
Study links UAE, pregnancy risks: compared with laparoscopic myomectomy.
Feb 01, 2004; ... SANTIAGO, CHILE -- Women whose fibroids were treated using uterine artery embolization are at significantly increased risk of future preterm delivery, malpresentation, and spontaneous abortion, compared with women who've undergone laparoscopic myomectomy, Dr. Jay Goldberg reported. ...
Vital signs.
Feb 01, 2004 ... <Pre> More Women Applying to U.S. Medical Schools Than Men, 2003 Women Men Applicants (34,785 total) 17,67217,113 (50.8%) ...
FDA raises bar for silicone breast implant approval: new guidance issued: recommendation of advisory panel rejected, additional safety data requested.
Feb 01, 2004; ... The Food and Drug Administration has revised its guidelines for manufacturers seeking approval to market silicone gel breast implants, curbing the hopes of the California company that seemed closest to this goal. The new FDA guidance requires more rigorous investigation of ...
Fewer hysterectomies after MEA than resection: randomized trial: outcomes evaluated after 5-7 years.
Feb 01, 2004; ... LAS VEGAS -- Women with menorrhagia who underwent microwave endometrial ablation reported greater satisfaction with the procedure and fewer hysterectomies 5-7 years after treatment than did those who had endometrial resection in a randomized trial of 236 patients. The data ...
Data watch.(News)
Feb 01, 2004 ... Annual Dispensed U.S. Prescriptions for ...
Neuropsychologic deficits may follow breast Ca chemo: recall, language.(News)
Feb 01, 2004; ... SAN ANTONIO -- Chemotherapy for breast cancer appears to exert subtle adverse effects on cognitive function, Barbara Collins, Ph.D., reported at a breast cancer symposium sponsored by the Cancer Therapy and Research Center. Specifically, these neurotoxic effects are most ...
FDA launches effort to ban ephedra products: linked to serious adverse events.(News)
Feb 01, 2004; ... The Food and Drug Administration has announced plans to ban the sale of all dietary supplements containing ephedra, marking the first time the agency has moved to ban a dietary supplement. The agency has issued a consumer alert advising the public to immediately stop buying and using ...
Doctors urged to increase their focus on curbing medical injuries: medical liability crisis.(News)
Feb 01, 2004; ... If physicians want to resolve the medical liability crisis, they'll have to take actions to reduce medical injuries, according to Dr. Steven Schoenbaum and Randall R. Bovbjerg. Focusing solely on capping malpractice awards won't be enough to solve the problem, they contend in an ...
Schedule self-maintenance time.(Guest Editorial)
Feb 01, 2004; ... You've invested a lot of money in your medical equipment, so you're careful to maintain it with regular service and anything else you need to keep it in good working order. Your computers are important to your practice, so you back up your files, upgrade your software, and install new ...
Talk back online.(Opinion)
Feb 01, 2004 ... Are the health savings accounts included in the new Medicare reform law a good idea? (Jan. 1, 2004, p. 21) ...
Does patient cost sharing lead to better care?(Pro & Con)
Feb 01, 2004 ... YES Consumer cost sharing is by no means a preferred tool by which to optimize the value of health spending. A better approach would be to rely primarily on clinicians and hospitals. However, the triad of professionalism, government regulation, and managed care insurers has ...
'A life of decimated value'.(letters)(Letter to the Editor)
Feb 01, 2004; ... The debate over partial-birth abortion has very little to do with abortion and the right to choose ("Bush Signs Partial-Birth Abortion Ban," Dec. 1, 2003, p. 1). This is a social ...
Movement taking step back.(letters)(Letter to the Editor)
Feb 01, 2004; ... It is time someone called this whole anti-episiotomy movement into question. As an ob.gyn. who has done literally thousands of episiotomies over 33 years, I must strenuously dispute Dr. Jay Goldberg's assertion that the episiotomy rate should be reduced and that rectovaginal ...
Early discharge OK in laparoscopic hysterectomy: avoiding an overnight stay.(gynecology)
Feb 01, 2004; ... LAS VEGAS--Women who chose to go home the same day after laparoscopic hysterectomy fared as well as those who stayed longer in the hospital in a study of 359 patients. After undergoing total or supracervical laparoscopic hysterectomy in Kaiser Permanente San Diego hospitals ...
Botox eased chronic pelvic pain in pilot study: levator ani spasms.(Gynecology)
Feb 01, 2004; ... LAS VEGAS -- Promising results from a pilot study may lead to a role for botulinum toxin in relieving certain kinds of chronic pelvic pain, Dr. Sherin Jarvis said at the annual meeting of the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists. Twelve women with pelvic floor ...
Laparoscopic hysterectomy: good long-term results: 357 patients surveyed.(Gynecology)
Feb 01, 2004; ... LAS VEGAS -- Patients who underwent laparoscopic hysterectomy reported high satisfaction rates and had a low incidence of subsequent cervical surgeries or vaginal bleeding an average of 55 months after the procedure in a study of 357 patients. These women, who completed a ...
Offer emergency OCs to sexually active teens: expert opinion.(Gynecology)
Feb 01, 2004; ... CAMBRIDGE, MASS. -- Although controversy rages about whether emergency contraception should be available without a prescription in the United States, as it is in 25 other countries, "medically, there's no reason it shouldn't be over-the-counter," Dr. M. Sheila Desmond reported at a meeting ...
Chemo doses often suboptimal in early breast Ca: large community practice-based study.(Gynecology)
Feb 01, 2004; ... SAN ANTONIO -- Nearly two-thirds of women with early-stage breast cancer experience a substantial reduction in chemotherapy dosing due to toxicity, Dr. Gary H. Lyman reported. This finding from a very large community practice-based study is alarming. It carries important ...
High vegetable fat intake in teen years may reduce breast Ca risk: nurses' health study data.(Gynecology)
Feb 01, 2004; ... SAN ANTONIO -- Dietary fat consumption during adolescence--but not in midlife--may be an important modifiable risk factor for breast cancer, according to Dr. Walter C. Willett. Three separate analyses of data from the first and second Nurses' Health Study (NHS), two of them so ...
Update on breast Ca prevention from lifestyle changes: a 30%-40% reduction is possible.(Gynecology)
Feb 01, 2004; ... SAN ANTONIO -- American women aren't going to be able to lower their breast cancer risk to the extent they'd like solely through dietary changes and other lifestyle measures, according to Dr. Walter C. Willett. "It's pretty clear that we're not going to get a 90% reduction in ...
Cultural factors impact amniocentesis decision: prospective study suggested.(Obstetrics)
Feb 01, 2004; ... LOS ANGELES -- Social, cultural, and demographic factors seem to exert a stronger influence than numeric risk on a woman's decision to undergo amniocentesis following ultrasound and a maternal serum screen positive for Down syndrome, according to a retrospective study tracking records of ...
Folic acid.(Drugs, Pregnancy And Lactation)
Feb 01, 2004; ... It has now been more than a decade since the publication of two critical studies that resulted in the firm conclusion that folic acid supplementation in early pregnancy prevents neural tube defects. These findings led to the recommendation that women of childbearing age should ...
Albumin infusion may aid oliguria in preedampsia: small retrospective study.(Obstetrics)
Feb 01, 2004; ... SANTIAGO, CHILE -- The majority of women with oliguria from preeclampsia benefited from human serum albumin in a study presented at the FIGO World Congress of Gynecology and Obstetrics. There is no consensus in the literature regarding the cause of oliguria in preeclampsia. Dr ....
Failed albumin Tx leads to C-section.(Obstetrics)
Feb 01, 2004 ... Not all women with preeclampsia respond to a human serum albumin, as illustrated by a case reported at the congress. "Cases may not be responsive to human albumin 25-50 g due to small placenta, edema of the villi, or spiral artery avulsion," said Dr. Karlis Adamsons, acting ...
Immigrant women show better birth outcomes: study of New York City births.(Obstetrics)
Feb 01, 2004; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- Better birth outcomes among pregnant foreign-born women in New York City compared with U.S.-born women varied considerably by country of origin, with more problems in babies born to Jamaican women and fewer problems in Chinese babies, Vani R. Bettegowda said. ...
Three pulls, three hours of pushing the limit in operative vaginal delivery: expert opinion.(Obstetrics)
Feb 01, 2004; ... MAUI, HAWAII -- When considering the safety of an operative vaginal delivery, the magic number seems to be three. Results of three studies in recent years show that risks increase significantly with attempted operative vaginal delivery if the mother has been pushing in labor for ...
Delaying pregnancies by a few years might prevent congenital CMV infections: poor, minority women.(Obstetrics)
Feb 01, 2004; ... SAN DIEGO -- Information from epidemiology might be useful in preventing congenital cytomegalovirus infections, Dr. Gary S. Marshall suggested at a conference sponsored by the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society. Young women from poorer backgrounds and women of color are much ...
Notification law overturned.(Policy & Practice)
Feb 01, 2004; ... New Hampshire's recently enacted parental notification law is unconstitutional, says the U.S. Federal District Court in Concord, N.H. The court ruled that the law was unconstitutional because it did not provide a health exception. The law was slated to go into effect on Dec. 31, 2003, and ...
Pap smear suit.(Policy & Practice)
Feb 01, 2004; ... Three law firms have filed a class action suit on behalf of tens of thousands of women who had Pap smears processed by Magee-Womens Hospital in Pittsburgh. The suit charges that the hospital knowingly misrepresented the results of Pap smear tests to gain a greater share of the Pap smear ...
Art success rates.(Policy & Practice)
Feb 01, 2004; ... More than 40,000 children were born in the United States because of assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures conducted in 2001, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 27% of ART procedures in 2001 resulted in the birth of a baby when women used their fresh ...
Italian art rules.(Policy & Practice)
Feb 01, 2004; ... Italian legislators are close to enacting a new law that would ban donor sperm and eggs and surrogate mothers. and limit assisted fertilization to heterosexual couples. The legislation has already been passed by both houses of the Italian parliament. and at press time is awaiting a final ...
Quality report card.(Policy & Practice)
Feb 01, 2004; ... Progress in improving health care quality and eliminating disparities has been mixed, the Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality says. The "National Healthcare Quality Report" and the "National Healthcare Disparities Report" provide a baseline ...
2004 Congress may aim spotlight at uninsured: tax credits to be prominently featured.(Practice Trends)
Feb 01, 2004; ... WASHINGTON -- What will Congress' health policy priority be in 2004? Two words: the uninsured. "The increasing number of people without health coverage truly represents one of the most daunting policy challenges facing our nation," Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) ...
ACOG: Liability top priority.(Practice Trends)
Feb 01, 2004; ... Enacting medical liability reform at the federal level remains the top priority for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists this year. But ACOG also will focus on improving the physician payment method under Medicare, ensuring health care coverage for uninsured ...
Suspicion of scientists clouds support of genetics research: public opinion studies.(Clinical Rounds)
Feb 01, 2004; ... LOS ANGELES -- Americans enthusiastically support using genetic technology to prevent or cure disease, but voice a profound skepticism that scientists can be trusted to use genetic discoveries wisely. Specifically, a nationwide study comprising 21 focus groups and a telephone ...
Dyslipidemia: women's health adviser.(Clinical Rounds)
Feb 01, 2004; ... While cardiovascular disease mortality in men has dropped since the early 1980s, women have not been so lucky. After a substantial drop in the early 1990s, women's rates of death from cardiovascular disease have increased steadily. Yet most women still believe that cancer--particularly ...
Retinoid plus antibiotic is the standard Tx for acne: international expert panel.(Clinical Rounds)
Feb 01, 2004; ... BARCELONA, SPAIN -- Combination therapy utilizing a topical retinoid and an antibiotic ought now to be considered the standard of care in treating mild to moderate acne, according to practice guidelines created by an international blue ribbon panel of acne experts. "This should ...
Migraine spray does well in real-life trials: Zolmitriptan.(Clinical Rounds)
Feb 01, 2004; ... Migraine Spray Does Well in Real-Life Trials SAN FRANCISCO -- Zolmitriptan nasal spray to treat migraine headache performed well in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 912 patients designed to mimic use in real-life settings, Dr. Marek Gawel said in a poster ...
Maximizing myomectomy.(The Master Class)
Feb 01, 2004; ... Laparoscopic myomectomy is a safe surgical procedure with a low complication rate. For patients interested in future fertility, it is without question a better alternative to hysterectomy in managing fibroids. Laparoscopic myomectomy can nearly always be performed on ...
Hand protection from a bottle.(Products)
Feb 01, 2004 ... "Gloves in a Bottle" is a lotion that bonds to the outer surface of the skin, protecting against reactions to latex as well as the drying effects of repeated hand washing. The "invisible ...
Compression stocking aid.(Products)
Feb 01, 2004 ... The Heel Guide compression stocking aid helps patients put on compression hose with less difficulty. The aid has been tested on hose ...
Office computer package.(Products)
Feb 01, 2004 ... HP Medical Office Solution features an HP Compaq computer loaded with Microsoft Office 2003, a drug reference tool, medical forms and ...
Appeals management software.(Products)
Feb 01, 2004 ... The Power of Appeals denial management system provides tools to generate appeal letters and track and analyze insurance claim denials. The software is ...
Web-based administration system.(Products)
Feb 01, 2004 ... The WebSTAFF software system allows physicians to access schedules and input procedure and diagnosis codes and new patient entries by using an Internet browser. The software is ...
Latex examination gloves.(Products)
Feb 01, 2004 ... Bio-Shield Plus latex gloves are powder free and are sold in boxes of 100, which retail for $3.95 per box. Pro-Fit latex gloves are ...
Decontamination device.(Product)
Feb 01, 2004 ... The SterilWand uses ultraviolet waves in the C band to decontaminate surfaces of mold, bacteria, or viruses by destroying the microorganism's DNA, thereby preventing replication. The ...
Instrument cart.(Products)
Feb 01, 2004 ... The Anthro all-metal instrument cart has two shelves which can hold up to 50 pounds each. Its legs have ...
Examination lamp series.(Products)
Feb 01, 2004 ... The PF series of examination lamps have special reflectors to minimize heat output and a safety guard. The lamps are available in ...
Biopsy system for breast lumps.(Products)
Feb 01, 2004 ... The Mammotome breast biopsy system is cleared for use in the management of fibroadenomas. The biopsy procedure involves a 1/4-inch incision to ...
No increase in Ca risk after ablation: low-risk women studied.(News)
Feb 15, 2004; ... LAS VEGAS -- Low-risk women who underwent endometrial ablation between 1978 and 1995 did not increase or decrease their risk for endometrial cancer, compared with age-matched controls, in a retrospective study. Anecdotal reports of endometrial cancers developing after ablation ...
New ovarian Ca screening test to debut next month: targets high-risk women: critics concerned that OvaCheck's accuracy rates remain unpublished.(News)
Feb 15, 2004; ... A new test to screen patients at high risk for ovarian cancer is slated for release next month. But critics say the test, to be marketed as OvaCheck, may not replicate the high accuracy rates shown in studies of a similar test on which it is based. OvaCheck, ...
Early SLE flares tied to poor pregnancy outcomes: fewer live births and term deliveries seen: first and second trimesters.(News)
Feb 15, 2004; ... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Severe systemic lupus erythematosus flares during the first and second trimesters led to a markedly reduced rate of live births and a drop in term deliveries in a study involving more than 200 women, Dr. Michelle Petri said at the annual meeting of the American College of ...
Pregnancy outcomes in SLE patients by disease activity.(News)
Feb 15, 2004 ... <Pre> Pregnancy Outcomes in SLE Patients by Disease Activity Live BirthsTerm Births First Trimester Low Activity84%48% High Activity 58%23% Second ...
Home pregnancy kit and cervical washings may detect PPROM: small pilot study.(News)
Feb 15, 2004; ... BOCA RATON, FLA. -- A small pilot study shows the potential of using a bedside pregnancy kit and cervical washings to detect premature preterm rupture of membranes. When used to measure human chorionic gonadotropin in cervical washings of 52 women with PPROM, the method ...
Singletons from assisted conception shown to have worse perinatal outcomes, compared with twins: review of 25 studies.(News)
Feb 15, 2004; ... Singleton pregnancies due to assisted conception have significantly worse perinatal outcomes than other singleton pregnancies, reported Dr. Frans M. Helmerhorst of University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands, and his colleagues. In a review of 25 studies, including 17 ...
Outcomes of assisted reproductive technology cycles.(Data Watch)
Feb 15, 2004 ... <Pre> Outcomes of Assisted Reproductive Technology Cycles 19.1%Single-Fetus Pregnancy 12.0%Multiple-Fetus Pregnancy 1.7%Indeterminate Number Of Fetuses * 0.7%Ectopic Pregnancy 66.5%No Pregnancy * Number of fetuses not known because the pregnancy ...
After benign biopsy, yearly imaging OK: no interim follow-up.(News)
Feb 15, 2004; ... CHICAGO -- Women who have had a benign breast biopsy do not need interim follow-up and can resume yearly mammography, said Dr. Anthony J. Miller at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America. A retrospective review of 139 cases found that 6-month follow-up ...
Workout for 30-somethings.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
Feb 15, 2004; ... For my Medicaid patients, I find it best to keep weight-loss recommendations as simple and nonthreatening as possible ("Intensive Counseling Recommended for the Obese," Jan. 1, 2004, p. 29). I explore their diets and con them into cutting their portion sizes by one-third ....
Protecting the CME process.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
Feb 15, 2004; ... The Coalition for Healthcare Communication, which represents 11 major organizations with members in all phases of health care communications, gives credit to Dr. Robert W Rebar for recognizing all the measures now in place to protect the independence of the CME process ("Our Relationship ...
Tocolysis timing.(Letters)
Feb 15, 2004; ... I was confused by the article "Careful Monitoring Called Key to Tocolysis" (Dec. 15, 2003, p. 13). Since Dr. Washington C. Hill discussed 20-36 weeks' gestation as a time period to use tocolytics, he appears to advocate the use of tocolytics and steroids before 23 weeks and ...
Avoid new practice pitfalls.(Guest Editorial)
Feb 15, 2004; ... Before accepting that first job in medicine or buying into a practice, it's important for young physicians to do their research. Too often, a physician fresh out of residency will sign a contract without knowing the details about the practice, its financial situation, or reputation, or ...
Should emergency contraception pills be available over the counter?(Talk back online)
Feb 15, 2004 ... <Pre> TALK BACK ONLINE Should emergency contraception pills be available over the counter? (Jan. 15, 2004, p ....
Metronidazole gel bests placebo for recurrent BV: ongoing study.(Gynecology)
Feb 15, 2004; ... PLAYA HERRADURA, COSTA RICA -- Women with bacterial vaginosis treated with vaginal metronidazole gel had a lower recurrence rate and prolonged time to recurrence compared with those on placebo, according to initial results of an ongoing study. Recurrent bacterial vaginosis (BV) ...
HPV types, Ca link studied in young women: HPV 16, 18 implicated.(Gynecology)
Feb 15, 2004; ... PLAYA HERRADURA, COSTA RICA --Certain types of human papillomavirus are associated with a higher risk for cervical cancer and genital warts in young women, according to a study of 600 female university students. Detection of viral types with high oncogenic potential could help ...
Ultrasound, Doppler can flag leiomyosarcomas: vascularity, morphology provide clues.(Gynecology)
Feb 15, 2004; ... LAS VEGAS -- Findings from ultrasound and power flow Doppler imaging of uterine leiomyomas can differentiate suspected leiomyosarcomas that need further work-up from leiomyomas that require surgical or conservative management, Dr. Annalisa Amadio said. A study comparing imaging ...