Scientists supported by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, part of the National Institutes of Health, report in this week?s New England Journal of Medicine that pregnant women who received non-surgical treatment for their periodontal, or gum, disease did not also significantly lower their risk of delivering a premature or low-birthweight baby.
Amniocentesis, or an Amniotic Fluid Test (AFT), is a medical procedure used for prenatal diagnosis, in which a small amount of amniotic fluid is extracted from the amnion around a developing fetus. It is usually offered when there may be an increased risk for genetic conditions in the pregnancy.
Amniocentesis is the most commonly prescribed invasive test performed during pregnancies in the United States. Most women fear them while doctors recommend them based on guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. These guidelines stem from past research studies and recommendations by the CDC that were based only on maternal age.
Intrauterine contraception (IUC) is very effective, with a failure rate of less than one percent (similar to that of sterilization), which is one reason why many female ob/gyns choose this method of birth control for themselves. In fact, research shows that female ob/gyns are nine times more likely to choose an IUC for themselves compared with women in general. Misinformation and misperceptions about the IUC may have contributed to its limited use among women in the U.S. to date.
A Cross-sectional study “Seasonal patterns and preterm birth: a systematic review of the literature and an analysis in a London-based cohort” conducted by SJ Lee,a PJ Steer,b V Filippia at Eighteen maternity units in a London health region from 1988 to 2000. The objectives of this study included a systematic review of the countries in which a seasonal pattern of preterm birth has been reported and an analysis on the seasonal variability of preterm birth in a London-based cohort.
Caesarean section rates in Chile are reported to be as high as 60% in some populations. A new study “Chilean women’s preferences regarding mode of delivery: which do they prefer and why?” conducted by ACE Angeja,a AE Washington,a JE Vargas,a R Gomez,b I Rojas,c AB Caugheya. The purpose of this study was to determine pregnant Chilean women’s preferences towards mode of delivery.
To test the null hypothesis that, after 28 weeks of gestation, uterine blood flow during supine rest and supine exercise is no different than uterine blood flow at left-lateral rest, RM Jeffreys,a W Stepanchak,a B Lopez,a,b J Hardis,a JF Clapp IIIa,b,c conducted study in pregnant women at Department of Obstetrics, MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA.
The rising demand and increasing scarcity of donor oocytes in developed countries have led to some fertility clinics sourcing oocyte donors from abroad, particularly from poorer countries, in what is referred to as ‘transnational’ or ‘international’ oocyte donation. In a further new ‘twist’ to this scheme, frozen sperm of the recipient’s male partner is exported abroad through courier mail and is used to fertilise donor oocytes in a foreign clinic to produce embryos, which are then cryopreserved and imported back by mail for transfer to the woman.
Conventional treatment for genital warts, which are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV), typically focuses on the visible lesions, leaving the possibility that latent infection could persist. That can result in transmission of the virus to sexual partners, and the infection could progress to cervical cancer.
A woman in her 50s gave birth last year to a baby she had carried for her daughter, who is unable to bear children, the head of a maternity clinic in Nagano Prefecture announced Sunday. The revelation could stir further debate about births by surrogate mothers, which are opposed by both the health ministry and the nation’s obstetrician association.