American journal of obstetrics and gynecology
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Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. · Sep 2017
Randomized Controlled TrialRandomized controlled trial of intravenous acetaminophen for postcesarean delivery pain control.
Cesarean delivery is a common surgery in the United States, with 1.3 million performed during 2009.1 Obstetricians must balance the growing concern with opioid abuse, dependence, and side effects with optimal postoperative pain control. Intravenous acetaminophen may represent an additional method to decrease the reliance on opioid medications and improve postoperative pain following cesarean delivery. ⋯ Intravenous acetaminophen in the postoperative period following cesarean delivery resulted in a significant decrease in oral narcotic consumption for pain control.
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Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. · Sep 2017
Observational StudyTrends in malpractice claims for obstetric and gynecologic procedures, 2005 through 2014.
Interest in medical malpractice and areas of medicolegal vulnerability for practicing obstetricians and gynecologists has grown substantially, and many providers report changing surgical practice out of fear of litigation. Furthermore, education on medical malpractice and risk management is lacking for obstetrics and gynecology trainees. Recent obstetric and gynecologic malpractice claims data are lacking. We report on recent trends in malpractice claims for obstetrics and gynecology procedures, and compare these trends to those of other medical specialties. ⋯ Litigation claims for obstetrics and gynecology procedures have higher average indemnity payments and higher paid-to-closed ratios than most other medical specialties. Claims most frequently relate to gynecologic surgery, but obstetric procedures are more expensive. Possible factors may include procedural experience and unique perioperative complications. We encourage efforts addressing procedures, litigation, and quality interventions to improve outcomes, mitigate risk, and potentially lower indemnity payments.
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Despite decades of attempts to link infectious agents to preterm birth, an exact causative microbe or community of microbes remains elusive. Nonculture 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing suggests important racial differences and pregnancy specific changes in the vaginal microbial communities. A recent study examining the association of the vaginal microbiome and preterm birth documented important findings but was performed in a predominantly white cohort. Given the important racial differences in bacterial communities within the vagina as well as persistent racial disparities in preterm birth, it is important to examine cohorts with varied demographic compositions. ⋯ In a predominantly African-American population, a significant decrease of vaginal microbial community richness and diversity is associated with preterm birth. The timing of this suppression appears early in pregnancy, between the first and second trimesters, suggesting that early gestation may be an ecologically important time for events that ordain subsequent term and preterm birth outcomes.
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Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. · Sep 2017
Multicenter StudyBRCA mutational status, initial disease presentation, and clinical outcome in high-grade serous advanced ovarian cancer: a multicenter study.
In the last decades, there have been several efforts to clarify the role of BRCA mutational status in women with advanced ovarian cancer, demonstrating its role in cancer development, as well as the prognostic significance of BRCA genotype. ⋯ Women with BRCA1/2 mutations show at diagnosis higher peritoneal tumor load and increased frequency of bulky lymph nodes compared to patients without germline BRCA mutations. Primary debulking surgery seems to ensure a longer progression-free survival in women with BRCA wild type genotype compared to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. BRCA testing might be a reliable tool to personalize treatment in patients with high-grade serous ovarian cancer, thus giving novel points of discussion to the ongoing debate regarding the best initial treatment approach.
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Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. · Sep 2017
Impact of USPSTF recommendations for aspirin for prevention of recurrent preeclampsia.
The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends low-dose aspirin for the prevention of preeclampsia among women at high risk for primary occurrence or recurrence of disease. Recommendations for the use of aspirin for preeclampsia prevention were issued by the US Preventive Services Task Force in September 2014. ⋯ Rates of recurrent preeclampsia among women with a history of preeclampsia decreased by 30% after release of the US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation for aspirin for preeclampsia prevention. Future prospective studies should include direct measures of aspirin compliance, gestational age at initiation, and explore the influence of race and ethnicity on the efficacy of this primary prevention.