OB/GYN Clinical Alert – May 1, 2025

Are Male Partners the Key to Preventing Recurrent Bacterial Vaginosis?

In this open label, randomized controlled trial, couples in monogamous relationships whose female partner was diagnosed with bacterial vaginosis were randomized to treatment of the female partner only or to treatment of the female partner plus the male partner. After 150 couples had completed the 12-week follow-up period, recurrence of bacterial vaginosis occurred in 24 of 69 women (35%) in the partner-treatment group and in 43 of 68 women (63%) in the control group, indicating an absolute risk difference of -2.6 recurrences per person-year (95% confidence interval, -4.0 to -1.2; P < 0.001).

What Hormonal Side Effects Should New Users of the Levonorgestrel 52-mg IUD Expect?

This secondary analysis compares the incidence of hormone-related side effects of the levonorgestrel 52-mg intrauterine device (IUD) between users who previously were using combined hormone contraceptives vs. nonhormonal contraceptives to understand which side effects can be directly attributed to the IUD and which are more likely secondary to discontinuation of combined hormonal contraceptives.

Actinomycin-D Treatment for Preventing Post-Molar Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia

This 28-year retrospective cohort study demonstrated that administration of a single 1.25 mg/m² intravenous dose of actinomycin-D at the time of uterine evacuation for patients with high-risk complete hydatidiform molar pregnancies was associated with a significantly lower rate of post-molar gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (19% vs. 40%, P < 0.001) and a 52% reduction in relative risk (RR; RR = 0.48; 95% confidence interval, 0.35-0.66) in the development of post-molar gestational trophoblastic neoplasia.

Obesity in Pregnancy

Obesity in pregnancy can be attributed to multiple factors that include genetic predispositions, lifestyle factors (such as diet and physical activity), and socioeconomic conditions. Over the last two decades, there has been a significant rise in obesity rates among pregnant women, particularly with a notable 33% increase from 2001 to 2018 in women aged 20 to 39 years.