Contraceptive Technology Update – March 1, 2016

March 1, 2016

• Push is on to increase postpartum use of LARC

  Your next patient is a young mother of two, and her youngest child is less than a year old. While she was using combined oral contraceptives to prevent pregnancy, her busy schedule compromised compliance. The lab results are in: The pregnancy test is positive.

  Read more about Push is on to increase postpartum use of LARC - Contraceptive Technology Update – March 1, 2016

• Could premenstrual syndrome be a flag for future risk of hypertension?

  Results of a new study indicate that women with moderate-to-severe PMS had a 40% higher risk of developing high blood pressure during the following 20 years compared to women experiencing few menstrual symptoms.¹

  Read more about Could premenstrual syndrome be a flag for future risk of hypertension? - Contraceptive Technology Update – March 1, 2016

• Antifungal drug tied to miscarriage risk

  In a retrospective analysis of 1.4 million pregnancies in Denmark, use of the oral antifungal medication fluconazole during pregnancy was tied to a significantly increased risk of spontaneous abortion associated with fluconazole exposure (HR, 1.48; 95%CI, 1.23-1.77), compared with risk among unexposed women and women who used a topical antifungal during pregnancy. Until more data on the association are available, cautious prescribing of fluconazole in pregnancy might be advisable. Although the risk of stillbirth wasn’t significantly increased, this outcome should be investigated further.¹

  Read more about Antifungal drug tied to miscarriage risk - Contraceptive Technology Update – March 1, 2016

• Elevated testosterone levels might increase risk of uterine fibroids

  Women who have high levels of both testosterone and estrogen in midlife might face a greater risk of developing benign uterine fibroids than women with low levels of the hormones, results of a new study indicate.¹

  Read more about Elevated testosterone levels might increase risk of uterine fibroids - Contraceptive Technology Update – March 1, 2016

• Supreme Court cases loom large in 2016

  The most consequential reproductive health-related drama in Congress in 2016 most likely played out in January.

  Read more about Supreme Court cases loom large in 2016 - Contraceptive Technology Update – March 1, 2016

• New option for vaginal discomfort after menopause

  Results of a recent Phase III trial suggest that intravaginal dehydroepiandrosterone could provide women who cannot or do not wish to use intravaginal estrogen with an effective vaginal alternative for easing vaginal symptoms and pain with sex after meno-pause.¹ The drug, under development as Intrarosa by Endoceutics, a North American biopharma company, is under review by the FDA.

  Read more about New option for vaginal discomfort after menopause - Contraceptive Technology Update – March 1, 2016

• Snapshot from National HIV Prevention Conference: Strides have been made, yet hurdles remain

  The December 2015 National HIV Prevention Conference saw exciting developments announced by the CDC and partners, including new data on trends and disparities in the U.S. HIV epidemic.

  Read more about Snapshot from National HIV Prevention Conference: Strides have been made, yet hurdles remain - Contraceptive Technology Update – March 1, 2016

• Azithromycin remains effective in treatment of urogenital chlamydia, study data suggest

  Results of a new study, conducted by researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the Los Angeles-based University of Southern California, and the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, confirm that azithromycin remains effective in the treatment of urogenital chlamydia.¹

  Read more about Azithromycin remains effective in treatment of urogenital chlamydia, study data suggest