Browse OB/GYN Clinical Alert Articles by Topic

Gestational Diabetes Risk May Be Higher Earlier in Pregnancy for Women with Sleep-Disordered Breathing

Screening and treatment might need to begin much earlier for these patients.

Accessing Hormonal Contraception by Pharmacy Prescriptions

Access to effective contraception is critical for avoiding unintended pregnancy, which accounts for about 45% of pregnancies overall in the United States. A stopgap step to increasing access is to expand prescribing authority to pharmacists.

Benefits of Delayed Umbilical Cord Clamping

Delayed umbilical cord clamping at the time of delivery resulted in higher mean hematocrit concentrations, with no significant maternal or neonatal complications when compared to immediate umbilical cord clamping.

Intravenous Iron: Does This Therapy Increase the Risk of Infection?

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, among all populations, intravenous iron was associated with a slight increased risk of infection (relative risk, 1.17; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.31) compared to oral iron or no iron. However, there was no difference in mortality or length of hospital stay.

Maternal Outcomes Following COVID-19 Infection in Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Pregnant Patients

Pregnant patients who received the COVID-19 vaccine had lower rates of severe or critical COVID-19 infections compared to pregnant unvaccinated patients.

Are Female Surgeons at Higher Risk for Infertility and Pregnancy Complications?

In this cross-sectional national survey of 850 surgeons, compared to the partners of male surgeons, female surgeons were more likely to have fewer children (1.8 vs. 2.3) and to delay having children because of surgical training (65% vs. 44%). Female surgeons also were more likely to use assisted reproductive technology (25% vs. 17%).

Zuranolone Trial Shows Early Promise as an Oral Neuroactive Steroid for the Treatment of Postpartum Depression

Zuranolone was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of postpartum depression (PPD) in March 2019. One potential factor identified in PPD etiology is the dramatic perinatal changes in circulating levels of allopregnanolone, a neuroactive steroid with gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA_A) receptor positive allosteric modulator properties. In brain regions associated with emotion and self-perception, neural network connectivity supported by GABAergic signaling is positively correlated with plasma allopregnanolone concentrations in individuals with PPD vs. healthy postpartum female individuals.

Is Prenatal Screening for GBS Cost-Effective in the United States?

In this cost-effectiveness study, screening for group B streptococcus (GBS) at 36 0/7 to 37 6/7 weeks, with rescreening (if GBS results are negative after five weeks of initial screening), is the most cost-effective strategy.

Barriers to Abortion Care and Self-Managed Abortion

In this prospective national study among people searching for abortion care online, 28% of respondents reported attempting self-managed abortion. Respondents living farther from an abortion facility and facing barriers to care were more likely to attempt self-managed abortion.

Use of Ursodeoxycholic Acid in Pregnant Women with Obstetric Cholestasis

Ursodeoxycholic acid might be beneficial in reducing the risk of spontaneous preterm birth and meconium-stained amniotic fluid, but not stillbirths, in women with pregnancies complicated by obstetric cholestasis.