MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'birth'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:48:16 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158847&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F21%2Fsunday-news-round-up-not-on-vacation-edition%2F I know I’ve been posting infrequently when I get an email from a reader saying they thought I might be on vacation. I’m not. That message was about updates in the Juana Villegas case, which I’ll post about separately later this week. In the meantime, here are some things that have caught my attention recently: New York City is going to make sure middle and high school students get at least a little sex ed as part of their health education classes. Good. Maternal mortality for Black women got a bit of attention at BET. The New York Times explores the issue of pregnancy reduction when there are twins/two fetuses. “Selective reduction” is pretty well accepted (but not uncontroversial) when there are many fetuses, but it apparently seems more complicated to som... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158847 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 15:32:45 +0100 5158847 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139737&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdrlindagalloway.files.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F803342_pills_1.jpg A nurse recently asked a very important question that bears repeating: What effect does long-term use of pain pills have on pregnant women? She was concerned because of the increase in number of pregnant women who are taking pain pills on a long term basis based on previous surgeries, accidents or a history of chronic pain. The most common “pain pills” prescribed are opiates which effectively eliminate or reduce pain but have a great tendency to be abused. Opioids are natural and synthetic type drugs that have the characteristics of morphine. It can only be obtained with a prescription and unfortunately physicians contribute to the problem of dependency and abuse through their lack of scrutiny regarding patient requests. My present home state of Florida has the unsavory distinction of ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139737 Wed, 17 Aug 2011 19:00:46 +0100 5139737 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139738&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fresearch-shows-that-a-pregnant-womans-diet-might-influence-babys-palate%2F2011.08.17 Attention, pregnant women!  The foods you eat now might influence your babies’ palates after they are born.  New research published in the journal Pediatrics, shows that the fetus actually drinks amniotic fluid in the womb.  The amniotic fluid is flavored by the foods the mother has recently eaten and flavors can be transmitted to the amniotic fluid and mother’s milk. It makes sense that as the baby is developing, memories are being created by a sense of taste.  Could what a mother eats influence food preferences and odor preferences for life?  Researchers fed babies cereal flavored with carrot juice vs. water.  They showed that babies who experienced daily carrots in amniotic fluid or mother’s milk ate more carrot-flavored cereal and made less negative faces when e... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139738 Wed, 17 Aug 2011 17:00:00 +0100 5139738 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5125709&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ourbodiesourblog.org%2Fblog%2F2011%2F08%2Frevisiting-the-iud Many women may remember news about the injuries caused by the Dalkon Shield intrauterine device, a product that caused infection and other problems in many women in the 1970s. Newer, safer IUDs are now on the market, and the contraceptive method is apparently being used more and more, reportedly rising from 2.4 percent in 2002 to 5.6 percent by 2008. CommonHealth, a blog at Boston’s NPR affiliate WBUR, explores this rise in the recent post “Why The IUD Is On The Rise (And You Might Want One).” The author, Carey Goldberg, suggests that one reason for the rise may be the convenience of the IUD as a long-acting birth control method that has less chance of user error (compared to birth control pills that you might forget to take, for example). She also explores a bit of the h... Our Bodies Our Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5125709 Fri, 12 Aug 2011 19:15:25 +0100 5125709 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118709&cid=t_96212_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F11%2Fthe-ecstasy-of-crossing-something-off-the-list%2F Recently, my older daughter and I went to the post office to apply for her passport. I’d been dreading this trip for days. Every task associated with it filled me with anxiety — but nothing ended up being as hard as I expected. And as we walked out of the post office, I felt a giant surge of energy, happiness, and relief. Ah, the ecstasy of crossing something off the list! Even accomplishing the smallest task gives me a little jolt. This is my new Secret of Adulthood: Crossing something off the list is very cheering. (Also: Make sure you know where to find family members’ birth certificates. I was very happy when I found that document in the proper file.) (Source: World of Psychology) World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118709 Thu, 11 Aug 2011 10:25:40 +0100 5118709 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096148&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ourbodiesourblog.org%2Fblog%2F2011%2F08%2Fthe-effects-of-birth-control-right-wing-version As previously reported, women with health insurance will soon have access to a host of preventive health care services, including contraception, without having to pay out-of-pocket costs such as co-payments, co-insurance and deductibles. Not surprisingly, the news rankled some conservatives who refuse to acknowledge the long-term economic or health benefits. Take, for instance, Sandy Rios, a FOX News contributor and vice president of the Family-PAC Federal, a conservative political action committee, who likened women’s health needs to beauty services: ”We’re $14 trillion in debt and now we’re going to cover birth control, breast pumps, counseling for abuse? Are we going to do pedicures and manicures as well?” Once again, we turn to Stephen Colbert to explain the outrage... Our Bodies Our Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096148 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 21:09:01 +0100 5096148 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086133&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ourbodiesourblog.org%2Fblog%2F2011%2F08%2Fyes-hhs-approves-iom-recommendations-for-preventive-care-for-women Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that it is adopting the Institute of Medicine’s recommendations for preventive care services for women. This will ensure that women have access to the following services under health insurance plans without having to pay a co-payment, co-insurance or deductible: well-woman visits screening for gestational diabetes HPV testing STI counseling HIV screening and counseling contraception methods and counseling breastfeeding support, supplies, and counseling screening and counseling for domestic and interpersonal violence Coverage for these services is expected to begin Aug. 1, 2012. There is one caveat for some women regarding access to contraception without a co-pay — a provision that “Group health plans spon... Our Bodies Our Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086133 Mon, 01 Aug 2011 19:30:20 +0100 5086133 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086168&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdrlindagalloway.files.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F07%2Fgreys-nursery.jpg No one likes pain, least of all pregnant women. Although obstetricians do a great job providing prenatal care and childbirth deliveries, there is always room for improvement regarding patient education. The management of labor pain is usually delegated to the Anesthesia Department within a hospital or an ambulatory center. The goal of anesthesia is to eliminate physical pain and any suffering that might be a result of pain. However pain and suffering may not always be about cause and effect. To quote the literature, “Although pain and suffering often occur together, one may suffer without pain or have pain without suffering.” Some women want to eliminate pain and others view it as a normal process. However, to the well initiated, it is well known that women who are in pain and “suffe... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086168 Mon, 01 Aug 2011 18:00:35 +0100 5086168 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086114&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F07%2F31%2Fsunday-news-round-up-attack-kitty-edition%2F I haven’t done one of these in a while, having been distracted by the heat, the carless situation, dad’s cancer, mom’s hip replacement re-replacement, work, leveling my first character in Warcraft (now a level 71 undead frost mage – I don’t want to duel you!), and life in general. Tonight, though, I’m at my parents’ house (sitting with mom after said re-replacement), in a town with <30 thousand people that gets really, truly dark at night, World of Warcraft won't run on this computer, and I think I've reached the end of the internet. Might as well do something. The FDA has issued a warning not to use emergency contraception labeled as Evital. The agency says, These products may be counterfeit versions of the “morning after pill” ... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086114 Mon, 01 Aug 2011 04:40:55 +0100 5086114 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069451&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1475     It used to be the norm, that once you  had a Caesarian section, you always had to have one. Not any more. However, opinions differ greatly when it comes to  VBAC  decision. VBAC is now considered a safe option for most women expecting twins, moms who have had two prior c-sections with a transverse incision, and even for those with an unknown incision type. Recovery for VBAC is usually faster which means a shorter stay in the hospital.  This is a decision for you and your doctor together.  If you feel you want to try, about 80 % of VABCs are successful. If you like the odds, then go for it, if you choose to have another section, remember its only important that the baby arrive safely. Read more here from Heidi Murkoff of Whattoexpect.com .   {Click here for a fr... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069451 Wed, 27 Jul 2011 16:55:41 +0100 5069451 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050576&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdrlindagalloway.files.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F07%2F2078708_f260.jpg When we think of skin changes in pregnancy, what immediately comes to mind are stretch marks or Striae Gravidarum . Stretch marks occur because of a breakdown of collagen, a substance that holds the skin together and is responsible for its stretching. Teen pregnant patients are more at risk for having stretch marks. Why is that important? Because, according to medical literature, stretch marks can increase the risk of having lacerations (or tears) during birth. Another fairly common skin condition during pregnant is called Pruritus gravidarum or generalized itching during pregnancy without the presence of a rash. Approximately 14% of pregnant women are affected by this condition and it is associated with twin pregnancies, fertility treatments and diabetes. As stated in my previous blog, it... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050576 Thu, 21 Jul 2011 21:00:59 +0100 5050576 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050452&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F07%2F21%2Finstitute-of-medicine-recommendations-released-birth-control-could-become-a-copay-free-preventive-service%2F The Institute of Medicine released its recommendations of which women’s health services should join the list of copay-free preventive services under the Affordable Care Act health care reform legislation. Birth control was included, along with services related to STIs, breastfeeding, and domestic violence. Over at OBOS, I have more information and links to some good commentaries and coverage of the news. Filed under: Abuse, Rape, & Safety, Access, Rights, & Choice, Breastfeeding, Contraception, Government, HIV/AIDS, HPV (Source: Women's Health News) Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050452 Thu, 21 Jul 2011 12:39:41 +0100 5050452 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050508&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ourbodiesourblog.org%2Fblog%2F2011%2F07%2Finstitute-of-medicine-recommends-birth-control-as-a-covered-preventive-service Good news! You may remember that the health care reform legislation enacted last year included provisions for preventive health care services to be fully covered without requiring patients to have copayments. It was not clear, however, whether birth control would be included as a preventive service. It seems obvious to us, but the Institute of Medicine was asked to make some recommendations about which preventive services for women should be included, and included birth control in those recommendations, released yesterday. If they are adopted, preventive services including birth control could become much more affordable and accessible to women in the United States. The Institute, after reviewing the rate and consequences of unintended pregnancy, effectiveness of birth control, and cost and... Our Bodies Our Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050508 Wed, 20 Jul 2011 17:44:01 +0100 5050508 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050720&cid=t_96212_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F18%2Fthe-importance-of-correlational-studies%2F Correlation does not necessarily imply causation, as you know if you read scientific research.  Two variables may be associated without having a causal relationship. However, just because a correlation has limited value as a causative inference doesn’t mean that correlation studies are not important to science.  The idea that correlation does not necessarily imply causation has led many to de-value correlation studies.  However, used appropriately, correlation studies are important to science. Why are correlation studies important? Stanovich (2007) points out the following: “First, many scientific hypotheses are stated in terms of correlation or lack of correlation, so that such studies are directly relevant to these hypotheses…” “Second, although correlation ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050720 Mon, 18 Jul 2011 22:48:15 +0100 5050720 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008118&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ourbodiesourblog.org%2Fblog%2F2011%2F07%2Fjoin-the-national-womens-law-center-for-a-birth-control-blog-carnival On July 21, the National Women’s Law Center is hosting a “Birth Control: We’ve Got You Covered” blog carnival to talk about the importance of access to birth control and to encourage the U.S. government to include birth control in a list of services that will be available without a co-pay. The Affordable Care Act requires coverage – without a co-pay – for preventive services. Decisions about which services will be included are expected sometime this summer. Advocates, including the NWLC, have been working to encourage the Institute of Medicine and Department of Health and Human Services to include birth control as one of the preventive services to be covered. If you’re unfamiliar with the “blog carnival” concept, it’s when lots of people post... Our Bodies Our Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008118 Wed, 06 Jul 2011 13:56:05 +0100 5008118 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992882&cid=t_96212_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FFkVQLRYvyAY%2F The Daily Mail just announced a list of items, including spending too much time on your computer, that can trigger depression. As if we need to tell you: Sitting around all day playing World of Warcraft on the internet will make you depressed. (Not to mention, earn you a geeky reputation in your social circle… if you still have one.) In general, their list of depression triggers is pretty straightforward, but there were a couple that surprised us — and one that we have a hard time buying. Here’s our take on each miserable-mood culprit: The Pill — OK, birth control just stinks to begin with. According to research studies, women taking the Pill are almost twice as likely to be depressed as those who don’t. Dr. Ailsa Gebbie, vice-president of the faculty of sexual an... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992882 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 20:02:47 +0100 4992882 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4975972&cid=t_96212_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.drmalpani.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fanother-happy-patient-from-malpani.html We had been married for 10 years. We had our careers, home, and friends everything going for us. Just one thing made us feel incomplete, especially me, not having a child of our own. Initially we felt it will happen after 6 months, a year. Then we took treatment. We had hopes. But all the hopes kept dying year after year. What was worst was when elders and relatives kept asking us about when we were planning to have a baby. That pressure was unbearable. But after 10 years I was coming to terms with the fact that I would be childless.We kept reading about the latest developments of science in this field in newspapers and kept tabs of the most successful doctors in the field. But we were afraid of the costs involved and that kept us from approaching them. But then we read some articles abou... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4975972 Tue, 28 Jun 2011 12:52:00 +0100 4975972 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4945193&cid=t_96212_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FWTPjB2gXSJE%2F The thousands of lawsuits filed against Bayer over alleged injuries and deaths relating to the Yaz and Yasmin contraceptives typically dwell on higher risks beyond those of traditional birth control pills and overly aggressively promotion that failed to disclose the possibility of blood clots, in particular. Now, though, a lawsuit charges off-label promotion for acne caused the death of a 15-year-old girl. Here’s the back story… In 2007, Brittany Prewitt began to develope the skin condition and was prescribed Yasmin, which was never approved for acne, but had allegedly been promoted, nonetheless, to dermatologists. She was not sexually active and the pill was not prescribed, in her case, for contraception, according to her lawsuit, which was filed in a North Carolina state cour... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4945193 Sat, 18 Jun 2011 17:04:58 +0100 4945193 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893337&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F06%2F02%2Fvanderbilt-becomes-one-of-few-u-s-hospitals-to-give-women-nitrous-oxide-option-for-labor-pain%2F Nitrous oxide (an inhaled gas) is commonly available in European and other countries as an option for women to help alleviate labor pain, but very few (like, 2 or 3) places in the U.S. offer it. This week, Vanderbilt University* in Nashville, TN began offering this option, which is often of particular interest to women who do not want an epidural but would like something to take the edge off the pain. The Tennessean, a Nashville, TN newspaper, has coverage, as does local tv station WKRN. I’m happy to say that I am working with Shelly (Michelle) Collins and Sarah Starr on a project at work right now, and am excited for them that they were able to get this option implemented. Congrats, ladies! *Full disclosure: this is my larger workplace. Opinions on this blog and pretty much everyw... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893337 Thu, 02 Jun 2011 12:52:04 +0100 4893337 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4883903&cid=t_96212_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FL2T8dkrEaLw%2F One month after a pair of studies found that women taking birth control pills containing a hormone called drospirenone are more likely to develop blood clots than those who take an older oral contraceptive, the FDA has decided to review the evidence. But since other studies have not reported the same risk, the agency is not taking any additional action at this time. The most widely known oral contraceptives containing this hormone are the Yaz and Yasmin pills sold by Bayer. You may recall that one study reviewed insurance data for US women aged 15 to 44 who took a contraceptive pill containing either drospirenone or levonorgestrel after January 2002, and compared 186 women who had had a blood clot with 681 who had not. Those taking newers pill had a 2.3 times greater risk for a blood clot... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4883903 Tue, 31 May 2011 22:12:39 +0100 4883903 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862551&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpregnant-female-prisoners-must-remain-in-shackles-during-c-section-procedures%2F2011.05.24 “But for the grace of God go I.” My late aunt drilled that value into my six-year old head and it has never left. An article regarding a New York politician recently caught my attention. When New York State enacted a bill to ban the shackling of pregnant prisoners, a New York State Assemblywoman objected. The article goes on to discuss the case of Jeanna M. Graves, who, in 2002 was arrested on a drug charge and began a three year sentence. Graves was pregnant with twins and while in labor, was handcuffed during her entire C. Section. How utterly ridiculous. Before a C. Section begins, a patient is usually given either an epidural or spinal anesthesia. On rare occasions, she is put to sleep with general anesthesia if the baby must be delivered emergently. On all accounts, the patient’... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862551 Tue, 24 May 2011 14:00:54 +0100 4862551 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841987&cid=t_96212_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FPnFE-Cg3WGw%2F Good morning, everyone, and how are you today? Here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, we are engaged in the off-to-the-school-house hustle. This calls, of course, for a cup or two of stimulation. How else to gear up for those meetings and deadlines? So please feel free to join us. And here is another invitation: our webinar next week on the injectable drug delivery market. Meanwhile, we offer you these tidbits of the world at large. Have a great day and do stay in touch… North Carolina Delays Vote On Preemption Bill (Associated Press) CDC Blog On Zombie Apocalypse Proves Apocalyptic (AdWeek) Takeda To Buy Nycomed For $13.6 Billion (Reuters) Bill Gates Calls For A ‘Decade Of Vaccinations’ (Pharma Times) J&J Failed To Warn Parents Of Motrin Risks: Lawyer (Bloomberg Ne... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841987 Thu, 19 May 2011 11:47:58 +0100 4841987 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841483&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdrlindagalloway.files.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F05%2F1031747_hospital.jpg At one time, a hospital would be called a 24-hour institution but now it’s a business. Within this business are shift workers that include nurses, technicians, clerical staff and even hospital employed doctors who are now called hospitalists.  In a teaching hospital resident physicians also work in shifts so the responsibility of patient care is always being transferred from one group of healthcare providers to another. Do they always communicate effectively? Regrettably, “no.” Sign-outs, handoffs, shift changes, nurses’ report. These are the multiple names for the process where a departing  provider is responsible for letting the arriving provider know what’s going on with the patient.  According to statistics, 80% of medical mistakes occur during shift changes and 50 to 60% ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841483 Wed, 18 May 2011 16:00:13 +0100 4841483 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813208&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F05%2F10%2F2011-tennessee-womens-health-report-card-highlights%2F Today marked the release of the 2011 Tennessee Women’s Health Report Card, a publication which provides a snapshot of the health status of women in our state, and the disparities they experience. It’s a handy resource for anyone interested in making a case – or understanding the need – for improved health services and community programs, and includes statistics that clearly illustrate some of the challenges we face. Among them: 18.4% of us – or almost 1 in 5 – smoked while we were pregnant. The rate is highest (21.4%) among white women, and lower among African American (10.3%) and Hispanic (2.4%) women. African American women experience tremendous disparities in their infant mortality rate, with 16 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, compared to 6 for... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813208 Wed, 11 May 2011 00:48:20 +0100 4813208 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813290&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdrlindagalloway.files.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F05%2F350by403.jpg If a pregnant woman finds herself scratching and itching during the third trimester, these symptoms should not be ignored. Each year, approximately 0.1 to 15% of pregnant women are affected by a liver disorder called Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy or (ICP). ICP patients tend to develop symptoms of itchiness of their hands and feet that becomes progressively worse and then spreads all over their body. The itchiness usually worsens at night and if untreated can cause jaundice and several life-threatening complications to the unborn fetus. When a pregnant woman complaints of itchiness (pruritus) all over her body, the first order of business is to determine whether a rash is present. If a rash is absent, ICP should be suspected. The liver is the largest gland in the body and in additio... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813290 Tue, 10 May 2011 21:00:28 +0100 4813290 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803258&cid=t_96212_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.drmalpani.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fafter-ivf-2-ww.html We normally do a blood test for HCG 2 weeks after the embryo transfer to find out if the embryos have implanted and if the cycle has been successful or not.This can be a very long 2 weeks , and many women will start doing pregnancy tests 5 days after the embryo transfer.The problem is that even if the embryo has implanted and you are pregnant, the embryo produce such small quantities of HCG for the first few days after it implants ( remember that it's just a microscopic ball of about hundreds of cells or so at this time), that it's not possible to detect this HCG in the blood . To be able to detect the HCG in the urine will take even more time, which is why you need to be patient.Of course, many patients will cheat :) - and this is an email I got from a patient today. A picture is worth a ... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803258 Tue, 10 May 2011 12:37:00 +0100 4803258 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803005&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F05%2F08%2Fsunday-news-round-up-car-freecarless-edition%2F This post is late because I was busy taking the bus to get here.* I wrote several times in 2008 about the case of Juana Villegas, an immigrant in Nashville who was arrested as the result of a traffic stop and ultimately ended up shackled to a hospital bed during labor, separated from her newborn for two days without seeing him, and denied a breast pump or cream for lactating women. This past week, a federal judge ruled in her favor that the shackling during labor and after delivery violated her civil rights. I have a full post up at Our Bodies Our Blog on this topic. I also have a full post up at the OBOS blog on the Skin Deep database, which provides info on the safety and ingredients of skin care and cosmetic products. I spent the last few days at the IHA Health Literacy conference. I... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803005 Sun, 08 May 2011 17:00:17 +0100 4803005 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4767995&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Foops-pre-term-labor-drug-does-more-harm-than-good-to-pregnant-moms%2F2011.04.29 The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued a new warning about a medication that has been used for years and it has sent shock waves throughout my specialty. Terbutaline is an FDA approved medication that is used for asthmatic patients or patients who have significant narrowing of the airways. However for years it has been used as an “off-label” medication to treat preterm labor but now that’s about to change. An off-label drug means it hasn’t been approved for that specific use by the FDA. According to the FDA, the injectable form of Terbutaline should only be used for a maximum of 24 to 72 hours because the drugs association with heart problems and death.  The FDA goes on to say that the oral version (pills) should not be prescribed to treat preterm labor because it�... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4767995 Fri, 29 Apr 2011 23:00:30 +0100 4767995 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4762770&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fshould-the-u-s-limit-the-number-of-embryos-transfered%2F2011.04.28 Everyone knows about “Octomom” and her octuplets born after in-vitro fertilization (IVF).  That was an extreme case, but multiple births resulting from unregulated artificial reproductive technologies have skyrocketed over the last decade.  The increased rate of twins, triplets and even higher multiples are due to in-vitro treatments and those women and infants are at much higher risk of pregnancy complications, premature birth and long term health problems. New research,  published in theJournal of Pediatrics, looked at admissions at just one hospital in Montreal, Quebec and found multiple embryo transfers was responsible for a significant proportion of admissions to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).  These infants were born severely preterm.  Six babies died and 5... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4762770 Thu, 28 Apr 2011 11:00:00 +0100 4762770 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4759042&cid=t_96212_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FeYv8v5dtBmM%2F A Swiss appeals court has ruled that a series of television shows about the possible side effects attributed to the Bayer birth control pill known as Yaz and Yasmin were not inaccurate and, therefore, legal intervention was not warranged. The programs focused on side effects that included reports of nearly 200 deaths among women who used the pill. Bayer criticized the television programs as manipulative and mistakenly gave the impression that the pill is particularly dangerous. As a result, the drugmaker argued that a statutory requirement of factual accuracy has been breached. The appeals court acknowledged the programs raised tendentious questions, but did not assert the pills are dangerous and that other such pills also have side effects. And so the court found the programs raised legit... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4759042 Wed, 27 Apr 2011 12:46:46 +0100 4759042 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4759043&cid=t_96212_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FF7d0dGHppWA%2F Top of the morning to you. Gray skies are hovering over the Pharmalot corporate campus, but our spirits remain sunny. And why not? This inspires us to trot out one of our favorite sayings, courtesy of the morning mayor: ‘Every brand new day should be unwrapped like a precious gift.’ So while you tug on the ribbon, here are a few items to get you started. Have a great day, everyone, and smile… Merck To Buy Back Up To $5 Billion In Stock (Reuters) Teva Resumes Manufacturing At California Site (Orange County Business Journal) J&J Agrees To Buy Synthes For $21.3 Billion (Bloomberg News) Supreme Court Skeptical About Vermont Data Mining Law (Bellingham Herald) Lupin May Wait To Sell Birth Control Pills In The US (Bloomberg News) Merck And Biogen Expand Facilities In North... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4759043 Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:54:02 +0100 4759043 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4747886&cid=t_96212_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F1NHs6gGZvRo%2F Trying to prevent one unwanted event may cause another. Women who use a newer type of birth control pill containing a hormone called drospirenone, such as Bayer’s Yaz and Yasmin, are more likely to develop blood clots than those who take an older oral contraceptive, according to a pair of studies published in BMJ. However, the overall risk of developing a clot in the lungs or legs was still low. One study reviewed insurance data for US women aged 15 to 44 who took a contraceptive pill containing either drospirenone or levonorgestrel after January 2002, and compared 186 women who had had a blood clot with 681 who had not. Those taking the newer pill had a 2.3 times greater risk for a blood clot, although the absolute risk was small - 30.8 per 100,000 among those taking drospirenone, compa... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4747886 Mon, 25 Apr 2011 12:02:15 +0100 4747886 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4734034&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ourbodiesourblog.org%2Fblog%2F2011%2F04%2Fcoercive-sterilization-program-tries-to-expand-to-south-africa Project Prevention, a program formerly known as C.R.A.C.K. that seeks to bribe/coerce women with drug addictions into be sterilized or accepting long-term birth control (that may not be medically appropriate) through financial incentives, started out in the United States by advertising quick cash for addicted women who surrendered their reproductive options and control. The program often targeted communities of color. Needless to say, the program is vile and racist — founder Barbara Harris has been widely quoted comparing women to dogs and their children to unwanted animals, saying, “We don’t allow dogs to breed. We spay them. We neuter them. We try to keep them from having unwanted puppies, and yet these women are literally having litters of children.” The program has ... Our Bodies Our Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4734034 Tue, 19 Apr 2011 19:24:37 +0100 4734034 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4676779&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FQjV-tryLFQ4%2F By Glenna Crooks. Having been engaged in rare disease research and orphan drug development for many decades and as one who continues behind-the-scenes to encourage the work, events of the last few weeks about Makena’s launch sent chills through me.  The firestorm that followed created some heat but none sufficient to help relieve the shivers. Others might declare the outcome a “win” but the more I read, the worse it seems. I’m not privy to what really happened, only what the press reports. It does not look good… for virtually anyone of the players involved, especially the critics.  Those critics raised tough questions and to date only the company has faced them. It’s about time the critics themselves –and perhaps others as well – face some.    For those who’ve mi... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4676779 Mon, 04 Apr 2011 09:31:25 +0100 4676779 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4658621&cid=t_96212_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F_coAu5MMn48%2F In response to threats KV Pharmaceuticals has made to compounding pharmacies that want to continue making low-cost versions of its high-priced Makena preemie drug, the FDA has just issued a statement saying the agency will not take any “enforcement actions” against compounders. The “FDA understands that the manufacturer of Makena, KV Pharmaceuticals, has sent letters to pharmacists indicating that FDA will no longer exercise enforcement discretion with regard to compounded versions of Makena. This is not correct,” the FDA statement says. “In order to support access to this important drug, at this time and under this unique situation, FDA does not intend to take enforcement action against pharmacies that compound hydroxyprogesterone caproate based on a valid pr... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4658621 Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:43:43 +0100 4658621 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4658345&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F03%2F30%2Fat-obos-growing-objections-to-makena-price-hike%2F Over at Our Bodies Our Blog, I have a post on the FDA’s approval of Makena (17-Hydroxyprogesterone or 17OHP) for prevention of preterm birth and the huge price hike that followed, with links to commentaries on the controversy, including calls for boycotts, questions about the March of Dimes’s role in supporting the approval, lots of good posts from The Preemie Primer blog, and a New England Journal of Medicine perspective piece decrying the potential impact on Medicaid and decrease in access to the drug as a result of the price hike. Filed under: Access, Rights, & Choice, Drugs, Ethics, Pregnancy (Source: Women's Health News) Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4658345 Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:26:25 +0100 4658345 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4642547&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F03%2F27%2Fsunday-news-round-up-5%2F Assorted items of interest collected over the last week or so; as usual, the Sunday round-up is more socially than medically oriented, this week with several items on transgender women and related rights, issues, and prejudices as I’ve been trying to read more about these topics. Scientific American has an excerpt from a new book, Demand Better! Revive Our Broken Health Care System. It’s a pretty clear explanation of how little doctors apply the best, most current evidence to medical treatment, and might be pretty shocking for folks who are not involved in evidence-based medicine issues. For example: Even though clinical guidelines exist…physicians get it right about 55 percent of the time across all medical conditions. In other words, patients receive recommended care ... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4642547 Sun, 27 Mar 2011 16:25:47 +0100 4642547 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4580893&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpregnant-women-and-exposure-to-paint%2F2011.03.13 I came across an article the other day about paint and pregnancy. Yes, that paint — the kind that you put on a canvas or slap on your walls. Did you know that paint is made of pigment particles in a liquid base called a medium? Oil paints are thinned or cleaned with paint thinners. Latex paints are thinned or cleaned with water. Most paint that’s used in the home is latex. Can environmental forces affected pregnancy? The short answer is “yes,” according to the Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), whose mission is to study malformations of the unborn. Regarding paint and pregnancy, the amount of exposure is important. A one-time household exposure causes fewer problems than ongoing exposure through a work setting. And there have been medical stu... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4580893 Sun, 13 Mar 2011 22:00:06 +0100 4580893 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4575058&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbad-medical-marketing-an-ad-the-fda-should-pull%2F2011.03.11 If ever a medical device company crossed a line with their marketing, this one has. Essure, which makes a sterilization device for women, is trying to scare men away from vasectomy in order to drive women to use their device. “We made men watch footage of an actual vasectomy,” says the female voiceover — and then they proceed to show men’s reactions to watching a surgical procedure, with “That’s frickin’ gross, man” being the most memorable quote. The final tagline: “You can only wait so long for him to man up.” Yeah, and to be sure he doesn’t, they’ve created this ad. The ad is slimy, harmful, obnoxious, and just plain stupid. A couple’s decision as to which sterilization procedure is best for them should be one informed by real information, not f... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4575058 Fri, 11 Mar 2011 16:00:26 +0100 4575058 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4570544&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fquestioning-the-annual-pelvic-exam%2F2011.03.10 A new article in the Journal of Women’s Health by Westhoff, Jones, and Guiahi asks “Do New Guidelines and Technology Make the Routine Pelvic Examination Obsolete?” The pelvic exam consists of two main components: The insertion of a speculum to visualize the cervix and the bimanual exam where the practitioner inserts two fingers into the vagina and puts the other hand on the abdomen to palpate the uterus and ovaries. The rationales for a pelvic exam in asymptomatic women boil down to these: Screening for chlamydia and gonorrhea Evaluation before prescribing hormonal contraceptives Screening for cervical cancer Early detection of ovarian cancer None of these are supported by the evidence. Eliminating bimanual exams and limiting speculum exams in asymptomatic patients would reduce cos... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4570544 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 22:00:48 +0100 4570544 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4570719&cid=t_96212_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F03%2Fsix-candles.html RosalieA rose sheltered from the stormJanelGod is graciousDreamed about for over 7 years now.Celebrated for 6.You bless us, precious girl!Vintage wrap from Grandma Irma's treasures (Source: Turquoise Gates) Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4570719 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 21:17:00 +0100 4570719 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4570576&cid=t_96212_106_f&fid=34805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAwfulPlasticSurgery%2F%7E3%2FHwQR5xsvtdA%2F Reality star Elsa Patton... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit MyWebsite.com for full links, other content, and more! ]] (Source: Awful Plastic Surgery) Awful Plastic Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4570576 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 18:37:03 +0100 4570576 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4570759&cid=t_96212_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FWSS2nrAw5gE%2F This week, the cost of an injection to prevent a premature birth is roughly $10 to $20. Next week, it will cost $1,500. Why? That is when KV Pharmaceutical starts marketing its newly approved Makena, a form of progesterone that, for many years, was offered by compounding pharmacies. Now, though, KV has an exclusive lock on the market and is threatening compounders who dare to encroach. “I’ve never seen anything as outrageous as this,” Arnold Cohen, an obstetrician at Albert Einstein Medical Center, tells the Associated Press. “That’s a huge increase for something that can’t be costing them that much to make,” says Roger Snow, deputy medical director for Massachusetts Medicaid. And Joanne Armstrong, who heads women’s health at Aetna, says: &#8... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4570759 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:52:04 +0100 4570759 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560254&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1162 According to a study in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, the study indicated an association between use of the drugs and a modest risk of congenital heart defects, as well as a heightened risk for spina bifida, hydrocephaly, congenital glaucoma and gastroschisis and was reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The analysis was based on the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (1997 to 2005) including data gathered from across 10 states. CDC researchers found that between 2 percent and 3 percent of mothers who took prescription painkillers such as codeine, hydrocodone or oxycodone (Oxycontin) either just prior to becoming pregnant or early in their pregnancy,  the risk of their newborn having a serious heart defect known as hypoplastic l... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560254 Tue, 08 Mar 2011 16:26:50 +0100 4560254 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4554594&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F03%2F06%2Fsunday-news-round-up-now-with-fewer-omitted-gs%2F A few things of interest from the past week: RHRC has a whole series on obstetric fistula. March 3 was International Sex Workers Rights Day. As Naomi shared in the comments of a previous post, Rachel Maddow recently had on two Republican women who are Wyoming state reps and who reject recent state anti-abortion efforts. The two women describe themselves as small government conservatives, and state that they don’t believe government should interfere in such private decisions. The video is here, with a transcript mode option. Book Nerds! Deeply Problematic has an essay, “Hermione Granger and the Failures of Feminism.” It focuses primarily on how Hermione tries to bust in and forcibly “free” the house elves without actually talking to them about what they want... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4554594 Sun, 06 Mar 2011 17:36:11 +0100 4554594 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4527782&cid=t_96212_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorandpatient.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fwhy-follicular-studies-ovulation.html Many gynecologists advise ovulation tracking as the first line of "treatment" for infertile couples.This seems to be sensible advise. You just have to go for vaginal ultrasound scans which help you time precisely when you ovulate. You have sex at this time, and since eggs plus sperm = baby, you get pregnant in the first cycle itself ! How can this fail - especially if you are young and all your test results are normal ?Actually, the tragedy is that patients have very unrealistic expectations from follicle tracking ! The success rate , even in a perfect cycle , is only about 10 % ! Remember that human reproduction is not very efficient, and just timing sex does not help ( unless you've never had sex at the right time earlier !)Doctors often forget the downside of ordering follicular studies... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4527782 Mon, 28 Feb 2011 04:47:00 +0100 4527782 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4527720&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F02%2F27%2Fsunday-news-round-up-sunburn-edition%2F A bit of what I’ve been reading this week, when I haven’t been outside getting a mild sunburn. In February. Via fellow librarian Bobbie Newman, I learned of this piece, “The Hazards of Leading Culture Change” (click on the download link for the PDF). It’s kind of oriented toward businesses/organizations instead of movements/activism, but there were a few points I thought were relevant: “When you are up to your backside in alligators,” goes the oft-quoted line, “it is hard to remember you were there to drain the swamp.” Organizations under pressure are fraught with alligators-those seemingly never ceasing crises that keep leaders up at night. But, if all the energy goes into simply fighting alligators, there will always be alligators. Culture change is... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4527720 Sun, 27 Feb 2011 17:34:44 +0100 4527720 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4517166&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-importance-of-diagnosing-birth-defects%2F2011.02.24 Birth defects, particularly those of the blood vessels, account for the majority of infant deaths, especially after the first week of life. Congenital heart disease (CHD) — meaning defects of the heart – is responsible for one-third of deaths between birth and the first year of life. Therefore, the diagnosis of CHD is critical in order to plan life-saving treatments, such as the proper place for the delivery, the type of delivery, and its timing. If it’s known in advance that an unborn baby has a heart problem and is delivered in a hospital that provides special care, its survival and future health will increase dramatically. Who’s at risk for having CHD and which expectant moms should have further evaluation? Families who have a history of CHD — especially ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4517166 Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:00:49 +0100 4517166 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4482842&cid=t_96212_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorandpatient.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fhappy-infertile-couple-from-spain-at.html In our quest of paternity, we made some treatments in our home country, Spain, but we got no success. After a period to find an alternative, we chose to go to Mumbai, India, and in fact Malpani Infertility Clinic. We had more contact with other clinics in India, through e-mail, forums, testimonials of patients who were with them, etc., but finally we opted for Malpani Infertility Clinic for many reasons that during the treatment were confirmed. In the talks held by e-mail us seemed honest, ethicals, professionals and they offered us a good humane treatment.Our experience began in summer 2010, and we decided to begin the pre-treatment that Dr. Malpani suggested us by e-mail while we were in Spain before treatment in Mumbai. He explained to me everything that had to do: medicine, testing, pl... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4482842 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 14:11:00 +0100 4482842 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4455317&cid=t_96212_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorandpatient.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fsurrogacy-versus-embryo-adoption.html One of the major problems with surrogacy today is that it is overused and misused.This is especially true when surrogacy is advised for patients who have failed multiple IVF cyclesor had multiple miscarriages. These patients are very depressed and have very low self esteem. They often end up believing that it's their uterus which is defective; and they therefore believe that surrogacy would be their best treatment option. They often approach IVF clinics asking for surrogacy treatment - and many doctors are happy to oblige, because this is a very profitable treatment option !In reality, surrogacy is an expensive and complex treatment option, which is best reserved forwomen without a uterus. Research shows that the reason for failed implantation is much more likely to be genetically abnormal... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4455317 Thu, 10 Feb 2011 02:48:00 +0100 4455317 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4455263&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fartificial-sweeteners-and-telling-pregnant-women-in-moderation%2F2011.02.09 I can already tell that this pregnancy is different from my first. When I was pregnant with Little Isis, I drank no caffeine and took no over-the-counter medication. I remember having a few headaches and Mr. Isis fighting with me to take a headache pill. I would then proclaim dramatically, “But I can’t! What if it hurts the baby?!” This morning, now pregnant with my second, I washed down a Zyrtec and two Tylenol with a cup of coffee. The little bugger is going to have to grow up with Little Isis. He might as well start building up his tolerance to exogenous substances at some point. I figure, now that its got a closed neural tube and a beating heart, we might as well begin. Still, you can’t blame a pregnant woman for being a bit neurotic. The feeling that one is solely res... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4455263 Wed, 09 Feb 2011 20:00:01 +0100 4455263 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4441965&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F02%2F06%2Fsunday-news-round-up-everything-is-miscellaneous%2F Via Siobhan, a project intended to train volunteer interpreters to provide services to survivors of torture, trauma, and sexual abuse. Lyon-Martin Health Services in San Francisco, which serves a lot of people of color, gay and lesbian and transgender people, is raising money to try to stay open. Vivir Latino is going to be tweeting on Monday from a media breakfast hosted by the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Latina Magazine, on issues and inequalities in reproductive health care affecting Latinas. I’m not terribly familiar with abortion laws in Mexico, but the Latin American and Caribbean Women’s Health network reports on the case of a woman apparently sentenced to a 23-year jail term for murder/abortion for what she states was a miscarriage. The Ovarian Canc... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4441965 Sun, 06 Feb 2011 19:29:31 +0100 4441965 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4433103&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fno-more-cameras-in-the-delivery-room%2F2011.02.03 Most of our posts here deal with gadgets physicians or other medical professionals would use, but the New York Times has published an article about issues stemming from the patient or the family bringing cameras into the delivery room. Now, as anyone who’s been made to watch a video of a friend’s delivery during a party can attest, this isn’t a new phenomenon. However, since almost any device can record video now and it’s easiest to share the video online, medical-legal considerations are leading some hospitals to restrict any and all recordings of live births. We’d be interested to know what our readers think. Do you let patients film you while you work? New York Times article: Rules on Cameras in Delivery Rooms Stir Passions… *This blog post... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4433103 Thu, 03 Feb 2011 18:00:28 +0100 4433103 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4429004&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1105 We all know just how important it is to have a birth plan ready for the day you go into labor.  Making decisions in advance alleviates any surprises. Of course, you must pre-plan banking your baby’s cord blood. Make sure you have packed the kits you’ve received and any instructions that are necessary. Sheknows.com has put together a comprehensive birth plan creator, so you won’t forget a thing!! Once you’ve completed the questionnaire all you have to do it print it out and put it in your hospital bag. Follow the link to a great birth plan!! (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4429004 Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:33:57 +0100 4429004 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4424446&cid=t_96212_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F9T5uMwVXXjQ%2F The list of product web sites that manage to get consumers to actually do something contains some very familiar names, such as Viagra, Nexium, Yaz and Lunesta. Of course, these are used to treat rather common concerns and all have, at one time or another, been widely advertised. Yet they also share something else in common - often, coupons are available, according to a recent survey that found, on average, 74 percent of consumers took some type of action after visiting a product web site. In other words, coupons appear to act as a motivator for following up in some fashion. “One thing we see when looking at satisfaction in years past is that there seems to be a high correlation beween satisfaction and a coupon,” says Meredith Ressi, president of Manhattan Research, which canvas... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4424446 Tue, 01 Feb 2011 14:04:32 +0100 4424446 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4419067&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F01%2F30%2Fsunday-news-round-up-still-here-edition%2F Some things that caught my eye this week; for new folks, the Sunday news round-up tends to focus more on social issues than research or resources, including whatever I’ve noted for later reading from my RSS feeds or Twitter. First, the English-language site for Al Jazeera has the most complete coverage I’ve seen of what’s going on in Egypt for those who need it in the English language. I’m woefully behind on the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act,” proposed by House Republicans, so this first chunk is catching up. It seems to me to be completely unnecessary political posturing on the backs of women (and especially rape victims, as we’ll see), given that there are existing restrictions preventing federal funding for abortion. I know it includes... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4419067 Sun, 30 Jan 2011 17:31:37 +0100 4419067 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4405718&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F01%2F27%2Fat-obos-breast-implants-cancer-early-births-breastfeeding-promotion-and-more%2F Some of my recent posts at Our Bodies Our Blog: Breast Implants and Possible Risk of Rare Cancer – links to FDA information on the possibility of a link between breast implants and a rare cancer. Leapfrog Group Releases Data on Early Elective Births – rates of early (37-39 weeks) induction and early cesarean without a medical indication from hospitals around the U.S. Surgeon General Releases Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding – link to the call to action and a brief overview of its contents, which include not only encouraging women to breastfeed, but a call for workplaces, fathers, grandmothers, and communities to work to reduce barriers to breastfeeding. Upcoming Event: EQUAL/OBOS House Party in Palo Alto – in three days, OBOS’s Judy Norsigian will be... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4405718 Fri, 28 Jan 2011 00:27:07 +0100 4405718 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4372021&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ourbodiesourblog.org%2Fblog%2F2011%2F01%2Fdo-you-trust-women-to-make-their-own-choices-about-reproductive-healthcare The majority of sexually active adolescents and adults in the United States use birth control and are in favor of women being able to make their own reproductive health decisions. Despite this support, opponents of family planning and women’s rights have tried to assert themselves as the true moral voice — and have made political gains that severely threaten women’s health. This year, as women’s health advocates celebrate the 38th anniversary of Roe v. Wade on Jan. 22, the Silver Ribbon Campaign to Trust Women for Reproductive Rights and Justice has emerged as an opportunity to show our strength and claim our rights to the legal healthcare to which we are entitled. The Silver Ribbon Campaign is the effort of dozens of organizations — including Our Bodies Ourselves &#8... Our Bodies Our Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4372021 Wed, 19 Jan 2011 21:05:41 +0100 4372021 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4361253&cid=t_96212_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreast-cancer-and-oral-contraception%2F I was diagnosed with breast cancer just eight months after I married and moved to Michigan. My husband and I agreed that raising my two boys from a previous marriage was fulfilling enough and we didn’t need — or want — to have any more children. My decision to take the birth control pill was discussed with my doctor, and of course any concerns I had about it causing breast cancer were taken into consideration. Only 20 months before my diagnosis, I had a mammogram and follow-up ultrasound that showed no signs of a tumor. You can imagine how distraught I was at being diagnosed with breast cancer but even more perplexed at how a tumor of over 2 centimeters had developed so rapidly in my right breast. My new doctor and I had no reason to suspect that the birth control pill and its increa... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4361253 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 17:53:21 +0100 4361253 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4360983&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fchewable-birth-control%2F2011.01.17 Just in time for the new year, the FDA has approved the first low-dose chewable birth control contraceptive.  The daily chew will be marketed by Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Fred Wilkinson, executive vice president of Global Brands said: “We believe this product is an important addition to the oral contraceptive category, and that its characteristics will make it a desirable choice for women.” I have to ask myself: “Why?” Most birth control failures occur because the woman forgets to take the pill. Will a chewable be more reliant? Is it aimed at gals who just love chewing gum? I don’t get the concept. Marketing for this breakthrough will begin the in the second quarter of 2011. *This blog post was originally published at EverythingHealth* (Source: ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4360983 Mon, 17 Jan 2011 22:00:00 +0100 4360983 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4331011&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcesarean-section-6-ways-to-prevent-complications%2F2011.01.11 Although I’ve been a proponent for the prevention of medical errors for years and wrote a book to address those issues, I think my obstetrician-gynecologist (OB/GYN) colleagues are finally catching on. Dr. Patrick Duff of the University of Florida’s OB/GYN department wrote an article in the December issue of the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology that caught my attention. In his article, “A Simple Checklist for Preventing Major Complications Associated with Cesarean Delivery,” Duff outlines steps that OB/GYNs should take in order to reduce complications during and after a cesarean section. Duff patterns his list after Dr. Atul Gawande’s book, “The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get it Right,” which has set the standard regarding reducing complications after su... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4331011 Tue, 11 Jan 2011 14:00:15 +0100 4331011 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4313994&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1017 It’s a growing consensus in the medical and public health fields: babies need as much womb-time as they can get, and every day counts. In fact, even though 37 weeks is considered full term, groups like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend waiting until 39 weeks to induce labor, barring medical necessity. And many doctors and hospitals are catching on and prohibiting the practice of delivering before 39 weeks — even using ultrasounds to verify a baby’s age before going forward. Read here for more information. Remember its important to have a birth plan before you deliver your baby.  Cord blood banking is one way to insure your baby’s health, should the need arise.  Check out the cord blood comparison chart, to see which bank is right for you. (Sou... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4313994 Wed, 05 Jan 2011 22:40:01 +0100 4313994 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4309595&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1013 We’ve all been there… feeling like a walking zombie, whether its day or night, the fatigue of having a newborn can be trying. Remember your body has also been through a trauma, and is recovering slowly. If you learn to eat well and graze during the day on healthy foods you will notice that you have more energy during the day. Smaller healthier snacks and meals help furnish your body with nutrients and vitamins and help it produce more breast milk.  Try staying away from sugary drinks and alcohol too, as your baby is the direct recipient of those foods too.  Read here for a more extensive article for the people at www.parenting.com (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4309595 Tue, 04 Jan 2011 22:27:48 +0100 4309595 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4302859&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-holidays-and-the-circle-of-life%2F2011.01.01 The holiday season is a time of both joy and sorrow. Tomorrow a childhood friend will be laid to rest — one of my favorite artists, Teena Marie, died unexpectedly two days ago and at least six other people have made their transitions as well. My own father died unexpectedly on Christmas Eve in 1981 leaving a great void in our family life. Why do people leave us during the holiday season? It has been said because they want to be remembered. While I lamented about all the transitions that occurred in the past two weeks, one of my best friends announced that she had a new granddaughter that was born on Christmas Day. She stated that this was part of the “life cycle” or “circle of life.” Her comments gave me reason to pause and reflect. (more…) *This blog p... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4302859 Sat, 01 Jan 2011 17:00:47 +0100 4302859 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4277831&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fgoing-against-medicine-courageous-or-foolish%2F2010.12.21 Every once I awhile a story catches my eye as I scan the news websites. There was one this morning on CNN with this catchy title: “Mom Defies Doctor, Has Baby Her Way.” The article describes a story where a mother was going to have her fourth baby. Her previous three were born via C-section. Mom did not want another C-section done, and “defied” her doctor’s order for the procedure. “You’re being irresponsible,” the patient was told. The middle of the article talks about the current thinking and statement of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology saying that “it’s reasonable to consider allowing women who’ve had two C-sections to try to have a vaginal delivery.” Of course, there’s risks with proceeding... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4277831 Tue, 21 Dec 2010 22:00:00 +0100 4277831 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4275314&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D966 From the moment your pregnancy test is positive, you’re probably thinking about what to pack for the hospital when you go into labor.  This list from parents.com covers everything from nursing bras to insurance cards, your drivers license and of course slippers!!! However, most importantly is a birth plan; keep it short and sweet and what, if any, decisions need to be made. Include your cord blood banking and storage kit if you have chosen to save our baby’s umbilical cord blood. About a month before your due date, sit down with your partner and discuss this list. When you D-day arrives, it will allow you to focus on your labor and delivery instead of making rash and hasty decisions. Read here for more information. (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4275314 Mon, 20 Dec 2010 17:28:01 +0100 4275314 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4272260&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F12%2F19%2Fsunday-news-round-up-4%2F First things first: the Senate voted on Saturday to repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. Hurray! The roll call vote for all of the Senators is here, reflecting the 65 votes for repeal and 35 votes against. The votes for repeal came almost exclusively from Democrats, with just eight Republicans voting yes. My own Senators, Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander, were unsurprisingly among the Republicans who voted against repeal; I’m disappointed in them for voting their party and their prejudice to be on the wrong side of history, the wrong side of human rights and dignity. The repeal will not become active for at least 60 days; HRC has a Pathway to Final Repeal document [PDF] that explains the necessary next steps, and warns service members about the interim: The Human Rights Campaign i... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4272260 Sun, 19 Dec 2010 18:00:59 +0100 4272260 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4265741&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhat-is-telebaby%2F2010.12.16 There are more and more premature babies, and the situation for their parents is dramatic. They would love to be with their newborn 24 hours a day, but in most cases they obviously can’t. At the Dutch UMC Ultrecht, they’ve launched a project under the name Telebaby, in which cameras were installed at the incubators and parents can watch their child live 24 hours a day — even through a mobile device. The system is password protected, of course, so only the parents can access the specific video channels. Isn’t it great? A very human but not that expensive idea — a really Dutch approach. *This blog post was originally published at ScienceRoll* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4265741 Thu, 16 Dec 2010 20:00:22 +0100 4265741 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4258798&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F12%2F13%2Fsunday-monday-news-round-up-way-overdue-edition%2F Some items that have caught my interest recently – I haven’t done one of these in a long time because of work and life and other ponderings about the best current use of the blog, but here are some news items, issues, and commentary of potential interest to readers, on women’s health, feminism, and miscellaneous topics: The CDC provides Consider Cholera: Information for U.S. Healthcare Professionals for clinicians who are asked to be on the lookout for U.S. cases, with info on diagnosis, treatment, and reporting. Aunt B has an excellent commentary in Self-Avowed Feminist, Gail Kerr, Has some Opinions about Emily Evans on the message sent when one female newspaper columnist attempts to trash a female councilperson using language like “shrill” and “class k... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4258798 Tue, 14 Dec 2010 01:12:21 +0100 4258798 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4253147&cid=t_96212_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Flifeinthefastlane%2FWZHV%2F%7E3%2FjrVDGlpZGEg%2F From conception to delivery...big brother is watching you. Remember the classic 1999 BMJ paper describing the MRI imaging of sexual intercourse? Of course you do... here's the video. (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4253147 Sun, 12 Dec 2010 00:00:45 +0100 4253147 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4249060&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Flive-birth-mri-style%2F2010.12.10 At the Charité Hospital in Berlin, researchers have built a specialty MRI machine with enough space to fit a woman undergoing labor. The Local, a German newspaper in the English language, is reporting that the first images of a baby moving through the birth canal have been captured, and that the mother and child are doing just fine. The clinicians involved in the project hope to be able to study why some women end up requiring a Caesarian section, while others do not. More at The Local: MRI scans live birth… *This blog post was originally published at Medgadget* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4249060 Fri, 10 Dec 2010 15:00:00 +0100 4249060 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4219790&cid=t_96212_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F12%2F01%2Fsearching-for-true-meaning-during-the-holiday%2F How would you feel if I were to tell you that there are many children suffering in the world today? How about if I were more specific and told you that over 30,000 children under age 5 are suffering from hunger and preventable diseases? Does this resonate within the depths of your heart? Sweet, innocent babies die every day from a preventable disease in an indigenous country. That number could be considered huge by some, or perhaps quite small, depending on your perspective. If you are referring to population size, however, that is the size of a small city. In regard to time, 30,000 seconds is actually only a little over eight hours. Or 30,000 children could be like 30 large elementary schools disappearing from the face of the earth on Monday … and again on Tuesday … and so on. What&#8... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4219790 Wed, 01 Dec 2010 20:53:16 +0100 4219790 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4205938&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdental-fillings-and-birth-defects-what-moms-to-be-should-know%2F2010.11.26 Although the first trimester of pregnancy is sacred, there will be patients who will encounter problems at that time. During the first trimester, the brain and the central nervous system develops from 6 to 10 weeks, a time period commonly known as organogenesis. To minimize the risk of developing birth defects, medications and invasive procedures are usually postponed until the arrival of the second trimester. A recent article in the October 2010 issue of Ob.Gyn. News reported some disturbing findings: Dental fillings in the first trimester were linked to the development of a cleft palate. A cleft palate is a birth defect that has a slit in the roof of the mouth because it failed to close during the first trimester. The article by Susan London described a study in Norway where pregnant wo... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4205938 Fri, 26 Nov 2010 20:00:00 +0100 4205938 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4190138&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D869 Only 5 percent of women give birth when they think they will. But more often than not, the day comes and goes without incident. Truth is, when your baby is ready, they will come. Click here to find out when your baby will make his appearance. Parents.com is site with a wealth of information about pregnancy, before during and after….. enjoy! (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4190138 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 19:16:49 +0100 4190138 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4190123&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ourbodiesourblog.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F11%2Fnew-developments-in-efforts-to-expand-emergency-contraception-access Earlier this year, we wrote about the Center for Reproductive Rights’s efforts to bring attention to young women’s continued lack of over-the-counter access to emergency contraception, despite a lack of evidence for the current age-based cutoff. In March of 2009, a judge ordered the FDA to extend over-the-counter access to 17-year-olds, and also to reconsider these age restrictions in general. Last week, the Center filed a motion for civil contempt against the FDA arguing that the agency has failed to reconsider the age restrictions for women younger than 17. The Center has background materials and more information at http://reproductiverights.org/en/feature/the-center-takes-the-fda-back-to-court. The group is encouraging supporters to contact the FDA asking the agency to &#822... Our Bodies Our Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4190123 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 18:28:45 +0100 4190123 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4179321&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpregnancy-after-45-a-high-risk-dilemma%2F2010.11.18 As more older women attempt to beat the biological clock and conceive, they are at greater risk for developing birth-related complications. For women over 45, there is less than a 1 percent chance of getting pregnant using their own eggs. Successful pregnancy for women over 45 is nearly always the result of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and the use of an egg donor. Researchers at Tel Aviv University reviewed birth records from 2000 to 2008, specifically looking at the records of 177 women who gave birth at the age of 45 and beyond. The majority of the women had IVF and received donor eggs, and 80 percent of the babies were delivered via cesarean section (C-section). Despite their celebrity, Kelly Presley (age 47), Celine Dion (age 42), and Mariah Carey (age 40), are older pregnant women ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4179321 Thu, 18 Nov 2010 17:00:27 +0100 4179321 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4172047&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D857 Here are some very funny stories about husbands and  pregnancy, babies and all the preparations for baby’s arrival. Our friends at sheknows.com have a lot of information not only on husbands and pregnancy stories but  about motherhood, pregnancy and preparations for the arrival of your little one. (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4172047 Tue, 16 Nov 2010 18:47:44 +0100 4172047 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4159175&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F11%2F12%2Fpublic-input-requested-on-upcoming-review-of-nitrous-oxide-for-labor-pain-relief%2F AHRQ is about to do a comparative effectiveness review to look at the evidence on nitrous oxide for labor pain relief, and is soliciting public comment on the key questions that will be reviewed. This will help make sure that when the review gets started, the right questions are being asked and answered. This project is of particular interest to me – in addition to my interest the topic itself – because I am part of the project team conducting the review. More details are at Our Bodies Our Blog; comments close December 8, 2010. Filed under: Access, Rights, & Choice, Birth, Drugs, Government (Source: Women's Health News) Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4159175 Fri, 12 Nov 2010 14:09:49 +0100 4159175 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4151681&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F11%2F08%2Fobos-round-up-elections-pelvic-exams-breast-cancer-pinkification-and-more%2F Some of my recent posts at Our Bodies Our Blog are highlighted below. Don’t forget the upcoming 40th anniversary of the landmark book; a new edition will come out next year to celebrate the milestone! In the meantime, catch up with health news and commentary over at http://www.ourbodiesourblog.org Election-Related Repro Rights Round-Up – a collection of commentary from reproductive rights advocates on what the recent election may mean for women. NPR Takes on Pink Ribbon Fatigue: Views from Komen, Breast Cancer Action – NPR talked to a representative of Breast Cancer Action, which has criticized pink ribbon campaigns for breast cancer, and a representative of Komen, which kind of thrives on them. Meeting Dispatch: Resources from the CUE/Cochrane/Campbell Colloquium &#821... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4151681 Tue, 09 Nov 2010 01:37:44 +0100 4151681 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4121934&cid=t_96212_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FOFeQY6io58U%2F photo: Thinkstock Check out this post about birth control by Emerald Catron on Lemondrop. Talk about a lose-lose situation: Whether you have kids or are actively trying to ward off the baby virus, somebody’s going crazy up in your house. That is, if we’re to believe two recent studies in hormone research. According to new research, taking the pill can increase feelings of aggression and jealousy in women. Subjects were given hormonal birth control pills of varying doses and asked questions about their relationships. Although progesterone didn’t seem to have an effect on the amount of rage a woman experienced over the prospect of strange hos dipping in her Kool-Aid, there was a clear correlation between synthetic estrogen and feelings of possessiveness. In other words: Yes... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4121934 Sun, 31 Oct 2010 15:00:07 +0100 4121934 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4119138&cid=t_96212_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorandpatient.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fhow-do-we-decide-how-many-embryos-to.html Saiprasad Gundeti, Senior Embryologist, Malpani Infertility ClinicThere are multiple variables which need to be considered while deciding how many embryos to transfer.When we decide about the number of embryos to transfer , our aim is to :Select Top Quality Embryo(s) for transferMaximise the chances of pregnancy.Minimise the risk of failure.Minimise the risk of multiple pregnancy.Each country has its own policies depending upon their patient population, their healthcare system and their laws.In Scandinavian countries , not more than one embryo is allowed to be transferred.In such countries, doing a Day 5 transfer is ideal.Top Quality Day 5 EmbryoThat’s not the case in India where we can transfer multiple embryos. However, we need to individualise this decision for each patient ! More is ... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4119138 Thu, 28 Oct 2010 05:32:00 +0100 4119138 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4077248&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbaby-born-from-a-20-year-old-embryo%2F2010.10.17 There appears to be a new record for a cryopreserved embryo birth. From NPR: In 1990 a couple underwent In Vitro Fertilization. They eventually had a healthy baby. They also, as is common, had a number of microscopic embryos that hadn’t been implanted, but were viable. They decided to anonymously donate them. Now, one of those embryos has produced a little boy, 20 years after being created. In other embryo-related news, Colorado has another personhood rights bill (Amendment 62) on the ballot for November: As used in sections 3, 6, and 25 of Article II of the state constitution, the term “person” shall apply to every human being from the beginning of the biological development of that human being. So here’s my question: Under the proposed Colorado amendment, would this kid be leg... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4077248 Sun, 17 Oct 2010 15:00:14 +0100 4077248 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4074219&cid=t_96212_117_f&fid=34696&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.straightfromthedoc.com%2F38647165%2Foctober_is_spina_bifida_awareness_month.php © jamieanneIn the United States, birth defects occur in 7 out of every 10,000 live births and Spina Bifida is the most common permanently disabling birth defect. The Spina Bifida Association (SBA) is celebrating October as Spina Bifida Awareness Month in order to educate the public about this debilitating birth defect. Spina Bifida happens when the spinal column doesn't close completely. It occurs during the first month of pregnancy and so it is very important that women take proper precautions to prevent it ... (Source: Straightfromthedoc) Straightfromthedoc blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4074219 Fri, 15 Oct 2010 00:04:17 +0100 4074219 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4031360&cid=t_96212_117_f&fid=34696&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.straightfromthedoc.com%2F38647165%2Fivf_pioneer_robert_edwards_wins_nobel_prize_award_for_medicine.php Professor Robert EdwardsJust announced by the Nobel Prize awards committee: Professor Robert G. Edwards who has been working on in vitro fertilization (IVF) as early as the 1950s, won this year's Nobel Prize award for medicine. His contributions to developing in vitro fertilization (IVF) "represent a milestone in the development of modern medicine'. As early as the 1950s, Edwards had the vision that IVF could be useful as a treatment for infertility. He worked systematically to realize his goal, discovered important principles for ... (Source: Straightfromthedoc) Straightfromthedoc blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4031360 Mon, 04 Oct 2010 13:17:09 +0100 4031360 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4023033&cid=t_96212_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FbHoojoc7mTc%2F Read this recent Scientific American article showing clearly how the brain can change based on our daily experiences and actions: … a new study in the journal Brain Research demonstrates that […] birth control pills have structural effects on regions of the brain that govern higher-order cognitive activities … Whereas the subtle structural effects of naturally-occurring steroid hormones and sex differences in the brain have been extensively studied, few studies have examined the role of synthetic hormones on changes in the human brain.  What happens, then, when the female brain gets a significant and artificial dose of steroid hormone, either progesterone, estrogen or both? […] It appears that the brain, that sensitive organ replete with steroid receptors, reacts to its hormonal m... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4023033 Fri, 01 Oct 2010 15:59:16 +0100 4023033 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4013117&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2F202211%2F Birth Control, Meet Folic Acid: Beyaz, a new birth control pill that was just approved by the FDA, contains folic acid. (via CNN) Post from: BlissTree (Source: Healthbolt) Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4013117 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 17:21:57 +0100 4013117 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3998928&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2Fjohnson-johnson-may-have-hidden-birth-control-patch-risk%2F We thought you’d like this post from Ronnie Koenig at AOL Health. Did Johnson & Johnson hide the dangers of one its most popular prescription drugs from the public? Doctors have written more than 40 million prescriptions for Ortho Evra, the birth control patch, since it hit the market in 2002. But now it appears that the drug once believed to be a savior for forgetful women who couldn’t remember to take a pill at the same time every day has both hidden and deadly side effects that J&J may have concealed, according to a “Today” show report. NBC obtained documents that allegedly show that between 2002 and 2004, Ortho Evra was 12 times more likely to cause strokes and 18 times more likely to cause blood clots than the birth control pill, the “Today”... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3998928 Fri, 24 Sep 2010 19:40:30 +0100 3998928 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3999290&cid=t_96212_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FUj-Nkx7BzIQ%2F Amid the hubbub over the ongoing Johnson & Johnson recall scandal - tens of millions of bottles of pediatric over-the-counter meds, contact lenses and hip replacement devices - one could be excused for overlooking the ongoing risks of the health care giant’s Ortho-Evra birth control patch. After all, what’s another poorly made or dangerous product when so many others are problematic? But then NBC’s Today Show ran a segment this week about the patch. The piece largely regurgitated news that circulated widely two years ago - J&J paid at least $68 million to settle hundreds of lawsuits filed by women who suffered blood clots, heart attacks or strokes, and the financial details were kept confidential (back story). And Public Citizen health research director Sid Wolf... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3999290 Fri, 24 Sep 2010 16:53:24 +0100 3999290 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3994343&cid=t_96212_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FJSN3QSy3_u0%2F Good morning, folks. Another shiny day is emerging as we hustle the short people off to the local schoolhouse and busy ourselves with the news of the world. Speaking of which, the House passed a bill that would ban corporate execs from doing business with Medicare and Medicaid if their companies were convicted of fraud (take a peek). Now, though, the time has come for a cup of stimulation. Please join us, and have a great day… Merck Will Review Planned Facility Closing (Radio Netherlands) Perils For Pill Pushers (The Financial Times) FDA Finds Risk In Glaxo Rotarix Vaccine Data (Reuters) European Parliament Endorses Drug Monitoring Rules (PharmaTimes) Clinical Trials In Russia & Eastern Europe Fell In 2009 (OutsourcingPharma) Fake Avastin Hurts 61 People (Shanghai Daily) Abbott ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3994343 Thu, 23 Sep 2010 12:03:27 +0100 3994343 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3987115&cid=t_96212_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorandpatient.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Fwhat-every-infertile-woman-needs-to.html Missing a period can be very difficult for infertile women ! Every time you miss a period, you hope ( against hope) that maybe you are finally pregnant ! However , you are worried about getting your hopes up too high, because you are scared that they will come dashing down again – and you remember all the false alarms you have had in the past !There are many reasons for missing a period, including stress ; side effects of medications you are taking; and a systemic illness. The first step, of course, is to rule out a pregnancy. You can do this by checking with a urine pregnancy test kit. The new ones are very reliable, and a negative test result usually means that you are not pregnant. If you are unsure, you can repeat the test in 2 days. A better option is to do a blood test to check you... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3987115 Mon, 20 Sep 2010 17:03:00 +0100 3987115 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3987008&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F09%2F20%2Frecent-obos-posts-on-maternal-deaths-breastfeeding-henrietta-lacks-cesarean-and-older-womens-health%2F Ha, that was a mouthful. Here are a few posts I’ve done recently at Our Bodies Our Blog that I’ve neglected to link up here: Quick Hit: WHO Releases New Report on Worldwide Maternal Deaths – The World Health Organization, with UNICEF, UNFPA and The World Bank, has released a new report on trends in global maternal mortality from 1990-2008. CDC Releases Breastfeeding Report Card: Initiation is Up, but Continuation is Stagnant – The CDC released a new breastfeeding report card, reporting that 3 out of 4 new mothers in the now U.S. start out breastfeeding, meeting the Healthy People 2010 national objective for breastfeeding initiation for the first time. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks – report from my attending a talk by author Rebecca Skloot, and a bit ab... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3987008 Mon, 20 Sep 2010 13:19:36 +0100 3987008 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3972952&cid=t_96212_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F09%2F15%2Fmost-sexually-satisfied-least-sexually-satisfied-u-s-cities%2F Are you living in a sexually satisfied city, like Columbus, Ohio? Or, like residents of Manchester, New Hampshire, are you more likely sexually unsatisfied? A new survey from Men’s Health magazine released a new list this week of “sexually satisfied” cities, as well as those who fare not so well. They looked at a number of statistical factors to arrive at these admittedly arbitrary distinctions — birth rates (I suppose under the assumption that those cities with higher birth rates have a higher rate of sexual activity as well), sales of sex toys and condoms, and rates of sexually transmitted diseases. One could certainly argue with these choices. But without further ado, we bring you the sexually most satisfied cities in the U.S.: Most sexually satisfied cities in t... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3972952 Wed, 15 Sep 2010 23:09:36 +0100 3972952 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3973084&cid=t_96212_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Ftimes-two.html My brother Scott is father...times two!  His twins were born Saturday, 5 1/2 weeks early.Jess was almost 5 pounds.Kaitlyn over six.Praise God,from Whom all blessings flow. (Source: Turquoise Gates) Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3973084 Wed, 15 Sep 2010 17:39:00 +0100 3973084 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3961797&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F09%2F12%2Fsunday-news-round-up-catching-up-edition%2F I haven’t done one of these in a couple of weeks; here are some things that have caught my attention recently. Movin’ Meat is the blog of an emergency physician – it’s hard to succinctly explain what happened as described in this recent post without giving it away, but let’s just say it involves sex and a nitroglycerin patch. Birthing Beautiful Ideas has 30 things about pregnancy and childbirth she never wants to hear again. Someecards, my absolute favorite place to find funny (if sometimes inappropriate) ecards, has an editor’s pick on abortion. I wish I could embed it, but it reads “I bet you one unplanned pregnancy that you are secretly pro-choice.” The Independent has a round-up of some online communities for patients, including Patie... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3961797 Sun, 12 Sep 2010 15:46:42 +0100 3961797 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3957890&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fmale-partners-influence-birth-control-use%2F photo: Thinkstock A new study shows that women aged 18-25 who aren’t trying to get pregnant are more than twice as likely to use birth control when their partners are “very” in favor of it. Researchers say that this will change public health campaigns encouraging birth control use that traditionally just targeted women. Okay, hold on one second — we don’t think we’d be dating anyone who wasn’t in favor of using birth control. And if we were, screw him — we’d use it anyway. If you were dating a guy who wasn’t crazy about using contraception, would you break up with him? via Yahoo! Health Post from: BlissTree Male Partners Influence Birth Control Use (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3957890 Fri, 10 Sep 2010 17:12:56 +0100 3957890 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3942738&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F09%2F07%2Famerican-academy-of-pediatrics-on-sexy-tv%2F The American Academy of Pediatrics published a new statement on “Sexuality, Contraception, and the Media” in the September 2010 print issue of Pediatrics, and I can’t help applauding some of the organization’s recommendations, like this one: Pediatricians should urge schools to insist on comprehensive sex education programs (to counter the influence of sexually suggestive and explicit media) that incorporate basic principles of media literacy into their sex education programs…Federal money should be spent on comprehensive sex education programs but not on abstinence-only programs, which have been found to be ineffective. Yes, please. As somebody who both supports comprehensive (i.e., not “abstinence-only”) sex ed and is a librarian who supports media and ... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3942738 Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:42:09 +0100 3942738 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3924879&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ourbodiesourblog.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F09%2Fstudy-conversation-can-help-reduce-intimate-partner-violence-and-reproductive-coercion This study is extremely important because it identifies an effective solution that can be implemented relatively easily,” said Family Violence Prevention Fund President and Founder Esta Soler. “We need to build on these results by making this intervention the norm in health care settings throughout the nation as quickly as possible.” The study was funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; the intervention was designed by reproductive health experts, UC Davis School of Medicine, the Harvard School of Public Health, and the FVPF. An earlier study this year, also published in Contraception, concluded that 20 percent of women experienced pregnancy coercion and 15 percent experienced birth control sabotage. The FVPF is calling for immediate actio... Our Bodies Our Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3924879 Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:34:31 +0100 3924879 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3914938&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2F6-ill-conceived-abortion-methods-from-ancient-times-a-photo-gallery%2F Long before there were surgical instruments, Vera Drake, back alleys, wire hangers, Roe v. Wade, abortion clinic bombings, the March for Life, and the most divisive issue ever to hit the U.S. Congress, ancient (and archaic) medical doctors had their own (often barbaric) ideas about how to perform the ever-controversial abortion. Check out our gallery of 6 of the most primitive and absurd methods used during ancient times to terminate an unwanted pregnancy: Post from: BlissTree 6 Ill-Conceived Abortion Methods From Ancient Times: A Photo Gallery (Source: Healthbolt) Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3914938 Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:46:28 +0100 3914938 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3899349&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2Fnauseous-but-not-pregnant-10-reasons-youre-queasy-that-dont-involve-a-baby%2F The last few days, I’ve been having stomach trouble – constant nausea and queasiness, and it’s not fun. Everyone’s reaction when I tell them about my problem? “Are you pregnant?!” I’m not. I’ll spare you the evidence, but I’m sure that my nausea isn’t baby-related. But I do find it annoying that if you’re a woman and you feel like ralphing, you MUST be preggers. (Like we don’t know how to take birth control?) So here are ten reasons that you might feel like you’re about to hurl – whether you’re a man or a woman: 1. Emotional Stress – If you’ve ever felt queasy before a performance, interview, or race, you’ve experienced this. General and acute stress can both make you feel ill, so managing stres... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3899349 Tue, 24 Aug 2010 17:56:38 +0100 3899349 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3891668&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmiscarriage-dont-wait-to-get-pregnant-again%2F2010.08.22 About 15 to 20 percent of women who know they are pregnant will have a miscarriage. The loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks is considered a miscarriage. Many women suffer grief and shock after a miscarriage and fear there is something wrong with them or that they did something to cause it. But the reasons for miscarriage are usually not known. Women are often told to wait “a few months” to get pregnant again to let their bodies recover. A new study published in the British Medical Journal looked at over 30,000 women who had a miscarriage in their first recorded pregnancy and subsequently became pregnant again. They found that women who conceived again within six months were less likely to have another miscarriage or problem pregnancy. They were even less likely to have a... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3891668 Sun, 22 Aug 2010 18:00:00 +0100 3891668 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3885321&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2F196040%2F Green Sex: Find out the most ec0-friendly forms of birth control. (via Huffington Post) Post from: BlissTree (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3885321 Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:12:14 +0100 3885321 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3880849&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D636 Oi. We all know about the dangers of smoking and pregnancy, low birth rate, the impact of second-hand smoke; we even posted a link to a study on smoking and the use of psychiatric medications (see our May 13th post). The Center for Disease Control just published another report regarding smoking mothers, low birth rate and infant death.  This is morbid, we realize. But important information if you are, or know, a smoking mother-to-be: Here are the stats: 5 percent to 7 percent of deaths among the premature infants — and 23 percent to 34 percent of deaths caused by SIDS — could have been prevented if the mother had not smoked. A horror, isn’t it?  Pass this on to those who might need to read it… (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3880849 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:32:14 +0100 3880849 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3872525&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ourbodiesourblog.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F08%2Fquick-hit-fda-approves-5-day-emergency-contraception In June, we wrote about the FDA’s Advisory Committee for Reproductive Health Drugs recommendation to approve ulipristal acetate (brand name “ella”) for emergency contraception. On Friday, the FDA did approve the drug, as a prescription-only emergency contraceptive to be taken up to 120 hours (5 days) after contraceptive failure/unprotected sex. Existing “Plan B”-type emergency contraception is currently approved for use up to 72 hours. Despite the five-day use window for this drug (and the three-day window for others), some media outlets persist in calling it a “morning-after” pill. Ahem. At the time of our June post, a transcript of the Advisory Committee meeting – which includes the text of presentations and detailed discussion of the drug &#8... Our Bodies Our Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3872525 Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:22:33 +0100 3872525 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3862075&cid=t_96212_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorandpatient.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F08%2Fwhy-are-young-fertile-women-doing-ivf.html I saw a 28 year old business executive today , who had an unusual request. " Doctor, I want you to do IVF for me ! I know I am most probably fertile, but my husband and I are both very busy and are finding it hard to find the time to make a baby, because we both travel so much. I want to have a baby quickly and do not want to waste time. IVF is more efficient than natural sex , so I want to do this in this month. Can you do this for me ? I know that natural Human reproduction is a very inefficient enterprise - and the chances of a pregnancy in one month are about 25%. I checked my husband's diary and mine and compared it with the free online fertility calculator . It seems that the only time we will be together during my fertile time is in Nov 2010 and Feb 2011. I don't want to waste time ... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3862075 Thu, 12 Aug 2010 10:41:00 +0100 3862075 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3848858&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ourbodiesourblog.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F08%2Ffirst-annual-latina-week-of-action-for-reproductive-justice Via @NLIRH, we learned that the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, California Latinas for Reproductive Justice and the Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights have teamed up for the first annual Latina Week of Action for Reproductive Justice, starting today and running until August 15th. As part of the week, the groups are asking supporters to contact their Congressional representatives “to ask the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to support comprehensive family planning services that include contraception as a key women’s health service under the Women’s Health Amendment.” As with many online action campaigns, you can put in your zip code to identify your Representative and Senators and send them a letter ex... Our Bodies Our Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3848858 Mon, 09 Aug 2010 17:46:05 +0100 3848858 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3848856&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fiud-most-effective-emergency-contraceptive%2F photo: Thinkstock A new study shows that a copper intrauterine device (IUD) was 100% effective in preventing pregnancy as a form of emergency contraception in 2,000 Chinese women. The IUD was implanted in the women up to five days after they had unprotected sex, and it prevented pregnancy in all women who followed up with doctors (all but 70 of the original 2,000). These findings suggest that the rate of pregnancy while using the IUD as emergency contraception could be even less than 1 in 1,000, while the rate of pregnancy with Plan B (the “morning after pill”) is 1 in 100. Do you have an IUD, or would you get one for emergency contraception? Let us know by taking the poll below. #MicroPollDiv_270089 { width: 250px; margin: 0px auto; } via Reuters Post from: BlissTree IUD: Mos... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3848856 Mon, 09 Aug 2010 15:57:23 +0100 3848856 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3845260&cid=t_96212_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F08%2Fyou-are-proud-owner-of.html a seven-year-old!Hard to believe that you can blink your eyes and your baby grows from this...to this brownie-batter eating monster!Today, the zoo, cake, and lovin' on Katy. (Source: Turquoise Gates) Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3845260 Sun, 08 Aug 2010 11:13:00 +0100 3845260 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3822918&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwe%25e2%2580%2599re-making-fewer-babies-what-to-expect%2F2010.08.04 Recently I ran into the office manager for one of Houston’s largest pediatric practices. New patient visits are way down and their doctors are looking for ways to keep business rolling. The same day I picked up this piece in the Wall Street Journal which shows declining admissions and doctor visits as a national trend. This is bad news and shows how our faltering economy is finally working its way more visibly into healthcare. And apparently we’re making fewer babies –- admissions to neonatal intensive care units are down. This is a problem. For large tertiary medical centers and hospitals specializing in maternal-child health, babies are the critical customers of a healthy operation. A few thoughts on what to look for (or dare I say, what to “expect”) with fewer ba... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3822918 Thu, 05 Aug 2010 01:11:40 +0100 3822918 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3816764&cid=t_96212_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2F10-birth-control-myths%2F There are a number of birth control methods that are highly effective in preventing pregnancy. There is also a lot of misinformation about how to use contraception, as well as some methods that simply do not work. Following are some common myths about birth control and contraception: I’m breastfeeding so I can’t get pregnant. You can’t get pregnant if the woman doesn’t have an orgasm. I won’t get pregnant if I douche after sex. I don’t need contraception because we only have sex during the "safe" time. You’re only fertile one day a month. I won’t get pregnant if we have sex standing up or if I am on top. You can use plastic wrap or a balloon if you don’t have a condom. I won’t get pregnant if my partner pulls out ... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3816764 Tue, 03 Aug 2010 18:25:00 +0100 3816764 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3808644&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F08%2F01%2Fsunday-news-round-up-2%2F Some items of interest this week: Following up on the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, just a note to check out @Disabilitygov on Twitter, which tweets disability-related news and resources and is tied to the U.S. government site, disability.gov. Also, a new document has been released by the government, Access To Medical Care For Individuals With Mobility Disabilities. It is intended to be an educational tool for health care providers, as it provides standards and answers to frequently asked questions about patient care, but could also be a good tool for individuals who need to raise accessibility concerns with providers. There is also a PDF version that could be downloaded and printed. At Academic Ob/Gyn, Dr. Nicholas Fogelson describes his dislike for the term ... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3808644 Sun, 01 Aug 2010 18:41:19 +0100 3808644 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3802358&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Ffemale-condoms-fighting-hiv-in-washington-dc%2F photo: Thinkstock In Washington, D.C., about three percent of the population over the age of 12 has HIV or AIDS, one of the highest rates in the country, and an epidemic-proportion. To fight the spread of infection, nonprofits are pushing the female condom. They’ve been approved since 1993, but female condoms have never been widely available in the U.S. In fact, research suggests that only about one or two percent of the population has tried them. Female condoms are more expensive than male condoms, but they are just as effective at protecting against HIV and pregnancy. And you can insert them up to eight hours before sex. Have you tried a female condom? Let us know by taking the poll below. #MicroPollDiv_268358 { width: 250px; margin: 0px auto; } via Yahoo! Health Post from: BlissT... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3802358 Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:12:24 +0100 3802358 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3790673&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fbeing-overweight-decreases-the-effectiveness-of-the-pill%2F photo: Thinkstock Being overweight isn’t just bad for your heart and health; it could also increase the odds that you’ll get pregnant. A recent article concluded that some birth control methods, like the pill, might be less effective in obese women. Scientists think it might have something to do with changes in metabolism, which would affect the way contraceptives are handled by the body. Unless you’re trying to get pregnant, this is a pretty compelling reason to get to the doctor and find out what you can do to get to a healthy weight. If you’re paying too much for your birth control pills anyway, they’d better be working. via Mercola Blog Post from: BlissTree Being Overweight Decreases the Effectiveness of the Pill (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3790673 Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:50:10 +0100 3790673 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3787128&cid=t_96212_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Femergency-contraception-after-emergency-sex-2%2F People in recovery from alcoholism, addiction, codependency or gambling may need emergency contraception on occasion. After all, sometimes there is an emergent sexual arousal If you’ve had unprotected intercourse and don’t want to get pregnant, you still have a method of birth control at your disposal: emergency contraception (EC). Unlike other forms of contraception, EC can be used after intercourse to prevent pregnancy. After an unprotected sexual encounter, you have a window of between 3 and 5 days in which to use EC, although the sooner you use it, the better it works. There are three methods of EC in current use: a single dose of contraceptive pills called Plan B, a series of two doses of contraceptive pills called the Yuzpe method, and insertion of an IUD. All o... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3787128 Sun, 25 Jul 2010 18:07:00 +0100 3787128 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3786973&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F07%2F25%2Fsunday-news-round-up-why-is-it-sunday-already-edition%2F Some things that captured my attention or otherwise delighted me this week: Zen Habits has 20 ways to eliminate stress that I should really pay more attention to. Via Siobhan at Bringing Health Information to the Community, I learned about DeafMD, which provides health information in video form using American Sign Language. It includes videos on numerous diseases, understanding laboratory and imaging tests, and a searchable database of doctors they consider deaf-friendly (submitted by readers; no criteria for deaf-friendliness described). Pam’s House Blend has the video and transcript of Dan Choi’s appearance on The Rachel Maddow Show. I have to admit, I teared up a little watching this segment. Pam has been covering Choi’s case pretty extensively, including his appearan... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3786973 Sun, 25 Jul 2010 17:03:15 +0100 3786973 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3786987&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Farticle-boasts-new-birth-centers-luxury-hotel-amenities%2F2010.07.25 Here’s the Minneapolis Star Tribune headline: “Buffalo birthing center has the latest amenities.” And here’s an excerpt: Starting in August, new mothers will have a chance to multi-task in style in Buffalo, Minn. The local hospital is unveiling its new birth center, where every patient room will be equipped with an iPod docking station, a flat-screen TV and DVD player, a soaking tub, rocking chair and refrigerator — oh, and a place for the baby to sleep, too. Buffalo Hospital has spent $7.1 million to turn its old labor and delivery unit into a state-of-the-art facility to appeal to a new generation of patients. At maternity wards around the country, that increasingly means catering to patients and families as if they’re at “a luxury hotel,” ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3786987 Sun, 25 Jul 2010 15:00:31 +0100 3786987 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3786132&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpregnant-women-and-caffeine%2F2010.07.24 The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has issued a statement that moderate caffeine consumption (<200mg/day — about a cup of coffee) does not increase a woman’s risk for miscarriage or preterm birth. The review of recent studies was published in Obstetrics and Gynecology and should reassure women about drinking coffee when pregnant. Caffeine does cross the placenta, but there was no difference found between the moms who drank caffeine while pregnant and those who did not. If you wonder how much caffeine is in certain drinks or foods, click here. One fact the study did not mention is that many women have a natural aversion to coffee when they are pregnant. Maybe nature knows best. *This blog post was originally published at EverythingHealth* (Sourc... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3786132 Sat, 24 Jul 2010 16:00:00 +0100 3786132 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3767013&cid=t_96212_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fsurgeon-general-everett-koop-urging-vote-kagan-supreme-court%2F C. Everett Koop, MD Former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop has written a letter to the United States Senate urging them to vote against her confirmation to the United States Supreme Court based on her actions over the rewriting and editing of a medical society’s statement on partial birth abortion. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3767013 Tue, 20 Jul 2010 02:09:46 +0100 3767013 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3767337&cid=t_96212_160_f&fid=36189&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skinmdblog.com%2F227%2Fhow-to-choose-safe-natural-skin-care-products%2F Choosing safe and natural skin care products can be very hard.   It isn’t that manufacturers don’t “claim” to provide them.  It’s just that their claims are not always completely honest. Safety is actually the big issue here.  If you are like most people, you would like naturally occurring ingredients, because you think they are safer than artificial ingredients. In many cases, you are right.   But, there are a few exceptions. Lead, mercury, cadmium and other heavy metals are found in nature.   They are probably not on the list of ingredients in your favourite cosmetics, they can be there as contaminants in natural plant extracts. Numerous contaminants are present in tap water, which is why water must be purified before it is used in skin care products. P... Skin MD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3767337 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 10:43:12 +0100 3767337 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3764122&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F07%2F18%2Fsunday-news-round-up-three-videos-one-post-edition%2F A few things that caught my eye this week: Heather at Scarleteen is inviting people to participate in a new series in which people of two generations discuss their experiences, such as of teen motherhood, being trans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, intersex, HIV positive, or asexual, abortion, surviving rape and sexual abuse, and other topics listed here. See the post and send her an email if you’re interested in participating. Amy at Science and Sensibility recommends Trish Greenhalgh’s book, How to a Read a Paper, and I definitely second that recommendation. Great, clear stuff on understanding study design and interpretation. The New York Times Magazine has a great piece, The New Abortion Providers, on barriers physicians face in providing abortion and integrating it into mainstre... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3764122 Sun, 18 Jul 2010 19:43:43 +0100 3764122 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3764124&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F07%2F18%2Fon-the-wax-meta-analysis-of-home-vs-hospital-birth%2F The recently published Wax meta-analysis in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology has caused quite a stir, primarily because of the authors’ conclusion that “Less medical intervention during planned home birth is associated with a tripling of the neonatal mortality rate.” At Our Bodies Our Blog, I detail some of the questions raised by this analysis, and why I don’t think this paper on its own actually adds very much clear knowledge to our understanding of home birth safety and outcomes. It’s a rather long post, but covers a number of issues including the authors’ framing of their findings, the lack of detailed reporting/analysis of methods and data from the original papers, the neonatal death issue, and questions of attendant type and unplanned home bi... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3764124 Sun, 18 Jul 2010 16:28:20 +0100 3764124 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3762956&cid=t_96212_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F07%2F17%2F3-tips-for-staying-together-with-children%2F Awhile back my friend Michelle said to the congregation at her husband’s funeral service: “He never spoke an unkind word to me.” Another girlfriend and I looked at each other, jaws dropped. And then she whispered, “They didn’t have kids.” We nodded and felt better about ourselves. But a growing body of research confirms our suspicions. Says Tara Parker-Pope of the New York Times: “One of the more uncomfortable findings of the scientific study of marriage is the negative effect children can have on previously happy relationships. Despite the popular notion that children bring couples closer, several studies have shown that marital satisfaction and happiness typically plummet with the arrival of the first baby.” Why the shift? Stress, of cours... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3762956 Sat, 17 Jul 2010 12:11:51 +0100 3762956 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3757946&cid=t_96212_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorandpatient.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fhow-old-is-too-old-to-have-baby.html Right now the world record for the oldest mother has been set in India and the oldest woman who has given birth is 73 ! At an age when most women have become great-grandmothers, is it sensible for a woman to want to have a child ?Let’s explore this in more detail. Let’s suppose we decide , like some countries have done, that the age cut-off should be 45 and that women who are more than 45 should not be allowed to have IVF treatment, because they are “too old”. Then what happens if a 46 year old woman who is otherwise very healthy wants to have a baby ? Is it fair to say no to her just because she is one year past the cut off age ? Why ?It’s quite likely that older woman are going to make very good mothers. They are mature – and have spent a lot of time and energy in making this... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3757946 Fri, 16 Jul 2010 08:03:00 +0100 3757946 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3746714&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ourbodiesourblog.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F07%2Fhealth-care-reform-and-family-planning Two aspects of recent health reform legislation may help expand access to affordable contraception and family planning services. The first of these is a provision that allows states – through their Medicaid programs – to receive federal funding to cover family planning and related services and supplies for individuals not otherwise eligible for Medicaid. This coverage would be available to individuals (women and men) who are not currently pregnant and whose income does not exceed an income eligibility level established by the state (similar to special eligibility rules for pregnant women who wouldn’t otherwise quality for Medicaid). Family planning-related services that may be covered include STI diagnosis and treatment, treatment of urinary tract infections, treatment of... Our Bodies Our Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3746714 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:10:38 +0100 3746714 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3743505&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F07%2F11%2Fweekly-news-round-up-another-three-day-weekend-edition%2F I’m taking Monday off work. Because I have the terrific privilege of paid vacation days, and have enough of them that I’ve actually topped out and will not accrue more until I take some of them. First, a few of my recent posts at Our Bodies Our Blog that I’ve neglected to link up here: Quick Hit: Public Comment Open on Hospital Visitation Rule Change – public comments are being accepted until August 27 on a proposed rule change that would protect patients’ rights to choose and designate their own visitors during a hospital stay and make hospital visitation much easier for LGBTQI patients and their partners HealthCare.gov Provides Tools for Understanding Health Care Options – a bit about a new government website with information on the implementation of th... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3743505 Sun, 11 Jul 2010 15:50:32 +0100 3743505 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3721934&cid=t_96212_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fcarrying-on-family-name.html Robert Charles was born 19 minutes after his parents walked through the front doors of the hospital.He has Daniel's nose, and the rest seems to be Seiler or Garver (Melissa's side).He is the first baby to carry on the Holmen name - the first Holmen boy of our generation.Melissa's heartache is the joy kind.  What excitement - birthing so quickly!My heart - literally aching physically from the pacemaker inserted just 24 hours before - aches with joy and pain as I see this little one who will always be my link to the baby I won't meet until I get to heaven.A big sister...at last!  Susan has been wishing for a playmate for a long time now!As our family grows, there are just more and more in the circle to welcome each new little face.Cousins, cousins, and more cousins! (Source: Turquo... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3721934 Fri, 02 Jul 2010 23:34:00 +0100 3721934 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3710507&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F06%2F29%2Fseen-on-the-blogs-comments-on-the-danger-of-vbac%2F I recently read a blog comment elsewhere* in a thread that was related to birth choices in its way. The comment said: “VBAC’s are not allowed by the hospital here because they are so extremely dangerous.” Now, “so extremely dangerous” is a subjective description, but here’s what the recent NIH VBAC Consensus Statement has to say: “the vaginal delivery rate after trial of labor has remained constant at approximately 74 percent.” So 74% of the time, an attempted VBAC successfully results in a vaginal delivery. And with regard to the oft-cited fear of uterine rupture: “The risk of uterine rupture for women who undergo trial of labor at term is 778 per 100,000. …There have been no reported maternal deaths due to uterine rupture…F... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3710507 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 17:45:02 +0100 3710507 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3706639&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fempty-handed-birth-control-struggles-for-women-in-uganda%2F The average woman in the United States will give birth to 2.06 children in her lifetime. In Uganda, the average is 6.7 children. Why? Birth control is virtually unavailable in this African nation. That’s not to say Ugandan women don’t want it, however. But even when a pregnancy would be risky to a woman’s health, she has no means of preventing it. A new short film, Empty Handed: Responding to the Demand for Contraceptives shares the plight of these women: Empty Handed from Population Action International on Vimeo. Post from: BlissTree "Empty Handed": Birth Control Struggles for Women In Uganda (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3706639 Mon, 28 Jun 2010 21:49:20 +0100 3706639 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3702912&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F06%2F27%2Fweekly-news-round-up-new-blog-template-edition%2F Some things that caught my attention this week: A Providence, RI ob/gyn clinic was found to have inserted possibly 400-500 IUDs that are not approved for use in the U.S. and may not be effective. It looks like they’re saying it’s basically the version of the devices approved in Canada, but the investigation is ongoing. Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health has The Abortion Provider’s Declaration of Rights, and is asking for sign-ons. It declares the rights of providers to be free from harassment and violence, to give patients complete and accurate information about the procedure (and not give medically inaccurate politically-motivated information), to perform the procedure after obtaining the patient’s consent without proscribed waiting periods, to choose t... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3702912 Sun, 27 Jun 2010 16:47:38 +0100 3702912 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3691114&cid=t_96212_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FKIwXZy8z1QA%2F For the second time this year, GlaxoSmithKline is moving to dispense with nagging litigation by agreeing to wholesale settlements. Last month, the drugmaker agreed to pay about $60 million to settle 700 lawsuits alleging its Avandia diabetes pill causes heart attacks and strokes (back story). Now, Glaxo is settling nearly 200 lawsuits that charged its Paxil antidepressant caused birth defects, although the amounts were not disclosed, The Legal Intelligencer reports. The move comes after a Pennsylvania state court jury last October awarded a woman $2.5 million in damages for failing to properly warn docs and pregnant women about the risks of the antidepressant. This case, which was filed by the family of three-year-old Lyam Kilker, who was born with heart defects his mother blamed on the d... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3691114 Wed, 23 Jun 2010 12:01:32 +0100 3691114 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3687073&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ourbodiesourblog.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F06%2Fdeliver-this-female-condoms-and-maternal-health by Kiki Kalkstein, Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE) Earlier this month, I attended the Women Deliver Conference in Washington, D.C ., on behalf of the Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE). After a jam-packed three days of plenary sessions, chairman’s sessions, and more than 100 concurrent sessions, participants left the conference reinvigorated and ready to take action to work toward fulfilling Millennium Development Goal #5: Reduce maternal mortality and achieve universal access to reproductive health. After speaking with hundreds of participants, one thing was made very clear to me — people not only want female condoms, but they believe that female condoms are a vital tool in decreasing maternal death, improving maternal health, and promoting sexual and r... Our Bodies Our Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3687073 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 20:04:12 +0100 3687073 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3683597&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fhow-often-do-you-have-sex-poll-of-the-day%2F photo: Thinkstock We swear we’re not being pervy, we just want to know more about how women (and men) tick, and about our readers’ experiences with sex. You seemed to really like the poll we did about your favorite way to groom your bikini line. So taking a sex poll seems like the next natural step. And don’t worry – it’s all anonymous. (Did we mention that we’re not creepy?) We hope that however often you have sex, you do it safely. Oh, and if you’re feeling chatty, feel free to leave a comment below, too. (You don’t have to use your name there, either.) So now that you know we’re not sexually depraved sickos, let’s commence with some frank sex talk: #MicroPollDiv_262156 { width: 250px; margin: 0px auto; } Post from: BlissTree How ... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3683597 Mon, 21 Jun 2010 16:27:19 +0100 3683597 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3678512&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F06%2F19%2Fat-our-bodies-our-blog-emergency-contraception-and-revisiting-vbac-standards%2F At Our Bodies Our Blog from this week, I have posts on an FDA committee’s recommendation of approval of new emergency contraception drug, and ACOG on VBAC: In Their Own Words, on recent commentaries from the ob/gyn organization’s leadership and whether they might predict a shift in professional thinking about vaginal birth after cesarean. Meanwhile, C has a post on the politics of fathering. Our Bodies Ourselves is currently working on a 40th edition of the book to be released in 2011 – the Word By Word campaign is soliciting donations to support this effort, and donors can get their name or a name of their choosing in this edition. Filed under: Access, Rights, & Choice, Birth, Contraception (Source: Women's Health News) Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3678512 Sat, 19 Jun 2010 20:02:43 +0100 3678512 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3676643&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ourbodiesourblog.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F06%2Ffda-committee-recommends-approval-of-new-emergency-contraception-drug The FDA’s Advisory Committee for Reproductive Health Drugs yesterday reviewed a new drug application for ulipristal acetate, an emergency contraception that prevents pregnancy after intercourse. This particular drug has been available in Europe under the brand name ellaOne since May of 2009 and is intended for use up to five days after unprotected sex or contraceptive failure. Most other emergency contraceptions sold over the counter in the United States are officially approved for use up to three days (72 hours), although it is widely accepted that these others drugs (such as versions of Plan B) are also effective for up to five days. See our previous post on the topic for further discussion of this aspect, as well as some fairly recent studies and anti-choice objections to the prod... Our Bodies Our Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3676643 Fri, 18 Jun 2010 18:28:10 +0100 3676643 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3671615&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F06%2F16%2Fnotes-from-a-lecture-on-perimortem-cesarean%2F On Tuesday, I attended the larger workplace’s Tuesday morning emergency medicine conference for the first time, as the librarian currently serving them is leaving us for another library and I will be working with emed after she leaves. One of the presentations was on perimortem cesarean (another was on other ob emergencies), which I found quite fascinating. The presenter indicated that there is limited data on maternal and fetal benefits, with most of the literature in case reports biased toward the positive outcomes. There was also discussion of decision-making, various cases and whether a cesarean would be appropriate, maternal and neonatal resuscitation, triage, and other issues. Here are a couple of references that came up in the talk for others who might be interested. Katz ... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3671615 Thu, 17 Jun 2010 00:34:54 +0100 3671615 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3658916&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F06%2F13%2Fweekly-news-round-up-things-to-unsee-edition%2F I had to look at the Cosmo website for a reason unrelated to my own interests/reading. There are no words for the steaming pile of bullsh*t-distractions-for-women that I found there. Apparently there is an article I might be interested in, but I could not will myself to find it. [warning for implied sexual violence] Something else I want to unsee – B pointed out this ridiculous game called “icing” in which dudes play by presenting each other with an otherwise unpalatable barely alcoholic beverage and being forced to drink it. As she notes in her piece for the Scene’s blog, it’s not so much the game itself, as the language around it, especially on a website for the game. Like, “there is nothing more insulting than being forced to take and knee and public... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3658916 Sun, 13 Jun 2010 18:54:39 +0100 3658916 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3648464&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fwomens-rights-or-population-control%2F photo: Thinkstock “Women’s rights are the way to approach the population issue,” reads the title of an interview recently published on Grist. But we found some mixed messages in the interview with Suzanne Ehlers, the president of Population Action International (PAI). Ehlers asserts that if women around the world had access to contraceptives and birth control, then population control will follow. We agree with that. We’re all for empowering women to take control of their bodies, but the title seems misleading to us. It seems to treat women’s rights as a method of population control, rather than being an important world issue that needs attention of its own. Even Ehlers says she considers family planning and reproductive health to be PAI’s main issues, an... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3648464 Wed, 09 Jun 2010 21:05:49 +0100 3648464 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3648465&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ourbodiesourblog.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F06%2Ffollowing-up-on-the-cdcs-contraception-safety-guideline We recently wrote about the CDC’s new publication, the U S. Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use, 2010, which outlines specific characteristics or medical conditions that may interfere with safe contraception use. The July issue of the journal Contraception follows up on this topic, featuring articles from CDC and WHO authors on contraception use and specific medical conditions as well as current research gaps. The authors identify the following issues as needing further research, among several others: Long-term effects of Depo Provera on bone mineral density and any relevant race/ethnicity factors Effects of postpartum oral contraceptives on infant health and breastfeeding Whether IUD expulsion rates vary by type of birth a woman has had (i.e., if the IUD is more like... Our Bodies Our Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3648465 Wed, 09 Jun 2010 19:47:22 +0100 3648465 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3645056&cid=t_96212_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FNaS_mp6oKTA%2F Top of the morning to you. Hope you feel refreshed and energetic. And why not? As the Morning Mayor used to say: ‘Every brand new day should be unwrapped like a precious gift.’ Nothing like a gentle reminder to look on the sunny side, yes? Meanwhile, here are a few items to keep you moving in the right direction. Have a great day and do stay in touch… FDA To Review New Morning After Pill (USA Today) Regeneron, New Drugs And Big Partners (Bloomberg News) Glaxo Cancer Drug Bounced Again By UK’s NICE (Reuters) Pfizer Halts Sale Of Vaccine Linked To Bleeding Calve Syndrome (Herald Scotland) Charles River Shareholder Opposes WuXi Deal (Outsourcing Pharma) Merck Insomnia Drug Improves Sleep: Study (Reuters) Bayer To Emphasize Sales Growth Over Margins (Reuters) pic courte... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3645056 Wed, 09 Jun 2010 11:49:24 +0100 3645056 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3640993&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ourbodiesourblog.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F06%2Flive-web-streaming-available-from-women-deliver-conference The Women Deliver 2010 conference is happening in Washington DC today through Wednesday, focusing on global maternal and reproductive health and featuring great speakers from numerous U.S. and international agencies. I just listened to Melinda Gates wrap up and pledge $1.5 billion in new family planning and maternal/child health grants for next 5 years; an archive of these videos is expected to be posted as well. The conference is streaming live at http://www.womendeliver.org/conferences/-2010-conference/webcast/. You can follow tweets using the hashtag #WD2010, which are also streaming on the webcast page. I’ve set up archives at Twapper Keeper and What the Hashtag? to save tweets with this hashtag for later review. (Source: Our Bodies Our Blog) Our Bodies Our Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3640993 Mon, 07 Jun 2010 17:58:39 +0100 3640993 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3635688&cid=t_96212_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F06%2F06%2Fweekly-news-round-up-glad-its-finally-june-edition%2F Over at Our Bodies Our Blog recently, I’ve posted on the CDC’s new guide to contraceptive use safety (with relevant parts linked for easy access, as the guide itself is kind of difficult to navigate), the Defense authorization that would repeal both “don’t ask don’t tell” and prohibitions against abortions in Department of Defense medical facilities, debate about over-the-counter genetic testing, a CDC working group’s outline of a plan to address infertility, and the FDA’s transparency initiative. And, hey! this year’s 2010 Women’s Health Heroes were also announced! Big thanks to everybody who submitted nominations and/or voted – go check out the winners and inductees. Some other things that caught my eye: The Women Delive... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3635688 Sun, 06 Jun 2010 15:47:54 +0100 3635688 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3632250&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fsunscreen-smarts-daily-health-quiz%2F How much do you really know about your health? You may think you know all the ins and outs of staying well, but our daily Health Smarts Quiz will test your knowledge on the spot. Answer our question, below, and check back tomorrow for the correct answer and your next pop quiz. photo: Thinkstock Today’s Question: When planning for a weekend in the sun, you definitely don’t want to forget your favorite natural sunscreen. But can you just slap on some SPF right before heading into the heat? How long before sun exposure should you apply sunscreen so your skin effectively absorbs it? #MicroPollDiv_259339 { width: 250px; margin: 0px auto; } Answer to Yesterday’s Question: Usually, the success of birth control pills is not changed by dietary or herbal supplements, but in a few ... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3632250 Fri, 04 Jun 2010 16:56:49 +0100 3632250 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3625471&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ourbodiesourblog.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F06%2Fcdc-releases-guide-to-contraception-use-safety The CDC recently released the U S. Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use, 2010, adapted from World Health Organization recommendations and intended to outline specific characteristics or medical conditions that may interfere with safe contraception use. The document is intended for use by health care providers when counseling individuals about contraceptive choices, but is freely available to the public and includes some useful tables of considerations related to numerous contraceptive methods. It also includes a table of contraceptive failure rates with perfect and typical use (i.e., what percent of women get unintentionally pregnant in the first year with each method), and how many women continue to use each method after one year. The guide is a little bit opaque to navigate... Our Bodies Our Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3625471 Thu, 03 Jun 2010 14:52:59 +0100 3625471 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3621803&cid=t_96212_117_f&fid=34696&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.straightfromthedoc.com%2F50226711%2Fantidepressants_increase_risk_of_miscarriage.php © davhorStopping the intake of antidepressants can lead to a return of depression and other symptoms. That's why the use of antidepressants is common even in pregnant women. However, according to a Canadian study, women who take a certain class of antidepressants during pregnancy may increase their risk of having a miscarriage by 68 percent. The Canadian case-control study on more than 5,000 women found that by controlling for other factors associated with miscarriage, taking antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) during ... (Source: Straightfromthedoc) Straightfromthedoc blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3621803 Wed, 02 Jun 2010 08:00:00 +0100 3621803 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3617799&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2F10-things-you-should-know-about-your-vagina-little-known-gynecological-facts%2F photo: Thinkstock We women think we know everything about “down there” – who has more experience in that area than us, right? But even we were surprised by some of the expert tips from WebMD – here are 10 things you should definitely know about your vagina: 1. The Pill can decrease your sex drive. Sad, but true. If you notice a decrease in sexual desire after a switch to the Pill, try switching brands, or even birth control methods. 2. To avoid side effects of birth control pills, insert the pills vaginally. In a study, women who inserted the pill vaginally had fewer headaches, cases of upset stomach, cases of breast tenderness and other side effects. It’s also good to know if you’re nauseous and worried you won’t be able to keep the pill down. 3. If you&#... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3617799 Wed, 26 May 2010 21:41:44 +0100 3617799 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3603558&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fthe-pill-around-the-world-u-s-vs-foreign-methods-of-birth-control%2F photo: Thinkstock The Pill is getting lots of attention for its 50th birthday in the U.S. (attention whore!), but we wonder: Is it as popular in the rest of the world? According to the Center for Disease Control, we’re not the only ones who prefer oral contraceptives: In the U.S., 16% of married women use the pill, compared to 29% of women in the U.K. and 40% in the Netherlands and France. Women in America do, however, use sterilization more often than non-American women, according to a report from the Center for Disease Control. While about 17% of women in the U.S. have been sterilized, less than 10% of women in other countries record sterilizations as their method of birth control. The trends are consistent among non-married women as well. New birth control products like vaginal ri... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3603558 Wed, 26 May 2010 20:30:58 +0100 3603558 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3595554&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fweight-gain-in-the-wrong-places-daily-health-quiz%2F How much do you really know about your health? You may think you know all the ins and outs of staying well, but our daily Health Smarts Quiz will test your knowledge on the spot. Answer our question, below, and check back tomorrow for the correct answer and your next pop quiz. Today’s Question: It is more dangerous to carry weight on your body in certain places than others? A build-up of fat in one particular part of your body will make you more likely to develop health problems. Which part of your body is the riskiest place to have a build-up of fat? #MicroPollDiv_257236 { width: 250px; margin: 0px auto; } Answer to our last health quiz: We’ve heard that those who take birth control aren’t supposed to smoke, but is there actually a risk? According to Our Bodies, Oursel... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3595554 Mon, 24 May 2010 21:46:38 +0100 3595554 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3592213&cid=t_96212_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmale-birth-control-is-ultrasound-the-key%2F2010.05.23 Finally men everywhere might have a birth control option that won’t rob them of the joys of living. Scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill may have discovered a cheap, convenient and noninvasive method of male birth control — ultrasound. The scientists believe that a single treatment can provide up to six months of infertility that is reversible. The team has received a $100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for their work. If the project pans out, this could have an incredible impact on global health. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Medgadget* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3592213 Sun, 23 May 2010 12:00:51 +0100 3592213