Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in OBGYN & Women’s Health for December 2018. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Three Novel Loci Associated With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ID’d
MONDAY, Dec. 31, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Three novel loci have been identified for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), according to research published online Dec. 19 in PLOS Genetics.
Second-Line Antidiabetic Meds May Impact Cardiovascular Risk
FRIDAY, Dec. 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For adults with type 2 diabetes initiating second-line antidiabetic medications (ADM), cardiovascular risk is increased with use of sulfonylureas or basal insulin versus newer ADM classes, according to a study published online Dec. 21 in JAMA Network Open.
ACOG Updates Guidelines for Gestational HTN, Preeclampsia
FRIDAY, Dec. 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) has updated its guidance on the management of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia as well as chronic hypertension in pregnant women; the two practice bulletins were published in the January issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Gestational Hypertension and Preeclampsia
Chronic Hypertension in Pregnancy
Toll on Health From Depression, Anxiety Akin to Smoking, Obesity
FRIDAY, Dec. 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Anxiety and depression predict poor future physical health as strongly as obesity and smoking in older adults, according to a study published online Dec. 17 in Health Psychology.
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Pregnancy Complications Up for Women Born at Low Birth Weight
FRIDAY, Dec. 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Women born with a low birth weight have an increased risk for pregnancy complications, according to a study published online Dec. 19 in Obesity.
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Having Children Tied to Higher Risk for Cardiovascular Disease
FRIDAY, Dec. 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Parity is associated with cardiovascular disease risk, with a nonlinear J-shaped dose-response relationship observed, according to a meta-analysis published online Dec. 19 in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
Risk for Breast Cancer Increased With False-Positive Screening Result
FRIDAY, Dec. 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Women with prior false-positive screening results have an increased risk for screen-detected and interval breast cancer for more than 10 years, according to a study published online Dec. 18 in the British Journal of Cancer.
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Dancing Tied to Lower Odds of Disability in Activities of Daily Living
THURSDAY, Dec. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For older women, participation in dancing is associated with a reduced likelihood of incident disability in activities of daily living (ADL), according to a study published online Dec. 18 in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports.
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Low-Priced Generic Drugs Most Likely to Have Shortages
THURSDAY, Dec. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The lowest-priced generic drugs are more likely to experience shortages, according to a study published in the November issue of Value in Health.
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More Than Two-Thirds of Drug OD Deaths in 2017 Involved Opioids
THURSDAY, Dec. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — More than two-thirds of drug overdose deaths in 2017 involved an opioid, with increases in overdose deaths from all opioids and synthetic opioids seen from 2016 to 2017, according to research published in the Dec. 21 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Health Care Screening Practices Impact Skin Cancer Diagnosis
THURSDAY, Dec. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Undergoing health care screening practices is associated with an increased likelihood of being diagnosed with skin cancer, according to a study published online Dec. 26 in JAMA Dermatology.
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More Americans Reporting Less Than Six Hours Sleep Per Night
THURSDAY, Dec. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The percentage of American adults reporting six hours of sleep or less per night increased from 29 to 33 percent from 2013 to 2017, according to a study recently published in Sleep.
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New BP Treatment Cutoffs May Not Yield Survival Benefit
THURSDAY, Dec. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — New blood pressure treatment recommendations may not improve survival from cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to a study recently published in the European Heart Journal.
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ASH Develops Practice Guidelines for Venous Thromboembolism
THURSDAY, Dec. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The American Society of Hematology (ASH) has developed new guidelines for the treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE); the clinical practice guidelines were recently published in Blood Advances.
Prophylaxis for Hospitalized and Nonhospitalized Medical Patients
Diagnosis of Venous Thromboembolism
Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia
Treatment of Pediatric Venous Thromboembolism
Venous Thromboembolism in the Context of Pregnancy
Optimal Management of Anticoagulation Therapy
Updated Guidelines Developed for Diagnosing, Treating Influenza
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The Infectious Diseases Society of America has updated their recommendations for the care of patients with suspected or diagnosed influenza; the clinical practice guidelines were published online Dec. 19 in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Initiative Can Cut Gender Gap in Medical School Faculty Salaries
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — An institutional gender equity initiative (GEI) can reduce gender-based salary gaps among medical school faculty, according to a study published online Dec. 21 in JAMA Network Open.
ACOG: Interpregnancy Period Should Maximize Women’s Health
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Providers should maximize women’s health during the interpregnancy period, continuing care beyond the immediate postpartum period, according to a consensus report published online Dec. 20 in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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EMS Treatment for Possible Heart Attack Varies by Sex
MONDAY, Dec. 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Disparities exist in the emergency medical services (EMS) treatment of women and men with chest pain (CP) or out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), according to a study published online Dec. 10 in Women’s Health Issues.
HPV Ups Cervical Cancer Risk, Even With No Cellular Signs
MONDAY, Dec. 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The presence of certain high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types predicts future risk for high-grade cervical cancer even among women with no cellular indications of cancer at baseline, according to a study published online Dec. 10 in Cancer.
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Vit C for Pregnant Smokers May Improve Newborn Lung Function
MONDAY, Dec. 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For pregnant smokers, vitamin C supplementation may improve newborn lung function, according to a study published online Dec. 7 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
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FDA Announces Safety Monitoring Measures for the Essure Device
FRIDAY, Dec. 21, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is implementing a number of steps for long-term safety monitoring of the permanent birth control device Essure, which will no longer be sold or distributed in the United States after Dec. 31, 2018.
FDA: Fluoroquinolones Tied to Heart Vessel Ruptures, Tears
FRIDAY, Dec. 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Patients taking fluoroquinolones may be at higher risk for ruptures or tears in the aorta, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns.
CDC: Weight, Waist Size, BMI Increased for Many U.S. Adults
FRIDAY, Dec. 21, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 1999-2000 to 2015-2016, there was an increase in mean weight, waist circumference, and body mass index (BMI) for many U.S. adults, according to the Dec. 20 issue of the National Vital Statistics Reports, a publication from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
CDC: ~65 Percent of U.S. Women Currently Using Contraceptives
THURSDAY, Dec. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Almost two-thirds of U.S. women aged 15 to 49 years were currently using contraception in 2015 to 2017, according to a December data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics.
Affordable Care Act Sign-Ups Higher Than Expected
THURSDAY, Dec. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Despite numerous difficulties, early figures show that sign-ups for health coverage next year under the Affordable Care Act are higher than expected.
Growth in Use of Telemedicine Seen From 2005 to 2017
THURSDAY, Dec. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2005 to 2017, there was a substantial increase in telemedicine use, although use was still uncommon in 2017, according to a research letter published online Nov. 27 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
ADA 2019 Standards of Care Emphasize Patient-Centered Care
THURSDAY, Dec. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Patient-centered care is emphasized in updated clinical practice recommendations from the American Diabetes Association 2019 Standards of Care, published as a supplement to the January issue of Diabetes Care.
Exercise Promotes Executive Functioning in Sedentary Adults
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For sedentary adults at risk for cognitive decline, aerobic exercise (AE) is associated with significant improvement in executive functioning, according to a study published online Dec. 19 in Neurology.
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Postmenopausal Vaginal Estrogen Not Tied to Negative Health Outcomes
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For postmenopausal women, vaginal estrogen use is not associated with negative health outcomes, according to a study published online Dec. 17 in Menopause.
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Cardiac Malformations Not Up With First-Trimester Ondansetron
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — First-trimester ondansetron use is associated with a small increased risk for oral cleft but no increased risk for congenital malformations or cardiac malformations, according to a study published in the Dec. 18 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Edentulism Tied to Greater Risk for High BP After Menopause
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Postmenopausal women with edentulism are at an increased risk for developing hypertension, according to a study published online Dec. 4 in the American Journal of Hypertension.
Endocrine Tx Does Not Impair Neuropsychological Performance
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For early-stage breast cancer survivors, endocrine therapy (ET) appears to have no effect on neuropsychological performance or impairment over six years of follow-up, according to a study published online Nov. 28 in Cancer.
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Delivery Mode Tied to Pelvic Floor Disorder Risk Post-Childbirth
TUESDAY, Dec. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — After childbirth, the risk for pelvic floor disorders varies by delivery mode, according to a study published in the Dec. 18 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Exclusion of Doctors From Public Health Insurance Up 2007 to 2017
TUESDAY, Dec. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2007 to 2017, the number of physicians excluded from Medicare and state public insurance programs increased, according to a study published online Dec. 14 in JAMA Network Open.
Routine Supplements to Prevent Chronic Disease Not Advised
TUESDAY, Dec. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Routine use of vitamin and mineral supplements to prevent chronic disease is not recommended, according to an Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics position paper published in the November issue of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
EHR Data ID Differences in HTN Control Across Health Systems
TUESDAY, Dec. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — An analysis of electronic health record data reveals considerable differences in hypertension control across health systems, according to a study published in the November-December issue of the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine.
Type 2 Diabetes Risk Lower in Women With Active Migraine
MONDAY, Dec. 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Women with active migraine have a lower risk for type 2 diabetes, according to a study published online Dec. 17 in JAMA Neurology.
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Pediatricians Have Role in ID’ing Postpartum Depression
MONDAY, Dec. 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Pediatric physicians should screen women for postpartum depression (PPD) at well-child visits and make use of community resources for treatment and referral, according to a policy statement and technical report published online Dec. 17 in Pediatrics.
Policy Statement
Technical Report
Some With Type 2 Diabetes Inappropriately Monitoring Blood Glucose
MONDAY, Dec. 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A considerable proportion of patients with type 2 diabetes may be self-monitoring blood glucose inappropriately, according to a research letter published online Dec. 10 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Emotional Stress of Holidays Can Trigger Heart Attacks
FRIDAY, Dec. 14, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The highest risk for myocardial infarction occurs around 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve, according to a study published online Dec. 12 in The BMJ.
T2DM Linked to Decline in Verbal Memory, Fluency in Older Adults
FRIDAY, Dec. 14, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Type 2 diabetes is associated with declines in verbal memory and fluency among older community-dwelling adults, according to a study published online Dec. 13 in Diabetologia.
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AMI, Stroke Risk Elevated for Women With Preeclampsia Within 20 Years 
Sexual Dysfunction Common Among Young Women With Cancer 
Self-Cut Mesh Noninferior for Pelvic Organ Prolapse Procedure 
How PCOS Diagnosis Is Communicated May Affect Later Well-Being 
2013 to 2024 Saw Decrease in Benzodiazepine Prescribing 
Childhood Cancer Survivors Often Have Mental Distress in Adulthood 
Air Pollution Tied to Higher Risk for Suicide 
Psychiatrists Only Agree 55 Percent of the Time on Diagnoses 
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