Medical Monday: Breaking News from the World of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Policy News:

Medical and civil rights organizations have come together to oppose the detention of pregnant women by the agency on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They have cited harmful effects on the health of these individuals due to lack of access to proper prenatal care and due to the high risk of rape while detained. 

Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois) has been the first Senator to have a baby while in office. Adequate lactation rooms were ensured through a measure by Senator Nancy Pelosi in 2008 so that breastfeeding Senators could comply with breastfeeding recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics. However, the post partum senator may have more difficulty attending votes unless the current rules barring children from the Senate floor are modified. 

The Trump administration has added two new exemptions to the individual mandate which is the rule that says people must carry individual health insurance or pay penalties. One is an exemption for those who live in a place with only one ACA (Affordable Care Act) insurance carrier whose coverage includes abortion services. On the basis of paying into a fund whose services include abortion, they can be exempted. I can see why people feel such consumers should not be obligated to use such a plan. I believe, however, that same anti-abortion consumer should be obligated to follow through with their execution of conscience and be required, under pain of penalty to buy private health insurance so that the rest of society does not end up footing the bill for their conscience driven but unfunded health care.  

The second exception the the individual mandate is nonsense. It is a “hardship” exemption. Who more than those under hardship need quality health care ? This particular exemption is a recipe for making the poor or those under hardship even poorer. And what does it gain? It gains political brownie points under the guise of freedom, and a better appearing Federal spreadsheet for this administration to tout to the voting taxpayers. We need to do a better job a making it clear to people that they stand to gain much more buying health insurance than they do forgoing it. 

Four abortion restricting laws have been passed by the 2017 Arkansas legislators. However, several influential groups have filed amicus briefs at the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis. One is the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists pertaining to the criminalization of “D & E”, the procedure dilation and curettage. This procedure is a safe and effective method for abortion, the safest in fact for the second trimester, and is used in many medically indicated cases where the patient’s life is at stake. 

The New York Times has reported that Scott Lloyd, the director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement keeps a spreadsheet of all detained unaccompanied minors who are pregnant and are requesting abortion. Lloyd has directed that this "captive audience" received non medical “counseling”  regarding their requests. Does anyone else view this as a misuse of power ? Does anyone else view this an incursion of a non-medical authority into the realm of medicine and counseling ?

Medical News: 

 Ever heard of the term “Previvor”? Me neither.  Previvors are those that know they carry a genetic mutation for cancer but have not yet developed cancer. Many are people who have discovered their mutation through non- medical genetic screening such as through the popular company “23 and me”. Others are those with family member with cancer who have been advised to do testing. Either way they are in a grey zone, and do not always get the care they need to address their relatively new predicament. Enter Dr. Heather Macdonald, an Obstetrician Gynecologist at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, California. She has created a special tailored program for these patients. It is called the “ Breast and Ovarian Cancer Prevention Program. In it she has outlined the possible ways to address risk, which may range from surgery, to medication to health maintenance strategies. 

The nation is finally mobilizing on the issue of maternal morbidity and mortality. Five states were in on the creation of the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM), California, Florida, Illinois ,Michigan, and Oklahoma. Texas, the nation’s worst offender, has now joined. The initial states have since seen significant decreases in maternal morbidity using protocols called “safety bundles”. 

Young women still suffer stigma even in the confines of an office visit. New research indicated fully half of teens and young women do not feel comfortable discussing sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Moreover, over a quarter lie to their caregivers about their sexual history. Separate research has shown that that the incidence of STIs is at a many decade high. Nonetheless, 62% of women under 25 do not consider themselves at risk for STIs. Only 40% use condoms. What might be a way to change all this ? 

A recent study published in Obstetrics and Gynecology indicates that marijuana does show up in the breastmilk of using mothers. Infants who breastfed exclusively ingested about 2.5 percent of the maternal dose and peaked one hour after smoking. ACOG’s position on marijuana in pregnancy and breastfeeding is as follows: 

There are “...concerns regarding impaired neurodevelopment, as well as maternal and fetal exposure to the adverse effects of smoking”. 

"There are insufficient data to evaluate the effects of marijuana use on infants during lactation and breastfeeding, and in the absence of such data, marijuana use is discouraged.”

Reference: 

https://www.acog.org/Clinical-Guidance-and-Publications/Committee-Opinions/Committee-on-Obstetric-Practice/Marijuana-Use-During-Pregnancy-and-Lactation

PCO or polycystic ovarian syndrome is a complex medical condition that comprises problems with ovulation, fertility, menstruation and excess male hormones, and problems with acne and unwanted hair growth. It also includes problems with carbohydrate metabolism and may lead to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. New research also indicates is is associated with a higher prevalence of several psychiatric conditions including depression and anxiety. 

Initial testing of a personalized vaccine against recurrent ovarian cancer cells is showing promise. A patient’s own dendrite cells (DC) are treated and given separately or together with other immunotherapy. The DC vaccine induced potent anti tumor T cell responses and was well tolerated, and was associated with a better prognosis. Further clinical testing is planned. 

New research in the Journal Menopause has unearthed a connection between the severity of menopausal symptoms and the risk of heart disease. The research found that increased symptoms such as hot flashes were associated with artery stiffness and dysfunction. This research may come to influence the way we think about postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy which reduces both symptoms and arterial dysfunction. 

The biggest news of the week may be that alcohol is not as safe as once previously believed. A new international study has shown that even one drink of beer or wine per day can increase the odds of hypertension, stroke and heart disease and significantly shorten life. Numerous national and international recommendations are likely to be changed based on this. 

Stay tuned this week for more exciting news from the world of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 

Medical Monday: Part Two

Medical Monday: Medical News Section 

Pregnancy related death continues to rise in at a fairly steady rate in the US. As of 2013, we sit at 17.3 women per 100,000 live births with a rage of about 12 per 100,000 for whites and 40 per 100,000 for blacks. Cardiovascular diseases of various kinds accounts for about 40% if these deaths. About 9% are due to pulmonary embolism, and 7% are related to high blood pressure and preeclampsia. The rest pertain to infection, hemorrhage and rare disorders like amniotic fluid embolism. 

Teen births are statistically high risk. It turns out that high teen birth rates cluster in certain cities. Analysis of the data shows these clusterings are not random and are not related to poverty to education. Most generally, the clusters are in the southern states, but they also exist in Denver, Fresno, and Yakima. San Antonio has the distinction of being the number one urban center with a teen pregnancy cluster. These findings my begin to help shed light on what is no doubt at least partly a cultural phenomenon. 

Breastfeeding has been touted has having numerous benefits, including health benefits to the mother. It turns out that prevention of uterus (endometrial) cancer is one of those benefits. Breastfeeding EVER confers an 11% reduction of risk. The longer the breastfeeding the more the risk was reduced, until risk reduction peaked at somewhere around 6-9 months of breastfeeding. 

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (See PCO section HERE) is a complex of problems which include problems with ovulation (producing an egg), as well as obesity, excess male hormone, and difficulty metabolizing carbohydrate. A given patient may have one, all, or just a selection of the features of this varied disease. Generally, doctors have assumed that obesity and carbohydrate intolerance goes together. However new research has shown that even normal weight patients with PCO have have significant insulin resistance. This points for the need to counsel normal weight patients to eat a very high quality diet rich in protein, vegetables and fruit, and healthy fats. 

The overall incidence of depression in teens in higher than once previously believed, coming in at about 14% for those between 12-17. Of note, by 17, girls had a three fold higher incidence than boys. 

In the vice department, the news is sobering. New research from the Journal of Drug and Alcohol Dependence has shown that children born to women who smoke as few as 10 cigarettes per day have problems later in life. In particular, they have increased problems “learning and thinking”. 

The British Medical Journal has published research showing that even small amounts of alcohol produces changes in brain function which play out as poorer performance on language related tests. This data comes from research on 550 men and women over a 30 year period of time. 

Hard data is in from last year’s mosquito season in America (including Puerto Rico). Zika virus, which is transmitted by mosquito, produced birth defects in about 5% of babies who’s mothers became infected in pregnancy. This number was higher for those infected early, and lower for those infected late. We should learn even more this  year, and hopefully get one season closer to a vaccine for this dreaded disease. 

For those in Zika- vulnerable states: Remember, DEET is safe in pregnancy. Zika is not. 

Stay tuned next week for more breaking news from the world of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 

Medical Monday: Breaking News from the World of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Zika virus again begins the headlines. It has now been well established that Zika virus can be sexually transmitted. The CDC ( Centers for Disease Control) has recommended that men returning from Zika affected countries take special precautions if their partners are pregnant or apt to become pregnant. They are advised to abstain or use protection through the duration of the entire pregnancy. The primary method of transmission is still believed to be through mosquitos, however, Zika has recently been isolated from both saliva and urine. 

Zika’s devastating effects on the unborn are similar to effects caused by the more well known viruses Rubella and Cytomegalovirus (CMV). Zika virus is associated with microcephaly (small underdeveloped brain and skull, with attendant developmental disabilities) and eye defects, and so are CMV and Rubella.  Researchers are turning attention back to these better understood viruses to get clues about how the ZIka virus functions. 

Additional recommendations from the CDC and ACOG ( American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) include testing all women living in or returning from ZIka infected countries. The US Olympic Committee has reiterated the CDC cautions, but has not issued any prohibitions against anyone going to or participating in the games. 

In the interesting and promising department, Columbia has recorded over 3000 cases of Zika infected pregnant women. To date, no cases of microcephaly have been reported there. The reasons for this are uncertain. Post Zika Guillaine Barre syndrome has been studied in Columbia as well. Guillaine Barre is a reaction to certain viral infections which produces a usually temporary paralysis. It can be life threatening since it can paralyze the respiratory muscles. Columbian officials have noticed a 66 % increase in Guillaine Barre reactions compared to baseline. 

President Obama has asked Congress for 1.8 billion dollars in funding to combat the Zika Virus. As of Friday, there are 79 cases of Zika in the United States. 

Influenza is another viral danger which continues to deserve our attention. The good news there is that we have an effective vaccine. Flu vaccine is very important to pregnant women, since pregnant women are much more vulnerable to serious disease if they contract the flu. New research indicates flu vaccine in pregnancy is most effective if given in the first trimester. 

There are other situations which can cause serious birth defects. One is exceedingly common: alcohol. Last week the CDC made news by recommending that pregnant women abstain from all alcohol. They also advised health professionals to advise women to stop using it even if they are just trying to become pregnant or, more interestingly, are simply having unprotected sex. 

Frankly, these do not see like radical recommendations to me.  They certainly do not seem mysogynist or anti-women. However, that is how some women are reacting. The blogosphere has been ablaze with what is, in my opinion, inflammatory rhetoric, saying that the government is trying to "take over women’s bodies", and other such nonsense. I wonder what these commentators think of the draconian measures recommended by South American governments to keep pregnant women from getting Zika ? Authorities have advocated that women not get pregnant for two years, and if they already are, to cover themselves and stay inside. 

Here is an issue that may have a feminist component. Consider that only women must buy feminine hygiene products. They buy them in profusion, regularly, and all throughout their reproductive life. Some people believe that women should not have to pay sales tax on such products. President Obama is in favor of ending the so called “ tampon tax”. 

Viruses and alcohol can cause serious birth defects. While smoking does not, it is strongly associated with growth restriction, low fluid, abruption, and preterm birth. CDC data indicate 8.4 percent of pregnant women smoke. 

There us no doubt that our collective concern over the exotic and seemingly uncontrollable threat of Zika virus is justified. However this threat to pregnant women and others should be blended with renewed and commensurate concern for equally serious threats which we can address: smoking and alcohol.