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

We will start off with novel and beneficial new research. A think tank called “Center for American Progress” has released an analysis of the current state of "sex ed” in America. They found the states to be, as a whole, deficient in teaching about issues of healthy relationships, consent and sexual assault. Only a handful (10) of states programs even mentioned these things at all. 

Backlash continues across states and the nation. Last week, Iowa passed a law which bans abortion once a heartbeat is detected. This contradicts the law on the books at this time, Roe VS. Wade. Iowa is being sued by the ACLU and various abortion providers. 

The Trump administration intends to cut all Title X funding to any clinic which even counsels about or refers for abortion. Eighty-five separate groups have signed a letter to HHS Secretary (Health and Human Services) Alex Azar to restore Reagan era regulations. 

The Trump administration has shown political and financial preference toward family planning clinics who promote only abstinence for birth control, even though it is neither effective nor evidence-based. Since family planning clinics have been organized and staffed by those who endorse evidence-based effective contraception not including abstinence only, this effectively defunds all family planning clinics. The States have a serious interest in this since they realize the health and prosperity of their populace depends on such services. In that light, the States Attorneys General have come together to back family planning clinics nationwide to sue the Department of Health and Human Services over its policy. They argue that the current policy violates the terms of Title X enacted in 1970 with bipartisan support. 

Should Medicaid recipients have a lifetime limit on benefits? Certain states, in cost-cutting bids, have been lobbying for this. However, the Fed, via the Center for Medicaid Services (CMS) has rejected these requests. In doing so, the Fed has broken rank with party conservatives. 

Care for women, pregnant women and postpartum women is not just germane to women. The health of women extends to others in the way that the health of men simply does not. Pre-pregnancy health, we are learning, is more germane to a child’s health than we previously realized. During pregnancy our opportunities to intervene to prevent morbidity and mortality are obvious. Less obvious are the manifold opportunities in the postpartum period. New recommendations from ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine, and the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine reflect a growing understanding that support in the extended postpartum period reaps many benefits. They now recommend that postpartum care should extend to 12 weeks and become a sustained period of support for the new mother and infant. It has come to light that for every 10 weeks pf paid job protected leave, infant mortality decreases about 5 percentage points. 

With the legalization of marijuana all around the country, more and more pregnant and breastfeeding women are using. Until recently, we had only vague warnings for these women. However, now new data indicate that using during pregnancy leads to a 50% increased chance of low birth weight. Use during breastfeeding is associated with decreased motor development in babies. 

The nation is indeed split on the issue of women and children. Part of the country is set on shifting away from collective responsibility toward women and children as they actually live. The current administration is intent on solidifying its base through supporting the explicit ideology of its voters, which gives women certain constraints in society:  abstaining from sex before marriage, using abstinence only for birth control, and rejecting abortion. The administration has combined these emblematic stipulations with their advertisement to cut taxes, and the result is that healthcare budgets for women have been slashed. And as if to add insult to injury, it is not at all clear if the money lost to the health care system will actually end up back in the hands of the taxpayer. 

The other part of the country is looking at the real problems of maternal morbidity and mortality. They are trying to solve problems with the best available science, rather than with ideology. States are beginning to realize that the lack of good routine health care, prenatal care, and postpartum care is expensive. It is expensive in the emergency room and in the workplace. Professional, scientific and legal groups are starting to fight back. 

ABC has just done what amounts to an exposé on the poor quality of pregnant and postpartum care in the US. This column has dealt extensively with the percentage statistics and trends on maternal morbidity and mortality. However, I have rarely included raw numbers. Here they are. In the US seven hundred women die each year in childbirth. Sixty five thousand more almost die. In a response to this program, ACOG has publicized its coordinated initiative to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality state by state. It is called AIM, Alliance for Innovation in Maternal Health. It has already been implemented in 18 states. 

Science marches on. 

New research indicates low levels of free t4 in pregnancy are associated with lower non-verbal IQ in children ages 5-8. Most caregivers are now including thyroid labs in their prenatal panels. Ask your doctor to be checked. 

BRCA genes are not the only genes pertaining to breast cancer. Newer multi-gene testing panels are now available for selected patients. Ask your doctor to speak with a geneticist if you are uncertain. 

Common sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise in California.  New data indicate that chlamydia is most increased in women in their 30s, while men account for the majority of new syphilis and gonorrhea cases. 

Fertility rates in the US have fallen to record lows for the second straight year. The same is true for several other developed countries. What are we to think? We know that at present, 50% of births are unplanned. As women become more educated and have more autonomy, birth rates naturally decline. You hear environmentalists’ concern about overpopulation, and politicians bemoan declining birth rates. The devil is, as always in the details. Certain subgroups in our population are decreasing and others are increasing. All of this will add up to social and economic change. I have one main concern: that growth be sustainable. Since my life’s work is mainly done one woman at a time, I am concerned that my patient's health habits and healthcare are sustainable. I am concerned that she have the means to grow her family or finish her family's growth in a sustainable way. I am concerned that my town and my countryside have sustainable growth. However, for me, growth is not the right word. I’d rather my community mature, or flourish. We shouldn’t always need more people, more buildings or a larger economy. What we need is for the family size to be ideal as determined by the parents. We need our towns to function optimally and to improve the space we have until it is optimized. The same is true for our nation. But our financial institutions are geared toward growth: more consumers, more goods, more profit. But this comes a human, societal, economic and ecologic cost. When we think about family size, birth control, population statistics, and even prosperity in general, we have to think about what we want our future to look like. When women lack access to health care, we cannot craft our futures. 

Stay tuned for more news from the exciting world of Obstetrics and Gynecology, right here next week on Medical Monday. 

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

Policy News

This week, and maybe from here forward, policy is becoming more State based. A few blog posts ago, I highlighted the fact that the ACA (Affordable Care Act) is run differently in different States. Some States run it entirely themselves, with money coming from the Fed, while others have the Fed run it. Other States use a hybrid model. Many States are looking at potentially rising health insurance premium rates, which will be necessary to keep programs funded, and are beginning to add State based funds to defray the severity of the increases. In other words, they are providing their own insurance subsidies to their citizens who use the ACA for their health insurance. 

Many States are turning to work requirements for Medicaid Recipients. I believe the idea there is to incentive work and the earning of money , with which ACA or better insurance can be purchased. It is both to reduce the burden of Medicaid patients on a State by causing fewer people to actually need Medicaid, either in the short run or the long run. 

There are currently work requirement proposals in ten States, which could potentially impact 1.7 million. As an Obstetrician Gynecologist, I would advocate for separate work requirement algorithms for pregnant women versus others. 

The judicial branch of our government is starting to weigh in on the Trump administration’s changes on the way health care is being delivered in this country. An Ohio law blocked funding to 28 Planned Parenthood clinics. However, a Federal court has blocked this law, saying that while the State may prefer “ childbirth to abortion” defunding planned Parenthood has little to do with that question since this particular money is not used for the support or performance of abortion. In barring this law, many primary care health services will be safeguarded. 

There are several lawsuit against this administration’s defunding of the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program. A Federal Judge in Washington DC has declared the termination of the program unlawful and ordered the DHHS, Department of Health and Human Services to move forward again with the application of four such applicants within the program. 

Medical News 

If a pregnant woman is a risk for gestational diabetes, her physician may ask her to improve her diet and be more active. It turns out that those who made the changes have better glucose regulation even one year after baby is born. 

Coming from the other direction, we have the following report from the esteemed Journal Lancet. It seems that the environmentally determined health of both mother and father play greatly into the ongoing health of future not-yet-conceived babies. Each parent’s condition, whether well nourished, stressed, obese or fit, has influence on the cells and the DNA from which future children will be made. This us believed to take place through a process called epigenetics in in which an indivudual’s present day physiologic circumstances feed make and alter the expression of their genes and the genes of their germ cell lines (eggs and sperm). The article goes on to conclude that it points to a whole new level of preconceptual counseling which we must do. 

COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) usually related to smoking, now kills more women than men in this country. The days of “Virginia Slims” a TV ad brazenly directed toward women, are coming back to haunt us. I try to to remind patients that tobacco related poisons are much harder on women than men, and that smaller people in general get a higher relative dose. 

Many breast cancer patients lose their hair, if not from chemotherapy, then more mild so from anti cancer hormone medications like tamoxifen. New research says Minoxidil can help reverse that. 

Newsflash: the USPSTF - the US Preventive Service Task Force feels there is now enough evidence to recommend exercise to prevent falls in those over 65. And while I jest at the commonsensical nature of this announcement, falls are a major concern for most people over 65 and can lead to serious and life threatening injuries. No matter what age you are now, consult with your caregiver to see how you can attain optimal health and fitness for the present and the future. Whatever it is, whether seated stretching or training for an Ironman, start now. You will not be getting any younger. That is, unless you get more fit. 

A recently reported study shows IUD (Intrauterine Device) use has increased in recent years through 2013. This is believed to have been related to dropping out of pocket prices. I suspect newer studies will show use has increased even further with many women chasing long acting methods for fear of losing affordable birth control coverage. 

US maternal mortality has been increasingly in the news. Despite all the press, maternal mortality continues to rise through the present, and is concentrated in certain areas of the country, most notably Texas. Many correlate the most severe statistics with poverty and discrimination. Of late, many also finger the defunding of primary care clinics, particularly those like Planned Parenthood, which served more real and lower income populations. There are, at present two Bipartisan pills stuck in Committees which would support the formation of state committees to track and prevent the phenomenon. 

Stay tuned for more breaking news from the world of Obstetrics and Gynecology, here, next week, on Medical Monday. 

Medical Monday: Delayed Edition

POLICY NEWS 

The Department of Health and Human Services wants to expand funding for “ natural family planning” and “ fertility awareness” which are largely ineffective methods of timing based birth control. In other words, DHHS want Medicaid to begin covering visits where patients are told this is a viable method of contraception. In other words, the DHHS wants to spend your tax dollars on an ineffective, scientifically invalid method of birth control. Meanwhile the rest of the administration is working on dismantling the Contraceptive Mandate, the part of current insurance law which states that insurers must cover, without copay, real effective birth control. Additionally, the DHHS has announced it is moving away from “ comprehensive sexual education” which is evidence based, and instead will be using your tax dollars to teach “ abstinence only” which has been proven not to work. It is beginning to seem like the administration wants women to have more babies. Maybe they see this as stimulating the economy through having more consumers, I don’t know. 

California Judge Haywood Gilliam has stood up to the Feds determined to weaken the contraceptive mandate. He has blocked changes to the ACA in California, saying that he will not allow these changes “ transform contraceptive coverage from an entitlement to a benefit subject to employer discretion.”

Utah is writing law which will require radiologists to specifically notify women of dense breast tissue. In this warning they are to explain that screening is less effective, and that they may be eligible for other screening modalities. 

New Jersey has replaced Republican Governor Chris Christie with Democrat Phil Murphy. Governor Murphy has reversed 8 years of policy by restoring funding to Planned Parenthood and other women’s health organizations. He has also signed a bill expanding coverage for Medicaid coverage of family planning, prenatal care and cancer screening. 

DHHS is working on various plans to reduce the price of prescription drugs to consumers. Sounds good right ? However one of the cost control measures is capping the amount of prescription drug benefit that Medicare Recipients can receive. The other strategies include enabling as many as 5 states to collectively bargain with suppliers over prices. 

The administration is at it again, proposing bargain basement plans for people. In the words of Admiral Akbar, “It’s a trap !”. 

These plans are cheap, and some fear that consumers might not realize their limitations on coverage or pre-existing conditions. These plans which do not comply with the protections and coverage of the ACA ( Affordable Care Act) are a recipe for future disaster. They contribute little to the collective pot and cover little for their purchasers. 

MEDICAL NEWS 

In the important and alarming department, we have cleaning sprays. New research published in the American Journal or Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine has shown that the “regular use of cleaning sprays can have as much impact on health as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day." In this 6000 person study, “ cleaning even once per week was associated with an accelerated lung decline risk”. I will try to find out more about the types of cleaning agents used. 

HPV vaccine is still underused. Fewer than a third get their first dose by age 13, and fewer than half of all children are up to date on all their doses

In other vaccine news, a recent inventory of 400,000 births confirms that both influenza and TDaP vaccines are safe in pregnancy, and confer protection to both mom and baby. 

When we think of a heart attack, we think of an older man with check pain. However, women suffer heart attacks almost as much as men. However in women, particularly women under 55, symptoms may not be recognized since they are different than mens. These patients are more likely to have what is described as indigestion, shortness of breath, palpitations, or jaw pain. 

In related news, women’s heart attacks may have a different mechanism, coronary vasoconstriction, rather than the blockage from plaques that male patients often have. A new study confirms that among women with chest pain, and clean arteries, nearly 8% have scarred areas on the heart confirming that a heart attack occurred. 

About half of all breast cancer patient facing radiation heard “ frightening stories” about it. However after the therapy, only 2% agreed that the stories were true. 

Illinois has targeted maternal morbidity, specifically maternal morbidity due to severe maternal hypertension. A “quality initiative” specifying a “suite of interventions” was implemented. Participants qualified for the study by having BP at or greater than 160/110 (yikes!). Interventions included prompt pharmacologic treatment of maternal hypertension, specifically designed discharge education, and short postpartum follow up intervals. Severe maternal morbidity such as stroke as already decreased by 41%.

Stay tuned for more exciting news from the world of Obstetrics and Gynecology right here, next week, on Medical Monday. 

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

Policy

The GOP appears to be giving up on repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Those who support the patient care aspects of the ACA may cheer, but they should not breathe a sign of relief, since the funding mechanisms of this plan remain somewhat undetermined. Encouragingly, there is increasing GOP interest in crafting legislation which will make the plan more fiscally stable. The goals in this case would be to guarantee Federal subsidies to insurers, and to reduce patient premiums while keeping essential benefits.

Do you think that people realize that the more people sign up for the ACA, the more stable it will be ? Well, it's true. It's easy. Go to heathcare.gov to see if you qualify. 

South Carolina has argued that a “ human being is a person at fertilization”. They have created a legal category “preborn humans” which incidentally my spell check refuses to recognize, and they propose these preborn humans be afforded due process and all protections under the law. ACOG, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, opposes the bill since it is not based on science. 

A 20 week ban on abortion failed the Senate. The bill’s proponents advanced the bill on the basis of their belief that 20 week fetuses can feel pain. ACOG has gone on record saying “ the fetus does not have the physiological capacity to perceive pain until at least the 24th week of gestation.”. We as a medical culture have a great deal of experience with 24 week babies since they routinely come to any large newborn ICU. Had the bill passed, it would have been challenged under the standing Roe V. Wade. 

Idaho has introduced a bill which introduces misinformation into the informed consent language for medical (pill based) abortion. The bill’s language asserts that medical abortion can be halted after the first of two pills is taken. The bill further requires providers to provide a list of other providers who can advise about “ abortion reversals”. None of the bills assertions are based in fact. A patient contemplating a medically induced abortion should not proceed if she has any doubts, since there is no evidence reversal is possible. I feel angry on behalf of distraught women who may be told this misinformation and who try to rely on it. 

A group of private donors has bankrolled the provision of medical abortion services for all public universities in California. A bill is under debate which will require public universities to provide this service. 

Another bill proposed in California would require larger businesses with new construction to provide space for breastfeeding. The bill stipulates these areas need to be be in place by 2019. 

The Utah bill which will require the offering of IUDs through Medicaid has passed the House and is heading to the Utah Senate. Republican lawmaker Ray Ward, has proposed the measure to decrease unplanned pregnancies, teen pregnancies, and abortions. 

Medicaid expansions may be able to move forward in several traditionally red states if they are paired with work requirements. What do you think ?

Medicine

 

Researchers out of UC San Francisco have come out highlighting the adverse effect of marijuana on the unborn. Dr. Dana Gossett has cited several recent studies which indicate marijuana increases risk of still birth and adversely affects how the babies brain develops. ACOG has already come out formally warning pregnant women not to use. This could potentially turn out to be a huge generational problem if these children, as a generation, have significant delays. This research also raises the question of what is marijuana does to the brains of children and adults who use. This research also raises the issue that state policy on marijuana has been made without any reference whatsoever to available science. 

Preliminary date from a Dutch population based study indicate that women with implants may be somewhat more likely to develop anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Further studies are needed to clarify the risk. 

It has been well established that obese women have an increased incidence of breast cancer based on weight aone. However it is now becoming clear that even fat/skinny women are also at increased risk. This means even a woman of normal overall weight with a high body fat percentage has increased risk. 

TDAP stands for tetanus diphtheria and acellular pertussis. This vaccine is given to children and to pregnant women. It turns out that that protection is afforded to the baby through the mother no matter when mother gets the vaccine in her pregnancy. Upshot: It is never too late to get a TDAP in pregnancy. Babies first vaccinations are not until 2 months, so baby needs passively acquired immunity from mom getting her shot in pregnancy. 

This season’s flu is on tract to be the worst of the decade. already it has surpassed the 2009 “ swine flu” epidemic. As f this writing, flu has led to 37 pediatric deaths nationwide. You may have heard that this year’s vaccine is only partially effective. This is true, but some protection is better than none. Get you and your loved ones vaccinated. Do not go to work of you are sick. Ask sick co-workes to go home. Do not take sick children to day care. Wash you hands twitch soap when you arrive at home. Be assertive ! If you think you have been exposed to flu, call your health care provider. You may be eligible for preventive medication, and certainly are if you are pregnant or immunocompromised. 

A new Zika vaccine has been fast tracked by the FDA. It is called TAK-426 and is currently being tested on 240 people between the ages of 18 and 49. 

Women have autoimmune disease 9 times more often then men. I will therefore report on two news items of interest to those with autoimmunity. The first pertains to Rheumatoid Arthritis. A new study has shown that women with Rheumatoid Arthritis tend to deteriorate after menopause. This hints at a relationship between autoimmunity and reproductive hormones. Unfortunately the relationship is not yet clear. Meanwhile, those with these issues should talk to their Gynecologist about navigating through menopause in a way that minimizes difficulty and risk. 

The second has to do with lupus, a condition which I have. New research indicates that a gene called “ Toll Like Receptor 7 (TLR-7) ” may be involved. Normally, only one copy (allele) a gene is active in a given individual. However, in lupus patients the second copy of TLR-7 does not deactivate as it should. The normal role of TLR-7 involves activation of type 1 interferon signaling which is critical to antiviral immunity. However too much of this powerful immune response can be damaging. Lupus nerds stay tuned with cautious optimism. 

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

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

Happy new year ! Hopefully this year we will benefit from the upheaval of 2017. Many of us became more political. The issues about which we care came into distinct focus. Perhaps we clarified our priorities. Hopefully health and quality time are high on your list. 

In that spirit, I am going to try to streamline what I hope has already been a streamlined blogging format, and go to what could perhaps be called “ bullet blogging”. Perhaps you have heard of “ bullet Journalling”  or “dot journalling”? I had been doing it for some time without realizing it. Instead of journaling in full sentences and paragraphs, I journal in bullet lists, small graphics and graphs. It is fun, fast, and lets me indulge my visual nature. 

If you have been into any Michaels, Joannes or any other craft store lately, you may have seen prominent displays showing fancy little bound or three ring journals, sticker sets, small format markers, washi tape, and specialized fill pages - all for such enhanced journaling. There are also many cool online resources for bullet journalling. 

I am an incredibly digital oriented person, and so it may seem a surprise that I would be interested in such analog things. I believe that for every person’s life or work management system, there is a particular optimal balance between digital and analog. Everyone one needs a little paper. In my office, I have suggested that my employees keep “ one notebook to rule them all”. Instead of a proliferation of sticky notes and other scraps to get mangled or lost, the one notebook, complete with dates and legible writing, held everything. I gave them some beautiful starter notebooks, and they took it from there. They seem to enjoy it. One co-worker in particular has made hers into what I would call an art form. That is the idea ! It is to take some joy and satisfaction in even the smallest things, like note taking and scratch calculations at work.

And so it has occurred to me to try “ bullet blogging”. It is my hope it will be faster, simpler and easier on the eyes. I’m going to give it a go. 

Policy News 

Via CMS( Center for Medicaid Services) : 

• 8.7 million signed up for Obamacare, federal health insurance made possible by the Affordable Care Act, likely underestimated 
• 95% of last years level, despite half the signup period and deep cuts to advertising
• Final figures due out in March

CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS ? 

Employees of the CDC ( Centers for Disease Control) and other federally funded health and science organizations were “discouraged" from using seven words in budget reports: 

• Vulnerable

• Entitlement

• Diversity

• Transgender

• Fetus

• Evidence-based

• Science-based

#RESIST 

Two separate letters have been issued from > 300 public health organizations urging the HHS ( Health and Human services) to ignore this. The second letter included signatures from

ACOG ( American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)

AAP (American Association of Pediatrics) 

APHA ( American Public Health Association) 

Blocking the blockers 

• Last week  Federal Judge in Northern CA blocked the Trump administration’s loophole which let’s objecting employers out of providing insurance with contraception to employees. 
• The Justice Department is “ evaluating” LOL. 
• Comment: No one ever has, because of Obamacare, made anyone else use contraception. 
• Fact: Contraception reduces teen pregnancy and abortion. ALOT. 

Kick the can

GOP has kicked the real budget and real health care bill into January. Stay tuned. 

Medical News

ACOG President-Elect Lisa Hollier, MD MPH, Houston, Texas, brings a new clear focus: the rising maternal mortality in America. 

• Missouri ranks high is maternal mortality, in the worst ten. 
• Oregon is creating a special commission on rising maternal mortality.
• One in four pregnancies in central Oregon are drug affected. 
• Mississippi has the highest rate of preterm birth, which is high cost in both human and financial terms. The CEO of Magnolia Health in Mississippi is taking aim at this problem. 
• Infant mortality in Kansas is about three times higher for black babies than it is for all babies. 
• Dr. Hollier's own state of Texas takes the cake, with the highest maternal mortality this side of the third world. 

STUDIES: 

Study: Breast pain is not a symptoms of breast cancer. Neither lack of pain nor lack or palpable lumps means lack of breast cancer. Upshot: Get your mammograms ! 

Study: Cervical Pessary may be of use in preventing preterm birth. 

Study: at home STI ( sexually transmitted infection) test kits may increase detection rates. 

Study: Post menopausal Estrogen therapy may protect against some forms of memory loss. 

Study: Income and weight are inversely related for women. This is not true for men. Contemplate. 

FDA (The Food and Drug Administration) plans to increase regulation of homeopathic remedies. Because there are no real studies on these. Contemplate. 

Marijuana update 

• Mj use in pregnancy has increased in CA from 4 to 7%. In pregnant teens it has increased from 10 to 19%. 
• ACOG recommends discontinuation of MJ for those who are or who are contemplating pregnancy. For reasons, see HERE: Marijuana Use During Pregnancy and Lactation 
• It's clear that we as a nation do not value science. Do we value drug induced relaxation over clear thinking or the cognitive development of our children ? Very little contemplation needed. 

Male Contraceptives ? 

NIH ( National Institute of Health) and the Population Council are sponsoring a clinical trial of a hormonal male contraceptive gel. Don’t expect it on the shelves for at least 5 years. I wonder how the GOP will attempt to regulate male methods of contraception. 

It’s best if you follow up on these leads to put together your view of women’s health care in this country. What I have given you should contain enough key words so you can google your way to the source material. Remember to seek out reputable sources like the NIH, the CDC, ACOG, AAP, APHA, or major academic medical centers like Mayo Clinic or Stanford.

2018 is a new year, and a new approach is needed to ensure the best for women’s health care. Get involved. 

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

How stable are the ACA Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare)  insurance plans? That remains to be seen. At present there is a bipartisan effort to shore up the so called ACA “marketplaces” . This means that certain lawmakers are trying to find a way to create a realistic budget to fund them. The Affordable Care Act was affordable since the Federal government supplied money to insurance companies to subsidize or pay for part of people’s premiums. 

Let’s roll back a second. Let’s make sure all this terminology is clear. 

Bipartisan= involving both Democrats and Republicans 

Marketplace = the system of insurance companies from which consumers buy health insurance 

Premium= the monthly amount consumers have to pay the insurance company to have insurance and to ensure that their insurance is in force 

Subsidies, aka insurance subsidies = payments from the Fed ( your tax dollars) to the insurance companies to defray (reduce) what consumers pay for their premiums. 

Republican concerns at the beginning of the administration change:

1. Obamacare cost the Fed too much and made taxes too high (via the payment of subsidies to insurance companies) 
2. Obamacare funded programs that powerful special interest groups opposed, i.e. birth control (via the Contraceptive Mandate) 
3. Obamacare took away the choice of not having to get health insurance at all. ( Via the Individual Mandate) In other words, Obamacare law via the Individual Mandate required everyone to hold health insurance. 

Democrat concerns at the beginning of the administration change:

1. Obamacare was not adequately funded and could run out of money if not addressed.
2. Obamacare needed to continue to fund birth control as a human right and for the social and fiscal improvements it confers, ie. increased education, job productivity, individual savings, better health, fewer teen and unplanned pregnancies, fewer abortions. 
3. Obamacare needed to continue to fund preventive care and cancer screening since in the long run it prevents serious disease and saves money 
4. Obamacare need to continue to retain the Individual Mandate since

• Each person is obligated to contribute to the insurance fund to make it stronger for everyone. The American Academy of Actuaries has gone on record saying that repeal of the Individual Mandate “... would lead to premium increases” and reduce the "incentive for healthy people to enroll and balance out the costs of the sick.”
• Each person is responsible for covering their own care even if their health takes a downward and expensive turn, and they can only realistically cover it with insurance.
• Persons who do not hold insurance and who end up getting emergency or unanticipated health care get care whether they can pay for it or not, and their bill is absorbed by everyone else. They are cheating the system. 
• The ethic of the greater good should inform the Individual Mandate since health coverage enables health care and health care enables broad social benefits of all kinds. 

The deadline to enroll for Obamacare this year has passed. The site for enrollment, healthcare.gov, was getting crushed right through until the end, and at one point, customers were instructed to simply leave contact information with the expectation of a call back. Many did not know the time frame for enrollment since the Trump administration cut funds for promotion of the program by 50%. Numbers on enrollment are not yet in. 

There is bad news and good news for CHIP, the children’s health insurance program. The bad new is that it will run out of money by the end of January. The good news is that there seems to be broad bipartisan support for refunding it. A bipartisan group of Governors has also come forwards and requested that the government renew finding for CHIP. The question is, what with all that lawmakers have left undone, and still need to do, will they get to it in time ? Remember, the Federal Government only has a budget through December 22nd, which is fast approaching. 

In medical news, we find a convergence of holistic medicine and technology. A new study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology uses app-guided acupressure to relieve menstrual cramps. The results compared this technique with medical therapy of oral contraceptive pills or typical analgesics and the results were significant. 

Sugar and inflammation. I do not know the exact relationship. Let’s talk about excessive sugar. In particular, a new study reveals that pregnant women who consume excess sugar in pregnancy are statistically more likely to bear babies who have asthma later in life. Asthma is an condition of the airways and is believed to be mediated by inflammation. Excess sugar in pregnancy is associated with many more problems, like excess weight gain, and gestational diabetes. 

It is well know that pregnant poorly controlled diabetics have increase risks of serious malformations including spina bifida and congenital heart defects.  In new research, pregnant women with high glucose levels in early pregnancy - even those who are not diabetic, are more likely to have babies with heart defects. The relationship is linear. 

Got your flu virus yet ? I hope so. There are TWICE as many cases of flu this year compared to last. Bottom line: the flu shot is safe and effective in and out of pregnancy. Talk to your doctor. It is particularly risky to skip it in pregnancy since influenza is much more dangerous in pregnant women. 

There is some expected fall out after last weeks publication about a small increase in breast cancer risk with long use of oral birth control pills. Authorities are hastening to point out that while this finding about breast cancer risk was noted, it has also been confirmed that oral birth control pills decrease the risk of uterus, ovary and colon cancer, stabilize bone density and obviously, prevent pregnancy and all of its potential complications. Risks need to be weighed with benefits. 

Stay tuned for more breaking news from the world of Obstetrics and Gynecology on the next episode of Medical Monday. I will have to decide what to do for Christmas week, most likely depending on the news at hand. Let's hope the researchers take a nice break for the holidays. The politicians, well, they can just keep working right on through as far as I am concerned. 

Happy Holidays. 

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

The word must be out that the ACA (Affordable Care Act) is alive and well. In the first four days of enrollment, November 1st through 4th, over 600,000 Americans enrolled. That is to be compared to the 1 million who enrolled in the first 12 days last year. This year so far, 22% were new enrollees whereas last year approximately 24% were. These figures do not include enrollees in independent state exchanges created since last year. Insurance companies corroborate that, at this point, enrollment is up compared to last year.

The Congressional Budget Office has revised its estimate of how much the repeal of the individual mandate would it affect the national debt. Initially it was thought that removing the Individual Mandate (the requirement in the ACA that all people maintain some form of health insurance) will result certain number of people not buying insurance through the ACA. Savings would occur because the ACA would not have to spend money to cover these individuals. The initial estimate of these savings was $416 billion. The new estimate of the savings has been reduced $338 billion which still sounds like a lot of savings. 

I wanted to know if these big sounding ”savings" included an economic analysis the savings or expenditures outside of the coffers of the IRS. They did not. The actual letter from the Congressional Budget Office to Richard Neal of the Committee on Ways and Means in the US House of Representatives is here: 

https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/115th-congress-2017-2018/costestimate/hr1deficitsanddebt.pdf

It clearly states that while their calculation indicates a savings to the Federal Government by repealing the Individual mandate, it does "not include the macro economic effects of enacting the legislation”. What are “macroeconomic effects” ? These are the economic effects downstream resulting from poorer health and it’s consequences. Have these macroeconomic consequences been precisely defined ? No. But the general trends are clear and overwhelming. Losing health care coverage depresses individual and nationwide economic well being. 

Repealing the Individual Mandate leaves more money in government coffers, yes. But so would something ludicrous like ending Medicaid and Medicare altogether. Data from multiple disciplines shows us that money spent on health care is well spent, and results in a saving in the long term. Yes there is a savings in human suffering, and that is paramount. But if you are the sort of person who only wants to speak in dollars and cents, you too will realize a monetary savings. We as a society will realize higher levels of educational and vocational attainment, less unemployment, and greater individual and national economic productivity if we pay now for health insurance. You’ve heard of pay now or pay later ? This is a perfect example of this adage. We pay for health insurance for all, covering prevention and health maintenance, OR we pay later, in more unemployment, more welfare recipients, and the unreimbursed cost of advanced diseases and disability. So do not get too exited about that $338 billion in savings. It is not going to jump right back into your pocket as lower taxes. 

The state of Maine is currently a battleground between the people and the Governor's office. Despite a popular vote supporting the Medicaid expansion, the Governor plans to stop it based on his department's analysis of fiscal consequences. He estimates the cost of Medicaid expansion to be somewhere between 63 million and a hundred million dollars, whereas the nonpartisan budget office estimates that the expansion will cost 54 million and bring in an additional 525 million dollars of annual federal aid. I always find these large factual discrepancies disturbing because it seems clear that some of them are informed primarily by party politics. It seems to me that some sort of double-blind research could take place using a high degree of computational analysis. With this, a sound human-free estimate could be generated on pretty much any question. I doubt either side wants this though because it would take away their ability to play politics. 

The Massachusetts House has voted 136 to 16 to approve legislation which would protect birth control coverage for women. The law will require health insurers operating in the state continue offering birth control coverage without copayments for prescription contraceptives regardless of changes in federal policy or repeal the Affordable Care Act. The bill also goes further and mandates coverage for over-the-counter emergency contraceptives without a doctor's prescription. The Governor of Massachusetts, Charlie Baker supports this bill. It will be taken up by the Senate this Tuesday. The Senate is expected to approve the measure. 

A House bill under consideration would the eliminate medical expense deduction. About 9 million households or 6% in our country utilize this deduction. This is interesting because this deduction could apply to anyone who pays their deductible. I am embarrassed to say that when I was a new business owner in the 1990s I was not aware that my medical expenses not paid by insurance were tax deductible. I later learned this from my accountant. I still find that a lot of people are unaware of this deduction. My total family out of pocket currently sits at about $5000 and we seem to utilize it every year. I can easily document how much of it we utilize through my insurance company's website where I can access my EOBs (explanation of benefits). I simply submit this information to my accountant and it counts as a sizable deduction. 

Why the federal government wants to tax expenditures related to health I do not know. You would think they would encourage responsible spending of this nature. You would also think that there are plenty of other things to tax. For example, we already tax vices like alcohol, and tobacco. But we could tax them more. I am a strong proponent of vice taxes because they work. Those intent on buying the substances are willing to pay more to get what they want, and those who are on the fence and want to use less say they appreciate the additional financial disincentive which ultimately results in them using less. 

Americans are known for their consumerism. One could argue that we all have far more stuff than we need, and that we are not adequately responsible for repurposing, repairing, reusing, donating, giving, or recycling what we have before we buy something new. What if these such discretionary items were taxed ? What if we made sure that items like food, hygiene products, cleaning products and other necessities like over the counter medications, were not taxed, while so called luxury items, which we do not necessarily need, are taxed. Wait ! We have this already, and in some states it is called a sales tax. It applies to everyone, people can chose to pay it or not, and it does not disincentivize spending on health. Think about it. Government should incentivize individual spending on health and education. In my opinion, this could happen far more than it is. 

Doulas. By now you’ve heard of them. They are people, usually women, who help pregnant women during labor. They are espoused by all levels of Obstetric care because of their association with better outcomes. However, they are now being utilized in the postpartum period. We are increasingly focused on postpartum depression and its risk factors. We are also focusing on supporting women as they initiate breastfeeding. Postpartum doulas can help with all of this. They can address some of the exhaustion and sleeplessness that new mother experience by helping with nighttime feedings and infant care. They can help with meals and housekeeping. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has recently formalized its support for such postpartum care in its recommendations. 

For women, the association of moderate to vigorous physical activity and longevity persists even into old age. A recent study where the average age of participants was 72 has shown that those who log an average of 70 minutes of regular exercise a day had a 70% lower risk of death compared to the least active women who move just eight minutes a day. This research is important to me because I have many older women in my practice who feel certain that exercise consists of a leisurely walk. It is true that you cannot take such patients and insist that they suddenly start a program of moderate to vigorous exercise. But you can recommend that they start gradually with supervision, and work their way up to what is actually appropriate. Is high time to stop treating middle-age and older women as fragile.

In sobering news, new data indicates that women treated for early breast cancer still face a risk of recurrence to 20 years later. This data comes from a meta-analysis including 88 smaller clinical trials. The patients surveyed were believed to be disease free. These are patients who completed five years of post cancer therapy with tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors as recommended. So this study result is an unhappy surprise, but one that should quickly prompt further research, and may even change therapy for such patients in the very near future.

It is interesting to think about this new data in light of the current findings published recently in the Journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention. This study revealed that "many breast cancer patients skip recommended treatment after surgery because they lack faith in the healthcare system”. While these patients did not report distrust of their doctors, they reported a general distrust of medical institutions and insurers. These women were more likely to skip follow-up treatment such as chemotherapy, hormone therapy, or radiation, statistically worsening their outcomes. 

Finally in the we-already-knew this department, the International Journal of Public Health has published a study concluding that sexual harassment whether verbal or physical, can “cause psychological harm”. While this seems entirely within the realm of common sense and conventional wisdom, readers should realize that it is critical that studies like this be performed and published. On the basis of studies like these, tangible harms can be demonstrated in a court of law, and justice can be pursued in a more definite way.

Stay tuned next week for more exciting news from the world of Obstetrics and Gynecology, right here on Medical Mondays. 

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

In policy news, President Trump has publicly declared the Opioid Crisis a “Public Health Emergency”. In concrete terms, this means that Medicaid money can be used to combat the problem. Trump also explained it also meant there would be money spent in an effort to develop non-addictive painkillers. Thirdly he indicated that there would be an advertising campaign to address the problem. 

The idea about non-addictive pain killers is interesting to me. I do not view the opioid crisis as an issue of pain control. I view it as an issue of coping with life. Opioid use may start with need for pain control, but then abuse and addiction develop later from different factors. The FDA( Food and Drug Administration) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb as recommended MAT, or Medication assisted therapy, which combines medication treatment of addiction with counseling. 

An undocumented 17 year old at 16 weeks of gestation has succeeded in her appeal to obtain an abortion. Since September, this undocumented immigrant has been detained in a federally funded shelter and has been requesting an abortion. Her case has highlighted the fact that the Trump administration has quietly changed policy on the matter, and now denies abortions to minors in custody. The particular memo is in an email from E. Scott Lloyd, director of HHS (Health and Human Services) Office of Refugee Resettlement. It states “…government funded shelters… should not be supporting abortion services pre or post release; only pregnancy services and life affirming options counseling. “ The position of the Justice Department on the matter was that it did not dispute the Constitutional Right to abortion. However, it asserted that it was not obligated to facilitate abortion by releasing her from federal custody. In order to obtain an abortion, she could either leave the country or find a custodial sponsor. Some accused HHS "anti-abortion zealots" of “holding her hostage” to prevent her from obtaining an abortion. E. Scott Lloyd was an avowed and zealous anti-abortion activist before he was appointed by the Trump administration to the Department of Health and Human Services. 

The lawsuit against the Trump administration over the plan to end insurance subsidies was denied by a US District Judge Vince Chhabria. At issue was whether the cessation of subsidies would cause immediate harm to consumer. Somewhat ironically, the Judge argued that since many States had, on an emergency basis, anticipated and provided for shortfalls, that no immediate harm would come to pass. This decision, of course, simply sanctions the transfer of insurance expenses from the Fed to the States, who are variably able to afford them. The Judge also wrote that it was a “close case” and that it was in an “early stage”. 

In medical news, it is once again confirmed that the teen birth rate and the US abortion rate fell during the years of the ACA (Affordable Care Act). The US teen birth rate has fallen to its lowest rate since the 1940s. The abortion rate fell the fastest among American teens. Evidence points to contraceptive availability as the cause of the decreases. 

At the same time, use of fertility treatments has doubled in the past decade. Twelve percent of reproductive aged women use these services. 

Yet another case has been added to a list of cases of babies who have developed a life threatening infection after water birth. While ACOG ( American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) supports water labor, it does not support water birth where there is  potential for babies to inhale not only water, but particulate matter such as non-sterile blood clot and fecal material, not to speak of whatever else in is the pool. Readers should remember that human lungs are not made to accommodate water, even sterile water or saline. Amniotic fluid may look like water, but its chemical composition and properties are far different. 

In the troubling and should-be-easy-to-fix department, we consider US Maternal Morbidity and Mortality. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) identifies maternal deaths through death certificates. Death certificates are very short documents and do not allow for elaboration. This limited source of information does not allow us to calculate the true rates of maternal mortality or late complications, much less to determine which deaths were preventable. Being simple and brief, these forms foster a gross under-reporting. Surely a more informative digital cloud based solution could be devised. 

Texas continues to struggles with a crisis in maternal morbidity and mortality. In particular, African American women are dying or pregnancy and birth related complications at an alarming rate. These women account for 11.8% of Texas births, but 29% percent of Texas pregnancy and birth related deaths.  Experts believe potential causes relate to obesity, poverty, diabetes, delayed prenatal care, higher C section rates which result form these other factors, drugs, hypertension and related cardiovascular problems. 

In major scientific news, result of the OncoArray Consortium have been published. This is a global project wherein 550 researchers shared genetic data from 300 institutions and 275,000 women, 146,000 of whom have had breast cancer. The work, published in Nature and Nature Genetics, has identified many more previously unknown genetic mutations associated with breast cancer. We have long suspected and counseled patients that BRCA1 and BRCA 2 are probably not the only cancer mutations. Now we have specific confirmation on this. While these results may initially seem daunting, they are the kind of data that can lead to better “precision" methods of diagnosis, prevention and treatment in the not so distant future. 

Reader should take note of the multilaterally of this OncoArray Project. The non-academic person understands that research studies take money, time and test subjects. They also understand that more money, subjects and time mean higher quality results. One might ask then why has it taken this long for researchers the world round to combine resources to get truly powerful results ? Indeed perverse incentives have, until recently, been in place to silo, hoard or hide data, one researcher from the next, or one institution to the next, in a climate of competition for research dollars and accolades. Even at present, the open date movement is not mainstream among researchers, nor is the idea of sharing medical record information including genetic information popular among patients. There are costs to sharing data, but the benefits may well prove to be greater. 

Did you know that there are various sizes and types of IUDs ? There is most likely one that is suitable for everyone, including teens, women who have not had children, and women near menopause. Many misconceptions about IUDS arise among patients and caregivers. For example, we used to believe that IUDs prevent implantation of a fertilized egg. However, ACOG now recognizes that IUDs prevent fertilization. Many who oppose a method which fosters non-implantation of the fertilized egg will be comfortable using this method knowing its mechanism of action. 

“Vaginal seeding” is the deliberate transfer of a mother’s vaginal flora to the infant’s nose mouth or skin. This procedure is under research investigation and should not be attempted at home. Women who undergo C section may have an interest in this as their newborns have not been exposed to vaginal flora like an infant born vaginally would have been. There are very real risks to vaginal seeding, because, as with many things, the devil is in the details. It turns out that vaginally born and cesarean born babies microbiota are slightly different, but that they equalize after about 6 months. It also turns out that breastfeeding provides the best and safest transfer of flora.

Stay tuned next week for more fascinating news from the world of Obstetrics an Gynecology.   

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

Now here is something we haven't seen in a long time. Four days ago on Thursday Congress practiced bipartisanship. With the news the abrupt cessation of insurance subsidy payments by the federal government, those all over the healthcare sector were scrambling. Lawmakers had to cooperate against Trump’s decision or risk chaos. Senators Lamar Alexander, Republican from Tennessee and Patty Murray, a Democrat from Washington state have announced that they have a viable bill. This bill to reinstate subsidy payments has 12 sponsors divided evenly between Republicans and Democrats. These Congressmen are promoting a bill to resume federal subsidies to insurers that Trump has blocked. The Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has confirmed that all 48 Senators would vote for the bill. They number 48 which, when combined with 12 sponsoring Senators who are already known to support the bill, would give 60 votes at least, enough to defeat a filibuster.

Good thing lawmakers have decided to try to cobble together a solution to this problem. It turns out that several powerful states have banded together to sue the Trump administration over the decision to end ACA subsidy payments. Lead by the attorneys general of both California and New York the states include California, Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington state. Additionally, the healthcare industry and the insurance industry have roundly condemned the interruption of subsidy payments, stating that this move will cost US economic and health harm.

 A group of medical associations, the so-called"Group of six”, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Physicians, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Osteopathic Association, and the American Psychiatric Association, has made a joint statement “ Our organizations strongly reject a marketplace that allows insurers to discriminate against any individual based on their health status age or gender allowing insurers to sell narrow, low cost health plans likely will cause significant economic harm to women and older sicker Americans who stand to face higher cost and fewer insurance options."

Concerns have already been raised that restoring subsidies paid from the federal government to insurance companies would benefit it insurers more than consumers. The authors of the bipartisan bill, Alexander and Laurie, and explicitly addressed concerns that"Restoring the payments to insurers could be viewed as… a bailout”. They indicated that the agreement would contain"The strongest possible language" to insure that the money provided for the subsidies would go to the benefit of consumers, not insurers. It is unclear at this time whether or not this bill, once enacted, would prevent some or all of the large rate hike that all of us can expect in our premiums this next year.

The fine details of women's reproductive health care are very much on the table in this political climate. As you are no doubt aware Trump has weakened the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate. Last week he created a loophole which will allow employers to stop providing birth control coverage in their corporate insurance plans if they have religious objections. This week the bill has been introduced to reverse this exception. The bill is called"Protect Access to Birth Control Act”. Unfortunately it does not yet have the bipartisan support that it needs. 

A Denver school teacher, Jessica Campbell, has filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration for it's modification of the contraceptive mandate in the Affordable Care Act. The suit names the President and his Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Labor and the Treasury.The suit states that the exceptions “jeopardize women's health and economic success in order to promote certain religious and moral views by attempting to nullify the right equal access to preventive medical care, particularly contraceptive care and services, protected by the US Constitution set forth by Congress in the Women's Health Amendment to the affordable care act.” The suit seeks to prohibit enforcement enforcement of the changes. 

The Omaha World Herald, has surveyed several large Nebraska and Iowa employers. They presented their informal findings in a recent article which explains that according to their survey, most Nebraska and Iowa employers will continue to offer insurance plans with contraceptive coverage.

IUDs (Intrauterine devices)are one of the best and one of the most expensive contraceptive methods. This is because they're extremely effective with very low failure and complication rates. It is also because they are able to be used by women who cannot tolerate hormones. Although the most popular IUDs contain hormones they contain only enough to treat the lining of the uterus and they do not produce systemic effects outside of the uterus. The their side effect rate is low. Some experts worry that because this method is particularly costly i.e. somewhere upwards of $1000, Women may lose effective access to it. 

Dr. Haywood Brown, President of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has written an opinion piece indicating that he is opposed to the Trump administration’s ”…regulation that will threaten contraceptive access for women everywhere, particularly in underserved rural communities”. He argued that access to contraception” amounts to more than just dollars and cents. It can be life saving for women who already faced serious medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure."

Access to all forms of reproductive health care have been compromised in various ways under the Trump administration. An important methodology utilized by the Trump administration has been the political appointment of many antiabortion and anti-contraception activists to government positions despite lack of qualifications. It is ironic and disturbing that the restrictions placed on contraception, a benign medical treatment, will lead to a certain increased rate of abortion.

On to the medical news. 

In the good news department, vaginal estrogen is safe for all postmenopausal women. This includes women who have had a hysterectomy, women who still have an intact uterus, women with history of cancer, those with cardiovascular disease, only those with thromboembolic history such as a deep vein thrombosis for a pulmonary embolism. The results of this study presented recently at the annual meeting of the North American Menopause Society also fall under the category of the we-already-knew-this department. This is because we have always known that estrogens given vaginally do not get into the systemic circulation, this research finding is worth reiterating because indicates that no post menopausal woman need suffer with a painful atrophic vagina.

Also in postmenopausal news, and in the we-already-new-this department, a new study confirms that oral estradiol and progesterone may improve menopause related quality of life. While this type of therapy reduces hot flashes and mood instability related to menopause, but it's use is constrained particularly in those who still have a uterus. This is because the administration of the combination of both estrogen and progesterone may only be given for about five years or the shortest amount of time at the lowest effective dose. After five years or so concerns begins to mount for increasing risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease.

There is an increasing number of women in South Carolina who are giving birth without any prenatal care whatsoever. It has been long established that lack of prenatal care is a contributor to for birth outcomes.

Tanning addiction is real, and it increases risk of skin cancer. A new study published online any October 11 edition of Cancer, Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, Young white women with a history of depression were found become prone to tanning addiction. Indeed, over 20% of young white women who have frequented at tanning salon do become addicted to tanning. The study noted that these young women "depend on tending to feel attractive often show symptoms of depression.”

Oral HPV and the disease that it produces are increasing. HPV stands for human papilloma virus and it is the virus responsible for general warts, cervical cancer and cancer of the mouth and throat. Girls and boys between the ages of 926 should be completely vaccinated against the virus. The vaccine remains underutilized and many do not realize it must be given to males as well as females. I'm going data on the vaccine continue to confirm its safety.

At the present 7% of women with breast cancer are younger than 40 years of age. It Is noteworthy that this percent has been increasing since the mid-1990s. With all the debate about mammogram testing frequency and age at first mammogram, I wonder how we can be expected to screen for these cases among young women. At present, the debate is between whether to start mammograms at age 40 or age 50. With increasing cases in women under 40 this provides a good argument for the breast self exam and also to tailor mammogram screening to risk factors.

In related news, the percentage of women who opt for breast reconstruction surgery right after mastectomy for cancer is increasing rapidly. Over the past five years the proportion of breast cancer patients opting for reconstruction grew by about two thirds. In 2009 only about a quarter of women opted for reconstruction whereas more recently in 2014 and 14 the number rose to 40%.

Obstetric history stays important long after your last baby is born. Preeclampsia may indicate a tendency towards high blood pressure later in life. Similarly, pregnancy associated or gestational diabetes can signal a risk for diabetes and even heart disease later in life. Recent study published online in JAMA internal medicine has shown that patients with a history of gestational diabetes can mitigate their risk for cardiovascular disease by healthy lifestyle. In particular, gestational diabetes was not significantly associated with cardiovascular disease risk elevation among women he maintained a healthy diet, were physically active, never smoked, and maintained normal weight. 

A rather fascinating new bit of research indicates that lack of sleep could raise a pregnant woman's risk for gestational diabetes. In particular, women he slept less than 6.25 hours and I were almost 3 times likely this study tells us nothing about which where the causes and which were the effects. Still it is an interesting relationship and one which deserves more scrutiny perhaps even outside of pregnancy.

The CDC(Centers for Disease Control) has released a new data indicating that obesity rates among US adults is steadily increasing with the current rate of about 40%. This is not near overweight where the body mass index is between 25 and 30. This is obesity, with body mass indices in excess of 30. Approximately 30% of people where obis in the year 2000 15+ years later that is increased by 10% to 40% of all people. Of course there's significant state-by-state variation but the numbers are formidable across the board. For every state where the percentage is lower than that there is a state whose percentage is higher. Obesity sits with mental health and addiction as the three topmost priorities the Department of Health Services.

These days, when a patient asks to have her tubes tied, we may suggest that she have her tubes altogether removed. This is because of the relatively new Revelation that many if not most of all ovarian cancers actually come from the tubes. Thus we can get some theoretical and hopefully real cancer reduction by removing the temps instead of merely tying them for cutting them. This interesting conclusion about the origins of "ovarian" cancer have come from the nascent field of molecular genomics.

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

Medical Monday: Breaking News from the World of Obsteterics an Gynecology

As I step back and look through my last year of posts I am astonished to the extent to which politicians are getting deeply involved in the particulars of my profession, Obstetrics and Gynecology. This week's post underscores this in no uncertain terms. Is this really where we want government and politicians, right in the middle of a very specialized medical field, and right in the middle of the doctor patient relationship ? 

The New York Times has reported the the Trump administration plans to expand exemptions to the so called “ contraceptive mandate”. They are not abolishing the contraceptive mandate at this time. However, they are allowing employers to chose plans that do not cover birth control. These employers or insurers must be exempted on basis of “sincerely held religious beliefs”. 

It is my assumption that it is employers’ assumption that such plans which do not cover contraception are less expensive. However I feel entirely comfortable asserting that insurance companies know precisely where their dollars go, and they will not, for one minute, pass the savings on to the employer. That is because in about nine months after institution of this policy, there will be no savings. Seriously, do people really think that pregnancies and miscarriages will cost less than contraceptives ? 

As far as religious objections go, there are ostensibly several considerations. First, social conservatives have argued that the use of contraception encourages what they view as illicit or teen sex. This has been proven not to be the case. Moreover, they may object saying that contraception causes abortion. IUDs do act in part by preventing implantation of fertilized eggs, but they also act by causing cervical mucous to become viscous and block the cervical canal, preventing fertilization in the first place. So in this sense, a few fertilizations may take place which cannot implant. However, and critically, without any IUD or other birth control in place, as many as  25 % of fertilizations which do occur simply do not implant naturally, or they implant and naturally fail. Thus, with an IUD, a very small percent of fertilizations occur and do not implant. Without an IUD or other birth control method, 25 % of fertilizations fail and are lost, most before the period is even missed. In the end, there are many more natural abortions that there are IUD related abortions. If an abortion is an abortion, and one wants to minimize their numbers, one would certainly want to provide as much contraception as possible. A true anti-abortion advocate should espouse both IUDS and other forms of birth control, especially pills which prevent ovulation. 

But it seems those who are anti-abortion are interested in more than just preventing abortion. They are interested in legislating a world view and lifestyle. They see a world  where there is only one right way to live, and that those who live this way should have power over those who don't. I can only conclude this because of the “don’t bother me with the details” approach of much of the GOP on numerous scientific and medical issues such as contraception. If the GOP really cared about strengthening families, preventing abortion, and the health of infants and children, they would choose policies scientifically proven to meet these goals. ACOG ( The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) has already come out against the bill since it is at odds with those goals. 

It becomes somewhat misleading to write so much about abortion policy since there are so many other pressing medical policy issue of the day. However, so much is happening in this area that it behooves me to report on it. For example, the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) has sued in Federal court in Hawaii challenging restrictions on the use of Mifiprex, the so-called abortion pill. They have argued that it should be available by prescription in a pharmacy. At present, a clinic or hospital visit is necessary. Particularly in the Hawaiian islands, access to clinics is variable. Mifeprex has been determined safe and legal, so ACOG has supported this suit. My concerns with pharmacy dispensing is that patients with positive pregnancy tests should have a reasonable idea of their gestational age before they take the medication, and that ectopic or tubal pregnancy not be missed. 

The House just approved the “Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act” which bans all abortions after 20 weeks. ACOG’s position is that a fetus cannot feel pain until 24 weeks. You just have to continue asking yourself, how do organizations and people formulate their opinions ? What data do they use ? Do they use data ? Would they know bad data from good data ? 

Forget alt facts. This next report shows us how far certain members of the GOP are wiling to go in their separation of politics from reality. Former Congressman Tim Murphy, a Republican from Pennsylvania, was a staunch anti-choice politician. However, he was recently caught telling his mistress to get an abortion. Think this is this height of hypocrisy ? Think again. Mr. Murphy promptly recused himself and resigned. Not Scott Dejarlais. This physician and Republican Representative from Tennessee circa late 1990s, called himself “pro-life”. However, he had multiple affairs with 3 co-workers, a “drug rep” and at least 2 patients ! At his divorce, he testified that he had supported his then girlfriend and now ex-wife to get two abortions. You would have thought he too would leave politics. However he has since been re-elected twice. The people have spoken and will get what they deserve. 

Finally, in a surprising turn of events, the Republican Governor of Illinois, Bruce Rauner, has signed a bill allowing Medicaid to cover abortions. He has stated that he does not feel women of different means should face different options. He has gone on record as a pro-choice Republican. 

Meanwhile the entire hurricane belt suffers under a burden of destruction and disease. There is a shortage of just about everything, from basic needs, to power, to medicine, doctors, and means of transportation to get all of it where it needs to go.  Shortages of pharmaceuticals in particular may be felt all through the US based on the increased need in the South. 

In medical news, we shift our attention to yet another case where beliefs seem to supersede science. Witness the practice of certain women of a more "natural" bent taking their placenta home to consume. It’s meat, right ? It’s even your own tissue, so what’s the big deal ? Most mammals do it. Modern women can have it various ways, but the most refined way is to have it “ encapsulated”. It turns out that “placentophagy" can make you and even your baby infected and sick, through pathogens (bacteria) that would have been killed by your own immune system, but aren't since they are separated from it and encapsulated into little gelatin capsules for swallowing. Moreover, the hormones in the placenta are NOT what you want after birth. The whole mechanism of uterine involution (contracting to prevent bleeding) and nursing is triggered by the expulsion of the placenta and it’s hormones. It is the expulsion of the placenta that changes you from pregnant to non pregnant. If you had complications in pregnancy like hypertension, you won’t get better until all your placenta and it’s hormones are gone. 

A new study has shown that those who drink four cups of coffee per day have a 64% lower  risk of early death. I would like very much to see that stratified by sex and age. Men do not have to worry about osteoporosis ( bone thinning) as much as women. Caffeine does thin the bones, and bone fractures in old age are a tremendous source of morbidity in older women. Women who are pregnant certainly should not drink that much caffeine. We ask our pregnant patients to limit their caffeine intake to 200 mg per day which is alot less than four cups. More than 200 mg per day of caffeine is associated with poor fetal growth. Whenever hearing results of a research study, ask yourself several questions. To whom does it apply ? Did they include women in the study ? What does this mean for women, or for a person like me ? 

Once again we have new evidence linking obesity with more than just diabetes and heart disease. A new report from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) has indicated that “excess body fat accounts for at least 13 different kinds of cancer.  This study looked at over 600,000 people in the US in 2014. Obesity rates have increased even more since then. Results like this should change the way we think and teach about obesity. 

We have already mentioned the Southern United States in this post - the Hurricane belt. That same area is also know as the fat belt, also the bible belt. New data also shows that those in the deep south and midwest have higher smoking rates than the national average. In that area 22% of adults smoke, compared with 15% in the rest of the US. Could there be cultural reasons for the smoking and obesity ? 

A few years ago there was a bit of a scandal pertaining to a drug to treat preterm labor. Sold as a name brand, it was exorbitantly expensive. Generic, or even compounded, it was very cheap. It came down to FDA approval as to whether it could be sold as generic. First it couldn’t, then it could due to public and medical outcry, then it couldn’t again due to concerns about safety efficacy. However, now a new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine has indicated that the two preparations are equivalent. It will be interesting to see how long this data takes to get translated into policy, and we can once again buy cheap generic and have it be covered by insurance. 

In the good news department, breast cancer rates are declining. The American Cancer Society reported that breast cancer deaths increased through 1989. Thereafter, they have been on a steady decreased, altogether down 40 % since 1989. This attributed to better treatments and medications. 

Stay tuned for more fascinating news from the world of Obstetrics and Gynecology, next week, on Medical Monday.

Medical Monday: Medical Portion

Maternal mortality rates are once again in the headlines, although this time the focus is on Virginia and not Texas. Virginia has 38.2 point two deaths per 100,000 live births. The Virginia Medical Examiner's Office investigated, finding that, "Women who die pregnancy related deaths in Virginia more often die from not having health care than from hemorrhaging, cesarean section complications or other maladies linked to birth." Virginia is not isolated in this regard as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has reported that there has been a 26% increase in maternal mortality in the United States from the years 2000 to 2014.

In the good news department, we have evidence for a common sense phenomenon. Data reported this month in the Journal Birth has demonstrated that "Physical activity during and after pregnancy improves psychological well-being and may protect against postpartum depression”

A new report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has found that women with gestational diabetes who consume a high proportion of refined grains may give birth to children with a higher risk of obesity by age 7.

A study was performed using a federal nutrition program and an Internet-based program for weight loss. Results on 371 women indicated that this Internet-based weight loss intervention helped women shed their baby weight, i.e.their postpartum pounds. This study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. 

More data has come in against the practice of water birth. The Arizona Department of Health has identified two cases of Legionnaire's disease which occurred in newborns following water birth.  In both these cases the babies had been born at home in hot tubs. The Department noted that tapwater is not sterile and that legionella bacteria can grow in plumbing systems. While ACOG supports water labor it does not support water birth, citing a lack of definitive evidence showing safety and benefit.

Breast-feeding has numerous benefits for the baby and some obvious ones from mom. However it is somewhat counterintuitive that breast feeding should protect a woman against heart attack and stroke. Nonetheless new study has shown that “ breast-feeding may help mothers lower the risk of heart attack and stroke even decades after giving birth".  Breast-feeding for any amount of time confers a 9% reduction in the risk of coronary artery disease and reduces risk of stroke by 8%.These findings are published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

A report produced from the Population Reference Bureau calls attention to the difficulties that young women face. The report is called "Losing ground: Young women's well-being across generations in United States". It has quantitatively documented that women in the US are”…poorer than their mothers and grandmothers when they were young, more likely to commit suicide and to be shut out of high tech jobs .” It concludes that ”social and structural barriers continue to obstruct the advancement of female members of generation X and millennials."

In-line with the last report, it's been determined that" opioid related hospitalizations among women in the United States have increased far faster than among men between 2005 and 2014." This has been determined by looking at data from the US agency for healthcare research and quality. Such hospitalizations have risen by 75% during this time interval. 

Breast cancer is in the news. It turns out that a low dose of aspirin i.e. baby aspirin taken daily may reduce the risk of breast cancer in women who have type II diabetes. This is preliminary research published in the Journal of Women's Health.

The National Institutes of Health has recently reported good news regarding breast cancer. Apparently breast cancer rates have been steadily declining since 2005 at a rate of 1.8 % per year.

ACOG has maintained their position that women should be offered mammograms beginning at age 40. Thereafter they should be given every one or two years through a joint determination by the patient and her physician.

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

Belated Medical Monday

I have just heard the best news about the Republican plans to replace the ACA (Affordable Care Act). Senate Republicans would like to postpone a repeal until……drum roll please …. the year 2020, when, you guessed it… another presidential election will take place ! I think this may be the GOP’s way of saying, “Sorry, never mind. We agree with President Trump who said, “Health care is hard.”." 

Especially now that the piper has started talking about getting paid… i.e. the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has had it’s say, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have come to realize that the costs of dropping the ACA provisions may exceed the costs of keeping them. 

There is however a need for action, and Senate Republicans will likely try to take action to stabilize premium costs. They will also to endeavor to continue federal insurance subsidies which help low income American with co-pays and deductibles. 

In other policy news, the Mexico City policy is back in place. This is the policy of withdrawing US aid funds from international organizations which provide reproductive services which include abortion. This is policy is meant to show the current administration's condemnation of abortion, and to curtail the incidence of abortion. However, Kenyan health care researchers have cited clear evidence from the past about what happens when the Mexico City Policy is in place. In fact, if these US funds are withdrawn from these types of health clinics, then many women go without health care and contraception and many more unintended pregnancies occur. Not surprisingly, under these circumstances, MORE abortions are actually performed. It seems impossible that the administration cannot be unaware of this. If this is true then it would seem they are really more interested in political posturing than abortion prevention or the health care of women. I'm going to speculate this this exact sort of thing will happen in that other part of the third world called Texas, where women's health care services have been severely restricted.

The Mexico City rule is also called the “ global gag rule” since all US funds can be withheld even if the clinic staff even speak of abortion.

Did you know that the current administration proposes not only to cut coverage of health care but also to health care research ? In his 2018 budget request titled “ A New Foundation for American Greatness”, cuts are proposed for the FDA ( Food and Drug Administration), the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), and the National Institute of Health (NIH) including the National Cancer Institute. How do you feel about this ? Tell your elected officials. 

Many on the red (Republican) side of the aisle continue to favor covering those with pre-existing conditions. Many of you may know of Jimmy Kimmel, the late night host and comedian. He has entered the health care debate in a most poignant way. His wife recently gave birth to a son with a congenital health defect. This defect required immediate very expensive and live saving surgery, which with insurance under the current Affordable Care Act, will be covered entirely. This baby's care coverage will not be subject to penalties for preexisting conditions, and there are currently no caps on insurance payouts under the ACA. Cases like this do become very costly, and in an environment where there are caps on what an insurance will pay, the Kimmel child might not get all the care he needs to live. So, legislators have spoken of health care plans which “pass the Jimmy Kimmel test". To pass the test, an insurance plan must cover all the care that such a baby would require. Many Republicans are coming out to favor plans which pass the Jimmy Kimmel test. See Jimmy’s moving monologue HERE:

http://ux.azcentral.com/story/life/tv/2017/05/02/emotional-jimmy-kimmel-discusses-baby-sons-heart-surgery/101189324/

In medical news, ACOG is trying to get the word out on normal anatomy. There is a disturbing rise in cosmetic surgery for the female genitalia, even in young women.  ACOG (American College of Gynecologists) is trying to educate patients and clinicians about the considerable variation in normal anatomy. They are also cautioning against so-called vaginal rejuvenation surgeries and other procedures which can have serious complications. One has only to look at the high costs of such surgery and the lack of insurance coverage of it to know that it is simply a moneymaking ploy used by unscrupulous gynecologists. 

In the “ we already knew this” department, a new study has come out reiterating that domestic violence is more common in pregnancy. Everyone needs to be aware of this. 

In the "you have some control” department, new research indicates that even one 10 ounce alcoholic drink may increase your risk of breast cancer- by nearly 10 % in post menopausal women ! The same study also shows that vigorous exercise reduces the risk of breast cancer. Worried ? Stop drinking and start exercising. 

It has now been well established that the HPV vaccine works to prevent genital warts and reduce the incidence of cervical cancer. The new revelation is that for kids under 15, only two rather than three doses are needed. 

Do you snore ? If you do, go get evaluated, regardless of your age. It is clear that sleep apnea increases risk of cardiovascular disease. New research also indicates that it complicates pregnancy, increasing risks of gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. 

Bed sharing with newborns increases risk of SIDS ( Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). A new program which includes face to face education and distribution of baby box kits has been shown to be effective in reducing the incidence of bed sharing. Baby boxes provide a separate space for baby with a flat mattress and a firmly fitted sheet. These boxes, as opposed to a bed or crib with lots of blankets, toys and fluff, are much safer places for baby to sleep. 

Stay tuned for next week’s Medical Monday and thank you for your patience ! 

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

The genome of the Zika virus has been isolated. This is an essential step in learning about the virus and how to stop it. 

Meanwhile Zika virus continues its spread in southern Florida with three Zika transmission zones identified. Readers would do well to remember that Florida is still recovering from Hurricane Matthew and all the floodwaters are still receding. Florida has called on the Federal Government to help fund their fight against Zika. 

In chilling news, a new study out of Brazil indicates that Zika can affect a baby’s brain even if the mother contracts the infection a week or two before giving birth. This begs the question of whether newborns or even toddlers or beyond can incur damage to the growth of the brain by becoming infected. 

Breast and ovary cancer, among the most dreaded female cancers, both have new and promising therapies on the horizon. In the case of ovarian cancer, a whole new class of drugs called PARB inhibitors is showing improvement for all women with recurrent ovarian cancer. For breast cancer, an investigational drug Ribociclib combined with the older Letrozole, is showing significant improvement in PFS (progression free survival) for those with hormone responsive cancers. Such drug “cocktails" are becoming increasingly useful in the fight against many difficult diseases such as those from viruses or cancer. 

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have created a free web based app to guide clinicians in their treatment of breast cancer. In these days of precision medicine, tumors can be subjected to ever more detailed molecular and genetic analysis to determine the best possible therapy. These are costly, which hopefully will change. For now, this app helps clinicians decide whether or not these more detailed tests are necessary. 

Have you ever heard of de-prescribing ? Me neither. Apparently this is when a physician takes a patient off medications. Physicians are increasingly trying to help patients avoid medication interactions or unnecessary medications altogether. I can imagine this being important in an internal medicine practice where patients have medication lists a mile long. 

Once again the value of mammograms is being questioned. This time it is in an article in the New England Journal of Medicine. Once again the concern cited is “ ...needless anxiety, treatment and expense.” Let’s be clear here, by “ treatment”they are referring to biopsy. And now that I think of it, use of this language is really irresponsible. Biopsy is not treatment in the case of breast disease. The authors indicated that over half of breast cancers diagnosed on mammogram are a case of mistaken identity…”. First of all, breast cancer is not a radiographic diagnosis. It is a TISSUE diagnosis. So, they could rightfully say, over half of all mammograms which are suspicious for breast cancer, are actually not on biopsy. This, to me is a cause for relief. Understand that if they want to decrease the mammogram frequency, they will increase the number of women with cancer who are picked up late rather than early. How many inconvenienced women are worth one who gets an early and more curable diagnosis of breast cancer rather than a late one ? I’d say many. Very many. How much inconvenience and expense is worth a life ? 

We are continuing to expand our understanding of how maternal obesity affects babies in utero, newborns, and even children into adulthood. Four recently published studies are showing these risks, and they include increased risks of stillbirth, diabetes, and blood pressure disorders of pregnancy. More interestingly, risks for children born to obese mothers of these same types of diseases persist into adulthood. 

Our national increase in maternal mortality is of paramount concern. Poor maternal health and the conditions which produce poor maternal health are undoubtedly to blame. Accordingly, experts are increasingly beginning to teach that women should attain a healthy weight and attain control of all their medical conditions before attempting pregnancy. 

In that spirit, I will report on a relevant and encouraging story coming from the International Olympic Committee. They have found that “ ...strenuous exercise during pregnancy doesn’t appear to increase the risk of most pregnancy complications for mom or baby”. ACOG (The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology) has recommend institution or continuation of “ moderately strenuous” exercise during pregnancy as well. 

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

Medical Monday: Breaking news From the World of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Women’s Health

To follow recent tradition, I will give the Zika update first. The WHO (World Health Organization) has reported that the spectrum of neurological damage to babies with Zika is greater than previously appreciated. Microcephaly is certainly the most obvious problem, but others such as spasticity, seizures, and vision problems are possible. 

This week a new method of acquiring the virus was confirmed. An American lab worker working with the Zika virus has contracted it though a needle stick. 

In the US, funding is still not present to fund the fight against the virus. Nonetheless, scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) are “aggressively pursuing" a vaccine. 

Research is also taking place regarding how to alter the genes of the Zika carrying mosquitos so that they are sterile. Wiping out an entire species through genetic engineering may have unintended consequences. Researchers are examining this important issue. 

Over thirteen hundred cases of Zika are confirmed in Puerto Rico, but there are probably many more including those who are asymptomatic. ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) is leading the effort to train physicians on the island to place IUDs for contraception. The WHO this week has finally issued a recommendation to women in affected areas to delay pregnancy. 

Both ovary and breast cancer therapies are in the news this week, and the messages are promising. For starters, research presented a the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology has highlighted 11 additional genetic mutations associated with increased risk of ovarian cancer. This may ultimately give us expanded opportunities for screening and treatment of this disease. 

On the treatment side, it turns out that a combination of IV and intraperitoneal chemotherapy is more life extending than either therapy alone, for the treatment of ovarian cancer. Also on the treatment side, it turns out that extending anti-cancer hormone therapy such as Tamoxifen for 10 instead of 5 years reduces risk of recurrence or second primary in older women with early stage breast cancer. 

Syphylis cases have more than tripled in the last decade. At the same time, the majority of sexually active women between 15-25 have NOT been screened EVER for any sexually transmitted infections since they do not believe themselves to be at risk.

The CDC ( Centers for Disease Control) has reported the “ the US obesity epidemic continues to worsen”. Fully 40% of US women are obese. Obese is defined as a body mass index (BMI) at or greater than 30. Do you know your BMI ? 

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

Good Monday. The administrative wheels are beginning to turn in response to the Zika virus. In particular, the CDC(Centers for Disease Control) and OSHA( Occupational Health and Safety Administration) have issues interim guidelines for employers and workers who are in settings which increase their risk for contracting Zika virus. This includes workers in outdoor settings, travel or health care settings. Guidelines deal primarily with protective clothing and the correct use of EPA approved insect repellent. Additionally the CDC has activate the Emergency Operations Center to Level 1. This means the CDC assigns the largest number of staff possible to work 24/7 on the response. To date so far, there have only been three other Level 1 responses, to Ebola, H1N1, and Hurricane Katrina. Experts in Brazil have come to understand that the perinatal consequences ot Zika go beyond microcephaly. It has been found to " erode the fetal brain"...destroying the lobes which control vision and thought an other basic functions. Moreover, Zika appears to prevent formation of areas of the brain "not yet formed". 

Meanwhile the House and the Senate continue to debate about what is the “ right number” for money to fund the efforts to handle the Zika crisis. 

At the same time researchers at NASA and NCAR ( National Center for Atmospheric Research) have made themselves exceptionally useful and, lacking an adequately absorbing space mission, have created a month to month map model which plots risk of Zika in US cities. The map does this by taking into consideration climate and population factors and how they affect the prevalence of the carrier of Zika, the Aedes Aegyptae mosquito. These maps really brings the situation into focus. Have a look HERE. 

Beast cancer risk prediction may be about to improve. New research presented at the American Cancer Society annual research meeting suggests that adding  “ genetic risk score” together with mammography density and hormone levels to current models will improve predictions. Improved predictions are help us devise tailored screening regimens for individual patients of varying risk. Hormones will be assessed only in postmenopausal women not taking andy hormone therapy. In these women, they plan to sample estrogen, testosterone and prolactin. Adding these markers improved risk prediction somewhere between 6 and 10 fold. 

The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has recommended that there is a possible new link between flucaonazole (Diflucan) and miscarriage. This possible link is restricted to high dose or extended therapy regimens, not the 150 mg single dose most commonly prescribed. However, in response to this warning, the CDC is recommending the use of topical products only in pregnant woman. 

All you moms know it , I know it, and now science knows it. Mom brain notwithstanding, healthy new mothers are smarter, faster and more resilient than their pre-pregnancy selves. Older research has demonstrated this. Now the journal Behavioral Neuroscience has published research using sequential MRI studies of new mothers’ brains. They have found increases in grey matter in the prefrontal cortex and the parietal lobes and others between about 2 weeks postpartum and 3 months postpartum. These are areas which have to do with emotional regulation, survival instincts and hormones. 

Stay tuned for more breaking news from the world of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women’s Heath.