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

It is no secret by now that the Trump administration is systematically enacting policies to ban abortion and limit access to contraception. Medical experts have indicated their concern all along, saying these policies are likely to backfire, increasing unplanned pregnancies and abortions overall. 

Legal challenges to Trump administration policies are now coming from many quarters. Mississippi and Louisiana have pending legislation to ban abortion after 15 weeks. Both laws will now go to Federal court to be tested. Meanwhile, New Jersey is suing the Federal government against the exemption which permits corporations to purchase insurance without contraception coverage if they object to it on “moral” grounds. Since when can a corporation have morality ? People, owners, and board members can have morality or the lack of it.

The Federal Courts are going to have a big role in determining how much of this Trump era law stands. For example, a federal judge in Washington struck down the decision by the HHS (Department of Health and Human Services) to withhold funds for the teen pregnancy prevention program. The judge called the cancellation of funds “capricious”.  HHS actions have been struck down by federal courts four times to date. 

A survey of various health care groups has shown the 95% have strongly criticized the Trump administrations efforts to weaken the ACA (Affordable Care Act). The American College of Physicians has published a paper calling for recognition and addressing of the discrimination against women in health care. Health care disparities include those pertaining to reproduction, family and medical leave, domestic and sexual abuse and inclusion in clinical trials. 

Elsewhere in the world, Ireland has voted to repeal the countries ban on abortion. The popular vote passed by a margin of 2 to 1. To put things in perspective in this historically Catholic country, divorce was only legalized in 1995. Gay marriage has also been ratified in Ireland, and an openly gay man has served as Prime Minister. 

Medical News

We all know that genes influence our physical health. But they also influence our mental health. They are a number of genes which are associated with the development of Schizophrenia. However, even if they are present, the odds of actually developing schizophrenia are low. New research has indicated that pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes and preeclampsia increase the risk of schizophrenia in susceptible individuals, as can smoking. This is all thought to take place via epigenetics and the placenta. More research is needed. 

A new study indicates what we have often observed; that those women who introduce a bottle in the hospital are much more likely to give up breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is recommended as the sole food source for babies for six months. 

The Nurses Health Study has produced data about nutrition and healing loss. Turns out those who had a diet most closely resembling a Mediterranean or DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet were 30% less likely to experience moderate or severe hearing loss later in life. 

You will hear all kinds of unscientific reasons from patients about why they will not get a certain vaccine. We all know vaccines stimulate the immune systems and we all know they can make you feel a bit flu like in the process- no fun. New research has now proven that HPV ( human papilloma virus) vaccine does not cause increased autoimmune activity in girls. This confirms two prior large cohort studies. Despite all this, there is still a lot of push back against vaccines. It is hard for a caregiver to persist when a patient or a parent declines a needed vaccine. However new research indicates that physician persistent leads to 94% of children being vaccinated against HPV. 

Many times I hear talk to the affect that obesity alone is not a problem. There must be other factors such as diabetes or hypertension for obesity to be a threat to health. FALSE.. Newer date now tells us that having obesity ALONE makes you 39% more likely to have heart disease. 

We have been finding a lot of vitamin deficiency up here in the North Country. This has been true in pregnancy. We have undertaken supplementation regimens with the input of Endocrinology and are tailoring better maintenance regimens for both diet and supplements. New research has now show some good news : that those who take vitamin D in pregnancy are 28 % less likely to have low birth weight babies or stillbirth. 

In other vitamin D related news, new research also indicated that women with sufficient levels of vitamin D are 10% more like to get pregnant after a miscarriage, and 15% more likely to have a live birth after a miscarriage. 

Folic acid is also important in pregnancy and is known to prevent birth defects such as spina bifida. New research indicates that poorer women rarely takeout before it during pregnancy. This is something that should have a really easy fix. 

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

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

We start this Monday with the piece of grossly under reported news. few seem to be aware of the fact that prenatal cannabis use is linked with cognitive impairment academic under achievement in children. Both the American Academy Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advise against its use because best. Many patients assume that because it is legal it is safe. Marijuana’s main psychoactive ingredient THC or tetrahydrocannabinol crosses the placenta to reach the fetus. It not only affects brain development and cognition but also birth weight as well. Have you seen anything about this lately? 

Planned home birth is again in the news. A new study shows that planned home birth  is associated with increased risk of complications, especially in women who are having their first baby or in those 41 weeks or more. This particular study looks at the rate of neonatal death, the most severe complication.  Researchers found that those who delivered with midwives at home had a neonatal death rate of 24.4 per 10,000 birth compared to 5.09 per 10,000 births delivering with a midwife in the hospital. 

300,000 babies are born in United States every month. Typically 273,000 women take time off of work to care for newborn whereas 22,000 men do the same. A recent study in the American Journal of Public Health as shown that maternity and paternity leave rates in the United States have been constant over the last 20 years. This may be related to the fact that only 12% of workers in the private sector have access to pay family leave. This lags far behind other developed nations of similar socioeconomic status.

Recent work from the Pew Research Center revealed the new president's views on vaccines are not shared with the majority of Americans who overwhelmingly support requiring children to be vaccinated before attending school. 82% of Americans support children receiving the MMR vaccine before attending school. 

Representatives from numerous physicians organizations have descended upon the halls of the Senate offices to lobby their respective representatives about the need to retain certain characteristics of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). These organizations include the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American College of Physicians, and the American Osteopathic Association. They have placed particular focus on the provisions for the care of women and children as these provide the foundation for lifelong medical care and wellness. They have placed particular emphasis on the need to have a replacement in place before the current plan is repealed. The same groups, representing over half a million United States physicians, sent a letter to the White House and Congressional leaders leaders asking them to ensure that women's health, including preventive prenatal and neonatal care, be protected. 

A subcommittee within the House is beginning to work on replacing the ACA. They are looking at the issue of preexisting conditions, and at age ratings which determine the charges paid for insurance by age. They're also considering a shorter grace period for those who fail to pay premiums on time. The process is contentious between Democrats and Republicans,  but it is also reportedly contentious between different Republican legislators as well. Republican lawmakers nowassert that they intend to “repair not repeal” the ACA. 

Last week, a meeting between State Insurance Commissioner's and brokers met with the Senate Health Education Labor and Pension Committee. They warned the Committee that more healthcare plans are likely to”defect from the Affordable Care Act marketplaces unless Congress and the Trump administration provide concrete assurances within the next two months”. They also warned that those insurers that remain are likely to increase their rates by as much as 20% if this occurs. Specifically, the insurance industry wants GOP lawmakers to ensure that they will fund ACA subsidies in 2018. They need this information so that they can make their budgets for the next year. ACA subsidies are currently the subject of court battle between Republican Representatives and the White House. Amidst all this, the Department of Health and Human Services introduced a rule, the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Market Stabilization”, which is meant to stabilize the health insurance market for individuals. The GOP appears to understand that it is in everyone’s best interest to stabilize the insurance markets. 

Threat of repeal of the ACA continues to spur women women into seeking long acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) such as MIrena (IUD) and Nexplanon (subderrmal insert). Month-to-month adoption of these methods is at record highs and continues to rise. Women are also stockpiling prescriptions of contraceptive and the prescriptions Some states such as New York are addressing the problem by requiring State governed insurance agencies to cover contraception with no or minimal copays. Massachusetts has developed a bill to provide free contraceptives to all of its residents. 

The is busy time for women’s health  and health care in general. Find out the names and contact information for your elected officials. Make your views known. 

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

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

It turns out that Dr. Peter Hotez, the Dean of that National School for Tropical Medicine has been thinking about the interplay between Hurricane Matthew and the Aedes mosquito which spreads Zika. His informed speculations were that the Hurricane could provide an initial respite from the mosquitos, being essentially blown away by the tremendous winds. However, the enormous amount of standing water afterwards would provide ideal breeding ground for the virus carrying mosquitos. 

Though the Federal government has passed a limited Zika funding measure, the bulk of the costs have fallen on States. The 1.1 billion dollars recently approved requires the development of a spending plan which the Department of Health and Human Services are required to complete by the end of the month. One hundred and fifty two million will go toward vaccine development. The rest will go to local labs to speed up testing, as well as for prevention efforts like mosquito control, and education campaigns. 

Much of the press about Zika focuses rightly on its effects on pregnant women, namely microcephaly and other severe effects on the fetal and neonatal brain and nervous system. However, Zika virus effects non- pregnant women and men by increasing their chances of Guillain Barre Syndrome, post viral paralysis. In the recent new wave of such patients, 97% of these patients had symptoms of Zika 4 weeks prior, further cinching the relationship of the virus to the syndrome even further. 

At least 808 pregnant American women have Zika. It is likely that there are many more since the infection can be asymptomatic, and testing results are much delayed. Physicians and Institutions are trying to ready themselves for the increase in special needs children which will come as a result of the Zika epidemic. 

New Zika recommendations indicate that both men and women wait six months to get pregnant after Zika exposure. 

In other virus related news, studies have shown that parents are more likely to ask for HPV ( Human Papilloma Virus) vaccine to be given to their children if their child’s caregiver discusses it with them in a certain way. In particular, if caregivers highlight the parent’s role in preventing HPV infection, parents are more likely to agree to the administration of the vaccine. HPV vaccine is grossly underutilized. Researchers and physicians are trying to increase HPV vaccine utilization rates by funding the vaccine with others and by giving it in school based programs. HPV is a virus which causes serious and sometimes fatal disease processes ( cervical cancer)  for which there is an effective vaccine. Yet many will not utilize it. Once we are fortunate enough to have a Zika vaccine, I wonder if some will decline that too. 

Speaking of inadequate utilization of vaccine, over half of millennials do NOT plan to get the flu vaccine this year. Half of these people do not believe it is effective and 29% think it will give them the flu. The data do not bear out these concerns. 

Here is some bad news that is, at the same time, interesting and useful. First, people in most modern countries gain weight during the holidays. The amount and time frame varies by country. In the US, our weight is at its lowest in October, right after summer, and increases in the ten days preceding the holidays. It appears that holiday related weight gain, regardless of country, takes about FIVE months to lose. That’s right people, gain it in ten days, lose it over five months. 

In other bad but fascinating and hopefully helpful news, stress contributes to aging in a very particular and profound way. A large human DNA study has demonstrated that “ adverse events in childhood ...hasten …telomere tear down." I once read telomeres are the protective shoelace tips to our DNA shoelaces. Telomeres keep DNA from fraying as it were, and this prevents premature aging. They were able to determine that each significant stressful event in a person’s life increases the risk of shorter telomeres by 11 percent. DNA codes for what we are… in a very immediate tissue sense of the word. Damaged DNA leads to all kinds of diseases including cancer, and basically the failure to heal and renew properly. We have to start taking the prevention of childhood stress much more seriously. 

State Medicaid expansions are most costly than previously anticipated. This is because more qualifying patients have signed up, and they are sicker than had been anticipated. This should be cause for increasing the funding to the expansions, says this fiscal conservative. Why ? It is because preventive care and treatment that is earlier rather than later ALWAYS is cheaper in the long run. Never mind that it is more humane and the ethical thing to do. 

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