American journal of obstetrics and gynecology
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Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. · Jan 2016
ReviewThe medical management of abnormal uterine bleeding in reproductive-aged women.
In the treatment of women with abnormal uterine bleeding, once a thorough history, physical examination, and indicated imaging studies are performed and all significant structural causes are excluded, medical management is the first-line approach. Determining the acuity of the bleeding, the patient's medical history, assessing risk factors, and establishing a diagnosis will individualize their medical regimen. In acute abnormal uterine bleeding with a normal uterus, parenteral estrogen, a multidose combined oral contraceptive regimen, a multidose progestin-only regimen, and tranexamic acid are all viable options, given the appropriate clinical scenario. ⋯ In women with inherited bleeding disorders all hormonal methods as well as tranexamic acid can be used to treat abnormal uterine bleeding. Women on anticoagulation therapy should consider using progestin-only methods as well as a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist to treat their heavy menstrual bleeding. Given these myriad options for medical treatment of abnormal uterine bleeding, many patients may avoid surgical intervention.
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Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. · Jan 2016
ReviewPrevention of preterm birth with vaginal progesterone or 17-alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate: a critical examination of efficacy and safety.
Progestogens are the first drugs to demonstrate reproducibly a reduction in the rate of early preterm birth. The efficacy and safety of progestogens are related to individual pharmacologic properties of each drug within this class of medication and characteristics of the population that is treated. The synthetic 17-hydroxyprogesterone caproate and natural progesterone have been studied with the use of a prophylactic strategy in women with a history of preterm birth and in women with a multiple gestation. ⋯ The current body of evidence is evaluated by the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation guidelines to derive the strength of recommendation in each of these populations. A large confirmatory trial that is testing 17-hydroxyprogesterone caproate exposure in women with a singleton pregnancy and a history of preterm birth is near completion. Additional study of the efficacy and safety of progestogens is suggested in well-selected populations based on the presence of biomarkers.
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Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. · Jan 2016
Practice patterns and postoperative complications before and after US Food and Drug Administration safety communication on power morcellation.
In April 2014, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published its first safety communication discouraging "the use of laparoscopic power morcellation during hysterectomy or myomectomy for the treatment of women with uterine fibroids." Due to the concern of worsening outcomes for patients with occult uterine malignancy, specifically uterine leiomyosarcoma, the FDA recommended a significant change to existing surgical planning, patient consent, and surgical technique in the United States. ⋯ Following the April 2014 FDA safety communication regarding power morcellation, utilization of minimally invasive hysterectomy decreased, and major surgical, nontransfusion complications and 30-day hospital readmissions increased.
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Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. · Jan 2016
Competing risks model in screening for preeclampsia by maternal factors and biomarkers at 11-13 weeks gestation.
Preeclampsia affects approximately 3% of all pregnancies and is a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and death. In the last decade, extensive research has been devoted to early screening for preeclampsia with the aim of reducing the prevalence of the disease through pharmacologic intervention in the high-risk group starting from the first trimester of pregnancy. ⋯ Combination of maternal factors and biomarkers provides effective first-trimester screening for preterm-preeclampsia.