Clinical obstetrics and gynecology
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Traumatic wounds of the female genitalia include accidental straddle injuries or impalement, chemical or thermal burns, insufflation injuries, blunt trauma, or crush injuries. Children and adolescents may be victims of rape, sexual abuse, and female genital mutilation. Information is provided on epidemiology, pathophysiology, and management. Treatment guidelines are offered using the best evidence available, and recommendations are provided when data are limited.
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Clin Obstet Gynecol · Jun 2008
ReviewCare of the overweight adolescent including polycystic ovarian syndrome.
Obstetrician-gynecologists are responsible for promoting healthy eating and physical activity in adolescents during annual screening examinations. Adolescents with a body mass index for age greater than or equal to the 95th percentile should undergo an in-depth health assessment to determine psychosocial morbidity and risk of cardiovascular disease. Further research is needed to determine the most efficacious approach to the prevention and treatment of obesity in adolescents. For now, it is best to extrapolate an approach from data pertaining to children and adults, while being cognizant of the special psychosocial and physical needs of adolescents.
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Trauma affects up to 6% to 7% of all pregnancies, and accounts for up to 46% of maternal death. Adverse consequences such as preterm labor and delivery, abruptio, fetomaternal hemorrhage, and fetal demise may be seen with even apparently minor degrees of injury. Maternal physiologic considerations are reviewed and a protocol for evaluation and management of the injured gravida is presented.
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Clin Obstet Gynecol · Sep 2007
Optimizing outcomes of surgery in advanced age--perioperative factors to consider.
The gynecologic surgeon should be knowledgeable about the normal physiologic changes associated with aging and skilled at assessing baseline medical comorbidities, neuropsychiatric, nutritional, social, and functional status as increasing numbers of older women seek and undergo surgical interventions to improve their quality of life. A multidisciplinary approach to the perioperative care of the older woman, aiming for prevention and early intervention, can help minimize both typical surgical complications and "geriatric" complications.
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Clin Obstet Gynecol · Sep 2007
ReviewHead cooling for neonatal encephalopathy: the state of the art.
The possibility that hypothermia started during or after resuscitation at birth might reduce brain damage and cerebral palsy has tantalized clinicians for a long time. The key insight was that transient severe hypoxia-ischemia can precipitate a complex biochemical cascade leading to delayed neuronal loss. There is now strong experimental and clinical evidence that mild to moderate cooling can interrupt this cascade, and improve the number of infants surviving without disability in the medium term. The key remaining issues are to finding better ways of identifying babies who are most likely to benefit, to define the optimal mode and conditions of hypothermia and to find ways to further improve the effectiveness of treatment.