Aim  Our aim was to compare the effect of prenatal endoscopic with postnatal myelomeningocele closure (fetally operated spina bifida aperta [fSBA]) versus neonatally operated spina bifida aperta [nSBA]) on segmental neurological leg condition.Method  Between 2003 and 2009, the fetal surgical team (Department of Obstetrics, University of Bonn, Germany) performed 19 fetal endoscopic procedures. Three procedures resulted in fetal death, three procedures were interrupted by iatrogenic hemorrhages and 13 procedures were successful. We matched each successfully treated fSBA infant with another nSBA infant of the same age and level of lesion, resulting in 13 matched pairs (mean age 14mo; SD 16mo; f/m=1.6; female‐16, male‐10). Matched fSBA and nSBA pairs were compared in terms of segmental...

Inhaled glucocorticoids for the treatment of asthma during pregnancy are not associated with an increased risk of most diseases in offspring, but may be a risk factor for endocrine and metabolic disturbances, according to a new study. In a population-based cohort study, 65,085 mother-child pairs from the Danish National Birth Cohort were followed up in real time from early pregnancy into childhood... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Conclusion:  These data are the first from the South‐East Asian region to demonstrate differences in physician attitudes between medical specialties. Our findings prompt further investigation and confirmation as to whether physicians with particular attitudinal traits are attracted to any particular specialties of medicine, or if physician attitudes are acquired through professional experience and training. In addition, this study offers better insight into the attitudinal differences of physician between medical specialities. (Source: International Journal of Clinical Practice)

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a birth defect characterized by a severe malformation (hole) in the child's diaphragm that leads to pulmonary hypoplasia, an incomplete development of the lungs and is major cause of infant mortality. According to a new Brazilian study published in the journal Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology fetal tracheal occlusion (FETO) improves infant survival rate in severe cases of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH)... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Conclusions  Abdominal radical trachelectomy provides a feasible, cost‐effective and safe treatment option for young women who have been diagnosed with early‐stage cervical cancer and wish to preserve their fertility. (Source: BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology)

Please cite this paper as: Ahmed A, Becker C, Bast R Jr. The origin of ovarian cancer. BJOG 2012;119:134–136. (Source: BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology)

MedWorm Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

Please cite this paper as: Crosbie EJ. Global human papillomavirus vaccination: can it be cost‐effective? BJOG 2012;119:125–128. (Source: BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology)

(Source: BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology)

A new study co-authored by the University of Kentucky's Dr. John O'Brien found that applying vaginal progesterone to women who are at a high risk of preterm birth significantly decreased the odds of a premature delivery. The new study, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, described a two-prong strategy used by doctors: participating pregnant women underwent a measurement of the cervical length via transvaginal cervical ultrasound to define risk for preterm birth; and those found to have a short cervix were successfully treated with vaginal progesterone... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Gynaecological cancer survival rates have improved in Eastern England following the reorganisation of services and multidisciplinary team working finds a new study published in the gynaecological oncology themed issue of BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. In 1999, the Department of Health (DH) produced good-practice guidance on commissioning cancer services for gynaecology, entitled Improving Outcomes in Gynaecological Cancer... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

A new study published in the journal Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology reveals that fetal tracheal occlusion (FETO) improves infant survival rate in severe cases of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). CDH is a birth defect where there exists a severe malformation (hole) of the diaphragm and is a major cause of death in infants due to pulmonary hypoplasia, an incomplete development of the lungs... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

MedWorm Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

Mothers' use of steroid inhalers could lead to some disorders in children, large study suggests (Source: Pediatrics News - Doctors Lounge)

Conclusion:Placental 3DPD indices from single spherical samples in pregnant women after 24 weeks presented weak to moderate intra‐ and inter‐observer reliability and are unlikely to have any clinical usefulness. Copyright © 2011 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. (Source: Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology)

ConclusionPre‐interventional Doppler assessment can be used to predict the predominant side of supply to the leiomyomas but not the amount of embolizing material needed. Post‐interventional Doppler assessment can predict the leiomyoma volume after UAE. Copyright © 2011 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. (Source: Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology)

Suggestions to help end discomfort (Source: Surgery News - Doctors Lounge)

A new study co-authored by the University of Kentuckys Dr. John OBrien found that applying vaginal progesterone to women who are at a high risk of preterm birth significantly decreased the odds of a premature delivery. (Source: UK College of Medicine News)

MedWorm Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

Women with a short cervix should be treated with vaginal progesterone to prevent preterm birth, according to a landmark study by leading obstetricians around the world. Vaginal progesterone decreased the rate of preterm birth by 42%, and significantly reduced the rate of respiratory distress syndrome and the need for mechanical ventilation, as well as a composite of several complications of premature newborns (e.g. infection, necrotizing enterocolitis, intracranial hemorrhage, etc.)... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Conclusions: Majority of the respondents from both the groups chose to continue with the pregnancy affected with a cleft when questioned regarding hypothetical prenatal ultrasound diagnosis of the cleft. (Source: Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery)

Source: American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Area: News This population-based, case-control study examined whether use of NSAIDs in early pregnancy was associated with a range of structural birth defects. Data were obtained from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS), an ongoing case-control surveillance study designed to identify infants with major birth defects and evaluate genetic and environmental risk factors. Case infants for the study were identified from the state birth defect surveillance system of ten US states. Cases include live births, stillbirths of 20 weeks or longer gestation or greater than 500 grams, or elective terminations with any of more than 30 eligible birth defects groups diagnosed in the first year of life.   The following findings ...

ConclusionIt is possible to provide an objective quantification of elastographic colors in the cervix. The measurements obtained by elastography may be a mere reflection of the force being applied by the transducer to different parts of the cervix.It is too premature to suggest that the measurements of rate‐of‐change in tissue displacement reflect histological changes that could provide a measure of cervical ripening. Copyright © 2011 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. (Source: Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology)