Jessica and Chad Browning were ecstatic last fall when they learned they were expecting twins. They had two children already, but wanted a third to round out their family. Twins were a bonus.
About 19 weeks into the pregnancy, however, they received a shattering diagnosis: Their babies had Twin-Twin Transfusion syndrome (TTTS), a life-threatening condition in which the placenta is shared unequally by identical twins.
"We were devastated," said Mrs. Browning. "It was very overwhelming. We were not going to do what's good for just one of the twins. We wanted to do what would be best for both."
The condition, which occurs in about 15 percent of identical twins, can lead to a severe discrepancy in blood flow, amniotic fluid volume and fetal growth, and can result in up to a 90 percent mortality rate for one or both twins, said Dr. Michael Zaretsky, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at UT Southwestern Medical Center and the maternal-fetal medicine specialist to whom Mrs. Browning was referred.
"It's shattering for parents to get this diagnosis," Dr. Zaretsky said. "They'll do anything to make it a good outcome. Our goal is to do it right."
Dr. Zaretsky is one of the only maternal-fetal medicine specialists in North Texas who had been trained in a procedure to correct the syndrome. In December 2010, he and Dr. Ashley Hickman, also an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology and a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at UT Southwestern, along with nursing staff at Parkland Memorial Hospital, successfully performed for the first time in Dallas a fetoscopic laser procedure to correct TTTS.
The surgery improved the twins' chances of survival to between 60 percent to 70 percent and 90 percent for at least one survivor.
On Feb. 25, the twins were delivered by Cesarean section at 32 weeks, and both were healthy. Alexis Nicole weighed 3 pounds, 9 ounces, and Amber Rose weighed 4 pounds, 6 ounces. They spent just two weeks in a Carrollton hospital before being released.
In TTTS, blood vessels on the surface of the shared placenta do not provide an equal volume of blood for each fetus. The result is that one twin becomes the donor and the other the recipient. The donor becomes anemic, has less amniotic fluid and is growth-restricted. The recipient gets larger, and its amniotic fluid becomes very elevated. The recipient twin is weakened faster because the increased amniotic volume creates high blood pressure and cardiomyopathy, or a thickening of the heart.
Dr. Zaretsky, with colleagues from Parkland, UT Southwestern and Children's Medical Center Dallas, developed the fetal surgery over a four-year period in partnership with the Cincinnati, Ohio-based Fetal Care Center, one of only a dozen institutions in the U.S. that offers the procedure.
During the 60- to 90-minute surgery, a surgical telescope (fetoscope) was inserted into the amniotic sac of the recipient twin, allowing Drs. Zaretsky and Hickman to "map" the placenta and determine which blood vessels crossed the vascular equator, or the point at which blood flows to one twin or the other. Dr. Zaretsky, who is also director of maternal-fetal medicine at Children's Medical Center at Legacy in Plano, then used laser fiber technology to seal off several vessels and reroute blood flow to both twins.
The team of specialists also drained two liters of amniotic fluid from the larger fetal sac and created small openings in the fetal membrane to equalize fluid faster.
Mrs. Brown spent the remainder of her pregnancy with bed rest. When her girls were delivered, the larger twin needed some help with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), which blows air through an infant's nostrils to gently inflate the lungs. CPAP machines are routinely used by adults with sleep apnea to aid breathing.
"I thought, 'If I could just hear them cry, then I'd know they were alright," she said. "Alexis just wailed, and I started crying. Amber needed some help; she would forget to breathe at times. But after 12 hours on a CPAP, she picked it up on her own. It was just wonderful."
Dr. Zaretsky said the most common complication of the procedure is the initiation of preterm labor, caused by breaking the amniotic sac; this occurs about 8 percent of the time. Other medical concerns are possible rapid fluctuation of blood flow for the fetuses during the procedure, or placenta blood vessels that begin bleeding.
Looking back, Mrs. Browning said she was willing to take those risks.
"It is very scary, but honestly and truly, if we hadn't had this procedure, we know we would not have both girls here. This surgery really does save lives."
Source: UT Southwestern Medical Center
четверг, 30 июня 2011 г.
среда, 29 июня 2011 г.
Association Between Obesity And Increased Risk Of Fibromyalgia
Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology have found an association between the level of leisure time physical exercise and a future risk of developing fibromyalgia. The research team also identified BMI as an independent risk factor for fibromyalgia. Details of the study appear in the May issue of Arthritis Care & Research, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology.
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain syndrome characterized by widespread pain lasting more than 3 months, and tender point sites in the neck, shoulders, back, hips, arms, and legs. Associated features often include unexplained fatigue, sleep disturbances, headache, cognitive difficulty, and mood disturbances. The prevalence of FM increases with age and is considerably higher among women than men. Although the etiology of FM is poorly understood, many authors have suggested that a dysfunctional autonomic nervous system involving deficiencies in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic nervous system contributes to the development of FM by altering pain perception and endogenous pain inhibition.
According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, FM has been linked to stressful or traumatic events, such as car accidents, repetitive injuries, illness, certain diseases, or FM can occur spontaneously. Some scientists speculate that a gene or genes might be involved in fibromyalgia that could make a person react strongly to things that other people would not find painful.
Longitudinal studies have shown that physical exercise is associated with less musculoskeletal pain and stiff or painful joints among aging women. The Norwegian researchers, led by Paul Mork, D.Phil., proposed that first, there is an association between levels of leisure time physical exercise and future risk of FM and, second, being overweight/obese may represent an independent risk factor for future development of FM. Data for the study was collected from the Nord-Tr??ndelag Health (HUNT) Study, the first part conducted in 1984 - (HUNT 1) and the second in 1995 - (HUNT 2). During the 11 years between HUNT 1 and HUNT 2, 380 cases of incident FM were reported among 15,990 women who provided information on relevant variables at both surveys and who reported no FM or physical impairment at HUNT 1.
"Women who reported exercising 4 times per week had a 29% lower risk of FM compared with inactive women," says Dr. Mork. "Similar results were found in the analysis of the summary score combining information on frequency, duration, and intensity of exercise; women with the highest exercise level had a somewhat lower risk than inactive women. The study further shows that a high BMI (i.e., being overweight or obese) is a strong and independent risk factor for future development of FM. Moreover, the higher relative risks for the combined effect of being overweight/obese and inactive, relative to being overweight/obese alone, point to a further disadvantage for overweight women who do not exercise."
While the causal relationship between obesity and FM remains unknown, there are some etiologic factors in common. Studies suggest that proinflammatory cytokines play a role in FM and the relationship between FM and obesity. Other studies point to dysregulation of the HPA axis, which has been observed in both FM and obesity. Finally, increased sympathetic tonus and reduced sympathetic reactivity, as recorded by heart rate variability, has been observed in patients with FM as well as in overweight and obese subjects. Dr. Mork concludes, "These findings, together with the current study, indicate that regular physical exercise, and thereby improved physical fitness, may serve as a buffer against the perpetuation of musculoskeletal symptoms that eventually lead to the development of FM."
Article:
"Association Between Physical Exercise, Body Mass Index, and Rise of Fibromyalgia: Longitudinal Data From the Norwegian Nord-Tr??ndelag Health Study." Paul J. Mork, Ottar Vasseljen, and Tom I.L. Nilsen. Arthritis Care and Research; Published Online: April 29, 2010 (DOI: 10.1002/acr.20118); Print Issue Date: May 2010.
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain syndrome characterized by widespread pain lasting more than 3 months, and tender point sites in the neck, shoulders, back, hips, arms, and legs. Associated features often include unexplained fatigue, sleep disturbances, headache, cognitive difficulty, and mood disturbances. The prevalence of FM increases with age and is considerably higher among women than men. Although the etiology of FM is poorly understood, many authors have suggested that a dysfunctional autonomic nervous system involving deficiencies in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic nervous system contributes to the development of FM by altering pain perception and endogenous pain inhibition.
According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, FM has been linked to stressful or traumatic events, such as car accidents, repetitive injuries, illness, certain diseases, or FM can occur spontaneously. Some scientists speculate that a gene or genes might be involved in fibromyalgia that could make a person react strongly to things that other people would not find painful.
Longitudinal studies have shown that physical exercise is associated with less musculoskeletal pain and stiff or painful joints among aging women. The Norwegian researchers, led by Paul Mork, D.Phil., proposed that first, there is an association between levels of leisure time physical exercise and future risk of FM and, second, being overweight/obese may represent an independent risk factor for future development of FM. Data for the study was collected from the Nord-Tr??ndelag Health (HUNT) Study, the first part conducted in 1984 - (HUNT 1) and the second in 1995 - (HUNT 2). During the 11 years between HUNT 1 and HUNT 2, 380 cases of incident FM were reported among 15,990 women who provided information on relevant variables at both surveys and who reported no FM or physical impairment at HUNT 1.
"Women who reported exercising 4 times per week had a 29% lower risk of FM compared with inactive women," says Dr. Mork. "Similar results were found in the analysis of the summary score combining information on frequency, duration, and intensity of exercise; women with the highest exercise level had a somewhat lower risk than inactive women. The study further shows that a high BMI (i.e., being overweight or obese) is a strong and independent risk factor for future development of FM. Moreover, the higher relative risks for the combined effect of being overweight/obese and inactive, relative to being overweight/obese alone, point to a further disadvantage for overweight women who do not exercise."
While the causal relationship between obesity and FM remains unknown, there are some etiologic factors in common. Studies suggest that proinflammatory cytokines play a role in FM and the relationship between FM and obesity. Other studies point to dysregulation of the HPA axis, which has been observed in both FM and obesity. Finally, increased sympathetic tonus and reduced sympathetic reactivity, as recorded by heart rate variability, has been observed in patients with FM as well as in overweight and obese subjects. Dr. Mork concludes, "These findings, together with the current study, indicate that regular physical exercise, and thereby improved physical fitness, may serve as a buffer against the perpetuation of musculoskeletal symptoms that eventually lead to the development of FM."
Article:
"Association Between Physical Exercise, Body Mass Index, and Rise of Fibromyalgia: Longitudinal Data From the Norwegian Nord-Tr??ndelag Health Study." Paul J. Mork, Ottar Vasseljen, and Tom I.L. Nilsen. Arthritis Care and Research; Published Online: April 29, 2010 (DOI: 10.1002/acr.20118); Print Issue Date: May 2010.
вторник, 28 июня 2011 г.
A Smear Campaign Against Cervical Cancer, Federation Of Medical Women Of Canada
The Federation of Medical Women of Canada (FMWC) is launching a Pap test campaign during Cervical Cancer Awareness week October 27-31, 2008. Women who do not have a family doctor or gynecologist will be able to drop-in or book an appointment with participating doctors during this campaign.
"Cervical cancer remains a significant problem," says Dr. Kathleen Gartke, FMWC President. "The Canadian Cancer Society predicts that there will be 1300 new cases of cervical cancer diagnosed in Canada this year. The tragedy is of course, that up to 90% of these cases could be prevented through regular screening programs (Pap test)."
According to the FMWC, every Canadian woman should have access to Pap testing to protect themselves against cervical cancer. The Pap test detects abnormal cells in the cervix before they become cancerous and when they are easily treatable. Not enough women are getting the Pap test. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, 15% of women have never been screened; 30% have not been screened in the last 3 years! There are multiple reasons for this including Canada's doctor shortage.
This campaign is primarily targeting women who do not have family physicians. For those who do, the FMWC hopes that this campaign will serve as a reminder to book a Pap test with their own doctor. A list of participating doctors and clinics will be posted on the FMWC website: fmwc
"While new HPV vaccines may prevent up to 70% of cases of cervical cancer in the future, there is no substitute for a Pap test for early diagnosis," said Dr. Gartke.
About the FMWC
The Federation of Medical Women of Canada (FMWC) is a national organization committed to the professional, social and personal advancement of women physicians and to the promotion of the well-being of women both in the medical profession and in society at large. Established in 1924, the FMWC is also an independent nation member of the Medical Women's International Association.
Federation of Medical Women of Canada
"Cervical cancer remains a significant problem," says Dr. Kathleen Gartke, FMWC President. "The Canadian Cancer Society predicts that there will be 1300 new cases of cervical cancer diagnosed in Canada this year. The tragedy is of course, that up to 90% of these cases could be prevented through regular screening programs (Pap test)."
According to the FMWC, every Canadian woman should have access to Pap testing to protect themselves against cervical cancer. The Pap test detects abnormal cells in the cervix before they become cancerous and when they are easily treatable. Not enough women are getting the Pap test. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, 15% of women have never been screened; 30% have not been screened in the last 3 years! There are multiple reasons for this including Canada's doctor shortage.
This campaign is primarily targeting women who do not have family physicians. For those who do, the FMWC hopes that this campaign will serve as a reminder to book a Pap test with their own doctor. A list of participating doctors and clinics will be posted on the FMWC website: fmwc
"While new HPV vaccines may prevent up to 70% of cases of cervical cancer in the future, there is no substitute for a Pap test for early diagnosis," said Dr. Gartke.
About the FMWC
The Federation of Medical Women of Canada (FMWC) is a national organization committed to the professional, social and personal advancement of women physicians and to the promotion of the well-being of women both in the medical profession and in society at large. Established in 1924, the FMWC is also an independent nation member of the Medical Women's International Association.
Federation of Medical Women of Canada
New Study Reports Increased Response To Therapy With No Added Toxicity In Treatment Of Recurrent Ovarian Cancer
In a study released today
at the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists 37th Annual Meeting on Women's
Cancer, researchers found the addition of thalidomide to topotecan for the
treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer significantly increases the response to
therapy and the duration of progression free survival without additional
toxicity.
The study, "A Prospective Randomized Trial of Thalidomide with Topotecan
Compared to Topotecan Alone in Women with Recurrent Epithelial Ovarian,
Primary Peritoneal or Fallopian Tube Carcinoma," was led by Levi S. Downs Jr.,
M.D., University of Minnesota Medical School and Cancer Center, Minneapolis,
MN.
"This trial is among the first to combine a biologic agent with a
conventional chemotherapy agent for the treatment of ovarian cancer," said the
study's lead author, Dr. Levi S. Downs, Jr. "The statistically significant
improvement in overall response rate demonstrated in this experimental
treatment is promising as we continue to seek better therapies to fight
ovarian cancer."
Thalidomide is a biologic therapy that may fight tumors in two ways:
First by inhibiting the tumors ability to generate new blood vessels to feed a
growing mass of cells and second by boosting the immune response to the
abnormal tumor cells. Biologic therapies are intended to work with the body's
natural defenses to help fight tumor cells without harming healthy cells --
these therapies hold promise for effectiveness without the extreme toxicities
seen in conventional chemotherapy.
This randomized trial involved women from seven different research sites
(although a majority were from one institution) who had recurrent or
persistent epithelial ovarian carcinoma. The final analysis included 39 women
in the topotecan/control arm and 30 women in the thalidomide/topotecan arm.
The women in the thalidomide/topotecan arm:
-- Had a 47 percent overall response rate compared to 21 percent in the
control arm; and
-- Had a two month improvement in disease free survival compared to the
control arm.
While there was a trend toward an improvement in overall survival
(19 months compared to 15 months in the control arm) the results were not
statistically significant in this trial.
"The results of this study suggest that new molecules under development
that act as immune modulators and anti-angiogenic agents, like thalidomide,
should be studied in women with ovarian cancer in combination with traditional
cytotoxic chemotherapy," said Dr. Downs. "While the development of new
chemotherapy options has improved survival for women diagnosed with this
disease, there is clearly a need for new, effective chemotherapy options."
According to the American Cancer Society ovarian cancer is the leading
cause of death from gynecologic malignancy and the fifth most common cause of
cancer death in women in the United States.
The study, "A Prospective Randomized Trial of Thalidomide with Topotecan
Compared to Topotecan Alone in Women with Recurrent Epithelial Ovarian,
Primary Peritoneal or Fallopian Tube Carcinoma," was partially funded by
Celgene Corporation and conducted by Levi S. Downs Jr., M.D., University of
Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN; Patricia L. Judson, M.D., University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN; Peter A. Argenta, M.D., University of Minnesota, Minneapolis,
MN; Rahel Ghebre, M.D., University of Minnesota, MN; Matthew P. Boente, M.D.,
MN Oncology Hematology PA, Edina, MN; William A. Nahhas, M.D., Wright State
University Miami Valley Hospital, Dayton, OH; Samir Z. Abu-Ghazaleh, M.D.,
Dakota Midwest Cancer Institute, Sioux Falls, SD; M. Dwight Chen, M.D., Center
for Gynecologic Oncology and Pelvic Surgery, Los Gatos, CA; and Linda F.
Carson, M.D., University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
The 2006 Annual Meeting on Women's Cancer is the premier educational and
scientific event for physicians and health care professionals involved in the
field of gynecologic oncology and is being held March 22-26 at the Palm
Springs Convention Center in Palm Springs, California.
About SGO
The SGO is a national medical specialty organization of physicians who are
trained in the comprehensive management of women with malignancies of the
reproductive tract. Its purpose is to improve the care of women with
gynecologic cancer by encouraging research, disseminating knowledge which will
raise the standards of practice in the prevention and treatment of gynecologic
malignancies and cooperating with other organizations interested in women's
health care, oncology and related fields. The Society's membership is
primarily comprised of gynecologic oncologists, as well as other related
medical specialists such as, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists and
pathologists. SGO members provide multidisciplinary cancer care including
chemotherapy, radiation therapy, supportive care and surgery. More
information on the SGO can be found at sgo.
Society of Gynecologic Oncologists
sgo
at the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists 37th Annual Meeting on Women's
Cancer, researchers found the addition of thalidomide to topotecan for the
treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer significantly increases the response to
therapy and the duration of progression free survival without additional
toxicity.
The study, "A Prospective Randomized Trial of Thalidomide with Topotecan
Compared to Topotecan Alone in Women with Recurrent Epithelial Ovarian,
Primary Peritoneal or Fallopian Tube Carcinoma," was led by Levi S. Downs Jr.,
M.D., University of Minnesota Medical School and Cancer Center, Minneapolis,
MN.
"This trial is among the first to combine a biologic agent with a
conventional chemotherapy agent for the treatment of ovarian cancer," said the
study's lead author, Dr. Levi S. Downs, Jr. "The statistically significant
improvement in overall response rate demonstrated in this experimental
treatment is promising as we continue to seek better therapies to fight
ovarian cancer."
Thalidomide is a biologic therapy that may fight tumors in two ways:
First by inhibiting the tumors ability to generate new blood vessels to feed a
growing mass of cells and second by boosting the immune response to the
abnormal tumor cells. Biologic therapies are intended to work with the body's
natural defenses to help fight tumor cells without harming healthy cells --
these therapies hold promise for effectiveness without the extreme toxicities
seen in conventional chemotherapy.
This randomized trial involved women from seven different research sites
(although a majority were from one institution) who had recurrent or
persistent epithelial ovarian carcinoma. The final analysis included 39 women
in the topotecan/control arm and 30 women in the thalidomide/topotecan arm.
The women in the thalidomide/topotecan arm:
-- Had a 47 percent overall response rate compared to 21 percent in the
control arm; and
-- Had a two month improvement in disease free survival compared to the
control arm.
While there was a trend toward an improvement in overall survival
(19 months compared to 15 months in the control arm) the results were not
statistically significant in this trial.
"The results of this study suggest that new molecules under development
that act as immune modulators and anti-angiogenic agents, like thalidomide,
should be studied in women with ovarian cancer in combination with traditional
cytotoxic chemotherapy," said Dr. Downs. "While the development of new
chemotherapy options has improved survival for women diagnosed with this
disease, there is clearly a need for new, effective chemotherapy options."
According to the American Cancer Society ovarian cancer is the leading
cause of death from gynecologic malignancy and the fifth most common cause of
cancer death in women in the United States.
The study, "A Prospective Randomized Trial of Thalidomide with Topotecan
Compared to Topotecan Alone in Women with Recurrent Epithelial Ovarian,
Primary Peritoneal or Fallopian Tube Carcinoma," was partially funded by
Celgene Corporation and conducted by Levi S. Downs Jr., M.D., University of
Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN; Patricia L. Judson, M.D., University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN; Peter A. Argenta, M.D., University of Minnesota, Minneapolis,
MN; Rahel Ghebre, M.D., University of Minnesota, MN; Matthew P. Boente, M.D.,
MN Oncology Hematology PA, Edina, MN; William A. Nahhas, M.D., Wright State
University Miami Valley Hospital, Dayton, OH; Samir Z. Abu-Ghazaleh, M.D.,
Dakota Midwest Cancer Institute, Sioux Falls, SD; M. Dwight Chen, M.D., Center
for Gynecologic Oncology and Pelvic Surgery, Los Gatos, CA; and Linda F.
Carson, M.D., University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
The 2006 Annual Meeting on Women's Cancer is the premier educational and
scientific event for physicians and health care professionals involved in the
field of gynecologic oncology and is being held March 22-26 at the Palm
Springs Convention Center in Palm Springs, California.
About SGO
The SGO is a national medical specialty organization of physicians who are
trained in the comprehensive management of women with malignancies of the
reproductive tract. Its purpose is to improve the care of women with
gynecologic cancer by encouraging research, disseminating knowledge which will
raise the standards of practice in the prevention and treatment of gynecologic
malignancies and cooperating with other organizations interested in women's
health care, oncology and related fields. The Society's membership is
primarily comprised of gynecologic oncologists, as well as other related
medical specialists such as, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists and
pathologists. SGO members provide multidisciplinary cancer care including
chemotherapy, radiation therapy, supportive care and surgery. More
information on the SGO can be found at sgo.
Society of Gynecologic Oncologists
sgo
U.S. Warns 13 Countries Of Possible Sanctions For Human Trafficking
The Obama administration has informed 13 countries that they face possible U.S. sanctions for failing to meet minimal international standards for combating human trade and sexual slavery, according to the State Department's 10th annual report on the topic, the AP/Boston Globe reports. The countries facing possible sanctions are Cuba, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Dominican Republic, Eritrea, Iran, Kuwait, Mauritania, Myanmar, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Zimbabwe.
The department, which analyzed the practices of 177 countries, placed 58 other countries on a "watch list," meaning that they could face sanctions if they do not improve their records.
The report included the U.S. for the first time. Although trafficking is a problem in the U.S., the country met minimum standards and scored in the top tier, which was mainly comprised of European nations.
Switzerland was demoted from the top tier this year because Swiss law permits sex work among 16- and 17-year-olds in some cases, the report said (Lee, AP/Boston Globe, 6/14).
Reprinted with kind permission from nationalpartnership. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families.
© 2010 National Partnership for Women & Families. All rights reserved.
New Oral Contraceptive, Loestrin(R) 24 Fe, Approved By FDA
Warner Chilcott announced today
that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved its 24-day oral
contraceptive, Loestrin(R) 24 Fe (norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol
tablets, USP and ferrous fumarate tablets), for the prevention of pregnancy.
Loestrin 24 Fe ("Loestrin 24") is the first birth-control pill approved in the
United States that provides 24 days of active hormonal therapy and four days
of iron containing placebo pills.
"This FDA approval is a significant step forward for Warner Chilcott as we
continue to sharpen our therapeutic focus on women's health and expand our
product portfolio in this area," said Roger Boissonneault, Chief Executive
Officer of Warner Chilcott.
Warner Chilcott is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on two
areas: women's healthcare and dermatology.
Warner Chilcott
warnerchilcott
that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved its 24-day oral
contraceptive, Loestrin(R) 24 Fe (norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol
tablets, USP and ferrous fumarate tablets), for the prevention of pregnancy.
Loestrin 24 Fe ("Loestrin 24") is the first birth-control pill approved in the
United States that provides 24 days of active hormonal therapy and four days
of iron containing placebo pills.
"This FDA approval is a significant step forward for Warner Chilcott as we
continue to sharpen our therapeutic focus on women's health and expand our
product portfolio in this area," said Roger Boissonneault, Chief Executive
Officer of Warner Chilcott.
Warner Chilcott is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on two
areas: women's healthcare and dermatology.
Warner Chilcott
warnerchilcott
ACOG Issues Guidelines For Research Involving Women
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) reiterated its position on the critical importance of including women in research trials. In a committee opinion issued in the September issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology, ACOG emphasized that allowing women to participate in research is absolutely vital to understanding how gender differences affect disease with the ultimate goal of improving women's health.
"There are a number of medical conditions that manifest differently in women than in men," said Anne D. Lyerly, MD, chair of ACOG's Committee on Ethics. "Sex differences, the use of hormonal contraceptives, or varying levels of hormones at different times in a woman's menstrual cycle can also influence the efficacy of medications. It is unrealistic to assume that a treatment will affect a woman in a certain way just because it worked in a man. What's good for the goose is not always good for the gander."
Until recently, women were all but barred from participating in human research trials. Proponents of male-only clinical trials often cited concerns such as risk to the fetus, especially if a pregnancy was unrecognized, and possible harm to a woman's reproductive potential. However, ACOG says that the risk of harm to women involved in research can be minimized and does not justify their exclusion from medical trials that could improve women's health. Women should be eligible to participate in all human research trials except those solely focused on men.
"Including women in research helps ensure that women will reap the benefits of medical advancements in the same way that men do," Dr. Lyerly added. "Research involving pregnant women also is essential both to understanding the physiological changes and conditions unique to pregnancy, such as preeclampsia, and to establishing the safety and efficacy of medications needed during pregnancy."
In the revised position, ACOG also addressed the issue of contraceptive choice when contraception is required for research study participation. While ACOG acknowledges the right of researchers to insist that study participants use contraception in appropriate situations, it stresses that a woman should be able to choose the type of contraception that best suits her needs and values. "Respect for study participants is a basic premise of human research trials. That respect can be violated if, for example, a non-sexually active woman is told she cannot choose abstinence as her form of birth control," Dr. Lyerly noted.
Committee Opinion #377, "Research Involving Women," is published in the September 2007 issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is the national medical organization representing over 51,000 members who provide health care for women.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
"There are a number of medical conditions that manifest differently in women than in men," said Anne D. Lyerly, MD, chair of ACOG's Committee on Ethics. "Sex differences, the use of hormonal contraceptives, or varying levels of hormones at different times in a woman's menstrual cycle can also influence the efficacy of medications. It is unrealistic to assume that a treatment will affect a woman in a certain way just because it worked in a man. What's good for the goose is not always good for the gander."
Until recently, women were all but barred from participating in human research trials. Proponents of male-only clinical trials often cited concerns such as risk to the fetus, especially if a pregnancy was unrecognized, and possible harm to a woman's reproductive potential. However, ACOG says that the risk of harm to women involved in research can be minimized and does not justify their exclusion from medical trials that could improve women's health. Women should be eligible to participate in all human research trials except those solely focused on men.
"Including women in research helps ensure that women will reap the benefits of medical advancements in the same way that men do," Dr. Lyerly added. "Research involving pregnant women also is essential both to understanding the physiological changes and conditions unique to pregnancy, such as preeclampsia, and to establishing the safety and efficacy of medications needed during pregnancy."
In the revised position, ACOG also addressed the issue of contraceptive choice when contraception is required for research study participation. While ACOG acknowledges the right of researchers to insist that study participants use contraception in appropriate situations, it stresses that a woman should be able to choose the type of contraception that best suits her needs and values. "Respect for study participants is a basic premise of human research trials. That respect can be violated if, for example, a non-sexually active woman is told she cannot choose abstinence as her form of birth control," Dr. Lyerly noted.
Committee Opinion #377, "Research Involving Women," is published in the September 2007 issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is the national medical organization representing over 51,000 members who provide health care for women.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Researchers Discover Gene Variations That Might Increase Risk Of Developing Breast Cancer
Researchers in three separate studies have found six new variation sites in the human genome project that might increase the risk of developing breast cancer, the New York Times reports. According to the researchers, the six new discoveries when combined with genes already known to increase breast cancer risk might account for a large fraction of the overall genetic risk of the disease, the Times reports.
In a study published in the May 27 issue of the journal Nature, Douglas Easton of the Genetic Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge and colleagues found five new sites where a common variation confers an increased risk of breast cancer (Wade, New York Times, 5/29). For the study, Easton and colleagues looked at the DNA of 21,860 people who had been diagnosed with breast cancer and 22,578 who had not. The researchers found mutations in four genes -- FGFR2, LSP1, MAP3K1 and TNRC9 -- that were more common in the people who had breast cancer, Reuters Health reports.
A second study was published online in the journal Nature Genetics and conducted among more than 2,200 women of European ancestry. A team led by David Hunter of the Harvard School of Public Health found four mutations in FGFR2 that are associated with breast cancer in women who have experienced menopause and who do not have known relatives with breast cancer. According to Reuters Health, women who carry one copy of FGFR2 have a 20% increased risk of developing breast cancer and women who carry two copies have a 60% increased risk. About 60% of the women in the Harvard study carried at least one copy of FGFR2, Reuters Health reports (Fox, Reuters Health, 5/28).
In a third study, also published online in Nature Genetics, a team of researchers led by Simon Stacy from Decode Genetics found that 25% of women of European descent carry one copy of a DNA variant associated with breast cancer, conferring a 44% increased risk of developing the disease compared with women who do not have the variant. In addition, the study found that 7% of women have two copies of the variants and a 64% increased risk of developing breast cancer.
According to the Times, the variation sites found in the three studies do not have a biological function and are believed to be associated with breast cancer based on statistics rather than on evidence. In addition, the findings are not understood well enough to diagnose breast cancer or to develop new treatments. However, researchers say the findings are critical for understanding the biology of breast cancer and developing future treatments (New York Times, 5/28).
In a study published in the May 27 issue of the journal Nature, Douglas Easton of the Genetic Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge and colleagues found five new sites where a common variation confers an increased risk of breast cancer (Wade, New York Times, 5/29). For the study, Easton and colleagues looked at the DNA of 21,860 people who had been diagnosed with breast cancer and 22,578 who had not. The researchers found mutations in four genes -- FGFR2, LSP1, MAP3K1 and TNRC9 -- that were more common in the people who had breast cancer, Reuters Health reports.
A second study was published online in the journal Nature Genetics and conducted among more than 2,200 women of European ancestry. A team led by David Hunter of the Harvard School of Public Health found four mutations in FGFR2 that are associated with breast cancer in women who have experienced menopause and who do not have known relatives with breast cancer. According to Reuters Health, women who carry one copy of FGFR2 have a 20% increased risk of developing breast cancer and women who carry two copies have a 60% increased risk. About 60% of the women in the Harvard study carried at least one copy of FGFR2, Reuters Health reports (Fox, Reuters Health, 5/28).
In a third study, also published online in Nature Genetics, a team of researchers led by Simon Stacy from Decode Genetics found that 25% of women of European descent carry one copy of a DNA variant associated with breast cancer, conferring a 44% increased risk of developing the disease compared with women who do not have the variant. In addition, the study found that 7% of women have two copies of the variants and a 64% increased risk of developing breast cancer.
According to the Times, the variation sites found in the three studies do not have a biological function and are believed to be associated with breast cancer based on statistics rather than on evidence. In addition, the findings are not understood well enough to diagnose breast cancer or to develop new treatments. However, researchers say the findings are critical for understanding the biology of breast cancer and developing future treatments (New York Times, 5/28).
Reaction
Jianjun Liu of the Genome Institute of Singapore, who took part in one of the studies, said the research is a "landmark breakthrough" for breast cancer research (Reuters Health, 5/28). Mary-Claire King, a biologist at the University of Washington-Seattle, criticized the studies, saying that they are based on statistics and that they should not have been published until more research into their biological significance had been established (New York Times, 5/29).
An abstract of the Nature study is available online. An abstract of the first Nature Genetics study is available online. An abstract of the second Nature Genetics study also is available online.
ABC's "Good Morning America" on Sunday reported on the study. The segment includes a discussion with ABC News medical editor Tim Johnson ("Good Morning America," ABC, 5/27). Video of the segment and expanded ABC News coverage are available online.
NPR's "All Thing Considered" on Sunday also reported on the study. The segment includes a discussion with NPR science correspondent Joe Palca (Elliot, "All Things Considered," NPR, 5/27). Audio of the segment is available online.
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Developmental origins of polycystic ovarian syndrome, study
New research suggests that the way baby girls develop in the womb may affect whether or not they develop polycystic
ovarian syndrome (PCOS)* as adults and the severity of the symptoms if they do.
This major population study examines maternal factors during pregnancy and their impact on the subsequent development of
PCOS, and is the first to reconcile previous conflicting research on the developmental origins of the syndrome.
Dr Michael Davies, senior research fellow at the Research Centre in Reproductive Health at the University of Adelaide,
Australia, told the 21st annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology today (Wednesday 22
June): "Our research suggests that, during pregnancy and birth, there are several different factors working through different
pathways that are implicated in the overlapping and varying symptoms of PCOS that emerge in the offspring's later life".
"Existing research has already established links between foetal growth restriction, postnatal growth and metabolic disorders
such as diabetes in adulthood. The idea that events in very early life can have an enduring, complex and important influence
on subsequent disease is referred to as developmental programming, and this research theme has been applied to PCOS recently.
Different studies have produced conflicting evidence that shows that large babies grow to become heavier adults with
polycystic ovaries, but that the most severe symptoms of PCOS are associated with growth restriction as a foetus."
"Our research examines the relationship between symptoms of PCOS in adulthood and foetal conditions in women born in a major
hospital in Adelaide in the 1970s. Our findings support the proposition that there is an inter-generational growth path
leading to menstrual irregularity, while, at the same time, other symptoms may be one of number of consequences of restricted
foetal growth."
Dr Davies and his team are studying a group of young women born between 1973 and 1975. They went back to maternity hospital
records and first traced the mothers so that they could then contact and interview the daughters. So far they have
interviewed 544 women who were born between 1973 and 1974 and who are aged between 30 and 32 at present.
They took a medical history of the young women and compared it with information about their births, including birth weight,
placental weight, and weight of their mothers at their last clinical examination before giving birth.
Dr Davies said: "Symptoms of PCOS were relatively common. One in five women had more facial and/or body hair than normal, and
one in four reported menstrual irregularity of greater than four days. Five per cent of women reported that they had an
existing diagnosis of PCOS.
"We examined maternal weight in late pregnancy, birth weight and placental weight in relation to the symptoms of PCOS, or an
existing or putative diagnosis of PCOS. Compared with their counterparts, young women without a diagnosis of PCOS but with
irregular periods were heavier at birth, with larger placentas, and they tended to have mothers who were heavier in late
pregnancy. In contrast, women with an existing diagnosis of PCOS tended to have birth weights that were, on average, 196g
lighter than women without PCOS and smaller placentas.
"Therefore, our data suggest that different developmental pathways are implicated in the overlapping symptoms of PCOS. One
pathway may be mediated by high maternal weight in late pregnancy, which is linked to irregular periods in the daughter, and
possibly obesity and weight-related reproduction problems. A second pathway may involve reduced placental and foetal growth,
which is linked to the more severe symptoms of PCOS in the daughter, usually resulting in an early clinical diagnosis of the
syndrome. A foetus that has been affected by restricted growth is more likely to have problems with insulin metabolism in
later life due to an underlying metabolic problem. In women this problem appears to be associated with PCOS, and is most
evident where there is a constellation of symptoms of increasing severity. Hence, I suspect there are at least two pathways
that can give rise to overlapping symptoms."
Dr Davies said that events that occurred not only to the mother, but possibly also the grandmother, could have a bearing on
the development of a foetus. "To understand the growth of a child, we need to also understand the growth of the parents and
possibly the grandparents. A good predictor of one's own birth weight is the birth weight of one's mother."
The study shed light on three aspects of the developmental origins of PCOS, he concluded. "There are reproductive
consequences of metabolic programming events that occur during foetal development; we may need to look further back up the
generations and look at more factors than previously considered; and finally, adverse events for one generation may have
reproductive implications for the next."
* PCOS is the commonest cause of ovarian dysfunction in women of reproductive age. It consists of numerous cysts in the
ovaries, which are normally detected by ultrasound scanning. A woman with PCOS may have one or more of various symptoms such
as menstrual irregularity, hirsutism, acne, obesity and difficulty conceiving. The condition is also linked with an increased
risk of diabetes and heart disease.
Reference URL
eshre
SOURCE : alphagalileo
ovarian syndrome (PCOS)* as adults and the severity of the symptoms if they do.
This major population study examines maternal factors during pregnancy and their impact on the subsequent development of
PCOS, and is the first to reconcile previous conflicting research on the developmental origins of the syndrome.
Dr Michael Davies, senior research fellow at the Research Centre in Reproductive Health at the University of Adelaide,
Australia, told the 21st annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology today (Wednesday 22
June): "Our research suggests that, during pregnancy and birth, there are several different factors working through different
pathways that are implicated in the overlapping and varying symptoms of PCOS that emerge in the offspring's later life".
"Existing research has already established links between foetal growth restriction, postnatal growth and metabolic disorders
such as diabetes in adulthood. The idea that events in very early life can have an enduring, complex and important influence
on subsequent disease is referred to as developmental programming, and this research theme has been applied to PCOS recently.
Different studies have produced conflicting evidence that shows that large babies grow to become heavier adults with
polycystic ovaries, but that the most severe symptoms of PCOS are associated with growth restriction as a foetus."
"Our research examines the relationship between symptoms of PCOS in adulthood and foetal conditions in women born in a major
hospital in Adelaide in the 1970s. Our findings support the proposition that there is an inter-generational growth path
leading to menstrual irregularity, while, at the same time, other symptoms may be one of number of consequences of restricted
foetal growth."
Dr Davies and his team are studying a group of young women born between 1973 and 1975. They went back to maternity hospital
records and first traced the mothers so that they could then contact and interview the daughters. So far they have
interviewed 544 women who were born between 1973 and 1974 and who are aged between 30 and 32 at present.
They took a medical history of the young women and compared it with information about their births, including birth weight,
placental weight, and weight of their mothers at their last clinical examination before giving birth.
Dr Davies said: "Symptoms of PCOS were relatively common. One in five women had more facial and/or body hair than normal, and
one in four reported menstrual irregularity of greater than four days. Five per cent of women reported that they had an
existing diagnosis of PCOS.
"We examined maternal weight in late pregnancy, birth weight and placental weight in relation to the symptoms of PCOS, or an
existing or putative diagnosis of PCOS. Compared with their counterparts, young women without a diagnosis of PCOS but with
irregular periods were heavier at birth, with larger placentas, and they tended to have mothers who were heavier in late
pregnancy. In contrast, women with an existing diagnosis of PCOS tended to have birth weights that were, on average, 196g
lighter than women without PCOS and smaller placentas.
"Therefore, our data suggest that different developmental pathways are implicated in the overlapping symptoms of PCOS. One
pathway may be mediated by high maternal weight in late pregnancy, which is linked to irregular periods in the daughter, and
possibly obesity and weight-related reproduction problems. A second pathway may involve reduced placental and foetal growth,
which is linked to the more severe symptoms of PCOS in the daughter, usually resulting in an early clinical diagnosis of the
syndrome. A foetus that has been affected by restricted growth is more likely to have problems with insulin metabolism in
later life due to an underlying metabolic problem. In women this problem appears to be associated with PCOS, and is most
evident where there is a constellation of symptoms of increasing severity. Hence, I suspect there are at least two pathways
that can give rise to overlapping symptoms."
Dr Davies said that events that occurred not only to the mother, but possibly also the grandmother, could have a bearing on
the development of a foetus. "To understand the growth of a child, we need to also understand the growth of the parents and
possibly the grandparents. A good predictor of one's own birth weight is the birth weight of one's mother."
The study shed light on three aspects of the developmental origins of PCOS, he concluded. "There are reproductive
consequences of metabolic programming events that occur during foetal development; we may need to look further back up the
generations and look at more factors than previously considered; and finally, adverse events for one generation may have
reproductive implications for the next."
* PCOS is the commonest cause of ovarian dysfunction in women of reproductive age. It consists of numerous cysts in the
ovaries, which are normally detected by ultrasound scanning. A woman with PCOS may have one or more of various symptoms such
as menstrual irregularity, hirsutism, acne, obesity and difficulty conceiving. The condition is also linked with an increased
risk of diabetes and heart disease.
Reference URL
eshre
SOURCE : alphagalileo
Women With Severe PMS Perceive Their Sleep Quality To Be Poor
Women with severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS) perceive their sleep quality to be poorer in association with their symptoms in the late luteal (premenstrual) phase, despite there being no specific alterations in sleep structure associated with premenstrual symptoms.
The study, authored by Fiona C. Baker, PhD, of the Human Sleep Research Program at SRI International in Menlo Park, Calif., and the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, focused on nine women with PMS or premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and 12 controls. The subjects, all 18-40 years of age, had laboratory-based polysomnographic recordings at two phases of the menstrual cycle: follicular phase and late luteal phase.
According to the results, women with severe PMS reported a significantly poorer subjective sleep quality during the late luteal phase, but there was no evidence of disturbed sleep based on the polysomnogram specific to premenstrual symptom expression. Both groups of women had increased wakefulness after sleep onset and increased sigma power in the late luteal phase compared with the follicular phase.
There were, however, some group differences in electroencephalographic measures regardless of menstrual phase, including decreased delta incidence and increase theta incidence and amplitude in women with PMS, suggesting the possibility of sleep electroencephalogram trait markers in women with PMS.
"Women with PMS or PMDD commonly report sleep disturbances, but the few studies using conventional polysomnographic measures have produced conflicting results. In this study, we investigated sleep quality and sleep composition using conventional and quantitative electroencephalographic analyses in women with severe PMS, as compared to that of controls," said Dr. Baker.
Sleep plays a vital role in promoting a woman's health and well being. Getting the sleep that you need is likely to enhance your overall quality of life. Yet, women face many potential barriers that can disrupt and disturb their sleep. Overcoming these challenges can help them enjoy the daily benefits of feeling alert and well rested.
Experts suggest that most women need about seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
Compared to men, there are many differences in how women sleep. In general, women tend to sleep more than men, going to bed and falling asleep earlier. A woman's sleep also tends to be lighter and more easily disturbed. Women are more likely to feel unrefreshed even after a full night of sleep.
There are many complex factors that may affect how a woman sleeps. Some of these factors change over time. For example, excessive daytime sleepiness is more common when women are in their 20s and 30s. In contrast, older women appear to adapt better to periods of sleep loss. This difference has been attributed to the many commitments that compete for a young woman's time. In particular, working moms must balance the demands of their career, family, friends and personal health needs.
Common factors that affect a woman's sleep include:
- Life events
- Depression
- Illness
- Bad sleep habits
- Medication use
- Physical or hormonal changes
Millions of women suffer from an ongoing sleep disorder. These problems often remain undiagnosed.
SLEEP is the official journal of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC, a joint venture of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and the Sleep Research Society.
SleepEducation, a Web site maintained by the AASM, provides information about various sleep disorders, the forms of treatment available, recent news on the topic of sleep, sleep studies that have been conducted and a listing of sleep facilities.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine
The study, authored by Fiona C. Baker, PhD, of the Human Sleep Research Program at SRI International in Menlo Park, Calif., and the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, focused on nine women with PMS or premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and 12 controls. The subjects, all 18-40 years of age, had laboratory-based polysomnographic recordings at two phases of the menstrual cycle: follicular phase and late luteal phase.
According to the results, women with severe PMS reported a significantly poorer subjective sleep quality during the late luteal phase, but there was no evidence of disturbed sleep based on the polysomnogram specific to premenstrual symptom expression. Both groups of women had increased wakefulness after sleep onset and increased sigma power in the late luteal phase compared with the follicular phase.
There were, however, some group differences in electroencephalographic measures regardless of menstrual phase, including decreased delta incidence and increase theta incidence and amplitude in women with PMS, suggesting the possibility of sleep electroencephalogram trait markers in women with PMS.
"Women with PMS or PMDD commonly report sleep disturbances, but the few studies using conventional polysomnographic measures have produced conflicting results. In this study, we investigated sleep quality and sleep composition using conventional and quantitative electroencephalographic analyses in women with severe PMS, as compared to that of controls," said Dr. Baker.
Sleep plays a vital role in promoting a woman's health and well being. Getting the sleep that you need is likely to enhance your overall quality of life. Yet, women face many potential barriers that can disrupt and disturb their sleep. Overcoming these challenges can help them enjoy the daily benefits of feeling alert and well rested.
Experts suggest that most women need about seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
Compared to men, there are many differences in how women sleep. In general, women tend to sleep more than men, going to bed and falling asleep earlier. A woman's sleep also tends to be lighter and more easily disturbed. Women are more likely to feel unrefreshed even after a full night of sleep.
There are many complex factors that may affect how a woman sleeps. Some of these factors change over time. For example, excessive daytime sleepiness is more common when women are in their 20s and 30s. In contrast, older women appear to adapt better to periods of sleep loss. This difference has been attributed to the many commitments that compete for a young woman's time. In particular, working moms must balance the demands of their career, family, friends and personal health needs.
Common factors that affect a woman's sleep include:
- Life events
- Depression
- Illness
- Bad sleep habits
- Medication use
- Physical or hormonal changes
Millions of women suffer from an ongoing sleep disorder. These problems often remain undiagnosed.
SLEEP is the official journal of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC, a joint venture of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and the Sleep Research Society.
SleepEducation, a Web site maintained by the AASM, provides information about various sleep disorders, the forms of treatment available, recent news on the topic of sleep, sleep studies that have been conducted and a listing of sleep facilities.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Wash. State Pharmacy Board Backs Pharmacists Who Refuse To Dispense Emergency Contraception
Reversing a 2007 decision that barred pharmacists from refusing to dispense a legal drug due to moral or religious objections, the Washington State Board of Pharmacy said it will allow pharmacists to refuse to dispense emergency contraception or other drugs for such reasons, as long as they refer patients to a pharmacy where the drugs are available, the Olympian reports.
A lawsuit challenging the 2007 decision was scheduled to go to trial beginning July 26, but a judge postponed it indefinitely on Monday at the request of lawyers representing both sides. The 2007 Board of Pharmacy rule never took effect because the suit was pending.
The board decided to reverse its earlier position because the legal battle could last another three years or more, according to Janelle Guthrie, a spokesperson for Attorney General Rob McKenna's (R) office. An agreement between the board's lawyers and the plaintiffs states that the board "intends to adopt a rule allowing facilitated referrals for all pharmacies and pharmacists out of stock or unable or unwilling to stock, or timely deliver or dispense lawfully prescribed medications on site to their patients for any reason, including for conscientious reasons."
Women's rights advocates were surprised that the board changed course. Elaine Rose, CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest, said she is "completely bewildered and baffled" by the move, adding, "Typically, in the settlement of a lawsuit, you don't just completely do a 180 and backtrack and give the other side everything they want" (Schrader, Olympian, 7/14).
Reprinted with kind permission from nationalpartnership. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families.
© 2010 National Partnership for Women & Families. All rights reserved.
New York, New Jersey Officials Urge Department of Justice To Include EC Information in Rape Survivor Treatment Guide
New York and New Jersey officials on Thursday in Washington, DC, told an advisory committee examining ways to strengthen the federal Violence
Against Women Act that the... Department of Justice guidelines for the treatment of sexual assault
survivors should be updated to include information about emergency contraception, the AP/Long Island Newsday reports (De La
Cruz, AP/Long Island Newsday, 2/11). DOJ's first-ever medical guidelines for the treatment of sexual assault survivors, which were published in
September 2004, include a section on pregnancy "risk evaluation and care" that instructs health care personnel to consider a survivor's fear of pregnancy,
administer a pregnancy test and "discuss treatment options, including reproductive health services." However, the guidelines do not specifically mention
EC, which can prevent pregnancy if taken within 72 hours of intercourse (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 1/7). Sen. Jon Corzine (D-N.J.), in remarks read to the committee,
said, "Of the 300,000 women who are sexually assaulted each year in this country, an estimated 25,000 will become pregnant," adding, "The use of
emergency contraception could significantly reduce this number of unintended pregnancies." Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), in remarks submitted to the
committee, said that omitting information on EC from the guidelines "belies [DOJ's] disregard for women and their control over their sexual and
reproductive health." DOJ has said that the matter of including information on EC in the guidelines "would be reviewed," but the department has "made no
guarantees," according to the AP/Newsday (AP/Long Island Newsday, 2/11).
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork kaisernetwork. You can
view the entire Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at www.kaisernetwork/dailyreports/repro The Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report is published for
kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory
Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Against Women Act that the... Department of Justice guidelines for the treatment of sexual assault
survivors should be updated to include information about emergency contraception, the AP/Long Island Newsday reports (De La
Cruz, AP/Long Island Newsday, 2/11). DOJ's first-ever medical guidelines for the treatment of sexual assault survivors, which were published in
September 2004, include a section on pregnancy "risk evaluation and care" that instructs health care personnel to consider a survivor's fear of pregnancy,
administer a pregnancy test and "discuss treatment options, including reproductive health services." However, the guidelines do not specifically mention
EC, which can prevent pregnancy if taken within 72 hours of intercourse (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 1/7). Sen. Jon Corzine (D-N.J.), in remarks read to the committee,
said, "Of the 300,000 women who are sexually assaulted each year in this country, an estimated 25,000 will become pregnant," adding, "The use of
emergency contraception could significantly reduce this number of unintended pregnancies." Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), in remarks submitted to the
committee, said that omitting information on EC from the guidelines "belies [DOJ's] disregard for women and their control over their sexual and
reproductive health." DOJ has said that the matter of including information on EC in the guidelines "would be reviewed," but the department has "made no
guarantees," according to the AP/Newsday (AP/Long Island Newsday, 2/11).
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork kaisernetwork. You can
view the entire Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at www.kaisernetwork/dailyreports/repro The Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report is published for
kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory
Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Difficult Births In Obese Women Due To Uterus Failure
Liverpool scientists have uncovered the reason why overweight women have more Caesarean sections; they are at significant risk of their uterus contracting poorly in childbirth.
In a study of 4,000 pregnant women, researchers found that almost 1 in 5 overweight women had to undergo an emergency Caesarean Section birth because the muscles in their uterus failed. The research suggests obesity impairs the ability of the uterus to contract sufficiently in order to dilate the cervix and deliver the baby.
The team from the University of Liverpool's Physiology department found that obese women were 3.5 times more likely to require a Caesarean for slow labour than normal weight women.
Obese women who gave birth vaginally were also found to encounter other problems in child birth more than twice as many (6%) experienced excessive bleeding following delivery compared with normal weight women (3%). This blood loss was also attributed to poor uterine activity in the obese group. Heavy bleeding occurs when the uterus is unable to contract well enough to clamp off the blood vessels that are sheared following delivery of the placenta.
Professor Sue Wray commented: "Our research shows overweight women are at considerably higher risk of having to undergo an emergency Caesarean Section birth and find labour a more difficult experience than normal weight women. Interestingly, when we took uterus muscle samples from the overweight women and studied them in the lab they also performed poorly and contracted less well than matched samples from normal weight women".
The research team found that less calcium was able to enter the uterine cells of the obese women to support uterus muscles in contracting during labour.
Professor Wray explained: "We suspect one reason preventing sufficient levels of calcium entering the uterus muscles is the high levels of cholesterol in an obese woman's bloodstream. This could disrupt cell membranes and signalling pathways, including calcium entry. We will be investigating this further in future studies."
Dr Siobhan Quenby from the University of Liverpool's Obstetrics department commented: "In the meantime it is vital pre-pregnancy advice and counselling is available to women about the implications of weight on childbirth. Pregnancies among overweight women must be classified as high risk pregnancies and appropriate antenatal care should be provided so they receive the optimum care during maternity."
The research, funded by the Medical Research Council, has been published in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
LIVERPOOL UNIVERSITY
Liverpool
L69 3BX
liv.ac
In a study of 4,000 pregnant women, researchers found that almost 1 in 5 overweight women had to undergo an emergency Caesarean Section birth because the muscles in their uterus failed. The research suggests obesity impairs the ability of the uterus to contract sufficiently in order to dilate the cervix and deliver the baby.
The team from the University of Liverpool's Physiology department found that obese women were 3.5 times more likely to require a Caesarean for slow labour than normal weight women.
Obese women who gave birth vaginally were also found to encounter other problems in child birth more than twice as many (6%) experienced excessive bleeding following delivery compared with normal weight women (3%). This blood loss was also attributed to poor uterine activity in the obese group. Heavy bleeding occurs when the uterus is unable to contract well enough to clamp off the blood vessels that are sheared following delivery of the placenta.
Professor Sue Wray commented: "Our research shows overweight women are at considerably higher risk of having to undergo an emergency Caesarean Section birth and find labour a more difficult experience than normal weight women. Interestingly, when we took uterus muscle samples from the overweight women and studied them in the lab they also performed poorly and contracted less well than matched samples from normal weight women".
The research team found that less calcium was able to enter the uterine cells of the obese women to support uterus muscles in contracting during labour.
Professor Wray explained: "We suspect one reason preventing sufficient levels of calcium entering the uterus muscles is the high levels of cholesterol in an obese woman's bloodstream. This could disrupt cell membranes and signalling pathways, including calcium entry. We will be investigating this further in future studies."
Dr Siobhan Quenby from the University of Liverpool's Obstetrics department commented: "In the meantime it is vital pre-pregnancy advice and counselling is available to women about the implications of weight on childbirth. Pregnancies among overweight women must be classified as high risk pregnancies and appropriate antenatal care should be provided so they receive the optimum care during maternity."
The research, funded by the Medical Research Council, has been published in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
LIVERPOOL UNIVERSITY
Liverpool
L69 3BX
liv.ac
Declining Mammogram Rate Sign Of 'Cracking' Health Care System, Letter To Editor Says
The decline in mammogram rates is a sign that "even for those with [health] insurance," the health care system is "cracking," Linda Landesman, former president of the Public Health Association of New York City, writes in a New York Times letter to the editor in response to a May 15 Times editorial (Landesman, New York Times, 5/17). The editorial said that the "small but significant decline" in mammogram rates reported among women ages 40 and older from 2000 to 2005 is "disturbing" because it means that an increasing number of women will "fail" to receive the early detection that raises their chances of breast cancer survival.
Women who skip mammograms because of the "cost, inconvenience or simple inattention" risk not knowing breast cancer is developing until treatment might be "harder and the risk of death higher," the editorial added. The Times concluded that doctors and health promotion campaigns "need to ramp up their reminders of the value" of routine breast cancer screening and that health coverage for the mammograms "should be extended" to uninsured women (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 5/15).
According to Landesman, women in New York are "not skipping their mammograms" but rather must wait "four to six months to just get an appointment." In addition, Landesman writes that many hospitals and mammography centers are "having great difficulty finding radiologists who are trained and want to read mammograms." There is "much discussion about our health care system's being broken because of the number of uninsured who can't get timely care," Landesman writes, concluding that the "mammography crisis should serve as a canary" that people with health insurance also have difficulty receiving timely care (New York Times, 5/17).
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Women who skip mammograms because of the "cost, inconvenience or simple inattention" risk not knowing breast cancer is developing until treatment might be "harder and the risk of death higher," the editorial added. The Times concluded that doctors and health promotion campaigns "need to ramp up their reminders of the value" of routine breast cancer screening and that health coverage for the mammograms "should be extended" to uninsured women (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 5/15).
According to Landesman, women in New York are "not skipping their mammograms" but rather must wait "four to six months to just get an appointment." In addition, Landesman writes that many hospitals and mammography centers are "having great difficulty finding radiologists who are trained and want to read mammograms." There is "much discussion about our health care system's being broken because of the number of uninsured who can't get timely care," Landesman writes, concluding that the "mammography crisis should serve as a canary" that people with health insurance also have difficulty receiving timely care (New York Times, 5/17).
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Radio Frequency Energy Used To Shrink Fibroids And Reduce Symptoms In New Minimally Invasive Procedure
Montefiore Medical Center recently became the only hospital on the East Coast to conduct the Radio Frequency Ablation procedure to shrink uterine fibroids in women 30 years and older. This minimally invasive procedure, initially used to treat liver cancer, uses a tiny needle that is inserted into the fibroid, applying low energy radio frequency electrical current, which creates localized tumor destruction by heat.
"More than 30% of all women suffer from fibroids, which can cause excessive menstrual bleeding and pain," said Erika Banks, MD, Director of the Fibroid Center at Montefiore and lead investigator of the study. "This procedure is another option for these women who wish to preserve their uterus -- an important advantage of this minimally invasive procedure."
Fibroids are benign tumors, which grow in the uterus. Fibroids are the most common tumor in the reproductive years, and are 2-3 times more common among African American women. Symptoms include heavy and or painful menstrual bleeding, a feeling of pressure in the pelvis, frequent urination, pain during intercourse, abdominal bloating and abdominal pain and/or back ache.
Montefiore is one of only five medical centers in the U.S. to test this procedure. The other centers are in California, Arizona, Michigan and Missouri. This study is currently enrolling women with fibroids and heavy bleeding who no longer desire fertility.
Treatment of 235 fibroid tumors in 70 women outside the U.S. resulted in significant reduction of symptoms and improvement in quality of life for about 90% of women, according to Dr. Banks.
Montefiore Medical Center encompasses 126 years of outstanding patient care, innovative medical "firsts," pioneering clinical research, dedicated community service and ground-breaking social activism. A full-service, integrated delivery system caring for patients in the New York metropolitan region and beyond, Montefiore is a 1,491-bed medical center that includes: four hospitals -- the Henry and Lucy Moses Division, the Jack D. Weiler Division, the North Division and The Children's Hospital at Montefiore; a large home healthcare agency; the largest school health program in the US; a 23-site medical group practice integrated throughout the Bronx and Westchester; and a care management organization providing services to 179,000 health plan members.
In 2008, The Children's Hospital at Montefiore was ranked as one of "America's Best Children's Hospitals" in US News & World Report's prestigious annual listing and also received honors in the magazine's 2009 edition. The Leapfrog Group lists Montefiore among the top one percent of all U.S. hospitals based on its strategic investments in sophisticated and integrated healthcare technology.
Montefiore is committed to meeting the healthcare needs of the future through medical education and manages one of the largest residency programs in the country. Montefiore is The University Hospital and Academic Medical Center for Albert Einstein College of Medicine and has an affiliation with New York Medical College for residency programs at the North Division.
Distinguished centers of excellence at Montefiore include cardiology and cardiac surgery, cancer care, tissue and organ transplantation, children's health, women's health, surgery and the surgical subspecialties. Montefiore is a national leader in the research and treatment of diabetes, headaches, obesity, cough and sleep disorders, geriatrics and geriatric psychiatry, neurology and neurosurgery, adolescent and family medicine, HIV/AIDS and social and environmental medicine, among many other specialties.
Source: Montefiore Medical Center
"More than 30% of all women suffer from fibroids, which can cause excessive menstrual bleeding and pain," said Erika Banks, MD, Director of the Fibroid Center at Montefiore and lead investigator of the study. "This procedure is another option for these women who wish to preserve their uterus -- an important advantage of this minimally invasive procedure."
Fibroids are benign tumors, which grow in the uterus. Fibroids are the most common tumor in the reproductive years, and are 2-3 times more common among African American women. Symptoms include heavy and or painful menstrual bleeding, a feeling of pressure in the pelvis, frequent urination, pain during intercourse, abdominal bloating and abdominal pain and/or back ache.
Montefiore is one of only five medical centers in the U.S. to test this procedure. The other centers are in California, Arizona, Michigan and Missouri. This study is currently enrolling women with fibroids and heavy bleeding who no longer desire fertility.
Treatment of 235 fibroid tumors in 70 women outside the U.S. resulted in significant reduction of symptoms and improvement in quality of life for about 90% of women, according to Dr. Banks.
Montefiore Medical Center encompasses 126 years of outstanding patient care, innovative medical "firsts," pioneering clinical research, dedicated community service and ground-breaking social activism. A full-service, integrated delivery system caring for patients in the New York metropolitan region and beyond, Montefiore is a 1,491-bed medical center that includes: four hospitals -- the Henry and Lucy Moses Division, the Jack D. Weiler Division, the North Division and The Children's Hospital at Montefiore; a large home healthcare agency; the largest school health program in the US; a 23-site medical group practice integrated throughout the Bronx and Westchester; and a care management organization providing services to 179,000 health plan members.
In 2008, The Children's Hospital at Montefiore was ranked as one of "America's Best Children's Hospitals" in US News & World Report's prestigious annual listing and also received honors in the magazine's 2009 edition. The Leapfrog Group lists Montefiore among the top one percent of all U.S. hospitals based on its strategic investments in sophisticated and integrated healthcare technology.
Montefiore is committed to meeting the healthcare needs of the future through medical education and manages one of the largest residency programs in the country. Montefiore is The University Hospital and Academic Medical Center for Albert Einstein College of Medicine and has an affiliation with New York Medical College for residency programs at the North Division.
Distinguished centers of excellence at Montefiore include cardiology and cardiac surgery, cancer care, tissue and organ transplantation, children's health, women's health, surgery and the surgical subspecialties. Montefiore is a national leader in the research and treatment of diabetes, headaches, obesity, cough and sleep disorders, geriatrics and geriatric psychiatry, neurology and neurosurgery, adolescent and family medicine, HIV/AIDS and social and environmental medicine, among many other specialties.
Source: Montefiore Medical Center
Senate Appropriations Committee Approves Spending Bill That Would Expand Federal Funding For Embryonic Stem Cell Research
The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday voted 26-3 to approve the fiscal year 2008 Labor-HHS-Education spending bill, which includes a provision that would expand the number of human embryonic stem cell lines eligible for federal funding, CQ HealthBeat reports (CQ HealthBeat, 6/21).
Federal funding for embryonic stem cell research currently is allowed only for research using embryonic stem cell lines created on or before Aug. 9, 2001, under a policy announced by President Bush on that date. Bush on Wednesday vetoed a bill (S 5) -- called the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007 -- that would have allowed federal funding for research using stem cells derived from human embryos originally created for fertility treatments and willingly donated by patients (
Federal funding for embryonic stem cell research currently is allowed only for research using embryonic stem cell lines created on or before Aug. 9, 2001, under a policy announced by President Bush on that date. Bush on Wednesday vetoed a bill (S 5) -- called the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007 -- that would have allowed federal funding for research using stem cells derived from human embryos originally created for fertility treatments and willingly donated by patients (
Chicago Sun-Times Examines Accutane Drug Registry IPledge
The Chicago Sun-Times on Monday examined the online FDA tracking database iPledge, with which all people taking Roche's acne drug Accutane much register to receive their prescriptions (Ritter, Chicago Sun-Times, 8/21). FDA on Dec. 30, 2005, began to register physicians, prescription drug wholesalers, pharmacists and women into iPledge after an FDA advisory committee in March 2004 recommended the program. Under iPledge, women are required to submit two negative pregnancy tests before they can receive an initial prescription for Accutane, known generically as isotretinoin, and women must undergo a monthly pregnancy test before each refill, along with fulfilling other conditions intended to reduce the chance of pregnancy (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 3/2). In addition, women must agree to use two forms of birth control at the same time or to abstain from intercourse for one month prior to treatment with isotretinoin, during treatment and for one month after treatment has ended, according to FDA. Women also must sign a document to acknowledge that isotretinoin can increase risk for birth defects, depression and suicidal thoughts (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 2/24). About 165,000 people have registered with iPledge, which is administered together with companies that sell the drug. However, critics say that iPledge is onerous and poorly administered. According to the Sun-Times, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and seven other senators, in a recent letter to FDA wrote, "Our offices continue to receive numerous complaints from doctors, patients and pharmacists about the inflexible and confusing requirements that have denied access to the drug to thousands of qualified patients." The companies have acknowledged the "confusion and delays" and say they have increased the number of staff, have reduced call waiting times "significantly," have answered more than 86% of calls and have created a more user friendly Web site, the Sun-Times reports (Chicago Sun-Times, 8/21).
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Experimental Vaginal Test Could Help Ob-Gyns Choose Best Induction Date
The AP/Seattle Post-Intelligencer on Monday examined a vaginal test under review by FDA that could help ob-gyns choose the best date at which to induce labor and reduce the health risks involved in performing the procedure too early. According to the AP/Post-Intelligencer, one in five pregnant women annually in the U.S. elects or finds it medically necessary to induce labor, which can cause prolonged labor ending in caesarean section if the pregnant woman's body is not ready to deliver. The experimental test, which is manufactured by Adeza, looks for fetal fibronectin, a protein that is described as a "uterine glue" substance. If the protein appears in the vagina from mid-pregnancy onward, it is believed to signal that the body is preparing for labor, the AP/Post-Intelligencer reports. In a recent Adeza-sponsored study of 875 first-time pregnant women in 22 hospitals, those who tested positive for fetal fibronectin were 38% more likely to deliver vaginally within one day of the induction's start than women who tested negative for the protein. In addition, women who tested negative for fetal fibronectin were 29% more likely to undergo a c-section delivery than women who tested positive for the protein. Michael Randell, an Atlanta ob-gyn, said the test could offer an objective, rather than subjective, confirmation of a manual cervical exam. However, other ob-gyns say the test could lead to questionable inductions. "I don't feel this trend for elective inductions is a good thing," Peter Bernstein of Montefiore Medical Center in New York said (Neergaard, AP/Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 6/5).
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
California County Addresses Teen Pregnancy Rate Among Hispanics
Cultural differences and beliefs, as well as language barriers, likely contribute to the high teen pregnancy rate in a Santa Cruz County, Calif., community that is mostly Hispanic, the Santa Cruz Sentinel reports in a two-part series. The county's city of Watsonville, where many residents have come from rural parts of Mexico, has the highest teen pregnancy rate in the county, according to the Sentinel. In 2005, four of every five births among women ages 15 to 19 in the county were to Watsonville residents, according to a Community Assessment Project report. The county's overall teen birth rate has dropped by 18% since 1996, but Watsonville's decline has been "barely noticeable," the Sentinel reports. Dennis Chamberlain, an obstetrician at Watsonville Community Hospital, said it is common in Mexican culture to start a family at a young age. According to the Population Resource Center, Hispanics have the highest teen birth rates of all ethnic groups. The center attributes the high rate to religious opposition to abortion and the fact that Hispanic families' generally provide "extensive family support" to care for children of teen mothers, the Sentinel reports. According to Carole Browner, a medical anthropologist at the University of California-Los Angeles, marriage and child-bearing usually begin in late adolescence in rural parts of Mexico and that tradition often continues in the U.S. In addition, farming societies tend to value women as child-bearers because of the nature of the work, Browner said. However, she added, "I think families do not want their teenagers to get pregnant as young as they do. They want them to succeed in America. Changing human behavior is never easy and never fast" (Satyanarayana, Santa Cruz Sentinel, 3/18). The county is offering several programs for teens to address the issue, such as the Teen Parent Program at Watsonville Community School, an alternative education campus, and the Teen Advocacy Program, which sends groups of students to schools to discuss safer sex (Satyanarayana, Santa Cruz Sentinel, 3/19).
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Parliamentarians For Women's Health Web Site Launched
New Web site, Parliamentarians for Women's Health: PWH on Wednesday launched its new Web site, which provides information on the project's activities, stories of women and communities affected by HIV/AIDS, and background information on Botswana, Kenya, Namibia and Tanzania. The Web site aims to provide country leaders with HIV/AIDS and women's health information to help them make decisions that will improve women's access to health services. The Web site is led by the International Center for Research on Women, European Parliamentarians for Africa, the Centre for the Study of AIDS at University of Pretoria, the International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS and Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative (ICRW release, 5/16).
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
States Drop No-Cost Cancer Screenings Due To Budget Woes, Study Finds
Low-income women in at least 20 states no longer have adequate or convenient access to cancer screening services, including mammograms and Pap tests, as a result of the economic recession and diminished levels of health coverage, according to a recent study by the American Cancer Society's Cancer Action Network, the AP/Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. For the study, ACSCAN conducted an unofficial survey of women's health screening programs nationwide from July 2008 to April 2009.
The study found that at least 14 states facing significant budget constraints were forced to turn away women who normally would qualify for no-cost mammograms and Pap tests. ACSCAN officials said that the number of women who are being rejected is not known and that some might receive screenings in other programs or through providers. Many providers also do not track the number of patients who have been rejected or obtained the screenings elsewhere.
According to the AP/Journal-Constitution, providers and health departments in each state have different methods for handling no-cost screenings. Some might supplement federal funding with money from the state or from private donors. The cost of the screenings also can vary from an average of about $100, while a Pap test can cost between $75 and $200, according to ACS (Bauman, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 12/12).
Reprinted with kind permission from nationalpartnership. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.
© 2009 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.
Sens. Feinstein, Snowe Ask FDA For Safety Review Of Silicone Breast Implant Manufacturer's Product Application
Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) on Friday sent a joint letter to acting FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach asking the agency to launch a full review into whether Santa Barbara, Calif.-based Mentor intentionally withheld safety data on its silicone breast implant application, CQ HealthBeat reports (CQ HealthBeat, 10/23). Most breast implants, which often are given to women who have undergone a mastectomy to treat breast cancer, contain saline solution. Silicone breast implants were banned in 1992 because of safety concerns. Mentor and Inamed, which now is part of Allergan, applied to sell silicone implants, and FDA in July and September 2005 gave both applications preliminary approval pending the meeting of certain conditions. A former employee of Mentor in June last year expressed concerns to Mentor officials that staff had misrepresented, covered up or withheld resilience, leakage and other data on the implants. The employee was laid off by the company in May, and one month later he contacted FDA with the allegations. The consumer advocacy group Public Citizen earlier in the month sent a letter to von Eschenbach asking the agency to conduct a criminal investigation into Mentor's product-testing data. FDA spokesperson Heidi Valetkevich said, "The agency conducted a thorough investigation into these charges and found no evidence of wrongdoing and nothing that would raise questions about the safety of the product under review or the integrity of the data submitted to FDA" (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 10/13). Feinstein and Snowe in their letter cited allegations that Mentor might have withheld data and some errors regarding leakages from the implants. The senators asked von Eschenbach to "fully review all data collected by Mentor, whether or not it was originally required. If the FDA has already investigated these allegations, we request that you share with us the nature and results of this investigation" (CQ HealthBeat, 10/23).
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Study Finds 'Virginity Pledges' Do Not Affect Likelihood Of Premarital Sex, Reduce Contraception Use
Teenagers who make "virginity pledges" to remain abstinent until marriage are just as likely as teens who do not make such pledges to have premarital sex and are less likely to use condoms and other birth control methods, according to a study published in the January issue of Pediatrics, the Washington Post reports. Janet Rosenbaum of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and colleagues analyzed data from the federal government's National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, a survey that collected detailed information from a representative sample of 11,000 seventh through 12th grade students in 1995, 1996 and 2001. According to the Post, the new study is the first analysis of the federal survey that used a more stringent method to account for teens' attitudes toward sex before taking virginity pledges and other factors that could influence their behavior. Rosenbaum and colleagues focused on 3,400 students in the federal survey who said in 1995 that they had not had sex or taken a virginity pledge. Of that group, researchers compared 289 students who took virginity pledges in 1996, at an average age of about 17, with 645 similar students who did not take pledges. Similarity was determined through an assessment of about 100 variables, including teens' and their parents' attitudes towards sex and their perceptions of their friends' attitudes toward sex and birth control. The study found that by 2001, 82% of the students who pledged to remain abstinent until marriage had retracted their promises. There was no significant difference in the proportion of students from both groups who had engaged in any type of sexual activity, the age at which they had sex for the first time or their number of sexual partners. Overall, more than half of both groups had engaged in sexual activity; they had an average of three sex partners; and they had had sex for the first time by age 21, regardless of whether they were married. There was no difference in the rate of sexually transmitted infections in the two groups, but students who took virginity pledges and later had sex were less likely than non-pledgers to use condoms or other forms of birth control. The study showed that 24% of students who pledged said that they always used a condom, compared with 34% of students who did not pledge, and students who pledged were about six percentage points less likely to use any form of contraception.
Author Comments
Rosenbaum called the difference in the use of condoms or other birth control methods between the two groups "quite striking." Rosenbaum attributed the difference to the education that students receive in abstinence-focused programs, adding that these programs often provide inaccurate information about condoms and birth control (Stein, Washington Post, 12/29/08). The Bush administration has more than doubled the budget for abstinence-only education programs since 1999, spending $204 million in 2008, Bloomberg reports (Ostrow/Randall, Bloomberg, 12/29/08).
Rosenbaum said, "This study came about because somebody who decides to take a virginity pledge tends to be different from the average American teenager," adding that pledgers tend to be more religious, more conservative and "less positive about sex." She said that comparing pledgers with non-pledgers, as in previous studies, "doesn't make a lot of sense." She continued that participating in a virginity pledge program "doesn't appear to be motivating [teens] to change their behavior," adding that it "seems like abstinence has to come from an individual conviction rather than participating in a program."
Other Comments
According to the Post, proponents of abstinence-only education "dismissed the study as flawed and argued that programs that focus on abstinence go much further than simply asking youths to make a one-time promise to remain virgins." Valerie Huber of the National Abstinence Education Association said, "Abstinence education programs provide accurate information on the level of protection offered through the typical use of condoms and contraception." She added, "It is remarkable that an author who employs rigorous research methodology would then compromise those standards by making wild, ideologically tainted and inaccurate analysis regarding the content of abstinence education programs."
However, Sarah Brown of the National Campaign To Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy said, "This study again raises the issue of why the federal government is continuing to invest in abstinence-only programs," adding, "What have we gained if we only encourage young people to delay sex until they are older, but then when they do become sexually active -- and most do well before marriage -- they don't protect themselves or their partners?" James Wagoner of Advocates for Youth said, "The Democratic Congress needs to get its head out of the sand and get real about sex education in America" (Washington Post, 12/29/08). President-elect Barack Obama has said that he has "consistently" discussed the need for a comprehensive approach to sex education "where we focus on abstinence" and "contraception has to be part of that education process" (Bloomberg, 12/29/08).
Reprinted with kind permission from nationalpartnership. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.
© 2008 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.
Author Comments
Rosenbaum called the difference in the use of condoms or other birth control methods between the two groups "quite striking." Rosenbaum attributed the difference to the education that students receive in abstinence-focused programs, adding that these programs often provide inaccurate information about condoms and birth control (Stein, Washington Post, 12/29/08). The Bush administration has more than doubled the budget for abstinence-only education programs since 1999, spending $204 million in 2008, Bloomberg reports (Ostrow/Randall, Bloomberg, 12/29/08).
Rosenbaum said, "This study came about because somebody who decides to take a virginity pledge tends to be different from the average American teenager," adding that pledgers tend to be more religious, more conservative and "less positive about sex." She said that comparing pledgers with non-pledgers, as in previous studies, "doesn't make a lot of sense." She continued that participating in a virginity pledge program "doesn't appear to be motivating [teens] to change their behavior," adding that it "seems like abstinence has to come from an individual conviction rather than participating in a program."
Other Comments
According to the Post, proponents of abstinence-only education "dismissed the study as flawed and argued that programs that focus on abstinence go much further than simply asking youths to make a one-time promise to remain virgins." Valerie Huber of the National Abstinence Education Association said, "Abstinence education programs provide accurate information on the level of protection offered through the typical use of condoms and contraception." She added, "It is remarkable that an author who employs rigorous research methodology would then compromise those standards by making wild, ideologically tainted and inaccurate analysis regarding the content of abstinence education programs."
However, Sarah Brown of the National Campaign To Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy said, "This study again raises the issue of why the federal government is continuing to invest in abstinence-only programs," adding, "What have we gained if we only encourage young people to delay sex until they are older, but then when they do become sexually active -- and most do well before marriage -- they don't protect themselves or their partners?" James Wagoner of Advocates for Youth said, "The Democratic Congress needs to get its head out of the sand and get real about sex education in America" (Washington Post, 12/29/08). President-elect Barack Obama has said that he has "consistently" discussed the need for a comprehensive approach to sex education "where we focus on abstinence" and "contraception has to be part of that education process" (Bloomberg, 12/29/08).
Reprinted with kind permission from nationalpartnership. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.
© 2008 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.
California Bill Would Increase Oversight Of Infertility Clinics
California Sen. Gloria Negrete McLeod (D) has introduced a bill (S.B. 674) that would classify fertility clinics as outpatient facilities, allowing the California Medical Board to regulate the clinics, the Whittier Daily News reports. California Medical Board spokesperson Candis Cohen said that the board does not directly regulate sectors of the medical industry but that it works with accreditation organizations that monitor outpatient settings. Reclassifying fertility clinics as outpatient facilities would place them under the jurisdiction of the accreditation organizations, the Daily News reports.
The legislation was prompted by the recent birth of octuplets to 33-year-old California resident Nadya Suleman after in vitro fertilization. The medical board, which has the power to revoke physicians' licenses, is investigating Suleman's fertility doctor. Negrete McLeod said, "There should be a greater level of scrutiny over these clinics because of their increasing popularity."
Other Measures
Lawmakers in Georgia and Missouri also have introduced bills in response to the Suleman case. According to the Daily News, the Georgia bill (S.B. 169) is stirring controversy in the infertility industry and among abortion-rights advocates because it defines an embryo as "a biological human being who is not the property of any person or entity." The language in the bill "could be seen as a backdoor to fighting or preventing abortion rights and discouraging the disposal of unused embryos," the Daily News reports.
Sean Tipton, a spokesperson for the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, which issues guidelines for infertility clinics, said that the industry's self-regulation is effective and has dramatically reduced the rate of multiples from IVF in the past decade. He added that increasing regulation would be "taking away a woman's right to decide for herself what to do with her own reproductive tissues" (Scruby, Whittier Daily News, 3/4).
Reprinted with kind permission from nationalpartnership. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.
© 2009 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.
The legislation was prompted by the recent birth of octuplets to 33-year-old California resident Nadya Suleman after in vitro fertilization. The medical board, which has the power to revoke physicians' licenses, is investigating Suleman's fertility doctor. Negrete McLeod said, "There should be a greater level of scrutiny over these clinics because of their increasing popularity."
Other Measures
Lawmakers in Georgia and Missouri also have introduced bills in response to the Suleman case. According to the Daily News, the Georgia bill (S.B. 169) is stirring controversy in the infertility industry and among abortion-rights advocates because it defines an embryo as "a biological human being who is not the property of any person or entity." The language in the bill "could be seen as a backdoor to fighting or preventing abortion rights and discouraging the disposal of unused embryos," the Daily News reports.
Sean Tipton, a spokesperson for the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, which issues guidelines for infertility clinics, said that the industry's self-regulation is effective and has dramatically reduced the rate of multiples from IVF in the past decade. He added that increasing regulation would be "taking away a woman's right to decide for herself what to do with her own reproductive tissues" (Scruby, Whittier Daily News, 3/4).
Reprinted with kind permission from nationalpartnership. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.
© 2009 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.
Questioning The Change In Mammography Guidelines
The methodology and evidence behind a widely publicized change in national mammography guidelines is questionable, according to a review in the Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JDMS), published by SAGE.
In November 2009, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) published a report in the Annals of Internal Medicine discussing the screening techniques for the early detection of breast cancer. A few isolated portions of that report, regarding recommended changes for the use of mammography, were widely discussed in the media, and garnered tremendous public attention.
This new JDMS article provides an evidenced-based review of the work and recommendations contained in the USPSTF report and raises the question whether the controversial conclusions for breast cancer screening were supported by established scientific measurement and research standards. The JDMS review found low methodological scores in the USPSTF report, which may place in question the recommendations generated from the report.
The article concludes that, despite the report's depiction as a systematic review, the USPSTF report was actually just a review of literature, which reduces the overall scientific impact of the report to a much lower level in the hierarchy of evidence.
"Even though the methodology used by the USPSTF is not clear and the level of evidence is questionable, the proposed recommendations have been highly publicized." writes author Kevin D. Evans. "The most appropriate way to guarantee patients are receiving quality health care is to become adept at reviewing published research and implementing information that will change current practice patterns."
The article "Review of the US Preventive Services Task Force's Statement on Screening for Breast Cancer" in Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography is available free for a limited time at jdm.sagepub/cgi/reprint/26/1/19
Source:
Jim Gilden
SAGE Publications
In November 2009, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) published a report in the Annals of Internal Medicine discussing the screening techniques for the early detection of breast cancer. A few isolated portions of that report, regarding recommended changes for the use of mammography, were widely discussed in the media, and garnered tremendous public attention.
This new JDMS article provides an evidenced-based review of the work and recommendations contained in the USPSTF report and raises the question whether the controversial conclusions for breast cancer screening were supported by established scientific measurement and research standards. The JDMS review found low methodological scores in the USPSTF report, which may place in question the recommendations generated from the report.
The article concludes that, despite the report's depiction as a systematic review, the USPSTF report was actually just a review of literature, which reduces the overall scientific impact of the report to a much lower level in the hierarchy of evidence.
"Even though the methodology used by the USPSTF is not clear and the level of evidence is questionable, the proposed recommendations have been highly publicized." writes author Kevin D. Evans. "The most appropriate way to guarantee patients are receiving quality health care is to become adept at reviewing published research and implementing information that will change current practice patterns."
The article "Review of the US Preventive Services Task Force's Statement on Screening for Breast Cancer" in Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography is available free for a limited time at jdm.sagepub/cgi/reprint/26/1/19
Source:
Jim Gilden
SAGE Publications
Child-Care Grants For Scientist-Parents
In an innovative program to help junior researchers, particularly women, balance their responsibilities as scientists and parents, the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) today announced that a grant from the Elsevier Foundation will fund awards for child care during the Society's 2008 Annual Meeting, according to ASCB Executive Director Joan Goldberg.
Goldberg said that the $16,000 "New Scholars" grant from the Elsevier Foundation of New York City will fund individual awards to help cover child care expenses incurred during the ASCB Annual Meeting. Women represent nearly half of postdoctoral researchers in biology, but there is a sharp fall-off in the number of women in the ranks of assistant professors, associate professors, and full professors. Full participation in major scientific conferences like the ASCB Annual Meeting is critical in building successful scientific careers. Junior researchers can highlight their own work, and hear and debate the latest findings in their field, while building a network of peer contacts vital to collaboration and advancement, Goldberg explained. "These grants acknowledge the importance of demolishing barriers to career development as well as the value of the ASCB Annual Meeting in providing a platform for scientific presentations, education, and networking."
Child-care grants have long been on the wish list of the ASCB's Women in Cell Biology Committee (WICB), says its Chair Ursula Goodenough. While awards will be competitive and require application, Goodenough believes, "We should be able to be of assistance to many."
According to Goodenough, WICB has long identified family care issues as a continual obstacle for women researchers wishing to participate in the Society's Annual Meeting. Detailed information about the ASCB Child-Care Award Program will be forthcoming at the Society's website, ascb/, by spring.
The ASCB childcare grant is one of seven "New Scholars" programs funded by the Elsevier Foundation to help researchers in science and technology balance childcare and family responsibilities during the early stages of their careers. With 11,000 members, the ASCB is the largest cell biology research society in the world. The ASCB's 48th Annual Meeting will be held Dec. 13-17, 2008, in San Francisco, CA.
Source: John Fleischman
American Society for Cell Biology
Goldberg said that the $16,000 "New Scholars" grant from the Elsevier Foundation of New York City will fund individual awards to help cover child care expenses incurred during the ASCB Annual Meeting. Women represent nearly half of postdoctoral researchers in biology, but there is a sharp fall-off in the number of women in the ranks of assistant professors, associate professors, and full professors. Full participation in major scientific conferences like the ASCB Annual Meeting is critical in building successful scientific careers. Junior researchers can highlight their own work, and hear and debate the latest findings in their field, while building a network of peer contacts vital to collaboration and advancement, Goldberg explained. "These grants acknowledge the importance of demolishing barriers to career development as well as the value of the ASCB Annual Meeting in providing a platform for scientific presentations, education, and networking."
Child-care grants have long been on the wish list of the ASCB's Women in Cell Biology Committee (WICB), says its Chair Ursula Goodenough. While awards will be competitive and require application, Goodenough believes, "We should be able to be of assistance to many."
According to Goodenough, WICB has long identified family care issues as a continual obstacle for women researchers wishing to participate in the Society's Annual Meeting. Detailed information about the ASCB Child-Care Award Program will be forthcoming at the Society's website, ascb/, by spring.
The ASCB childcare grant is one of seven "New Scholars" programs funded by the Elsevier Foundation to help researchers in science and technology balance childcare and family responsibilities during the early stages of their careers. With 11,000 members, the ASCB is the largest cell biology research society in the world. The ASCB's 48th Annual Meeting will be held Dec. 13-17, 2008, in San Francisco, CA.
Source: John Fleischman
American Society for Cell Biology
Giuliani Discusses Abortion Rights, Promotes Adoption During Campaign Stops In Iowa
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who is running for the Republican presidential nomination, on Monday while campaigning in Iowa said that if he is elected president, he will work to reduce abortions by increasing support for adoption services nationwide, the Washington Times reports. Giuliani, who supports abortion rights, has said New York City's adoption rate rose 133% after his eight years as mayor because of tax credits, as well as programs such as adoption fairs and "Adoption Saturdays," which recruited judges to help finalize adoptions on weekends. He also has said that the number of abortions in the city decreased by 16% during the same period.
"I would like to do that for America," he said, adding, "I would like to see adoptions increase dramatically, and I would like to see women considering abortion have that option available to them." The Democratic National Committee released a statement challenging Giuliani's figures, citing press reports that adoption rates decreased during most of his time as mayor (Dinan, Washington Times, 8/7). Giuliani said that he would make permanent a $10,000 tax credit for adoption expenses. He also said he would leave in place current restrictions that allow federal funds to be used for abortions only in cases of rape, incest or when there is a threat to the life of the pregnant woman, Radio Iowa reports. "I believe that's a fair balance," Giuliani said. He added, "It allows states to make different decisions ... meaning people can effectuate their will better" (Henderson, Radio Iowa, 8/6).
Giuliani during his campaign stops also pledged to address the concerns of Republican voters who oppose abortion rights, the Associated Press reports. "One of my commitments is that we will look for the common ground that people have in this whole issue, which is a very difficult one," Giuliani said (Associated Press, 8/7). He added, "The common ground here is that I have already a definable record of increasing adoptions and decreasing abortions. I would expand that nationally" (Brune, Long Island Newsday, 8/7).
A Radio Iowa interview with Giuliani is available online.
NBC's "Nightly News" on Monday reported on Republican presidential candidates' positions on abortion rights. The segment includes comments from Giuliani, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and NBC News political director Chuck Todd (Gregory, "Nightly News," NBC, 8/6). Video of the segment is available online. In addition, MSNBC's "Hardball with Chris Matthews" on Monday included a discussion with Harold Schaitbergerof, president of the International Association of Firefighters, and Tony Blankley, editorial page editor of the Washington Times, about whether abortion rights should be the main issue in Republican primaries (Matthews, "Hardball with Chris Matthews," MSNBC, 8/6). Video of the segment is available online.
Reprinted with kind permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
"I would like to do that for America," he said, adding, "I would like to see adoptions increase dramatically, and I would like to see women considering abortion have that option available to them." The Democratic National Committee released a statement challenging Giuliani's figures, citing press reports that adoption rates decreased during most of his time as mayor (Dinan, Washington Times, 8/7). Giuliani said that he would make permanent a $10,000 tax credit for adoption expenses. He also said he would leave in place current restrictions that allow federal funds to be used for abortions only in cases of rape, incest or when there is a threat to the life of the pregnant woman, Radio Iowa reports. "I believe that's a fair balance," Giuliani said. He added, "It allows states to make different decisions ... meaning people can effectuate their will better" (Henderson, Radio Iowa, 8/6).
Giuliani during his campaign stops also pledged to address the concerns of Republican voters who oppose abortion rights, the Associated Press reports. "One of my commitments is that we will look for the common ground that people have in this whole issue, which is a very difficult one," Giuliani said (Associated Press, 8/7). He added, "The common ground here is that I have already a definable record of increasing adoptions and decreasing abortions. I would expand that nationally" (Brune, Long Island Newsday, 8/7).
A Radio Iowa interview with Giuliani is available online.
NBC's "Nightly News" on Monday reported on Republican presidential candidates' positions on abortion rights. The segment includes comments from Giuliani, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and NBC News political director Chuck Todd (Gregory, "Nightly News," NBC, 8/6). Video of the segment is available online. In addition, MSNBC's "Hardball with Chris Matthews" on Monday included a discussion with Harold Schaitbergerof, president of the International Association of Firefighters, and Tony Blankley, editorial page editor of the Washington Times, about whether abortion rights should be the main issue in Republican primaries (Matthews, "Hardball with Chris Matthews," MSNBC, 8/6). Video of the segment is available online.
Reprinted with kind permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Obesity Rates In Mexican-American And White Women Affected By Economic Status
Obesity continues to increase for women in the United States, particularly among African-American and Mexican-American women. Between the ages of 35-44, there are approximately 3.3 million white women, 1.4 million African-American women, and 575,000 Mexican-American women who are obese. A new study published in the journal Public Health Nursing reveals that there is an increased risk for midlife obesity among Mexican-American and White women who were poor as children and adults. However, this did not hold true for African-American women.
In the first study to examine the association between child and adult economic factors on midlife obesity for Mexican-American women, study author Pamela J. Salsberry, R.N., Ph.D., of the College of Nursing and Patricia B. Reagan, Ph.D., from the Department of Economics, both of The Ohio State University, utilized data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. The sample consisted of Mexican-Americans women, white women, and African-American women who were followed for 15 years.
Parent education was the economic indicator used for childhood economic status, while the participant's own education and income were used for adult economic status. Relationship between midlife obesity, economic indicator and race/ethnic group were studied.
Results show that there was an increased risk for midlife obesity in Mexican-American women who had a disadvantaged economic status measured during childhood and later in life. These economic effects on adult obesity were similar to those found for white women, but not African-American women. Few economic influences on obesity at midlife were found for African-American women.
Surprisingly, among Mexican-American women, high school drop outs were less likely to be obese than those with higher education. Also, individuals whose parents were born in the U.S. were more likely to be obese in childhood and adulthood than women whose parents were born in Mexico, due in part to changes in acculturation.
"Intervention programs must be tailored to the audience," the authors conclude. "Public health efforts to reduce child obesity in disadvantaged populations are an important long term strategy for health promotion of adults."
This study is published in the January/February 2009 issue of Public Health Nursing.
To view the abstract for this article, please click here.
Pamela J. Salsberry is affiliated with The Ohio State University.
Public Health Nursing publishes empirical research reports, program evaluations, and case reports focused on populations at risk across the lifespan. The journal also prints articles related to developments in practice, education of public health nurses, theory development, methodological innovations, legal, ethical, and public policy issues in public health, and the history of public health nursing throughout the world. While the primary readership of the Journal is North American, the journal is expanding its mission to address global public health concerns of interest to nurses.
Source: Amy Molnar
Wiley-Blackwell
In the first study to examine the association between child and adult economic factors on midlife obesity for Mexican-American women, study author Pamela J. Salsberry, R.N., Ph.D., of the College of Nursing and Patricia B. Reagan, Ph.D., from the Department of Economics, both of The Ohio State University, utilized data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. The sample consisted of Mexican-Americans women, white women, and African-American women who were followed for 15 years.
Parent education was the economic indicator used for childhood economic status, while the participant's own education and income were used for adult economic status. Relationship between midlife obesity, economic indicator and race/ethnic group were studied.
Results show that there was an increased risk for midlife obesity in Mexican-American women who had a disadvantaged economic status measured during childhood and later in life. These economic effects on adult obesity were similar to those found for white women, but not African-American women. Few economic influences on obesity at midlife were found for African-American women.
Surprisingly, among Mexican-American women, high school drop outs were less likely to be obese than those with higher education. Also, individuals whose parents were born in the U.S. were more likely to be obese in childhood and adulthood than women whose parents were born in Mexico, due in part to changes in acculturation.
"Intervention programs must be tailored to the audience," the authors conclude. "Public health efforts to reduce child obesity in disadvantaged populations are an important long term strategy for health promotion of adults."
This study is published in the January/February 2009 issue of Public Health Nursing.
To view the abstract for this article, please click here.
Pamela J. Salsberry is affiliated with The Ohio State University.
Public Health Nursing publishes empirical research reports, program evaluations, and case reports focused on populations at risk across the lifespan. The journal also prints articles related to developments in practice, education of public health nurses, theory development, methodological innovations, legal, ethical, and public policy issues in public health, and the history of public health nursing throughout the world. While the primary readership of the Journal is North American, the journal is expanding its mission to address global public health concerns of interest to nurses.
Source: Amy Molnar
Wiley-Blackwell
Questions Over Treatment Policies For Women With Abnormal Smear Test Results
Three studies published on bmj examine the merits of conservative versus aggressive treatment policies of women with low-grade abnormal results detected by cervical screening.
Together they form the Trial of Management of Borderline and Other Low-grade Abnormal Smears (TOMBOLA).
The first finds no benefit in referring these women for colposcopy (a detailed inspection of the cervix to detect pre-cancerous cells) compared to regular surveillance.
A second paper also questions the benefit of immediate treatment to remove abnormal tissue from the cervix (a procedure known as large loop excision) over the more conservative strategy of taking small tissue samples (biopsies) and recalling women for treatment only if pre-cancerous lesions are confirmed.
Finally, a cost effectiveness study shows that immediate colposcopy is no more, or no less, cost effective than regular surveillance.
The findings are based on data from about 4,500 women aged 20-59 from two regions of Scotland (Grampian and Tayside) and one of England (Nottingham) with borderline or low-grade abnormal smears detected after NHS cervical screening examinations.
In the first study, women were randomised to either repeat smears or to immediate referral for colposcopy. All women were tracked for three years and underwent a colposcopic examination at the end of the study.
The results showed that, although colposcopy detects more high-grade pre-cancerous lesions (known as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia or CIN) than surveillance, it causes more side effects and can lead to over-treatment, complications and later problems in pregnancy. The authors conclude that "a policy of referral for colposcopy after low-grade cervical abnormalities confers no clear benefit compared to cytological surveillance, and causes more side effects."
In the second study, women were randomised to either immediate large loop excision or up to four biopsies with recall for treatment if necessary. Again, women were tracked for three years and underwent a colposcopic examination at the end of the study.
There was no difference between the policies with regard to detection of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia over three years. However, immediate large loop excision resulted in substantial over-treatment and more after effects than biopsy and recall. The authors conclude that a policy of immediate large loop excision confers no clear advantage over a policy of punch biopsies with recall for treatment, and the latter provides the best balance between benefits and harms."
A cost effectiveness study shows that, taking into account costs, outcomes, and quality of life, follow-up by immediate colposcopy is no more and no less cost effective than follow-up by regular surveillance. The authors conclude that "there is no compelling economic reason to favour any one follow-up method over either of the others."
The dilemma of choosing between conservative and aggressive policies remains, adds Professor Eduardo Franco of McGill University in an accompanying editorial. Further analyses and secondary economic evaluations of the TOMBOLA data may help policy makers fully appreciate the evidence from this landmark study, he says.
Links
Research: "Cytological surveillance compared with immediate referral for colposcopy in management of women with low grade cervical abnormalities: multicentre randomised controlled trial"
Research: "Biopsy and selective recall compared with immediate large loop excision in management of women with low grade abnormal cervical cytology referred for colposcopy: multicentre randomised controlled trial"
Cost effectiveness study: "Options for managing low grade cervical abnormalities detected at screening"
Editorial: "Managing low grade and borderline cervical abnormalities"
Source
British Medical Journal
Together they form the Trial of Management of Borderline and Other Low-grade Abnormal Smears (TOMBOLA).
The first finds no benefit in referring these women for colposcopy (a detailed inspection of the cervix to detect pre-cancerous cells) compared to regular surveillance.
A second paper also questions the benefit of immediate treatment to remove abnormal tissue from the cervix (a procedure known as large loop excision) over the more conservative strategy of taking small tissue samples (biopsies) and recalling women for treatment only if pre-cancerous lesions are confirmed.
Finally, a cost effectiveness study shows that immediate colposcopy is no more, or no less, cost effective than regular surveillance.
The findings are based on data from about 4,500 women aged 20-59 from two regions of Scotland (Grampian and Tayside) and one of England (Nottingham) with borderline or low-grade abnormal smears detected after NHS cervical screening examinations.
In the first study, women were randomised to either repeat smears or to immediate referral for colposcopy. All women were tracked for three years and underwent a colposcopic examination at the end of the study.
The results showed that, although colposcopy detects more high-grade pre-cancerous lesions (known as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia or CIN) than surveillance, it causes more side effects and can lead to over-treatment, complications and later problems in pregnancy. The authors conclude that "a policy of referral for colposcopy after low-grade cervical abnormalities confers no clear benefit compared to cytological surveillance, and causes more side effects."
In the second study, women were randomised to either immediate large loop excision or up to four biopsies with recall for treatment if necessary. Again, women were tracked for three years and underwent a colposcopic examination at the end of the study.
There was no difference between the policies with regard to detection of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia over three years. However, immediate large loop excision resulted in substantial over-treatment and more after effects than biopsy and recall. The authors conclude that a policy of immediate large loop excision confers no clear advantage over a policy of punch biopsies with recall for treatment, and the latter provides the best balance between benefits and harms."
A cost effectiveness study shows that, taking into account costs, outcomes, and quality of life, follow-up by immediate colposcopy is no more and no less cost effective than follow-up by regular surveillance. The authors conclude that "there is no compelling economic reason to favour any one follow-up method over either of the others."
The dilemma of choosing between conservative and aggressive policies remains, adds Professor Eduardo Franco of McGill University in an accompanying editorial. Further analyses and secondary economic evaluations of the TOMBOLA data may help policy makers fully appreciate the evidence from this landmark study, he says.
Links
Research: "Cytological surveillance compared with immediate referral for colposcopy in management of women with low grade cervical abnormalities: multicentre randomised controlled trial"
Research: "Biopsy and selective recall compared with immediate large loop excision in management of women with low grade abnormal cervical cytology referred for colposcopy: multicentre randomised controlled trial"
Cost effectiveness study: "Options for managing low grade cervical abnormalities detected at screening"
Editorial: "Managing low grade and borderline cervical abnormalities"
Source
British Medical Journal
Michigan Gubernatorial Candidate DeVos Says He Would Be "Thrilled" If State Could Enforce Abortion Ban
Michigan gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos (R) on Thursday during a radio interview said he would be "thrilled" if Michigan were to reinstate a state law that banned abortion except to save a pregnant woman's life "[a]s soon as Roe v. Wade" -- the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court case that effectively barred state abortion bans -- "is overturned, which I think we all pray it will be," the AP/Fort Wayne News-Sentinel reports. According to the AP/News-Sentinel, Michigan's abortion ban could be enforced again or new abortion restrictions could be passed if Roe were overturned. DeVos during an interview with Al Kresta, host of the Ave Maria Radio's syndicated talk show "Kresta in the Afternoon," also said, "You're not going to find a more pro-life governor than me." According to the AP/News-Sentinel, Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D), who is Roman Catholic, personally opposes abortion but supports upholding abortion rights, a position some Catholics have criticized. Chris DeWitt, campaign spokesperson for Granholm, said DeVos' interview showed his views on abortion are "out of step with mainstream Michigan," adding that DeVos said something different during a debate on Tuesday. DeVos in the debate said he opposed an effort to put a proposal on the November ballot that would have defined in the state Constitution a person as existing at conception because "our current laws as it relates to abortion in Michigan are sufficient" (Barks Hoffman, AP/News-Sentinel, 10/12).
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
California Gov. Schwarzenegger Signs Bill To Restrict Payments To Egg Donors, Counter Exploitation Of Poor, Minority Women
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) on Tuesday signed into law a bill that extends to privately funded laboratories a provision under Proposition 71 that says scientists receiving state embryonic stem cell research funds can reimburse egg donors only for their expenses and cannot pay them, the Los Angeles Times reports (Los Angeles Times, 9/27). State voters in November 2004 approved Proposition 71 to provide $295 million annually for 10 years for human embryonic stem cell research. The bill -- sponsored by state Sens. Deborah Ortiz (D) and George Runner (R) -- broadens informed consent requirements for those who donate their eggs for embryonic stem cell research and pertains only to research laboratories and not to fertility clinics (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 9/13). Schwarzenegger on Tuesday also signed into law several other reproductive health measures, including:
SB 1245, which requires health plans to cover the human papillomavirus test upon referral by a health care provider;
SB 1555, which expands prenatal screening to include all tests that meet or exceed the current standard of care acknowledged by medical or genetic organizations;
AB 2583, which requires the state pharmacy board to post a sign in a visible place informing patients of their right to timely access to a prescribed medication or device that a pharmacist has refused to provide based on ethical, moral or religious grounds; and
AB 2251, which aims to protect the personal safety of reproductive health care providers, patients, volunteers and employees by barring the posting of personal information on the Internet under specified circumstances.
"By signing this legislation, I am proud to continue California's leadership role in promoting women's health," Schwarzenegger said, adding, "From helping women as they transition to motherhood to ensuring women have the information and services they need to treat and prevent disease, these new laws are a step toward my goal of a healthier California" (Schwarzenegger release, 9/26).
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
SB 1245, which requires health plans to cover the human papillomavirus test upon referral by a health care provider;
SB 1555, which expands prenatal screening to include all tests that meet or exceed the current standard of care acknowledged by medical or genetic organizations;
AB 2583, which requires the state pharmacy board to post a sign in a visible place informing patients of their right to timely access to a prescribed medication or device that a pharmacist has refused to provide based on ethical, moral or religious grounds; and
AB 2251, which aims to protect the personal safety of reproductive health care providers, patients, volunteers and employees by barring the posting of personal information on the Internet under specified circumstances.
"By signing this legislation, I am proud to continue California's leadership role in promoting women's health," Schwarzenegger said, adding, "From helping women as they transition to motherhood to ensuring women have the information and services they need to treat and prevent disease, these new laws are a step toward my goal of a healthier California" (Schwarzenegger release, 9/26).
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
More Hysterectomies Could Be Performed With Minimally Invasive Techniques
Eighty percent of women who have a hysterectomy have a traditional one, in which a surgeon must make an extensive incision that runs from the navel to the top of the pubic bone. If only these women's gynecologists had been trained in minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery techniques, many of them could have had hysterectomies involving just a few small, keyhole incisions. Also, their recovery time would have also been reduced drastically, permitting them to resume their normal lives much faster.
Minimally invasive surgery, or MIS, involves using laparoscopic tools to view interior organs so that doctors can perform surgery through dramatically smaller incisions. MIS is widespread for many kinds of general surgery for example, over 90 percent of bariatric surgeries are performed that way. However, the utilization of minimally invasive techniques is still relatively uncommon among gynecological surgeons.
David L. Zisow, M.D., associate chief of Minimally Invasive Surgery at Northwest Hospital in Randallstown, Md., is seeking to change that. Zisow recently started a fellowship program at Northwest in which he trains his fellow gynecologists in these techniques free of charge. Called the STAT Program, Zisow and his colleague, W. Peter Geis, M.D., one of the founders of laparoscopic surgery in the United States, invite OB/GYNs to perform their surgery cases at Northwest Hospital, where Zisow or Geis offer them on-the-job training to learn MIS techniques.
"I've created this fellowship program because I care about women, and it's about time that they have the best options available when it comes to GYN surgery," says Zisow. "It's becoming more and more evident that patient recovery time is dependent upon the size of the external incisions rather than what is actually done internally to the body. We can perform major surgeries internally, and as long as we make only keyhole-sized incisions, recovery time and chance of infection is reduced."
Zisow is an expert in complex laparoscopic surgery and other minimally invasive gynecologic procedures. Zisow graduated from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He trained at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore in a straight residency in obstetrics and gynecology, and was chief resident from 1976 to 1977.
In 1980, Zisow was board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and a member of the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists, the Maryland Obstetrics and Gynecology Society, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the Baltimore County Medical Society.
Addressing the Global Congress of Minimally Invasive Gynecology, 37th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists, Zisow recently gave a video presentation on "Laparscopic Hysterectomy of the Very Large Uterus."
Northwest Hospital is part of LifeBridge Health, one of Baltimore's largest health organizations that includes Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital, and Courtland Gardens Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.
Source: LifeBridge Health
Minimally invasive surgery, or MIS, involves using laparoscopic tools to view interior organs so that doctors can perform surgery through dramatically smaller incisions. MIS is widespread for many kinds of general surgery for example, over 90 percent of bariatric surgeries are performed that way. However, the utilization of minimally invasive techniques is still relatively uncommon among gynecological surgeons.
David L. Zisow, M.D., associate chief of Minimally Invasive Surgery at Northwest Hospital in Randallstown, Md., is seeking to change that. Zisow recently started a fellowship program at Northwest in which he trains his fellow gynecologists in these techniques free of charge. Called the STAT Program, Zisow and his colleague, W. Peter Geis, M.D., one of the founders of laparoscopic surgery in the United States, invite OB/GYNs to perform their surgery cases at Northwest Hospital, where Zisow or Geis offer them on-the-job training to learn MIS techniques.
"I've created this fellowship program because I care about women, and it's about time that they have the best options available when it comes to GYN surgery," says Zisow. "It's becoming more and more evident that patient recovery time is dependent upon the size of the external incisions rather than what is actually done internally to the body. We can perform major surgeries internally, and as long as we make only keyhole-sized incisions, recovery time and chance of infection is reduced."
Zisow is an expert in complex laparoscopic surgery and other minimally invasive gynecologic procedures. Zisow graduated from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He trained at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore in a straight residency in obstetrics and gynecology, and was chief resident from 1976 to 1977.
In 1980, Zisow was board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and a member of the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists, the Maryland Obstetrics and Gynecology Society, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the Baltimore County Medical Society.
Addressing the Global Congress of Minimally Invasive Gynecology, 37th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists, Zisow recently gave a video presentation on "Laparscopic Hysterectomy of the Very Large Uterus."
Northwest Hospital is part of LifeBridge Health, one of Baltimore's largest health organizations that includes Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital, and Courtland Gardens Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.
Source: LifeBridge Health
First Non-Invasive Technology For Treatment Of Uterine Fibroids Awarded MHLW Approval In Japan
InSightec Ltd. announced that Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) has approved the company's ExAblate(R) MR-guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) system for the treatment of women with uterine fibroids.
"We are very pleased that the Japanese Ministry of Health has approved the ExAblate system and that women in Japan will now have access to a noninvasive treatment option for uterine fibroids," said Dr. Kobi Vortman, President and Chief Executive Officer of InSightec. "The approval was based on a growing body of evidence showing that ExAblate is a safe, effective, and durable treatment for this widespread, life-impacting condition. ExAblate is an outpatient procedure and patients normally return home the same day and to work within one to two days compared to lengthy hospitalizations and recovery times associated with more invasive procedures such as hysterectomy, myomectomy or UAE."
ExAblate is currently the only noninvasive treatment for uterine fibroids approved for use in Japan. Approximately 25% Japanese women will develop symptomatic uterine fibroids, primarily during childbearing years. These benign tumors can significantly impair functionality and degrade quality of life resulting in significant work absences.
Using the ExAblate system, the physician uses the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to visualize the patient's anatomy and then aims focused ultrasound waves at the targeted tissue to thermally ablate, or destroy it. The MRI allows the physician to monitor and continuously adjust the treatment in real time. The patient is consciously sedated to alleviate pain and minimize motion.
A growing body of evidence supports the system's safety and efficacy, including the results of a study published in the August 2007 edition of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The study showed that ExAblate offered women sustained relief from uterine fibroid symptoms for up to two years, with a low incidence of side effects. The 359-patient Mayo Clinic-led collaborative study also showed that destroying as much of the fibroid as possible leads to the most durable symptom relief with 85% of the participants experiencing symptom improvement after one year. Studies conducted in Japan indicate similar results.
The ExAblate system received the CE Mark for uterine fibroids in October 2002 and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in 2004. Over 5,500 women around the world have chosen to undergo the non-invasive ExAblate treatment for their symptomatic uterine fibroids over invasive surgery.
GE Healthcare is the approval holder and distributor of ExAblate in Japan.
About InSightec
InSightec Ltd. is a privately held company owned by Elbit Imaging, General Electric, MediTech Advisors, LLC and employees. It was founded in 1999 to develop the breakthrough MR guided Focused Ultrasound technology and transform it into the next generation operating room. Headquartered near Haifa, Israel, the company has over 160 employees and has invested more than $130 million in research, development, and clinical investigations. Its U.S. headquarters are located in Dallas, Texas.
About GE Healthcare Japan
GE Healthcare Japan Corporation provides cutting edge medical technologies and healthcare services that design the next-generation patient care model by utilizing its expertise across a wide range of areas such as; medical diagnostic imaging systems and healthcare IT equipments such as CT (Computerized Tomography) systems and MR (Magnetic Resonance) imaging systems, medical diagnostic drugs, biological information monitors, drug discovery, biotechnology-based drugs, and providing support for the management of healthcare institutes. GE Healthcare Japan Corporation was established as the core site in Japan for the healthcare business section within the General Electric Company (GE, based in the U.S.).
Source: InSightec Ltd
"We are very pleased that the Japanese Ministry of Health has approved the ExAblate system and that women in Japan will now have access to a noninvasive treatment option for uterine fibroids," said Dr. Kobi Vortman, President and Chief Executive Officer of InSightec. "The approval was based on a growing body of evidence showing that ExAblate is a safe, effective, and durable treatment for this widespread, life-impacting condition. ExAblate is an outpatient procedure and patients normally return home the same day and to work within one to two days compared to lengthy hospitalizations and recovery times associated with more invasive procedures such as hysterectomy, myomectomy or UAE."
ExAblate is currently the only noninvasive treatment for uterine fibroids approved for use in Japan. Approximately 25% Japanese women will develop symptomatic uterine fibroids, primarily during childbearing years. These benign tumors can significantly impair functionality and degrade quality of life resulting in significant work absences.
Using the ExAblate system, the physician uses the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to visualize the patient's anatomy and then aims focused ultrasound waves at the targeted tissue to thermally ablate, or destroy it. The MRI allows the physician to monitor and continuously adjust the treatment in real time. The patient is consciously sedated to alleviate pain and minimize motion.
A growing body of evidence supports the system's safety and efficacy, including the results of a study published in the August 2007 edition of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The study showed that ExAblate offered women sustained relief from uterine fibroid symptoms for up to two years, with a low incidence of side effects. The 359-patient Mayo Clinic-led collaborative study also showed that destroying as much of the fibroid as possible leads to the most durable symptom relief with 85% of the participants experiencing symptom improvement after one year. Studies conducted in Japan indicate similar results.
The ExAblate system received the CE Mark for uterine fibroids in October 2002 and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in 2004. Over 5,500 women around the world have chosen to undergo the non-invasive ExAblate treatment for their symptomatic uterine fibroids over invasive surgery.
GE Healthcare is the approval holder and distributor of ExAblate in Japan.
About InSightec
InSightec Ltd. is a privately held company owned by Elbit Imaging, General Electric, MediTech Advisors, LLC and employees. It was founded in 1999 to develop the breakthrough MR guided Focused Ultrasound technology and transform it into the next generation operating room. Headquartered near Haifa, Israel, the company has over 160 employees and has invested more than $130 million in research, development, and clinical investigations. Its U.S. headquarters are located in Dallas, Texas.
About GE Healthcare Japan
GE Healthcare Japan Corporation provides cutting edge medical technologies and healthcare services that design the next-generation patient care model by utilizing its expertise across a wide range of areas such as; medical diagnostic imaging systems and healthcare IT equipments such as CT (Computerized Tomography) systems and MR (Magnetic Resonance) imaging systems, medical diagnostic drugs, biological information monitors, drug discovery, biotechnology-based drugs, and providing support for the management of healthcare institutes. GE Healthcare Japan Corporation was established as the core site in Japan for the healthcare business section within the General Electric Company (GE, based in the U.S.).
Source: InSightec Ltd
Core Needle Breast Biopsies Safe For Patients Taking Blood Thinners
It is safe to take anticoagulants (blood thinners) before core needle breast biopsies, according to a study performed at the Elizabeth Wende Breast Clinic in Rochester, NY. Core needle biopsies are offered as an alternative to surgical biopsy when a tissue sample of an irregular area in the breast is found by mammogram or sonogram. "They are safer than surgical procedures, require fewer anesthetics, and are accurate," according to Patricia Somerville, MD, lead author of the study.
The study included 200 women who were taking anticoagulants (blood thinners) and 855 women who were not. Adverse reactions, lumps and bruises, after a woman's core needle biopsy were recorded. Results showed that lumps or bruising occurred in 34% of women who were taking blood thinners and 26.5% of women who were not taking them.
"Our study demonstrates that it is safe to perform core needle biopsies on patients taking aspirin and warfarin (another name for coumadin). Patients can remain on their medications and avoid surgical biopsy if the lesion is benign," said Dr. Somerville.
This study appears in the October issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.
About ARRS
The American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) was founded in 1900 and is the oldest radiology society in the United States. Its monthly journal, the American Journal of Roentgenology, began publication in 1906. Radiologists from all over the world attend the ARRS annual meeting to participate in instructional courses, scientific paper presentations and scientific and commercial exhibits related to the field of radiology. The Society is named after the first Nobel Laureate in Physics, Wilhelm R?¶entgen, who discovered the x-ray in 1895.
American Roentgen Ray Society
View drug information on Warfarin Sodium tablets.
The study included 200 women who were taking anticoagulants (blood thinners) and 855 women who were not. Adverse reactions, lumps and bruises, after a woman's core needle biopsy were recorded. Results showed that lumps or bruising occurred in 34% of women who were taking blood thinners and 26.5% of women who were not taking them.
"Our study demonstrates that it is safe to perform core needle biopsies on patients taking aspirin and warfarin (another name for coumadin). Patients can remain on their medications and avoid surgical biopsy if the lesion is benign," said Dr. Somerville.
This study appears in the October issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.
About ARRS
The American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) was founded in 1900 and is the oldest radiology society in the United States. Its monthly journal, the American Journal of Roentgenology, began publication in 1906. Radiologists from all over the world attend the ARRS annual meeting to participate in instructional courses, scientific paper presentations and scientific and commercial exhibits related to the field of radiology. The Society is named after the first Nobel Laureate in Physics, Wilhelm R?¶entgen, who discovered the x-ray in 1895.
American Roentgen Ray Society
View drug information on Warfarin Sodium tablets.
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