Magee-Womens Hospital Awarded For Achievements In Reducing Elective Induced Labor

Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC recently won a first-place achievement award from the Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) in patient safety for achievements in researching and improving the process for elective induction of a woman's labor. Dennis English, M.D., vice president of medical affairs at Magee, and a team of obstetricians and nurses led the initiative, recognizing the negative consequences of electively inducing labor upon mothers' requests.

Should Pregnant Women Be Included In National Childrens' Study?

An ambitious new national study that aims to follow children from conception through adulthood will miss a golden opportunity to gather data on the most underrepresented population in clinical research - pregnant women, say leading ethicists at Duke University Medical Center, Johns Hopkins and Georgetown Universities.

U.S. Must Do More To Address Maternal Mortality In Developing Countries, Rep. Moore Writes In Opinion Piece

President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama's visit to Africa this weekend "will send a powerful message to the world about their commitment to ensuring Africa's continued progress," Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) writes in an opinion piece in The Hill.

No Psychological Risk In Children Next-Born After Stillbirth

There is no evidence that children next-born after stillbirth are clinically at risk compared to children of non-bereaved mothers, according to a study published in The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. However, the study did find evidence of less optimal mother-child interaction. Stillbirth can be a major psychological trauma to parents. Anecdotal accounts have suggested that children born subsequent to stillbirth of a sibling may be psychologically vulnerable.

Risk Of Upper Respiratory Tract Infection In Pregnancy Reduced By Fruit And Vegetable Intake

Boston University School of Medicine researchers (BUSM) have observed in a study of pregnant women that consumption of at least seven servings per day of fruits and vegetables moderately reduced the risk of developing an upper respiratory tract infection (URTI). The BUSM study appears online in the journal Public Health Nutrition. URTIs include the common cold and sinus infections, which can lead to lower respiratory problems, such as asthma or pneumonia.

Link Between Specific Antibodies And Spina Bifida Ruled Out By Irish-Led Research Team

New research, publishedin the New England Journal of Medicine, shows that a woman's risk of having a child with a neural tube defect (NTD), such as Spina Bifida, is not linked to folic acid related auto-antibodies. The findings refute a well publicised study in 2004, which had indicated a link between the presence of these auto-antibodies in the circulation of mothers who had children with Spina Bifida compared to those who did not.

ACOG Issues New Guidelines On Fetal Monitoring To Resolve Inconsistencies In Interpretation

The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recently published new guidelines on electronic fetal monitoring in an attempt to increase consistency in the way physicians interpret and act on the results, the New York Times reports.