Complications of Pregnancy
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CMS, HHS Offer Multipronged Approach to Improving Maternal Health
Biden administration asks hospitals to review policies and procedures, calls on states to expand postpartum coverage under Medicaid and CHIP.
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COVID-19 Vaccination, Pregnancy, Lactation, and Fertility
Vaccination rates are notably low among pregnant women. Clinicians should underscore the safety of vaccination and the risks of natural infection, particularly in pregnancy and in patients with underlying comorbidities.
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IRBs Often Reluctant to Approve Inclusion of Pregnant Participants in Research
Some IRB members cite uncertainty on whether inclusion of pregnant participants could affect the study’s scientific validity. Others acknowledge they rely on the common, default practice of excluding pregnant individuals without requiring justification. Guidance is needed for characterizing the risk level of research procedures in the context of pregnancy.
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Disease-Specific Contraceptive Counseling Needed for Sickle Cell Disease Patients
Healthcare providers need to focus on educating women with sickle cell disease about different types of contraception, efficacy, and risks while addressing disease-specific concerns. Women with sickle cell disease are at risk for pregnancy complications, such as higher risks for maternal and fetal mortality, pre-eclampsia, and intrauterine growth restriction. -
Researchers Study COVID-19 Vaccine Outreach to Pregnant Women
The results of a recent study highlight the gaps in COVID-19 vaccination among pregnant women in the United States. Although pregnant women are at increased risk for severe illness and death from the disease, many remain unvaccinated. -
Cardiovascular Disease Risk Is Increasing Among Reproductive-Age Women
Cardiovascular disease among women of reproductive age has increased in recent years for a variety of reasons, and reproductive health providers should be aware of particular risk factors and issues involving this population. Clinicians should help this high-risk group prevent unplanned pregnancies, researchers noted.
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Adolescents with HIV Experience High Rates of Unintended Pregnancies
Adolescents living with HIV in the United States are among the groups with the highest rates of adolescent pregnancy. The latest research shows these pregnancies are likely to be unintended. Researchers found 83.6% of pregnancies among HIV-infected adolescents were unintended. Among adult women with HIV in this study, 68.7% experienced unintended pregnancy.
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New Risk Factors for Atherosclerosis
An analysis of the Women’s Health Study based on a recent questionnaire about adverse pregnancy outcomes showed hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and low birth weight are independent predictors of subsequent atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
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Hospital Reduces High Cesarean Delivery Rate to Below Average
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine both recognize cesarean deliveries can save lives, but they advise vaginal deliveries for most pregnancies because the risk is lower than that of cesarean deliveries. The cesarean delivery rate is considered a key indicator of quality and patient safety. Leapfrog reported the average cesarean rate nationwide in 2018 was 26.1%, although the organization set a target of 23.9%.
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Spacing Childbirth Is Better for Women’s and Children’s Health
Women’s health benefits from waiting at least two years after a live birth before the next pregnancy. The results of a recent study reveal that women are more likely to space out childbearing after participating in a two-year intervention that includes providing women with access to family planning counselors, free transportation to a high-quality family planning clinic, referrals for services, consultations, and financial reimbursement for family planning services.