ObGyn | Penn Medicine In the News

The Guys’ Guide to Birth Control

pennmedicinenews

Men’sHealth.com posted an article about what men should know about the various types of female birth control. Quoted throughout the article is Steven Sondheimer, MD, professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and associate chief of Penn Fertility Care. “Preventing pregnancy is something both partners should discuss openly,” says Dr. Sondheimer. “Both can take a part in reducing the risk.”

Antibiotics Beat Cranberries in Battle Against Bladder Infections

pennmedicinenews — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 15:36:38 +0000

MSNBC.com posted a story about a new study that came out Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine which concluded that “when it comes to preventing recurrent bladder infections, cranberry capsules do not work as well as daily antibiotics,” however, the supplements have a strong upside. “They are less likely to have side effects and to spark the growth of antibiotic resistant strains of...

Cool the Hot Flashes

pennmedicinenews — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:10:12 +0000

In a special on-line section of USA Today called “USA Weekend, Presents The Doctors,” an article is posted educating women on the latest medical and non-medical ways to help combat one of the main – and most disruptive – symptoms of menopause, hot flashes, The article cites research published in JAMA from the Perelman School of Medicine and led by Ellen Freeman, PhD, research professor of...

New Prenatal Tests Offer Safer, Early Screenings

pennmedicinenews — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:37:42 +0000

The Wall Street Journal reports on new, noninvasive blood tests for expectant mothers to find out if their babies have genetic disorders, such as down syndrome, without the risks of current tests. Now, a women had an amniocentesis. It required a needle inserted through the walls of the abdomen and uterus to draw fluids surrounding the fetus. It is uncomfortable and runs the risk of miscarriage....

Penn Fertility Experts Comments on Multiple Births After Local Sextuplets are Delivered

pennmedicinenews — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 14:22:18 +0000

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Abington Memorial Hospital announced the delivery of almost 10 weeks premature sextuplets there last Wednesday. All six babies are in the hospital's neonatal ICU in critical condition, on breathing machines and receiving nutrition intravenously in addition to their mother's milk. The mother underwent a fertility treatment called ovulation induction. Penn...

IVF Limits Could Reduce Newborn Deaths

pennmedicinenews — Fri, 13 May 2011 15:23:43 +0000

Reuters.com reports on a Canadian study in the Journal of Pediatrics which states that “Limiting the number of embryos used to get pregnant with in vitro fertilization (IVF) could reduce the number of newborn deaths, prevent cases of severe eye and brain damage, and cut the time babies spend in hospital.” The researchers conclude that “multi-embryo IVF is too risky to continue unrestricted, and...

Hot Flashes May Last More Than a Decade

pennmedicinenews — Wed, 11 May 2011 17:19:56 +0000

In continuing coverage, Canadian media outlets - Montreal Gazette, Edmonton Journal, and the Regina Leader-Post Online - reported on a Penn study published in Obstetrics and Gynecology which found that hot flashes are common during and after menopause and may last an average of more than ten years – more than twice as long as previously thought. The research also found that women who start...

Hot Flashes Last Longer than Expected in Practice

pennmedicinenews — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 20:15:13 +0000

Medscape Medical News reports on a Penn study coming out in the May issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology which states that hot flushes – which occur approximately one year after menopause and are not to be confused with hot flashes that occur during menopause – may last longer than generally accepted in clinical practice. “The goal of the study was to estimate the duration of moderate to severe...

Penn Study Seeks to Effectively Treat Unexplained Infertility While Reducing the Risk of Multiple Births

pennmedicinenews — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 17:02:31 +0000

Kurt T. Barnhart, MD, MSCE, professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, associate chief of Penn Fertility Care, director of the Women's Health Clinical Research Center and assistant dean of Clinical Research for the School of Medicine, is featured in an NBC10 story highlighting a current NIH-funded trial at Penn. Penn is one of only seven sites in the US currently conducting a study investigating...

Drinking Alcohol During Pregnancy: Not Even a Sip?

pennmedicinenews — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:10:56 +0000

A recent photo of a pregnant of Kate Hudson sipping what looks like a glass of red wine has spurred the age old debate about drinking alcoholic beverages during pregnancy. Is it ok in moderation? Leslie Renbaum, MD, OB/GYN at Pennsylvania Hospital commented to FOX29 on the issue. “Unfortunately, we don’t know how much alcohol causes Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, and that’s the problem. It could be one...

Premature-Birth Drug Going Private, at a Cost