Dr. Chapa’s Clinical Pearls.

Somethings in medicine are pretty cut and dry. Others...not so much. Such is the case with obstetrical management of PPROM with a cervical cerclage in place. Should it be removed, or left in place? While the ACOG has some guidance from March 2020, there has been additional publications released, including one from SMFM. PLUS, a November 2024 review on the topic (AJOG MFM) has suggested a practical approach to this clinical scenario. Listen in for details.

In late 2024, the CDC updated their MEC on contraception in those with medical co-morbidities. Obesity (BMI >/= 30) was also referenced in that revision. NOW, coming out officially in 2025, The Society of Family Planning has released their committee statement on "contraception and body weight". Is there a certain BMI class where a type of BC is contraindicated? Does BC make you fat?! Listen in for details.

We have made SIGNIFICANT progress in our ability to screen for fetal RH factor using cell free DNA from maternal blood. Cell-free DNA to determine the fetal RHD genotype from the maternal circulation was first described in 1993. We have come so far since them. In March 2024, the ACOG released a Practice Advisory stating, “the use of NIPT to prioritize use of RhIg and conserve RhIg supply is a reasonable consideration”. Two U.S. companies have introduced cell-free DNA assays for RHD as part of their noninvasive prenatal testing assays. These assays use next generation sequencing to determine the presence of fetal RHD DNA. These tests are NEAR perfect in accuracy (we will review the latest data here). So, how can it be possible to detect the RHD gene (when truly present), yet the fetus ultimately be found to have RH negative blood? In other words, how do we explain the occurrence of genotype/phenotype discrepancy? The science is clear. In this episode, we will review this unusual phenomenon and summarize a recent (November 2024) clinical validation study on the use of cell free DNA test testing to look for this “genomic variance”. This article was also on the Green Journal’s “Spotlight on Fetal RHD” on 12/16/2024. Is this common? And which patient population is more likely to have this? Listen in for details.

The saying says, “The Devil is in the details”. This idiomatic phrase that means even the grandest project depends on the success of the smallest components. So is the case with low dose ASA for preeclampsia prevention. Currently, the ACOG states, “Low-dose aspirin (LDA) (81 mg/day) prophylaxis is recommended in women at high risk of preeclampsia and should be initiated between 12 weeks and 28 weeks of gestation (optimally before 16 weeks) and continued daily until delivery” (ACOG CO 743; 2018). But the DOSE of LDA is controversial with mounting data that the minimal dose should be 100mg, with leading commentaries pushing for 162 mgs here in the US. We have covered this MANY times on our show. But there is a separate issue here that is often missed. Does it matter WHEN in the day this is taken? Is taking LDA first time in the morning best? What about after lunch? At bedtime? There is data here to guide us. In this episode, we will review the CHRONOBIOLOGIC response of LDA in pregnancy. Yes, that is a real term! This is also reflected in the March of Dimes data. Plus, there is Level I data supporting the best time to take aspirin- and it is fascinating. Listen in for details.

EVERYTHING CHANGES! So true. And now, the USPSTF has changed (UPDATED) their recommendations for cervical cancer screening in regards to HPV primary screening. This is BRAND NEW, within the last 24 hours. Primary HPV screening for cervical cancer has gained a lot of steam and is progressing quickly. The FDA approval of “dual stain” testing of hrHPV positive results, the recent FDA approval for patient self-collection for HPV vaginal samples in a clinical setting, and now this new draft recommendation from the USPSTF. What did they update? How is that controversial? Listen in for details!

Well, in this episode we have 2 very interesting and challenging clinical situations. These come from real world clinical encounters so we thought we would share these with you because they are brain teasers and should be discussed. They both have to do with OB ultrasound. First, is there a “minimal” CRL to estimate gestational age? In other words, is there a CRL that is too small to be accurate? It’s an intriguing question and we will give an answer! Second, in women with regular and predictable menstrual cycles that are every 21 or 35 days, how to we “reconcile” a CRL EGA since that CRL algorithm is based on a “typical 4-week cycle”? How can we? Should we adjust the sono dating? WE will review in this episode. PLUS, we will review the latest data on how AI can greatly impact gestational age calculation via ultrasound. So, we have 2 questions, and we will give 2 answers (2 x2)…Listen in for details.

Acetaminophen (Paracetamol) is a common over-the-counter medication that has gained substantial media attention regarding its use by pregnant women. Although estimates vary considerably, most studies and surveys report that around 40–65% of women take acetaminophen sometime during their pregnancy. Historically considered safe, concern was initially raised back in 2014 with a JAMA Pediatrics publication stated that use in pregnancy lead to ADHD in the offspring. Seven years later, in 2021, a consensus statement published in Nature Reviews Endocrinology suggested that acetaminophen use in pregnancy might increase the risk of neurodevelopmental and urogenital tract abnormalities in offspring and called for “precautionary action”. This lead tgo an ACOG response back in Sep 29, 2021 (we will review). This is very controversial. Today, Dec 5, 2024, a new clinical perspective was published in Obstetrics & Gynecology adding another flavor to the mix. Is acetaminophen a direct cause of fetal harm? Listen in for details!

In November 2013, ACOG issued the Hypertension in Pregnancy Task Force Report recommending daily low-dose aspirin (81mg) beginning in the late 1st trimester for women with a history of early-onset preeclampsia and preterm delivery at less than 34 0/7 weeks, or for women with more than one prior pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia. The following year, the USPSTF published a similar guideline, although the list of indications for low-dose aspirin use was more expansive. Since then, the ACOG has issued new guidance on low-dose aspirin, in 2018 and 2021. Nonetheless, while criteria for use has evolved, the dosage recommended has remained as 81 mg. But MEDICINE MOVES FAST, and a new Expert Review in the AJOG MFM is making a case for 162mg. Are we underdosing low-dose aspirin for prevention of preeclampsia? A litany of data says YES. Listen in for details.

The first successful births from frozen eggs were twins, born in Australia in 1986. IVF serves a valuable role for those with persistent infertility issues or other conditions where natural conception is hindered. Although oocyte cryopreservation was initially used as a fertility preservation strategy for medical indications, currently, it is increasingly used to circumvent age-related infertility. This process of elective egg retrieval and cryopreservation- targeting women in their 20s- has gotten out of hand! Mainly due to social media, Gen Z women are panicking about their fertility. Should They Be? For decades, the age of 35 has been seen as a “demarcation line” for female fertility. Before 35, the theory often goes, most women will have little trouble conceiving, but at that point, fertility falls off a cliff. This misunderstanding of natural fertility processes, spurred on by false information on social media, has led to 20-somethings calling for egg retrieval and egg freezing. The dread of age 35 is so pervasive that its effect bleeds backward in time, with women in their early 30s—and yes, sometimes even in their late 20s—already feeling as if they are behind in the race against their “biological clock.” But the reality of fertility “loss” is much more complicated then just “falling off a cliff” and should be viewed more as of a natural “slope” rather than a “cliff”. About a decade after it shed its “experimental” label from the ASRM, oocyte retrieval and cyropreservation has become ubiquitous in our social media culture and has ballooned in popularity, with over a million frozen eggs or embryos stored in the United States today. It has done little, however, to materially change women’s lives. The ASRM has an ETHICS COMMITTEE OPINION (2024) on this very thing. Is 35 really a fertility cliff? Or it it 32? Is egg freezing in late or early 30s the best way to go for delayed fertility? Listen in for details as we set the record straight.

Introducing one of our Senior Residents, Dr. Mauldin: Dr. Mauldin just told me of a real patient encounter she had just today, that I felt we HAD to share with everyone. This real encounter is WHY we are passionate about EVIDENCE-BASED medicine! PLUS, we will introduce our NEXT episode which will focus on "elective egg harvesting and freezing" for young women who may have "delayed fertility" due to career path. The social media influence on what has come t be called "social egg harvesting" by some, has gotten out of hand! Listen in to her personal history and perspective on this!

In the United States, more than 400,000 babies are born prematurely each year, which is about 1 in 10 babies. Over the last several decades, multiple studies have shown a link between poor oral health and increased occurrence of preterm birth. Researchers have looked at various ways to improve dental health during pregnancy, including doing a “deep-teeth cleaning” (also called ‘scaling and planing’), which involves removing plaque and tarter on the teeth and below the gum line. However, despite improving periodontitis, deep teeth cleaning approaches have not proven to be effective in the prevention of preterm birth. But now new data has discovered an easy and inexpensive way to improve oral health and potentially reduce preterm births. This data was originally presented at the annual Pregnancy meeting at SMFM, but now it is a peer reviewed publication. In this episode, we will review how chewing xylitol gum has promising results for preterm birth reduction. Nonetheless, some important limitations must be reviewed. Listen In for details.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the World Health Organization recommend primary HPV screening, starting at age 25, as an option (some as preferred) for cervical cancer screening. Although primary HPV screening is as effective as cotesting at detecting cervical cancer, primary HPV screening decreases the number of lifetime screenings needed. The primary HPV screening tests approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are the Roche Cobas and BD Onclarity tests. HPV results for the Roche and BD tests can be reported as a pooled result. This means the physician receives a result of negative or positive, in which positive indicates that at least one, but possibly more, types of high-risk HPV were identified in the sample. HPV genotyping options differ by manufacturer. Roche Cobas reports HPV 16 and 18 individually and groups 12 other types (i.e., positivity means at least one of the 12 types triggered the positive result). BD Onclarity reports six individual HPV types (16, 18, 31 [the highest risk going immediately to colposcopy], 45, 51, and 52), and combined types (33/58), (35/39/68). Now, as of March/April 2024, the ASCCP has recognized another important and clinically useful HPV and co-test TRIAGE tool, the DUAL STAIN. This pertains only to the ROCHE COBAS HPV test. In this episode, we will review this latest ENDURING GUIDELINES update to the 2019 ASCCP management algorithms (already updated in the ASCCP app).

With an estimated 3.8 million breast cancer survivors in the United States, OBGYNs and other women's healthcare providers often are on the front lines of addressing survivorship issues, including the hypoestrogenic-related adverse effects of cancer therapies or early menopause in survivors. Although systemic and vaginal estrogen are used widely for symptomatic relief of genitourinary syndrome of menopause in the general population, among individuals with a history of hormone-sensitive cancer, there is uncertainty about the safety of hormone-based therapy, leading many individuals with bothersome symptoms to remain untreated, with potential negative consequences on quality of life. The term genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) is the term used to describe to a constellation of symptoms that relate to hypoestrogenic effects on the genital epithelium, such as genital dryness, burning, and irritation; potential downstream effects of vulvar and vaginal atrophy such as dyspareunia; urinary symptoms such as urgency or dysuria; and recurrent urinary tract infections. Is vaginal estrogen or estrogen-like therapies safe in these patients? What about in those using aromatase inhibitors? A new Meta-Analysis (AJOG) provides insights. Listen in for details.

Yep! We have definitely covered the evolving saga and controversy regarding antenatal corticosteroids in the late preterm/early term interval. It's like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz: "Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!" More fitting for our discussion, its "Steroids, and Studies, and Shared-Decisions, Oh My!" In this episode we will highlight TWO pieces of literature coming out in DECEMBER 2024 in the Green Journal on this topic. The article is by Clapp et al and the associated editorial piece will be the core part of our episode. Listen in for details!

Well, in the last 4 weeks there have some interesting developments in the sphere of OBGYN medical news. In October 2024, out of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, came a study on the possibility of using serum FAR to predict preeclampsia with severe features in admitted patients (don’t worry, we’ll discuss what FAR is!). PLUS, some exciting, although preliminary, data has been published out of Baylor College of Medicine raising the possibility of a non-invasive test for endometriosis using…POOP! Yep, poop. And on October 31, 2024 a new clinical perspectives article was published in the Green Journal “CHALLANGING” the recent ACOG’s Clinical Practice Update regarding screening for pregestational DM in early pregnancy. Intrigued? You should be….we will cover these 3 tidbits of OBGYN news in this episode!

The ARRIVE was published in the New England Journal of Medicine on August 8, 2018 1. This study was a large unmasked multicenter trial conducted from March 2014 to August randomized 6,106 nulliparous women to either IOL or expectant management at full term. The trial was conducted at 41 facilities across the United States. This validated that eIOL at 39 weeks, in that patient population, had the ability to reduce cesarean sections and rates of hypertensive diseases of pregnancy. Since that time, elective IOLs have INCREASED at 39 weeks as some messaging was distorted implying that IOL was the BEST way to go over expectant management. Has other data since 2018 found the same thing? Or were the results of the ARRIVE trial an aberration? The ACOG has JUST RELEASED a new CPU which provides additional insights to this. Listen in for details!

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a leading cause of health care visits in the USA and around the world. In the US, they have a cost burden of $3.5 billion annually. Half of women experience at least one UTI in their lifetime, and approximately 25% of these women develop recurrent UTIs! On October 31, 2024, a study was published in Obstetrics Gynecology (the Green Journal) looking at UTI treatment trends in nonpregnant women. With the increased use of tele-visits, there is now a conundrum between allowing easier access to care (tele-visit) and treatment of UTIs online balanced against contributing to antibiotic resistance. Is urine culture recommended prior to antibiotic use for uncomplicated UTI? That depends on who you read! We will discuss this issue in this episode. PLUS, we will briefly discuss a NEW oral antibiotic for uncomplicated UTI in women; this was just FDA approved on October 25, 2024.

Everyone understands that VTE (DVT and/or VTE) requires life-saving anticoagulation. That's simple. No controversy there. But what about pregnancy-associated superficial thrombophlebitis (AKA superficial venous thrombosis) in an extremity? Does that need anticoagulation? We have been traditionally taught that superficial venous issues are benign and do not require LMWH. Is that correct? The answer is NOT as straightforward as you would think. In this episode, we will review the 2018 ASH guidelines and contrast them to the 2022 published consensus statement from the Balkan Working Group. Plus, we will highlight a May 2023 Danish population based study from the Lancet Hematology that reminds us that superficial venous disease is not always benign in its course. Listen in for details,

According to the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE; 2024), women who are S/P scheduled CS and recovering well, who are afebrile, and do not have complications, should be discharged early (after 24 h) and followed at home because this is not related to the readmission of the baby or mother. However, the first 24 hours after a C-section can be challenging, with many of the same challenges as a vaginal delivery PLUS the usual post-surgical issues: The mother will be adjusting to new parenthood, attempting breastfeeding, and fielding visitors; the incision will be sore, and pain may increase as anesthesia wears off. Is this postop plan coming to the USA? A soon to be published systematic review and meta-analysis (Dec 2024) in the AJOG MFM seems to favor that. Is this the new progression of the postop ERAS protocol? Listen in for details.

Welcome Back to another episode of "You ask, We Answer"! As Abrysvo (RSV vaccine) now has some time on the market, some women may find themselves with a subsequent pregnancy after first receiving the injection in the prior pregnancy. Is another RSV vaccine recommended with each pregnancy, like TDap? The answer to that question depends on where you live. We will discuss in this episode. PLUS, have you heard of CLITOXIN? Its a little botulinum toxin injected into the clitoris for "enhanced sexual response". Is that evidence-based? Is there data for that?! Listen in for details.