Dr. Chapa’s OBGYN Clinical Pearls

Here’s proof that our catchphrase, “Medicine Moves Fast“ is 100% true! On October 30, 2022, and again on November 1, 2022, we released episodes on “Dense Breasts on MMG? What to do?”. Those episodes were in response to Katie Couric’s public outcry for the need for additional screening at time of mammogram in the setting of dense breasts. On March 9, 2023, the FDA issued a new ruling/guidance on patient notification of breast density at screening mammogram. And now, in April 2023, the ACOG has released its new Practice Advisory (PA) on the subject. In this episode, we will quickly summarize this practice advisory, it’s implications for us as clinicians, and implications to our patients.

A quick update and commentary on the recent (April 6, 2023) FDA decision to withdraw approval of Makena for preterm birth prophylaxis.

Pregnancy causes some well-known and well documented physical changes to the body. While hyperpigmentation, breast enlargement, and increase in vaginal discharge are non-disputed physical changes during pregnancy, other effects on mental capacity (memory and cognition) are more controversial. Does “mommy brain” really exist? Or is it a fulfilled psycho-social expectation? Does pregnancy actually change the brain? In this episode, we’ll present the data and provide some practical tips at the end of the show to help tackle the elusive foe called “momnesia”.

For a patient who presents after an episode of unprotected sexual intercourse, seeking testing for STIs, it’s important to know when to perform the test. The time between infection and a positive test is called the testing window. This testing window can be different for different pathogens. In this episode, we will review the importance of knowing this testing window, and we will also review the differences between pathogen inoculation, incubation/latency, and their overlap with the testing window.

Von Willebrand Disease (VWD) is the most common inherited bleeding disorder among American women, and it may present with a history of mucocutaneous bleeding patterns. Ideally, women should be screened/identified with this condition prior to pregnancy- but that is not always the case. How does VWD affect delivery? Is this a cause of immediate PPH? In this episode we will review the clinical manifestations of VWD in pregnancy. We will: 1. review appropriate labs tests for this evaluation, 2. summarize the recommended management peripartum, and 3. discuss if a C-Section is required in the affected patient. LOTS of material is covered in this episode! (References: ACOG's Clinicals Expert Series, March 2023; ACOG CO 785).

For women’s healthcare, there are 3 ways to screen for genital GC, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis: 1. vaginal swab, 2. endocervical swab, or 3. first-catch urine. The CDC states that, “For female screening, specimens obtained with a vaginal swab are the preferred specimen type. Vaginal swab specimens are as sensitive as cervical swab specimens.” Why does it not favor urine screening? Although acceptable at a POPULATION level, there are several caveats to urine screening for STIs at an INDIVIDUAL level. In this episode, we will review the latest published data (March/April) regarding the sensitivity of urine screening for these 3 common STIs. Additionally, we will summarize important instructions/tips for proper self-swab collection, and proper first-catch urine testing.

We have come a long way in our understanding of the “Stein and Leventhal Syndrome”. First described in 1935, our understanding of the pathogenesis and future health morbidities of PCOS has grown exponentially. We now know that AMH levels may help in the certain PCOS diagnoses. At the center of this clinical condition lies insulin resistance (IR). One of the manifestations of IR is Acanthosis nigricans (AN). (But AN can also be a marker of a much more deadly condition.) It is important to remember that not all PCOS patients are the same. In this episode, we will review the 4 phenotypes of PCOS and discuss a specific variant of the condition which is called the “lean PCOS variant”.

The rate of vegetarianism in the United States is dramatically on the rise. While in 2014, a national survey found that only 1% of the US population considered themselves vegetarian, current estimates put that number up to 6%. But not all vegetarians are the same. Is being a strict vegetarian (a.k.a., vegan) associated with any adverse perinatal outcomes? Does being vegan increase your risk of preterm birth? In this episode, we will cover the latest data on how diet can affect perinatal outcomes, and in-utero metabolic programming of the child. 🥑🥗🍎🍇🍊🌾🌾

Traditionally, fetal growth restriction (FGR) was diagnosed when the Hadlock EFW was < 10th percentile. However, in 2020, SMFM updated its publish guidelines endorsing the use of an isolated abdominal circumference (AC) under the 10th percentile as an additional diagnostic criterion. Is the isolated small AC linked to adverse perinatal outcomes? And what are the delivery recommendations for an isolated small AC? It’s a complicated issue with complicated data. In this episode we will provide the “He said, She said” reported outcomes for this clinical conundrum. At the end of the episode we will provide some real-world practical tips on how to manage the isolated AC growth restricted fetus. 🫄

Our current discipline of obstetrics owes a lot to the practice of Midwifery. In a previous episode, we covered “lessons learned from Midwifery” and that is available on our podcast archive. In this episode, we will discuss the data regarding a practice originally propagated by Midwifery: the Birthing Ball. What is the origin of this, and how did it make its way into obstetrical practice? Is there data for it’s use? Does it really help reduce labor pain? In this episode we will summarize the data of a soon-to-be released publication from the AJOG. In this episode, we will find out if the Birthing Ball is a toy… or a labor tool.