Dr. Chapa’s OBGYN Clinical Pearls

COVID-19 MEMEs are plentiful across social media platforms. Cynical medical humor has been around for decades. This phenomenon was made public in the late 1970s with a book called, “The House of God“. What does the literature say about the pros/cons of dark medical humor? Is this helpful or detrimental? And, what does dark humor have to do with “mind medicine”? We will dive into these questions in this session!

Phenylketonuria is better known as Phenylalanine Hydroxylase Deficiency (PAH-D). This genetic condition can have significant implications for the reproductive age woman including adverse pregnancy outcomes and congenital fetal malformations. In April 2020, the ACOG will release a new committee opinion (802) on the management of women with PAH-D. What Maternal serum levels are optimal to prevent adverse obstetrical outcomes? Do these pregnancies require specific fetal evaluation? What are the other health implications of elevated phenylalanine levels? We will answer these questions more in this session.

In April 2020, the ACOG will release a new committee opinion (803) on adolescent confidentiality and ObGyn. What is the difference between a “mature minor” and an “emancipated” minor? Can minors receive contraception without parental consent? What about emergency care? In this podcast we will highlight (and expand upon) very important points made in this new committee opinion. We will also address potential breaches of adolescent confidentiality due to the use of electronic health records.

It doesn’t matter who you are, what your title/position is, or how physically strong you are, times of social distancing and quarantine can take a mental toll on everyone. Nonetheless, we have a non-prescription, powerful anti-depressant at our disposable. Medical science has proven that the act of gratitude can physically affect not only our mindset, but can physically alter our brain, and impact our overall health as well. In this podcast, will take a look at the data.

The AHA has just released interim guidance for healthcare providers performing CPR on suspected or known COVID-19 patients. This guidance include the restriction on procedures that can generate aerosols (bag-valve masks, nebulizers, non-invasive positive pressure ventilation). This guidance is divided into pre-hospital/transport care, and hospital care. In this podcast we will summarize the AHA guidance adopted from the CDC.

This current global viral pandemic has shed light on the value of telemedicine. The ACOG endorses the use of telemedicine for pregnancy care as a way to “enhance“ prenatal/antepartum services. In this podcast we will review an effective model for prenatal telemedicine services, review its implementation, and discuss barriers to use.

March 20, 2020: Currently, we are in desperate need of some encouraging news. Social distancing, times of quarantine, and a viral pandemic can easily overwhelm the strongest of individuals. So, this is our inaugural podcast for MIND MEDICINE. In this episode we will cover 2 incredible stories of 2 physicians who overcame incredible odds by the power of their will to survive: Dr. Leo Rogozov and Dr. Viktor Frankl. Let the true accounts of these two remarkable individuals inspire you, encourage you, and prove to you that uncertain times can still be an opportunity for extraordinary survival.

Stay encouraged, focused, and passionate.

Even though we have covered this topic in a prior podcast, the urgent need for Hepatitis C screening in pregnant women still leads the medical literature. In the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology, a new current commentary will soon be released titled, “A call to action: the urgent need for hepatitis C screening in pregnant women“. In this podcast, we will summarize the key aspects of this current commentary, proving that despite the ACOG recommendation of using a risk-based model, that ACOG recommendation is now outdated.

Welcome back! In this session, we will cover the echogenic cardiac focus, short humerus and femur length, fetal pyelectasis, and single umbilical artery!