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Obstetrics
A summer optimizing obstetrics health care
Second-year student Antoilyn Nguyen spent their summer as a researcher analyzing labor and delivery charts as part of a long-term cohort study to standardize labor induction for better and more equitable results.
A novel method for monitoring the ‘engine’ of pregnancy
By combining optical measurements with ultrasound, researchers were able to study oxygen levels in the placenta, paving the way for a better understanding of this complex, crucial organ.
High blood pressure conditions during pregnancy increase cardiovascular disease risk 10 years later
A Penn Medicine study sheds light on challenges and potential solutions; Black women are particularly affected.
Daily micronutrient supplements during pregnancy reduce birth complications
The results of a six-year study of nearly 100,000 women in Botswana suggest iron plus folic acid and vitamins is better at reducing adverse birth outcomes compared to iron or folic acid alone.
A mental health specialist is helping underserved moms find their way
Lissette “Mitzy” Liriano, Chester County Hospital’s maternal mental health specialist, leads a support group called Moms Supporting Moms, in addition to dividing her time between the hospital and the mental health clinic, where she monitors a largely Hispanic population for mental health needs.
Key to detecting ovarian cancer early may be in the fallopian tubes
A lack of early detection or prevention strategies for ovarian cancer is a major cause of poor outcomes for patients, and most do not have a family history or inherited genetic risk, so there is a pressing need for the development of earlier detection methods.
Sister physicians share passion for local and global health equity
Trina and Nicole Salva are both OB/GYNs in Philadelphia whose outreach extends to underserved communities in the city, and to the Philippines—their family’s birthplace.
Helen Octavia Dickens: An expanded view of a trailblazing OB-GYN
Helen Octavia Dickens was not only the first African American woman faculty member in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Penn, but a vital leader in the community advocating for preventive health for women and teen girls of color.
Pregnancy and opioid-use disorder: How to keep pregnant patients and babies healthy
At the Perinatal Resources for Opioid Use Disorder (PROUD) Clinic at Penn Family Care, patients are screened for mental health conditions and supported with integrated care before, during, and after pregnancy.
Heart Safe Motherhood Program boosts access to care for at-risk new mothers
A first-of-its-kind program created by Penn Medicine has radically altered how preeclampsia is treated. Heart Safe Motherhood enables doctors to monitor new mothers with high blood pressure remotely, from the comfort of their own home.
In the News
Chester County mom, ovarian cancer survivor has miracle baby through surrogate
A Chester County woman and ovarian cancer survivor welcomed a new baby thanks to the help of a surrogate, with remarks from Clarisa Gracia of Penn Medicine.
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Medication abortion case could set up another explosive Supreme Court ruling—but it may not look like last year’s
Courtney Schreiber of the Perelman School of Medicine warns about the consequences of restricting access to the abortion drug mifepristone.
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Justice Department and abortion pill manufacturer ask appeals court to freeze judge’s order that could make drug unavailable after Friday
Courtney Schreiber of the Perelman School of Medicine says that some patients are unable to have procedural abortions due to their anatomy, while others might believe that abortion is no longer available or safe.
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For pregnant women and their newborns, COVID vaccine offers better protection than prior infection
Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia found that COVID vaccinations provide more robust protection for pregnant mothers than COVID infection, with a quote from CHOP’s Dustin Flannery.
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Revoke approval of preterm birth drug, FDA advisors say
Susan Ellenberg of the Perelman School of Medicine says that the FDA rejection of preterm birth drug 17-OHPC represents a return to square one.
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Don’t pay for cord-blood banking
Steve Joffe of the Perelman School of Medicine says that the rarity of cord blood use doesn’t lend itself to a successful business model for private cord blood banks.
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