Dr. Chapa’s OBGYN Clinical Pearls

It’s the holiday season, but the holidays can exacerbate depression/anxiety and even increase suicidal ideation in some individuals. Suicide deaths are a leading cause of maternal mortality in the US, yet the prevalence and trends in suicidality (suicidal ideation and/or intentional self-harm) among childbearing individuals remain poorly described. Oddly, the CDC data excludes deaths from "accidental or incidental causes," such as suicide, overdose, or homicide in their maternal mortality reporting. In this session, we will review US maternal mortality rates and review new data regarding perinatal suicidal ideation and acts.

A brief explanation regarding our podcast just released, “Ovaries In or Out”!

Debating the benefits of keeping ovaries during hysterectomy, focusing on survival benefits and potential risks. Exploring implications of postmenopausal ovaries on overall health, including bone, cardiovascular, and cognitive function. Emphasizing the importance of optimal timing for benign ovary removal and discussing implications of prophylactic oophorectomy.

Considered controversial, traditionally steroids for fetal lung maturation were not given in patients with clinical chorioamnionitis. But is this really evidence-based? And since most patients will be delivered quickly after this diagnosis, how fast can steroids be expected to have a benefit on the child? In this session we will summarize a December 2020 Expert Review from the AGOG on that subject.

In the very near future, possibly just days away, the FDA is anticipated to approve at least 1 new COVID-19 vaccine. Were pregnant and/or lactating women included in the phase III vaccine clinical trials? What is the safety data for the vaccine in pregnancy? Are pregnant and/or lactating women part of the vaccine distribution framework? These are tough, and even controversial, aspects that must be considered. In this session, we will review the current state of the vaccine and how it applies to pregnant/lactating women.

A woman dies every 12 hours in this country from pregnancy-related complications. 2/3rds of these deaths are preventable! Let that sink in. On December 3, 2020, the US Surgeon General released a CALL TO ACTION to rectify this reality. In particular, ONE race is carrying this burden more than others. In this podcast we will summarize the main points of this 71 page monograph, and tie in potential solutions.

Once considered TABOO, women having receptive “Backdoor” sexual attention has gained a lot of press in both medical as well as non-medical publications. Does ACOG have a committee opinion on this? YES. And in this podcast we will discuss data on prevalence of, orgasmic response to, and possible STI implications of “backdoor activities” in women.

The two most common types of headaches in pregnancy are tension type and migraine. Is Imitrex safe to use in pregnancy? A common alternative medication regimen includes the use of Benadryl and Reglan for acute headache. Is there data for this? And what about Botox in pregnancy? In this podcast we will review the data on the medical management of migraine headaches in pregnancy.

In December 2020, ACOG will release an updated committee opinion on delayed umbilical cord clamping with 3 additional areas addressed: 1. multiple gestations, 2. cord milking in extreme premature infants, and 3. the effect of delayed cord clamping on umbilical cord blood collection. We will summarize these key points in this session!

In 2017, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association revised the definition of normal BP, elevated BPs, and Stage 1 & 2 Hypertension. ACOG has not adopted these new classifications for pregnancy care. Are women with elevated blood pressures or Stage I hypertension at risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes? In this podcast, we will review a soon to be released publication from the AJOG which helps answer these questions. (Data from: “Perinatal outcomes in women with elevated blood pressure and stage 1 hypertension”, GREENBERG et al)