Dr. Chapa’s OBGYN Clinical Pearls

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commentary, proving that despite the ACOG recommendation of using a risk-based model, that ACOG recommendation is now outdated.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!

In this session, Part 1, we will review soft markers of aneuploidy and their management. Soft markers of aneuploidy can be isolated or multiple. They can be associated with chromosomal, genetic, infectious causes, or they can be normal variants. In this session we will cover: ventriculomegaly, choroid plexus cysts, absent/hypoplastic nasal bone, nuchal folds, and echogenic bowel. Data for this podcast comes from SMFM and AIUM.

In the ACOG committee opinion (743) on low-dose aspirin in pregnancy, the College states that more data is necessary before low-dose aspirin can be recommended for the prevention of spontaneous preterm birth. However, that was in 2018. Data since then (including data from January 2020 from the NIH) is supportive of aspirin use for the prevention of preterm birth. What does this data look like? In this episode we will review the possible indication of low-dose aspirin for the prevention of spontaneous preterm birth.

Virtual reality is well-established in the gaming community, but data is expanding regarding its utility and effectiveness for a variety of medical conditions. In February 2020, at the annual meeting of SMFM, researchers released their findings on a randomized controlled trial using VR headsets for labor pain. In this podcast we will briefly review VR technology and its application for medical pain conditions including labor. (NOTE: No financial disclosures or other commercial interests in any VR device exist or were implied in the generation of this podcast).

Worried about airline travel amid global health concerns? Well, you’re not alone. What does the CDC say about airline infectious disease precautions? And what about air travel during pregnancy in general? In this podcast, we will review the CDC recommendations regarding viral precautions and highlight some key points from the ACOG committee opinion, 746, regarding air travel in pregnancy.

Vulvar pain (vulvodynia) is subdivided into generalized or local. The symptoms can either be spontaneous or provoked. Vulvodynia can result in painful intercourse, and affect other quality-of-life measures. In this session we will review the diagnosis, subcategories, and management of vulvodynia.