Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Maternal caffeine intake tied to reduced foetal growth

Audrey Abella, Yesterday

Consuming caffeinated beverages* during pregnancy – even at levels below the ACOG**-recommended daily dose of 200 mg – may lead to small reductions in neonatal anthropometric measurements, according to a secondary analysis of the NICHD*** Foetal Growth Studies-Singletons.

Continuous wrist skin temperature monitoring precisely detects fertile window

Tristan Manalac, 2 days ago

Continuous monitoring skin temperature, through a wrist-worn device that records measurement during sleep, is more sensitive than basal body temperature (BBT) at detecting ovulation, according to a recent study.

Plasma kisspeptin portends risk of pregnancy loss

Jairia Dela Cruz, 4 days ago

Evaluating plasma kisspeptin levels, particularly during later gestational weeks of the first trimester of pregnancy, helps pinpoint women at risk of miscarriage, as shown in a study said to be the largest of its kind.

Fish oil taken during pregnancy may help improve brain function in kids

Elvira Manzano, 09 Jun 2021

Children whose mothers had taken fish oil supplements during the second half of pregnancy appeared to have better problem-solving skills and attention focus at age 10 vs those whose mothers had consumed folic acid alone or no supplements at all in a study presented at WCPGHAN 2021.

The changing treatment landscape for premenopausal women with advanced breast cancer: Focus on ribociclib

Dr. Wong Seng Weng, Dr. Lee Guek Eng, 19 Mar 2021

In Singapore, advanced breast cancer (aBC) is the leading cause of cancer death in women 30–49 years of age. For premenopausal women diagnosed with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative BC, cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors provide new hope. Currently, ribociclib is the only CDK4/6 inhibitor studied in the first-line setting for premenopausal women with HR+/HER2- aBC, in the phase III MONALEESA-7 trial. Two experts, Dr Wong Seng Weng, Medical Director & Consultant Medical Oncologist at The Cancer Centre, Paragon Medical & Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, and Dr Lee Guek Eng, Senior Consultant & Specialist in Medical Oncology at Icon Cancer Centre and Program Director of the Young Women Cancer Program, weigh in with their views on managing premenopausal women with aBC.

Acute diarrhoea is the second leading cause of death in children aged younger than 5 years, accounting for approximately 1.9 million deaths worldwide each year; however, diarrhoea is a preventable and treatable condition. In Malaysia, acute gastroenteritis accounts for about 1.3% of all deaths in children aged younger than 5 years annually. Diarrhoea is defined as the passage of three or more loose or watery stools within 24 hours, and it may be clinically categorised as either acute watery diarrhoea (AWD), acute bloody diarrhoea, persistent diarrhoea or diarrhoea with severe malnutrition.

01 Sep 2020

Acute diarrhoea is the second leading cause of deathin children aged younger than 5 years, accounting forapproximately 1.9 million deaths worldwide each year;however, diarrhoea is a preventable and treatable condition.In Malaysia, acute gastroenteritis accounts for about 1.3%of all deaths in children aged younger than 5 years annually.Diarrhoea is defined as the passage of three or more looseor watery stools within 24 hours, and it may be clinicallycategorised as either acute watery diarrhoea (AWD), acutebloody diarrhoea, persistent diarrhoea or diarrhoea withsevere malnutrition.

Expert consensus: Patient profile should guide antihistamine choice in primary care setting

10 Dec 2019

Oral H₁-antihistamines are the initial treatment of choice for allergic rhinitis (AR) and chronic urticaria in the primary care setting. However, in a diverse population of patients with AR and urticaria, primary care physicians are faced with the challenge of prescribing the best therapy amid a wide armamentarium of antihistamines available.

The Evolving Role of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14 in Women’s Urogenital Health

12 Jun 2019

Urogenital infections remain a major reason for women to visit their family physician and their subsequent referral to obstetrics and gynaecology or urology specialists. The association between abnormal vaginal microbiota and an increased risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), as well as an increased rate of preterm labour, indicates the need to better understand and manage urogenital health in women. Probiotics are “live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host”. As such, there is a sound rationale for using probiotics to maintain female vaginal and bladder health.

Fish oil taken during pregnancy may help improve brain function in kids

Elvira Manzano, 09 Jun 2021

Efficacy, safety of levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system sustained at 6–7 years

Roshini Claire Anthony, 08 Jun 2021

Year 6 and 7 cumulative data from the Mirena Extension Trial suggest that the efficacy and safety of the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) as a contraceptive method is maintained over this time frame.

Mifepristone-misoprostol combo shortens time to delivery during late pregnancy loss

Elvira Manzano, 27 May 2021

Administration of mifepristone, followed by misoprostol, shortened induction-to-delivery intervals in women who lost their babies during the third trimester of pregnancy compared with misoprostol alone, results of a systematic review has shown.

Ibrexafungerp shows promise as first non-azole treatment for vulvovaginal candidiasis

Roshini Claire Anthony, 21 May 2021

The novel oral triterpenoid antifungal ibrexafungerp demonstrated superiority over placebo in reducing signs and symptoms of vulvovaginal candidiasis, according to results of the phase III VANISH-306 trial presented at ACOG 2021.

Lack of reproductive aged women in COVID-19 trials has long-ranging effects

Roshini Claire Anthony, 19 May 2021

Women of reproductive age are often excluded from COVID-19 vaccine and treatment clinical trials, which could hinder their access to beneficial treatments, according to a study presented at the recent ACOG 2021 meeting.

Niraparib PFS benefit in ovarian cancer consistent regardless of time to progression, response to prior chemo

Roshini Claire Anthony, 12 May 2021

Niraparib maintenance therapy improved progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer (PSROC) regardless of time to progression since penultimate platinum chemotherapy or response to last chemotherapy, according to subgroup analyses of the NORA trial.

Hormonal IUD shows potential in early endometrial cancer

Pearl Toh, 07 May 2021

Hormonal therapy with a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device (LNG-IUD) led to a high pathological complete response (pCR) rate in women with early-stage endometrial cancer, according to the feMMe trial presented at SGO 2021 Meeting.