I love my home state of TEXAS. I am definitely full of Texas pride. We have Texas barbecue, Texas, hospitality, and of course, the Texas music scene! Our state definitely has some issues to improve on, mainly access to maternity care. We have a HUGE state and 50% of our counties are maternity care deserts. It’s a vast vast Land to cover! Texas has …

The term "genitourinary syndrome of menopause" (GSM) was introduced in 2014 by the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health and the North American Menopause Society (now the Menopause Society). This new term was created to replace older terms like vulvovaginal atrophy, urogenital atrophy, and atrophic vaginitis, and it encompass…

The ERAS (Enhanced Recovery After Surgery) concept was initially developed for colorectal surgery in 1997 to standardize surgical protocols. The ERAS Society then first published a guideline for cesarean section (ERAC) in 2018-2019. Now, as of April 28, 2025, the ERAS Society has released a NEW UPDATE for ERAS-CS. In this episode we will focus on 2…

I know this sounds braggadocious, but I'm going to say it anyway: I work with some incredible people! We recently released a podcast on updated TOLAC uterine rupture data. One of our former residents reached out to me with a question about this: “Did they include interdelivery interval in their assessment?” You see, I work with really smart people!…

Spontaneous twin pregnancies occur in about 1 out of every 250 pregnancies. A real world clinical question has to do with dating a spontaneous twin gestation: Do we use the smaller crown rump length or the larger for dating in the 1st trimester? Do we use the smaller or larger measurement of biometry in the 2nd trimester? We had this discussion tod…

In the ACOG Practice Bulletin 205 (Reaffirmed August 2025), the stated risk of uterine rupture with TOLAC is stated as 0.7% (after 1 prior LTCS). However, as our podcast tag list holds true, "Medicine Moves Fast". In an new upcoming publication from Obstet Gynecol (The Green Journal), May 2025, authors looked at the rate of uterine rupture with TOL…

As healthcare professions we are often pulled in different directions ALL AT ONCE. It happens. We "multitask" every day. Or do we? Neuroscience actually states that we don't multitask at all; rather, we "task-switch" and that may lead to increased physiologic and mental stress and patient error. Yep, there is a MYTH about multitasking. In this brie…

There have been various publications and commentaries published on “evidence-based” cesarean section techniques. Still, one of the persistent controversies on abdominal wall closure relates to the rectus. With transverse fascial entries, should we close/reapproximate the rectus or not? In June 2025, a new RCT looking at this very issue will be prin…

On December 13, 2022, we released an episode describing a new concept in prenatal care, called the PATH model. This was to “redesign” prenatal care, as needed, for those who may have limitations for the “traditional” model of prenatal care visits. Well, what we covered 2.5 years ago is NOW an OFFIICAL guidance from the ACOG and will be out in May 2…

Pelvic congestion syndrome is a controversial entity that does not currently have validated diagnostic criteria. In the ACOG PB 218 (2020), it states, “Pelvic congestion syndrome is a proposed etiology of chronic pelvic pain related to pelvic venous insufficiency. Although venous congestion appears to be associated with chronic pelvic pain, evidenc…

On Monday April 7, 2025, the UK’s publication The Guardian wrote, “Surgeons are hailing an ‘astonishing’ medical breakthrough as a woman became the first in the UK to give birth after a womb transplant. Grace Davidson, 36, who was a teenager when diagnosed with a congenitally absent uterus, said she and her husband had been given ‘the greatest gift…

On March 19. 2025, The American College of Clinical Pharmacy published, "A review of antibiotic safety in pregnancy- 2025 Update". In this episode, we will review some of the confusion surrounding aminoglycosides, sulfa, and nitrofurantoin in pregnancy. Its interesting how different professions view certain medications in pregnancy. Does ACOG say y…

Well Podcast Family, in this VERY BRIEF episode, we will highlight a patient's perspective on IUS insertion with lidocaine jelly pre-insertion prep. As we have stated in past episodes, I am a BIG ADVOCATE of lidocaine jelly for IUD/IUS insertion. This patient agreed to share her experience of the EASY BREEZY IUS placement. (NOTE: HIPAA protected, p…

Animal bites in humans are a common problem in the United States, with two to five million occurring each year. The vast majority of animal bites are caused by dogs (85 to 90 percent), with the remainder caused by cats (5 to 10 percent) and rodents (2 to 3 percent). Children are bitten more often than adults. The most feared complication of an anim…

VVC is second to BV in vaginitis type, here in the USA. data indicate that 75% of women have experienced at least one episode of genital candida throughout their lives . VVC is currently classified as uncomplicated (sporadic infection with mild-to-moderate clinical symptoms in non-immunocompromised women) or complicated (recurrent or clinically sev…

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), first described in the 1940s, is a heterogeneous and often debilitating condition affecting the autonomic nervous system, estimated to affect between 0.3% and 1% of the U.S. population. Its incidence is believed to be rising among people with a prior COVID-19 infection, as a likely component of so-c…

Hematuria remains one of the most common urologic diagnoses, estimated to account for over 20% of urology evaluations. Women with hematuria have been especially prone to delays in evaluation, often due to practitioners ascribing hematuria to a urinary tract infection (UTI) or gynecologic source, resulting in inadequate evaluation and delay in cance…

HOT HOT HOT Off the News CycleL The FDA has just approved (1 hour ago) a new at-home STI test kit. Does this work? What is the data on accuracy? What does this test for? This is a developing story... Listen in for details!

Metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) is a cluster of conditions, such as increase in waist circumference, dyslipidemia (elevated triglyceride levels and reduced HDL), increased blood pressure, and increased fasting blood sugar levels that is related to insulin resistance, diabetes, and elevated risk of cardiovascular disease. Women with PCOS have a signific…

Throughout their lifetime, over 50% of women experience uUTIs, with recurrent infection reported in approximately 30%. Today, on March 25, 2025, the FDA approved a new first-in-class oral antibiotic for uncomplicated UTIs in women! This is Blujepa! In this episode, we will review the EAGLE clinical trial data and review the main side effects report…

Medicine has traditionally been practiced “in silos”. But compartmentalization of medical practice/interventions can leave gaps in patient care. Patients win when they have increased access to a variety of medical therapies or contraceptive options. In this episode, we will review a brand new publication (released ahead of print) from the AJOG. We'…

TWICE BEFORE, we have covered Pitocin use intrapartum: 1. On Oct 24, 2022 we covered, “Save the Pitcoin! Safe to Stop Pit Once in Active Phase?”, and 2. On Sept 24, 2024 we covered, “Labor Hacks: Pit Breaks”. Nonetheless, today's episode yet again focuses on pitocin in labor. On March 18, 2025, a new systematic review and meta-analysis was released…

Fresh off the heels of our immediate last episode, we bring you a perspective from the trenches! Sarah, a Clinical Pearls podcast family member, is a health professional who works with autistic individuals. Sarah has provided clear and evidence-based data which helps to explain the rise of autism in the US over the last decades. Our podcast communi…

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has an alarming trend of rise in the US. Currently, 1 in 36 (or 1 in 40 in some reports) have an ASD diagnosis. For this reason, ASD remains in the spotlight as researchers remain dedicated in explaining its origin. Over the last few years, there have been publications suggesting a link between one of the most common …

Fasting during the lunar month of Ramadan (Feb 28 to March 30, 2025) is a core practice for Muslims across the world. During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food and drink from dawn to sunset. However, during a singleton pregnancy, the ACOG recommends adding approximately 340 extra calories per day in the second trimester and 450 extra calories per d…

Infants born by vaginal birth are exposed to maternal vaginal bacteria, which are one of the contributing influences on the subsequent development of the infant’s microbiome. This process is altered by cesarean delivery, which changes the initial microbiome of the neonate. It is theorized that infants born by cesarean delivery have an increased ris…

On Feb 24, 2025, the FDA granted approval for MIUDELLA®, a hormone-free, low-dose copper IUD developed by US manufacturer Sebela Women's Health Inc (Georgia) for contraceptive use in females of reproductive potential for up to 3 years. MIUDELLA® utilizes a small, flexible nitinol frame and contains less than half the copper of currently available c…

BV is a vaginal dysbiosis resulting from replacement of normal hydrogen peroxide and lactic-acid producing Lactobacillus species in the vagina with high concentrations of anaerobic bacteria. Recurrent BV can occur in 50-70% of women after an initial diagnosis. The concept of treating the male partner for BV recurrence prevention is not new, and the…

Thank you to our GREAT podcast family members who fixed by history regarding "Hollyweird" ! And thank you DANNY Thomas for your legacy at SJCRH. Go Memphis!

Screening for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) should be offered to all women who are considering pregnancy or are currently pregnant. SMA is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by degeneration of spinal cord motor neurons that leads to atrophy of skeletal muscle and overall weakness. Once identified, oral therapy may be started in the neonat…

Vitamin D gets a lot of attention, and it should, mainly for its known role in bone stability. However, vitamin D has significant additional roles in physiology. Vit D, and its metabolites, also functions as modulator of inflammatory and immune responses. According to a number of recent studies, this important micronutrient plays a complex role in …

According to published estimates, the prevalence of an NSAID allergy (hypersensitivity) in the general population is estimated to be between 0.5% and 2%, with some studies reporting a range of 1-3% of people experiencing a reaction to NSAIDs; however, this rate can be significantly higher in individuals with conditions like asthma, nasal polyps, or…

Its BACK. While the current outbreak is in western Texas and Eastern NM, it is expected to spread to other States. Measles is an acute viral respiratory illness characterized by fever, malaise, cough, conjunctivitis, a pathognomonic enanthema (oral lesions), followed by a maculopapular rash. In pregnancy, this could lead to significant maternal and…

The ACOG's PB 205 (2019; reaffirmed Aug 2024) states that "when compared with spontaneous labor, induced labor is associated with a lower likelihood of achieving VBAC". Additionally, that guidance states, "Several studies have noted an increased risk of uterine rupture in the setting of induction of labor in women attempting TOLAC". These are impor…

Funic presentation, the umbilical cord presenting as the leading feal component seen on ultrasound, may be a transient phenomenon and is usually considered insignificant until ~32 weeks. However, its persistence beyond that gestational age raises the possibility of cord prolapse intrapartum as cervical dilation progresses. Cord prolapse is a mostly…

One in five women in the U.S. have a BMI of 30 or more at the START of pregnancy. Around 1 in 5 women gain more than 40 pounds during pregnancy, which is more than any woman should gain. Only about one-third of women gain the recommended amount of weight during pregnancy. Gaining too much weight during pregnancy can increase the risk of HDP, GDM, f…

Estimates of Postpartum Urinary Retention (PUR) incidence vary widely from 1.5% to 17.9%, with undiagnosed cases making the true incidence difficult to determine. A postvoid residual (PVR) volume of <150 mL is typically considered appropriate for normal bladder emptying, but this has been in the nonpregnant/non-postpartum population. In this group,…

In 2013, The ACOG’s Hypertension Task Force suggested that NSAIDS not be used in postpartum patients with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy due to theoretical concerns on BP aggravation. But “medicine moves fast”. In 2020, the ACOG “green lighted” ibuprofen use postpartum in these patients if no evidence of renal insufficiency was present. In epi…

(We were made aware that this original posting had the last section DROPPED accidentally)...here is the full episode! Ahhh...TECHNOLOGY! *This is why AI will likely replace our production team...Just kidding production team, just kidding). Episode Details: Well, we typically focus on ONE or maybe TWO publications to highlight and review. However, i…

Well, we typically focus on ONE or maybe TWO publications to highlight and review. However, in this episode, which we have decided to call, “Survey said…!”, we will go through some common and REAL WORLD “mental battles” regarding what is and what is not part of a diagnostic criteria. These are every day OBGYN things that we KNOW, but when asked to …

Yep, its an area of debate and confusion. Controversy surrounds the diagnosis of CHTN with severe BPs vs superimposed preeclampsia with severe features. Do you need “new onset proteinuria” for the diagnosis of superimposed preeclampsia over CHTN? What about “with severe features”? This is something that is very clear to understand, yet muddy; there…

According to the ACOG, eclampsia is a low frequency, high acuity emergent condition. The rate of an eclamptic seizure is 1/200 in those with preeclampsia without severe features but is 4 fold higher ( 4/200 ) in those with preeclampsia with severe features. Traditionally, “textbook eclampsia” management did not include cranial imaging. However, tha…

Well, in this episode we have a “3-in-1” subject review. Often in medicine, we find ourselves with some data to guide us, but definitely not a “predominance of evidence”. So in caring for our patients, we often come to the conclusion that doing a course of action can possibly help, and can't hurt... and therefore our plan “sounds reasonable”. That'…

Venous thromboembolism (VTE), which includes deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, is responsible for 9–30% of pregnancy-related mortality in high resource countries and remains a significant, increasing cause of severe maternal morbidity. Peripartum, 50% of VTE events occur in the postpartum interval, which has a 6-fold higher risk compared…

This- is-CNN. No, that THAT CNN...This is Chapa News Network! WE have late-breaking news developments on 2 fronts: 1. The ACOG has released a clinical update (ACOG ROUNDS) in response to a recent study associating the RSV vaccine and GBS (we covered this study in a past episode). 2. The FDA has EXPANDED the label for an intranasal therapy for Treat…

Around a third of a person’s life is spent asleep. Previous studies have reported an association between sleep disordered breathing, like OSA, and pregnancy complications such as pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, and preterm birth. We recently discussed a stillbirth bundle from Australia which includes patient education on sleeping practices and…

Internal manual aortic compression is a procedure that may be used intraoperatively in the management of massive pelvic bleeding. But what about EXTERNAL aortic compression? In February’s 2025 AJOG (Grey Journal), under their Surgeon’s Corner section, there will be a very nice video recap of an easy to adopt maneuver which may “buy time” in OB hemo…

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent adult stem cells which can differentiate into multiple cell types. MSCs can be isolated from the bone marrow, umbilical cord blood, adipose tissue, muscle, and dental pulp. However, the use of these MSCs involves a number of barriers. Human umbilical cord is limited to collection at birth. Bone marrow a…

Tachycardia in pregnancy is common and distinguishing between physiological and pathological causes can be a challenge. Plus, until recently, there had not been a well-defined or universally accepted definition of the upper limit of normal for heart rate in pregnancy. But a study published in 2020 from the Green Journal, from the NHS in London has …

The stillbirth rate in the US is considerably higher than in many countries with similar resources. In 2021, the United States stillbirth (loss before birth at ≥20 weeks’ gestation) ratio was 5.73 per 1000 births or 1 in 175 pregnancies with 21,000 stillbirths occurring annually. Contrast that to the rate in Japan which is 1.6/1000! The UK and Aust…