Current Women's Health Reviews - Volume 14, Issue 3, 2018

Background: Although teenage pregnancy rates have been declining, the teen birth rate in United States remains higher than most other industrialized nations. 80% of teen pregnancies are unplanned with significant personal and societal consequences. Recent Findings: Long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) methods have high continuation and satisfaction rates and are the first-line contraception option for ad Read More

Background: Vulvovaginal complaints account for the majority of childhood visits to gynecologists. In these cases, patients most commonly present with nonspecific complaints including itching, vaginal bleeding, vulvar pain or dysuria. Because of the nonspecific nature of the presenting complaints, patients are frequently misdiagnosed or over-treated. Recent Findings: The etiology of pediatric vulvovaginitis is often nonsp Read More

Background: Adnexal masses are commonly encountered in the pediatric and adolescent patient population. These can represent functional ovarian cysts, benign ovarian neoplasms, paratubal cysts, tubo-ovarian abscesses, or malignant neoplasms, among others. In this patient population the majority of adnexal masses are benign. However, providers should be familiar with signs, symptoms and imaging findings Read More

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a disorder of reproductive-aged women characterized by hyperandrogenism, ovulatory dysfunction, and polycystic ovary morphology. This heterogeneous disease presents as a constellation of symptoms including menstrual disturbances (amenorrhea, oligomenorrhea, and irregular menstrual cycles), clinical features of hyperandrogenism (acne/hirsutism), bio Read More

Background: Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist endorsed the use of the menstrual cycle as a vital sign, emphasizing the importance of talking to females about their periods. Irregular menses is one of the most common complaint of adolescents presenting to the gynecologist and may be the symptom of a more serious diagnosis. Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) is Read More

Background: Cervical cancer is a preventable malignancy, given the availability of primary and secondary prevention, via human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination or screening, respectively. Despite this fact, racial disparities HPV vaccination and screening still exist. Objective: To review the data on primary and secondary prevention strategies for cervical cancer, HPV vaccination and screening, respectively and their projecte Read More

Background: The interpregnancy interval (IPI) defines the time between two consecutive gestations. In the general population, women with IPIs that fall outside the recommended 18-24 month range appear to be at modestly increased risk for adverse obstetric outcomes. Objective: The aim of this review was to assess the impact of extremes in IPI in populations with an increased baseline risk for adverse obstetric outcomes du Read More

Infertility has become an important public health issue, with over 12% of the U.S. population being affected. Moreover, the role of race and ethnicity has become increasingly recognized as an important contributor to health outcomes. Despite in vitro fertilization (IVF) playing a significant role in helping many women achieve their reproductive goals, data show disparities in IVF outcomes among racial and ethnic minority gr Read More

Background: The three pillars of any health care system are cost, quality, and access to care. Health disparity is a deeply rooted problem shared amongst different ethnic groups in the United States. Differences in the incidence, prevalence, morbidity and mortality of diseases, however, vary widely among and between these groups. Frequent changes in health policies and insurance regulations directly influence access to car Read More

Background: Despite a clear indication in many cases for the less invasive procedure, previous studies that have looked at the trends in the national distribution of laparoscopic hysterectomies have found that there remains a gap in the distribution of laparoscopic hysterectomies with regard to age, race, median income and insurance type. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of race and military rank Read More

Background: Uterine fibroids may be associated with heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB), pressure symptoms, and occasionally pain. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends a levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) as first-line treatment of HMB, which is effective even in women with uterine fibroids. When HMB occurs in association with fibroids >3 cm in diameter, uterine artery embolisat Read More