Uterine rupture is a complication of labor in which the myometrium, the muscular layer of the uterus, ruptures. Doctors characterize the condition as an incomplete rupture or an incomplete rupture. In an incomplete rupture, which is also called uterine dehiscence, the outer layer of tissue surrounding uterus —called the serosa or the perimetrium— does not rupture, so the contents of the uterus remain separate from the surrounding peritoneal cavity. Complete uterine rupture is when the rupture goes through the myometrium and the perimetrium too. This releases the contents of the uterus, which ..read more

Recently, we discussed how postpartum hemorrhage, bleeding that occurs after childbirth as one of the most common obstetric emergencies. Resulting from a variety of causes, including uterine atony (failure of the uterus to contract after delivery), lacerations in the genital tract, and retained placental fragments, postpartum hemorrhage is more likely in the presence of certain risk factors, such as prolonged labor, instrumental delivery, uterine dysfunction, and previous postpartum hemorrhage. Although bleeding can be heavy and accompanied by abdominal pain and abnormal uterine contractions ..read more

Recently, health officials have reported that the incidence of congenital syphilis in the US state of Mississippi has risen by more than 900 percent over five years. This constitutes a major public health crisis, according to health experts, but you probably don’t need a health expert to let you know this. Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease and one of the notorious TORCH infections. The acronym TORCH stands for Toxoplasmosis, Others, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus (CMV), and Herpes simplex virus (HSV).  Syphilis is in the “Others” category, which also includes listeriosis, varicella-zo ..read more

Throughout the three-year course of the COVID-19 pandemic, those of us who contribute to The Pulse have been committed to following the science. This can mean many things. When no data, or very few data, are available, following the science can mean acting based on a working hypothesis and following recommendations of experts, based on educated guesses and proposed mechanisms that have a basis in what we know from experience with related issues in science and medicine. As an example, given that people during the first year of the pandemic were dying mostly because of COVID-19 reaching an infl ..read more

The occurrence of opioid use disorder among pregnant persons in the US has increased steadily since 2000 to the present. Currently, there are an estimated 8.2 and 14.6 per 1000 deliveries affected, respectively for those with or without Medicaid insurance. Medicaid is a public insurance program available to low-income women in the United States. Those without Medicaid lacked insurance and faced more opioid use challenges. The standard treatment for pregnant women with opioid use disorder is buprenorphine or methadone. These drugs are associated with improved adherence to prenatal care, lower ..read more

This past January 22, 2023, the United States looked back on 50 years since the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) issued the famous Roe versus Wade decision. Issued in 1973, the decision established the right for a woman to terminate her pregnancy based on what legal experts call substantive due process. Specifically, this meant that the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States guaranteed a woman’s right to choose within the realm of right to privacy. This was a reaffirmation of the of the same principle applied in a 1965 SCOTUS ruling, Grisw ..read more

The COVID-19 pandemic introduced us to telehealth, whether we were ready for it or not. It may be up for debate whether the pandemic is over, but people can agree that telehealth is here to stay. Telehealth may be coming soon to your ob-gyn or midwives’ practice. Why not learn more about how telehealth is changing OB care for the better? The Pulse has tips and suggestions to get the most out of your next telehealth OB visit. Telehealth (also called virtual care) uses telecommunication technologies to support long-distance clinical health care. For example, you can meet with a healthcare provi ..read more

Note: The Pregistry website includes expert reports on more than 2000 medications, 300 diseases, and 150 common exposures during pregnancy and lactation. For the topic Pulmonary Embolism, go here. These expert reports are free of charge and can be saved and shared. __________________________________ A pulmonary embolism is a blood clot that forms in the lung as a result of an embolus, an entity that travels from somewhere else in the body getting stuck once it enters a blood vessel two narrow for it to get through. The embolus comes from a blood clot that begins, usually in a d ..read more

As your baby starts getting bigger, it may be time to switch some of those baby toys for some toddler-friendly fun instead. You don’t need to go overboard, in fact it’s proven that just a few toys can be better for your child. Playtime can not only provide a great bonding opportunity for you and your child but bring confidence, improved social skills and a variety of educational benefits too. Here are some of the best fun and educational toys you can buy your toddler today: Puzzles Toddlers love completing puzzles. Durable jigsaws made from wood or thick high-quality cardboard are not only br ..read more

One of my favorite TV shows, but whose first season should not be viewed prior to giving birth, is 2014-2015 Cinemax series The Knick. Set in New York City in the years 1900-1901, this was a period medical drama focusing especially on the formative years of modern surgery. The very first episode begins with a cesarean section, attempted on account of placenta previa (the placenta is blocking the cervix), making vaginal delivery potentially fatal. The woman and her baby did not survive, nor were the turn of the 20th century surgeons successful over the next couple of attempts during season 1 ..read more