Washington, DC -- Obstetrician-gynecologists from around the country and internationally will convene in Chicago to present their research findings at The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) 57th Annual Clinical Meeting. The latest unpublished research on a wide range of women's health, including contraception, reproductive endocrinology and infertility, infectious diseases, gynecologic oncology, menopause, primary care, and urogynecology, will be unveiled in oral presentations and poster abstracts at the McCormick Place Lakeside Center, Monday, May 4, and Tuesday, May 5.

The following are just a few highlights of over 250 research findings scheduled to be presented at the meeting:

Obstetrics

Birth Outcomes at an Urban Prenatal Clinic: Does Immigration Status Make a Difference?
Undocumented immigrant women have better birth outcomes compared to US-born women. Undocumented immigrant women were less likely than native-born American women to use drugs or alcohol or smoke and delivered fewer low birthweight infants.

Women Do Not Recall Antenatal Counseling Regarding Important Peripartum Events
Although 85% of new mothers reported being satisfied with their delivery experience, the majority did not remember being counseled about important potential peripartum events such as cesarean delivery, induction, episiotomy, and urinary incontinence.

Dollar Store Pregnancy Tests: How Good Are They?
Pregnancy tests purchased at dollar stores appear to be just as accurate as more expensive at-home tests and also appear to be easier to read.

Patient Perceptions of the Effect of Weight on Pregnancy
This study finds that many overweight and obese women are unaware that weight has an effect on fertility.

Use of Nonprescribed Methods to Induce Labor
About half of pregnant women admitted to trying to induce labor on their own by walking, having sex, eating spicy food, or nipple stimulation.

Pregnancy Outcomes Post Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) Surgery
Women who became pregnant after gastric bypass surgery had lower rates of cesarean delivery and gestational diabetes than did obese pregnant women. Although post-gastric bypass women had higher rates of cesarean delivery, low hemoglobin, and preeclampsia than normal-weight women did, they had similar neonatal outcomes, which should provide reassurance to women planning childbearing after gastric bypass surgery.

Gynecology

Chronic Pelvic Pain Patients Have a Family History of Related Diagnoses
Women with chronic pelvic pain have an average of three first-degree relatives with similar diagnoses, indicating that there may be a familial predisposition to pain sensitivity.

Comparison of Robotic Hysterectomy to Total Abdominal Hysterectomy for Benign Gynecologic Conditions
Compared with traditional total abdominal hysterectomy for benign gynecologic conditions such as fibroids, robotic surgery reduces blood loss, shortens hospital stays, and reduces complications.

Is Long-Term Oral Contraceptive Use Associated with Adverse Reproductive Outcomes?
Long-term continuous use of the birth control pill, even up to 15 years, does not affect a woman's ability to become pregnant when she's ready.

Oncology

Do Private Patients Know More Than Clinic Patients About Cervical Cancer and the HPV Connection?
Although educated women with health insurance were slightly more aware that the human papillomavirus (HPV) causes cervical cancer than less-educated women without insurance, all women remain largely unaware of the connection.

General

Comparison of Teenage Video Gamers vs. PGY1 Ob-Gyn Residents on a Laparoscopic Simulator
In a head-to-head contest, teenagers that were expert-level video gamers did as well, or better, than first-year ob-gyn residents on a laparoscopic simulator assessment. Video game experience may help future ob-gyn residents with their laparoscopic skills during training.

Implementation of a Robotics Program: A Community Hospital Experience
Two years after incorporating minimally invasive robotic surgery into their practice, these physicians dramatically reduced their use of total abdominal hysterectomy from 38% to 8.5% of all hysterectomies.

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