Patient age may affect the relative efficacy of oral bisphosphonates in postmenopausal women, research has suggested. A team from the VCU Medical Center in Richmond, Virginia, carried out a post-hoc analysis of postmenopausal women /=55 years old with low bone mineral density (BMD), randomised to once weekly alendronate 70mg or risedronate 35mg for one year [...]
The emergency contraceptive drug ulipristal acetate provides women and healthcare providers with an effective alternative that can be used up to five days after unprotected sexual intercourse, a study in The Lancet has stated. Emergency contraception can prevent unintended pregnancies, but current methods are only effective if used as soon as possible after sexual intercourse [...]
Factors such as maternal high blood-pressure and high haematocrit levels are linked to a greater likelihood of restricted foetal growth during the first trimester, with restricted growth linked to an increased risk of preterm birth and low birth-weight, says a new study. Doctors examined the association of several maternal physical characteristics and lifestyle habits in [...]
A leading UK authority says more women should experience the natural pains of labour without pain-relieving medication, writes Brian Herron The use of epidurals in Ireland during labour has roughly doubled over the past 20 years. “This development isn’t a good thing. Because of the increased risk of potential complications during childbirth, administering an epidural [...]
Continuing their series on ‘Notes from the Endocrinology Clinic’, Prof T Joseph McKenna and Prof Frances Hayes examine the causes and treatment options available for hirsutism Hirsutism is defined as the occurrence of male-type hair in a male distribution in a woman. Androgen-dependent hair is coarse, curls and grows away from the skin. Non-androgen-dependent hair [...]
Continuing their series on ‘Notes from the Endocrinology Clinic’, Dr Frances Hayes and Prof T Joseph McKenna examine polycystic ovary syndrome Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the commonest endocrine disorder in young women. It has recently been defined by the presence of at least two of the following: oligomenorrhoea or amenorrhoea; hyperandrogenism manifest by clinical [...]
In the first in a new series on ‘Notes from the Endocrinology Clinic’, Dr Frances Hayes and Prof T Joseph McKenna examine the causes and treatment options available for amenorrhoea Amenorrhoea is defined as the absence of menstrual bleeding for six months or longer. The term ‘oligomenorrhoea’ indicates the occurrence of menstruation on fewer than [...]
Clinical Update – Contraception: The Mirena coil was a major leap forward in contraception, according to Dr Aisling Quinlan from Tullamore, who conducted research for a thesis on the extent to which Irish women were being offered Implanon and the Mirena. This involved surveying a large number of GPs – 90 per cent of whom [...]
Prof Michael Turner examines the rising problem of obesity in pregnant women and how to manage it At the start of the twenty-first century, maternal obesity has emerged as a major healthcare issue. There is strong epidemiological evidence that maternal obesity is associated with increased pregnancy complications. There is, for example, an increase in maternal [...]
The needs of mothers who bottle feed are being neglected, potentially risking the health of their babies, research has concluded. The researchers based their conclusions on a systematic review of published research on attitudes to feeding methods, which included 23 studies involving more than 13,000 participants and their opinions about infant feeding. Despite the variations [...]
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