Second-trimester Abortion.

In 2019, the US Centers for Disease Control reported that 7% of abortions were performed after 13 weeks of pregnancy, a small proportion of all terminations. However, the need for second-trimester abortions will increase commensurate with restrictions to access nationwide. Second-trimester abortions are performed with medications or through a procedure. Health care practitioners serving persons at risk of pregnancy should understand how abortions are performed and how to deliver evidence-based postabortion care. The purpose of this article is to provide a foundation for caring for individuals before, during, and after second-trimester abortion.

Vaginal Laceration in an Open Pelvic Fracture Case Report: A Novel, Prophylactic Antibiotic Delivery Mechanism.

INTRODUCTION: Rotational displaced pelvic ring injuries are associated with internal injuries to both the gastrointestinal and genitourinary viscera and anatomic structures. Vaginal lacerations and open genitourinary-associated injuries are at increased risk of mortality due to sepsis. Case Presentation. This case presents a 65-year-old female status post-pedestrian-vehicle struck diagnosed with an open pelvic fracture with extension into the outer one-third of the vaginal wall. The patient was successfully treated with emergent surgical debridement, pelvic stabilization, and internal placement of a novel combination of metronidazole antibiotic gel and vancomycin/tobramycin Polymethyl methacrylate beads. CONCLUSION: No evidence of infection was observed with the use of topical metronidazole-coated vancomycin/tobramycin Polymethyl methacrylate beads for contaminated open pelvic fracture injury involving the vaginal wall. Further research on antibiotic gels for use in high-risk open fractures is required.

A UPLC-MS/MS method for the quantitation of Ulipristal acetate in human serum.

The progesterone receptor modulator, Ulipristal acetate (UPA) has proven to be an effective emergency contraceptive. Conflicting data has been reported that suggests different efficacy of the drug in different populations, which may be explained by the systemic exposure to the drug. A UPLC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for the accurate and sensitive measurement of UPA in human serum to address this matter. UPA was extracted from human serum using liquid-liquid extraction with a combination of hexane and dichloromethane. An analytical platform comprising reverse-phase chromatographic separation followed by mass spectrometric detection by positive electrospray ionization in multiple reaction monitoring was used for quantitation of UPA within 7min. The method was linear from 0.1 to 250ng/mL. The matrix effect was minimal and intra- and inter-assay precision and accuracy were all within the acceptable limits. UPA was found to be stable at all processing and storage conditions. The method was used to investigate the pharmacokinetics of UPA in a clinical trial designed to explore the effect of obesity on its bioavailability.

Pharmacokinetics of levonorgestrel and ulipristal acetate emergency contraception in women with normal and obese body mass index.

OBJECTIVE: This study compares the pharmacokinetics (PK) of levonorgestrel (LNG) emergency contraceptive (EC) and ulipristal acetate (UPA)-EC between normal-body mass index (BMI) and obese-BMI women. STUDY DESIGN: This prospective, randomized crossover study evaluates the PK of women after single doses of LNG-EC (1.5mg) and UPA-EC (30mg). Study procedures took place during clinical research unit admissions, where participants received a standardized meal and each study drug, in random order, during two separate 24-h admissions. Study staff collected 14 blood specimens (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 24 and 48h). We evaluated serum concentrations of LNG and UPA using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy and estimated the PK parameters of both drugs using noncompartmental analysis. The main outcome of this study was a comparison of between-group differences in AUC0-24. RESULTS: Thirty-two women completed the study (16 in each group). Among normal-BMI and obese-BMI participants, the mean BMIs were 22.0 (range 18.8-24.6) and 34.3 (range 30.6-39.9), respectively. After LNG-EC, mean AUC0-24 and maximum concentration (Cmax) were 50% lower among obese-BMI women than among normal-BMI women (AUC0-24 100.8 vs. 208.5ng*h/mL, IQRobese-BMI 35.8, IQRnormal-BMI 74.2, p≤.01; Cmax 10.8 vs. 18.2ng/mL, p=.01). After UPA-EC, AUC0-24 and Cmax were similar between obese-BMI and normal-BMI women (AUC0-24 362.5 vs. 293.5ng*h/mL, IQRobese-BMI 263.2, IQRnormal-BMI 112.5, p=.15; Cmax 95.6 vs. 89.3ng/mL, p=.70). CONCLUSION: After a single dose of EC, obese-BMI women are exposed to lower concentrations of LNG and similar concentrations of UPA, when compared to normal-BMI women. IMPLICATIONS: Differences in LNG-EC PK by BMI group may underlie and account for the lower LNG-EC efficacy reported among obese-BMI women, but modest differences in UPA-EC PK by BMI group provide less support for variable efficacy. A pharmacodynamic study may be able to clarify whether these PK differences account for observed differences in LNG-EC and UPA-EC efficacy.

Emergency Contraception: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back.

Emergency contraceptives can prevent pregnancy, when used after unprotected sex around the time of ovulation. In the past 15 years, access to emergency contraception (EC) in the United States has increased and more women use it. Emerging data may tailor EC prescribing based on patient weight and starting other contraception. There are several EC options-oral levonorgestrel and oral ulipristal acetate and the copper intrauterine device. Ideally, women should have EC access at low or no cost. Yet, several barriers-limited patient and provider knowledge about EC, cost, EC stocking practices, and state and federal laws exempting providers from supplying EC-make it difficult to integrate this time-sensitive treatment into women's reproductive health care.