The APGO Academic Scholars and Leaders Program: Supporting obstetrics and gynecology faculty development for 20 years.

PURPOSE: We evaluate the impacts of the Academic Scholars and Leaders (ASL) Program in achieving 3 key objectives: treatment of education as a scholarly pursuit, improved education leadership, and career advancement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We report on the twenty-year experience of the ASL Program-a national, longitudinal faculty development program of the Association of Professors of Obstetrics and Gynecology (APGO) covering instruction, curriculum development/program evaluation, assessment/feedback, leadership/professional development, and educational scholarship. We conducted a cross-sectional, online survey of ASL participants who graduated in 1999-2017. We sought evidence of impact using Kirkpatrick's 4-level framework. Descriptive quantitative data were analyzed, and open-ended comments were organized using content analysis. RESULTS: 64% (260) of graduates responded. The vast majority (96%) felt the program was extremely worthwhile (Kirkpatrick level 1). Graduates cited learned skills they had applied to their work, most commonly curricular development (48%) and direct teaching (38%) (Kirkpatrick 2&3 A). Since participation, 82% of graduates have held institutional, education-focused leadership roles (Kirkpatrick 3B). Nineteen percent had published the ASL project as a manuscript and 46% additional education papers (Kirkpatrick 3B). CONCLUSIONS: The APGO ASL program has been associated with successful outcomes in treatment of education as a scholarly pursuit, education leadership, and career advancement. Going forward, APGO is considering ways to diversify the ASL community and to support educational research training.

Use of Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery Testing to Assess Gynecologic Surgeons: A Retrospective Cohort Study of 10-Years Experience.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) exam scores between obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) and general surgery (GS) providers. DESIGN: This is a retrospective cohort study at a single institution from July 2007 to May 2018. Categorical and continuous variables were analyzed with χ2 test, t test, and Wilcoxon rank sum test. SETTING: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), Boston, MA, a tertiary care academic medical center. PATIENTS: All providers who took the FLS exam at the Carl J. Shapiro Simulation and Skills Center at BIDMC. INTERVENTIONS: FLS certification. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A total of 205 BIDMC trainees and faculty took the FLS exam between July 2007 and May 2018, of which 176 were identified to be OBGYN or GS providers. The FLS certification pass rate was high for both specialties (97.0% OBGYN vs 96.1% sGS, p = .76). When comparing all providers, no significant difference was found in the mean manual skill test scores between surgical specialties (594.9 OBGYN vs 601.0 GS, p = .59); whereas, a significant difference was noted in the mean cognitive scores, with GS providers scoring higher than OBGYN providers (533.8 OBGYN vs 583.4 GS, p <.001). However, when adjusting for several variables in a multivariate linear regression model, surgical specialty was not a predictor for cognitive scores. In the multivariate analysis, age, sex, and test year were predictors for cognitive scores, with higher scores associated with younger age, male sex, and advancing calendar year. None of the variables were significant predictors of manual scores. CONCLUSION: Both OBGYN and GS providers had extremely high FLS pass rates. In the multivariate analysis, surgical specialty was not a predictor for higher FLS test scores for either manual or cognitive test scores. Although OBGYN residency programs offer fewer years of training, OBGYN trainees demonstrate the capacity to perform well on the FLS exam.

Screening Pelvic Examinations in Adult Women: Grand Rounds Discussion From the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Pelvic examinations have historically been a part of regular preventive care. However, because women can now be screened for cervical cancer at intervals up to every 5 years, the question of whether women need to be seen annually for routine pelvic examinations has arisen. In July 2014, the American College of Physicians (ACP) issued a guideline presenting the available evidence on screening for pathologic conditions using pelvic examination in adult, asymptomatic women at average risk. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Committee on Gynecologic Practice had previously issued a committee opinion in August 2012 on the need for annual examinations and provided guidelines on important elements of this procedure, including when to examine asymptomatic women. ACOG reaffirmed its initial position after publication of the ACP guideline. The guidelines differ-the ACP guideline recommends against and the ACOG committee opinion recommends in favor of routine annual pelvic examination. This paper summarizes a discussion between an internist and a gynecologist on how they would balance these recommendations in general and what they would suggest for an individual patient.

Confusion regarding cervical cancer screening and chlamydia screening among sexually active young women.

OBJECTIVE: The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recently recommended that cervical cancer screening begin at 21 years of age and occur biennially for low-risk women younger than 30 years. Earlier studies suggested that women may have limited understanding of the differences between cervical cancer screening and chlamydia screening. This study assessed the knowledge of chlamydia and cervical cancer screening tests and schedules in younger women. METHODS: A survey regarding knowledge of chlamydia and cervical cancer screening was administered to 60 younger women aged 18-25 years in an obstetrics and gynaecology clinic at an urban community health centre. RESULTS: The majority of respondents recalled having had a Pap smear (93.3%) or chlamydia test (75.0%). Although many respondents understood that a Pap smear checks for cervical cancer (88.3%) and human papillomavirus (68.3%), 71.7% mistakenly believed that a Pap smear screens for chlamydia. No respondent correctly identified the revised cervical cancer screening schedule, and 83.3% selected annual screening. Few respondents (23.3%) identified the annual chlamydia screening schedule and 26.7% were unsure. CONCLUSION: Many younger women in an urban community health centre believed that cervical cancer screening also screens for chlamydia and were confused about chlamydia screening schedules. As there is limited knowledge of the revised ACOG cervical cancer screening guidelines, there is a risk that currently low chlamydia screening rates may decrease further after these new guidelines are better known. Obstetrician gynaecologists and primary care providers should educate younger women about the differences between chlamydia and cervical cancer screening and encourage sexually active younger women to have annual chlamydia screening.

A novel resident-as-teacher training program to improve and evaluate obstetrics and gynecology resident teaching skills.

BACKGROUND: Residents play a significant role in teaching, but formal training, feedback, and evaluation are needed. AIMS: Our aims were to assess resident teaching skills in the resident-as-teacher program, quantify correlations of faculty evaluations with resident self-evaluations, compare resident-as-teacher evaluations with clinical evaluations, and evaluate the resident-as-teacher program. METHOD: The resident-as-teacher training program is a simulated, videotaped teaching encounter with a trained medical student and standardized teaching evaluation tool. Evaluations from the resident-as-teacher training program were compared to evaluations of resident teaching done by faculty, residents, and medical students from the clinical setting. RESULTS: Faculty evaluation of resident teaching skills in the resident-as-teacher program showed a mean total score of 4.5 ± 0.5 with statistically significant correlations between faculty assessment and resident self-evaluations (r = 0.47; p < 0.001). However, resident self-evaluation of teaching skill was lower than faculty evaluation (mean difference: 0.4; 95% CI 0.3-0.6). When compared to the clinical setting, resident-as-teacher evaluations were significantly correlated with faculty and resident evaluations, but not medical student evaluations. Evaluations from both the resident-as-teacher program and the clinical setting improved with duration of residency. CONCLUSIONS: The resident-as-teacher program provides a method to train, give feedback, and evaluate resident teaching.

Fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery: a surgical skills assessment tool in gynecology.

OBJECTIVE: To describe our experience with the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) program as a teaching and assessment tool for basic laparoscopic competency among gynecology residents. METHODS: A prospective observational study was conducted at a single academic institution. Before the FLS program was introduced, baseline FLS testing was offered to residents and gynecology division directors. Test scores were analyzed by training level and self-reported surgical experience. After implementing a minimally invasive gynecologic surgical curriculum, third-year residents were retested. RESULTS: The pass rates for baseline FLS skills testing were 0% for first-year residents, 50% for second-year residents, and 75% for third- and fourth-year residents. The pass rates for baseline cognitive testing were 60% for first- and second-year residents, 67% for third-year residents, and 40% for fourth-year residents. When comparing junior and senior residents, there was a significant difference in pass rates for the skills test (P=.007) but not the cognitive test (P=.068). Self-reported surgical experience strongly correlated with skills scores (r-value=0.97, P=.0048), but not cognitive scores (r-value=0.20, P=.6265). After implementing a curriculum, 100% of the third-year residents passed the skills test, and 92% passed the cognitive examination. CONCLUSIONS: The FLS skills test may be a valuable assessment tool for gynecology residents. The cognitive test may need further adaptation for applicability to gynecologists.

Randomized, controlled trial of a normal pregnancy virtual patient to teach medical students counseling skills.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether medical students using the Normal Pregnancy Virtual Patient program (Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts) have better knowledge and skills in obstetric counseling than traditional clerkship students. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a randomized, controlled trial of 23 students at Harvard Medical School to determine whether participation in a virtual patient program improves medical student knowledge and skills in obstetric counseling. Students were randomized to the obstetrics/gynecology clerkship (n = 11) or the clerkship plus Normal Pregnancy Virtual Patient (n = 12) in 2006-2008. Students interviewed a standardized patient at the end of the clerkship. Two blinded physicians reviewed the videotaped interview and used a standardized checklist to assess knowledge and counseling skills in preconception, breastfeeding, genetics, postpartum counseling, and overall performance. RESULTS: Stratified analyses indicated the virtual patient group provided significantly better preconception counseling than controls (p = 0.002). Overall, students who completed the Virtual Patient program scored higher than those in traditional clerkship alone, though not significantly (26.0 vs. 22.0, p = 0.25). The study may not have had sufficient numbers of students enrolled to detect a significant difference. CONCLUSION: The use of a virtual patient program in obstetrics improves medical students' preconception counseling skills.

Promoting Health Equity Through Purposeful Design and Professionalization of Resident Global Health Electives in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

OBJECTIVE: To design an Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN) residency elective in global health that meets ACGME standards and simultaneously promotes health equity. DESIGN: A 4-week elective was established for US residents in a high-volume African district hospital that served as a site for OBGYN rotations for the national internship training program. Clear clinical, operative, and teaching requirements were delineated for US OBGYN residents. Resident formal didactic outputs were incorporated into the intern OBGYN curriculum. The program was evaluated through assessment of resident experience and contribution to local training, as well as assessment of intern competency in OBGYN. SETTING: Scottish Livingstone Hospital, a public district hospital in Molepolole, Botswana. PARTICIPANTS: Second- to fourth-year OBGYN residents from US training programs, working with Batswana medical interns under on-site faculty supervision. RESULTS: From May 2016 to June 2018, 18 residents from 9 US OBGYN residency programs participated in the elective. Under supervision, US residents performed 116 major and 77 minor gynecologic surgeries, and teach-assisted Batswana interns and medical officers in 76 cesarean deliveries. Residents led or contributed significantly to 25 didactic education sessions as part of the formal intern OBGYN curriculum. During this period, 24 Batswana interns rotated through the hospital's department of OBGYN, and all 24 trainees met required OBGYN competencies prior to completing their internship. CONCLUSIONS: Matching US resident demand for global health experiences to equitable global health programming while maintaining ACGME training guidelines poses a challenge to OBGYN residency training programs. This elective provides a model OBGYN global health elective that addresses host-identified needs, broadens residents' skills, and meets standards for postgraduate OBGYN training. Purposeful global health electives for US residents embedded in longitudinal programs provide an opportunity for residents to contribute to broader global health efforts that promote health equity.

A Consensus Guideline to Support Resident-as-Teacher Programs and Enhance the Culture of Teaching and Learning.

BACKGROUND: Methods for assessing residents as teachers are limited, and it can be difficult to discern optimal curricula for training residents as educators. A guideline may be a tool to assess resident-as-teacher programs and to help enhance a culture of teaching and learning. OBJECTIVE: We developed a consensus guideline to assess academic medical centers' resident-as-teacher programs and teaching environments. METHODS: Faculty representing 8 specialties from 5 teaching hospitals created a guideline for resident-as-teacher programs through an iterative expert consensus development process. To assess local resident-as-teacher practices, the guideline was administered as an online survey to program directors from 47 residency programs at 5 hospitals. The survey included 26 items addressing curricula, educational climate, financial support, assessment, professional development, and promotion. RESULTS: Forty-nine percent of residency programs surveyed completed the questionnaire, representing 65% of specialties (17 of 26). Respondents reported that residents were required to participate in a teaching orientation in 78% of programs (18 of 23) and were evaluated on teaching in 91% (21 of 23). There were special educational programs and teaching awards in 91% of programs (21 of 23), respectively. All programs included evaluations of faculty teaching, which were linked to faculty annual reviews in 52% of programs (12 of 23), but to faculty promotion or salary in only 22% of programs (5 of 23). CONCLUSIONS: We developed a resident-as-teacher consensus guideline that could provide a road map for program directors and institutions to think broadly about how they educate residents and fellows as teachers.

Daidzein-rich isoflavone aglycones are potentially effective in reducing hot flashes in menopausal women.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of DRIs on hot flash symptoms in menopausal women. DESIGN: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of menopausal women, aged 38 to 60 years, who experienced 4 to 14 hot flashes per day. After a 1-week run-in period, a total of 190 menopausal women were randomized to receive a placebo or 40 or 60 mg/day of a DRI for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was the mean changes from baseline to week 12 in the frequency of hot flashes recorded in the participant diary. The secondary outcomes included changes in quality of life and hormonal profiles. RESULTS: A total of 147 women (77%) completed the study. It was found that 40 and 60 mg of DRI improved hot flash frequency and severity equally. At 8 weeks hot flash frequency was reduced by 43% in the 40-mg DRI group and by 41% in the 60-mg DRI group, compared with 32% in the placebo group (P = not significant vs placebo). The corresponding numbers for 12 weeks were 52%, 51%, and 39%, respectively (P = 0.07 and 0.09 vs placebo). When comparing the two treatment groups with the placebo group, there were significant reductions in mean daily hot flash frequency. The supplement (either 40 or 60 mg) reduced hot flash frequency by 43% at 8 weeks (P = 0.1) and 52% at 12 weeks (P = 0.048) but did not cause any significant changes in endogenous sex hormones or thyroid hormones. Menopausal quality of life improved in all three groups, although there were no statistically significant differences between groups. CONCLUSIONS: DRI supplementation may be an effective and acceptable alternative to hormone treatment for menopausal hot flashes.

A Call to Action to Address Gender Equity Within Our Specialty: Time's Up on Waiting for Change.

Although national attention has been focused on sexual harassment and gender inequity in the United States, leaders within the obstetrics and gynecology community have remained relatively silent. Sexual harassment and gender inequity remain pervasive in our specialty. This article serves as a call to action for leadership as well as physicians within obstetrics and gynecology to implement ethical and evidence-based approaches to reduce gender inequity and improve workplace culture within our specialty.

An assessment of depression, psychosocial factors, and resilience among women seeking prenatal care at an urban community health center.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the relationship between resilience and mental health and psychosocial characteristics in the prenatal period. METHODS: A prospective cohort pilot study was conducted among English-speaking women aged 18 years or older with singleton pregnancies of at least 20 weeks' duration who received prenatal care at an urban community health center in the USA between March and October 2014. Surveys were administered and a retrospective chart review was conducted. Resilience and depression were measured using validated scales and anxiety was self-reported. Univariate and bivariate analyses were performed. RESULTS: Thirty women participated. The median resilience score was 82.0 (interquartile range [IQR] 74.0-92.0). Median resilience scores were significantly lower among women with a history of depression (73.0 [IQR 66.0-81.0]) than among those without a history (85.0 [IQR 79.0-92.0]; P=0.007). A history of using medication for anxiety, depression, or insomnia before pregnancy was also associated with lower resilience (median 74.0 [IQR 64.5-80.0] vs 83.5 [IQR 79.0-92.0]; P=0.029). Neither anxiety nor substance use was associated with resilience. Higher resilience was associated with religious affiliation and having adequate financial resources (both P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Depression history, prior medication use, religious affiliation, and financial security affect resilience in pregnancy. These data inform a strengths-based approach to prenatal care and future research endeavors.

Effects of a Short Video-Based Resident-as-Teacher Training Toolkit on Resident Teaching.

OBJECTIVE: To pilot a short video-based resident-as-teacher training toolkit and assess its effect on resident teaching skills in clinical settings. METHODS: A video-based resident-as-teacher training toolkit was previously developed by educational experts at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School. Residents were recruited from two academic hospitals, watched two videos from the toolkit ("Clinical Teaching Skills" and "Effective Clinical Supervision"), and completed an accompanying self-study guide. A novel assessment instrument for evaluating the effect of the toolkit on teaching was created through a modified Delphi process. Before and after the intervention, residents were observed leading a clinical teaching encounter and scored using the 15-item assessment instrument. The primary outcome of interest was the change in number of skills exhibited, which was assessed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. RESULTS: Twenty-eight residents from two academic hospitals were enrolled, and 20 (71%) completed all phases of the study. More than one third of residents who volunteered to participate reported no prior formal teacher training. After completing two training modules, residents demonstrated a significant increase in the median number of teaching skills exhibited in a clinical teaching encounter, from 7.5 (interquartile range 6.5-9.5) to 10.0 (interquartile range 9.0-11.5; P<.001). Of the 15 teaching skills assessed, there were significant improvements in asking for the learner's perspective (P=.01), providing feedback (P=.005), and encouraging questions (P=.046). CONCLUSION: Using a resident-as-teacher video-based toolkit was associated with improvements in teaching skills in residents from multiple specialties.

Geographic Comparison of Women in Academic Obstetrics and Gynecology Department-Based Leadership Roles.

OBJECTIVE: To describe and compare geographic representation of women in obstetrics and gynecology department-based leadership roles across American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) districts and U.S. Census Bureau regions while accounting for the proportion of women practicing in each area. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional observational study. To more meaningfully quantify representation of women as leaders in ACOG districts and U.S. Census Bureau regions, we calculated representation ratios-the proportion of department-based leaders who were women divided by the proportion of obstetrician-gynecologists who were women. A ratio of 1.0 indicates proportionate representation and less than 1.0 indicates underrepresentation. We calculated 95% CIs to compare representation of women in leadership roles across geographic areas. The gender of major department-based leaders (chair, vice chair, division director) and educational leaders (fellowship, residency, associate residency, medical student clerkship director) was determined from websites. RESULTS: The proportion of department chairs who were women was highest in the West and lowest in the South Census Bureau regions. Representation ratios for women in major department-based leadership roles demonstrated underrepresentation relative to the practicing base nationally and in all four regions. Although women were underrepresented in major department-based leadership throughout the country, there was significantly higher women's representation in major department-based leadership roles in the West (ratio 0.82, 95% CI 0.68-0.99) compared with the Northeast (ratio 0.50, 95% CI 0.42-0.59) and the South (ratio 0.45, 95% CI 0.36-0.57). Similarly, in the division director role, the West (ratio 0.85, 95% CI 0.68-1.1) had significantly higher representation of women compared with the Northeast (ratio 0.50, 95% CI 0.40-0.62). Nationally, women were underrepresented as fellowship directors, proportionately represented as residency program directors, and overrepresented as medical student clerkship directors. CONCLUSION: Representation ratios of women in major department-based leadership roles, which account for the proportion of women practicing in each geographic area, suggest that women were more likely to advance to the department-based leadership roles of chair, vice chair, or division director in the western United States.

Comparison of Women in Department Leadership in Obstetrics and Gynecology With Those in Other Specialties.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the representation of women in obstetrics and gynecology department-based leadership to other clinical specialties while accounting for proportions of women in historical residency cohorts. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional observational study. The gender of department-based leaders (chair, vice chair, division director) and residency program directors was determined from websites of 950 academic departments of anesthesiology, diagnostic radiology, general surgery, internal medicine, neurology, obstetrics and gynecology, pathology, pediatrics, and psychiatry. Each specialty's representation ratio-proportion of leadership roles held by women in 2013 divided by proportion of residents in 1990 who were women-and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. A ratio of 1 indicates proportionate representation. RESULTS: Women were significantly underrepresented among chairs for all specialties (ratios 0.60 or less, P≤.02) and division directors for all specialties except anesthesiology (ratio 1.13, 95% CI 0.87-1.46) and diagnostic radiology (ratio 0.97, 95% CI 0.81-1.16). The representation ratio for vice chair was below 1.0 for all specialties except anesthesiology; this finding reached statistical significance only for pathology, pediatrics, and psychiatry. Women were significantly overrepresented as residency program directors in general surgery, anesthesiology, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics (ratios greater than 1.19, P≤.046). Obstetrics and gynecology and pediatrics had the highest proportions of residents in 1990 and department leaders in 2013 who were women. CONCLUSION: Despite having the largest proportion of leaders who were women, representation ratios demonstrate obstetrics and gynecology is behind other specialties in progression of women to departmental leadership. Women's overrepresentation as residency program directors raises concern because education-based academic tracks may not lead to major leadership roles.

Subspecialty and gender of obstetrics and gynecology faculty in department-based leadership roles.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the cohort who may become senior leaders in obstetrics and gynecology by examining the gender and subspecialty of faculty in academic department administrative and educational leadership roles. METHODS: This is an observational study conducted through web sites of U.S. obstetrics and gynecology residency programs accredited in 2012-2013. RESULTS: In obstetrics and gynecology departmental administrative leadership roles, women comprised 20.4% of chairs, 36.1% of vice chairs, and 29.6% of division directors. Among educational leaders, women comprised 31.9% of fellowship directors, 47.3% of residency directors, and 66.1% of medical student clerkship directors. Chairs were most likely to be maternal-fetal medicine faculty (38.2%) followed by specialists in general obstetrics and gynecology (21.8%), reproductive endocrinologists (15.6%), and gynecologic oncologists (14.7%). Among chairs, 32.9% are male maternal-fetal medicine specialists. Family planning had the highest representation of women (80.0%) among division directors, whereas reproductive endocrinology and infertility had the lowest (15.8%). The largest proportion of women chairs, vice chairs, residency program directors, and medical student clerkship directors were specialists in general obstetrics and gynecology. CONCLUSION: Women remained underrepresented in the departmental leadership roles of chair, vice chair, division director, and fellowship director. Representation of women was closer to parity among residency program directors, in which women held just under half of positions. Nearly one in three department chairs was a male maternal-fetal medicine specialist. Compared with subspecialist leaders, specialist leaders in general obstetrics and gynecology were more likely to be women.

Fibroid morcellation: a shared clinical decision tool for mode of hysterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To compare risks and benefits of laparoscopic hysterectomy with morcellation versus abdominal hysterectomy without morcellation for large fibroids. STUDY DESIGN: We developed a shared clinical decision tool to communicate risks and benefits of laparoscopic versus abdominal hysterectomy to patients with large fibroids as mandated by the FDA. The decision tool was designed to serve as a framework for providers to counsel patients about mode of hysterectomy to facilitate shared decision-making between patient and provider. Risks and benefits were estimated from the literature, including surgical complications (venous thromboembolism, small bowel obstruction, adhesions, hernia, surgical site infections, and transfusions), uterine sarcoma risks, and quality-of-life endpoints. The shared clinical decision tool was applied to a hypothetical population of 20,000 patients with large uterine fibroids, of which 10,000 underwent laparoscopic hysterectomies and 10,000 had abdominal hysterectomies. RESULTS: Abdominal hysterectomy would result in 50.1% more adhesions, 10.7% more hernias, 4.8% more surgical site infections, 2.8% more bowel obstructions, and 2% more venous thromboembolisms compared to laparoscopic hysterectomy. Abdominal hysterectomy would also result in longer hospital stays (2 days), slower return to work (13.6 days), greater postoperative day 3 narcotic requirements (48%), and lower SF-36 quality-of-life scores (50.4 points lower). 0.28% of fibroid hysterectomy patients would have unsuspected uterine sarcomas. Among these patients, laparoscopic hysterectomy with morcellation would have a 27% reduction in 5-year overall survival rates and a 28.8 month shorter recurrence-free survival period. CONCLUSION: Some evidence suggests laparoscopic hysterectomy with morcellation may result in increased risk of cancer dissemination with worse survival outcomes among uterine sarcoma patients compared to abdominal hysterectomy without morcellation, however, the current data is limited and the exact risks associated specifically with electromechanical morcellation are not conclusive. Data also supports abdominal hysterectomy would lead to a net detriment in other outcomes, with greater risks of venous thromboembolism, obstruction, hernia, adhesions, infection, and blood loss compared to laparoscopic hysterectomy. This shared clinical decision tool may aid the patient and physician in determining an optimal mode of hysterectomy for large uterine fibroids while taking account of risks and benefits as mandated by the FDA.

Long-acting reversible contraceptive use in urban women from a title X-supported Boston community health center.

BACKGROUND: Unintended and adolescent pregnancy disproportionately affects minority populations, but the effect of age, race and ethnicity on the use of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) has not been well studied. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this pilot study was to examine LARC use over a 5-year period among women receiving care at a Boston community health center. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of LARC method use among black, Hispanic, and white women receiving care at the Dimock Center from 2006 to 2010. RESULTS: This study included 276 women (60.1% black, 18.5% Hispanic, and 9.1% white). LARC was not used as a first-line method in the majority (96.0%), regardless of age, race, and ethnicity; yet nearly half identified a long-acting contraceptive as their method of choice. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this pilot study reveal opportunities to reduce unintended pregnancy through increased LARC use, which may be accomplished by provider and patient education.

Perspectives on family planning services among adolescents at a Boston community health center.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim of this project was to investigate adolescent perspectives on family planning services at a community-health center, with the intent to inform health center programs aimed at stemming the adolescent pregnancy rate. DESIGN: This project was cross-sectional and employed mixed methods, including surveys and interviews, for the purposes of quality improvement. SETTING: The project was conducted in the obstetrics and gynecology clinic at an urban community health center in Boston. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty adolescent females (age 16-20) who used services at the health center. INTERVENTION: Participants were individually interviewed to assess perspectives on family planning services and to identify major influences on methods of pregnancy prevention. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Major themes were categorized into contraceptive usage, reproductive health knowledge, adult influence and communication, barriers to contraceptive care and expectations of a family planning clinic. RESULTS: All participants were sexually active and 80% had experienced pregnancy. Reproductive health knowledge was variable and in many cases limited. Concern about disapproval was a prominent barrier to going to a clinician for contraception or advice and parents were not often involved in the initial contraception discussion. Other barriers to use of contraception included forgetting to use the methods and fear of side effects. CONCLUSION: We identified several potentially modifiable factors, including lack of knowledge, concern for provider disapproval and fear of side effects that may limit effective use of family planning services by adolescents. Further attention should be paid to these factors in designing and improving youth-friendly services in ob-gyn clinics.