Women's questions after postabortion insertion of intrauterine contraception

Abstract Background: Postabortion insertion of intrauterine contraception has the potential to decrease unintended pregnancy and repeat abortions, but little is known about how to ensure that women receive appropriate counseling about this method in this setting. The goal of this investigation was to document women's questions and to assess retention of information provided during contraceptive counseling after immediate postabortion intrauterine contraceptive placement. Study Design: Women who received postabortion intrauterine contraceptives (IUCs) at an urban, hospital-based abortion clinic were surveyed 2-3 months postabortion to evaluate for expulsion, assess their concerns about IUC and evaluate retention of information provided during contraceptive counseling. Results: Of 141 women contacted, 121 participated. Almost half of participants (46%) had responses to the question "Do you have any questions or concerns about your intrauterine device?" that fell into the following categories: spotting/bleeding (16%), cramping/pain (15%), string management (10%), expulsion concern (5%). Seventy percent reported less bleeding during menses than prior to IUC placement, and 37% had less cramping. Sixty-three percent were able to accurately report statistics regarding IUC efficacy, 56% recalled common side effects, and 42% remembered what to do if expulsion occurred. Conclusion: Although IUCs are highly effective and their placement in the abortion setting is safe, women frequently have questions and do not recall critical counseling information about IUCs. In order to improve IUC continuation, techniques to improve both patient knowledge retention and anticipatory guidance should be studied further

A mentor development program for clinical translational science faculty leads to sustained, improved confidence in mentoring skills.

Mentorship is crucial for academic productivity and advancement for clinical and translational (CT) science faculty. However, little is known about the long-term effects of mentor training programs. The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), Clinical and Translational Science Institute launched a Mentor Development Program (MDP) in 2007 for CT faculty. We report on an evaluation of the first three cohorts of graduates from the MDP. In 2010, all Mentors in Training (MITs) who completed the MDP from 2007 to 2009 (n= 38) were asked to complete an evaluation of their mentoring skills and knowledge; all MITs (100%) completed the evaluation. Two-thirds of MDP graduates reported that they often apply knowledge, attitudes, or skills obtained in the MDP to their mentoring. Nearly all graduates (97%) considered being a mentor important to their career satisfaction. Graduates were also asked about the MDP's impact on specific mentoring skills; 95% agreed that the MDP helped them to become a better mentor and to focus their mentoring goals. We also describe a number of new initiatives to support mentoring at UCSF that have evolved from the MDP. To our knowledge, this is the first evaluation of the long-term impact of a mentor training program for CT researchers

Dilation and evacuation training in maternal-fetal medicine fellowships

OBJECTIVE: Many maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) specialists provide dilation and evacuation (D&E) procedures for their patients with fetal or obstetrical complications. Our study describes the D&E training opportunities available to MFM trainees during their fellowship. STUDY DESIGN: National surveys of MFM fellows and fellowship program directors assessed the availability of D&E training in fellowship. Univariate and multivariate comparisons of correlates of D&E training and provision were performed. RESULTS: Of the 270 MFM fellows and 79 fellowship directors contacted, 92 (34%) and 44 (56%) responded, respectively. More than half of fellows (60/92) and almost half of fellowship programs (20/44) report organized training opportunities for D&E. Three-quarters of fellows surveyed believe that D&E training should be part of MFM fellowship, and a third of fellows who have not yet been trained would like training opportunities. Being at a fellowship that offers D&E training is associated with 7.5 times higher odds of intending to provide D&E after graduation. (p=0.005, 95% CI 1.8 – 30) CONCLUSION: MFM physicians are in a unique position to provide termination services for their patients with pregnancy complications. Many MFMs provide D&E services during fellowship and plan to continue after graduation. MFM fellows express a strong interest in D&E training, and D&E training opportunities should be offered as a part of MFM fellowship

Grief after second-trimester termination for fetal anomaly: a qualitative study

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to qualitatively evaluate factors that contribute to and alleviate grief associated with termination of a pregnancy for a fetal anomaly and how that grief changes over time. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a longitudinal qualitative study of decision satisfaction, grief and coping among women undergoing termination (dilation and evacuation or induction termination) for fetal anomalies and other complications. We conducted three postprocedure interviews at 1–3 weeks, 3 months and 1 year. We used a generative thematic approach to analyze themes related to grief using NVivo software program. RESULTS: Of the 19 women in the overall study, 13 women’s interviews were eligible for analysis of the grief experience. Eleven women completed all three interviews, and two completed only the first interview. Themes that contributed to grief include self-blame for the diagnosis, guilt around the termination decision, social isolation related to discomfort with abortion and grief triggered by reminders of pregnancy. Social support and time are mechanisms that serve to alleviate grief. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnancy termination in this context is experienced as a significant loss similar to other types of pregnancy loss and is also associated with real and perceived stigma. Women choosing termination for fetal anomalies may benefit from tailored counseling that includes dispelling misconceptions about cause of the anomaly. In addition, efforts to decrease abortion stigma and increase social support may improve women’s experiences and lessen their grief response. IMPLICATIONS: The nature and course of grief after second-trimester termination for fetal anomaly are, as of yet, poorly understood. With improved understanding of how women grieve over time, clinicians can better recognize the significance of their patients’ suffering and offer tools to direct their grief toward positive coping

Meiotic recombination in human oocytes

Studies of human trisomies indicate a remarkable relationship between abnormal meiotic recombination and subsequent nondisjunction at maternal meiosis I or II. Specifically, failure to recombine or recombination events located either too near to or too far from the centromere have been linked to the origin of human trisomies. It should be possible to identify these abnormal crossover configurations by using immunofluorescence methodology to directly examine the meiotic recombination process in the human female. Accordingly, we initiated studies of crossover-associated proteins (e.g., MLH1) in human fetal oocytes to analyze their number and distribution on nondisjunction-prone human chromosomes and, more generally, to characterize genome-wide levels of recombination in the human female. Our analyses indicate that the number of MLH1 foci is lower than predicted from genetic linkage analysis, but its localization pattern conforms to that expected for a crossover-associated protein. In studies of individual chromosomes, our observations provide evidence for the presence of "vulnerable" crossover configurations in the fetal oocyte, consistent with the idea that these are subsequently translated into nondisjunctional events in the adult oocyte

County Jail as a Novel Site for Obstetrics and Gynecology Resident Education

INTRODUCTION: Obstetrics and gynecology residents benefit from providing care to diverse patient populations and increasing their awareness of the social determinants of health. OBJECTIVES: To describe and evaluate an outpatient rotation for obstetrics and gynecology residents at a county jail. METHODS: A comprehensive curriculum incorporating Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) core competencies was designed for all first-year residents to rotate weekly at the local county jail during their 6-week ambulatory care block. Residents completed an anonymous online evaluation and wrote a reflective essay at the end of the rotation. Data for patient visits were tabulated. RESULTS: All 9 first-year residents completed the rotation and the evaluation. Seventy-eight percent of patient visits were for gynecologic services, predominantly family planning. Residents reported that the rotation overall was a positive experience, emphasizing the unique intersection between psychosocial issues and health care in the jail setting. Rotation objectives that satisfied the 6 ACGME competencies were met. DISCUSSION: Providing care to incarcerated women through a structured curriculum is a novel way to encourage obstetrics and gynecology residents to consider the social determinants of health and for residents to cultivate their counseling skills. The rotation also included a wide breadth and depth of clinical diagnoses and procedures. Obstetrics and gynecology residency programs should consider a curriculum in reproductive health for incarcerated women