Top in women’s health: Cervical cancer screenings; childbearing decisions among physicians

New research has revealed that additional cervical cancer screenings may elevate the risk for preterm delivery among young women.

In a study of more than 11 million women aged 18 to 24 years, each additional recommended cervical screening was associated with a 0.073 percentage point increase in the risk for preterm birth. Rebecca Aliastra Bromley-Dulfano, MS, an MD/PhD student at Stanford University and Harvard University who led the study, said the findings will help weigh the “oncological benefits of cervical cancer screening against adverse birth outcomes to help determine the optimal strategy for when and how often to screen people.” It was the top story in women’s health last week.

Another top story was about childbearing decisions among women physicians. Overall, 75.6% of respondents said they delayed family building and 36.8% reported infertility.

Read these and more top stories in women’s health below:

Additional cervical cancer screenings increase preterm delivery risk for young women

Undergoing more cervical cancer screenings was associated with an increased risk for preterm birth among women aged 18 to 24 years, especially among those with hypertension or diabetes, researchers reported. Read more.

Career-related pressures influence childbearing decisions among women physicians

Women physicians reported that career-related pressures influence pregnancy timing, affect infertility rates and result in career trajectory changes to accommodate family building and parenthood, according to survey results. Read more.

HCV-positive pregnancies in US increased 16-fold from 1998 to 2018

The prevalence of maternal hepatitis C virus infection has significantly increased in the U.S. since the start of the opioid epidemic in 1998, according to results from a cross-sectional study published in JAMA Network Open. Read more.

U.S. News & World Report names Brigham and Women’s Hospital top in US for OB/GYN care

Brigham and Women’s Hospital was named the top hospital in the U.S. for OB/GYN care, according to the 2023-2024 Best Hospitals rankings by U.S. News & World Report. Read more.

Early delivery, low stillbirth rate seen with pregnancy-related liver disorder

Women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy delivered earlier and had a lower percentage of stillbirths compared with women without the liver disorder, researchers reported in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. Read more.