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Women who develop high blood pressure (hypertension) during pregnancy have elevated rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and kidney disease later in life, reports a paper being presented…

Women with the immune disease lupus who become pregnant face a much higher risk of serious complications and even death, U.S. researchers reported on Saturday.

Their findings confirm evidence that suggested…

Treating women for periodontal disease during pregnancy is safe and effective, but does not reduce the risk of preterm delivery, low birth weight or growth restriction of the fetus, a new…

This is not an actual vaginal infection but rather a clinical syndrome resulting from replacement of the normal H2O2-producing Lactobacillus species with high concentrations of anaerobic bacteria (e.g., Prevotella and Mobiluncus species), Gardnerella vaginalis, and…

Haemophilus ducreyi can cause painful, nonindurated genital ulcers, termed soft chancres, at times accompanied by painful inguinal lymphadenopathy. Although common in some developing countries, it had become rare in the United States. In 1987, however, its…

Genital human papillomavirus infection (HPV), either symptomatic or asymptomatic, is common. Of 2597 high-risk pregnant women enrolled in the New Orleans Center of the Vaginal Infections and Prematurity Study, 28 percent were seropositive for…

There are many more infections and infestations that can be acquired as the consequence of sexual intercourse. These include hepatitis B and C, Candida vulvovaginitis, scabies, and pediculosis pubis. These infections are discussed…

This protozoal infection was previously considered a common but minor sexually transmitted disease. Lately, however, its importance has been reassessed in light of its associations with other STDs, particularly HIV, and with possible preterm birth (Soper,…

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) was first described in 1981 when a cluster of patients was found to have defective cellular immunity and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (Gallo and Montagnier, 2003). Worldwide, it was estimated…

Management of pregnancy complicated by maternal herpesvirus genital infection remains problematic. There are currently no available rapid diagnostic tests that reliably document contemporary infection. Moreover, there are few data to estimate risks for…

Several serovars of C trachomatis cause lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV). The primary genital infection is transient and seldom recognized. Inguinal adenitis may develop, and at times lead to suppuration. It may be confused with chancroid. Ultimately,…

Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular bacterium that has several serotypes, including those that cause lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV). The most commonly encountered strains are those that attach only to columnar or transitional cell epithelium and…

The incidence of gonorrhea in the United States for 2002 was 125 cases per 100,000 persons (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2003b). The highest rates in women of any ethnicity were in the 15- to…

The incidence of syphilis increased in the United States through the 1980s peaked in 1990, and then subsequently declined (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2003a). The rate of syphilis in the United States in 2002…

A new study suggests that moderate exercise during pregnancy is safe even for women with chronic illness.

Black women are twice as likely to have premature or low birth weight…

Hypnosis and acupuncture are promising approaches to relieve pain during labor and delivery, but more research is needed to determine whether these two strategies, as well as other complementary therapies -…

Women who are given drugs to induce labor are nearly twice as likely to suffer an amniotic fluid embolism, a rare but potentially fatal complication of pregnancy, according to a study published…

Women who carry a common parasite are more likely to give birth to boys, Czech researchers report.

In most populations, 51 percent of babies born are male, Dr. S.…

Ana Sanchez, a 15-year-old from Brownsville, Texas, should be going to school and hanging out with friends. Her main concern, though, is how to get enough money to buy food…

Metformin taken by women with polycystic ovary syndrome during the first trimester of pregnancy does not appear to increase the risk of major fetal malformations, and may have…

Exercise during pregnancy appears to be safe even for African-American women at high risk for pregnancy complications, a new study suggests.

The study, which focused on poor, urban African-American…

Almost twice as many infant deaths than previously estimated, are because babies are born prematurely.

According to a new analysis by researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control…

Smoking during pregnancy can affect the baby’s immune system which may explain why asthma and respiratory problems are more common in children whose mothers smoke, Australian scientists said in…

New research suggests that the length of time women spend in labor partially depends on race, with Asian women tending to have a longer childbirth process and black women a…

Fetuses of mothers who show high rates of depression, anxiety and stress weigh less and are smaller than average at midterm, according to a recent study from the…