News

Large Study Finds IV Iron Treatment During Pregnancy Safe and Effective for Anemia

Media Contact:Karen Addis, APRkaren@addispr.com+1 (301) 787-2394 One of the Largest Studies of its Kind Finds Early Intervention with Iron Delivered Intravenously During Pregnancy is a Safe and Effective Treatment for Anemia Denver, Colo. ― Anemia during pregnancy is a common occurrence and... Continue Reading

New Study Finds High Concentrations of Plastics in the Placentae of Infants Born Prematurely

Media Contact:Karen Addis, APRkaren@addispr.com+1 (301) 787-2394 New Study Finds High Concentrations of Plastics in the Placentae of Infants Born Prematurely Denver, Colo. ― Microplastics, which are less than 5 millimeters, and nanoplastics, which are invisible to the naked eye, are widespread... Continue Reading

SMFM Announces Cooperative Agreement with CDC

Washington, DC—The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) has received a multiyear award totaling more than $1.3 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to build capacity and collaboration among maternal health professional organizations and to improve care... Continue Reading

Providing MFM Consultation in Labor & Delivery

Maternal-Fetal Medicine sub-specialists are often consulted to assist with the management of a patient in Labor & Delivery. How is this encounter coded appropriately, if at all? Learn more in this SMFM Coding Tip. Continue Reading

High Cesarean Rates Persist in Obesity Despite Standardized Protocols

NATIONAL HARBOR, MARYLAND — Implementation of a standardized induction of labor protocol had no significant effect on the rates of cesarean delivery in patients with obesity, based on data from more than 5000 individuals. Previous research has shown that the risk for cesarean delivery... Continue Reading

AI Predicts Dangerous Complication for Moms After Delivery

Ob/gyns working with data scientists at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles have developed an algorithm that can help predict which patients are at an increased risk for severe morbidity from bleeding after delivery. The artificial intelligence (AI) model uses data that clinicians... Continue Reading

Study Finds Antibiotic is a Cost-Saving Treatment for Reducing Maternal Sepsis, Death, in Developing

National Harbor, MD. ― Sepsis, a severe infection that can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death, isone of the top three causes of maternal deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Thelife-threatening emergency is largely preventable with early diagnosis and... Continue Reading

Nuchal Translucency Credentialing & Coding

Authors: The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) Coding Committee; Steve Rad, MD, FACOG; Brad Hart, MBA, MS, CPC, CPMA, COBGC; Vanita Jain, MD, FACOG. Background: First trimester screening includes biochemical markers, fetal nuchal translucency (NT) assessment via ultrasound (CPT 76813;... Continue Reading

Pregnancy Experts Applaud Massachusetts Efforts to Reduce Maternal Deaths

Budget Provides Additional Support for the Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee Massachusetts governor, Maura Healey, signed into law the Commonwealth’s fiscal year 2024 budget on August 9, 2023, which included an additional $350,000 to support the Massachusetts’... Continue Reading

Pregnancy Experts Warn, Idaho Policies Compromise the Health of Women and Families

As organizations representing healthcare professionals that specialize in obstetrics and women’s health, we call on the Idaho State legislature to reinstate the state’s crucial Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC). State and local MMRCs are widely recognized as essential bodies... Continue Reading

Being Exposed to Wildfire Smoke Increases Risk of Going into Labor Prematurely

San Francisco, Calif. ― The detrimental effects of poor air quality on a person’s health are well documented. In pregnant people, research has shown that poor air quality, such as smog, can lead to a number of adverse outcomes, including preterm birth (PTB), one of the leading causes of... Continue Reading

Single Dose of Antibiotic Given During Labor Significantly Reduced Risk of Maternal Death or Sepsis

San Francisco, Calif. ― Sepsis — a severe infection in the body that can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death — is among the top causes of maternal deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). It is a life-threatening emergency that is largely... Continue Reading