Obstetrics and Gynecology Commons^™

Topical Lidocaine For Pain Control With Intrauterine Device Insertion: Does It Work?, Piper Gaudet, Jahnavi Ramakrishnan, Fariha Azam

Physician Assistant Capstones, 2020-current

Objective: To evaluate whether topical lidocaine improves the subjective perception of pain during the insertion of an intrauterine device (IUD) in women of childbearing age, compared to a placebo. Design: Mini-systematic literature review. Methods: An initial search of PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus was conducted using the terms "pain control," "IUD," and "lidocaine," yielding 49 articles, of which 31 were screened and 26 excluded based on pre-designated inclusion criteria. After assessing five articles for eligibility, three met the criteria and were evaluated using Duke University's Clinical Appraisal Worksheet and the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine table to determine their level of …

Disruption Of The Placenta–Brain Axis In Transgenic Mice Lacking Serotonin Transporter (Sert) In Trophoblast Cells, David T. Ellenberger, Zhen Lyu, Rosalind T. B. Herrington, Jessica A. Kinkade, Gustavo W. Leone, Ji Ying Sze, Nathan J. Bivens, R. Frank Baker, R. Michael Roberts, Trupti Joshi, Cheryl S. Rosenfeld

Biomedical Sciences

Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly prescribed to pregnant women experiencing depression. Such drugs, however, might adversely affect placenta and fetal brain development. Parietal trophoblast giant cells (pTGCs) in the mouse placenta are postulated to internalize maternal serotonin (5-HT) via transport through SERT, encoded by Slc6a4, and to provide the initial source of 5-HT to the emerging brain via the placental–brain axis. Genetic deletion of Slc6a4 in pTGCs has been hypothesized to impact placental and fetal brain development. A transgenic mouse line with high-affinity SERT, encoded by Slc6a4, was selectively deleted by pairing mice with Cre recombinase linked …

Breastfeeding Safety Following Maternal Anesthesia: A Guideline Development, Megan Honea, Mary Johnson

Doctoral Projects

Recommendations regarding breastfeeding following maternal anesthesia are inconsistent and often not up to date with current best practice guidelines. Previous recommendations have led to mothers unnecessarily “pumping and dumping” breast milk has benefits for both mother and baby. These benefits include (a) increasing the infant’s access to colostrum, (b) encouraging mother-baby bonding, (c) improving the mother’s breastfeeding experience, (d) and providing significant health benefits to the infant. The purpose of this scholarly project was to develop a set of evidence-based recommendations that focus on mothers who desire to breastfeed following general anesthesia. These recommendations will highlight maternal- fetal transfer of …

Reproductive Impact Of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy In Women With Melanoma, Quinn Rhodes, Terri L Woodard, Laura Detti, Michael Roth, Susan Shott, Jennifer Mcquade, Laurie J Mckenzie

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: To study the reproductive impact of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy in cis-females with melanoma.

Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study that examined the reproductive outcomes of female patients exposed to systemic ICI therapy.

Subjects: Cis-female patients, aged 18-40 years, with advanced-stage melanoma and no prior sterilization procedures or exposure to other systemic antineoplastic therapies who underwent treatment with systemic ICI therapy.

Exposure: Systemic ICI treatment as first-line, only-line therapy for advanced-stage melanoma.

Main outcome measures: Menstrual cycle data, contraceptive use, antimüllerian hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone values, and reproductive outcomes (occurrence of pregnancy) during and after ICI exposure.

Results: There were …

Using Robotic Single-Port Vnotes For Gynaecological Oncology: Omentectomy In A Patient With An Ovarian Granulosa Cell Tumor-A Case Study, Chunhua Zhang, Qing Li, Fang Fang, Xiaoming Guan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Robotic single-port transvaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (RSP-vNOTES) is an emerging minimally invasive approach that combines the advantages of robotic surgery with scarless transvaginal access. Its application in gynecologic oncology remains limited, particularly for omentectomy during ovarian cancer staging.

Methods: We present the case of a 45-year-old woman with an ovarian granulosa cell tumor (GCT) who underwent supplemental staging surgery following unilateral oophorectomy. Using a single-port robotic system via the transvaginal route, hysterectomy, right salpingo-oophorectomy, and omentectomy were performed. Key technical steps included enhanced visualization with gauze placement and use of an additional robotic arm for omental traction. …

Promoting Professionalism In Medical Education: A Toolbox For Effective Feedback And Remediation, Matthew R Carroll, Gal Barak, Tracy Byrne, Huma Farid

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Impact Of A Maternal Early Warning System And Severe Hypertension Safety Bundle On Timely Treatment Of Hypertensive Emergencies: A Quality Improvement And Health Equity Initiative, Towana D Sims, Lauren Shubert, Stacie Denning, Lena Shay, Celeste Green, Christina Davidson

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are a leading cause of pregnancy-related morbidity and mortality. Timely treatment of a hypertensive emergency has the potential to reduce preeclampsia-related morbidity and mortality.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of quality improvement and patient safety initiatives on timely treatment of hypertensive emergencies in pregnancy and racial and ethnic disparities.

Setting: Maternity teaching hospital in Texas Medical Center.

Population: Pregnant and postpartum women with hypertensive emergencies.

Methods: A retrospective chart review of all hospital deliveries with a hypertensive emergency was conducted from 1 January 2017 through 31 December 2024. During the study period, our hospital implemented …

Application Of The Surgical Apgar Score To Predict Intensive Care Unit Admission And Post-Operative Outcomes In Cesarean Hysterectomy For Placenta Accreta Spectrum, Emily Root, Jacqueline Curbelo, Patrick Ramsey, Jessian L Munoz

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and Objective: Placenta Accreta Spectrum (PAS) encompasses a continuum of abnormal placentation conditions associated with significant maternal and fetal morbidity. Management of PAS requires coordinated cesarean hysterectomy. Associated morbidities include blood transfusion, coagulopathy, and intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Accurate prediction of ICU admission allows for enhanced multidisciplinary management, coordination of care and utilization of resources. Scoring systems exist in other surgical specialties that can predict the likelihood of ICU admission, but these have not been applied to an obstetric population. The SAS is a 10-point scale that has been validated for the prediction of ICU-level care requirements within …

Hemorrhage-Related Maternal Morbidity Of Secondary Compared To Primary Postpartum Hemorrhage, Matthew R Carroll, Sarah Tounsi, Jessica L Gerard, Susan M Leong-Kee, Laurie S Swaim, Mark A Turrentine

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: To compare a composite hemorrhage-related maternal morbidity in individuals with secondary to primary postpartum hemorrhage and treatment interventions utilized.

Methods: A retrospective case-control study of deliveries complicated by secondary postpartum hemorrhage was performed at a tertiary care center. To estimate a clinically relevant increase of 50 % in the composite maternal hemorrhage-related maternal morbidity (35-53 % absolute increase) in individuals with secondary postpartum hemorrhage, a correlation coefficient of 0.2, at an 80 % power with a p < 0.05 with a two-sided test would require 95 individuals with secondary postpartum hemorrhage be matched to 95 individuals with a primary postpartum hemorrhage. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the outcome of the composite of hemorrhage-related maternal morbidity.

Results: From January 2018 through December 2022, 33,026 deliveries occurred, and 94 individuals were identified that were admitted with secondary postpartum hemorrhage, …

At1-Aa Induced Hypertension During Pregnancy Contributes To Developmental Programming Of Hypertension In Female Offspring, Nathan Campbell, James P. Lemon, Melissa Helmich, Dylan Solise, Alexandra Demesa, Ella Goolsby, Evan Lamarca, Evangeline Deer, Denise C. Cornelius, Ty Turner, Lorena M. Amaral, Baoying Zheng, Babbette Lamarca

Pharmacology and Toxicology

Preeclampsia (PE), new-onset hypertension during pregnancy, is accompanied by organ dysfunction, in addition to placental dysfunction, and is associated with chronic inflammation and fetal growth restriction. Agonistic autoantibodies against the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1-AA) are produced in PE women and induce a PE-like phenotype when infused into pregnant rats. PE offspring are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease and hypertension; however, AT1-AA’s role in these risks is unknown. Therefore, we hypothesized that AT1-AA exposure during pregnancy contributes to hypertension in adult offspring. We infused AT1-AA (1:40) starting on gestational day (GD) 14, allowed the dams to give birth, …

Decreasing Barriers To The Utilization Of Cryopreserved Sperm In Male Cancer Survivors: An Expert Review And Guide, Megan V Alexander, Hailie Ciomperlik, Anna Claire Reynolds, Allyson Nevins, Luwam Ghidei, Jordan Kassab, Kevin Campbell, John Sullivan, Michael D Jochum, Laura Detti, Terri L Woodard, Larry I Lipshultz, Laurie J Mckenzie

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Cryopreservation of sperm offers male cancer patients a critical opportunity to preserve fertility prior to gonadotoxic treatments. Despite its increasing availability, utilization rates remain modest at typically less than ten percent. This expert review provides a framework for an optimal Oncofertility Patient Care Pathway, explores the multifaceted barriers to cryopreserved sperm use, and proposes specific solutions. We focus on key timepoints for intervention, including the post-treatment fertility care return visit, continued sperm cryopreservation while remote from family building, eventual readiness for family building, and posthumous considerations. Patients often face difficulty engaging in post-treatment reproductive follow-up, with one-third of patients missing …

Risk Factors And Clinical Significance Of Urologic Injury In Cesarean Hysterectomy For Placenta Accreta Spectrum, J Connor Mulhall, Kayla E Ireland, John J Byrne, Patrick S Ramsey, Georgia A Mccann, Jessian L Munoz

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background/Objectives: Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) is an obstetric condition with placental adherence to the underling myometrium characterized by significant surgical morbidity at time of delivery. PAS delivery is most commonly performed by cesarean hysterectomy. The most common morbidities associated with PAS cesarean hysterectomy are blood transfusion, intensive care unit admission and urinary tract injuries. This requires interdisciplinary team management including obstetricians and urologists. Our objective was to identify pre- and intra-operative risk factors for urologic injury in this high-risk condition.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed at a single tertiary center with the Center for the Management …

Analyzing The Learning Curve Of Vnotes Sacrocolpopexy By The Cumulative Summation Test: A Cohort Study, Wenyu Liu, Nannan Sun, Yuejiao Zhang, Yuyan Li, Weihao Lai, Youjun Zhou, Xiaoming Guan, Juan Liu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: The learning curve of transvaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic sacrocolpopexy (vNOTES-SC) in the treat of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is critical yet underexplored. Our objective is to describe the learning curve and surgical complications of vNOTES-SC, taking into account the factors that affect operative time and evaluate the long-term follow-up outcomes of this surgery.

Methods: We conducted a hospital-based cohort study involving patients who underwent vNOTES-SC from June 2017 to May 2024. All surgeries were performed by a single surgeon with over 20 years of surgical experience. This study employed cumulative summation test (CUSUM) analysis to quantify the learning …

Fetal Body Composition And Organ Growth In Pregnancies Complicated By First-Trimester Vaginal Bleeding Status: Nichd Fetal 3d Study, Alexandra Jean-Louis, Jessica L Gleason, Zhen Chen, Kathryn A Wagner, Dian He, Roger Newman, William A Grobman, Robert Gore-Langton, Seth Sherman, Magdalena Sanz Cortes, Edward K Chien, Luis F Goncalves, Jagteshwar Grewal, Katherine L Grantz

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective

This study aimed to explore associations between self-reported first-trimester vaginal bleeding status and fetal body composition and organ volumes measured by three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound across pregnancy.

Study Design

The NICHD Fetal 3D Study (2015–2019) included individuals with singleton pregnancies at low risk for fetal growth abnormalities (n = 2,634). Fetal body composition measures of arm, abdomen, and thigh, and organ volumes including cerebellum, lung, kidney, and liver, were measured up to five times between 15 and 40 weeks using 3D ultrasound. Women were grouped by cumulative days of self-reported first-trimester vaginal bleeding: 0 (no bleeding, reference), 1, or …

Effect Of Social Drivers Of Health On Screening For Type 2 Diabetes In Individuals With Gestational Diabetes During Delivery Hospitalization And 4-12 Weeks Postpartum, Ingmar N Bastian, Manisha Gandhi, Mark A Turrentine

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: To prospectively evaluate postpartum diabetes screening rates among individuals with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) offered testing during the delivery hospitalization or at 4-12 weeks postpartum compared with historic outpatient-only screening and to assess the role of social and structural drivers of health.

Methods: This retrospective study compared patients with GDM who delivered between January 1 and December 31, 2023 (retrospective cohort), and underwent outpatient screening at 4-12 weeks postpartum with a 75-g 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) with a prospective cohort (June 24-November 5, 2024) of the first 100 patients who underwent screening in the immediate postpartum delivery …

A Multi-Modal Pelvic Mri Dataset For Deep Learning-Based Pelvic Organ Segmentation In Endometriosis, Xiaomin Liang, Linda A Alpuing Radilla, Kamand Khalaj, Haaniya Dawoodally, Chinmay Mokashi, Xiaoming Guan, Kirk E Roberts, Sunil A Sheth, Varaha S Tammisetti, Luca Giancardo

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Endometriosis affects approximately 190 million females of reproductive age worldwide. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has been recommended as the primary non-invasive diagnostic method for endometriosis. This study presents new female pelvic MRI multicenter datasets for endometriosis and shows the baseline segmentation performance of two auto-segmentation pipelines: the self-configuring nnU-Net and RAovSeg, a custom network. The multi-sequence endometriosis MRI scans from two clinical institutions were collected. A multicenter dataset of 51 subjects with manual labels for multiple pelvic structures from three raters was used to assess interrater agreement. A second single-center dataset of 81 subjects with labels for multiple pelvic structures …

Integrative Spatial Omics Reveals Distinct Tumor-Promoting Multicellular Niches And Immunosuppressive Mechanisms In Black American And White American Patients With Tnbc, Qian Zhu, Akhila Balasubramanian, Jaya Ruth Asirvatham, Megha Chatterjee, Badrajee Piyarathna, Jaspreet Kaur, Nada Mohamed, Ling Wu, Stacy Wang, Niloufar Pourfarrokh, Paula Danika Binsol, Mahak Bhargava, Uttam Rasaily, Yitian Xu, Junjun Zheng, Deborah Jebakumar, Arundhati Rao, Carolina Gutierrez, Angela R Omilian, Carl Morrison, Gokul M Das, Christine Ambrosone, Erin H Seeley, Shu-Hsia Chen, Yi Li, Eric Chang, Xiaoxian Li, Elizabeth Baker, Ritu Aneja, Xiang H-F Zhang, Arun Sreekumar

Center on Aging Staff Publications

Racial disparities in the clinical outcomes of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) have been well-documented, but the underlying biological mechanisms remain poorly understood. To investigate these disparities, we employed a multi-omic approach integrating imaging mass cytometry and spatial transcriptomics to characterize the tumor microenvironment (TME) in self-identified Black American (BA) and White American (WA) TNBC patients. Our analysis revealed that the TME in BA patients is marked by a network of endothelial cells, macrophages, and mesenchymal-like cells, which correlates with reduced patient survival. In contrast, the WA TNBC microenvironment is enriched in T-cells and neutrophils, indicative of T-cell exhaustion and suppressed …

Fetal Body Composition And Organ Volume Trajectories In Association With Maternal Perceived Stress Or Depressive Symptoms In The Fetal 3d Study, Alexandra Jean-Louis, Jessica L Gleason, Zhen Chen, Kathryn A Wagner, William A Grobman, Roger B Newman, Wesley Lee, Robert Gore-Langton, Seth Sherman, John Owen, Deborah A Wing, Daniel W Skupski, Jagteshwar Grewal, Katherine L Grantz

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: Evaluate associations between maternal perceived stress and depressive symptoms, and fetal body composition and organ volumes.

Methods: In the NICHD Fetal 3D Study (2015-2019; n = 2457), stress and depressive symptoms were assessed at enrollment (10-13 weeks). High stress was defined as a Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) score ≥15 and high depressive symptoms, defined as an Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) score ≥10. Fetal body composition and organ volumes (cerebellar, lung, liver, and kidney) were measured up to five times between 15 and 40 weeks using three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound technology. Trajectories of body composition and organ volumes across pregnancy …

Immediate Skin-To-Skin Contact And Postpartum Hemorrhagic Morbidity, Rachel L Wiley, Ipsita Ghose, Dana R Canfield, Minhazur R Sarker, Hector Mendez-Figueroa, Suneet Chauhan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: To examine rates of postpartum hemorrhagic (PPH) morbidity among patients who did and did not have immediate skin-to-skin contact (SSC).

Methods: This study was a retrospective cohort of all non-anomalous, term singleton vaginal births at a Level IV center over 2 years. Exclusion criteria included COVID-19. Immediate SSC was defined as at least 60 min of direct contact initiated between parturient and neonate within 10 min of birth. The primary outcome was a composite of maternal morbidity related to PPH compared among those with and without immediate SSC. We used multivariable Poisson regression adjusted for possible confounders with robust …

Fluorescence-Guided Ureteral Identification In Robotic Surgery For Advanced Endometriosis: A Comparison Of Junior Versus Senior Surgeons, Linda A Alpuing Radilla, Qiannan Yang, Daniel Y Lovell, Tamisa Koythong, Brooke Thigpen, Luis E Delgadillo Chabolla, Qianqing Wang, Xiaoming Guan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Identifying the ureters in patients with advanced endometriosis and severe pelvic adhesive disease can be challenging. Adhesiolysis along the deformed pelvic sidewall may increase the risk of prolonged operative time and incidental ureteral injury. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and surgical outcomes of using Indocyanine Green (ICG) under near-infrared fluorescence for intraoperative ureteral localization and preservation during robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery (RALS) for advanced endometriosis, comparing procedures performed by two junior surgeons to those performed by one senior surgeon. This was a retrospective observational case series conducted by three minimally invasive gynecologic surgeons (X.G., T.K., B.T.) at a single …

Is Less More? Maximizing Outcomes By Tailoring Treatments To Patients: Oncofertility And Oncomenopause, Janice S Kwon, Marie Plante, Martha Hickey, Annabelle Huguenin, Sarah Hmaidan, Terri Lynn Woodard

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Notable advances have been made in improving survival outcomes in various cancers, but some have incurred undesirable costs and effects to patients with respect to fertility and menopause. Patients are living longer with cancer, and patient reported outcomes are influencing decision-making by individuals and their health care providers. It is essential to evaluate existing standards of care on an ongoing basis and prioritize quality of life and long-term survivorship, particularly for interventions in early-stage cancers and risk-reducing strategies that often yield long-term life expectancy.

The Need To Integrate Mental Health Treatment Into The Care Of Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser, Teni Davoudian, Emily Hills

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

This mini review examines the psychological burdens of Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) and encourages collaborations between medical and mental health providers who treat this condition. The psychological comorbidities of MRKH emerge in adolescence and persist into adulthood. For several years, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and researchers in this field have called for the provision of psychological counseling for individuals with MRKH. However, referrals to qualified mental health professionals remain sparse leaving many to confront the emotional complexities of MRKH with little to no support.

Fetal Body Composition In Twins And Singletons, Jessica L Gleason, Wesley Lee, Zhen Chen, Kathryn A Wagner, Dian He, William A Grobman, Roger B Newman, Seth Sherman, Robert Gore-Langton, Edward Chien, Luis Goncalves, Katherine L Grantz

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Importance: An emerging paradigm attributes third-trimester fetal growth deceleration in uncomplicated twin pregnancies to an evolutionary adaptive process. Evaluating longitudinal fetal soft-tissue development may provide important insights into differential fetal growth trajectories between twins and singletons.

Objective: To compare twin vs singleton lean and fat tissue growth across pregnancy.

Design, setting, and participants: Prospective cohort study of dichorionic twins and singletons with serial ultrasound scans to chart fetal growth (2009-2013) and collect fetal volume data to measure fat and lean tissue (2015-2019) in 12 US clinical centers. Participants were individuals with singleton (n = 2802 enrolled) and twin (n = …

Anti-Mullerian Hormone (Amh) Protects Ovarian Follicle Loss By Downregulating Granulosa Cell Function In In Vitro And In Vivo Models, Laura Detti, Michael C Mari, Michael P Diamond, Ghassan M Saed

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: AMH inhibits hormone production in luteinized granulosa cells (GCs) and stalls ovarian follicle development in vitro and in vivo. We sought to confirm AMH's mechanism of action through SMAD activation and investigate AMH inhibition of follicle development and function, in vitro and in vivo.

Methods: A primary culture of GCs isolated from follicular fluid was used, and cells were treated with recombinant AMH (rAMH) or placebo for 24 h. For the mouse model, 18-weeks old C57BL female mice were either euthanized at the beginning or treated with rAMH or normal saline for 3 weeks. Primordial (PDF), primary follicle (PRF), …

A Review Of Mirvetuximab Soravtansine-Gynx In Folate Receptor Alpha-Expressing Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer, Judith A Smith, Patrick Medina, Mary Miao, Kathleen N Moore

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: To evaluate the pharmacology, efficacy, safety, and dosing and administration considerations (including adjusted ideal body weight [AIBW] dosing) for mirvetuximab soravtansine-gynx, a first-in-class folate receptor alpha (FRα)-directed antibody-drug conjugate for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (PROC).

Summary: A literature search was conducted in PubMed using the terms "ovarian cancer" and "mirvetuximab soravtansine" of articles published from inception to April 16, 2024. Relevant publications, abstracts, and clinical trials were reviewed. Mirvetuximab soravtansine-gynx is dosed at 6 mg/kg AIBW every 3 weeks and comprises an FRα-binding antibody, a hydrophilic disulfide linker, and a maytansinoid DM4 payload. Mirvetuximab soravtansine-gynx binds to FRα, which induces …

Covid-19 Infection History As A Risk Factor For Early Pregnancy Loss: Results From The Electronic Health Record-Based Southeast Texas Covid And Pregnancy Cohort Study, Micaela N Sandoval, Michelle R Klawans, Mackinsey A Bach, Jennifer Mikhail, Edward A Graviss, Tru Cao, Jacqueline G Parchem, Junaid Husain, Eric Boerwinkle

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection before or during pregnancy on pregnancy outcomes are still largely unknown. We hypothesized that COVID-19 in early pregnancy is a risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes, particularly miscarriage.

Methods: We examined the relationship between COVID-19 and adverse pregnancy outcomes, including spontaneous abortion, ectopic pregnancy, and preterm delivery in a large, retrospective, electronic health record (EHR)-based cohort, from 2019 to 2023. Generalized estimating equation modeling was performed to identify risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes. Study exposures included COVID-19 before pregnancy, COVID-19 during pregnancy, age, race/ethnicity, comorbidity burden, and neighborhood-level social vulnerability.

Results: In the …

Menstruation Cycles And The Impact On A Female Athlete's Performance And Perception Of Performance, Mckenzie Mcaloon

Honors Projects in Biological and Biomedical Sciences

This two-part study investigates the impact of menstrual cycle hormone levels on performances and perception of performance among division I athletes. A survey was given to the captains of all Bryant University female sports teams for the dispersal amongst their teams. Each of the 13 female sports teams participated and contributed. A total of 107 survey responses were collected. Data regarding the perception of menstrual cycle on specific aspects of their athletic lives were collected, as well as whether they were on contraception, their age of menarche and heaviness of flow. The results indicate that 83% of athletes surveyed believe …

A Comprehensive Literature Review Of Barriers To Hormone Therapy Utilization: Strategies For Improving Menopause Management In Women Aged 40-60, Suhan Lee

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Menopause is a natural transition marked by the cessation of ovarian activity, often accompanied by vasomotor symptoms (VMS), genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), and psychological changes that significantly impact women’s quality of life. Hormone therapy (HT) has been the primary treatment for managing menopausal symptoms, particularly VMS, providing substantial relief when initiated within 10 years of menopause. Despite its effectiveness, HT usage has declined dramatically over the past two decades primarily due to barriers such as stigma, safety, misinformation, provider hesitancy, financial barriers, and cultural beliefs. This comprehensive literature review explores key factors influencing HT decision-making, including the media’s role …

The State Of Abortion Training In Medical School And Family Medicine Residency Curricula: A Scoping Literature Review, Eric James Reece

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

This project aims to assess how abortion education has been integrated into medical training over the past decade, with a particular focus on understanding its current state in medical schools and family medicine residencies, including those offering specialized programs affiliated with RHEDI (Reproductive Health Education in Family Medicine) and TEACH (Training in Early Abortion for Comprehensive Healthcare). Given the ever-evolving legal landscape following the June 4^th, 2022 Supreme Court case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, this review explores how both federal- and state-level legal restrictions impact access to abortion training and attempts to identify gaps …

A Pioneering Artificial Intelligence Tool To Predict Treatment Outcomes In Ovarian Cancer Via Diagnostic Laparoscopy, Xiaotian Ma, Yu-Chun Hsu, Amma Asare, Kai Zhang, Deanna Glassman, Katelyn F Handley, Katherine Foster, Khwahish Sharma, Shannon Westin, Amir Jazaeri, Nicole D Fleming, Pratip K Bhattacharya, Xiaoqian Jiang, Anil K Sood, Shayan Shams

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Ovarian cancer is associated with high rates of patient mortality and morbidity. Laparoscopic assessment of tumor localization can be used for treatment planning in newly diagnosed high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC). While spread to multiple intra-abdominal areas is correlated with worse outcomes, whether other morphological tumor differences are also associated with patient outcomes is unknown. Given the large volume of visual information in laparoscopic videos, we investigated whether deep-learning models can capture implicit features and predict treatment outcomes. We developed a novel deep-learning framework using pre-treatment laparoscopic images to assess clinical outcomes following upfront standard treatment, defined as short progression-free …