Despite significant advancements in the management of preterm labor (PTL), preterm birth (PTB) remains one of the most poorly understood and costly outcomes in obstetrics. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 12% of deliveries each year occur preterm (prior to 37 weeks) and PTB is the most frequent cause of infant ...Read more >

Little is known about contraception use among postpartum women in the West Bank. Survey data shows that 27% of birth intervals are under 18 months and 40% of pregnancies are mistimed or unwanted (Family Health Survey, Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics 2007). While 40% of women report using modern contraceptive methods, they are predominantly older ...Read more >

Unintended pregnancy remains a huge problem for the United States where ~50% of pregnancies are unplanned.  The best ways to decrease the rate of unplanned pregnancy are to educate women on the most effective methods of contraception while also facilitating the use of the most effective methods.  Intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUDs) include the Mirena IUD ...Read more >

Background: Unintended adolescent pregnancy continues to be a significant public health challenge in the US today, with up to 80% of teen pregnancies being unintended. Most unintended pregnancies are due to incorrect or inconsistent use of contraception. Long-acting, reversible contraceptives (the intrauterine device (IUD) and subdermal implant (implant)) are a potentially ideal contraceptive to address ...Read more >

Objective: To estimate the effect of oral midazolam on patient pain and anxiety perception during first-trimester surgical abortion. Methods: Between May and December 2013, we conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Patients between 6 0/7 and 10 6/7 weeks of gestation received 10 mg oral midazolam or placebo 30–60 minutes before surgical abortion. All patients ...Read more >

While IUDs are well-liked contraceptives, some patients will discontinue them within the first 9 months, and the experiences of these doctor-patient interactions are not well known. This study aims to describe the perspectives and experiences of patients and physicians when patients request an IUD removal within 9 months of insertion. In this qualitative study, we ...Read more >

Background:  Adolescents and young adults have the highest rates of unintended pregnancy in the US.  Long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods are highly effective and are recommended as first line birth control methods for all women.  Less than 5% of adolescents who use birth control use LARC methods.  In our clinical setting, having a high pre-visit ...Read more >

Background: Of the 1.3 million women undergoing abortion procedures in the US annually, half have had a prior abortion.  Multiple studies have shown that when women use a long acting reversible contraceptive method (LARC) such as an IUD or a subdermal implant immediately following their abortion, their likelihood of having a repeat abortion is decreased. ...Read more >

The purpose of this study was to learn if women taking the ritonavir and other HIV medications in the class of protease inhibitors have lower levels of a birth control medication called norethindrone. Norethindrone (also called the mini pill) is an FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved progestin-only birth control pill used to prevent pregnancy. ...Read more >

We aim to evaluate whether provider trust in the patient will vary by patient race/ethnicity in a family planning setting. We will evaluate whether provider trust in their patient is associated with perceived quality of care as rated by the patients themselves (see Conceptual Model). We hypothesize that it will differ by race/ethnicity and that ...Read more >