Fear of using medicines in pregnancy risks the lives of women and children.

Medicine research and development has been instrumental in improving outcomes for countless individuals, but women, especially pregnant women, have been left behind. Disadvantaged during pregnancy as a result of apprehension over drug use for new or existing conditions, women face worse outcomes for under- or untreated disease. Solving this problem will require input from regulators, the pharmaceutical industry and clinicians.

The characteristic ultrasound features of specific types of ovarian pathology (review).

Characterizing ovarian masses enables patients with malignancy to be appropriately triaged for treatment by subspecialist gynecological oncologists, which has been shown to optimize care and improve survival. Furthermore, correctly classifying benign masses facilitates the selection of patients with ovarian pathology that may either not require intervention, or be suitable for minimal access surgery if intervention is required. However, predicting whether a mass is benign or malignant is not the only clinically relevant information that we need to know before deciding on appropriate treatment.

Knowledge of cervical cancer and attendance at cervical cancer screening: a survey of Black women in London.

Background: Women from ethnic minority backgrounds are less likely to attend cervical screening, but further understanding of ethnic inequalities in cervical screening uptake is yet to be established. This study aimed to explore the socio-demographic and ethnicity-related predictors of cervical cancer knowledge, cervical screening attendance and reasons for non-attendance among Black women in London.

Methods: A questionnaire was completed by women attending Black and ethnic hair and beauty specialists in London between February and April 2013.

Maternal & Newborn Health Road Maps: a review of progress in 33 sub-Saharan African countries, 2008-2009.

The 2006 Maputo Plan of Action aimed to help African nations to achieve the Millennium Development Goals related to reducing maternal mortality, combatting HIV and AIDS, and reducing infant and child mortality within integrated sexual and reproductive health care plans. In 2008 and 2009, UNFPA worked with senior Ministry of Health officials and national UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO teams in 33 African countries to review their development of national Maternal and Newborn Health strategies and plans through a self-assessment survey. The survey showed that many key components were missing, in particular there was poor integration of family planning; lack of budgetary, infrastructure and human resources plans; and weak monitoring and evaluation provisions.

Monitoring severe pre-eclampsia and eclampsia treatment in resource poor countries: skilled birth attendant perception of a new treatment and monitoring chart (LIVKAN chart).

The lack of easy to use protocols and monitoring charts in the management of pre-eclampsia/eclampsia contribute to substandard care of women in resource poor settings. A treatment monitoring tool (LIVKAN chart) has been developed to improve the quality of care for these women. Based on feedback from skilled birth attendants (SBAs), a two page document which provides a visual record of the treatment and monitoring of women with severe pre-eclampsia/eclampsia over a 24 h period was developed.

The E2 protein of human papillomavirus type 8 increases the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 in human keratinocytes and organotypic skin cultures.

Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most frequent human cancer of Caucasian populations. Although the ultraviolet irradiation is a key contributor to the establishment of this keratinocyte malignancy, the infection by some types of human papillomavirus (HPV) has also been implicated in NMSC development. Cancers occur as a result of a complex series of interactions between the cancer cell and its surrounding matrix.