News

As of March 13, 2023, due to the availability of vaccines, effective treatments, and the decline in community transmission rates, universal masking will no longer be required in any GBMC HealthCare facility. This change aligns with current CDC guidelines, which GBMC has followed throughout the pandemic. Although we do not anticipate the need to return to universal masking protocols, GBMC HealthCare may modify the masking requirements if circumstances change.

What will change:

• Staff members, patients, and visitors will no longer be required to wear masks when inside GBMC HealthCare facilities, including GBMC hospital, outpatient areas, and GBMC Health Partners practices.

What is not changing:

• Patients and visitors should wear a mask when in GBMC HealthCare facilities if they are experiencing any symptoms of respiratory infection (e.g., cough, runny nose).
• Patients and visitors are encouraged to wear a mask if they choose to do so.
• Patients who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 should delay all elective appointments until they have fully completed the recommended 10-day isolation period.
• Patients and visitors with a known COVID-19 exposure must wear a mask to prevent the possible spread of the virus for 10 days following their last exposure.

Visit www.gbmc.org/policy to read the full policy.

MedPage Today (2/6, Short) reports, “Since its implementation 12 years ago, the maternal tetanus, reduced diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine has contributed to a decrease in pertussis among the youngest infants,” according to a study based on data from 2000 to 2019. Following “implementation of the maternal vaccine, incidence of pertussis decreased in infants under 2 months old from 205.4 per 100,000 infants in 2012 to 75.4 cases per 100,000 in 2016.” The findings published in JAMA Pediatrics showed that, “in comparison, the pre-maternal Tdap vaccine period had no significant changes for annual pertussis incidence, which stayed around 165.3 per 100,000 infants.” American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Liaison to ACIP Linda Eckert, MD, said, “Everyone who is pregnant should feel confident in knowing that the Tdap vaccine is safe and effective.”

Capital Women's Care - Division 56 administers the Tdap in our office to all our pregnant patients at the 30-32 week visit.

Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce and his family are ready for what's being dubbed the "Kelce Bowl!" Speaking with brother Travis Kelce on their podcast, the two discussed having their family members at the Super Bowl—and the soon-to-be dad of three shared that "Kylie's bringing her OB because she's going to be 38 weeks pregnant at the game."

More Information:
See on Instagram

HealthDay (11/22) reports “exposure to even low levels of alcohol” in utero “can change the structure of the fetus’ brain, according to Austrian researchers” who “used MRI scans to assess the impact of drinking on 24 fetuses.” The study found that “the fetuses with alcohol exposure had a fetal ‘total maturation score’ that was significantly lower than in the age-matched controls,” and the superior temporal sulcus “involved in social cognition, audiovisual integration and language perception was shallower.” The findings are set to be presented at the Radiological Society of North America 2022 Annual Meeting.

CNN — As Abhishesh Pokharel carried his 3-week-old daughter into the emergency department, her fingers and toes were turning blue.

Other parts of her tiny body were yellow.

Something was very wrong.

The triage nurse at Greater Baltimore Medical Center knew it, too. She took one look at baby Ayra and gave her father an order:

Run!

Across the building he sped, his wife right behind him – to the pediatric emergency department.

More Information:
Continue reading on CNN.com

HealthDay (11/10, Munez) reports, “Getting vaccinated for COVID-19 while pregnant provides higher levels of antibodies for both mom and baby than catching the virus does, a...study finds.” According to the findings published in JAMA Network Open, “when pregnant women received one of the two available mRNA vaccines, researchers found that the women had 10-fold higher antibody concentrations than those who were infected naturally.” The team “detected antibodies as early as 15 days after the women’s first dose of the vaccine.”

Healio (10/6, Bascom) reports that “receiving a COVID-19 vaccine while pregnant did not increase the risk for peripartum outcomes, and may lower the infant’s risk for NICU admission and intrauterine fetal death, according to a” nine-study systematic review and meta-analysis. Investigators “found that, regardless of the timing of the first dose, COVID-19 vaccination was not connected to an increased risk for adverse outcomes in mothers or infants.” The results were published in JAMA Pediatrics.

HealthImaging (9/28, Murphy) reports, “New survey data out of Orlando Health reveals that up to 22% of eligible women have not undergone their first mammographic screening for breast cancer.” Additionally, “according to an Orlando Health release on the data, many of these women (aged 35 to 44) have no intention of completing a breast cancer screening any time soon.”

The Washington Post (9/27, Morris) reports, “A study of nearly 20,000 people around the world shows that getting vaccinated against covid can change the timing of the menstrual cycle. Vaccinated people experienced, on average, about a one-day delay in getting their periods, compared with those who hadn’t been vaccinated.” The data “was taken from a popular period-tracking app called Natural Cycles and included people from around the world, but most were from North America, Britain and Europe.” The findings were published Tuesday in the British Medical Journal.

ACOG’s Practice Advisory “COVID-19 Vaccination Considerations for Obstetric–Gynecologic Care” is now updated to reflect the latest CDC recommendations regarding the use of bivalent (updated) mRNA COVID-19 vaccines as booster doses. All pregnant and recently pregnant people, up to six weeks postpartum, who received a COVID-19 vaccine or vaccine series before or during pregnancy should receive a bivalent (updated) booster at least two months after their last primary series or last monovalent booster dose. Pregnant and recently pregnant individuals aged 12 years and older who already received a monovalent COVID-19 vaccine booster should receive a bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccine booster at least two months after their monovalent booster.

Healio (6/29, VanDewater) reports that “coffee consumption during pregnancy was not linked to an increased risk for adverse outcomes, according to” a “two-sample Mendelian randomization...study.” Also, researchers “conducted a one-sample genetic risk score analysis,” which “showed similar results.” These findings were published in the International Journal of Epidemiology.

HealthDay (6/1, Munez) reports a study published in Fertility and Sterility “shows that freezing eggs while younger is a largely successful option for many women who are fertile in their younger years but want to delay pregnancy for a while.” Investigators “looked at success rates of using a woman’s own frozen eggs over 15 years” and “found that about 70% of women who had eggs frozen when they were younger than 38, and thawed at least 20 of those eggs, later had a baby.”

New Zealander Lydia Ko, one of the top ranking golfers in the world, got candid about her period recently during her post-round interview with the LPGA Tour at the Bank of America Palos Verdes Golf Championship.

More Information:
Watch the Interview on Instagram

The GBMC HealthCare app is designed to help patients and their loved ones navigate our healthcare system with ease. It includes GPS wayfinding, directing you from home to the proper parking garage on GBMC's campus. Once you arrive, the app offers step-by-step directions to help you find your exact appointment location.

With the GBMC HealthCare app, you can also access your MyChart account, which allows you to safely

• make appointments
• view your medical record
• request prescriptions
• view test results
• communicate securely and electronically with your medical care team
• pay your bill
• link your MyChart account with Apple Health via the Track My Health feature

Additionally, the app can be used to find a GBMC HealthCare service or physician that meets your individual needs.

Download the app on the Apple App Store or Google Play.