- Email: [email protected]
NICHD Testing In Utero Spinal Surgery Technique
NICHD Testing In Utero Spinal Surgery Technique
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Participants Sought for Management of Myelomeningocele Study
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) will conduct a large study to determine whether a new surgery to correct spina bifida in the womb is safer and more effective than the traditional surgery to correct the disorder, which takes place a few days after birth. Spina bifida is a complex, often severe birth defect of the spinal cord that affects 1 of every 1,000 pregnancies in the U.S. The study, called the Management of Myelomeningocele Study, or MOMS, will recruit 200 pregnant women carrying fetuses with myelomeningocele. The women will be assigned at random to one of the two treatment groups. One treatment is the traditional therapy where the children born will have the spinal column closed surgically, after birth. The other treatment will be performed between the 19th and 25th weeks of pregnancy. A surgeon taking part in the study will make an incision in the woman’s uterus and surgically close the spinal defect of the fetus she is carrying. The women in both groups will undergo a cesarean section at the 37th week of pregnancy. For the women in the prenatal surgery group, cesarean delivery is necessary to prevent injury to the uterus, which had been opened
August | September 2003
AWHONN Lifelines
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surgically. Cesarean delivery is required for the second group as well, to prevent the stresses of the birth process from damaging the infant’s spinal column. All infants born to women in the study will be evaluated at 12 and 30 months of age, and the study scientists will carefully observe the development of the two groups of children, looking specifically at whether a shunt is needed, and at bladder and motor function. The impact of the prenatal surgery on the women will also be evaluated. To determine whether they are eligible for the study, women who wish to volunteer will undergo a preliminary evaluation by the George Washington University Biostatistics Center, which will coordinate the study. Women who are eligible for the study will be referred to one of the three participating MOMS Centers for further screening and evaluation: • Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia • Vanderbilt University Medical Center • University of California at San Francisco
Spina bifida is a complex, often severe birth defect of the spinal cord that affects one of every 1,000 pregnancies in the U.S.
The three institutions participating in the study have undertaken preliminary studies of the new technique on more than 230 patients. It remains unknown, however, whether this surgical technique is more effective than the traditional therapy to close the spinal column after birth. The study is currently recruiting. Further information about the study is available at 1-866-ASK-MOMS and online at www.spinabifidamoms.com.
Nurse Practitioners Sought for Every Woman Health Lectures
A
WHONN is seeking advanced practice nurses from Boston to LA, Seattle to Florida who have a strong desire to help women learn about how to stay healthy and live well. Sponsored by GE, the GE Women’s Health and Wellness Exhibition will feature “Conversations for Every Woman!” drawn from the pages of AWHONN’s leading women’s health guide, Every Woman: The Essential Guide for Healthy Living. Brief lectures followed by a question-andanswer period will be presented by AWHONN nurse practitioners to women participating in various events scheduled throughout the country. AWHONN advanced-practice nurses are
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AWHONN Lifelines
being asked to apply to join this project and present these predefined lectures on various topics addressed in Every Woman. The tour runs from summer through the end of December. Stops include golf tournaments, marathons and health fairs. At each stop, a team of two NPs will present 20-minute lectures followed by 10 minutes of questions and answers to event attendees on subjects ranging from heart health to osteoporosis prevention. Using outlines prepared by AWHONN, nurses will speak from a stage set up as an integral part of the touring GE Women’s Health and Wellness Exhibition. Most tour stops are on weekends, and each APRN lecturer must commit to at least one full lecture day to participate. Criteria for presenters include • Experience presenting to audiences of at least 100 consumers and professionals alike • Certification and/or licensure as an advanced-practice nurse (nurse practitioners and nurse-midwives) • Active practice in women’s health or primary care settings, seeing at least 500 women annually • Strong desire to help women make quality health care decisions Those selected will: • Receive a daily honoraria for the lectures (speaking for about 15 to 20 minutes up to eight times a day) • Have the opportunity to give a professionalpractice card to women who ask for such Qualified individuals should submit a required application and CV to Claudia Reid Ravin, associate director, Women’s Health Programs, (800) 673-8499 (U.S.) or (800) 2450231 (Canada), ext. 2416 or claudiar@ awhonn.org. Copies of the required application are also available from Ravin or at www.awhonn.org.
2004 AWHONN Convention Relocated to Tampa
A
WHONN’s Board of Directors has announced a change in location for the 2004 AWHONN Convention from Kansas City to Tampa, FL.
Volume 7
Issue 4
t
Participants Sought for Management of Myelomeningocele Study
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) will conduct a large study to determine whether a new surgery to correct spina bifida in the womb is safer and more effective than the traditional surgery to correct the disorder, which takes place a few days after birth. Spina bifida is a complex, often severe birth defect of the spinal cord that affects 1 of every 1,000 pregnancies in the U.S. The study, called the Management of Myelomeningocele Study, or MOMS, will recruit 200 pregnant women carrying fetuses with myelomeningocele. The women will be assigned at random to one of the two treatment groups. One treatment is the traditional therapy where the children born will have the spinal column closed surgically, after birth. The other treatment will be performed between the 19th and 25th weeks of pregnancy. A surgeon taking part in the study will make an incision in the woman’s uterus and surgically close the spinal defect of the fetus she is carrying. The women in both groups will undergo a cesarean section at the 37th week of pregnancy. For the women in the prenatal surgery group, cesarean delivery is necessary to prevent injury to the uterus, which had been opened
August | September 2003
AWHONN Lifelines
355
surgically. Cesarean delivery is required for the second group as well, to prevent the stresses of the birth process from damaging the infant’s spinal column. All infants born to women in the study will be evaluated at 12 and 30 months of age, and the study scientists will carefully observe the development of the two groups of children, looking specifically at whether a shunt is needed, and at bladder and motor function. The impact of the prenatal surgery on the women will also be evaluated. To determine whether they are eligible for the study, women who wish to volunteer will undergo a preliminary evaluation by the George Washington University Biostatistics Center, which will coordinate the study. Women who are eligible for the study will be referred to one of the three participating MOMS Centers for further screening and evaluation: • Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia • Vanderbilt University Medical Center • University of California at San Francisco
Spina bifida is a complex, often severe birth defect of the spinal cord that affects one of every 1,000 pregnancies in the U.S.
The three institutions participating in the study have undertaken preliminary studies of the new technique on more than 230 patients. It remains unknown, however, whether this surgical technique is more effective than the traditional therapy to close the spinal column after birth. The study is currently recruiting. Further information about the study is available at 1-866-ASK-MOMS and online at www.spinabifidamoms.com.
Nurse Practitioners Sought for Every Woman Health Lectures
A
WHONN is seeking advanced practice nurses from Boston to LA, Seattle to Florida who have a strong desire to help women learn about how to stay healthy and live well. Sponsored by GE, the GE Women’s Health and Wellness Exhibition will feature “Conversations for Every Woman!” drawn from the pages of AWHONN’s leading women’s health guide, Every Woman: The Essential Guide for Healthy Living. Brief lectures followed by a question-andanswer period will be presented by AWHONN nurse practitioners to women participating in various events scheduled throughout the country. AWHONN advanced-practice nurses are
356
AWHONN Lifelines
being asked to apply to join this project and present these predefined lectures on various topics addressed in Every Woman. The tour runs from summer through the end of December. Stops include golf tournaments, marathons and health fairs. At each stop, a team of two NPs will present 20-minute lectures followed by 10 minutes of questions and answers to event attendees on subjects ranging from heart health to osteoporosis prevention. Using outlines prepared by AWHONN, nurses will speak from a stage set up as an integral part of the touring GE Women’s Health and Wellness Exhibition. Most tour stops are on weekends, and each APRN lecturer must commit to at least one full lecture day to participate. Criteria for presenters include • Experience presenting to audiences of at least 100 consumers and professionals alike • Certification and/or licensure as an advanced-practice nurse (nurse practitioners and nurse-midwives) • Active practice in women’s health or primary care settings, seeing at least 500 women annually • Strong desire to help women make quality health care decisions Those selected will: • Receive a daily honoraria for the lectures (speaking for about 15 to 20 minutes up to eight times a day) • Have the opportunity to give a professionalpractice card to women who ask for such Qualified individuals should submit a required application and CV to Claudia Reid Ravin, associate director, Women’s Health Programs, (800) 673-8499 (U.S.) or (800) 2450231 (Canada), ext. 2416 or claudiar@ awhonn.org. Copies of the required application are also available from Ravin or at www.awhonn.org.
2004 AWHONN Convention Relocated to Tampa
A
WHONN’s Board of Directors has announced a change in location for the 2004 AWHONN Convention from Kansas City to Tampa, FL.
Volume 7
Issue 4