36th Annual OB Challenges Conference

36th Annual OB Challenges Conference is organized by MEDNAX Services, Inc. and will be held from May 16 - 18, 2019 at Renaissance Phoenix Glendale Hotel & Spa, Glendale, Arizona, United States of America.

Target Audience:
• Practicing Obstetricians
• Nurse Practitioners
• Residents
• Family Practitioners
• Obstetrical Nurses
• Medical Students
• Certified Nurse Midwives
• MFM Fellows

Continuing Medical Education:
The MEDNAX Center for Research, Education, Quality and Safety designates this live activity for a maximum of 20.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Continuing Nursing Education:
This educational activity provides 20.0 continuing nursing education (CNE) contact hours.

Conference Overview:
Approximately 1 in 10 babies in the US are born prematurely.  Recently this number has been increasing despite a significant amount of medical resources directed at this problem.  Preterm infants account for about 17% of infant deaths and surviving infants are at increased risk for lifelong disabilities.  There are also still significant racial/ethnic disparities in preterm birth rates with the rate for non-Hispanic black women being almost 50% higher than in non-Hispanic white women.  This conference endeavors to explore the history of preterm birth treatment and review proven effective strategies in management.  In addition, we will update our audience on recent advances in preterm birth prediction, prevention and management.  We will also discuss new directions and emerging strategies for the management of this persistent medical challenge.

Course Objectives:
The conference lectures will inform participants about the current thinking regarding many of the problems they face in their challenging obstetrical practices, and better equip them to handle problems or seek assistance from specialists. After attending this course, the registrants will be able to:
• Understand the appropriate use of progestogens in preventing preterm birth.
• Update on current recommendations for antenatal steroid use including periviable and late preterm use.
• Learn the appropriate identification and management of the short cervix.
• Understand the potential role for pessaries in preterm birth prevention.
• Discuss the unique challenges of preterm birth prevention in multiples.
• Introduce new management approaches such as group prenatal care.
• Discuss social contributions to preterm birth including trauma and intimate partner violence.
• Review interventions for improving neonatal outcomes including magnesium for neuroprotection and delayed cord clamping.
• Explore how provider/staff burnout and swamping may contribute to preterm birth rates.
• Examine racial disparities in preterm birth rates and identify potential strategies for improvement.