Three Things We Learned at the 2019 Georgia OB/Gyn Society Conference

In August, Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia attended the Georgia OB/GYN Society Annual Meeting & Conference. This year the event took place at The Ritz Carlton on Amelia Island. HMHBGA was able connect with physicians from across the State and inform them of the work that we do to improve maternal and infant health.  In addition, below we’ve listed (3) things we learned during our time at the OB/GYN Society Annual Meeting & Conference. Enjoy!

1.  There's a new birth control product headed our way.This fall, Therapeutics MD is scheduled to release a new birth control product called Annovera that lasts for one full year of use. Annovera is a small ring that is inserted into the vagina and provides contraceptive Learn more at: https://annovera.com/.  From the makers: "The vaginal system is made of silicone and contains two female hormones that are slowly released into your vagina and then enter your blood. One hormone is an estrogen called ethinyl estradiol. The other hormone is a progestin called segesterone acetate."
2. Georgia is ahead of the curve in infant screening coverage.We talked to several companies that conduct neonatal and infant screenings for genetic abnormalities and chronic health conditions. Last legislative session, Georgia approved funds to add $2,349,649 of funding for newborn screening to include four additional disorders that have been approved by the Georgia Newborn Screening Advisory Committee. The four conditions added are Pompe Disease, MPS 1, X-ALD (adrenoleukodystrophy), and SMA (spinal muscular atrophy). Adding SMA, we were told, puts Georgia as one of the first states to cover this important screening for newborns!
3. In some cases, families may be able to receive free stem cell banking.We spoke with folks from StemCyte, who have a program specifically to help families who already have one child living with a specific condition. From the company:"StemCyte’s Sibling Donor Program makes it possible for expectant families to store the cord blood stem cells from their baby’s umbilical cord and placenta, for a sibling who is in need of a stem cell transplant. Through our program, the collection of these precious cells is at no cost to the families in need. Once eligibility requirements have been met, a cord blood collection kit is shipped to the expectant mother as she awaits the arrival of her baby. Upon delivery of the baby, her delivering doctor will complete the cord blood collection and the lifesaving stem cells will be shipped to our laboratory for processing. The stem cells are then cryopreserved until the treating physician requests the cord blood unit for transplant. Since 2009, StemCyte has helped 137 families through the Sibling Donor Program and 3 of those Cord Blood Units have been transplanted to treat the affected sibling. For additional information such as eligibility requirements, please contact a Sibling Donor Coordinator at 866.389.4659 or siblingdirected@stemcyte.com."

 Want to hear from experts and network with maternal and child health professionals? Join us at the 2019 HMHBGA Annual Meeting & Conference on October 28-29, 2019 in Savannah, GA.

DISCLAIMER: This blog post is not an ad, just an outline of some cool things we learned at the OBGyn Society Conference. HMHBGA did not receive any compensation for this blog post or related stories from any company. We do not endorse any of the products or companies mentioned in this post.