BS”D
Dear Friends,
Pesach prep is in full swing throughout every Jewish community – and we hope this joyous season finds you healthy and happy.
At Tahareinu, every season finds us exploring the latest innovations in women’s health and fertility – at conferences, trainings, and meetings.
Here, we bring you several groundbreaking updates, as well as a roundup of our activities over the last half a year.
With best wishes for a Chag Kosher V’Sameach,
Yitzchok Melber
RABBI MELBER VISITS SWITZERLAND: A trifecta of growth
On his recent successful trip to Switzerland, Rabbi Melber followed much the same model he has been pleased to conduct in other communities across the globe: Meeting with doctors, Rabbanim, and couples to spread awareness and gain new perspectives.
In Zurich, he hosted Roshei Yeshiva and Rabbanim at the home of Rabbi Levy, and then continued to Basel where he met with the famed posek Rabbi Slieder.
As always, we feel fortunate to be spreading the newest and most imperative updates with Jewish communities all over.
MEDICAL CONFERENCES AND CRUCIAL UPDATES:
1. New cure for PCOS:
A recent conference in Tel Aviv focused on adolescent gynecology.
One game-changing innovation was presented by Dr. Lourdes Ibañez, originally from Spain.
Her revolutionary SPIOMET4HEALTH project offers the first ever treatment for the root cause of PCOS poly-cystic ovarian syndrome). Thus far the go-to management of PCOS entails oral contraception and / or vitamins for girls, and bringing on ovulation using the medications Clomid and/or Letrozole, and then proceeding to more aggressive fertility treatments as necessary for married women. These have limited success rates and entail significant financial and lifestyle-related stress.
SPIOMET4HEALTH aims to overcome these limitations by testing a novel treatment consisting of SPIOMET – low doses of three medications – in a single tablet: SPI or spironolactone, 50 mg; PIO or pioglitazone, 7.5 mg and MET or metformin, 850 mg administered daily. This treatment must be combined with lifestyle changes such as weight loss and exercise.
This is an absolute revolution in the world of PCOS sufferers, of which there are millions in the world and thousands in our community. If we can have a treatment of PCOS that actually cures it and doesn’t only eliminate symptoms, their lives in the Tahara realm (due to staining) and especially their childbearing will be improved drastically.
Learn more about this treatment here and here.
2. Endometriosis that affects the nerves
Dr. Shlomo Cohen of Tel Hashomer Hospital presented
the method of Dr. Marc Possover of Zurich for treating
endometriosis when it also affects the nerves. Many
women who suffer from endometriosis also find that
their feet are compromised, and some cannot even walk
during their periods.
3. Minimally invasive gynecology: Past, present, and future
Guest speaker Dr. Togas Tulandi of McGill University in Montreal spoke about minimally invasive OB/GYN over the past twenty years and how it has become an increasingly central part of medicine today. In the future, there will not be any area of gynecology that does not utilize this direction of treatment.
One example he mentioned was the niche or isthmocele, an issue which was almost untouchable twenty years ago. Today, he works with many in the Jewish community who confront this problem, and it is fixed quite simply with hysteroscopy and laparascopic surgery as necessary.
4. Hystero-embryoscopy
At another convention in Israel a couple weeks ago, the yearly conference of minimally invasive gynecology, Professor Chaimovitz of Laniado Hospital, an international expert in hysteroscopy, shared her practice for treating miscarriage patients.
For a while now, many experts have been decrying the widespread use of D and C for miscarriage, as it is a blind treatment which can cause damage to the uterus. Professor Chaimovitz spoke about hysteron-embryoscopy, wherein the doctor first performs a hysteroscopy, and then tests the fetus to determine whether it was healthy or damaged, and then does a d and c – but only in the exact location of the fetus.
After the d and c, they once again do a hysteroscopy to ensure there is nothing left, and if they do find something they can do a see-and-treat procedure.
In addition to causing less uterine damage during scraping, there is an added benefit of evaluation for future pregnancies. There are also fewer adhesions and less consequent AUB.
5. Mayo Clinic: stillbirth evaluation
At a conference of Mayo Clinic updates on OB/GYN, one interesting topic touched on stillbirth prevention. Although for a long time common wisdom was the stillbirths occur randomly and there is no way to prevent them, today a different medical truth has emerged.
After a stillbirth, there is a workup to be performed for both investigation (before another pregnancy) and management (of said pregnancy). The ACOG as well as the SMFM have published new guidelines for this workup.
The key point concerning post-stillbirth pregnancy would be to treat them as high-risk, and check crucial factors such as placental health to determine the potential need to deliver the baby early.
Tahareinu strongly encourages this workup be performed in conjunction with consultation with one’s Posek.
Got a question about relieving tahara problems, infertility, reproductive health, pain or other related issues?
call the Tahareinu hotline
Call the Tahareinu Hotline!
For ongoing infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, or reproductive genetic issues,
you and your spouse are warmly invited to schedule an in-person, phone or Zoom consultation with our founder and president, Rabbi Yitzchok Melber.
Please send an email to rabbimelber@tahareinu.com Include your first name and location, and briefly describe your issue.
Personal consultations are for more involved reproductive issues. Note the Israel
office has reopened for in-person consultations, in line with the country’s coronavirus status.
IMPORTANT
Most Tahareinu issues are addressed by our hotline advisors, 13 hours a day, 5 days a week. If you are unsure whether to schedule a consultation, call the hotline first.