Breast Health

COVID-19

Cervical Health 

Contraception

Curbside Consults

Dermatology

Drug Pipeline News

Endometriosis

Genetic Testing

Gynecologic Oncology

Gynecology

Fetal Imaging

Abnormal Obstetrical Ultrasound

Ultrasound

Women's Imaging

Breast Imaging

Women's Ultrasound

Imaging

Infertility

LARC

Legally Speaking

Life Transitions

Malpractice

Menopause

Mental Health

Noninvasive Prenatal Testing

Obstetrics

Opinion

Osteoporosis

Pediatrics

Practice Management

Pregnancy and Birth

Sexual Health

Sexually Transmitted Infections

Surgery

Technology

Urology

Uterine Fibroids

Vulvovaginal Disease

Well Woman

News

Media

Podcasts

Insights

Investigator Perspectives

Medical World News

Peer Exchange

Peers & Perspectives

Videos

Conferences

Conference Coverage

Conference Listing

Publications

Contemporary OB/GYN® Journal

Digital Supplements

CME/CE

Resources

Physician Fact Sheets

Interactive Tools

Supplements and Featured Publications

Subscribe

About

Partnerships

Ethan Lowder, BA, is an MD student Harvard Medical School.

Ethan Lowder, BA, and Alexander Nagrebetsky, MD, MSc, reported that nearly 80% of children fast longer than recommended before surgery.

Experts say most children fast too long before surgery

Articles

She joined the MJH Life Sciences team in December 2019. She graduated from Youngstown State University in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in journalism and a minor in political science. Prior to graduating, Morgan worked as the editor-in-chief of her college newspaper. She went on to work as an assignment editor at a broadcast news station in Youngstown, Ohio, before joining 

 You can reach her at mebert@mjhlifesciences.com.

Women with prior cesarean delivery are more likely to experience severe pain, sleep disturbances, and daily activity disruption postpartum.

Cesarean birth linked to greater risk of pain and sleep disorders

The Menopause Society’s 2025 meeting heads to Orlando with sessions on longevity, hormones, cognition, and care innovation at midlife and beyond.

The Menopause Society prepares to convene in Orlando for 2025 Annual Meeting

Women who undergo cesarean delivery during advanced labor face a greater risk of scarring that may increase preterm birth risk in future pregnancies.

Advanced labor cesarean birth raises future preterm birth risk

Advertise

Contact Us

Job Board

Terms of Use

Privacy Policy

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

Contemporary OB/GYN

Facebook

LinkedIn

RSS Feed

Spotlight

1rem

Clinical

Strategic Alliance Partnerships

Contemporary OB/GYN Senior Editor Angie DeRosa gets insight on the current state of COVID-19 from Christina Han, MD, division director of maternal-fetal medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, and member of its COVID-19 task force. Han is an active member of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine and discusses the issues on behalf of SMFM. 

Current state of COVID-19

Emily Adhikari, MD is the medical director of Perinatal Infectious Diseases, and assistant professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

On this episode of Pap Talk, Emily Adhikari, MD answers frequently asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccine.

COVID-19 in pregnancy: Q&A with Emily Adhikari, MD

As an expert in pregnancy infections, Dr. Adams-Waldorf shares her expertise as principal investigator at the Adams-Waldorf Research Lab at UW, where the research team is studying COVID-19 in pregnancy.

 of this conversation with Dr. Adams-Waldorf and learn more about her latest research efforts, findings and more.



This episode of Pap Talk by Contemporary OB/GYN features an interview with Dr. Kristina Adams-Waldorf, Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Adjunct Professor in Global Health at the University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine in Seattle. 

S1E4: Dr. Kristina Adams-Waldorf: Pandemics, pathogens and perseverance

In this exclusive interview, Dr. Miller shares what may be the most interesting clinical findings to date for the impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy.

In this episode, Dr. Miller discusses evidence of maternal vascular malperfusion (MVM) in her clinical practice and research, plus the impact of socioeconomic status in patients and families affected by the virus.

of this conversation with Dr. Miller and learn more about her latest research efforts, findings and more.

This episode of Pap Talk by Contemporary OB/GYN features an interview with Dr. Emily S. Miller, with Northwestern Medicine in Chicago. 

S1E3: Dr. Emily S. Miller: Placental pathology and MVM evidence

This episode of Pap Talk by Contemporary OB/GYN features an interview with Dr. Sarah Dotters-Katz, a Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist at Duke Health in Durham, NC, in which she discusses her perspective on COVID-19 and its impact on pregnant patients in her area of the US.

 of this conversation with Dr. Sarah Dotters-Katz. Plus, read the full peer-reviewed commentary from Drs. Dotters-Katz and Hughes from our April issue here: 

COVID-19: The pathogen that will define the decade

This episode of Pap Talk by Contemporary OB/GYN features an interview with Dr. Sarah Dotters-Katz, a Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist at Duke Health in Durham, NC, in which she discusses her perspective on COVID-19 and its impact on pregnant patients in her area of the US. 

Pap Talk S1E2: Dr. Dotters-Katz, Duke Health on COVID-19, pandemic jam and more

New reveals that nearly one-third of patients with long COVID develop postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.

POTS common among women with long COVID

Review some of the top stories from the Contemporary OB/GYN website over the past week and catch up on anything you may have missed.

Contemporary OB/GYN week in review: vaccine confidence, HRT, and more

Research shows that COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy continues to prevent hospitalizations and safeguard infants aged under 6 months.

COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy still offers key protection

A study found women with long COVID face higher rates of abnormal uterine bleeding, heavier flow, and longer periods.

Long COVID linked to abnormal uterine bleeding and hormonal changes

RFK Jr. stated he "couldn't be more pleased" to announce that COVID-19 vaccination among healthy children and pregnant women has been removed from CDC's immunization schedule. 

CDC removes COVID-19 vaccine recommendation for healthy children, pregnant individuals

COVID patients

, Jihong Liu, ScD, from the University of South Carolina, addressed how clinicians can improve patient outcomes for pregnant women infected with COVID-19. 

Liu emphasized that the severity and timing of COVID-19 infection play critical roles in pregnancy outcomes. Specifically, moderate to severe infections, especially when contracted during the later stages of pregnancy, are associated with a greater risk of adverse outcomes. Therefore, she recommended that clinicians encourage pregnant patients to take preventive measures against COVID-19 throughout pregnancy, particularly during the third trimester. These measures include vaccination, social distancing, and wearing masks.

Liu also highlighted the importance of telehealth services, which became more accessible during the pandemic because of changes in insurance coverage. She advocated for the continued use of virtual visits via audio or video calls to maintain prenatal care during public health emergencies or other situations that may limit in-person visits. This approach not only provides medical support but also helps address social and emotional needs, particularly for vulnerable populations.

Looking ahead, Liu suggested that health care systems should prepare for future pandemics by enhancing access to care and social support for pregnant women. She also cautioned that the study's findings, based on data from South Carolina during a specific timeframe, may not be generalizable to all populations or regions.

Finally, Liu called for more research to explore the underlying mechanisms behind some surprising early pandemic outcomes, such as reduced rates of preterm birth and low birth weight. She proposed future studies to investigate different subtypes of preterm births such as elective, spontaneous, and medically indicated, as well as the role of COVID-19 variants and vaccination on perinatal health outcomes.

Sevoyan M, Liu J, Shih Y, Hung P, Zhang J, Li X. Associations of pregnancy timing relative to the COVID-19 pandemic, maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection, and adverse perinatal outcomes. 

2025;102:94-101. doi:10.1016/j.annepidem.2025.01.006

Discover key strategies OB-GYNs can use to protect pregnant women from severe COVID-19 risks and ensure healthier maternal outcomes.

Jihong Liu, ScD, explains how to improve perinatal outcomes in COVID patients

Jihong Liu, ScD, highlights adverse perinatal outcomes

COVID pandemic

Jihong Liu, ScD, from the University of South Carolina, discussed how COVID-19 infection and pandemic-related stressors have impacted pregnancy and perinatal outcomes, based on a study conducted using statewide birth records from South Carolina between January 2018 and December 2021.

Liu explained that systematic reviews have consistently shown an association between COVID-19 infection during pregnancy and heightened risks of adverse outcomes. These include preterm birth, low birth weight, stillbirth, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions, and preeclampsia. The severity of COVID-19 further increases these risks. However, Liu noted that much of the existing research focuses narrowly on infection and often fails to account for broader pandemic-related factors such as unemployment, income instability, and limited health care access—all of which may independently affect pregnancy outcomes.

To address this gap, Liu’s team categorized pregnant women into 3 exposure groups: pre-pandemic (those who conceived and delivered before March 1, 2020), partially exposed (those who conceived before but delivered during the pandemic), and fully exposed (those who both conceived and delivered during the pandemic). Women in the partially exposed group, especially during the early months of the pandemic, had a lower risk of preterm birth and low birth weight compared to the pre-pandemic group. However, those in the fully exposed group experienced significantly higher rates of preterm birth, low birth weight, NICU admissions, and decreased breastfeeding initiation.

The study also confirmed that COVID-19 infection during pregnancy, particularly in moderate to severe cases, increased the likelihood of preterm birth and NICU admission. Infections in the third trimester were particularly risky, raising the chances of low birth weight and early delivery. Notably, SARS-CoV-2 infection itself did not affect all pregnancy outcomes, suggesting a nuanced interplay between infection severity and timing.

Liu emphasized the importance of considering both direct infections and indirect pandemic stressors when addressing maternal and neonatal health. She concluded that public health strategies should account for these dual influences, both infection control and mitigating pandemic-related disruptions, to optimize pregnancy outcomes.

This video is part 1 of a 2-part series. Check back tomorrow for part 2.

New research reveals that both COVID-19 infection and broader pandemic-related stressors significantly impact pregnancy outcomes, including increased rates of preterm birth, low birth weight, and neonatal intensive care unit admissions.

Jihong Liu, ScD, highlights adverse perinatal outcomes linked to the COVID pandemic

COVID-19 Roundtable

For the immunocompromised there is limited efficacy to vaccines. In a mid-sized study published in the journal, 

, investigators found decreased COVID-19 vaccination seropositivity amongst immunocompromisedpopulations vs nonimmunocompromised healthcare workers (HCWs).

“Compared with HCW (92.4% seropositive), seropositivity was lower among participants with SOT (30.7%), hematological malignancies (50.0%), autoimmune conditions (79.1%), solid tumors (78.7%), and HIV (79.8%) (P < .01),” the investigators wrote. 

In a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 

report, a study showed vaccination in this population was significantly reduced in terms of protection. “VE against COVID-19–associated hospitalization was 38% in the first 7–59 days after receipt of an updated COVID-19 vaccine dose and 34% in the 60–119 days after receipt of an updated dose,” the investigators wrote.

With limited efficacy in these populations, the development of other prophylactic modalities such as monoclonal antibodies have been advanced as a potential alternative.

Earlier this year, Invivyd’s monoclonal antibody, pemivibart (Pemgarda), received an FDA emergency use authorization for the pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) of COVID-19 for both adults and adolescents at least 12 years of age, and weighing at least 40 kg (88.1 lbs) who are immunocompromised.

“I cared for a patient who had COVID for over a year, who was heavily immunocompromised, and I couldn't help thinking at the time, if we had something like this [monoclonal antibody] for them, it really would have changed their entire life,” said Scott Roberts, MD, associate medical director of Infection Prevention, Yale School of Medicine. “I think providers and patients need to be aware that this is an option right now.”

James Wilson, DO, FACP, FAWM, CTropMed, continues to stress the importance of COVID-19 vaccination for everyone, but says these FDA-approved treatments have certainly helped in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. “The reason COVID seems so much better now is we can treat it."

1. Haidar G, Agha M, Bilderback A, et al. Prospective Evaluation of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Vaccine Responses Across a Broad Spectrum of Immunocompromising Conditions: the COVID-19 Vaccination in the Immunocompromised Study (COVICS). 

. 2022;75(1):e630-e644. doi:10.1093/cid/ciac103

2. Link-Gelles R, Rowley EAK, DeSilva MB, et al. Interim Effectiveness of Updated 2023-2024 (Monovalent XBB.1.5) COVID-19 Vaccines Against COVID-19-Associated Hospitalization Among Adults Aged ≥18 Years with Immunocompromising Conditions - VISION Network, September 2023-February 2024. 

. 2024;73(12):271-276. Published 2024 Mar 28. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7312a5

3. Invivyd Announces FDA Authorization for Emergency Use of PEMGARDA (Formerly VYD222) for Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) of COVID-19. Invivyd press release. March 22, 2024. Accessed August 27, 2024.
https://investors.invivyd.com/news-releases/news-release-details/invivyd-announces-pemgardatm-pemivibart-demonstrated-84-relative

This week the panel weighs in on monoclonal antibodies in this patient population as well as important overall takeaways about COVID-19 therapies. 

COVID-19 roundtable: Prophylaxis for the immunocompromised 

During the earliest stages of the pandemic, and before the development of antivirals and other therapies, clinicians were struggling to find ways to treat their patients. As providers began to use off-label treatments, small studies began to surface around various therapies including hydroxychloroquine, the antimalarial therapy, and the antibiotic, azithromycin. One published paper found these 2 therapies used in combination could help reduce viral loads.

And while clinicians quickly realized these therapies were not reducing symptoms or mortality, both disinformation and misinformation was prevalent enough and making the therapies out to be wonder drugs. These therapies’ efficacy for COVID-19 treatment were debated on social media for too long.

Just this week, that aforementioned paper about hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin was finally retracted.The paper had been published in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents back in 2020, and the lead author was Philippe Gautret of the Hospital Institute of Marseille Mediterranean Infection. In the paper, it was claimed that hydroxychloroquine was able to reduce virus loads in COVID-19 patients, and that used in combination with azithromycin was even more effective.

This year, there has been some studies looking at metformin as an off-label treatment for COVID-19. However, with limited data showing efficacy and potential adverse effects, the panel believes it better to prescribe FDA approved therapies.

“I don't think there's an overwhelming amount of data that would support it. With metformin, there were two studies together that pretty much showed it wasn't effective,” said Michael Curulewski, PharmD, BCPS, BCIDP, BCGP infectious diseases and antimicrobial stewardship pharmacist, Endeavor health, Northwest Community Hospital. “One thing to keep in mind is anytime that we use an off-label therapy or a therapy that's not supported by a large amount of data, [or even] the safety profile is a major one for me—because a lot of the medications are not benign. Metformin, for example, we have to watch out for patients who have renal dysfunction, IV contrast exposure, and drug-drug interactions. So, without that data to support it, I would say I don't routinely endorse or recommend off-label therapies.”

This is episode 3 of our 4-part series. Check back for the last episode next week.

This article was published by our sister publication Contemporary Pediatrics.

Reference
1. O’ Grady C. Infamous paper that popularized unproven COVID-19 treatment finally retracted. 

December 17, 2024. Accessed December 17, 2024. https://www.science.org/content/article/infamous-paper-popularized-unproven-covid-19-treatment-finally-retracted

This week the panel weighs in on treatments not specifically indicated for COVID-19 treatment, including metformin, and concerns around using medications in this way.

COVID-19 Roundtable: Considering off label COVID therapies

COVID-19 Therapy Roundtable

In this episode, the panel discusses therapies and care around inpatients includingmechanical ventilation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), and remdesivir.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the week ending November 30, 2024, there has been a rate of 0.8 hospitalizations per 100,000 people, and this shows a good downward trend over the last few weeks.

Although the number of hospitalizations have decreased significantly since the beginning of the pandemic, there are waves where incidence rates increase and a number of people who are contracting severe cases of COVID-19 who need to be hospitalized.

During the height of the pandemic and before the development of vaccines and therapies, there were therapeutic limitations and patients could be put on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

ECMO was utilized more frequently in a time when there was not other treatments. And in some select cases, James Wilson, DO, FACP, FAWM, CTropMed, says ECMO did show some benefit, and there might be some select situations where it might be warranted but overall he says treatment protocols have changed considerably since 2020.

“If they're breathing at 40 times a minute for more than an hour, you're going to have to do it [ECMO],” Wilson. “But now we have modalities to treat those patients.”

One of the treatments that has emerged has been remdesivir for inpatients with severe COVID-19.

“I triage COVID between requiring oxygen and not requiring oxygen,” said Scott Roberts, MD, associate medical director of Infection Prevention, Yale School of Medicine. “And then once you become severe enough to require it, we really start remdesivir as soon as we can in the inpatient setting. And weknow from many studies at this point there are reductions in mortality in those who do receive remdesivir. We use it for all really severe patients.”


This is episode 2 of our 4-part series. Check back for future episodes.

1. COVID Tracker. CDC. Accessed December 10, 2024. https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#covidnet-hospitalization-network

In this episode, the panel discusses therapies and care around inpatients including mechanical ventilation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), and remdesivir.

COVID-19 therapy roundtable:  Focusing on inpatient care 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) views COVID-19 as an endemic virus.

 Essentially it is circulating inperpetuityand we will witnessebbs and flows in prevalence. And certainly during the holiday season, respiratory virus incidence rates can increase due to a number of factors including families and friends gatheringtogether, travel increases, and people are in closed environments because of the winter climate.
All clinicians, public health officials, and interested stakeholders will always stress the importance of vaccination as the best way to prevent or reduce the severity of COVID-19. Inevitably, people will get infected, especially as the statistics for vaccination are down.
A recent CDC MMWR report published a few weeks ago offered insights on the vaccination statistics so far into the respiratory virus season. “As of November 9, 2024, cumulative estimated coverage with 2024–2025 influenza and COVID-19 vaccines among adults aged ≥18 years was 34.7% and 17.9%, respectively. Estimated RSV vaccination coverage was 39.7% among adults aged ≥75 years and 31.6% among those aged 60–74 years at increased risk,” the authors wrote.


In this first roundtable episode, the panel touch upon what COVID-19 is at the end of 2024, offers insights on FDA approved antivirals, and the limited treatment options in the pediatric population.

Tina Tan, MD, professor of Pediatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University

Scott Roberts, MD, associate medical director of Infection Prevention, Yale School of Medicine

James Wilson, DO, critical care physician in private practice

Michael Curulewski, PharmD, BCPS, BCIDP, BCGP infectious diseases and antimicrobial stewardship pharmacist, Endeavor health, Northwest Community Hospital

Stay tuned for future episodes in the coming weeks.

This article was published by our sister publication 

:
1. Stein R. Is COVID endemic yet? Yep, says the CDC. Here's what that means. NPR. August 9, 2024. Accessed December 4, 2024.
https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/08/09/nx-s1-5060398/covid-endemic-cdc-summer-surge
2. Kriss JL, Black CL, Razzaghi H, et al. Influenza, COVID-19, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccination Coverage Among Adults — United States, Fall 2024. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2024;73:1044–1051. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7346a1

In our latest roundtable series, we cover different therapies around COVID-19 treatment and prevention.

COVID-19 therapy roundtable: Defining the virus today and treatment options

Timing of COVID-19 vaccination has been found to affect the menstrual cycle differently during distinctive phases, according to late-breaking research presented at the 2024 ACOG Annual Clinical and Scientific Meeting.

In an interview with Contemporary OB/GYN®, Alison Edelman, MD, MPH, professor and ob-gyn at Oregon Health and Science University, shed light on the effects of COVID-19 vaccines on menstrual cycles, offering critical insights for both patients and health care providers.

As 1 of 5 teams sponsored by the National Institutes of Health during the pandemic, Edelman and her team investigated whether COVID-19 vaccines cause menstrual cycle disturbances. According to Edelman, their initial findings confirmed a signal indicating that the vaccines do cause changes, although temporary and minor. The latest research aimed to understand why these changes occur.

COVID-19 vaccination and its impact on menstrual cycles

Key findings from the study revealed that the timing of vaccination during the menstrual cycle is crucial. Vaccination during the follicular phase—the beginning of the menstrual cycle—can lead to a slight lengthening of the cycle by approximately 1 day. However, vaccination during the luteal phase—the second half of the cycle—does not seem to affect cycle length. These findings align with existing knowledge that events occurring in the follicular phase can influence menstrual cycle length, said Edelman.

She emphasized the importance of these findings in addressing public concerns. "If we all remember back, [patients] had a lot of questions and were coming into the offices having questions about menstrual cycle disturbances, and we just didn't really have any information to offer them because this was something that hadn't really been looked at before," she said.

The study underscores the need for health care providers to listen to their patients, noted Edelman. "The number one thing is to be listening to your patients and, and if they do report a change, that very well could happen because of the COVID-19 vaccine," Edelman advised. While the data suggest that menstrual changes due to the COVID-19 vaccine are generally small and temporary, individual experiences may vary. Edelman advises clinicians to consider other causes if patients report prolonged or significant menstrual changes.

Alison Edelman, MD, MPH, dives into her research presented at the 2024 ACOG Annual Clinical and Scientific Meeting on COVID-19 vaccination and it's impact on the menstrual cycle.

COVID-19

Latest News