Contemporary OB/GYN week in review: ACOG statement, contraception guidance, and more

Thank you for visiting the Contemporary OB/GYN® website. Take a look at some of our top stories from last week (Monday, June 16, 2025 - Friday, June 20, 2025), and click each link to read and watch anything you may have missed.

ACOG condemns violence against reproductive health care providers

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has released a statement condemning acts of violence connected to reproductive health care, written by president Steven J. Fleischman, MD, FACOG, and chief executive officer Sandra E. Brooks, MD, MBA, FACOG.

The statement acknowledged the threat many ob-gyns face every day because of the care they give patients. This has been highlighted by multiple incidents in recent months, including a case of ideologically motivated violence in Minnesota last weekend.

This incident occurred just 1 month after the ACOG 2025 Annual Clinical and Scientific Meeting was held in Minnesota. Fleischman and Brooks acknowledged that the recent acts of violence were performed because of the victims’ support for policies advocated by ACOG members, including access to all reproductive care.

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AAP issues updated guidance on contraception for adolescents

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued updated guidance calling for pediatricians to take a comprehensive, adolescent-centered approach when providing contraceptive care. The policy statement, “Contraception for Adolescents,” published in the July 2025 issue of Pediatrics, replaces the previous 2014 guidance and reflects the latest evidence, policy context, and best practices. It is accompanied by a detailed clinical report titled “Contraceptive Counseling and Methods for Adolescents.”

The AAP recommends that pediatricians provide developmentally appropriate contraceptive counseling and access to a full range of contraceptive methods, including long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), hormonal contraceptives, barrier methods, and emergency contraception. These services should be offered within a framework that promotes equity, shared decision-making, and adolescent autonomy.

“Education and access to contraception is an essential part of the teenager’s health care needs,” said Mary A. Ott, MD, MA, FAAP, a lead author of the policy statement. “While many teens will want to involve a parent, caregiver, or other trusted adult in their decision-making, others may not feel safe or comfortable doing so. We know from research that when teens don’t have access to confidential conversations, they’re less likely to get the health services they need, less likely to use birth control, and more likely to experience an unplanned pregnancy.”

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Zachary Wagner, PhD, discusses the harms of bias in reproductive care

In a recent interview with Contemporary OB/GYN, Zachary Wagner, PhD, associate professor of economics at the University of Southern California, discussed a study exploring how bias and stigma in reproductive health settings negatively affect young women’s access to contraceptive care.

Led by Wagner in partnership with Pathfinder International and the Gates Foundation, the study sought to understand how provider attitudes influence contraceptive counseling and services for different types of clients, particularly young, unmarried, or nulliparous women. Using mystery shoppers at 226 clinics across Burkina Faso, Tanzania, and Pakistan, the researchers found that provider bias manifests in specific, nuanced ways depending on client characteristics.

Young women aged approximately 15 or 16 years old were often denied contraceptive methods altogether. Women without children received limited counseling, particularly being steered away from hormonal methods due to incorrect beliefs about future fertility. Unmarried women were not necessarily denied services or method options, but experienced noticeably worse treatment from providers because of the stigma associated with premarital sexual activity.

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Ciera Kirkpatrick, PhD, shows how TikTok is transforming cervical cancer awareness

In a recent interview with Contemporary OB/GYN, Ciera Kirkpatrick, PhD, assistant professor at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, discussed the growing use of short-form video platforms such as TikTok by health care providers to share vital health information, particularly regarding cervical cancer screening and Pap tests.

She explained that many young women now turn to TikTok not just for entertainment, but also to find answers to health-related questions. Recognizing this shift, health care professionals have started using the platform to engage this demographic by sharing concise, informal, and visually engaging content on preventive health measures.

Kirkpatrick emphasized that short videos allow providers to demonstrate what a Pap test involves, including showing medical tools such as the speculum. When these visual demonstrations are paired with clear explanations about the purpose and importance of the Pap test, they become a highly effective method of educating young women and encouraging them to undergo screening. This approach demystifies the procedure and helps reduce anxiety, provided the focus remains informative rather than fear-inducing.

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Endometriosis linked to higher risk of autoimmune diseases

Shared biological mechanisms leads to increased risks of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis among patients with endometriosis, according to a recent study published in Human Reproduction.

When including factors linked with endometriosis and immunological diseases, none had a significant influence on the effects size of association of over 5%. Overall, the risk of having an immunological condition was significantly increased among women with endometriosis vs those without endometriosis, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.32.

For classic autoimmune diseases, autoinflammatory diseases, and mixed-pattern disease, HRs of 1.41, 1.29, and 1.88, respectively, were reported among women with endometriosis. Significant associations were reported for rheumatoid arthritis, coeliac disease, and osteoarthritis, with HRs of 1.57, 1.99, and 1.31, respectively.

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