Contemporary OB/GYN week in review: cardiac arrhythmias, menopause knowledge, and more

Thank you for visiting the Contemporary OB/GYN® website. Take a look at some of our top stories from last week (Monday, April 28, 2025 - Friday, May 2, 2025), and click each link to read and watch anything you may have missed.

Nicky Herrick MD; and Anushree Agarwal, MD, MBBS, highlight their study on cardiac arrhythmias in pregnancy

Cardiac complications are a leading cause of maternal mortality in the United States. To address this, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) are leading an innovative study, BRITE-MOM, that uses wearable ECG monitors to detect arrhythmias during pregnancy and postpartum.

Nicky Herrick, MD, a third-year cardiovascular disease fellow at UCSF, and Anushree Agarwal, MD, MBBS, associate professor of Medicine and Research director of the Adult Congenital Heart Disease and Cardio-Obstetrics Program at UCSF, are co-leading the prospective study. “We were using ambulatory ECG monitors to prospectively look for arrhythmias during pregnancy and postpartum,” said Herrick. “We're currently enrolling women during pregnancy. We've enrolled 29 so far.”

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Elizabeth Gandee, APRN-CNP, highlights gaps in women's menopause knowledge

In a recent interview with Contemporary OB/GYN, Elizabeth Gandee, APRN-CNP, nurse practitioner in women's health at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, discussed findings from a nationwide survey on women’s perceptions of perimenopause and menopause.

The survey, which included 1,068 women aged 18 to 60 across the United States, focused on understanding women's awareness and attitudes toward the perimenopausal transition and associated health practices. Several key insights emerged, pointing to significant gaps in knowledge and misconceptions surrounding this life stage.

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Lisa Becht, MD, FACOG, sheds light on fertility awareness

In a recent interview with Contemporary OB/GYN, Lisa Becht, MD, FACOG, double board certified fertility specialist with HRC Fertility, highlighted HRC Fertility's recent survey to gauge public awareness of fertility issues, particularly concerning anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) testing.

Becht explained that AMH is a blood test used to evaluate a woman's ovarian reserve, offering insight into egg quantity relative to age. Despite its clinical value, 63% of adults surveyed had never heard of AMH. Although AMH testing has been available for many years, it has only become more accessible to the general public in the last 5 to 10 years. Increasing awareness of AMH can empower women to make proactive fertility decisions, such as considering egg freezing if their ovarian reserve is low.

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New guideline outlines best practices for managing genitourinary syndrome of menopause

The American Urological Association (AUA), Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine & Urogenital Reconstruction (SUFU), and American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS) have published a new guideline with evidence-based recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM).

Diagnosis is based on patient-reported symptoms, including dryness, irritation, dyspareunia, and urinary complaints such as dysuria, urgency, and recurrent urinary tract infections. Physical signs—such as labial atrophy, introital stenosis, or changes in vaginal pH—may support the diagnosis but are not required. Clinicians are advised not to rely on hormone levels for diagnosis or management decisions.

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Doula highlights how postpartum care is failing new mothers

In an interview with Contemporary OB/GYN, Joy Windley, CLC, postpartum doula at Boram Care, discussed the shortcomings in public health systems when it comes to supporting pregnant and postpartum women.

Windley highlighted a critical gap in postpartum care preparation. While much attention is given to prenatal care and birth, there is insufficient focus on what happens to the mother after delivery. Many women are left unprepared for the physical and emotional realities of the postpartum period, which can be shocking and overwhelming, especially given that maternal health follow-ups often don’t occur until 4 to 6 weeks after birth. This is particularly concerning because many maternal complications and deaths occur in the early weeks following hospital discharge.

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