Recapping January's top Contemporary OB/GYN headlines

In this monthly recap, Contemporary OB/GYN highlights the most impactful regulatory news, clinical research findings, and expert perspectives from January 2026.

Click on each title below for more on each topic.

FDA document review details evidence-based oversight of mifepristone

• Internal FDA documents consistently affirmed the safety of mifepristone over more than a decade, despite ongoing public controversy and litigation.
• Regulatory decisions around the mifepristone REMS evolved incrementally, shaped by evidence review, external events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and statutory constraints.
• FDA staff scientists’ recommendations were largely evidence-based and varied by context, while occasional divergence from scientific review reflected higher-level regulatory or political considerations.

Trump administration seeking pause on Louisiana lawsuit that could limit abortion pill access

• The Trump administration is asking a federal court to pause a Louisiana lawsuit challenging mifepristone access by mail while the FDA reviews the drug’s current regulations.
• The Justice Department said it is considering whether to keep or change federal rules allowing mifepristone distribution via mail, retail pharmacies, and telemedicine, and would update the court within 2 weeks if changes are planned.
• Restricting remote access could significantly affect abortion care nationwide, as about 1 in 4 abortions are now provided through telemedicine, particularly in states with near-total bans.

American Heart Association releases scientific statement for maternal stroke prevention during pregnancy, postpartum

• Stroke during pregnancy and postpartum is rare but life-threatening, accounting for an estimated 4–6% of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States
• Hypertensive disorders are a major driver of maternal stroke risk, making early and aggressive blood pressure control central to prevention.
• Pregnancy should not delay evidence-based stroke diagnosis, treatment or rehabilitation, including safe imaging and acute interventions.

Aviva to advance, announce new data for AVA-291 women's testosterone therapy

• Aviva Bio received FDA feedback after a Type B meeting supporting continued development of AVA-291, a female-specific testosterone therapy designed to resist aromatization and address long-standing safety concerns.
• The FDA acknowledged aromatization-related breast cancer risk as a core regulatory and safety issue, reinforcing the need for molecularly engineered testosterone therapies rather than repurposed male formulations.
• New preclinical data accepted for AACR 2026 show AVA-291 has ~1000-fold lower potential to stimulate breast cancer cell proliferation compared with ordinary testosterone.

US gestational diabetes rates rise 36% since 2016

• Gestational diabetes prevalence in the United States increased by 36% between 2016 and 2024, with rates rising every year during the study period.
• The analysis included more than 12 million births, making it the most current and comprehensive assessment of US gestational diabetes trends.
• American Indian, Asian, and Pacific Islander patients experienced the highest gestational diabetes rates in 2024.
• The fastest annual increases were observed among Asian and Pacific Islander patients, with an average annual percent change of 4.1.

Interim safety data of RSVpreF vaccination during pregnancy, with Ashley Michnick, PharmD, PhD

An interim analysis published in JAMA on January 8, 2026, found no statistically significant increases in key pregnancy complications among individuals who received the RSVpreF (Abrysvo; Pfizer) during pregnancy.

Ashley Michnick, PharmD, PhD, research associate, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, and corresponding author of the research letter, explained the real-world safety outcomes during the first full RSV season after vaccine approval.