The top headlines in women's health from May 2026

As we get set to move into the month of June 2026, there were several key headlines that Contemporary OB/GYN highlighted, from our several expert interviews, to updates on the continued battle of mifepristone, to our extensive coverage of the 2026 American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) Annual Clinical & Scientific Meeting.

In the list below, take a look back at our most-viewed stories from the month of May 2026, and click each headline for the full article or video, as it was reported at the time of publishing.

The ACOG Annual Clinical & Scientific Meeting from Washington, DC

Held from May 1-3, 2026, the 75th Annual 2026 American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) Annual Clinical & Scientific Meeting had no shortage of headlines. From the announcement of the 77th president of ACOG—Camille A. Clare, MD, MPH, CPE, FACOG, of Bronxville, New York—to over 25 expert interviews and a keynote address from former First Lady Michelle Obama, the meeting had the collective ob-gyn space buzzing.

View our complete coverage at the link above.

FDA finalizes guidance for postapproval pregnancy safety studies

On May 8, 2026, the FDA issued final guidance outlining recommendations for designing postapproval pregnancy safety studies to better assess the risks of drugs and biologics during pregnancy. The framework emphasizes the use of complementary methodologies—including pregnancy registries, case reports, and real-world data sources—along with defined exposure windows and appropriate comparator groups to generate clinically meaningful safety data for product labeling, addressing longstanding gaps due to the exclusion of pregnant individuals from preapproval trials.

Global consensus renames PCOS to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS)

In a May 12, 2026 publication in The Lancet, an international consensus panel announced that polycystic ovary syndrome will be renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) to better reflect its underlying hormonal and metabolic features. The change, developed through a large global collaboration, aims to improve diagnostic accuracy, reduce stigma, and align terminology with current scientific understanding of the condition.

Menopausal symptoms linked to reduced sexual satisfaction in women aged 50–80

Findings from a large, nationally representative survey study showed that menopausal symptoms were associated with reduced sexual satisfaction and increased risk of sexual dysfunction among women aged 50 to 80 years. Despite many women remaining sexually active, a higher burden of symptoms—particularly sleep disturbances and low libido—was linked to lower satisfaction, highlighting the complex impact of menopause on sexual well-being and overall quality of life.

Mifepristone via telehealth, mail order can continue amid lawsuit, Supreme Court says

On May 14, 2026, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that access to mifepristone via mail order and telehealth will remain in place while ongoing litigation between Louisiana and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration proceeds in lower courts, maintaining current distribution practices despite prior appellate efforts to reinstate in-person dispensing requirements.

Timeline of key events:

• May 1, 2026: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit panel allows temporary reinstatement of in-person dispensing requirement
• May 4, 2026: Supreme Court of the United States issues emergency stay, preserving mail and telehealth access
• May 14, 2026: Court extends block on the appellate ruling while litigation continues