August was one of the more eventful months of the year for women's health, spanning new clinical guidance, federal policy developments, a major access report, and emerging pipeline data. Below, the Contemporary OB/GYN team recaps the top stories we covered this month.

Alex Peahl, MD, MSc, on the feasibility of patient-operated remote biophysical profiles

Researchers from the University of Michigan published a research letter in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology Maternal-Fetal Medicine that reported results from an observational pilot study evaluating whether patients could operate remote ultrasonography to complete biophysical profiles (BPPs) in high-risk pregnancies using the Pulsenmore ES system.¹

Alex F. Peahl, MD, MSc, FACOG, the study’s corresponding author, discussed the findings and their implications for expanding antenatal surveillance access to patients in maternity care deserts or with transportation barriers.

Click here for full details.

Urinalysis for the ob-gyn: Advanced interpretation, when to refer, and underappreciated parameters

A clinical review published in August 2026 on the Contemporary OB/GYN website offered a comprehensive framework for interpreting urinalysis beyond its routine uses in prenatal care and UTI screening, with particular attention to parameters that are frequently overlooked in ob-gyn practice.²

The review covers microscopy vs dipstick analysis, proper specimen collection, proteinuria grading and its relevance to preeclampsia, microscopic hematuria thresholds, urinary casts and crystals, bilirubinuria, urobilinogen, and guidance on when specific findings should trigger nephrology, urology, hepatology, or maternal-fetal medicine referral.²

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Phase 2 data: ABCL635 reduces frequency, severity of VMS symptoms

On August 10, 2026, AbCellera announced positive top-line results from the phase 2 portion of its phase 1/2 trial of ABCL635, an investigational NK3R antagonist antibody for moderate-to-severe vasomotor symptoms (VMS) due to menopause.³

"The [4]-week data for the phase 2 study of ABCL635 demonstrate a new efficacy benchmark for the reduction of hot flashes both in frequency and severity, as well as improvements in sleep. These symptoms can profoundly impact women's daily lives when left unmanaged. If validated in phase 3, ABCL635 could offer a new treatment option with a more convenient dosing regimen and potentially less toxicity," said JoAnn V. Pinkerton, MD, Women's Midlife Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Virginia School of Medicine.

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Multiple medical societies react to childhood vaccine executive order

On August 10, 2026, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations,” which reduced the number of diseases for which immunization is recommended for all children from 18 to 11, recommended separating the MMR vaccine into 3 single-disease shots administered at separate visits, and shifted the remaining vaccines to shared clinical decision-making.⁴

Given that maternal and childhood health are “inextricably intertwined,” according to the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, multiple leading women’s health and pediatric societies released statements expressing concern about the order’s potential impact on infant and child public health.

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March of Dimes: 1 in 3 US counties remain maternity care deserts

On August 11, 2026, March of Dimes released its 2026 “Nowhere to Go: Maternity Care Deserts Across the U.S.” report, finding that 34.6% of US counties — home to 2.4 million women of reproductive age — remain classified as maternity care deserts, a figure unchanged since 2016.⁵

Click here for full details.

ACOG clinical update recommends salpingectomy at time of hysterectomy

On August 25, 2026, ACOG published an updated clinical practice guidance in Obstetrics & Gynecology strengthening its recommendation for bilateral salpingectomy at the time of hysterectomy and other abdominopelvic surgeries as a strategy to reduce patients’ lifetime ovarian cancer risk, citing up to 78% risk reduction supported by multiple meta-analyses and a 2026 cohort study from British Columbia.⁶ The update designates complete bilateral salpingectomy as the preferred procedure for patients seeking permanent contraception and calls on ob-gyns to collaborate with nongynecologic surgical specialists to expand access during nongynecologic procedures.⁶

Click here for full details.

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New: Special Report on PMOS

September 1 marks the start of Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) Awareness Month, previously PCOS Awareness Month. Contemporary OB/GYN convened a group of experts to discuss the May 2026 name change in a 5-part series.

Across the series, our host and experts examine what this shift means for diagnosis, management, and patient care across the reproductive lifespan.

Click here to view the series.

References:

1. Peahl AF, et al. Feasibility of patient-operated remote biophysical profiles in high-risk pregnancies. Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM. Published August 2026. [URL to be added]
2. Urinalysis for the ob-gyn: Advanced interpretation, when to refer, and underappreciated parameters. Contemporary OB/GYN. Published August 2026. [URL to be added]
3. Phase 2 data: ABCL635 reduces frequency, severity of VMS symptoms. Contemporary OB/GYN. Published August 10, 2026. Accessed September 1, 2026. https://www.contemporaryobgyn.net/view/phase-2-data-abcl635-reduces-frequency-severity-vms-symptoms
4. Multiple medical societies react to childhood vaccine executive order. Contemporary OB/GYN. Published August 2026. [URL to be added]
5. March of Dimes: 1 in 3 US counties remain maternity care deserts. Contemporary OB/GYN. Published August 11, 2026. Accessed September 1, 2026. https://www.contemporaryobgyn.net/view/march-of-dimes-2026-maternity-care-deserts-report-closures-access
6. ACOG clinical update recommends salpingectomy at time of hysterectomy. Contemporary OB/GYN. Published August 26, 2026. Accessed September 1, 2026. https://www.contemporaryobgyn.net/view/acog-clinical-update-salpingectomy-hysterectomy-ovarian-cancer-prevention