Weekly review: GLP-1s in pregnancy, HPV vaccine data, and more

Thank you for visiting the Contemporary OB/GYN website. Take a look at some of our top stories from the past week (Monday, March 16, to Friday, March 20, 2026) and click on each link to read and watch anything you may have missed.

GLP-1 receptor agonist prescribing in pregnancy rose thirtyfold from 2019 to 2024

Prescribing of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) in the perinatal period increased more than thirtyfold between 2019 and 2024, according to findings from a large retrospective cohort study using a national electronic health records database.

An estimated 20,000 pregnant individuals were exposed to GLP-1 medications in 2024 alone, a number investigators believe has continued to grow.

Click here for the full findings and a discussion with Jeannie C. Kelly, MD, MS.

EUROGIN: Merck's 9-valent HPV vaccine provides protection at least 14 years

The results, which tracked vaccinated women for up to 15.6 years, demonstrate that the vaccine’s effectiveness remains exceptionally high without evidence of significant waning immunity over time.

Findings were presented at the EUROGIN International Multidisciplinary HPV Congress 2026, being held in Vienna, Austria from March 18 to March 21, 2026.

Click here for findings.

Sangini Sheth, MD, MPH, on navigating shared decision-making for HPV self-collection

In this Contemporary OB/GYN video interview, Sangini Sheth, MD, MPH, Associate professor, Obstetrics, Gynecology; Division director, Obstetric, Gynecologic specialties; vice chair, Collaborative Excellence, Yale School of Medicine, joined Contemporary OB/GYN to discuss the clinical nuances of implementing the HRSA’s updated cervical cancer screening guidelines.

Click here to watch.

Physicians say women's health is progressing, but earlier diagnosis is still key

Among a survey of over 800 providers, menopause care was the top area for expected greatest improvement over the next 5 years. The 44th Sermo Barometer, fielded from February 20 to March 3, 2026, found that 33% of physicians identified earlier diagnosis as the single change that would improve outcomes the most, outranking better therapies (23%), expanded access (23%), and improved education (11%).

See a detailed breakdown from the survey.

Uterine window risk climbs with each prior cesarean, study finds

A retrospective study of more than 3200 cesarean deliveries found that patients with three or more prior cesareans have a 15% likelihood of a uterine window, supporting consideration of early-term delivery in this group.

Xiteng Yan, MD, a maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) fellow at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, breaks down the study here.