Weekly review: Red blood cell antigen tests, FDA cleared HPV self-collection kit, 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, April 6, to Friday, April 10, 2026) and click on each link to read and watch anything you may have missed.

Ramu Perni, MD, MBA, explains UNITY's expanded Red Blood Cell Fetal Antigen noninvasive prenatal test

In February 2026, BillionToOne announced the launch of UNITY’s expanded Red Blood Cell (RBC) Fetal Antigen non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT), in addition to a first-and-only Platelet Fetal Antigen NIPT. The tests are designed to determine fetal antigen status in pregnancies affected by or at risk of hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) and fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT).

In this discussion, Ramu Perni, MD, MBA, details the benefits of using a non-invasive prenatal red blood cell fetal antigen test for pregnancies affected by or at risk for HDFN.

Click here to watch.

FDA clears Onclarity HPV self-collection kit, approves BD Onclarity HPV Assay for cervical cancer screening

This week, the FDA cleared the Waters Corporation’s Onclarity HPV Self-Collection Kit and approved the BD Onclarity HPV Assay, with extended genotyping for use at home, to expand access to cervical cancer screening. The company announced in a news release that the regulatory decisions could remove barriers for individuals that prevent the receipt of routine screening.

Click here for full clearance and approval details.

Sarina Hanfling on early vs chronic use of LiSWT in postpartum pain

Low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy (LiSWT) has already been introduced as a potential second-line option for chronic postpartum pelvic pain following failed conservative management.

In this discussion, Sarina Hanfling, research coordinator for Rachel Rubin MD PLLC and a medical student at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, highlights a case of a 60-year-old woman with more than 20 years of episiotomy-related pain experienced meaningful improvement after a multimodal regimen that included LiSWT, pelvic floor physical therapy, and abobotulinumtoxinA injections.

Click here to watch.

Vaginal swabs provide "sufficient signal" to detect endometrial cancer, study finds

PinkDx announced an IJGC publication of data that demonstrated signals associated with endometrial cancer can be detected from a vaginal swab. The research, which utilized whole-transcriptome sequencing and machine learning, established a scientific foundation for a less invasive diagnostic pathway for women presenting with symptoms such as abnormal or postmenopausal bleeding.

For full details, click here.

Contraceptive vaginal system for use up to 1 year launches in Canada

This week, Canadian pharmaceutical company Duchesnay launched the Ringza contraceptive system in Canada, a system that is designed to be reused for up to 1 year. The vaginal ring is designed as a slow-release ring made of silicone for use for up to 13 menstrual cycles of weeks in, 1 week out, and is patient-controlled and reversible, which does not require insertion or removal by a clinician.

Click here for more information on the Ringza contraceptive system.