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While HHS and FDA leaders hailed the removal of the black box warning from hormone therapy for menopause, citing benefits like reduced risks of heart disease and dementia, some physicians expressed concerns about overselling the benefits and downplaying risks. "Like all medications, systemic estrogen products are not without risk, and their use should be based on an individualized conversation between patients and their clinicians," said Dr. Steven Fleischman, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which supported the change.

Homicide is the leading cause of death for pregnant women, with a new study in JAMA Network Open revealing that pregnant women face a 37% higher risk of firearm-related homicide compared to nonpregnant women. The study highlights the role of firearms in intimate partner violence and suggests that policy changes, such as safe storage laws and stricter firearm prohibitions for domestic violence offenders, could mitigate this risk.

The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is scheduled to meet Dec. 4 and 5, and the agenda includes considering potential changes to hepatitis B vaccine recommendations. The agenda also includes the childhood and adolescent immunization schedules and vaccine safety.

The number of rural hospitals closing labor and delivery units increased in 2025 compared with 2024, with 27 planned or completed closures, up from 21, according to a report by the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform. Since 2020, 116 rural hospitals have closed labor and delivery units, leaving 950 that offer the services.

A smartphone-based behavioral modification program was associated with less weight gain among pregnant women in the Women, Infants, and Children program, compared with usual care, according to a study presented at the Obesity Society's annual meeting. The Healthy Beginnings program provides nutrition education, social support, cooking classes and fitness activities.

Infant hospitalizations related to respiratory syncytial virus decreased with widespread availability of a maternal RSV vaccine and the monoclonal antibody nirsevimab, according to studies presented at a meeting of the Infectious Disease Society of America. Data showed that the hospitalization rate for infants up to age 2 months decreased by 56% and for infants ages 3 to 5 months it dropped from 16.3% to 11.2%.

A study in JAMA Network Open linked NICU stays for preterm infants to a higher risk of developing persistent hypertension as they age. "Children who are born prematurely and spend time in the NICU, regardless of whether they experienced complications, need to be closely followed and screened early for blood pressure changes and hypertension, and should continue to be followed throughout their lives," researcher Dr. Kartikeya Makker said.

Children whose fathers used the anti-seizure and mood stablizing medication valproate within three months before conception are more likely to develop neurodevelopmental disorders by age 12, compared with children whose fathers used lamotrigine or levetiracetam, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open. The research found no increased risk of congenital malformations and has prompted precautionary measures in Europe for men using valproate.

We often feel like the loudest voices in the room hold the most influence, but Noah Askin argues that it is the quiet connectors -- often introverts -- who don't dominate meetings, but build deep, cross-department relationships of trust, who hold the most sway. "After your next meeting, talk to someone who didn't say much. Ask what they're seeing, what others are saying and how they'd share a key idea across the organization," Askin writes.