The most impactful stories of 2021

Over the course of 2021, more than 20 peer-reviewed articles[MP1] have beenpublished by Contemporary OB/GYN®. From dermatoses in pregnancy to alcohol use and breastfeeding, this publication has covered it all. Although every story is important, the Contemporary OB/GYN® editorial board members shared their opinions on what they thought was the story with the greatest impact of 2021.

There were a multitude of articles to choose from, but our board members chose the 2 they thought had the most influence on the specialty.

#1 Effects of marijuana use on female reproductive health and pregnancy

By Jamie O. Lo, MD; Carol B. Hanna, PhD; and Jason C. Hedges, MD, PhD

Published in the October 2021 issue

In this groundbreaking article, 3 experts explored the effects marijuana use has on pregnancy and female reproductive health, and offered guidance on how to advise patients who may want to use this substance.

“I vote for the marijuana article. With more and more states making this legal (of course California) its use has increased, and I think there is a general thinking that it is okay in pregnancy, so better education like this article is really needed at both the provider and patient level.” – Sarah J. Kilpatrick, MD, PhD, Helping Hand of Los Angeles Chair, chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California

“All great options, but I too will go with ‘Effects of marijuana use on female reproductive health and pregnancy.’ This was timely guidance and advice as we navigate our changing laws and the misperceptions they create.” – Christine Isaacs, MD, division head of General Obstetrics and Gynecology, professor, medical director of Midwifery Services, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond

“I, too, would vote for the marijuana article—important information.” – Paula J. Adams Hillard, MD, professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, and program director of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Stanford, California

“I agree with the consensus that the ‘Evaluation and management of COVID in pregnancy’ and ‘Effects of marijuana use on female reproductive health and pregnancy’ were the 2 most impactful articles of 2021. The former should be included because it provides good background and practical guidance for a brand-new disease, the latter because it addresses common misunderstandings about marijuana.” – Steven J. Ory, MD, professor of obstetrics and gynecology, Florida International University, Miami, and partner at IVF Florida, Margate

#2 Evaluation and management of COVID-19 in pregnancy

By Emily H. Adhikari, MD

Published in the April 2021 issue

This article tackles the effects COVID-19 has on pregnancy and provides practical management tips to guide your patients through the virus and their pregnancy.

“I’d vote for the COVID-19 in pregnancy article. As the COVID-19 pandemic challenged all ob-gyns to manage a condition not previously encountered in their practices, this article provided essential information they would need for decision-making and addressed urgent needs for reliable information. Its practical focus on specific patient [treatment] issues provided a succinct and reliable summary of essential information needed for daily practice.” – John O. De Lancey, MD, Norman F. Miller Professor of Gynecology, director of Pelvic Floor Research, and group director of the Fellowship in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor

“’Evaluation and management of COVID-19 in pregnancy’—an important and practical guide with excellent tables to help manage this frightening clinical situation. It made the information very accessible, even to nonintensivists, and explained what to prepare for. I also liked the marijuana article because this is so relevant right now.” – Ilana Cass, MD, chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire, and professor of obstetrics and gynecology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire

Honorable mentions

“I suggest not a single article but a series. Having a strategic partnership with the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) has been a classic win-win. Specialist ob-gyns gained access to important, common clinical problems such as fetal growth restriction and cholestasis in the past year from leading national experts. SMFM moves its clinical expertise beyond the confines of membership.” –Joshua A. Copel, MD[KM3] , professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences and of pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut

“I would vote for the other COVID-19 article in addition––‘FAQs: COVID-19 vaccines.’ Vaccine information in general remains a challenge for busy ob-gyns with a healthy amount of personal skepticism that influences their counseling of patients. These vaccines were new, and information and subsequent recommendations evolved quickly. The ob-gyn’s role in protecting pregnant women is more important than ever. This article presented the information accurately, succinctly, and hit all the important highlights critical to helping practitioners respond to patient concerns. It was timely and put the information at practitioners’ fingertips!” – Laura Riley, MD, chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, and obstetrician and gynecologist-in-chief, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, New York