Show Notes
Podcast family, we pride ourselves on this show on being avant-garde and forward thinking on the topics we choose. For example, on February the 20th, 2026, we released an episode called “New Data: Screen Maternal Ferritin with Prenatal Care?” In that episode we reviewed a publication from the previous month (January 2026) that was released in Lancet Hematology. This study made the case for screening for early iron deficiency, even without anemia, with serum ferritin at the initiation of prenatal care. This was a multicenter, 2-arm, randomized controlled trial. Earlier identification of low serum ferritin prevented iron deficiency anemia in the third trimester. That's a win! Back then, we also stated how Australia has been leading the charge on this with the Australian HOW. That stands for Hematology in Obstetrics and Women's Health. This Australian consensus committee now recommends screening for iron deficiency, not just iron deficiency anemia, at the initiation of prenatal care, at 24 to 28 weeks, and then again at the third trimester when necessary. And now, as of August 2026, we have additional supportive data that including serum ferritin at the initial OB visit is evidence-based and best for the patient! In this episode we will review this brand-new, prospective cohort study published as a Research Letter in the AJOG August 2026. 1. Australian HOW: Iron optimisation in pregnancy: a Haematology in Obstetric and Women's Health Collaborative consensus statement; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/imj.16602 2. Konecke N, Jackson T, Angeles I. et al. The association between first trimester iron deficiency without anemia and the development of iron-deficiency anemia prior to childbirth. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2026; 235, e36-e38 3. ACOG Clinical Practice Update: An Update to Clinical Guidance for Delayed Umbilical Cord Clamping After Birth in Preterm Neonates. Obstet Gynecol. 2025 Jul 24;146(3):442-444.
More from Dr. Chapa’s OBGYN Clinical Pearls
Here is a sobering fact: Iron deficiency is one of the most common health conditions in the world. Iron deficiency affects an estimated one in three people, yet many go undiagnosed and untreated despite widespread treatment options. Iron deficiency can progress to iron deficiency anemia. If you’ve been listening for a while, you know we have banged the drum on this podcast time and time again about why serum ferritin matters. We’ve talked about how so many people suffer from low iron stores even when their basic blood work comes back looking "normal," and why we have to look way beyond just standard iron deficiency anemia. Well, guess what? The medical establishment is officially catching up! In September 2026, the American Society of Hematology (ASH) released brand new, evidence-based recommendations that are set to completely change how we diagnose iron deficiency. Published in ASH’s prestigious, peer-reviewed journal Blood Advances, these new guidelines were brought together by a multidisciplinary team of experts across multiple medical specialties to redefine critical thresholds- especially for women and during pregnancy. Today, we are diving deep into what these new guidelines actually mean for us. Listen in for details 1. https://www.hematology.org/newsroom/press-releases/2026/ash-sets-new-standards-for-diagnosing-iron-deficiency 2. https://ashpublications.org/bloodadvances/article/doi/10.1182/bloodadvances.2025015950/570502/American-Society-of-Hematology-2026-guidelines-for
Innie vs Outies: no, we are not referring to bellybuttons. In this episode, we’re talking about the labia of the Volva! Does it actually matter? Which one is more common? Now, this episode was actually sparked by a brilliant listener who sent us her question to our IG inbox (as a non-clinician): “Can having an innie labia actually cause me to have recurrent bacterial vaginosis?” Such a good question, right? So today, we’re going to break down what the medical literature actually says about anatomy and BV. Plus, well answer the question: What is ACOG’s stance on elective labioplasty? Grab a cup of coffee, get comfortable, and let’s normalize the normal. 1. Lykkebo AW, Drue HC, Lam JUH, Guldberg R. The Size of Labia Minora and Perception of Genital Appearance: A Cross-Sectional Study. J Low Genit Tract Dis. 2017 Jul;21(3):198-203. doi: 10.1097/LGT.0000000000000308. PMID: 28369012. 2. Aydın A, Atılgan AE, Sönmez MG, Sönmez L, Boğa MS, Balasar M. Do variations in labial anatomy have an effect on recurrent urinary tract infection? Int Urogynecol J. 2020 Oct;31(10):2129-2136. doi: 10.1007/s00192-020-04310-8. Epub 2020 May 9. PMID: 32388633. 3. Elective Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 2020. Committee on Gynecologic PracticeGuideline 4. ACOG Committee Opinion 795: Elective Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery; 2020 (reaffirmed 2026)
Marfan syndrome is an autosomal dominant, connective tissue disorder. Because it’s autosomal dominant, an affected parent has a 50% chance of passing the genetic mutation to their offspring in every pregnancy. Approximately 25% of cases actually stem from spontaneous, de novo mutations with no prior family history. In the United States, the prevalence of Marfan syndrome is estimated at roughly 1 in 5,000 individuals. It affects males and females equally across all ethnic backgrounds. Although this topic and condition might sound rare at first glance- Marfan syndrome in pregnancy- it is in our communities, and we need to be ready for the potential complications that come with it. When is vaginal delivery allowable here? Do these patients need any maintenance meds during pregnancy? What about postpartum surveillance? Grab your coffee, get comfortable, and let's jump right in! 1. Elkayam U et al. High-Risk Cardiac Disease in Pregnancy: Part II. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2016 Aug 2;68(5):502-516. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2016.05.050. 2. Milleron O, Arnoult F, Delorme G, et al. Pathogenic FBN1 Genetic Variation and Aortic Dissection in Patients With Marfan Syndrome. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2020 Mar 3;75(8):843-853. 3. 2022 ACC/AHA Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Aortic Disease: A Report of the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2022 Dec 13;80(24):e223-e393. 4. Narula N. et al. Pregnancy-Related Aortic Complications in Women With Marfan Syndrome. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2021 Aug 31;78(9):870-879.
If you’ve ever managed postpartum preeclampsia, you know the clinical gray zone: after an initial intrapartum course of magnesium sulfate, when do you actually restart it for a postpartum, readmission exacerbation? Always? There’s no standard national guidance on this. Every unit seems to do something a little different. In this episode, we’re summarizing a new study looking at practice patterns across the country. This study is actually a survey of US MFM fellowship directors across the ACOG Districts. This publication will be officiallyreleased/published in the Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine in December 2026. We’ll break down what these fellowship directors would do, why the variation exists, and what this means for your clinical practice. Let’sget into it. 1. Dellapiana G, Thompson K, Gregory KD. Repeatadministration of magnesium for an exacerbation of postpartum preeclampsia: anational survey. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2026 Dec;39(1):2738315. doi:10.1080/14767058.2026.2738315. Epub 2026 Sep 28. PMID: 42805980.
If you’ve been listening for a while, you might remember an episode we ran about two years ago where we dove deep into the use of low-titer O-positive whole blood in emergency resuscitation. At the time, the consensus in trauma care was leaning heavily "pro"—advocating for getting O-positive blood into bleeding patients fast, especially given the persistent and severe shortages of O-negative inventory. Fast forward to today, and the conversation around balancing immediate survival against downstream risks has taken center stage. In just the last two months, two major publications have come out with seemingly conflicting perspectives on this exact issue. First, in July 2026, the American College of Surgeons released their consensus guidance, which attempts to strike a delicate balance between saving lives in acute trauma and mitigating future reproductive risks associated with Rh sensitization in patients of childbearing potential. But then, in September 2026, Obstetrics & Gynecology—the Green Journal—published an editorial by Jacobs et al. offering a very different lens on the practice. In today's episode, we’re unpacking both papers, comparing where they align, where they clash, and what this evolving debate means for trauma protocols, blood bank management, and patient care on the front lines. Let’s dive in. Post-Transfusion Management of RhD-Negative Females of Childbearing Potential Who Receive RhD-Positive Low-Titer Group O Whole Blood and Red Blood Cells During Trauma Resuscitation: A Joint Position Statement and Resource Document of the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS-COT), Prehospital Blood Transfusion Coalition (PBTC), National Association of Emergency Medical Services Physicians (NAEMSP), Trauma Hemostasis and Oxygenation Research (THOR) Network, and Allo Hope Foundation (AHF). J Am Coll Surg. July 2026.2. Jacobs, J. W., Callum, J., Adkins, B. D., Abels, E. A., Raza, S., Sharma, D., Wheeler, A. P., Osmundson, S. S., Chooljian, D. M., & Booth, G. S. (2026). RhD-Positive Whole Blood for Patients With Reproductive Potential After Two Randomized Trials of Prehospital Trauma Resuscitation; Obstetrics & Gynecology.