Labor of Love: Insights from the Heart of Obstetric Care American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

Continuing our two-part series, this season’s final episode tackles the present-day strategies for perinatal HIV care. Rodney Wright, MD, FACOG, from Montefiore-Einstein Medical Center and Susan Gillespie, MD, PhD, from Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital join Labor of Love host Veronica Pimentel, MD, MS, FACOG, to dive into current HIV testing, treatment, and lactating guidelines to support health during pregnancy and postpartum.

This Labor of Love episode marks the beginning of a two-part exploration into the evolution of HIV care during pregnancy. Haben Debessai, MD, from the CDC Foundation and Rhoda Sperling, MD, FACOG, from Mount Sinai join Labor of Love host Veronica Pimentel, MD, MS, FACOG, to dissect the groundbreaking research that transformed the treatment and discussion of HIV in pregnancy.

During the past year, there have been new developments to guidelines for vaccination in pregnancy—most notably the addition of the maternal RSV vaccine. Yvonne Butler Tobah, MD, FACOG, from the Mayo Clinic and Christopher Watson, MD, MPH, from Ascension Sacred Heart join Labor of Love host Veronica Pimentel, MD, MS, FACOG, to explore the latest clinical recommendations and best practices for counseling pregnant patients and addressing their vaccine-related questions and concerns.

Hepatitis during pregnancy might feel like a complex case to manage, and ACOG wants to help clinicians support patients with a hepatitis diagnosis. Tatyana Kushner, MD, MSCE, from Mount Sinai and Tosin Goje, MD, MSCR, FACOG, from Cleveland Clinic join Labor of Love host Veronica Pimentel, MD, MS, FACOG, to shine a light on hepatitis B and C, the two most common forms. They discuss the latest screening recommendations, treatment options, and resources that empower pregnant patients to make informed choices. 

In the early 2000s syphilis rates in the United States started to increase, raising growing concerns about public health and the effects of syphilis rates on pregnant people. Kate Miele, MD, MA, FACOG, from Emory University, and Veronica Gillispie-Bell, MD, MAS, FACOG, from Ochsner Health Center, join Labor of Love host Veronica Pimentel, MD, MS, FACOG, to discuss syphilis screening during pregnancy, the latest clinical recommendations, and tips and tools that health care professionals can use to address concerns and anxieties with clarity and compassion.

The new maternal RSV vaccine serves as a major step toward preventing RSV in infants after birth. However, the vaccine’s rollout has come with challenges, including cost and access issues. Brenna Hughes, MD, MSc, FACOG, from Duke University, and Naima Joseph, MD, MPH, FACOG, from Boston Medical Center, join Labor of Love host Veronica Pimentel, MD, MS, FACOG, to discuss the latest recommendations for RSV maternal vaccination and share advice on how clinicians can counsel patients on making the best choice for themselves and their families.