The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women’s Health

Marking the journal’s 1 year anniversary, Allisyn Moran (Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal and Newborn Health Team Lead at WHO) rejoins the show to reflect on the progress of WHO’s Maternal Wellbeing Framework published in our first issue in September 2025, the effect of climate change and increasing geopolitical instability on the wellbeing of women, the role of WHO in research facilitation and guideline development, and look to the future and the next steps for the framework. Sonia and Sarah also join Ben to discuss their personal highlights from the first year The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women’s Health, including some publication highlights — list below.
 
Sonia’s picks
Contraception trial:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanogw/article/PIIS3050-5038(25)00006-8/fulltext
Endometriosis scoping reviews:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanogw/article/PIIS3050-5038(25)00027-5/fulltext
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanogw/article/PIIS3050-5038(25)00004-4/fulltext
 
Sarah’s picks
VACCIN trial:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanogw/article/PIIS3050-5038(25)00007-X/fulltext
Menstrual cycle as a vital sign:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanogw/article/PIIS3050-5038(25)00001-9/fulltext
 

Each year an estimated 27 million women have postpartum haemorrhage, resulting in 43 000 deaths annually. In 2025, WHO introduced new diagnostic criteria based on objectively measured blood loss of 300 mL or more with any abnormal haemodynamic sign, or 500 mL or more, whichever occurs first within 24 h after birth. Dr Nicole Minckas (University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia) joins Ben to discuss the findings of a new mixed-methods study done in six (Colombia, India, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Thailand) countries assessing the acceptability, feasibility, and roll out of the new criteria.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanogw/article/PIIS3050-5038(26)00115-9/fulltext

WHO estimates that one in six couples are affected by infertility, with an increasing number of people turning to reproductive medicine to aid them to fulfil their family goals. However, with media narratives focusing on falling fertility rates, this episode of The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women’s Health in conversation with delves into a special theme issue focusing on placing patient wellbeing at the centre of fertility care through interviews with researchers, Sarah Lensen (University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia) and Jennifer Gordon (University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada), and a patient with lived experience, Beate Muehlroth.
Click here to read the full articles:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanogw/article/S3050-5038(26)00054-3/fulltext
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanogw/article/S3050-5038(26)00114-7/fulltext
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanogw/article/S3050-5038(26)00152-4/fulltext
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanogw/article/S3050-5038(26)00144-5/fulltext
 

Menopause is a key life transition experienced by millions of women every year, yet health systems are failing to provide the responsive, coordinated care that women need. Anna Kalbarczyk (Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA) joins Ben to discuss her Review drawing on evidence from 89 studies across diverse populations and geographies to highlight experiences of menopause care. The review reveals persistent gaps in provider knowledge, fragmented care pathways, and systemic barriers to access
Click here to read the full article: 
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanogw/article/PIIS3050-5038(26)00053-1/fulltext 

In a special episode from the conference floor at SEUD 2026, Christina Biamis (Senior Editor at eBioMedicine) and Ben (Senior Editor at The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women’s Health) speak with Prof Charles Chapron, Dr Mathilde Bourdon, Prof Felice Petraglia, Dr Silvia Vannuccini, Dr Lydia Coxon, Dr Ludivine Doridot, Dr Tina Tellum, Dr Devon Evans, and Prof Ludwig Keisel about the latest advances in the treatment of patients with endometriosis, adenomyosis, PCOS, and other uterine disorders. Hear from the experts as they discuss the need for a paradigm shift in the treatment of diseases that affect tens of millions of women worldwide.
Click here to read the news report:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanogw/article/S3050-5038(26)00146-9/fulltext

Cervical cancer is preventable through vaccination and screening. Since the introduction of a national cervical screening programme, incidence of cervical cancer has decreased by 50% in New Zealand. However, more than 85% of cervical cancer cases occur in women who are not regularly screened, and Māori women are twice as likely as non-Māori women to die from cervical cancer.
Prof Bev Lawton and Dr Jane Macdonald (Victoria University of Wellington) sat down with Ben to discuss their cluster randomised trial that assessed the impact of a universal offer of HPV self-testing for cervical screening.
Click here to read the full article:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanogw/article/PIIS3050-5038(25)00201-8/abstract

Content warning: This conversation is about violence and childhood sexual assault and may be distressing for some listeners. If you or someone you know is affected by these issues, please visit https://findahelpline.com/ a global database of support lines associated with the International Association for Suicide Prevention.
Globally, up to 1 in 5 women experience childhood sexual abuse. Liz Spry (Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia) and Raquel Catalao (King's College London, London, UK) join to discuss the findings of their multicohort study including data from two Australian and one New Zealand cohort. The work aimed to describe disparities in social and financial resources, mental health, and parenting in pregnancy and early parenthood in women reporting experience of childhood sexual abuse.
Click here to read the full article: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanogw/article/PIIS3050-5038(25)00177-3/abstract

Data suggest that 42-65% of women use paracetamol (also known as tylenol  and acetaminophen) during pregnancy; however, concerns linking the common pain killer to childhood development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and intellectual disability were reported. Asma Khalil joins the podcast to discuss a recent systematic review and meta-analysis focusing on the highest quality trials that showed no link between use of paracetamol during pregnancy and development of ASD, ADHD, or intellectual disability. Click here to read the full article:https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanogw/article/PIIS3050-5038(25)00211-0/fulltext

Pascale Allotey (WHO) and Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent (International Confederation of Midwives) join Sonia, Sarah, and Ben in this special bonus episode dedicated to International Women's Day. In two in-depth interviews, Pascale and Jacqueline discuss their academic and clinical journeys, spotlight key advances in women's health from AI to HPV among many others, and highlight key works that their organisations are undertaking, including ChatHRP (https://chathrp.org/) and the One Million More Midwives initiative (https://millionmore.org/).Read our March Editorial at https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanogw/article/PIIS3050-5038(26)00055-5/fulltextDownload our International Women's Day infographic at https://www.thelancet.com/infographics-do/IWD2026

From its origins in fertility medicine and wellness, the field of FemTech is rapidly evolving, with new innovations having the potential to drastically improve the health of women and girls in low-income and middle-income countries. However, barriers exist preventing the true potential of FemTech interventions to be realised. Alex Ridout (King's College London, London, UK) joins Ben to discuss the potential FemTech offers and the hurdles preventing its role out.   Click here to read the full article: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanogw/article/PIIS3050-5038(25)00125-6/fulltext