Required U.S. mifepristone form made little difference to patient knowledge
Among 593 patients receiving routine counselling, adding the US Patient Agreement Form did not produce a clinically meaningful improvement in knowledge.
Policy · Published 20 October 2026
White House orders NIH Women’s Health Division—but funding is still unclear
A US executive order sets a 90-day deadline for a new division and creates a White House task force; it does not itself provide a new research budget.
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The latest news
What changed in women's health.
What it means.
Independent women’s-health reporting on what changed, why it matters and what to watch next.
U.S. cervical screening rebounded—but the recovery was unequal
A US electronic-record study found overall gains through 2024 alongside lower screening rates for several racial groups and for patients in Western and Southern regions.
Female homicide rates exceeded projections in U.S. abortion-ban states
A quasi-experimental analysis found higher-than-modelled rates in states with sustained total or near-total abortion bans; the design identifies an association, not a single proven cause.
Vaginal CO₂ laser offered no added benefit over sham in breast-cancer survivors
Both groups improved while receiving first-line supportive care, but five laser sessions added no measurable benefit over sham treatment at 12 months.
Health & science
Evidence before excitement.
Research, medicine and technology—reported with the limits, source and unanswered questions intact.
Required U.S. mifepristone form made little difference to patient knowledge
Among 593 patients receiving routine counselling, adding the US Patient Agreement Form did not produce a clinically meaningful improvement in knowledge.
Vaginal CO₂ laser offered no added benefit over sham in breast-cancer survivors
Both groups improved while receiving first-line supportive care, but five laser sessions added no measurable benefit over sham treatment at 12 months.
Collective X raises $3.2M to put women’s health evidence behind digital products
Co-founded by Stacy Sims, the platform licenses female-specific research intelligence to health and performance companies through an API.
Policy & access
The system shapes the outcome.
Health policy, regulation, care delivery and the decisions that determine who can access care.
Midi expands virtual care for UTIs, bacterial vaginosis and yeast infections
The new service combines acute appointments with follow-up when recurring symptoms need further assessment.
Allara raises $30M to expand integrated, insurance-covered women’s healthcare
The virtual-care company plans to expand clinical technology, partnerships and research across hormonal, metabolic and reproductive health.
FDA creates a class II path for home-collected molecular STI tests
The classification gives molecular tests using home-collected specimens a special-controls pathway rather than treating each product as a one-off.
From the archive
The women's health news archive starts in January 2025.
Historical news publications use the source or event date and are clearly marked as archive reporting.
Explore 20 archive news publications ↗
EndoSure gains a European CE mark—but its evidence questions are not settled
The non-invasive endometriosis test can be marketed in the EU, while US use remains research-only and independent clinical validation is still limited.
The endometriosis peptide ENDO-205 can now begin human testing
FDA clearance of an investigational application allows a planned Phase 1 study to proceed; it is not approval of the treatment, and no human efficacy data have been reported.
FDA approves the first generic low-dose estradiol vaginal insert
The generic version of Imvexxy adds another potential access route for painful sex associated with menopausal vulvar and vaginal atrophy.
WHO issues its first global guideline on infertility care
Forty recommendations address prevention, diagnosis, staged treatment, psychosocial support and the affordability of fertility care.