Newsroom

Texas Abortion Law Complicates Care for Risky Pregnancies →

New York TimesNovember 29, 2021Articles

A few weeks after Texas adopted the most restrictive abortion law in the nation, Dr. Andrea Palmer delivered terrible news to a Fort Worth patient who was midway through her pregnancy. Continue Reading »

$10 million in federal funds for contraception is headed to Texas →

The 19thOctober 6, 2021Articles

The day after Senate Bill 8 went into effect in Texas, President Joe Biden announced a “whole-of-government effort” to address the new law severely limiting abortion access, specifically calling on the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice to take action. Continue Reading »

Texas doctors, seeing unprecedented numbers of pregnant patients with COVID-19 →

Texas TribuneSeptember 19, 2021Articles

Texas’ new abortion law just took effect. Here’s what it does — and what you need to know. →

The 19thSeptember 8, 2021Articles

Texas’ law banning abortions after six weeks of pregnancy took effect at midnight on September 1. Lawsuits are currently pending, but for now, clinics must comply with the six-week ban. Continue Reading »

Leading Physician Groups Oppose Texas Legislation That Threatens Access to Reproductive Patient Care →

American College of Obstetricians and GynecologistsSeptember 2, 2021Articles

Washington, D.C. – The following is a statement from the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American College of Physicians, the American Osteopathic Association, and the American Psychiatric Association. Continue Reading »

Statement on Texas SB8 →

American College of Obstetricians and GynecologistsSeptember 1, 2021Articles, Hear from Our Doctors

Washington, DC – The following is a statement from Maureen G. Phipps, MD, MPH, FACOG, chief executive officer of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and Eugene Toy, MD, FACOG, chair of ACOG District XI (Texas), regarding Senate Bill 8 going into effect in Texas: Continue Reading »

Answers to Questions About the Texas Abortion Law →

New York TimesSeptember 1, 2021Articles

Texas law banning most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy went into effect on Wednesday, despite the 1973 Supreme Court decision that established a constitutional right to the procedure, making the state the most restrictive in the nation in terms of access to abortion services. Continue Reading »

Supreme Court, Breaking Silence, Won’t Block Texas Abortion Law →

New York TimesSeptember 1, 2021Articles

The Supreme Court refused just before midnight on Wednesday to block a Texas law prohibiting most abortions, less than a day after it took effect and became the most restrictive abortion measure in the nation. Continue Reading »

Texas law banning abortion as early as six weeks goes into effect as the U.S. Supreme Court takes no action →

Texas TribuneSeptember 1, 2021Articles

St. David’s Foundation gives $1 million to create pregnancy ‘safe zone’ in Central Texas →

Austin American StatesmanAugust 31, 2021Articles

St. David’s Foundation is trying to create a “perinatal safe zone” in Central Texas with a new $1 million grant initiative.

The foundation has awarded 12 grants to 10 local organizations working to improve maternal health outcomes among people of color. Continue Reading »

Maternal health care advocates applaud new state law to extend Medicaid coverage, but say it doesn’t go far enough →

Texas TribuneAugust 27, 2021Articles

Is It Safe to Get the COVID-19 Vaccine if I’m Pregnant? A Gynecologist Answers Your Questions →

Cook Children'sAugust 20, 2021Articles

Shanna Combs, M.D., pediatric gynecologist, answers your questions.

As parents, we want to make the best decisions for our baby. We’ve been asked a lot lately if it’s safe for pregnant women, or women planning on becoming pregnant, to get the COVID-19 vaccine. We met with Shanna Combs, M.D., a gynecologist, to answer some of our most frequent questions. Continue Reading »

San Antonio doctor urges pregnant women to get COVID-19 shot after expectant mother loses baby →

KSATAugust 11, 2021Articles

SAN ANTONIO – The COVID-19 delta variant is causing a heartbreaking trend in San Antonio hospitals for some pregnant women who are not vaccinated and are hospitalized in the intensive care unit. Continue Reading »

Texas extended Medicaid coverage for new moms this year. Experts say it’s not enough →

Ft. Worth Star TelegramAugust 4, 2021Articles

Desiray Felton went to her doctor’s office in June 2017, about six weeks after her son was born.

The checkup was the last appointment which would be paid for by Medicaid, which covered the Fort Worth woman’s medical care during her pregnancy and for the birth of her child but stopped within two months after her baby was born, as was typical for all Texas moms covered by Medicaid while pregnant. Continue Reading »

San Antonio hospitals report significant rise in pregnant women testing positive for COVID-19 →

KSATAugust 3, 2021Articles

SAN ANTONIO – At least three of San Antonio’s major hospital systems report pregnant women are included in the surge of COVID-19 cases brought on by the highly contagious Delta variant.

“We’ve had a huge rise in the number of pregnant cases we’re seeing,” said Dr. Patrick Ramsey, a maternal fetal medicine specialist at University Health and a professor at UT Health. Continue Reading »

12,000 square miles with no obstetrics unit? It happens in this part of far West Texas →

Dallas Morning NewsAugust 2, 2021Articles

The message from Big Bend Regional Medical Center was stark: The only hospital in a sparsely populated region of far West Texas notified local physicians in July that because of a nursing shortage, its labor and delivery unit needed to temporarily close its doors and that women in labor should instead be sent to the next-closest hospital — an hour’s drive away. Continue Reading »

Ob-gyn associations recommend all pregnant people get vaccinated against Covid-19 →

CNNAugust 1, 2021Articles

Two leading organizations that represent obstetricians and gynecologists recommended Friday that anyone who is pregnant should be vaccinated against Covid-19. Continue Reading »

OPINION: A victory for new mothers from the Texas Legislature →

Dallas Morning NewsJune 2, 2021Articles

The months after childbirth are a particularly vulnerable period for women who too often suffer from depression, thoughts of suicide and other physical and psychological issues that put at risk their health and the health of the newborn. Continue Reading »

House speaker backs expanding Medicaid to cover mothers for a year after birth →

Texas TribuneApril 8, 2021Articles

Republican Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan threw his weight Wednesday behind a bill that would extend Medicaid coverage to mothers for a year postpartum as part of a broad package of proposals meant to increase access to affordable health care in Texas. Continue Reading »

Bill to Extend Postpartum Health Insurance Passes Committee →

Me & My OBGApril 7, 2021Articles

House Bill 133 by Rep. Toni Rose — which would provide Texas moms with 12 month postpartum coverage — was passed out of the Texas House Committee on Human Services today on a 6-3 vote.
Continue Reading »

Hall: How the Legislature can support healthy moms, babies →

Longview News-JournalApril 3, 2021Articles

At the Longview Chamber of Commerce, one of our top priorities is making sure that we are setting up kids for success in school so they can grow up to be the next generation of business owners, teachers, doctors, and community leaders. And we know that putting a child on that path to success starts with a healthy pregnancy and a healthy mom. Continue Reading »

‘Our women are dying’: Texas lawmakers urged to extend Medicaid to a year after birth for new mothers →

San Antonio Express NewsMarch 24, 2021Articles

Medical experts say that low-income women in Texas often discover undiagnosed conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure during prenatal appointments, rather than treating those conditions before they conceive. Then they’re cut off from livesaving care 60 days after giving birth. Continue Reading »

My Vaccine Choice: A Pregnant Ob-Gyn Shares Why She Got a COVID-19 Vaccine →

ACOGMarch 21, 2021Articles

Dr. Vanessa Hux discusses how she thought about her decision.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a trying time for pregnant women. I’ve seen this as an ob-gyn, and I’ve lived it firsthand during my own pregnancy.My patients come to me with fear, anxiety, and a lot of questions. Once my patients can see that I too am expecting, they seem even more comfortable asking questions about COVID-19. One question seems to be on everybody’s minds: “What do you think about the vaccines?” Continue Reading »

Coronavirus (COVID-19), Pregnancy, and Breastfeeding: A Message for Patients →

ACOGMarch 5, 2021Articles

How does COVID-19 affect pregnant women?

Researchers are still learning how COVID-19 affects pregnant women. Current reports suggest that pregnant women have a higher risk for more severe illness from COVID-19 than nonpregnant women. Continue Reading »

Mental Health Care for New Moms Costs Texas $2.2 billion Each Year, Report Says →

Texas Medical AssociationMarch 4, 2021Articles

Texas physicians know that pregnant women and new mothers struggle with maternal mental health conditions (MMHCs) such as post-partum depression and anxiety. Now all those MMHCs have been given a statewide price tag. Continue Reading »

Introducing the 2021 Toy Advocacy Fellow, Rose Ann Huynh, MD →

Me & My OBGFebruary 25, 2021Articles

We are pleased to announce that Rose Ann Huynh, MD, from UT Health San Antonio, is the newly selected ACOG Toy Advocacy Fellow! This is a two-year fellowship that works closely with the Fellow legislative chair and lobbyist to coordinate state legislative efforts on activities related to the practice of obstetrics and gynecology. In this position, she will advocate for the women of Texas and the physicians that care for them so that their voices are heard. Continue Reading »

A Successful Day of Junior Fellow Advocacy →

Me & My OBGFebruary 6, 2021Articles

Texas Junior Fellows were not able to host their traditional day of advocacy at the state capitol in-person this year, but that did not prevent them from engaging with state lawmakers. More than 70 physicians and medical students recently attended Junior Fellow Advocacy Day on Friday, February 5. This year’s event was virtual and provided the opportunity for some members to attend that may not have otherwise because of work schedule demands and travel requirements. Continue Reading »

Pregnant Women May Receive Covid Vaccines Safely, W.H.O. Says →

New York TimesJanuary 30, 2021Articles

The World Health Organization on Friday changed its guidance for pregnant women considering a Covid-19 vaccine, abandoning opposition to immunization for most expectant mothers unless they were at high risk. Continue Reading »

ACOG and SMFM Joint Statement on WHO Recommendations Regarding COVID-19 Vaccines and Pregnant Individuals →

ACOGJanuary 27, 2021Articles

Washington, DC – The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) are aware of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendation to withhold COVID-19 vaccines from pregnant individuals unless they are at high risk of exposure. Continue Reading »

Texas lawmakers aim to make maternal health a priority this year →

San Antonio Express NewsJanuary 16, 2021Articles

Shawn Thierry can’t recall the moment she gave birth, but she does remember how she almost died.

Her medical team had just administered an epidural to numb her body for a cesarean section. But it didn’t work like it was supposed to, Thierry said. She could still feel her legs. Suddenly, it felt as if the anesthesia was traveling to her heart. She couldn’t breathe. Continue Reading »

HHSC Encourages Cancer Screenings During Cervical Health Awareness Month →

Texas HHSCJanuary 14, 2021Articles

AUSTIN – In observance of January as National Cervical Health Awareness Month, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission is encouraging women to get screened for cervical cancer. Continue Reading »

TX Maternal Mortality Review Committee Calls for Health Coverage for New Moms →

Texans Care for ChildrenDecember 3, 2020Articles

The Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee (MMRC) released its biennial report to the Legislature, calling for health coverage for mothers for a full 12 months after childbirth and offering other recommendations. Continue Reading »

Texas Maternal Mortality & Morbidity Committee Report Released →

Texas Maternal Mortality & Morbidity CommitteeDecember 2, 2020Articles

The Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee (MMMRC) and Department of State Health Services (DSHS) jointly submit their 2020 Biennial Report as required by Health and Safety Code, Section 34.015. The report contains DSHS and MMMRC findings and MMMRC recommendations to help reduce the incidence of pregnancy-related deaths and maternal morbidity in Texas. Continue Reading »

Mothers Erased →

KXAN-TVDecember 1, 2020Articles

Hundreds of women die from pregnancy or delivery complications every year across the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Texas, the exact number of women dying isn’t clear due to errors with data collection that keep doctors and researchers from fully understanding and preventing those problems. The state developed a new method that shows the number of maternal deaths in Texas for a single year, 2012, wasn’t as high as initially reported. Still, researchers say deaths could be on the rise as the new statistics provide little insight into more recent trends. Continue Reading »

Eight months into the pandemic, this women’s health clinic in rural Texas struggles to meet demand for care →

Texas TribuneNovember 30, 2020Articles

BROWNWOOD — Women come from more than one hundred miles away to Building 35 in a red brick public housing project in rural Brown County, a housing unit turned health clinic where virtually every item, even the beige exam tables, is donated. Continue Reading »

Pandemic baby boom: Baylor’s uterus transplant program grows to No. 1 →

Dallas Morning NewsNovember 20, 2020Articles

During an otherwise bleak time, doctors at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas have good news to share: Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, five women who thought they would never be able to bear children gave birth to healthy babies. Continue Reading »

Bill filing for 2021 Texas session begins with legislation on abortion, police stops and redistricting →

Texas TribuneNovember 9, 2020Articles

The 87th Texas Legislature won’t gavel in until January, but state lawmakers on Monday got their first chance to file legislation for what’s expected to be a particularly tough 140-day stretch at the Capitol next year. Continue Reading »

10 Women’s Healthcare Questions for Political Candidates →

Me & My OBGOctober 8, 2020Articles

We know that, for many, women’s health access is a top priority. The great news is that you will soon have an opportunity to affect public policy that determines the future of women’s health in Texas and beyond. Early Voting in Texas begins in just 5 days. While you’re studying the issues and getting to know the individuals running for office, we offer 10 questions to ask candidates about how they will improve healthcare for Texas Women. Continue Reading »

Dr. Hollier: COVID-19, Pregnancy, and Breastfeeding →

ACOGMarch 26, 2020Articles

Experts are learning more every day about the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is following the situation closely. This page will be updated as we learn new information for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Continue Reading »

Maternal Mortality & Morbidity Task Force Report Released →

Dr. Tony DunnAugust 30, 2018Articles

The Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Task Force is absolutely correct in its statement that the loss of one mother is one too many. The Task Force’s recently released report shows that of the maternal deaths reviewed for 2012, most of them were preventable. Continue Reading »

Special Statement from ACOG President-Elect Lisa Hollier on Hurricane Harvey →

August 30, 2017Articles, Hear from Our Doctors

“Over the past few days, I’ve seen up close and personal the catastrophic damage Hurricane Harvey has caused Texas and our patients.  In my role with Texas Children’s, I’ve worked with our team to coordinate disaster and recovery operations across our system of hospitals, out-patient clinics and our health plan.  Yesterday, when on-site to evaluate damage at one of our closed clinics, a pregnant mom drove up with her sick daughter, and my co-CMO and I were able to remove the sandbags, access our clinic, and provide urgent care to this frightened family. Continue Reading »

Testimony of Dr. Tony Dunn, MD In Support of HB 279 by Rep. Donna Howard →

Me & My OBGFebruary 28, 2017Articles

Good morning, Chairman Price and committee members. I am C. Tony Dunn, MD, a practicing OB/GYN from Waco testifying today as Chair of and on behalf of the Texas District of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (TX-ACOG) in support of House Bill 279 by Rep. Donna Howard. Continue Reading »

Dr. Kimberly Carter: It’s time to start a real conversation about sexual assault. →

Me & My OBGOctober 19, 2016Articles

One of my patients was riding her bicycle to school and in broad daylight a man grabbed her off the bike, kidnapped her, and sexually assaulted her.  She was brave and remained clear headed enough to jump out of a moving car to escape, to live, and to eventually see the criminals (oh yes, he had a friend) brought to justice.  Continue Reading »

Dunn: Important new initiatives for Texas women’s health →

El Paso TimesOctober 10, 2016Articles, Hear from Our Doctors

A recent article out of San Antonio highlights one of the biggest wins we’ve seen in Texas in quite some time.

I’m referring to a new state initiative in women’s health care that has the potential to make a real difference for the women of Texas. That initiative is designed to improve the availability and use of long-acting reversible contraception, or LARC, methods, such as contraceptive subdermal implants and intrauterine devices. Continue Reading »