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Ob/gyns should routinely remove fallopian tubes during hysterectomy and recommend opportunistic bilateral salpingectomy (OBS) to patients undergoing other surgical procedures, according to a clinical practice update from the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG). Published in Obstetrics and Gynecology, this update strengthens ACOG's support for OBS, which has a strong evidence base. Data from multiple studies have shown that removing the fallopian tubes is safe and can reduce a patient's lifetime risk of ovarian cancer by as much as 78%. (Bankhead, 8/20)

A federal appeals court on Tuesday upheld a ruling that permanently bars the state of Indiana from penalizing Planned Parenthood for pointing pregnant minors to states in which abortion is legal. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Appeals Court for the Seventh District found that providing factual information on abortions, as well as referrals for the procedure, is speech protected by the First Amendment — and that the state’s arguments aren’t strong enough to overcome that. (Bonilla Muñiz, 8/19)

Gov. Mikie Sherrill on Thursday signed legislation strengthening protections for both patients and providers of reproductive and gender affirming healthcare during a press conference outside of Montclair’s Planned Parenthood facility. Sherrill, joined by a host state lawmakers and advocates, said the bill creates a “legal firewall” around patients and providers of reproductive and transgender healthcare in New Jersey by expanding existing shield law protections to include gender-affirming care. (McDonald, 8/20)

Two years after falsely linking reproductive rights to gender transition care for minors, GOP lawmakers have packaged the two issues into one amendment in an effort to strip away the right to abortion. (Kohler, 8/21)

Hundreds of Lindsay Clancy supporters, many wearing pink clothing emblazoned with phrases such as “Believe,” “She Needed Help” and “Peace For Lindsay,” gathered Thursday outside the courthouse where she is on trial in the killings of her three children. Several of the 300 women, and a few men, said Clancy’s story resonated with them and that they wanted to raise awareness about how the mental health system treats women. Clancy’s lawyer does not dispute that she killed the children, but says she should not be held criminally responsible because she was mentally ill. (Casey, 8/20)