FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Katie Kelsey, kkelsey@npwh.org, 202.543.9693 ext. 87

The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH) Announces the 2026 Class of Fellows

July 6, 2026 – Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH) is pleased to introduce the Class of 2026 of the Fellows of the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (FNPWH).

Brooke Faught, DNP, WHNP-BC, MSCP, FAANP, IF

Kristin Gianelis, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, ANP-BC, MSCP, PMH-C, CNE

Kettie Romain Louis, DNP, WHNP-BC, ANP-BC

This prestigious honor is reserved for board-certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioners (WHNP-BCs) who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, scholarship, and servitude to advancing women’s and gender-related healthcare.

Fellows of NPWH are recognized for their excellence across the professional spectrum, regardless of whether they are advancing evidence-based care models, advocating for healthcare policy reforms, conducting revolutionary research, or mentoring the next generation of WHNPs.

The Fellows Program serves as a dynamic forum for WHNP-BC leaders to share expertise, collaborate on best practices, grow professionally, and spearhead advancement initiatives to support women’s and gender-related healthcare. United by their shared commitment to advancing health and well-being for all, the Fellows foster a culture of mutual respect and support.

“NPWH is honored to recognize the excellence the FNPWH Class of 2026 represents for the WHNP profession,” said NPWH Board of Directors President Jessica Wells, PhD, RN, WHNP-BC, FAAN. “We deeply appreciate their professional contributions and trailblazing leadership, as they have each made profound impacts on our profession. We are thrilled to celebrate them at the 29th Annual NPWH Women’s Healthcare Conference!”

These three distinguished leaders in the WHNP-BC profession are elevating its visibility, transforming its best practices, and driving its innovative efforts. They will be officially inducted during the Induction Ceremony at the 29th Annual NPWH Women’s Healthcare Conference in Richmond, Virginia, on September 23.

Class of 2026

Brooke Faught
DNP, WHNP-BC, MSCP, FAANP, IF
Dr. Faught is a board-certified women’s health nurse practitioner (WHNP-BC) with advanced training in female sexual medicine, pelvic floor disorders, urogynecology, menopause management, and vulvar disease. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) at Vanderbilt University, where she studied social boundaries in young-adult women with Down syndrome as a foundation for sexuality education. In 2005, she founded the Women’s Institute for Sexual Health (WISH) in Nashville, TN, serving as Director for nearly 2 decades. In July 2025, she launched the Sexual Health Institute (SHI for Women), a private medical practice in Brentwood, TN, where she provides specialized women’s health services to individuals across the lifespan. Dr. Faught is a Certified Menopause Practitioner through The Menopause Society (MSCP), a Fellow of the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health (IF), and a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (FAANP). She served on the ISSWSH Board of Directors from 2019-2024 and the NPWH Board of Directors from 2012–2017, including her roles as Secretary and Treasurer, respectively. In addition, she maintains an adjunct faculty appointment at the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing.

Kristin Gianelis
DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, ANP-BC, MSCP, PMH-C, CNE
Dr. Kristin Gianelis is a dual board-certified Women’s Health and Adult Nurse Practitioner with more than 20 years of clinical experience across the reproductive and sexual health continuum. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing from Simmons University and her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Frontier Nursing University. Dr. Gianelis is currently Clinical Associate Professor and Director of the Women’s and Gender-Related Nurse Practitioner (WHGRNP) Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Loyola University Chicago, where she focuses on preparing future nurse practitioners to deliver inclusive, evidence-based, and trauma-informed care. Nationally, Dr. Gianelis advances the Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner profession through leadership, scholarship, and advocacy. She serves as Associate Editor for the Clinical Journal for Women’s Health Nurse Practitioners, supporting the dissemination of clinical evidence to WHNPs nationwide. She also serves on the Advocacy Committee for NPWH and will assume the committee chair role in 2027. Her work focuses on advancing gender-inclusive reproductive and midlife care and strengthening the WHNP workforce.

Kettie Romain Louis
DNP, WHNP-BC, ANP-BC
Kettie Romain Louis, DNP, WHNP-BC, ANP-BC, graduated from nursing school in 1986 from Lasell College in Newton, Massachusetts. After several years of clinical practice as a staff nurse, she returned to graduate school and earned both her master’s degree and DNP from Simmons College in 1996 and 2013. Following completion of her Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner training, Dr. Louis worked in the Infectious Disease Department at Boston Medical Center through the Ryan White Program, providing gynecologic care to women living with HIV. She is currently an Associate Professor at the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. Dr. Louis has a longstanding commitment to advancing nursing education and professional development in Haiti. She collaborates with Haitian nursing leaders to support continuing education initiatives, strengthen clinical practice, and promote leadership among women in healthcare. She also serves as an adjunct professor at Regis College in a DNP program for nurse leaders in Haiti. Her scholarly work focuses on nursing education and health disparities in Haiti. She has published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences. Dr. Louis currently serves as director and provider for the Refugee Women’s Health Clinic within the Immigrant and Refugee Health Center at Boston Medical Center. She is also the NP director of the Boston Medical Center OBGYN NP group.

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About NPWH
NPWH is the professional community for Women's Health Nurse Practitioners, students, and other advanced practice registered nurses who provide women's and gender-related healthcare. We set a standard of excellence by generating, translating, and promoting the latest research and evidence-based clinical guidance, providing high-quality continuing education, and advocating for patients, providers, and the WHNP profession. 

Our mission includes protecting and promoting a woman and all individuals' rights to make their own choices regarding their health and well-being within the context of their lived experience and their personal, religious, cultural, and family beliefs. Today, NPWH’s membership is over 4,200 members across all 50 states in America. The association offers continuing education on women’s and gender-related health topics throughout the year, including the Menopause Summit for APPs, the NPWH/ISSWSH Women’s Sexual Health Course, and the NPWH Annual Women’s Healthcare Conference, located in Richmond, VA, in 2026. To learn more about membership and the association’s offerings, visit www.npwh.org.

We’re providing an update on the lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Education's rule excluding advanced nursing degrees from the definition of "professional degree" programs.

The coalition has grown. NPWH is joined in this effort by the American Nurses Association (ANA), the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA), the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), the American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM), the American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA), the Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses (APHON), Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Incorporated, the Health Ministries Association (HMA), the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS), and most recently, the National Rural Health Association (NRHA). The breadth of this coalition reflects how widely this rule is recognized as a threat to the nursing profession and to patient care.

The court has agreed to an accelerated schedule given that the rule is set to take effect July 1, 2026. Two key hearings are approaching: the Preliminary Injunction hearing in the Democracy Forward case is scheduled for June 23, and our hearing with the judge regarding the Preliminary Injunction is scheduled for July 1. NPWH's executive committee has been actively engaged, and we will keep you informed as developments unfold. We will also reach out if there are opportunities for members to weigh in.

NPWH's participation in this lawsuit directly reflects our commitment to protecting you and the profession. We are proud to stand alongside this coalition and will continue to advocate on your behalf.

Thank you for your continued dedication to women's health.

In solidarity,

Jessica Wells, PhD, RN, WHNP-BC, FAAN

President, NPWH Board of Directors

June is a month of reflection, celebration, and advocacy. As healthcare professionals, we recognize Juneteenth and Pride Month as opportunities to honor the resilience of communities that have historically faced barriers to equality and to reaffirm our commitment to health equity and inclusive care.

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. Pride Month honors the LGBTQ+ community and commemorates the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, a pivotal moment in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights. Although these observances have distinct histories, both serve as powerful reminders of the ongoing pursuit of freedom, visibility, and justice.

As Women's Health Nurse Practitioners and WHNP students, we are uniquely positioned to advocate for individuals whose healthcare experiences are often shaped by systemic inequities. Despite significant progress in healthcare, disparities persist in the communities we serve. Black women experience disproportionately high rates of maternal morbidity and mortality, while LGBTQ+ individuals often face barriers to accessing affirming reproductive, preventive, and primary care.^1,2

Understanding these disparities is essential to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care. Health outcomes are shaped not only by biological factors but also by social determinants of health, such as access to healthcare, economic stability, education, discrimination, and social support.^1,2 Recognizing the impact of these factors helps us better understand our patients' experiences and advocate for meaningful change.^3,4

Women's healthcare extends beyond clinical expertise. It involves creating environments where patients feel respected, valued, and safe.^3,4 It also means listening to diverse perspectives, challenging assumptions, and ensuring that every patient receives compassionate care, regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, or background.^1-4

As members of NPWH, we are part of a professional community dedicated to advancing equitable healthcare for all women and individuals across the gender spectrum. Whether through patient care, mentorship, leadership, research, or advocacy, each of us can contribute to a more inclusive healthcare system.

This June, let us celebrate the progress of those who came before us while recognizing the work that remains. By honoring Juneteenth and Pride Month, we acknowledge the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion not only within our profession but also in the lives of the patients and communities we serve. As healthcare professionals, our commitment to equity goes beyond awareness. It is reflected in every patient interaction, every advocacy effort, and every opportunity we have to ensure that all individuals feel seen, heard, and valued.

The NPWH Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Committee encourages members to use this month to learn, reflect, engage in meaningful conversations, and continue advancing health equity through personal and professional action.

References

1. Hoyert, D. L. (2025). Maternal mortality rates in the United States, 2024. National Center for Health Statistics Data Brief, 542, 1–8.
2. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2024). Understanding the well-being of LGBTQI+ populations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/28234
3. American Nurses Association. (2024). The nurse's role in addressing health equity and social determinants of health. American Nurses Association.
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Health equity guiding principles for inclusive communication. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Chrishelle Thomas-Haynes, chaynes@npwh.org, 202.543.9693 ext. 86

The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health

Joins the American Nurses Association’s Legal Challenge to the Department of Education’s Loan Eligibility Rule

May 28, 2026 – Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH) is pleased to announce its participation with the American Nurses Association’s legal challenge opposing the Department of Education’s Loan Eligibility Rule.

The participating nursing organizations in the challenge include:

• American Nurses Association (ANA)
• American Association of Nurse Anesthesiologists (AANA)
• American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM)
• American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA)
• Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses (APHON)
• Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN)
• Chi Eta Phi
• Health Ministries Association (HMA)
• National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS)
• National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH)

This legal challenge opposes the Department of Education’s recently finalized rule that limits loans for students in graduate and professional degree programs. Once the rule takes effect on July 1, 2026, it will exclude nursing and all other non-physician specialty degrees from the “professional degree” definition, directly limiting future providers from pursuing an advanced degree.

The legal challenge argues that the Department of Education displayed an arbitrary and capricious over-reach in its authority by adding restrictive criteria to the professional loan category that was not authorized or intended by Congress. It also notes the Department of Education’s failure to conduct the required thorough impact study in establishing these loan limitations and the disproportionate assessment standards the Department of Education held the nursing profession to in comparison to professions included in the “professional degree” definition.

“The implementation of this rule simultaneously undermines the value of graduate education and deters nursing students from pursuing advanced practice or doctoral degrees. Considering the nationwide provider and nursing faculty shortages, increasing health crises, and widening gaps in women’s and gender-related healthcare, this rule is placing patients at risk in the long term,” said Dr. Jessica Wells, PhD, RN, WHNP-BC, FAAN, NPWH Board of Directors’ President. “Amending this rule is vital for the future of the nursing profession and our country’s healthcare systems. By limiting graduate loans for nurses, we are limiting access to high-quality healthcare services for patients nationwide.”

Participating organizations and their legal representatives will file this challenge as an injunction to stop the implementation of the Department of Education’s Loan Eligibility Rule before it goes into effect on July 1, 2026, and will seek relief for all nurses at the injunction phase once filed. Thereafter, the participating organizations and their legal representatives will sue for cause to change the Loan Eligibility rule and its problematic provisions and for the inclusion of nursing as a professional degree.

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About the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH)

Founded in 1980, NPWH is the professional community representing over 13,300 board-certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioners (WHNP-BCs), WHNP students, and other advanced practice registered nurses who provide women's and gender-related healthcare. We set a standard of excellence by generating, translating, and promoting the latest research and evidence-based clinical guidance, providing high-quality continuing education, and advocating for patients, providers, and the WHNP profession. Our mission includes protecting and promoting a woman’s and all individuals' rights to make their own choices regarding their health and well-being within the context of their lived experience and their personal, religious, cultural, and family beliefs. We envision a world where WHNP-BCs and all APRNs who provide women’s and gender related healthcare are esteemed pioneers in fostering a just, healthy, and equitable society. To learn more about NPWH or join the organization, visit www.npwh.org.

Differences in women’s health outcomes are widely observed across clinical practice. However, not all differences carry the same meaning or implications for care delivery. For women’s healthcare providers, distinguishing between health inequality and health inequity is essential to delivering effective, ethical, and patient-centered care. While inequalities describe variations in health status, inequities reflect systemic and preventable disparities that require targeted intervention.

Health Inequality

Health inequality refers to measurable differences in health outcomes between individuals or groups. These differences may arise from biological, genetic, or physiological factors and are not inherently unjust. “Health inequalities” originally referred specifically to socioeconomic differences in health but has come to encompass health inequalities by social advantage or disadvantage considered more broadly, including, for example, differences by racialized or ethnic group, gender, migrant status or national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability status, and other characteristics historically associated with discrimination, exclusion, marginalization, or disenfranchisement.¹

In women’s and gender-related health, inequalities are often linked to sex-specific processes. For example, the higher prevalence of osteoporosis among women is associated with hormonal changes across the lifespan, particularly decreased estrogen levels after menopause. Similarly, pregnancy related conditions represent natural variations tied to reproductive biology. For providers, recognizing health inequalities allows appropriate screening and early detection, risk stratification, and preventive care planning. These differences inform clinical care but do not necessarily indicate failure within the healthcare system.¹

Health Inequity

Health inequity refers to differences that are avoidable, unjust, and rooted in social, economic, or systemic factors. Racial and ethnic inequities in obstetric and gynecologic outcomes and care are prevalent and persistent, and they constitute a public health crisis.² These disparities arise from unequal access to resources, structural barriers, and bias within healthcare and other societal systems.

In women’s and gender-related health, inequities commonly manifest as limited access to prenatal, postpartum, or gynecologic care, variations in quality of care across racial and socioeconomic groups, and barriers to preventive services, such as cancer screenings and contraception. As a result, patients may experience worsened outcomes due to gaps, disparities, or failures within the system.²

Unlike inequalities, inequities are not biologically determined. They are shaped by social determinants of health, such as income, education, environment, and discrimination.³

Interventions

Participating in lifelong learning to understand the roles clinician bias and personally mediated, systemic, and structural racism play in creating and perpetuating adverse health outcomes and health care experiences.² Healthcare providers must incorporate both clinical and social factors into patient evaluations. Recognizing inequalities in women’s health care supports more equitable and inclusive care for women and gender minority patients.

Understanding a patient’s social context such as access to transportation, insurance coverage, or safe housing can reveal underlying inequities that affect health outcomes.

Providing equitable care involves more than offering the same treatment to every patient. It requires tailoring care plans to individual needs, addressing barriers to adherence and follow-up, awareness of implicit bias, and practicing cultural humility.²

Many inequities in women’s health are preventable through timely and patient-centered intervention. Expanding access to screenings, reproductive health services, and patient education can significantly reduce disparities in outcomes.²

Women’s healthcare providers play a key role beyond the clinical setting by advocating for underserved populations, supporting policies that expand access to care and participating in community outreach and education initiatives. Addressing inequities requires engagement at both the individual and system levels.³

In conclusion, as women’s healthcare providers, distinguishing between inequality and inequity is critical to improving patient outcomes. While inequalities help guide clinical understanding of biological differences, inequities highlight gaps in care that are preventable and unjust. By integrating clinical expertise with an awareness of social determinants and systemic barriers, providers can move beyond treating illness to advancing health equity for all women.

References:

1. Braveman, P. (2025). Health inequalities, disparities, equity: What’s in a name? American Journal of Public Health, 115(7), 996–1002. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2025.308062

2.American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2024). Racial and ethnic inequities in obstetrics and gynecology (Committee Statement No. 10). Obstetrics & Gynecology, 144(3), e62–e74

3.American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2024). Addressing social and structural determinants of health in the delivery of reproductive health care (Committee Statement No. 11). Obstetrics & Gynecology, 144(5), e113–e120.

4.American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2024). Health equity definitions and concepts. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

5.Gordon, S. A. (2021). UNBIAS: Addressing unconscious bias at work (1st ed.). John Wiley & Sons.

6.National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2023). Federal policy to advance racial, ethnic, and tribal health equity. National Academies Press.

Sarah Vaillancourt, DNP, WHNP-BC, RN

NPWH Board of Directors Member

"I am a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner and I still received a delayed diagnosis of endometriosis. I look back on my experience and think “maybe I should have pushed harder or asked different questions or demanded an answer.” But I couldn’t be my own provider while I was a patient. I needed someone to listen, to validate, and to help me find answers.

Having been on both sides of this experience, I have one piece of advice as both a provider and, perhaps more importantly, as an endometriosis patient: suspect endometriosis.

They have painful periods? Suspect endo.

They're experiencing unexplained infertility? Suspect endo.

They're experiencing bowel symptoms that someone told them were “just IBS”? Suspect endo.

They gets UTIs all the time (and maybe those UCs are negative)? Suspect endo.

If someone is complaining of dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, bladder symptoms, bowel symptoms, or general pelvic pain, suspect endo. It should be high on the differential diagnosis list.

Does every patient have endometriosis? No.

But, endometriosis affects about 1 in 10 of those with a uterus. Those rates are even higher in those who experience pelvic pain.

Diagnosis of endometriosis based on clinical suspicion has been a practice for a while especially because it is very difficult to gain access to a surgeon who can complete a laparoscopy. But it’s so exciting to see ACOG endorse this approach and to provide guidance on how to integrate this into practice.

The new ACOG recommendations highlight that patients wait an average of 4-11 years from symptom onset for a diagnosis. I was diagnosed at 30, and by that time, my endometriosis had progressed to stage 4 with a whole mess of symptoms.

Women’s Health clinicians can make real change and impact in their patient’s lives. If we suspected endo at age 16 or 20 or 22 instead of 30 or later, the trajectory of that patient’s life may change. If we listen when someone shares their pain, their bowel symptoms, their bladder discomfort, we can make a difference."

Black women’s health operates within the crossroads of resilience and systemic neglect. Even with advances in medicine and continuous health equity conversations, Black women endure disproportionate health burdens affecting physical, reproductive, and mental health outcomes [1]. These are not isolated events but the result of persistent structural inequities strategically rooted within a healthcare system that never had them in mind [1].

Across generations, Black women’s bodies were not their own, being scrutinized, exploited, policed, and experimented on within medical settings, which shaped care delivery, symptom interpretation, and how quickly care is escalated [2,3]. The result was Black women navigating healthcare systems feeling unheard, unbelieved, and unprotected, with 34% admitting to switching providers, worsening health, or being less likely to pursue care because of negative experiences [4]. We must remember as women’s health nurse practitioners, these circumstances are not just historical – they are relived by Black patients every day.

As we close out Black History Month, not only is continuous commemoration important, it’s equally essential to persistently push for accountability in systems that affect Black women’s health. An honest examination of the systems that undermine Black women and jeopardize their health is a significant way to honor their contributions and resilience. Conversations surrounding health equity must go beyond awareness to confront the Black woman’s experience navigating the healthcare system. These conversations should move towards actions such as listening to Black women’s concerns with empathy, partnering with patients, the community, healthcare institutions, and policymakers for resolutions, increasing workplace diversity, and reevaluating implicit bias training [3-9].

As we examine racism in healthcare, naming these challenges and prioritizing Black women’s voices and experiences not only spotlights the healthcare system’s shortcomings, but where purposeful changes are critically needed.

Disbelief Costs Lives

Racism in healthcare can present as unfair treatment, a negative attitude, judgment, and concerns minimized as stress, anxiety, or exaggeration [10]. It’s also perceived as denied or delayed access to care, including referrals to specialists, not being offered the best treatment available, or outright disrespect [11]. For Black women these aren’t one-time events, but repeated systemic dismissal, where their symptoms are minimized, pain unrecognized, and prolonged escalation of care until the consequences become severe.

Few expressions of racism in healthcare are as extensively documented as Black women’s pain being dismissed and disregarded. Research continually shows that pain in people of color is considered less severe and likely to be overlooked, increasing the wait time to obtain diagnostic testing and treatment [12]. Even with similar screening rates and mammograms received within two years of diagnosis, Black women were diagnosed at later stages of breast cancer than their white counterparts, and have a 38% higher mortality rate [13]. Women are often referred for psychological treatment instead of pain management, or their symptoms are ascribed to weight, stress, or lifestyle [12]. In addition to historical medical mistreatment, this contributes to the continuous suffering of Black women and a growing distrust in the healthcare system [2]. The issue isn’t Black women not presenting for early care, but their concerns passing multiple layers of personal and systematic bias before being properly addressed [1].

Writing symptoms off as “normal” is a Black woman’s reality. Presenting with the same untreated symptoms and being met with false reassurance can cause doubt, both in herself and the healthcare system. This can grow into a barrier for self-advocacy. When a patient no longer trusts themself or their body, pushing for needed diagnostics, treatments, and referrals becomes difficult. These experiences of invalidation extend into maternal care. Black birthing people, with a maternal mortality rate three to four times higher than white birthing people, frequently have their concerns invalidated, as if their pain and symptoms don’t truly exist [14]. Choosing between self-advocacy and tolerating an uncomfortable and dangerous situation then becomes their reality [14].

Their Lives Are on the Line

Good intentions without systemic shifts won’t improve health outcomes for Black women. Racism and disparities in care have been unambiguous since enslaved Black women were first forced onto an exam table and unethically experimented on without consent or anesthesia [1,2,3]. Policies, practices, and the structure of healthcare have failed to honor Black women’s voices, dignity, and autonomy [15]. To bridge these gaps, healthcare systems, policymakers, providers, and communities must push past awareness and move toward concrete action by taking a proactive, not reactive, approach towards racial justice [6].

To help combat racial disparities, healthcare systems have increased implicit bias training for healthcare workers, providing knowledge and skills to prevent personal biases from affecting the quality of care they provide [9]. Though this training provides awareness, it’s not sufficient alone to have a major influence on actual patient outcomes and must be accompanied by structural change, since bias is not solely individual [9]. Without combining personal accountability with systemic reform, implicit bias training remains a box on a checklist, rather than a requirement for much needed change.

It’s imperative to have diversity in the workforce and to train staff to be empathetic and culturally competent [16]. Having clinicians and leaders that look like the population they serve can help reestablish trust in the healthcare system, allowing an exchange of mutual understanding and respect through similar cultural backgrounds [3]. Black women admit to more respectful and favorable interactions when their healthcare provider shares their racial or ethnic background [4]. Training that provides a deeper understanding of the systemic pressures negatively influencing Black women’s health outcomes, and deliberately challenges racism and bias affecting clinical decision-making, can help providers move beyond assumptions and towards patient-centered practice [16].

The most impactful change happens when Black women are heard, believed, reassured, and prioritized – in the exam room, in research, and at the table where decisions regarding them are made [8]. Genuine change requires joining clinical practice with community insight, lived experience with policy action, and awareness with continued accountability with approaches like Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) [7].

From Endurance to Equity

Black women deserve a healthcare system that listens to them, trusts them, values their experiences, and acknowledges them with respect and urgency. This means honoring Black women’s expertise about their own bodies, integrating equity, dignity, and respect at every level of care, and calling for accountability from systems that are notorious for failing them.

Racism in healthcare is more than provider-patient interactions; it’s whose pain is taken seriously, whose concerns are validated, whose life matters. Black women's lives matter. Listening to Black women is a clinical competency essential to quality care by helping to reestablish trust and providing a safe space to share their health concerns in a system that has continuously failed them [5]. Until genuine concern for the health of Black women becomes an action, not just a thought, racism and health inequality will continue to cost Black women their lives [1]. Meaningful change is within reach, starting with actions over words. Listen to Black women, act with intention, and hold clinicians and systems accountable to standards that ensure Black women no longer get left behind. It is literally life or death.

References

1. Chinn, J. J., Martin, I. K., & Redmond, N. (2021). Health equity among Black women in the United States. Journal of women’s health, 30(2), 212-219. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2020.8868

2. Adenkunle, T. (2025). Reproductive coercion, medical mistrust, and Black women’s health from the antebellum period to the 21st century. International journal for equity in health, 24(302).https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-025-02665-2

3. Brailey, C., & Slatton, B. C. (2024). Centering Black women’s voices: Illuminating systemic racism in maternal healthcare experiences. Societies, 14(5), 70. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14050070

4. What the data show: Black women report more pervasive negative experiences in health care compared to other groups. Kaiser Family Foundation. (2024, May 8). https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/what-the-data-show-black-women-report-more-pervasive-negative-experiences-in-health-care-compared-to-other-groups Accessed 2026, February 20.

5. Danner, S., Saavedra, S., Flowers, F., Jackson, A., Ross, J., Abbas, H., Adetoro, E., Ekong, A., Osei, C., Francone, N., Alhalel, J., Masinter, L., Lazar, D., & Simon, M. (2021). The complex interplay of communication and trust in healthcare delivery. HPHR, 39. doi:10.54111/0001/MM5

6. Ameen, K., Airhihenbuwa, C. O., Freire, K., Ponder, M., & Hosein, A. (2025). Reimagining partnerships between Black communities and academic health research institutions: Towards equitable power in engagement. International journal of environmental research and public health, 22(6), 921. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22060921

7. Bourgeois, J. W. (2025). From insight to action: Applying community-based participatory research to improve population health among Black women. Preventing chronic disease, 22. Centers for Disease and Prevention. http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd22.240400

8. Johnson, I. R., Derricks, V. S., Sharp, S., Williamson, F., Pietri, E.S., Stewart, J., Johnson, J. D., & Klitzman, M. D. (2025). Signaling allyship via EARS: An investigation of a novel allyship framework among Black women in maternal health settings. Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-025-02603-6

9. Fricke, J., Siddique, S. M., Aysola, J., Cohen, M. E., Mull, N. K. (2024). Healthcare worker implicit bias training and education: A rapid evidence review. Making healthcare safer IV: A continuous updating of patient safety harms and practices [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2023 Jul-. Available from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK600156/

10. Washington, A., & Randall, J. (2023). “We’re not taken seriously”: Describing the experiences of perceived discrimination in medical settings for Black women. Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities, 10(2), 883-891. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-022-01276-9

11. Garrett, E., Ma, C., Ochoa-Dominguez, C., Navarro, S., Yoon, P., Hughes Halbert, C., & Farias, A. J. (2024, February). Black cancer patients navigating a health-care system of racial discrimination. JNCI: Journal of national cancer institute, 116(2), 258-263. https://doi.org/10.1093/jnci/djad208

12. Ruben, M. A., & Stosic, M. D. (2024). Documenting race and gender biases in pain assessment and a novel intervention designed to reduce biases. The journal of pain, 25(9), 104550. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2024.104550

13. Xu, N. N., Barnard, M. E., Holder, E. X., Rosenberg, L., Ko, N., & Palmer, J. R. (2025). Perceived racial discrimination in health care in relation to late stage at breast cancer diagnosis. Breast cancer research : BCR, 27(1), 208. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13058-025-02160-0

14. Smith, S., Johnson, T. N. & Kelly, P. J. Running head: Dismissed and ignored: Confronting the trauma of Black women maternal healthcare. Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-025-02769-z

15. Schumacher, S., Hill, L., Artiga, S., Hamel, L., & Valdes, I. Five facts about Black women’s experiences in health care. Kaiser Family Foundation. 2024. https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/five-facts-about-black-womens-experiences-in-health-care/ Accessed 2026, February 23.

16. Emechebe, O. (2024). Strategies to improve Black maternal health outcomes and advance health equity. Available from  https://hsph.harvard.edu/exec-ed/news/strategies-improve-black-maternal-health-outcomes-advance-health-equity/

Contact: Chrishelle Haynes, chaynes@npwh.org, 202.543.9693 ext. 86

National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health Announces

New Director of Education 

Washington, D.C. (February 2, 2026) – The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH) is thrilled to announce that Dr. Tammy Bennett will join the organization as its next Director of Education. With a distinguished 25-year career as a board-certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner, and more than half of that time spent within the Title X network, Tammy brings a powerful combination of clinical expertise, educational leadership, and deep commitment to advancing sexual and reproductive healthcare.

Dr. Bennett recently served as the Associate Clinical Director for the Clinical Training Center for Sexual and Reproductive Health, where she has been instrumental in supporting clinicians nationwide. Her extensive background includes licensure as a Certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner and APRN in both Arkansas and Louisiana, as well as prior certification as a Certified Emergency Nurse.

A respected clinician and thought leader, Tammy has authored multiple publications focused on innovations in STI screening and notification, including research on electronic client notification for sexually transmitted infections, extragenital STI screening in Title X clinics, and the implementation of rapid syphilis testing to improve screening rates in Louisiana. She also served as an expert reviewer for the 2021 U.S. Selected Practice Recommendations related to self-administration of subcutaneous Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate, demonstrating her trusted voice in evidence-based practice.

Tammy’s expertise is widely recognized, and she has been invited to present at leading national conferences, including the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association, the American College of Nurse Midwives, the Society of Family Planning, and the National Reproductive Health Conference, among many others. She has also served on leadership advisory groups for the Clinical Training Center for Sexual and Reproductive Health and the Reproductive Health National Training Center, offering guidance that has shaped national training priorities and supported workforce development across the country.

In addition to her clinical and educational leadership, Tammy brings significant administrative and operational experience in program implementation across clinical settings. Her areas of specialization, person-centered contraceptive care, clinical technical assistance, and best practices in STI screening and risk reduction, align seamlessly with NPWH’s mission to support clinicians and advance high-quality women’s and gender-related healthcare.

Tammy holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Northwestern State University, a Master of Science in Nursing with a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner focus from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and most recently completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in 2024.

Her breadth of experience, combined with her passion for ensuring high-quality, inclusive care, positions her to lead NPWH’s education portfolio with ease, vision, and impact. Tammy shares that she is grateful for the opportunity to serve in this capacity and looks forward to supporting clinicians nationwide in delivering exceptional sexual and reproductive healthcare.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Tammy Bennett to NPWH. Her leadership will strengthen our commitment to providing the highest-quality educational resources for WHNPs and APRNs across the country. Tammy will begin her role with NPWH on February 2, 2026.

Dr. Bennett will succeed Donna Ruth, MSN, RN, NPWH’s outgoing Director of Education. Donna will remain with the organization through the end of February 2026 to support a seamless transition before her retirement. NPWH extends its sincere gratitude to Donna for her leadership, service, and lasting contributions to advancing education for women’s health clinicians.

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About NPWH

The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH) is the professional community for Women's Health Nurse Practitioners, students, and other advanced practice registered nurses who provide women's and gender-related healthcare. We set a standard of excellence by generating, translating, and promoting the latest research and evidence-based clinical guidance, providing high-quality continuing education, and advocating for patients, providers, and the WHNP profession.

Our mission includes protecting and promoting women's and all individuals' rights to make their own choices regarding their health and well-being within the context of their lived experience and their personal, religious, cultural, and family beliefs. Today, NPWH’s membership is over 4,200 members across all 50 states in America. The association offers continuing education on women’s and gender-related health topics throughout the year, including the Menopause Virtual Course for APPs and the NPWH Annual Women’s Healthcare Conference, located in Richmond, Virginia, in 2026. NPWH also has a podcast, Her Health Matters. To learn more about membership and the association’s offerings, visit www.npwh.org. 

During this comment period, we will express our collective views to the Department, backed by evidence and a clear focus on preserving patients' access to care for generations to come - and we encourage others to do so as well. Today and everyday NPs provide high quality care in nearly every health care setting, in every community in the country. Embracing individuals who desire to provide care means supporting their educational aspirations. It is critical that the Department of Education include NP programs in the definition of “professional degree”, creating a pathway for these individuals to access the necessary funding for their education. Together we call on the Department of Education to amend their proposal and include NP programs in this definition.

American Association of Nurse Practitioners

Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association

National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health

National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners

National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties

Click here to learn more. 

Throughout the year, NPWH expanded its reach through continuing education, strategic partnerships, and advocacy efforts—amplifying the voice of WHNPs and elevating evidence-based care nationwide. From innovative educational programming to strengthened digital engagement and policy leadership, NPWH remained at the forefront of shaping the future of women’s health.

As we look ahead, we remain committed to leading with purpose and advancing patient-centered, inclusive care. Thank you for being part of this journey.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Katie Kelsey, kkelsey@npwh.org, 202.543.9693 ext. 87

New Associate Editors Clinical Journal for Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health

January 8, 2026 – Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH) is pleased to introduce four new Associate Editors for Clinical Journal for Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (CJNPWH).

Kristin Gianelis, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, ANP-BC, MSCP, PMH-C, CNE, and Aimee C. Holland, DNP, WHNP, WHNP-BC, FNP-C, FAANP, FAAN are joining NPWH’s editorial team as Associate Editors for Clinical Articles. Ella Heitzler, PhD, WHNP-BC, FNP-BC, FNPWH, and Casey S. Hopkins, PhD, WHNP-BC, are the Associate Editors for Research Articles in NPWH’s annual research-focused issue of the journal. Each of the new Associate Editors has extensive experience publishing and peer reviewing in and for a variety of journals, including CJNPWH. Associate Editors will collaborate with the Editor-in-Chief to support the Journal’s goals and editorial processes, including evaluating submitted manuscripts and assisting authors with any needed revisions prior to and after peer review. 

Dr. Kristin Gianelis is Clinical Associate Professor and Director of the Women’s Health and Gender-Related Nurse Practitioner track in the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program at Loyola University Chicago. She is dual board-certified as a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner and Adult Nurse Practitioner. She has more than two decades of clinical experience across gynecologic oncology, urogynecology, women’s emergency medicine, college health, menopause care, and gender-affirming care. Dr. Gianelis’ scholarly interests center on gender-inclusive clinical care, equity-focused quality improvement, and fostering belonging in nursing education. 

Dr. Aimee Holland is a Professor and the Associate Dean for Graduate Clinical Education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Her faculty practice at the UAB Student Health and Wellness Center is the primary platform for her scholarly work focused on office gynecology procedures, contraception, vaginal infections, and gynecologic cancer prevention. She is the co-editor for the 5th edition (2024) of Advanced Health Assessment of Women: Clinical Skills, Procedures, and Management. Dr. Holland has served on the CJNPWH Editorial Advisory Board. 

Dr. Ella Heitzler is an Associate Professor at Georgetown University’s Berkley School of Nursing, teaching in the WHNP, DNP, and PhD programs. She promotes women’s and gender-related health through research, quality improvement initiatives, writing, and mentoring/teaching others about research. She has served as the Chair for NPWH’s Research and Quality Improvement (QI) Committee, leading the review of research and QI abstracts for the NPWH Annual Conference. Dr. Heitzler’s current research explores how providers who specialize in women's and gender-related health screen patients (cis and transgender) for sexual violence. 

Dr. Casey Hopkins is an Associate Professor of Nursing at Clemson University, where she also holds an appointment as Faculty Associate in the Center for Research on Health Disparities. Her clinical expertise is in pediatric and adolescent gynecology. Dr. Hopkins’ research interests include women’s and female adolescent health, including aspects of reproductive and sexual health and physical activity, health disparities among women with disabilities, and improving health outcomes with community-driven research initiatives. Dr. Hopkins has served on the Editorial Advisory Board for CJNPWH. 

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About the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH)

Founded in 1980, NPWH is the professional community representing over 13,300 board-certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioners (WHNP-BCs), WHNP students, and other advanced practice registered nurses who provide women's and gender-related healthcare. We set a standard of excellence by generating, translating, and promoting the latest research and evidence-based clinical guidance, providing high-quality continuing education, and advocating for patients, providers, and the WHNP profession. Our mission includes protecting and promoting a woman’s and all individuals' rights to make their own choices regarding their health and well-being within the context of their lived experience and their personal, religious, cultural, and family beliefs. We envision a world where WHNP-BCs and all APRNs who provide women’s and gender related healthcare are esteemed pioneers in fostering a just, healthy, and equitable society. www.npwh.org.

For more information, contact Katie Kelsey, Communications and Programs Coordinator, at kkelsey@npwh.org.  

Contact: Chrishelle Haynes, chaynes@npwh.org, 202.543.9693 ext. 86

NPWH Announces New Board President, Executive Committee, and Board Members 

Washington, D.C. (January 6, 2026) – The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH) is pleased to announce the election of new members to its Board of Directors and Executive Committee. These accomplished leaders bring deep clinical, academic, and research expertise and a shared commitment to advancing women’s and gender-related healthcare. Terms began this month, extending through 2028.

Gratitude to Outgoing Board Leaders

NPWH extends its sincere appreciation to outgoing Board members for their outstanding service and leadership:

• Komkwuan P. Paruchabutr, DNP, FNP-BC, WHNP-BC, CNM, FACNM, FNAP, FAAN, Immediate Past President
• Danielle Grimm, MPH, MSN, CNP, WHNP-BC, MSCP, Immediate Past Treasurer

“We honor our retiring Board members for their exceptional service and leadership, whose contributions have paved the way for NPWH’s continued impact in the women’s healthcare community," said Debbie Mason, CFRE, APR, CPRC, Fellow PRSA, and Interim NPWH CEO/Consultant.

Executive Committee Appointments

NPWH Board President

Jessica Wells, PhD, RN, WHNP-BC, FAAN

Dr. Wells is a tenured Associate Professor at Emory University’s Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing and a nationally funded nurse scientist. Her research focuses on cancer prevention and HPV-related cancers among people living with HIV, integrating cancer and HIV science. A Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, she has received national recognition for her impact in HIV and minority health research and previously served on the NPWH Board of Directors (2022–2024).

NPWH Board President-Elect

Genevieve Hofmann, DNP, WHNP-BC, MSCP

Dr. Hofmann is an Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and has been a WHNP since 2001. Her clinical interests include prenatal, postpartum, and menopause care. A Menopause Society Certified Practitioner, she is an experienced educator, mentor, and published researcher with long-standing contributions to NPWH through committees, education, and peer review.

NPWH Board Treasurer

Angela Alston, DNP, MPH, APRN-CNP, WHNP-BC, FNP-BC, FNAP

Dr. Alston is an Assistant Clinical Professor at The Ohio State University College of Nursing and maintains an active private practice. With nearly two decades of clinical experience, her work centers on health equity, reproductive health, menopause care, and advocacy for full scope NP practice. She is a Fellow of the National Academies of Practice.

New NPWH Board Members

Amy Lee, DNP, ARNP, WHNP-BC, FAAN, FNPWH

Dr. Lee is Senior Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Clinical Professor at the University of Alabama Capstone College of Nursing. A WHNP for over 25 years, she is nationally recognized for her work in intimate partner violence screening and response and has led multiple funded initiatives supporting maternal and rural health. She is an inaugural Fellow of NPWH (2025).

Sarah Vaillancourt, DNP, WHNP-BC, RN

Dr. Vaillancourt is the outpatient quality improvement lead at the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative. Her work focuses on perinatal quality improvement, trauma-informed care, and prevention of preeclampsia and hemorrhage. She served as Chair of the 2025 NPWH Conference Planning Committee and is an active member of NPWH’s Research and Quality Improvement Committee.

“The newly elected Board leaders carry forward a strong legacy of leadership, advancing the role and voice of nurse practitioners in women’s and gender-related healthcare. NPWH looks forward to their guidance and the positive impact these outstanding professionals will have as they lead the organization into the future,” said Debbie Mason, CFRE, APR, CPRC, Fellow PRSA, and Interim NPWH CEO/Consultant.

                                                                                 ###

About NPWH

NPWH is the professional community for Women's Health Nurse Practitioners, students, and other advanced practice registered nurses who provide women's and gender-related healthcare. We set a standard of excellence by generating, translating, and promoting the latest research and evidence-based clinical guidance, providing high-quality continuing education, and advocating for patients, providers, and the WHNP profession.

Our mission includes protecting and promoting women's and all individuals' rights to make their own choices regarding their health and well-being within the context of their lived experience and their personal, religious, cultural, and family beliefs. Today, NPWH’s membership is over 4,200 members across all 50 states in America. The association offers continuing education on women’s and gender-related health topics throughout the year, including the Menopause Summit for APPs, and the NPWH Annual Women’s Healthcare Conference, located in Richmond, Virginia, in 2026. NPWH also has a podcast, Her Health Matters. To learn more about membership and the association’s offerings, visit www.npwh.org. 

Contact: Chrishelle Haynes, chaynes@npwh.org, 202.543.9693 ext. 86

NPWH Welcomes Debbie Mason, CFRE, APR, CPRC, Fellow PRSA, as Interim CEO

Washington, D.C. (December 16, 2025) – On behalf of the Board of Directors, we are excited to announce that Debbie Mason, CFRE, APR, CPRC, Fellow PRSA, has joined The National Association for Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH) as Interim Chief Executive Officer. Mason brings a depth of experience in nonprofit and association leadership, having served in both employed and interim CEO roles. In addition, she brings a rich bench of skills in governance, communications, fundraising, and operations.

Jessica Wells, PhD, RN, WHNP-BC, FAAN, incoming president of NPWH, welcomed Mason saying, “We are delighted to select Debbie Mason to guide our board and lead our talented NPWH staff in executing our mission. We know our 4,200+ members across the nation will enjoy interacting with Debbie as she represents us in leading the voice for a more equitable and just healthcare for women.” Wells adds, “Our board made a thoughtful investment in our organization by hiring an experienced interim CEO. During Debbie’s expected nine to 12 month period with us, we plan to conduct organizational assessments, hear from our members, and refresh our strategic plans for the future – all before we embark on a national search process for our next permanent CEO.”

As an experienced interim CEO, Mason is affiliated with the Interim Executive Solutions, Inc. consulting practice. Mason’s background includes consulting and leadership positions within the healthcare sector, nonprofit and association sectors. Mason is accredited in public relations, development, and in offering organizational development leadership assessment instruments. She is a passionate advocate for equitable access to healthcare.

Mason earned her master’s degree in communications management from Syracuse University and bachelor’s degree in journalism and public relations from the University of Florida. She is a long-time resident of Key West, Florida, where she is an active community volunteer. Also, Mason serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Florida where she teaches a course on Principles of Fundraising to senior level students. 

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About NPWH

NPWH is the professional community for Women's Health Nurse Practitioners, students, and other advanced practice registered nurses who provide women's and gender-related healthcare. We set a standard of excellence by generating, translating, and promoting the latest research and evidence-based clinical guidance, providing high-quality continuing education, and advocating for patients, providers, and the WHNP profession.

Our mission includes protecting and promoting a woman and all individuals' rights to make their own choices regarding their health and well-being within the context of their lived experience and their personal, religious, cultural, and family beliefs. Today, NPWH’s membership is over 4,200 members across all 50 states in America. The association offers continuing education on women’s and gender-related health topics throughout the year, including the Menopause Summit for APPs, the NPWH/ISSWSH Women’s Sexual Health Course, and the NPWH Annual Women’s Healthcare Conference, located in Richmond, VA, in 2026. NPWH also has a podcast, Her Health Matters. To learn more about membership and the association’s offerings, visit www.npwh.org. 

NPs are advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) who are prepared at the masters or doctoral level to provide primary, acute, chronic and specialty care to patients of all ages and backgrounds. NPs perform nearly one billion patient visits annually. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), as of 2024, there were over 243,000 NPs billing for Medicare services, making NPs the largest Medicare designated provider specialty,¹ and approximately 80% of NPs are seeing Medicare and Medicaid patients.² This proposal will deter future students from careers as NPs and does not acknowledge the urgent need for access to care across the country. Restricting NP student access to professional loans will have a direct and damaging impact on patient access to health care.

Individuals with a passion for providing care to their community should not be deterred from their career aspirations because of an overly restrictive definition. We call on the Department to amend its definition to ensure that NP programs are recognized as professional degree programs and that NP students have access to education and financial support to continue to serve their communities.

American Association of Nurse Practitioners
Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association
National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health
National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties

¹ https://www.cms.gov/files/zip/cy-2026-pfs-proposed-rule-specialty-impacts-practitioner.zip
² https://storage.aanp.org/www/documents/NP_Infographic.pdf

NPWH Urges Action After Department of Education Excludes Nursing from “Professional Degree” Category

The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH) is deeply concerned by the U.S. Department of Education’s decision to exclude nursing—including all Nurse Practitioner (NP) population foci—from its revised definition of “professional degree” programs as part of the implementation of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA). This policy change, scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2026, has significant implications for the nursing workforce and for the individuals and communities who depend on advanced practice nurses for essential, evidence-based care.

Nurse Practitioners, including Women’s Health Nurse Practitioners (WHNPs), complete rigorous graduate-level education, clinical training, and national certification that prepare them to provide high-quality primary, reproductive, and preventive healthcare. Excluding nursing from the definition of professional degree programs will restrict access to federal loans for higher education. This can deter nurses from pursuing advanced practice degrees, which threatens the societal value of NP education and diminishes access to critical resources that support program sustainability, student affordability, and the continued growth of the advanced practice nursing workforce.

“At a time when the United States faces worsening provider shortages, increasing maternal health crises, and rising gaps in reproductive and primary care access, this rule is not only misaligned with national health needs—it places patients at risk”, said Komkwuan P. Paruchabutr, DNP, FNP-BC, WHNP-BC, CNM, FACNM, FNAP, FAAN, President, NPWH

NPWH strongly urges the Department of Education to reconsider this exclusion and ensure that all accredited NP programs are explicitly recognized as professional graduate degrees.

We also call on our members, academic partners, and the broader nursing community to contact their Members of Congress to oppose this change and to advocate for the full inclusion of nursing within federal definitions that shape educational policy, funding, and workforce development.

NPWH strongly encourages all members to sign the American Nurses Association (ANA) petition urging the Department of Education to reverse its exclusion of nursing from the definition of “professional degree” programs. Your voice is essential—please add your name and help amplify the collective strength of the nursing profession.

NPWH remains committed to protecting the integrity of advanced nursing education and ensuring that the WHNP workforce continues to have the support it needs to deliver equitable, person-centered care across the lifespan.

Date: November 24, 2025

Dear NPWH Members and Community,

After nearly six years of dedicated leadership, Heather L. Maurer, MA, CAE, will be leaving her role to pursue an exciting next step in her career, effective December 19, 2025. We appreciate Heather’s visionary leadership, strategic direction, and steadfast commitment to NPWH’s 45-year legacy of excellence. Her contributions have strengthened NPWH’s brand and national recognition, reinforced its financial position for long-term sustainability and growth, and led to key achievements including the launch of the inaugural Fellows class and the creation of an award-winning podcast. We thank Heather for her many contributions to our association and wish her continued success and fulfillment as she embarks on the next chapter of her career.

To assist in the smooth transition and to ensure continuity and stability, the NPWH Board of Directors will be seeking an Interim CEO to lead the organization.  Following this appointment, the NPWH Board of Directors will conduct a national search to identify the next Chief Executive Officer for NPWH.

During this transition period, the dedicated NPWH Staff and Board of Directors remain fully committed to our mission, ensuring that our advocacy, education, clinical excellence, and all high-quality programs will continue without interruption.

We are committed to transparency and will continue to share updates as this transition progresses.

With appreciation,

Komkwuan P. Paruchabutr, DNP, FNP-BC, WHNP-BC, CNM, FACNM, FNAP, FAAN

President, NPWH Board of Directors

Jessica Wells, PhD, WHNP-BC, FAAN

President-elect, NPWH Board of Directors

November is Native American Heritage Month, and December 1st is World AIDS Day. In recognition of these important observances, the Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Committee would like to highlight the ongoing disparities in HIV prevention and care that affect Native American and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations.

Health disparities are defined as differences in access to care, quality of care, health outcomes, and disease burden among population groups [2, 7]. These inequities are largely preventable and disproportionately affect communities that experience barriers to care [7]. The Native American population faces significant disparities in both the prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV [2].

In 2024, the rate of new HIV diagnoses among AI/AN males was 6.6% higher than among White males, and among AI/AN females 1.3% higher than among White females. Overall, the rate of new HIV diagnoses in AI/AN communities was twice that of White populations [2, 4]. Between 2018 and 2022, new HIV diagnoses among AI/AN individuals increased by 30% [4]. Notably, more than three-quarters of AI/AN people reported not knowing their HIV status—the lowest testing rate among all racial and ethnic groups [4].

Among AI/AN women, reported risk factors for HIV include 54% heterosexual contact and 46% injection drug use [4]. AI/AN women have the second-highest rate of HIV infection linked to injection drug use among all racial and ethnic groups [4]. Among AI/AN men, reported risk factors include 72% male-to-male sexual contact, 11% both male-to-male sexual contact and injection drug use, 10% injection drug use alone, and 7% heterosexual contact [4].

The causes of these disparities are multifactorial. Contributing factors include poverty, unemployment, limited access to care, especially in rural or underfunded areas, along with racism and discrimination [6]. Addressing these challenges requires partnership with AI/AN communities to co-create culturally safe and responsive programs [6]. Building trust through confidentiality, culturally relevant education, and community engagement is essential for successful implementation [6].

Several organizations are leading efforts to eliminate HIV disparities among AI/AN populations. The American Indian Community House (AICH) is a New York–based nonprofit that addresses health, social, and cultural needs while offering HIV case management referrals [1, 9]. The Indian Health Service (IHS) provides HIV prevention, testing, and treatment services across the nation [3, 9]. The Indigenous Peoples Task Force in Minnesota addresses the intersection of HIV and opioid use through community-based programming [5, 9]. The National Native American AIDS Prevention Center (NNAAPC) focuses on education, advocacy, and policy development to promote the health and wellness of Indigenous peoples [8, 9].

Nurse practitioners play a key role in advancing health equity and improving outcomes for AI/AN communities. As clinicians, educators, and advocates, NPs are positioned to reduce HIV disparities through culturally competent care, evidence-based screening, and community partnership. Incorporating routine HIV screening into primary and women’s health visits, ensuring access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and fostering open conversations about sexual and substance use behaviors are practical steps that can make a large impact. NPs can also advocate for equitable resource allocation and collaborate with tribal health programs to strengthen prevention and treatment services. By engaging in these efforts, nurse practitioners honor the values of inclusivity, trust, and partnership that define patient-centered care.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about the health disparities impacting Native American communities. Advancing health equity requires advocacy, partnership, and a commitment to culturally grounded care. By understanding the statistics and listening to community voices, we can move closer to reducing health inequities and supporting wellness for all.

References

[1] American Indian Community House. Programs and Services. https://aich.org/

[2[ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2024). HIV, STD, TB, and hepatitis—American Indian and Alaska Native populations. https://www.cdc.gov/health-disparities-hiv-std-tb-hepatitis/populations/american-indian-alaska-native.html

[3] Indian Health Service. (n.d.). HIV. https://www.ihs.gov/hivaids/

[4] Indian Health Service. (n.d.) HIV statistics. https://www.ihs.gov/hivaids/stats/

[5] Indigenous Peoples Task Force. (n.d.). Prevention and care programs. https://indigenouspeoplestf.org/hiv-programs/

[6] Kemp, C. G., Edwards, A. J., White, L., Kore, G., Thurman, P. J., Gaines, T., King, P. T., Cole, M., & Orellana, E. R. (2024). Implementation science for HIV prevention and treatment in Indigenous communities: a systematic review and commentary. Current HIV/AIDS reports, 21(5), 237–256. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11904-024-00706-z

[7] National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. (2025). What are health disparities? https://www.nimhd.nih.gov/about/what-are-health-disparities

[8] National Native American AIDS Prevention Center (NNAAPC). (n.d.) About NNAAPC. https://nnaapc.international/About-NNAAPC-

[9] U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. HIV and Native Americans. https://www.hiv.va.gov/web-resources/native-americans.asp

ReproHH is staffed by University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) physicians with specialized expertise in these clinical areas and is available on demand from 8 am to 4 pm PT (11 am – 7 pm ET), Monday to Friday, excluding holidays.

Before calling, please visit our website, reprohh.ucsf.edu, to review our terms of service and learn more.

Call 1-844-ReproHH (1-844-737-7644).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Katie Kelsey, kkelsey@npwh.org, 202.543.9693 ext. 87

Four NPWH Members Inducted as Fellows of the

American Academy of Nursing

October 20, 2025 – Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH) is pleased to announce that four NPWH members were inducted as Fellows of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN).

Komkwuan Paruchabutr, DNP, FNP-BC, WHNP-BC, CNM, FACNM, FNAP, FAAN – NPWH BOD President

Randee Masciola, DNP, APRN-CNP, WHNP-BC, FAANP, FNAP, FNPWH, FAAN

Jamille Nagtalon-Ramos, EdD, MSN, WHNP-BC, FAANP, FNPWH, FAAN

D’Ann Somerall, DNP, MAEd, CRNP, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN

“We are immensely proud of Drs. Paruchabutr, Masciola, Nagtalon-Ramos, and Somerall on their well-deserved induction into the American Academy of Nursing,” said Heather L. Maurer, MA, CAE, Chief Executive Officer of NPWH. “Their leadership, scholarship, and unwavering dedication to advancing women’s and gender-related healthcare embody the highest standards of excellence within the nursing profession.”

Induction into the Academy is a significant milestone in a nurse leader’s career in which their accomplishments are honored by their colleagues within and outside the profession. Fellows were selected based on their significant contributions and impact to advance the public’s health. The newest class of Fellows represents 42 states, the District of Columbia, and 12 countries, joining the cohort of 3,200 Academy Fellows.

Induction into the Academy recognizes nursing’s most accomplished leaders in policy, research, practice, administration, and academia. Academy Fellows, such as the four NPWH members, are influential leaders who will contribute their voice to develop sound policy to achieve the Academy’s vision of healthy lives for all people.

Paruchabutr, Masciola, Nagtalon-Ramos, and Somerall, and the 2025 inductees will be recognized for their significant contributions to health and health care at the Academy’s annual Health Policy Conference, on October 18, 2025, in Washington, DC, during the Induction Ceremony.

Komkwuan Paruchabutr, DNP, FNP-BC, WHNP-BC, CNM, FACNM, FNAP, FAAN

Dr. Paruchabutr is an Army Nurse Corps combat veteran with a tour to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2003-2004. She holds triple board certifications as a Family Nurse Practitioner, Women's Health Nurse Practitioner, and a Certified Nurse-Midwife. She has been practicing as an advanced practice clinician since 2010, primarily serving the military population. Her multi-specialty skills and insight have allowed her to serve the women’s military population across the spectrum of healthcare. Dr. Paruchabutr is an accomplished Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner and Certified Nurse-Midwife. She is widely recognized for her passion for advancing women's and gender-related healthcare through a diverse, equitable, and inclusive lens. With a passion for the veteran population and women’s health, she was invited to share insights and expertise as a keynote speaker at the Syracuse University Student Veteran Commencement Ceremony in May 2023. She is known for sharing her wisdom and tying her experiences within the military during wartime as a trauma nurse, advanced practice clinician, mother, friend, and military spouse.

Randee Masciola, DNP, APRN-CNP, WHNP-BC, FAANP, FNAP, FNPWH, FAAN

Dr. Randee Masciola is an associate clinical professor at The Ohio State University and is the Director of DNP Education. Her scholarship focuses on the role and scope of practice for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) and WHNPs. She has a portfolio of over two dozen manuscripts and book chapters, as well as countless international to local presentations on the role of WHNPs and DNPs in current and future healthcare systems and within interprofessional teams, APRN and DNP education, and evidence-based sexual and reproductive clinical management. Dr. Masciola is the co-founder of the NPWH WHNP Academic Program Leader (APL) group. This group has grown from 15 to 69 members. She created and co-led the first two pre-conferences for the APLs at NPWH’s Annual Conferences to promote national connectivity and offer peer support and educational resources. Dr. Masciola served as the chair of the NPWH education committee, providing oversight of educational materials that go out to members. She led the women’s health track at the 2024 American Association of Nurse Practitioners conference, inviting, organizing, and vetting 12 clinical experts and 18 presentations on evidence-based clinical management for sexual and reproductive health for over 700 attendees. Dr. Masciola served on the NPWH Board of Directors from 2017-2019 and helped lead the re-envisioning of NPWH’s mission and vision and its value for members.

Jamille Nagtalon-Ramos, EdD, MSN, WHNP-BC, FAANP, FNPWH, FAAN

Dr. Jamille Nagtalon-Ramos is an assistant professor at Rutgers University School of Nursing and a women’s health nurse practitioner in the OBGYN department at Penn Medicine in Philadelphia. Dr. Nagtalon-Ramos’s research centers on improving the sexual and reproductive health of Filipino women in the global diaspora, advocating for culturally informed guidelines, policies, and programs to advance health equity. She has received over $80,000 in research funding for this work. She has widely disseminated her research at regional, national, and international presentations and through interviews and numerous publications in research and clinical journals. Dr. Nagtalon-Ramos’s leadership in developing and implementing the first postpartum WHNP hospitalist role at Penn Medicine has improved response time to postpartum emergencies, decreased length of stay, and bridged the gap between inpatient and outpatient care. Her book publications in Kelsey’s Midwifery & Women's Health Nurse Practitioner Certification Review Guide, endorsed by NPWH and the American College of Nurse Midwives, and Best Evidence-Based Practices: Maternal-Newborn Nursing Care have collectively sold over 20,000 copies, with a pivotal role in shaping the education of nurses, NPs, and midwives globally.  

D’Ann Somerall, DNP, MAEd, CRNP, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN

Dr. Somerall is currently an Associate Professor at the University of Alabama, Birmingham School of Nursing. On campus, she is an innovative distance education faculty member in the FNP program, serving as the track’s Specialty Track Coordinator. Recently, she authored an article in NPWH’s Clinical Journal for Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (CJNPWH) titled “Thyroid Disorders in Women: Evaluation, Diagnosis, and Management,” discussing how thyroid disorders impact women throughout the lifespan. Her other interests include, but are not limited to, innovative teaching strategies, women’s health, indigent populations, and improving health outcomes for patients located in her home state of Alabama.

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About NPWH

NPWH is the professional community representing the 13,500+ board certified Women's Health Nurse Practitioners in the US, WHNP and nursing students, and other advanced practice registered nurses who provide women's and gender-related healthcare. We set a standard of excellence by generating, translating, and promoting the latest research and evidence-based clinical guidance, providing high-quality continuing education, and advocating for patients, providers, and the WHNP profession. Our mission includes protecting and promoting a woman and all individuals' rights to make their own choices regarding their health and well-being within the context of their lived experience and their personal, religious, cultural, and family beliefs. Today, NPWH’s membership is over 4,200 members across all 50 states in America. The association offers continuing education on women’s and gender-related health topics throughout the year, including the Menopause Summit for APPs, the NPWH/ISSWSH Women’s Sexual Health Course, and the NPWH Annual Women’s Healthcare Conference, located in Richmond, VA, in 2026. To learn more about membership and the association’s offerings, visit www.npwh.org.

About the American Academy of Nursing
The American Academy of Nursing serves the public by advancing health policy and practice through the generation, synthesis, and dissemination of nursing knowledge. Academy Fellows are inducted into the organization for their extraordinary contributions to improving health locally and globally. With more than 3,200 Fellows, the Academy represents nursing’s most accomplished leaders in policy, research, administration, practice, and academia. 

To listen live, use the following link: https://www.ktfsradio.com/player/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Katie Kelsey, kkelsey@npwh.org, 202.543.9693 ext. 87

NPWH Announces 2025 NPWH Inspiration Awards in Women’s Health and Fran Way Legacy Award Recipients

October 2, 2025, Washington, DC: The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH) honored women’s health nurse practitioner leaders at the Inspiration Awards Ceremony at its 28th Annual Women’s Healthcare Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Four board certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioners (WHNP-BCs) received the NPWH Inspiration Awards in Women’s Health, and one distinguished WHNP-BC recipient was presented with the Fran Way Legacy Award.

The Fran Way Legacy Award recipient:

Beth Kelsey, EdD, APRN, WHNP-BC, FAANP

The 2025 NPWH Inspiration Award recipients are:

• Mary Fischer, PhD, MSN, WHNP-BC
• Ella Heitzler, PhD, WHNP-BC, FNP-BC, RNC-OB, FNPWH
• Gina Fullbright, DNP, WHNP-BC
• Antay Waters, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, CNM, CNE, CRNFA, C-EFM, CNOR-SURG-OB, FNPWH

The Fran Way Legacy Award

NPWH was honored to present the Fran Way Legacy Award to Dr. Beth Kelsey, EdD, APRN, WHNP-BC, FAANP.

The Fran Way Legacy Award recognizes WHNPs who have devoted their lives to advancing women’s health through practice, education, and advocacy. This lifetime achievement award is reserved for those whose contributions have not only advanced the WHNP profession but fundamentally shaped it. The Fran Way Legacy Award is a profound and NPWH’s highest distinction, celebrating individuals whose impact on women’s and gender-related healthcare will resonate for generations to come.

Beth Kelsey, EdD, APRN, WHNP-BC, FAANP, has made enduring contributions to clinical practice, education, and policy in women’s health, leaving a legacy grounded in compassionate scholarship. She has authored and shaped key texts that define the field, including the 1999 Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Certification Study Question Book, the NPWH Guidelines for Practice and Education, and the Midwifery/Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Certification Review Guide—renamed in 2025 to honor her as Kelsey’s Midwifery & Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Certification Review Guide.

Dr. Kelsey also launched NPWH’s new peer-reviewed clinical journal, the Clinical Journal for Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health, published by Springer Publishing, where she continues to serve as Editor-in-Chief. In addition, she has advanced the organization’s mission through her leadership in securing grants, developing clinical position statements, and shaping evidence-based guidelines. Dr. Kelsey has also dedicated thousands of hours to NPWH serving as a volunteer on various committees, most recently the Fellows of The National Association of Nurse Practitioner in Women’s Health task force.  As a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP-BC), her clinical experience includes providing care in family planning, prenatal clinics, and sexually transmitted infection clinics. In academia, Dr. Kelsey taught for over 30 years at Ball State University in Indiana. Her roles there included serving as Director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, and teaching WHNP and advanced practice nurse courses, including family nurse practitioner tracks. Beyond writing and publication leadership, she is well known for mentoring Women’s Health Nurse Practitioners, supporting aspiring scholarly work, and contributing to the development of clinical guidelines, position statements, and other NPWH educational resources. Her body of work has defined the WHNP-BC role, advanced WHNP education, informed clinical practice, and supported generations of students in preparing for certification and lifelong success in women’s healthcare.

The NPWH Inspiration Awards in Women’s Health

These national awards recognize WHNPs whose leadership, innovation, and dedication have advanced women’s and gender-related healthcare. Categories include education, practice, and policy. This year, NPWH recognized Fischer and Heitzler for excellence in education, Fullbright for excellence in practice, and Waters for excellence in policy.

Mary Fischer, PhD, MSN, WHNP-BC
NPWH Inspiration Award in Women’s Health: Education
Mary Fischer, PhD, MSN, WHNP-BC, advances the national curriculum for WHNP students, helping to shape educational standards to ensure the curriculum reflects the evolving needs of the profession. She develops and teaches cutting-edge curricula in women’s health, pharmacology, and interprofessional care, with enrichment electives including trauma-informed care for sexual assault survivors, expanding course content with a focus on a clinician’s professional development.

Ella Heitzler, PhD, WHNP-BC, FNP-BC, RNC-OB, FNPWH
NPWH Inspiration Award in Women’s Health: Education
Ella Heitzler, PhD, WHNP-BC, FNP-BC, RNC-OB, FNPWH, creates a reflective learning environment and connects with students in the didactic space. In her classroom, she fosters critical thinking and encourages students to share multiple perspectives. Thanks to her innovative one-on-one mentoring model—where she offers individualized feedback and open availability beyond class hours—her students have exceptional outcomes, as shown by their high NCC certification pass rates and successful clinical performances.

Gina Fullbright, DNP, WHNP-BC
NPWH Inspiration Award in Women’s Health: Practice
Gina Fullbright, DNP, WHNP-BC, provides innovative care practices to her patients. She launched project SPICY (Seeing People In Community & You), a community-based initiative focused on expanding access to PrEP as a tool for HIV prevention. Project SPICY has impacted underserved populations, advancing prevention efforts through education, outreach, and clinical innovation. She not only broke access barriers but also transformed the clinical care model for impacted patients.

Antay Waters, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, CNM, CNE, CRNFA, C-EFM, CNOR-SURG-OB, FNPWH
NPWH Inspiration Award in Women’s Health: Policy
Antay Waters, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, CNM, CNE, CRNFA, C-EFM, CNOR-SURG-OB, FNPWH, utilizes her experience to advocate for impactful policy across her home state of Texas and within the area of women’s health. She plays an active role in advocating for policies that improve access, equity, and outcomes for women statewide. She integrates policy advocacy into nursing education, showing how APRNs and WHNPs can effectively engage with the legislative process.

NPWH congratulates the recipients of the NPWH Inspiration Awards in Women’s Health and the Fran Way Legacy Award and thanks them for their enduring contributions to advancing women’s healthcare.

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About NPWH

NPWH is the professional community for Women's Health Nurse Practitioners, students, and other advanced practice registered nurses who provide women's and gender-related healthcare. We set a standard of excellence by generating, translating, and promoting the latest research and evidence-based clinical guidance, providing high-quality continuing education, and advocating for patients, providers, and the WHNP profession.

Our mission includes protecting and promoting a woman and all individuals' rights to make their own choices regarding their health and well-being within the context of their lived experience and their personal, religious, cultural, and family beliefs. Today, NPWH’s membership is over 4,200 members across all 50 states in America. The association offers continuing education on women’s and gender-related health topics throughout the year, including the Menopause Summit for APPs, the NPWH/ISSWSH Women’s Sexual Health Course, and the NPWH Annual Women’s Healthcare Conference, located in Richmond, VA, in 2026. NPWH also has a podcast, Her Health Matters. To learn more about membership and the association’s offerings, visit www.npwh.org. 

NPWH's Statement Regarding Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy

September 25, 2025

On September 22, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the initiation of the process to change acetaminophen labeling “to reflect evidence suggesting that the use of acetaminophen by pregnant women may be associated with an increased risk of neurological conditions such as autism and ADHD in children.” As part of this action, the FDA Commissioner issued a nationwide letter to physicians to raise awareness of the potential risks and to guide clinical decision-making. The FDA Commissioner stated in the letter, “clinicians should consider minimizing the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy for routine low-grade fevers. This consideration should also be balanced with the fact that acetaminophen is the safest over-the-counter alternative in pregnancy among all analgesics and antipyretics; aspirin and ibuprofen have well-documented adverse impacts on the fetus.”

The FDA Commissioner further stated that “an association between acetaminophen and autism has been described in many studies.” However, as recently as 2024, a population-based study published in JAMA[1], a highly respected peer-reviewed medical journal, investigated associations between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring, specifically, autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and intellectual disability. The study included over 2.4 million children in Sweden born between 1995 and 2019, followed through 2021. This rigorous sibling-control analysis found no significant association between prenatal acetaminophen use and neurodevelopmental disorders. This distinction underscores the difference between association and causation: association indicates that two factors occur together but does not prove that one causes the other. Demonstrating causation requires evidence that one factor directly leads to the outcome, independent of other variables. The JAMA study suggests that previously reported associations, including the studies referenced by the FDA, may have been explained mainly by familial or environmental confounding factors. The FDA Commissioner admitted that “a causal relationship [between acetaminophen and autism] has not been established” but that “[t]he association is an ongoing area of scientific debate and clinicians should be aware of the issue in their clinical decision-making, especially given that most short-term fevers in pregnant women and young children do not require medication.”

However, the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH) recognizes that fever reduction and pain management during pregnancy is clinically beneficial to the overall health and well-being of pregnant individuals. Untreated conditions that may warrant acetaminophen use, such as maternal fever, persistent headaches, or significant pain, carry well-documented risks. Fever, particularly in the first trimester, has been associated with increased risk of miscarriage, birth defects, and preterm birth. Likewise, unmanaged pain can negatively affect maternal well-being and overall pregnancy outcomes. For these reasons, clinicians must carefully weigh the risks of untreated symptoms against the benefits and potential risks of treatment to ensure positive pregnancy and fetal outcomes. [2] [3]

When medically indicated, acetaminophen remains an option for managing pain or fever in pregnancy, as the current evidence does not support a causal link between acetaminophen use and autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability in the presence of familial controls.

Based on current scientific research and the guidance of leading medical organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal and Fetal Medicine, NPWH recommends that WHNP-BCs or healthcare clinicians apply a shared decision-making model to counsel pregnant individuals on the safety and benefits of acetaminophen use during pregnancy, while considering all potential risks. 

Acetaminophen is an important, medically sound, and widely accessible medication for pregnant individuals. The NPWH calls for prioritizing and funding research for women and pregnant individuals to inform evidence-based clinical care. NPWH remains committed to monitoring emerging studies and updating our membership as new evidence evolves.

The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health:

NPWH proudly represents more than 13,500 board-certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioners (WHNP-BCs) across the United States. As the professional community for WHNPs, students, and other advanced practice registered nurses providing women’s and gender-related healthcare, NPWH sets the standard of excellence in the field.

We do this by generating, translating, and promoting the latest research and evidence-based clinical guidance, delivering high-quality continuing education, and advocating for patients, providers, and the WHNP profession. At the core of our mission is a commitment to protect and promote every woman’s, and every individual’s, right to make informed choices about their health and well-being, honoring their lived experiences as well as their personal, religious, cultural, and family beliefs. www.npwh.org

Clinicians should be knowledgeable about these registries—what they are, why they exist, how they function, and counsel patients in an appropriate manner on the option to enroll. This new NPWH resource provides information and guidance on FDA pregnancy registries for not only pregnant patients, but also the clinicians who partner with them for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy nation.

View the resource by clicking here.

Statement from The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health

RE:      Support for Removal of the Boxed Warning on Vaginal Estrogen Products
To:       U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

From: The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH)
Date:   September 4, 2025

The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH) strongly supports the removal of the boxed warning currently required for low-dose vaginal estrogen products. This outdated warning continues to create confusion among clinicians and patients, contributes to under-treatment of genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), and undermines access to safe, effective, and localized hormone therapy options.

As the leading national organization representing more than 13,525 board-certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioners (WHNP-BCs) and other advanced practice registered nurses providing women’s and gender-related healthcare across the U.S., NPWH is dedicated to advancing scientific, evidence-based care that supports health and well-being across the lifespan—with a particular focus on the midlife transition.

WHNP-BCs are trained to integrate the latest evidence, national guidelines, and shared decision-making principles to provide trauma-informed, inclusive, and culturally responsive care for patients in perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopausal management. Their education prepares them to address both hormonal and non-hormonal therapies, genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), bone health, cardiovascular risk assessment and management, cognitive and sexual health, as well as individualized lifestyle counseling.

WHNP-BCs are uniquely prepared to meet the complex and evolving needs of women and gender-diverse individuals in perimenopause and beyond. Their depth of training ensures they advance both health equity and quality of life during this critical stage.

The available scientific literature no longer supports a boxed warning for low-dose vaginal estrogen use, particularly given its minimal systemic absorption and well-documented safety profile.

We respectfully submit the following key evidence in support of the removal of this warning:

• Reduced Risk of UTIs: A meta-analysis by Chen et al. (2021) confirms that vaginal estrogen significantly reduces the risk of recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTIs) in postmenopausal women — a critical public health benefit for this population [Chen, YY et al. Int Urogynecol J 2021].
• Evidence-Based Guidelines: The North American Menopause Society (NAMS, now called The Menopause Society) and the American Urogynecologic  Society (AUGS) in conjunction with American Urological Association (AUA) and the Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine & Urogenital Reconstruction (SUFU) have issued strong guidance recommending the use of low-dose vaginal estrogen as first-line therapy for GSM, noting its efficacy and favorable safety profile [NAMS 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement; Kaufman MR et al., 2025].
• Updated 2025 Guideline from AUA, SUFU, AUGS:  This guideline addresses the identification, diagnosis, counseling, and treatment of Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM)—a collection of vulvovaginal, urinary, and sexual symptoms caused by decreased estrogen and androgen levels during menopause. Guideline explicitly endorses the use of local, low-dose vaginal estrogen as a first-line therapy for symptom relief. [Kaufman MR, Ackerman LA, Amin KA, et al. The AUA/SUFU/AUGS Guideline on Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause. J Urol. 0(0). doi:10.1097/JU.0000000000004589.]
• Safety in Special Populations: A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis by Beste et al. affirms that vaginal estrogen does not increase recurrence or mortality in breast cancer survivors, addressing one of the primary concerns historically linked to the boxed warning [Beste ME et al., Am J Obstet Gynecol, 2025].

Despite this growing body of evidence, the boxed warning continues to deter both clinicians and patients from utilizing therapies that can dramatically improve quality of life, sexual health, bone health, urinary health, and overall well-being. Many clinicians report that the boxed warning causes fear or reluctance in patients — even when the clinical risk is negligible.

We urge the FDA to re-evaluate the boxed warning on vaginal estrogen products and remove it to align regulatory language with current scientific evidence and national guideline recommendations. Doing so will reduce stigma, support informed shared decision-making, improve the health and well-being of patients, and improve access and disease prevention for millions of postmenopausal individuals.

NPWH appreciates the opportunity to submit this statement and welcomes further collaboration to ensure patient-centered, evidence-informed regulatory decisions.

Sincerely,

The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH)
www.npwh.org