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New York City public hospitals to make abortion care available via telehealth
From this week, women in New York City will be able to access safe, legal abortion care from home
New York City public hospitals will now offer abortion via telehealth, making NYC Health + Hospitals the first public health system in the US to do so.
Starting this week, patients in New York City seeking abortion care will be able to schedule a Virtual ExpressCare appointment to speak with a New York state-licensed health care professional by video or phone, on-demand, for an assessment and counselling.
If clinically appropriate and prescribed, patients will be able to receive a medication abortion kit at their New York City address within a few days.
This service will be available seven days a week and will provide patients with access to safe, legal abortion care.
NYC Health + Hospitals already offers access to medication and procedural abortion services at their hospital-based clinics. The launch is hoped to further expand New Yorkers’ access to abortion care.
“Here in New York City, we will not allow the far right to continue its crusade to strip women of their reproductive rights,” said New York City mayor, Eric Adams.
“Last year, an activist Supreme Court undermined almost 50 years of settled law by overturning Roe v Wade, but New Yorkers know that access to safe, legal abortion care is the cornerstone of public health, and we will not stand idly by as these attacks on women continue.
“Today, I am proud to announce another first for any city government: Access to abortion care will now be available through telehealth visits at NYC Health + Hospitals sites from the comfort of one’s home.”
He added: “In New York City, we will never stop fighting for a woman’s right to choose the care that is right for them, and we will never stop working to make abortion care more accessible to all New Yorkers.
“Telehealth abortion care allows the people in our lives to make the choices they need privately and safely, so that they can decide what is best for them and their futures. This is about protecting the ability for women to control their own bodies, their choices, and their freedoms.”
Deputy mayor for health and human services, Anne Williams-Isom, said: “Since the Dobbs Supreme Court decision in June of 2022, the city has acted to strengthen access to reproductive care through both the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, as well as our city’s public hospital system for any person who needs it.
“Adding Virtual ExpressCare to that suite of options for patients at NYC Health + Hospitals is an important next step in making reproductive health care conversations easy, accessible, and convenient for every person. Thank you to the NYC Health + Hospitals team that makes this work possible.”
Marisa Nádas, MD, MPH, reproductive health clinical lead at NYC Health + Hospitals and associate medical director at Virtual ExpressCare, added: “As our country faces a devastating loss of reproductive rights, New Yorkers should know that they can access safe and legal abortion care.
“By offering access to assessment and counselling for abortion care – as well as the possibility of a remote medication abortion – through Virtual ExpressCare, we are navigating around barriers people face in coming for in-person appointments and further opening up access.”
Wendy Stark, president and CEO at Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, described the initiative as a historic win for abortion access in New York City.
“I applaud NYC Health + Hospitals for taking this important stride with telehealth abortion services that allow New Yorkers to access critical abortion care from the comfort of their own homes, without worrying about barriers to care like transportation and significant time off from work,” she said.
“When we make abortion care more accessible, we empower individuals to make the best decisions for themselves, their families, and their futures.”
New York state senator, Liz Krueger, said: “Ensuring that all people have the right to abortion care is not just about legal protections, it’s also about making sure that care is really accessible on the ground.
“Making medication abortion available through telehealth is a critical option for people who, for whatever reason, may not be able to easily get to a doctor’s office or clinic. And it reduces the need for more costly and involved procedures.
“I thank Mayor Adams and NYC Health + Hospitals for making this important option available”
Brad Hoylman-Sigal, New York state senator, added: “Today, New York continues to lead the nation in protecting bodily autonomy.
“While other states roll back reproductive rights and rewind the clock of progress, New York is launching telehealth abortion access: the most accessible and modern form of reproductive health care in the country.
“I applaud mayor Adams and NYC Health + Hospitals for breaking down barriers to this critical form of health care and ensuring New York will always be a safe haven for women across the United States to exercise their right to choose.”
The new telehealth abortion service by NYC Health + Hospitals is based in and for New York City. Patients must attest to being in New York City at the time of the call and must attest that they will be in New York City when they take the medication.
Medication abortion prescribed during a telehealth appointment is available to clinically eligible patients who are up to 10 weeks into their pregnancy. If a patient chooses to receive abortion medication by mail, the address must be in New York City.
Women with ADHD are nearly twice as likely to experience perimenopause symptoms compared with women without ADHD, new research has revealed.
The study reported 54 per cent of women with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder had perimenopausal symptoms, compared with 30 per cent without the condition.
Among perimenopausal women with ADHD, 59 per cent reported psychological symptoms such as anxiety, low mood, irritability and fatigue.
Physical symptoms, including hot flushes, headaches or palpitations (a rapid or irregular heartbeat), occurred in 30 per cent with ADHD versus 14 per cent without.
Published in 2025, the research also found symptoms tended to start earlier for women with ADHD, peaking around ages 35 to 39, while those without ADHD reported their most severe symptoms around age 45.
The study suggests two explanations for the increased burden among women with ADHD.
Firstly, anxiety and lower socio-economic status are known risk factors for perimenopausal symptoms; both are more common among women with ADHD and chronic stress may amplify risk.
Secondly, oestrogen helps modulate ADHD symptoms.
Women with ADHD are at higher risk of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and other cycle-related issues because ADHD symptoms can intensify when oestrogen levels fall.
During perimenopause, oestrogen naturally declines, so women with ADHD may experience both typical perimenopausal symptoms and a worsening of ADHD symptoms at the same time.
The research also found a higher prevalence of lifetime post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among women with ADHD.
When this factor was accounted for, women with ADHD who did not have PTSD still faced increased risks, though both risk and symptom intensity were reduced.
These findings suggest that interventions which reduce chronic stress and inflammatory responses could help women with ADHD navigate perimenopause more effectively.
Stanford graduates’ startup Clair is building a wearable hormone tracker for women, offering continuous, non-invasive monitoring.
The company, Clair, founded by Jenny Duan and Abhinav Agarwal, aims to build what its founders describe as a research-led, privacy-focused tool to help women see how hormone levels affect daily life.
Duan and Agarwal met in spring 2025 and began working on Clair shortly after. Over the past six months, they have been developing the technology and refining the company’s mission.
The device is designed to address gaps in women’s healthcare. Women remain underrepresented in medical research and clinical trials, leading to limited data and slower progress in understanding women’s health conditions.
According to Clair advisor and Stanford Medicine professor Brindha Bavan, hormone tracking in reproductive healthcare “improves our understanding of the function of and communication between the brain’s pituitary gland and ovaries or testes.
The pituitary gland is a small organ at the base of the brain that produces hormones regulating many bodily functions. The ovaries and testes are the primary reproductive organs that also produce sex hormones.
Hormonal health affects not only fertility and reproduction but also mental health, metabolism, energy levels and overall wellbeing.
Bavan said hormone tracking can “provide insight into menstrual cycle patterns and can aid with both diagnosing and assessing treatment for [various] conditions.”
“[Clair enables] patients [to] gain insight into their personal hormone fluctuations over different time periods,” Bavan said, “and share this information at healthcare visits to better understand and correlate any medical issues they are facing and avoid repeat blood draws.”
The device, which resembles a bracelet worn on the wrist, will connect to a mobile app, allowing all data processing to occur directly on the user’s phone rather than in external data centres.
“The device connects with an app so all of the processing happens on the app itself, not in a data centre like other devices. This is especially important given the current political climate around data privacy,” Agarwal said.
Clair also plans to pursue FDA approval and position itself as a medically credible device rather than solely a lifestyle product. The company is planning to launch a clinical trial at Stanford Medicine this spring.
Duan’s interest in women’s health and technology began as a Stanford undergraduate. At TreeHacks in 2024, she built apps focused on endometriosis, a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows outside of it.
She said a course on Philanthropy for Sustainable Development was particularly influential. “It was this class that sparked my interest in building a solution in [the women’s healthcare] space,” Duan said.
WUKA has announced a groundbreaking partnership with the Royal Yachting Association (RYA), including RYA Scotland and RYA Northern Ireland, supporting women and girls in sailing.
Building on WUKA’s growing #TackleAnything campaign – which has already reached thousands of girls across sports in the UK – this collaboration brings practical period solutions into sailing.
Together, WUKA and the RYA are committed to breaking down barriers so periods never limit confidence, participation, or performance on the water.
Ruby Raut, WUKA founder & CEO, said: “Partnering with the RYA has been incredibly important for us at WUKA.
“Sailing is an amazing way for women and girls to build confidence, and periods shouldn’t hold anyone back from enjoying the water or reaching their full potential.
“Through this partnership and our #TackleAnything campaign, we’re proud to provide practical solutions and innovative products that help female sailors feel comfortable, confident, and free to focus on learning, performing, and having fun.
“Breaking down barriers and supporting women to tackle anything — on land, at sea, and everywhere in between – has never felt more meaningful.”
WUKA, which stands for Wake-Up Kick Ass, shares the RYA’s commitment to inclusivity and empowerment.
In 2023, WUKA launched #TackleAnything, a campaign supporting women, girls and sportspeople with periods. Since its launch, the initiative has reached 3,576 girls across 46 clubs and partnered with a range of sports across the UK – from Scottish Gymnastics to Titans wheelchair basketball – helping young athletes play without limits and stay confident, comfortable, and in the game.
The brand offers period-friendly aquatic apparel and practical solutions that help women train and compete with freedom of movement and total assurance.
Through this partnership, WUKA will provide innovative period swimwear for young sailors across key RYA programmes, including the NI Sailing Team, the RYA Scotland Performance Pathway Programme, and the British Sailing Pathways Talent Academies.
By combining WUKA’s mission to challenge stigma with the RYA’s commitment to inclusion, the partnership ensures young sailors can focus on what matters most – learning, performing, and enjoying their time on the water – with confidence and comfort. RYA members will also receive a 10 per cent discount on WUKA products.
Sailing offers incredible benefits for women and girls, but time on the water can present unique challenges -particularly during menstruation.
Together, WUKA and the RYA are providing practical solutions that remove these barriers, helping young sailors participate fully and confidently in the sport.
Sara Sutcliffe, RYA CEO, said: “At the RYA, we have been making strides to break down barriers for women of all ages to help ensure they can experience the water in a supportive and positive environment.
“From education workshops and practical sessions, we want to make sure our female sailors are empowered and this partnership is another great example of how we can demonstrate possible tools to equip them to succeed”.
This partnership is part of the RYA’s wider commitment to making sailing a sport where women and girls can thrive. Alongside initiatives such as the Female Futures Group, the Women’s Race Officials Programme and all new Talent Academy Female Future’s Camps; it demonstrates a continued focus on removing barriers and creating meaningful opportunities across every stage of the sailing.
WUKA’s involvement ensures that practical solutions are available on the water, from innovative period swimwear to support resources, helping young sailors feel fully equipped and confident during training and competition.
By integrating these tools into RYA programmes, WUKA brings a new level of comfort and assurance to female athletes, allowing them to focus entirely on performance, enjoyment, and growth in the sport.
For any women and girls looking to learn more about sailing, visit www.rya.org.uk.
For more information on WUKA visit www.wuka.co.uk.
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