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OCTOBER | 2026

H E A LT H R E P O R T

INNOVATION PARTNERS

ANNA LE, MD, FACOG

RAMI TABBARAH, MD

JOAN GONZALEZ, MD

Founder | Gynecology, Fertility, Minimally Invasive Surgery

Chief Medical Officer | Robotic and Minimally Invasive Surgery

Family Medicine

KATIE HUNT, MS, CGC Medical Science Liaison

TIFFANY INGLIS Chief Medical Officer

ANNA HEALTH

ANNA HEALTH

ANNA HEALTH

MYRIAD GENETICS

SERA PROGNOSTICS

SAMANTHA PIERCE, PA-C

HIRA KHALIQ, MD

KATHERINE SHIPLEY, PA-C

ZIAD HUBAYTER, MD, STANTHIA N. RYAN, MD MPH, MBA Gynecology and Obstetrics |

Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility

Robotic and Minimally Invasive Surgery

ANNA HEALTH

ANNA HEALTH

KELLY CURD BERRY, MS, M.ED., CGC

Gynecology and Obstetrics | Robotic and Minimally President, Anna Health Fertility Invasive Surgery

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A HEALTHIER TOMORROW IS A BRIGHTER NORTHERN VIRGINIA.”

INSIDE THIS REPORT

06

Anna Health and the Future of Patient Care in Northern Virginia

Connected, comprehensive women’s care for every stage of life.

08

The Blood Test Rewriting Prenatal Care A simple biomarker test can reveal hidden preterm birth risk before warning signs appear.

11 12 15 17 18

Advancing Surgery, Improving Outcomes How advanced surgical expertise and comprehensive care are transforming women’s health.

How Newborn Stem Cells May Shape the Future of Medicine How newborn stem cells are already supporting modern medicine while opening new possibilities for the future.

Know Your Risk Empowering Your Health with MyRisk Genetic Testing How genetic testing can reveal inherited cancer risk and help guide more personalized prevention and care.

Treating PMOS Through Coordinated Care.

How coordinated care can support the hormonal, metabolic, and reproductive effects of PMOS.

Fertility Care That Starts Before the Struggle How a more proactive, personalized approach to fertility care can help women address reproductive health earlier and explore options beyond IVF.

20 22

Hormones, Skin, and Women’s Wellness: How Comprehensive Women’s Care Supports Vulvar Health

How women’s care is advancing hormone health and intimate wellness.

Understand your health.

Plan for your future.

Understanding the value of genetic testing and the guidance genetic counselors provide.

24 26

Growing Your Family in Northern Virginia: Fertility Care Beyond IVF How modern fertility care can support natural conception beyond IVF.

How Modern Medicine Shapes Your Wellness Helping Northern Virginia families stay healthier through coordinated, preventive, personalized care.

28 30

BillionTOONE ARTICLE Understanding the value of genetic testing and the guidance genetic counselors provide.

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NOVA LIVING

H E A LT H I N N O V A T I O N & W E L L N E S S

A HEALTHIER NORTHERN VIRGINIA STARTS WITH KNOWLEDGE. Dear Readers,

GLORIA FONSECA CEO & Publisher NoVa Living Magazines

Gloria F.

Healthcare is changing quickly, and with that change comes an incredible opportunity to better understand our health, ask better questions, and make more informed decisions for ourselves and our families.

We created the NoVa Living Health Innovation & Wellness Report to bring together trusted physicians, healthcare leaders, researchers, and innovators who are shaping the future of care in Northern Virginia and beyond.

Throughout these pages, you will find conversations about women’s health, fertility, genetic testing, preventive care, surgical advances, maternal health, and emerging medical technologies. Some topics may be familiar, while others may introduce possibilities you have never considered. Our goal is not simply to share information, but to help make complex health topics more understandable and relevant to everyday life.

At NoVa Living, we have always believed that strong communities are built through meaningful connections. This special report extends that mission by connecting our readers with the experts, resources, and ideas that can help them take a more active role in their health.

We are grateful to the healthcare professionals and organizations who contributed their expertise to this inaugural report, and to our readers for continuing to trust NoVa Living as a resource for the community.

We hope these pages inspire conversations, questions, and above all, a greater sense of confidence when it comes to your health.

With gratitude, INSIDE THIS REPORT

“Knowledge gives us the confidence to become more active participants in our own health.”

Women’s Health Fertility & Reproductive Health Genetic Testing & Personalized Care Preventive Care & Lifestyle Maternal & Family Health Surgical Advances Medical Innovation

HEALTH REPORT OCTOBER | 2026

ANNA HEALTH AND THE FUTURE OF PATIENT CARE IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA “Anna Health is more than an expansion. It is a reimagining of how healthcare should be delivered.”

— DR. ANNA LE, FOUNDER & OWNER, ANNA HEALTH

Twenty‑one years ago, I founded Annandale OBGYN with a simple mission: to give women in Northern Virginia access to exceptional, compassionate, and comprehensive healthcare. What began as a single practice has grown into Anna Health, a fully integrated system of thirteen clinical locations serving families across Northern Virginia.

Today, Anna Health includes four family medicine clinics, eight gynecology and obstetrics offices, and our own IVF fertility center, supported by more than 30 providers and 120 dedicated employees. Together, we deliver coordinated care that supports women through every stage of life—from adolescence to pregnancy, fertility, surgery, and beyond.

About the Author

Our commitment to excellence is reflected in our national recognition from the Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) as both a Center of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery and a Center of Excellence in Women’s Healthcare. These certifications affirm our dedication to safety, quality, and clinical mastery.

The evolution from Annandale OBGYN to Anna Health is more than an expansion—it is a reimagining of how healthcare should be delivered. By integrating family medicine, OB/GYN, surgery, and fertility services, we provide a seamless experience that honors the complexity of healthcare and the needs of modern families.

As we continue to grow, our purpose remains unchanged: to elevate healthcare for every woman who walks through our doors. I am deeply grateful to our patients, our team, and our community for making this vision possible. Together, we are shaping the future of women’s health in Northern Virginia.

ANNA LE, MD, FACOG Founder | Gynecology, Fertility, Minimally Invasive Surgery Dr. Anna Le founded Anna Health so women could find surgical, fertility, and everyday gynecologic care under one roof. Board certified in Gynecology and Obstetrics, she trained at George Washington University and Howard University, and built her practice around uterus-preserving, minimally invasive technique. She holds the SRC Master Surgeon designation in Minimally Invasive Gynecology at the practice’s accredited Reston location.

HEALTH REPORT OCTOBER | 2026

THE BLOOD TEST REWRITING PRENATAL CARE

WHY A “PERFECTLY NORMAL” PREGNANCY MAY NOT TELL THE WHOLE STORY How a biomarker test can uncover the invisible risk of preterm birth before warning signs appear.

The first time you feel your baby move, everything else in the room goes quiet. You are 20 weeks along. Your bloodwork is normal, your blood pressure is fine, your anatomy scan looked beautiful, and your doctor smiled and said, "You are doing great."

You walk out to your car in the parking garage and cry a little, because the pregnancy is real now, and because "great" is the word you have been waiting to hear for months.

Then, a smaller thought slips in. What if there is something no one can see yet?

I have practiced obstetrics and supported Women’s Health for more than two decades, and I have sat with women in that exact moment. That uncertainty is an honest response to pregnancy, which is one of the most physically layered things a human body ever does. Most of the time, "you are doing great" turns out to be exactly right. Sometimes it does not, and the reason it does not is the piece that has bothered me most across my career.

The gap I could not stop thinking about Preterm birth is what we call a delivery that happens before 37 weeks of pregnancy. It's more common than people realize. In 2025, about 10.4% of babies born in the United States arrived too early, and that rate has barely moved in twenty years (Hamilton et al., 2026). Babies who come too soon are more likely to spend time in the neonatal intensive care unit, more likely to have trouble breathing or feeding, and more likely to face long-term challenges like learning differences, cerebral palsy, or chronic lung issues. The cost of care is real too. In one large national study of commercially insured families, medical spending in the first six months of life averaged about $76,000 per preterm infant, and for the earliest babies, those born as early as 24 weeks, it climbed to more than $600,000 per infant (Beam et al., 2020).

Here is the part that used to frustrate me clinically. For decades, the two pieces of information we relied on most to flag a pregnancy at risk of coming early were a previous preterm birth or a cervix that measured short on a secondtrimester ultrasound. Both matter. Together they only catch a fraction of the women who will actually go on to deliver early. In fact, roughly 85% of preterm births before 37 weeks happen in women with no history of a prior preterm birth. And short cervix identifies only a small additional fraction of the risk (Biggio, 2024).

“A calm scan and a clean chart are wonderful, and they are not the whole picture.”

— Tiffany Inglis, MD, FACOG

Page 9 For first-time mothers, who by definition have no prior obstetric history to draw on, this kind of information can be especially valuable. In the PRIME first-pregnancy subgroup, screen-guided care reduced NICU admissions from 16.4% to 12.8% (a 22% reduction) (Sciscione et al., 2026).

That is the invisible risk. A pregnancy can look perfectly typical on the outside while underlying biology tells a different story, and by the time symptoms show up, it is often too late for the preventive steps that work best. If you have ever wondered why a friend with a "textbook" pregnancy suddenly ended up with a baby in the NICU after an unexpected early delivery, that is usually why.

A quiet piece of information the body has been carrying all along Every pregnancy is producing biological markers in the mother's blood. Two of them, a pair of proteins called IGFBP4 and SHBG, tend to move in a particular direction in women who later experience spontaneous preterm birth (Saade et al., 2016). One is related to how well the placenta is delivering nutrients. The other seems to be part of the body's response to inflammation at the placental interface. Neither is a symptom you can feel, and neither shows up on a scan until much later.

The PreTRM® Test, developed by Sera Prognostics, measures the ratio of these two proteins from a single blood draw taken between 18 to 21 weeks of pregnancy. That is it. Same visit, an easy finger prick, a few extra drops of blood. The result comes back as one of two things: higher risk for spontaneous preterm birth, or not higher risk. For most women, the result is not higher risk, that is genuinely good news, and no further action is needed beyond routine prenatal care. If you are one of the few who receive a higher risk result, you and your obstetrician have time to put a plan in place together. It may be simpler than you would expect. For many women, that pathway looks like a daily low-dose aspirin, vaginal progesterone at bedtime, and a weekly check in with a provider to see about how you are doing and feeling. Small, steady preventive steps, taken early, that give the pregnancy more of what it needs most: time.

Information that leads somewhere A test is only useful if what it tells you can change what happens next. That is the question my colleagues in research have been chasing for the last decade, and the recent PRIME study is the answer I find most compelling. PRIME was a multicenter, randomized clinical trial of more than 5,000 pregnancies across 19 U.S. centers. Every participant received the PreTRM Test between 18 to 21 weeks. Half of them had care guided by the result, and half received standard pregnancy care.

Women who tested higher risk in the test guided group were offered a simple, accessible bundle of preventive steps: daily vaginal progesterone, low-dose aspirin, and regular check-ins.

Compared with standard care, that combination was associated with meaningfully fewer early preterm births, fewer NICU admissions, and fewer medical complications for babies as whole.

The most striking finding, at least for me, was in the earliest deliveries. Screen-guided care was linked to a 56% reduction in births before 32 weeks, and in the trial no woman who started the intervention bundle by 24 weeks delivered before 32 weeks.

Those are the pregnancies where every additional day inside the womb has the greatest impact on a baby's future.

What this feels like from the patient's side If you are eligible, the test itself is just another finger prick at your routine bloodwork appointment. Results come back to your obstetrician in about seven days. If the result is not higher risk, your prenatal visits will likely continue as planned and you have a little more peace of mind. If the result is higher risk, your doctor will walk you through the preventive options and decide together with you what makes sense for you. The test does not replace anything your obstetrician is already doing. It adds a critical piece of information to the conversation and supports prevention.

The PreTRM Test is designed for singleton pregnancies and is drawn during a specific window in the second trimester, so timing matters. It is specific to your blood levels in your current pregnancy, so each pregnancy can have a different result. It is not diagnostic, meaning it does not predict with certainty that preterm birth will happen. What it does is tell you whether the biology suggests a higher chance, so you and your care team can respond earlier rather than later. Talk to your obstetrician about whether it is right for you, and ask about coverage. If you would like to learn more or find out how to access the test, Anna Health is one place where eligible pregnant women can get information about how to get this test and stay informed.

What I want you to take home Pregnancy is a strange mix of joy and vigilance, and I have never met a mother who did not carry both. The best gift we can give ourselves is the information to act earlier if something might go wrong, long before symptoms force our hand. For a long time, we did not have this early, objective information. Now, for many women, we do.

If you take one thing from this piece, let it be this: a calm scan and a clean chart are wonderful, and they are not the whole picture. Ask your obstetrician what they know about your risk of preterm birth, and ask whether PreTRM testing is right for you. For most, the result is a reassuring "you really are doing great." That is worth knowing. And if it is not, you will have time on your side, a clear plan that works and allows a truly preventative care approach for you and your baby.

BY THE NUMBERS

56% reduction in births before 32 weeks with screen-guided care in the PRIME study.

About the Author TIFFANY INGLIS, MD, FACOG Chief Medical Officer, Sera Prognostics Tiffany Inglis, MD, FACOG, is Chief Medical Officer of Sera Prognostics and a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist with more than 25 years of experience across direct patient care and the healthcare payer industry. At Sera, she leads clinical strategy across research and development, clinical operations, data science, and medical teams, making sure the company's work is grounded in strong evidence and clear clinical value. Before Sera, Dr. Inglis was Chief Medical Officer at Carelon Health and held clinical leadership roles at Elevance Health, where she helped redesign the Women and Children's Health portfolio. She earned her medical degree from the Medical College of Ohio and her bachelor's in zoology, magna cum laude, from The Ohio State University, where she also played collegiate volleyball. Outside of work, she spends her time with her husband and two children.

Learn More Learn more about the PreTRM® Test through the website (https://www.pretrm.com/for-moms/pretrm-faqs-for-moms) and eligibility through Anna Health at annahealthmd.com.

The PreTRM® Test is a laboratory-developed test offered by Sera Prognostics, Inc. It is intended to assess risk for spontaneous preterm birth in asymptomatic women with singleton pregnancies and is not a diagnostic test. Decisions about prenatal care should always be made in consultation with a qualified healthcare provider.

Sources 1. Hamilton BE, Osterman MJK, Gregory ECW. Births: Provisional Data for 2025.Vital Statistics Rapid Release Reports. Hyattsville (MD): National Center for Health Statistics (US); 2026.

2.

Beam AL, Fried I, Palmer N, et al. "Estimates of healthcare spending for preterm and low-birthweight infants in a commercially insured population: 2008–2016." Journal of Perinatology, 2020;40:1091–1099.

3. Biggio J, SMFM Publications Committee, "Management of short cervix in individuals without a history of spontaneous preterm birth," American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2024;231(2):B2–B13, doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2024.05.006.

4.

Saade G, Boggess K, Sullivan S, et al. "Development and validation of a spontaneous preterm delivery predictor in asymptomatic women."

American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2016;214:633.e1–633.e24.

5. Iriye BK, O'Brien JM, Ennen CS, et al. Neonatal impact of maternal biomarker screening for risk of preterm birth with targeted interventions (PRIME): A multicenter, randomized, controlled trial. Pregnancy. 2026;2(1):e70202. doi: 10.1002/pmf2.70202 6.

Sciscione AC, Gyamfi-Bannerman C, Walker M, Shahbaba B, Godt J, Iriye BK. Biomarker screen-guided care for preterm birth risk in nulliparous pregnancies: a subgroup analysis of the PRIME randomized controlled trial. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2026;39(1):2689850. (In eng). DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2026.2689850.

7. Hoffman MK, Kitto C, Zhang Z, et al. Neonatal Outcomes after Maternal Biomarker-Guided Preterm Birth Intervention: The AVERT PRETERM Trial. Diagnostics (Basel). 2024;14(14). PMID: 39061599.

8. Saade GR, Boggess KA, Sullivan SA, et al. Development and validation of a spontaneous preterm delivery predictor in asymptomatic women.

Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2016;214(5):633.e1–e24. PMID: 26874297.

9.

Beam AL, Fried I, Palmer N, et al. Estimates of healthcare spending for preterm and low-birthweight infants in a commercially insured population: 2008-2016. Journal of Perinatology : Official Journal of the California Perinatal Association. 2020 Jul;40(7):1091-1099. DOI: 10.1038/s41372-020-0635-z. PMID: 32103158; PMCID: PMC7314662.

1. Hamilton BE, Osterman MJK, Gregory ECW. Births: Provisional Data for 2025.Vital Statistics Rapid Release Reports. Hyattsville (MD): National Center for Health Statistics (US); 2026.

2.

Beam AL, Fried I, Palmer N, et al. "Estimates of healthcare spending for preterm and low-birthweight infants in a commercially insured population: 2008–2016." Journal of Perinatology, 2020;40:1091–1099.

3. Biggio J, SMFM Publications Committee, "Management of short cervix in individuals without a history of spontaneous preterm birth," American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2024;231(2):B2–B13, doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2024.05.006.

4.

Saade G, Boggess K, Sullivan S, et al. "Development and validation of a spontaneous preterm delivery predictor in asymptomatic women."

American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2016;214:633.e1–633.e24.

5. Iriye BK, O'Brien JM, Ennen CS, et al. Neonatal impact of maternal biomarker screening for risk of preterm birth with targeted interventions (PRIME): A multicenter, randomized, controlled trial. Pregnancy. 2026;2(1):e70202. doi: 10.1002/pmf2.70202 6.

Sciscione AC, Gyamfi-Bannerman C, Walker M, Shahbaba B, Godt J, Iriye BK. Biomarker screen-guided care for preterm birth risk in nulliparous pregnancies: a subgroup analysis of the PRIME randomized controlled trial. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2026;39(1):2689850. (In eng). DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2026.2689850.

7. Hoffman MK, Kitto C, Zhang Z, et al. Neonatal Outcomes after Maternal Biomarker-Guided Preterm Birth Intervention: The AVERT PRETERM Trial. Diagnostics (Basel). 2024;14(14). PMID: 39061599.

8. Saade GR, Boggess KA, Sullivan SA, et al. Development and validation of a spontaneous preterm delivery predictor in asymptomatic women.

Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2016;214(5):633.e1–e24. PMID: 26874297.

9.

Beam AL, Fried I, Palmer N, et al. Estimates of healthcare spending for preterm and low-birthweight infants in a commercially insured population: 2008-2016. Journal of Perinatology : Official Journal of the California Perinatal Association. 2020 Jul;40(7):1091-1099. DOI: 10.1038/s41372-020-0635-z. PMID: 32103158; PMCID: PMC7314662.

HEALTH REPORT OCTOBER | 2026

Page 11

Advancing Surgery, Improving Outcomes How advanced surgical expertise and comprehensive care can transform women's health Modern minimally invasive and robotic gynecologic surgery has changed what patients can expect from treatment. Conditions such as fibroids, endometriosis, adenomyosis, pelvic pain, abnormal bleeding, and complex pelvic disease often affect daily life, fertility, and long‑term wellbeing. When surgery becomes part of the treatment plan, the approach used can meaningfully shape a patient’s prognosis.

Compared with traditional open abdominal surgery, minimally invasive and robotic techniques consistently lead to safer procedures and faster recovery. Most patients return home the same day or within 24 hours, rather than staying in the hospital for several days. Recovery is also significantly quicker: many patients resume normal activities within one to three weeks, instead of the six to eight weeks typically required after open surgery. This shorter healing period reduces physical strain, emotional stress, and time away from work and family.

Many women discover they have options beyond major open surgery.

About the Author

These techniques also reduce surgical risk. Blood loss is often between 50 and 150 milliliters, compared with 300 to 600 milliliters during open surgery, lowering the likelihood of transfusion and helping patients regain strength sooner. Infection rates drop by 40 to 60 percent, and wound complications are far less common. Fewer complications mean a smoother recovery and a more stable long‑term outlook.

Robotic surgery adds a level of precision that can further improve prognosis, especially for complex conditions. Enhanced visualization and fine instrument control allow surgeons to treat disease more thoroughly and safely. In endometriosis, for example, complete excision of deep disease is associated with better pain relief, improved fertility outcomes, and lower recurrence rates. Robotic precision can make this level of treatment more achievable. For fibroids, minimally invasive removal reduces blood loss, shortens recovery, and can preserve the uterus when desired. In adenomyosis, minimally invasive hysterectomy offers faster healing and fewer complications, improving long‑term pelvic comfort. Even patients with extensive scarring or prior surgeries often benefit from robotic techniques that allow treatment previously possible only through open surgery.

A patient’s prognosis is also strongly influenced by the surgeon’s experience. Studies consistently show that experienced surgeons have lower complication rates, shorter operative times, and fewer conversions to open surgery. They are also more skilled at removing disease completely, preserving fertility when appropriate, and guiding patients toward the treatment that best supports their long‑term goals. This thoughtful decision‑making—knowing when surgery is necessary, when nonsurgical options may be effective, and which procedure offers the best long‑term benefit—is central to improving outcomes.

Access to advanced surgical care within the community strengthens prognosis even further. When patients can receive high‑quality care close to home, they avoid long travel, multiple referrals, and treatment delays.

Families experience less disruption, and local clinicians can coordinate care more effectively. Over time, this creates a stronger medical network and better long‑term health outcomes for the entire community.

RAMI Z. TABBARAH, MD Chief Medical Officer | Robotic and Minimally Invasive Surgery Dr. Rami Tabbarah is Anna Health’s chief medical officer and a fellowship-trained minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon, treating fibroids, abnormal bleeding, endometriosis, and complex pelvic disease. He serves as lead staff surgeon for OB/GYN and director of surgical education at Inova Fairfax Hospital. He holds the SRC Master Surgeon designation in Minimally Invasive Gynecology at Anna Health’s accredited Reston location.

Page 12

HEALTH REPORT OCTOBER | 2026

HOW NEWBORN STEM CELLS MAY SHAPE THE FUTURE OF MEDICINE When you're preparing for a baby, there are countless decisions to make and some are decisions you may never have considered before. One of them is what to do with the blood and tissue remaining in the umbilical cord after delivery.

For many years, umbilical cord blood was routinely discarded.

Today, we know it contains blood-forming stem cells that have an established role in transplantation while cells found in umbilical cord tissue are being studied for their potential applications in regenerative medicine.

For expectant parents, the important question isn't simply whether stem cells represent "the future of medicine." It's understanding what these cells can do today, what researchers are investigating for tomorrow and what parents should know before deciding whether to preserve them.

What are newborn stem cells?

Cord blood is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta after a baby is born. It contains hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), cells capable of producing the different types of blood cells that make up the body's blood and immune systems.

These cells have an established role in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Cord blood can be used as a source of bloodforming stem cells for patients with certain cancers and inherited disorders affecting the blood, immune system and metabolism.

Cord tissue is different. The umbilical cord contains several types of cells including mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which are being studied for their potential role in regenerative medicine. Researchers are investigating whether these cells may eventually contribute to tissue repair, immune modulation and other biological processes.

That distinction matters: cord blood has established clinical applications today while many potential uses of cord tissue remain under investigation.

ABOUT CORD BLOOD REGISTRY (CBR®) Cord Blood Registry (CBR®) is the world's largest newborn stem cell company and a leader in cord blood and cord tissue banking. CBR has helped families preserve newborn stem cells for more than three decades and stores more stem cell samples than any other family cord blood bank.

Through its state-of-the-art laboratory commitment to scientific advancement,

and

CCBR supports both established transplant applications and ongoing research in regenerative medicine. The organization continues to educate families and healthcare providers about the potential of newborn stem cells and the evolving role they may play in future healthcare innovation.

“Cord blood is already part of modern medicine. Cord tissue may help shape what comes next.”

What can cord blood actually be used for today?

One of the most common misconceptions about cord blood is that it is an experimental treatment. That isn't the case when it comes to its established use in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Cord blood has been used in stem cell transplantation for more than 30 years and Cord Blood Registry that cord blood stem cells can be used in the treatment of more than 80 conditions including certain cancers, blood and immune disorders and metabolic diseases.

The reason is relatively straightforward. In a transplant, bloodforming stem cells are used to help rebuild the patient's blood and immune systems after disease or intensive treatment has damaged those systems.

Cord blood can be particularly valuable because it is collected and stored in advance, meaning the cells may be available when medically appropriate rather than requiring a search for an unrelated donor at the time of treatment.

But another misconception is just as important to correct: storing cord blood does not mean that it can be used to treat any disease a child or family member might develop.

Whether a stored sample can be used depends on the patient's medical condition, the characteristics of the sample and whether the cells are appropriate for that particular patient. In some diseases, a patient's own cord blood would not be the appropriate source of treatment. The treating physician ultimately determines whether a stored sample is medically suitable.

What about regenerative medicine?

This is where the science becomes particularly interesting.

Researchers are studying newborn stem cells in areas that extend well beyond traditional transplantation. Cord Blood Registry cites more than 500 clinical trials involving cord blood and cord tissue in regenerative medicine research with studies investigating conditions including cerebral palsy, stroke, heart disease, hypoplastic left heart syndrome, type 1 diabetes and spinal cord injury.

But research should not be confused with established treatment.

Many of these applications remain investigational. The FDA has not broadly approved cord blood or cord tissue stem cells to treat neurological, cardiovascular, orthopedic or other conditions simply because they are being studied for those applications.

For parents, that distinction is important. The fact that researchers are studying a potential therapy does not mean that therapy will necessarily become available or that a stored sample will eventually be appropriate for a particular condition.

At the same time, clinical research is how medical advances happen. Today's studies may help determine which applications are safe, effective and appropriate for patients in the future.

Why preserve both cord blood and cord tissue?

Cord blood and cord tissue provide different types of newborn cells.

Cord blood provides hematopoietic stem cells with an established history in transplantation. Cord tissue contains MSCs and other cell populations that are being investigated for potential regenerative applications.

Cord Blood Registry stores cord tissue in whole segments, preserving access to multiple cell types that may have potential future applications. Cord Blood Registry has also developed technology to assess the quality of cord tissue samples and methods for isolating and expanding MSCs from thawed tissue for research purposes.

For families who choose to preserve both, collection occurs around the same delivery. The decision therefore isn't about choosing one type of stem cell over another as much as understanding that they represent different biological resources with different levels of established clinical use and scientific investigation.

What should parents consider before delivery?

If you're considering newborn stem cell preservation, the decision needs to be made before delivery. Collection occurs after the baby is born and the umbilical cord has been clamped and cut. The collection is performed from the umbilical cord rather than from the baby.

Parents should discuss their plans with their obstetric or maternity care team ahead of time and understand how collection fits with their birth preferences including their plans for delayed cord clamping.

Families should also understand the difference between public donation and family banking. Publicly donated cord blood may be made available to a patient who needs a transplant. With family banking, the stored cells are reserved for potential use by the child or eligible family members subject to the medical circumstances and suitability of the cells.

Cost is another consideration. Families should understand processing fees, storage costs, what services are included and what happens if they eventually decide to stop storage.

BY THE NUMBERS

80+

CONDITIONS

Cord blood stem cells can be used in the treatment of more than 80 conditions, including certain cancers, blood and immune disorders, and metabolic diseases.

One program worth knowing about Looking ahead For families facing certain medical circumstances, Cord Blood Registry also offers its Newborn Possibilities Program. The program provides eligible families with newborn stem cell preservation and five years of storage at no cost. Eligibility can include certain newborn health conditions or having a full sibling or biological parent with a disease that may be treatable with a stem cell transplant.

This is an important example of why discussing newborn stem cells with a healthcare provider before delivery can be worthwhile. In some situations, preserving a newborn's cells may have particular medical relevance.

Questions worth asking your healthcare provider If you're discussing newborn stem cell preservation during pregnancy, consider asking: What types of stem cells are found in cord blood and cord tissue?

Which uses are established today and which are still being researched?

Could these cells potentially be useful for my child or another family member?

What happens during collection?

How are the cells processed, tested and stored?

What factors determine whether a stored sample could eventually be used?

What are the costs of processing and long-term storage?

Am I eligible for public donation or a family banking program?

If I am interested in preserving both cord blood and cord tissue, what should I know before delivery?

The science of cellular medicine continues to evolve. Cord blood is already part of modern transplantation medicine while cord tissue and other newborn cell populations are being investigated for additional applications.

Cord Blood Registry, which has been preserving newborn stem cells since 1992, reports that families have entrusted the company with more than one million cord blood and cord tissue samples. The company has also provided more than 800 stored samples for medical use including transplant medicine and appropriately regulated experimental regenerative medicine applications.

Those numbers represent more than milestones for a company. They illustrate how a biological material once routinely discarded has become part of an established area of medicine while simultaneously becoming the subject of continued scientific investigation.

No one can predict exactly what medicine will look like decades from now. What parents can do is understand the science available today, distinguish established treatments from promising research and make an informed decision about whether preserving newborn stem cells is right for their family.

The opportunity begins with something remarkably simple: learning what is available at the moment of birth.

“A biological material once routinely discarded has become part of an established area of medicine while also becoming the subject of continued scientific investigation.”

About the Author DR. MISSING MISSING Dr. [Provider Name], [Credentials], is a [Specialty] with [Practice Name] serving families throughout Northern Virginia. Dr. [Last Name] is committed to patient education and helping expectant parents make informed healthcare decisions through evidence-based guidance and compassionate care

Sources Dr. [Provider Name], [Credentials], is a [Specialty] with [Practice Name] serving families throughout Northern Virginia. Dr. [Last Name] is committed to patient education and helping expectant parents make informed healthcare decisions through evidence-based guidance and compassionate care

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Know Your Risk Empowering Your Health with MyRisk Genetic Testing In plain language, what does your company do, and what would a patient encounter from you?

Myriad Genetics is a pioneer in genetic testing and precision medicine that has delivered actionable genetic insights to millions of people for more than 30 years. Today, we continue to innovate across hereditary cancer risk, reproductive health, oncology, urology, and mental health.

Within hereditary cancer risk, Myriad offers a simple genetic test called the MyRisk® Hereditary Cancer Test that analyzes 63 genes linked to 11 common cancers including breast, ovarian, colorectal, pancreatic, prostate and others. This test can uncover invaluable insights and answers to help reduce the risk for cancer or diagnose it at an earlier, more treatable stage.

Walk through the process from the patient’s point of view, and how long each part takes.

If your healthcare provider recommends hereditary cancer testing, it can be done in your provider's office. Your provider will collect a blood or saliva sample using a special kit, which will be shipped to Myriad Genetics for analysis. Test results will be delivered directly to your provider in approximately two weeks. Your provider may schedule an appointment with you to discuss your results.

In advance of an appointment to discuss potential hereditary cancer testing, patients should gather information about their personal and family history. This should include information such as: Any history of cancer on the patient’s mom and dad’s sides of the family At least three generations of family history (parents, children, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and other close blood relatives) Details about any cancer diagnoses in the family, such as the type of cancer and the age of the relative when they were diagnosed

What do the results mean, and just as importantly, what do they not mean?

Hereditary cancer testing is a type of genetic test that can help healthcare providers find out if a patient is at higher risk for developing cancer, due to a genetic mutation that may have been passed down through the patient’s family. The test does not determine if a person has cancer.

A positive MyRisk test result does not mean a patient has cancer, but rather that a patient may be at an increased risk of developing certain cancers due to an inherited mutation.

A negative MyRisk test result means that no genetic mutation was found in the genes tested, ruling out common causes of hereditary cancer. This does not mean that a patient will not develop cancer in the future, and higher risks could still remain depending on the patient’s family history of cancer and other risk factors.

Who is this appropriate for, and who is it not appropriate for?

Patients may be an appropriate candidate for hereditary cancer testing if they have a personal or family history of any of the following: Multiple cases of the same type of cancer on the same side of the family Young age at cancer diagnosis in the family (50 or younger) Rare cancer in the family like ovarian, male breast cancer or pancreatic cancer

What is the most common misconception you would like to correct?

Many people believe that if genetic testing finds an inherited gene mutation linked to cancer risk, surgery is their only option.

In reality, surgery is just one of several ways patients and their providers can manage their cancer risk. Depending on the specific risk factors identified, there may be other options available to help lower risk or detect cancer earlier, when it is often more treatable. These options can include enhanced or more frequent screenings as well as medications that may help reduce the risk of certain cancers.

For example, a woman with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation may have several options to help manage her breast cancer risk. In addition to considering a risk-reducing surgery, she may benefit from annual breast MRI screening starting at age 25 and may discuss risk-reducing medications, such as tamoxifen, with her healthcare provider.1

What should a patient bring up with their own physician afterward?

Patients should discuss their hereditary cancer testing results with their provider to determine if any medical management changes might be recommended based on the results. The testing is designed to uncover invaluable insights about potential increased risks for certain cancer types, and to help guide future medical management decisions aimed at reducing the risk of cancer or diagnosing it at an earlier, more treatable stage.

A patient’s personalized prevention or treatment plan based on their results could include any of the following: Extra surveillance: Extra surveillance may find cancer at an earlier and more treatable stage Risk-reducing medications: There are medications that can lower the risk for certain cancers Risk-reducing surgery: Based on a patient’s unique situation, certain surgeries can greatly lower future cancer risk.

Treatment options: If a patient has been diagnosed with cancer, the test results may help determine appropriate treatment options for the patient.

What should someone know about cost and insurance?

Cost should not stand in the way of getting answers. Most eligible patients pay little to no cost for testing,2 and Myriad will email patients a personalized estimate of any potential out-ofpocket costs.

Most commercial and federally funded insurance plans cover HCT for eligible patients. 3 However, when coverage isn't available, patients may have access to a financial assistance program, interest-free payment plans, or a low-cost direct pay option.

BY THE NUMBERS

63 genes analyzed cancers linked 11 common to those genes. weeks for results to be to the 2 delivered healthcare provider.

What has changed in this area in the last few years that a patient probably has not heard about?

There are now additional tools to assess breast cancer risk beyond traditional hereditary cancer testing, which works to identify mutations in genes like BRCA1 and BRCA2 that associated with inherited risk.

Myriad Genetics offers one of these additional tools in the form of our RiskScore® Assessment. The RiskScore analysis brings together multiple factors that can influence breast cancer risk to deliver a more personalized risk estimate of five-year and lifetime risk.

Myriad Genetics includes the RiskScore assessment for no additional charge with MyRisk hereditary cancer test orders for all eligible patients. By combining the MyRisk hereditary cancer test with RiskScore®, Myriad can provide a more complete picture of breast cancer risk, helping more people gain insights that may inform conversations with their healthcare provider about their health and future care options.4

Katie Hunt, MS, CGC Medical Science Liaison

Katie Hunt is a board-certified genetic counselor and Medical Science Liaison with Myriad Genetics. She partners with healthcare providers to implement reproductive genetic screening and hereditary cancer risk assessment in clinical practice. Before joining Myriad, she spent 13 years as a clinical genetic counselor in Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Katie holds a master’s degree in Medical Genetics from the University of Cincinnati and currently resides in Columbus, Ohio. She is passionate about health equity and enjoys hiking with her husband, trying new restaurants, and football season.

Sources 1. https://myriad.com/gene-table. Accessed September 2026.

2. Based on a review of 12 months of past claim data for major insurance carriers across the US, most patients face no out-of-pocket costs for their MyRisk test. Last updated 2024.

3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Preventive Services Coverage. Updated June 3, 2026. Accessed July 13, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/high-quality-care/hcp/resources/preventive-services-coverage.html.

4. Myriad internal data based on MyRisk tests reported between 09/01/2021 and 02/01/2023 ordered for unaffected patients by OBGYN & Primary Care healthcare providers.

How Comprehensive Women’s Healthcare Centers Provide Advanced Outpatient Care for PMOS:

A Physician’s Perspective As physicians, we see every day how complex Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) can be. PMOS affects hormones, metabolism, menstrual cycles, and fertility, and it often impacts emotional wellbeing as well. Because it involves several systems in the body, patients benefit most from care delivered in a coordinated, comprehensive outpatient environment—one where multiple specialties work together rather than in isolation. This level of integration goes beyond the standard of care and allows us to diagnose and treat PMOS more effectively.

PMOS often presents with symptoms that seem unrelated: irregular periods, weight changes, acne, hair growth, or difficulty conceiving. Many women have seen several providers before receiving a clear diagnosis. In a comprehensive women’s healthcare center, these concerns are evaluated together.

Family medicine physicians, gynecologists, fertility specialists, and minimally invasive surgeons collaborate within one clinical framework, which allows us to identify PMOS earlier and create a unified treatment plan from the beginning.

Diagnosis starts with a thorough clinical evaluation. We review menstrual history, perform hormonal testing, and assess metabolic health, including insulin resistance, cholesterol, and blood pressure. Because PMOS affects both endocrine and metabolic pathways, primary care physicians play a central role in identifying underlying metabolic concerns. Gynecologists evaluate ovarian function, cycle irregularities, and pelvic symptoms. When fertility is a priority, reproductive endocrinologists guide ovulation support and cycle monitoring.

This coordinated approach gives us a complete understanding of a patient’s health rather than treating symptoms separately.

Treatment focuses on restoring balance and improving quality of life. We use evidence‑based medical therapy to regulate cycles, support ovulation, and improve insulin sensitivity.

Primary care physicians help patients manage metabolic health through medication, nutrition guidance, and lifestyle support.

Gynecologists address reproductive symptoms that interfere with daily life, and fertility specialists provide advanced options when conception becomes a goal. Because all providers communicate directly and share the same clinical information, patients receive consistent, aligned care throughout their treatment.

We also recognize that PMOS affects emotional wellbeing.

Many patients experience anxiety, depression, or stress related to their symptoms. Lifestyle factors such as nutrition, sleep, and physical activity play an important role in managing PMOS. In a comprehensive outpatient setting, we incorporate counseling, nutrition support, and follow‑up visits to help patients feel supported and empowered throughout their care.

Our goal as physicians is to treat PMOS as the complex condition it is. By bringing together primary care, gynecology, surgery, fertility care, and wellness support, comprehensive women’s healthcare centers provide coordinated, patient‑centered care that exceeds the standard outpatient model. This approach ensures timely diagnosis, personalized treatment, and long‑term support—all within a single, unified system designed to care for the whole woman.

About the Author

HIRA KHALIQ, MD Gynecology and Obstetrics | Robotic and Minimally Invasive Surgery Dr. Hira Khaliq practices at Anna Health's Reston office, where her work spans high-risk pregnancy and minimally invasive gynecologic surgery. She is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology, trained in robotic surgical technique, and a member of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. A Northern Virginia native, she completed her residency at Providence Hospital in Michigan.

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2026 · RESTON, VIRGINIA

Community Health Fair

A single afternoon of health education, screenings, and clinical conversation for patients, families, and referring providers across Northern Virginia.

WHEN

ANTICIPATED ATTENDANCE

PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS

3:00 to 7:00 PM

150 to 250

10 to 12

ANNA HEALTH