How Important is a Supportive Spouse as a Physician Mother?

, Mona Shahriari, MD, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the Yale School of Medicine and associate director of clinical trials at Central Connecticut Dermatology Research, spoke with Jennifer Hsiao, MD, a dermatologist and clinical associate professor of clinical dermatology at Keck Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) about the often invisible pressures faced by physician mothers. Their candid discussion explored the concept of the “mental load,” evolving family dynamics, and how motherhood reshapes both personal and professional perspectives.

Shahriari opened the conversation by reflecting on advice she received during residency suggesting 1 of the most important decisions in life is choosing a supportive partner. From there, the discussion shifted to a less visible but widely shared challenge among working parents: the mental load of anticipating and organizing household responsibilities. Hsiao described herself as the “calendar controller” of her household, responsible for tracking school schedules, appointments, extracurricular activities, and family logistics. While her partner provides flexibility and support when needed, she noted the underlying responsibility for anticipating these needs often falls to her.

Hsiao also highlighted how social norms can reinforce this dynamic. She pointed to a common example: schools often default to contacting mothers first, even when both parents share responsibilities. For physicians working in clinic settings, where stepping away from patient care is difficult, such expectations can create additional stress. Hsiao described receiving a missed call from her child’s school while in clinic as often triggering immediate concern.

Shahriari expanded on this point by emphasizing how societal conditioning contributes to invisible labor. She suggested girls are often raised to anticipate needs, while boys are encouraged to execute tasks once they are assigned. As a result, the anticipatory work can become disproportionately carried by mothers. The 2 physicians also reflected on how language itself may reinforce this imbalance, noting phrases such as “helping” with childcare can unintentionally imply that caregiving responsibilities primarily belong to mothers rather than representing shared ownership.

The discussion then turned to how motherhood has shaped their personal growth. Hsiao described parenting as both strengthening and transformative, likening it to being “on call 24/7” with high stakes and little formal preparation. She spoke about the profound sense of responsibility resulting from raising children and the intense emotional investment in helping them grow into thoughtful, compassionate adults.

Shahriari echoed these sentiments, describing her becoming a parent as having increased her empathy, both in daily life and in patient care. She reflected on how experiences such as managing childcare challenges have made her more understanding of patients navigating similar circumstances. Ultimately, the conversation broadened into a reflection on the idea of “having it all.” Hsiao emphasized that success looks different for each individual and depends on personal priorities and sacrifices. Rather than striving to meet external expectations, she encouraged physicians to define their own goals, both at home and professionally, and make decisions aligned with those values.

Editor’s note: This summary was edited with the help of AI tools.

Videos

This segment of the latest episode of The Medical Sisterhood podcast highlights the value of a supportive partner among those who are physician parents.

Dermatology

The HCPLive dermatology page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on skin disease. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments for dermatologic conditions, and more.

News

news page, resources on the topics of disease- and specialty-specific medical news and expert insight can be found. Content includes articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, and breaking news on health care research, treatment, and drug development.

Clinical

clinical page is a resource for content on every specialty, disease, and topic available on our medical news site.

Nancy Reau, MD, is Professor of Internal Medicine, Richard B. Capps Chair of Hepatology, Associate Director of Solid Organ Transplantation, and Section Chief of Hepatology at Rush University Medical Center.

Su Wang, MD, MPH, is an internist specializing in hepatitis B, Medical Director of the Center for Asian Health and Viral Hepatitis Programs at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, and a person living with chronic hepatitis B herself.

Liver Lineup: Breaking Down Barriers in Hepatitis B Management

In this new episode of Liver Lineup, hosts Nancy Reau, MD, and Kimberly Brown, MD, welcome a special guest who brings a uniquely multidimensional perspective to hepatitis B care: Su Wang, MD, MPH.

An internist specializing in hepatitis B, Medical Director of the Center for Asian Health and Viral Hepatitis Programs at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, and a person living with chronic hepatitis B herself, Wang bridges the worlds of clinical medicine, guideline development, and patient advocacy.

The conversation centers on a timely and increasingly complex topic: the expanding, and at times confusing, landscape of hepatitis B guidelines. From the World Health Organization to US and European liver societies, multiple guidance documents have emerged over the past few years.

Rather than viewing this proliferation as fragmentation, Wang frames it as progress. Different guidelines serve different audiences, from hepatologists in resource-rich settings to frontline primary care clinicians and providers in low- and middle-income countries.

Still, confusion persists, particularly among non-specialists. Reau and Brown highlight a critical challenge: many clinicians see hepatitis B infrequently and may feel overwhelmed by nuanced algorithms and phase-based classifications. Wang acknowledges that complexity has historically created a kind of “paternalism,” not only toward patients but toward providers, implicitly signaling that hepatitis B management belongs solely to subspecialists.

A key shift in newer guidance, the panel notes, is the embrace of shared decision-making. Importantly, this does not simply mean deferring to patient preference—it means explicitly informing patients that treatment is an option. Wang shares sobering survey data suggesting that many individuals living with hepatitis B were never told antiviral therapy existed. The group discusses how withholding that conversation, even with good intentions, limits autonomy.

The episode also explores emerging themes reshaping hepatitis B care: recognition of metabolic comorbidities as treatment modifiers, the growing appreciation of patient-reported outcomes like fatigue and anxiety, and evolving thinking around integration and long-term oncogenic risk,not just ALT-driven inflammation.

Ultimately, this discussion moves beyond guideline minutiae to a broader call to action. Hepatitis B is common, often acquired in childhood, and too prevalent to remain siloed within hepatology. Empowering primary care clinicians to screen, vaccinate, and initiate treatment, while equipping patients with accessible tools, will be essential to meeting elimination goals.

Relevant disclosures for Reau include AbbVie, Gilead, Salix, Arbutus, and VIR. Relevant disclosures for Brown include Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Gilead, Salix, Intercept, Ipsen, and Madrigal. Relevant disclosures for Wang include Gilead Sciences.

Ghany MG, Pan CQ, Lok AS, et al. AASLD ISDA Practice Guideline on treatment of chronic hepatitis B. Hepatology ():10.1097/HEP.0000000000001549, November 4, 2025. | DOI: 10.1097/HEP.0000000000001549

European Association for the Study of the Liver. EASL Clinical Practice Guidelines on the management of hepatitis B virus infection. 

. 2025;83(2):502-583. doi:10.1016/j.jhep.2025.03.018

You H, Wang F, Li T, et al. Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis B (version 2022). 

. 2023;11(6):1425-1442. doi:10.14218/JCTH.2023.00320

Podcasts

Hosts are joined by Su Wang, MD, MPH, to discuss the evolving management of hepatitis B and how to move care beyond silos with expanded treatment and provider empowerment.

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C page, resources on the topics of medical news and expert insight into HCV can be found. Content includes articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, and breaking news on hepatitis C virus research, treatment, and drug development.

Hepatology

Liver Lineup: Updates & Unfiltered Insights

Introducing Liver Lineup: Updates & Unfiltered Insights — an exciting new podcast delivering timely, candid perspectives on the most pressing topics in the fast-moving world of hepatology. Created by Nancy Reau, MD, and Kimberly Brown, MD, and hosted by HCPLive, this series dives into the cutting edge of liver disease research, clinical care, and real-world practice.

Verekitug Cuts Polyp Size in Severe CRSwNP, With Joseph Han, MD

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI)

, Joseph Han, MD, from Old Dominion University, presented new data from the phase 2 VIBRANT trial evaluating verekitug (UPB-101), a fully human monoclonal antibody targeting the thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) receptor, in adults with severe, uncontrolled 

chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP)

“What's nice about targeting TSLP receptor is that you're still targeting the same epithelial alarm in TSLP, but specifically you're targeting the receptor,” Han told

 during the meeting. “The benefit of targeting the receptor is that the monoclonal antibody binds to the receptor longer, so the half-life ends up being longer. In this study, what we were able to do is show that by blocking the TSLP receptor and giving a sub-Q injection every 3 months, instead of every month or 2 months.”

The double-blind, placebo-controlled VIBRANT trialrandomized 81 patients with severe CRSwNP (endoscopic nasal polyp score [NPS] ≥5) who had previously undergone endoscopic sinus surgery or required or were intolerant to systemic corticosteroids. Participants received standard of care plus either 100 mg subcutaneous verekitug (n = 41) or placebo (n = 40) every 12 weeks for 24 weeks.

The primary endpoint, change from baseline in total NPS at week 24, was met. Verekitug demonstrated a least squares mean difference vs placebo of −1.77 (95% CI, −2.51 to −1.03; 

 <.0001). Han noted that the magnitude of polyp reduction, approaching a 2-point difference from baseline, is clinically meaningful in a population with high baseline disease burden.

Key secondary endpoints also showed statistically significant and clinically relevant improvements at week 24. Compared with placebo, verekitug reduced the nasal congestion score by −0.77 (

 =.0003), the total symptom score by −4.29 (

=.0018), and the difficulty with sense of smell scoreby −0.85 (

 =.0002). Imaging outcomes also improved, with a −8.1 change in the Lund-Mackay score (

Treatment reduced the odds of requiring rescue endoscopic sinus surgery or systemic corticosteroids by 76% compared with placebo (

 =.03). According to Han, improvements in polyp size and congestion are directly linked to reductions in acute exacerbations and downstream interventions, reinforcing the potential disease-modifying impact of targeting TSLP signaling upstream in the inflammatory cascade.

Safety findings were favorable. Treatment-related adverse events occurred more frequently in the placebo arm (7.5%) than in the verekitug arm (2.5%), supporting the tolerability of the 12-week dosing strategy.

With these positive phase 2 results, the program is advancing to phase 3 evaluation. Han cautioned that definitive positioning relative to approved biologics will require head-to-head data or cross-trial comparisons following completion of phase 3 studies. However, he noted that the magnitude and consistency of effect across symptom, endoscopic, and imaging endpoints are encouraging.

“The results are in line with targeting TSLP, and the results seem to be very similar to what we saw with Waypoint,” Han said.

Relevant disclosures include GlaxoSmithKline, LLC., Medtronic, Inc., Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc., GENZYME CORPORATION, Optinose US, Inc., Medtronic, Inc., AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, and AERIN MEDICAL INC.

Han J, Skarzynski P, Talreja N, et al. Efficacy and Safety of Verekitug (UPB-101) in Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps: Results of the Phase 2 VIBRANT Trial. 

Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2025.12.966

Han discusses late-breaking phase 2 VIBRANT data at AAAAI 2026, which showed that quarterly TSLP receptor blockade reduced the need for CRSwNP by 76%.


Conference

 conference coverage page features articles, videos, and expert-led live coverage from major medical meetings throughout the year.

Allergy

Allergy condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on allergic and inflammatory diseases. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for food and seasonal allergies, as well as allergic asthma and related conditions.

Alex Hillenbrand is an assistant editor for 

. She earned her BA in English from Lafayette College in 2023 and went on to write for pop culture, entertainment, and sports media outlets before joining MJH Life Sciences in 2025. In her free time, Alex enjoys cooking, going on walks, and meeting new people. Contact her at mjhlifesciences.com.

The nephrology field continued to see advances in February 2026, with MAJESTY and TACITO trial updates, key insights into KDIGO guidelines for 

, along with featured content for Rare Disease Day and a 1-year look back at semaglutide (Ozempic) for 

In terms of trial updates, these include results from phase 3 MAJESTY for primary membranous nephropathy (PMN) in patients treated with obinutuzumab (Gazyva) and new evidence from phase 2a TACITO trial of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for patients with advanced metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) receiving pembrolizumab and axitinib.

In the studio, HCPLive’s content team sat down with Gerald Appel, MD, Co-Director of Clinical Nephrology at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center in New York, New York, and tenured Professor of Clinical Medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, along with Luis Sanchez Russo, MD, transplant nephrologist at CEntral Florida Kidney Specialists to discuss the future of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) in light of the 2025 KDIGO Clinical Practice Guidelines Updates for IgAN and IgA vasculitis.

curated features with experts in the field to commemorate Rare Disease Day 2026 and to dissect the impact of the 1-year of semaglutide by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for CKD and T2D.

Follow along below to catch up on everything you missed in nephrology during February 2026!

1 Year After CKD Approval, Semaglutide Transforms Diabetes, Kidney, and Heart Care

FDA approval in T2D with CKD positioned semaglutid, marked as an important milestone as the first GLP-1 receptor agonist to reduce the risk of worsening kidney disease, kidney failure, and death due to cardiovascular disease in these patient populations

Rare Disease Day 2026: Kidney Diseases Enter Optimistic Therapeutic Era

On Rare Disease Day 2026, 4 clinicians shared their insights and perspectives on the groundbreaking improvements in the rapidly evolving field of rare kidney diseases.

Despite persistent awareness gaps in rare kidney disease care, a wave of FDA approvals and phase 3 trial successes in IgAN and C3 glomerulopathy (C3G), alongside updated 2025 KDIGO Practice Guidelines, has fueled growing clinician optimism about a rapidly advancing, disease-modifying treatment era.

TACITO: Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Improves Immunotherapy Response in Advanced Kidney Cancer

New evidence from the ​​phase 2a TACITO trial suggests FMT improves the effectiveness of immunotherapy in patients with advanced mRCC receiving pembrolizumab and axitinib, based on a hypothesis that transplanting favorable gut microbiome could enhance a patient’s response to immunotherapy.

MAJESTY: Obinutuzumab Achieves 2 Year Complete Remission in Primary Membranous Nephropathy

MAJESTY, the first global phase 3 study in primary membranous nephropathy (PMN), met its primary endpoint of complete remission at 2 years with obinutuzumab (Gazyva).

Genentech announced the positive 2-year phase 3 results of obinutuzumab compared to tacrolimus on February 16, 2026, with the potential for the therapeutic to become the first approved treatment for PMN.

How the 2025 KDIGO Guidelines Are Personalizing IgA Nephropathy Care, With Gerald Appel, MD

for the Management of IgAN and IgAV, in tandem with the evolving therapeutic landscape, has introduced significant changes to clinical care, essentially individualizing treatment strategies.

From a clinician's perspective, the KDIGO guidelines for IgAN/IgAN has shifted management toward a more personalized approach, supported by a broader range of therapeutic options, combination strategies, and long-term patient-centered goals.

Articles

February 2026 nephrology highlights spanned pivotal trial readouts, guideline-driven practice evolution, and milestone therapeutics. Phase 3 MAJESTY demonstrated 2-year complete remission with obinutuzumab versus tacrolimus in primary membranous nephropathy, supporting a potential first-in-indication approval. Phase 2a TACITO suggested fecal microbiota transplantation may enhance pembrolizumab/axitinib efficacy in advanced metastatic RCC via microbiome modulation. Updated 2025 KDIGO guidance for IgAN/IgA vasculitis emphasized individualized, combination-capable strategies. Rare kidney diseases saw accelerating momentum, alongside a 1-year reflection on semaglutide’s cardio-renal impact in CKD with T2D.

The nephrology field continued to see advances in February 2026, with 5 headlines clincians may have missed.

Nephrology

The HCPLive nephrology page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on kidney disease. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments in nephrology, and more.

5 Nephrology Headlines You Missed in February 2026

Hyundam (Dami) Gu, MD, MPH, is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine.

How Addiction Is Driving Liver, GI Disease in the US

Addiction and disorders of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and liver are deeply interconnected, yet the relationship remains underrecognized in routine clinical practice.

In discussing this issue, Hyundam (Dami) Gu, MD, MPH, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, emphasized that for gastroenterologists and hepatologists, substance use disorders (SUDs) are not peripheral concerns. Rather, they are central drivers of morbidity, mortality, and transplant need in the United States.

From a hepatology standpoint, she noted that alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is now one of the leading causes of chronic liver disease and the leading indication for liver transplantation, with unhealthy alcohol use directly injuring the liver through toxic metabolites, oxidative stress, and activation of inflammatory and immune pathways.

However, Gu was careful to distinguish alcohol use disorder (AUD) from ALD. While the 2 frequently overlap, they are not identical entities.

“We still do not have the clearest picture of what subset of AUD patients or ALD patients develop the other disease and why,” she explained.

Further complicating the identification and management of these patients is the widespread stigmatization of alcohol use, with emerging research suggesting greater levels of stigma surrounding ALD compared with non-alcohol-related liver disease, acting as a barrier to care and causing frequent delays in diagnosis among these patients.

Gu also highlighted the impact of opioid use disorder (OUD) on GI and liver health. Injection drug use continues to drive hepatitis C transmission, contributing to chronic liver disease. In addition, chronic opioid exposure disrupts GI motility, leading to esophageal dysfunction, gastroparesis, constipation, and narcotic bowel syndrome. Heavy cannabis use, she added, is strongly associated with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, and synthetic cannabinoids have been linked to hepatotoxicity.

Despite these well-established connections, Gu identified underrecognition as the primary clinical challenge.

“Many patients are not routinely screened for substance use in GI and hepatology settings, and as a result, unhealthy substance use often goes unidentified until significant organ damage has already occurred,” Gu said.

She also noted that clinicians often rely heavily on self-report, which may be influenced by stigma or concerns about transplant eligibility. Although structured screening tools and objective biomarkers exist, they are not uniformly used.

Importantly, Gu stressed that the issue is not a lack of effective treatments. Rather, it is the failure to identify patients early and integrate addiction care into routine GI and liver practice. Fragmented systems, limited specialist training in addiction medicine, and uncertainty about medication safety in cirrhosis further complicate care.

Ultimately, she argued that integrated, multidisciplinary models are essential. Treating liver disease without addressing substance use does not improve long-term outcomes. Coordinated care, embedded addiction services, and early identification represent a high-impact opportunity to improve survival and organ-specific outcomes.

Editors’ note: Gu reports no relevant disclosures.

Deutsch-Link S, Byers IS, Gu H, Arab JP. Addiction in Gastrointestinal and Liver Disorders. Am J Gastroenterol. Published online January 21, 2026. doi:10.14309/ajg.0000000000003925

Hillenbrand A. Stigma Around Alcohol-Related Liver Disease Poses Major Barrier to Care. HCPLive. November 7, 2025. Accessed March 4, 2026. 

https://www.hcplive.com/view/stigma-alcohol-related-liver-disease-poses-barrier-care

Gu explains how addiction drives GI and liver disease and why integrated care is key to improving outcomes and survival.

Psychiatry

Psychiatry condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on mental illnesses. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and more.

Addiction

Addiction medicine condition center page, resources on the topics of medical news and expert insight into clinical addiction can be found. Content includes articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, and breaking news on addiction therapy research, treatment, and drug development.

Recognizing Addiction in GI and Hepatology Practice, With Hyundam (Dami) Gu, MD, MPH

Tim Smith joined the MJH Life Sciences team in 2022 and is currently an associate editor for HCPLive. He is also the executive producer of two podcasts: Skin of Color Savvy and The Medical Sisterhood. Previously, he was the producer of the Lungcast podcast. He graduated from UC Berkeley and worked in multimedia journalism as a staff writer prior to joining MJH. You can contact him at tsmith@mjhlifesciences.com.

Barzolvolimab therapy resulted in significant improvement of cold urticaria (ColdU) following 20 weeks of treatment.

Urticaria

The HCPLive urticaria page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on chronic idiopathic urticaria and chronic spontaneous urticaria. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for urticaria, and more.

Barzolvolimab Improves Urticaria Control, Quality of Life in Chronic Inducible Urticaria

UChicago GI faculty bring expert endoscopy and IBD care closer to you, with seamless hospital follow-up and cutting-edge clinical trials.

Expanding Access, Advancing Science- How the University of Chicago Is Redefining IBD Care Across Chicagoland

Learn how TED signs vary by age, plus key risk factors like smoking and vision changes that signal severe Thyroid Eye Disease.

Video Series

Thyroid Eye Disease - Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Screening

Chelsie Derman is an associate editor for 

who covers psychiatry, sleep medicine, geriatrics, migraine, and allergy. She joined MJH Life Sciences in September 2023 after graduating from The College of New Jersey with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and professional writing. In her free time, she enjoys creative writing and reading.

Pooled REMIX-1/-2 data show remibrutinib reduced CSU activity within 12 hours, with greater UAS improvements vs placebo through day 7.

Remibrutinib Reduces CSU Symptoms Within 12 Hours in Phase 3 REMIX Analysis

Timothy Garvey, MD, is a professor of medicine at the Univeristy of Alabama at Birmingham. 

This World Obesity Day, catch up on major paradigm shifts in the diagnosis, discussion, and treatment of obesity, one of the world’s most devastating chronic diseases.

Endocrinology

The HCPLive endocrinology page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on endocrine system conditions. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for diabetes, hormonal disease, and more.

Obesity Management

Obesity Management condition center page, resources on the topics of medical news and expert insight into clinical weight management can be found. Content includes articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, and breaking news on obesity research, treatment, and drug development.

Strategic Alliance Partnership

Obesity as a Disease: Reanalyzing and Reformatting How Excess Adiposity is Addressed In and Out of Clinics

In this February review of the most significant developments in dermatology, the month’s most notable coverage of disease states such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis is highlighted.

Plaque Psoriasis

The HCPLive plaque psoriasis page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on psoriasis. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments for psoriatic disease, and more.

6 Dermatology Headlines You Missed in February 2026

Muthiah Vaduganathan, MD, MPH, is a cardiologist specializing in cardiorenal metabolism at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, MA. Vaduganathan is a member of Practical Cardiology's advisory board and co-host of Don't Miss a Beat, a podcast presented by Inside Cardiology.

Learn how uACR and eGFR tracking, EHR prompts, and team-based titration streamline early CKD care and reduce cardiovascular risk.

Optimizing Multidisciplinary Collaboration in CKD Management

See how UACR trends motivate patients, guide shared decisions, and tailor therapies to slow CKD while lowering cardiovascular risk.

Clinical and Biomarker Signals for Escalating Therapy in High-Risk CKD

Heart failure playbook reshapes CKD care: early combo therapies, right dosing, and smart uACR/eGFR follow-up to boost adherence.

Tailoring CKD Management to Cardiovascular Risk and Multidisciplinary Monitoring

Explore the four-pillars approach to slowing kidney disease—max dose ACE/ARB, add SGLT2, MRA, GLP‑1—plus access and team-based tips.

Latest News

How Important is a Supportive Spouse as a Physician Mother?

Liver Lineup: Breaking Down Barriers in Hepatitis B Management

Verekitug Cuts Polyp Size in Severe CRSwNP, With Joseph Han, MD

5 Nephrology Headlines You Missed in February 2026

Recognizing Addiction in GI and Hepatology Practice, With Hyundam (Dami) Gu, MD, MPH