pregnancy

The sedentary behavior reduction in pregnancy intervention pilot and feasibility randomized trial

Dr. Catov's work around pregnant individuals at risk for high sedentary behavior and adverse pregnancy outcomes points to a sedentary behavior reduction intervention being feasible, acceptable, and may offer a viable alternative.


https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38605328/

Help-Seeking Among Pregnant and Postpartum Women With Lifetime Experiences of Opioid Use Disorder and Intimate Partner Violence

Drs. Chang, Krans, and Miller conducted 15 semistructured interviews with pregnant and postpartum women who have experienced opioid use disorder (OUD) and intimate partner violence (IPV). Their team found that
➡️ Partners impacted their ability to seek OUD care
➡️ Seeking help for OUD and IPV was siloed and they wished for integrated services
➡️ They were more comfortable disclosing OUD than IPV
➡️ They perceived pregnancy as a barrier and facilitator to OUD care

Blood Pressure Trajectories Through the First Year Postpartum in Overweight or Obese Individuals Following a Hypertensive Disorder of Pregnancy

Dr. Janey Catov and her team compared pregnancy and postpartum blood pressure (BP) trajectories among individuals with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy who developed persistent hypertension at 1-year postpartum compared with individuals with normalization of BP.

Read the rest of their paper here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38073563/

Young Black Women's Desired Pregnancy and Birthing Support During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Black pregnant women encounter structural racism and intersectional bias from healthcare providers. By centering their perspectives and experiences of racial discrimination in healthcare settings, public health and medical professionals can utilize anti-racist frameworks to create more equitable, just practices in reproductive healthcare.


Read more about Drs. Ashley Hill and Natacha De Genna's findings here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38106375/

Placental syndromes and long-term risk of hypertension

Dr. Janet Catov's team reviewed the relationship between blood pressure and maternal health in pregnancy. They concluded that there is a pressing need for studies with a range of detailed measures of cardiac and vascular structure and function taken before, during, and after pregnancy. This will help inform effective precision medicine prevention and treatment of both placental syndromes and chronic hypertension in women.

Read more about Dr. Catov's findings here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36702879/

Young black women's desired pregnancy and birthing support during coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic

Drs. Ashley Hill, Natacha De Genna, and their team found that young Black women who desired pregnancy and birthing support during Covid-19 encountered structural racism and intersectional bias from healthcare providers. 

Read more about their research findings here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667321523001178?via%3Dihub

Prepregnancy obesity and risk of placental inflammation at term: a selection bias analysis

Dr. Janet Catov and her team examined the association between prepregnancy obesity (risk factor for inflammation) and histologic placental inflammation (correlated with impaired infant neurodevelopment) and how selection bias may influence the association.

Their findings point to obesity contributing to placental inflammation: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37302673/

Racial inequities in drug tests ordered by clinicians for pregnant people who disclose substance use

Drs. Mendez, Jarlenski, Chang, and their team measured racial inequities in drug testing among pregnant people and found that clinicians were more likely to order urine drug testing for Black patients compared with their White counterparts.


Read more of their findings here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37769307/

"We really are seeing racism in the hospitals": Racial identity, racism, and doula care for diverse populations in Georgia

Poor birth outcomes are more prevalent for Black communities, but strong evidence shows that doula care can improve those outcomes. In this study by Dr. Mosley and her team, doulas noted the alarming Black maternal mortality rate and how mistreatment causes Black clients to lose trust in medical staff, leaving them in need of advocates. Doulas also discussed the ways that race influences their connections with clients and their dissatisfaction with the lack of cultural humility or sensitivity training in standard doula training.