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A Mixed-Methods Analysis Of Abortion Attitudes And Perceptions Among Women Living In Alabama And South Carolina, Anthony Peluso

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Legal induced abortion is a safe option for terminating a pregnancy for women of reproductive age in the United States (U.S.), though access has varied since the Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton cases in 1973. Information is lacking on women’s attitudes toward and perceptions of abortion as well as on related constructs such as pregnancy attitudes and contraceptive use. Exploring these constructs is important in that it can provide much needed context to women’s reproductive life planning. This research aimed to explore perceptions of abortion access and safety and examine the potential associations between attitudes toward abortion access …

The Role Of Agency In Early And Unwanted Adolescent Pregnancy: A Multi Country Analysis, Katharine Mccarthy

Dissertations and Theses

Purpose. The agency to decide one’s reproductive future is paramount, yet an estimated 75 percent of adolescent girls in the United States (U.S.) and 49 percent of those in low and middle-income countries experience mistimed or unwanted pregnancy. This dissertation characterized empirical representations of agency over the course of adolescence and investigated the relationship between agency and early and unwanted pregnancy and childbearing using data from three countries (India, Zambia and the U.S.).

Methods. Using latent class and latent transition analysis, multi-dimensional profiles of adolescent agency were assessed using data from: (1) a state representative cross-sectional cohort study of adolescents …

Socioeconomic Status And Symptoms Of Anxiety And Depression In Pregnant Women, Meagan Mandabach

Honors Theses

Pregnancy is a period of great change in a woman’s body as her baby develops. During this period, women commonly experience symptoms of anxiety (Dennis et al., 2017) and depression (Shidhaye & Giri, 2014). Literature has suggested that socioeconomic status (SES) can contribute to the severity at which pregnant women experience anxiety and depression (Arora & Aeri, 2019; Field et al., 2008; Shagufta & Shams, 2019), and women of low socioeconomic status may be more likely to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression during pregnancy (Field et al., 2008). The present study aimed to assess the relationships between household income …

An Examination Of The Association Between State Medicaid Perinatal Services And Birth Outcomes, Joy Morgan Myers

Honors Theses

This thesis investigated the connection between socioeconomic status, healthcare coverage, and birth outcomes. The research question that was posed specifically looked at twenty perinatal services that states covered under Medicaid to varying degrees to see their association, if any, with premature birth rates and low birthweight rates. State-level and Mississippi county-level data were compiled regarding preterm birth rates, low birthweight rates, presumptive eligibility adoption, and coverage of twenty different perinatal services. Using these data, the correlation between state Medicaid expansion status and birth outcomes was first calculated in order to determine if variation in birth outcomes was associated with expanded …

Reflection And Literature Review On Loving Choices Pregnancy Center Internship, Madison Stave

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

This honors thesis involves a personal reflection and literature review of a nurse internship at Loving Choices Pregnancy Center in Fayetteville, AR. The purpose of this internship was to provide a learning experience in women’s and obstetrical health. Responsibilities included completing community resource projects and assisting staff and nurses in the Care Center and Pregnancy Clinic. To satisfy honors requirements, five learning objectives were created during the internship. These objectives were all met and reflected upon in the first part of this thesis. The second portion of this thesis involves a literature review of the socioeconomic and health-related risks of …

Relation Of Flt-1 And Endothelial Function In Women Soon After Delivery: Effect Of Physical Activity And Sedentary Behavior, Chloe W. Caudell

Senior Theses

Adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) are believed to be caused by poor placental formation. APOs can be characterized by elevated levels of a circulating Fms-like tyrosine kinase biomarker called Flt-1, produced by the placenta when its blood vessels are shallow or inadequately formed. Flt-1 acts directly on the maternal endothelium to impair vascular function during pregnancy and contributes to maternal features of APOs. This study aimed to evaluate the relation of Flt-1 and endothelial function in women soon after delivery. This study also aimed to evaluate the relation of Flt-1 and physical activity and sedentary behavior in women during and soon …

Risk Factors For Poor Birth Outcomes In Moderately Malnourished Pregnant Women In Sierra Leone, Candice A. Rodriguez

Master's Theses

Background: Maternal malnutrition in developing countries is associated with adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. Malnourished mothers are often faced with additional risk factors as a circumstance of poverty. Supplementary nutrition can improve the outcomes of both mother and infant. Identifying maternal nutritional and socioeconomic risk factors is critical for developing effective interventions.

Objective: A secondary analysis to evaluate maternal risk factors associated with poor birth outcomes including pregnancy loss, low birth weight, stunting, and preterm delivery among moderately malnourished pregnant women in Sierra Leone. Maternal risk factors in the analysis are age, education, parity, BMI, MUAC, gestational weight gain, and …

Does Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Increases The Risk Of Preeclampsia Among Primigravid Women?, Astha Kakkad

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and preeclampsia are serious complications of pregnancy which are associated with both short- and long-term adverse health outcomes for the mother as well as the fetus. The increase in prevalence of these conditions has become a major public health concern. The purpose of this study is to examine the association and risk imposed by GDM for preeclampsia in primigravid women. This descriptive study was conducted using data retrieved from the electronic medical records of a large integrated health system in Florida. The data for this analysis included pregnancy records for patients at least 18 years of …

Challenges And Promising Strategies For Maximizing Pregnant Women's Adherence And Retention In Niv Care In The Context Of Option B+ In Kenya, Anna Helova

All ETDs from UAB

Under the current Kenyan guidelines, pregnant/postpartum women who test HIV-positive are immediately put on the lifelong antiretroviral (ART) therapy (Option B+) and are initiated into the prevention of mother-to-child (PMTCT) protocol. Gaps at each step of the PMTCT continuum undermine the positive impact of lifelong ART. Challenges at the individual, interpersonal, community, and health facility-levels contribute to these gaps. A community-based mentor mother (cMM) program tested under the Mother-Infant Visit Adherence and Treatment Engagement(MOTIVATE!) Trial (NICHD R01 R01HD080477; ClinicalTrials.gov#14-0331) is a potential approach to address these challenges. The three manuscripts comprising this dissertation used qualitative and quantitative methods with the …

Cardiac Effects Of Obesity During Pregnancy In C57bl/6j Mice, Kayla Lynn Dudick

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

Objective: Pregnancy requires profound cardiac and metabolic adaptation. Left ventricular (LV) mass is increased in response to pregnancy, but is not associated with cardiac damage. In contrast, obesity-mediated cardiac hypertrophy is pathological. Data from animal studies indicate dietary fatty acid composition may have a protective effect during states of extreme cardiac physiological adaptation. In contrast, aberrant cardiac metabolism is a hallmark of disease. Over a third of reproductive-age women in the United States are obese, but there is a paucity of data describing the effect of obesity on maternal cardiac adaptation to pregnancy. The objective of this study was to …