Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

No One Should Have To Give Birth Alone: An Analysis Of The Efficacy Of Community-Based Doula Programs Serving Ethnic Minorities In San Francisco, Maria Margaret Nelson

Master's Projects and Capstones

Adverse birth outcomes for both the parent and the child disproportionately affect people of color. Evidence demonstrates that one of the ways to mitigate these negative consequences is through the utilization of a doula, a trained birth companion that is not a medical provider but whose role it is to physically and emotionally support the patient through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Community-based doula programs, where the doula is of the same cultural background as the client, are particularly effective in improving birth outcomes in communities of color by providing culturally competent care and helping to navigate a healthcare system that …

Discharged Against Medical Advice In The Postpartum Period: Why Should We Care?, Gurbani Bedi Bs, Mariam Ayyash Md, Mscr, Monique Swain Md

Medical Student Research Symposium

Objective: To understand reasons and events surrounding postpartum discharges against medical advice (AMA) in an urban population in Detroit, Michigan.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted looking at women who left AMA in the postpartum period from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan between 2013 and 2021.

Results: 111 women (0.18%) left AMA in the postpartum period between 2013 and 2021. 35.1% of women were Black, 53% were White, 11.7% were of other races. 4.5% of women had home births and were brought in by EMS shortly after delivery. 44.1% of women had preterm births. 35.1% delivered via cesarean …

Counting Every Drop: Preventing Maternal Mortality With Quantifying Blood Loss Through Triton Scale, Summer Le

Master's Projects and Capstones

Postpartum (PP) hemorrhage is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality (AWHONN, 2021). In each of the past three years, the percentage of PP hemorrhage has increased at Hospital X. The PP unit at Hospital X performs around 4,500 total deliveries each year. While the standard of care for PP blood loss is to specifically measure blood in milliliters as Quantifying Blood Loss (QBL) for Labor and Delivery (L&D), it is not yet the standard of care in the 24 hours postpartum after delivery (ACOG, 2019). This quality improvement project involved educating nurses about measuring blood loss – specifically …

Improving Postpartum Hypertension Discharge Education: A Pilot Project, Kathryn Barth

Dissertations

Problem: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are a leading cause of maternal morbidity, mortality, and postpartum readmission. Several evidence-based algorithms and protocols have been implemented in the inpatient setting to treat severe blood pressure and prevent complications. However, there remains an opportunity to improve the postpartum care transition and discharge education for patients with these conditions in an attempt to decrease 30-day postpartum hypertension readmissions.

Methods: This pilot project utilized a descriptive design and took place on a postpartum unit at a Midwest metropolitan high-risk obstetrical teaching hospital. Interventions included patient-specific discharge education, distribution of a home blood pressure …