Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Motherhood Together: Effects Of An Adapted Prenatal Curriculum On Mother And Infant Outcomes, Rebecca Lovan, Clare Brown, Keneshia Bryant-Moore, Leslie Mccormack, Nicole Ward, Shannon Kalkwarf, Beverly English, Elizabeth Riley

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: Research shows that pregnant women experiencing housing insecurity are more likely to face barriers to prenatal care that can lead to negative health outcomes for both mother and infant. Previous studies have also shown that prenatal education programs provide pregnant mothers with the knowledge and resources that increase the likelihood of positive health outcomes. An interprofessional healthcare team in Central Arkansas modified an existing prenatal education program to create Motherhood Together, a program specifically tailored for pregnant women facing house insecurity.

Methods: The purpose of this initial evaluation of the Motherhood Together program was to identify the feasibility of …

Attitudes Toward Influenza, Pertussis, And Covid-19 Vaccines Among Economically Underserved Black Women/Birthing People: A Mixed-Methods Approach, Jasmine Cooper, Hanna Lebuhn, James D. Campbell, Stacey Stephens, Wendy G. Lane, Keerthana Kumar, Kathleen M. Neuzil

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Vaccination during pregnancy is critical to the health of birthing persons and infants. Yet, persistent racial disparities in vaccination threaten health outcomes in the U.S. (Lu et al., 2015). Vaccination coverage remains low among non-Hispanic Blacks and other racial minorities – a situation magnified by the COVID-19 pandemic (Freimuth, Jamison, An, Hancock, & Quinn, 2017; Stokes et al., 2020). Consequently, understanding vaccine attitudes for systemically disadvantaged groups is paramount to promoting public health. Illuminating barriers to vaccine uptake creates space for new strategies to reduce hesitancy.

To investigate Black women’s/birthing people attitudes toward influenza and pertussis vaccination during pregnancy, we …

The Impact Of Psychosocial Stress On Maternal Health Outcomes: A Multi-State Prams 8 (2016-2018) Analysis, Blessing Chidiuto Lawrence, Anna Kheyfets, Keri Carvalho, Shubhecchha Dhaurali, Marwah Kiani, Alison Moky, Ndidiamaka Amutah-Onukagha

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Introduction: Significant racial disparities persist in maternal morbidity rates, disproportionately affecting Black women. Experiencing high levels of stress during pregnancy is associated with increased risk for preterm birth, infant mortality, and preeclampsia. This study investigates the impact of psychosocial life stressors on maternal morbidity and racial disparities utilizing the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) dataset.

Methods: Participants (N=24,209) included were from Phase 8 (2016-2018) of the PRAMS survey across five states. Stressors were grouped into traumatic, partner-related, financial, or emotional. Maternal outcomes included gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, prenatal depression, and postpartum depression. The association between life stressors …

Associations Of Diet With Cardiometabolic And Inflammatory Profiles In Pregnant Women At Risk For Metabolic Complications, Kataryna Jaworsky, Jeffrey L. Ebersole, Petar Planinic, Arpita Basu

Dental Medicine Faculty Publications

Dietary intakes play an important role in the development of metabolic complications during pregnancy. While reported observational studies reveal an inverse association of healthy diets with weight gain, gestational diabetes, and hypertensive complications during pregnancy, there is a paucity of studies conducted among women of specific ethnicities vulnerable to higher risks of pregnancy complications. This is a secondary cross sectional analysis using baseline data from a previously reported clinical trial. We aim to identify associations of maternal habitual dietary intakes with cardiometabolic risks and inflammatory profiles in primarily African American (AA) and Hispanic women in the first half of pregnancy. …

Dietary Blueberry And Soluble Fiber Improve Serum Antioxidant And Adipokine Biomarkers And Lipid Peroxidation In Pregnant Women With Obesity And At Risk For Gestational Diabetes, Arpita Basu, Jeannette Crew, Jeffrey L. Ebersole, Jefferson W. Kinney, Arnold M. Salazar, Petar Planinic, James M. Alexander

Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences Faculty Publications

Pregnancies affected by obesity are at high risk for developing metabolic complications with oxidative stress and adipocyte dysfunction contributing to the underlying pathologies. Few studies have examined the role of dietary interventions, especially those involving antioxidants including polyphenolic flavonoids found in fruits and vegetables on these pathologies in high-risk pregnant women. We conducted an 18 gestation-week randomized controlled trial to examine the effects of a dietary intervention comprising of whole blueberries and soluble fiber vs. control (standard prenatal care) on biomarkers of oxidative stress/antioxidant status and adipocyte and hormonal functions in pregnant women with obesity (n = 34). Serum samples …

Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether (Pbde) And Poly- And Perfluoroalkyl Substance (Pfas) Exposures During Pregnancy And Maternal Depression, Ann M. Vuong, Kimberly Yolton, Joseph M. Braun, Andreas Sjodin, Antonia M. Calafat, Yingying Xu, Kim N. Dietrich, Bruce P. Lanphear, Aimin Chen

Environmental & Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Background: Experimental studies in rodents suggest that polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may contribute to depressive symptoms. Few studies have examined the impact of these chemicals on depression in adults. Objective: To examine the associations between serum PBDE and PFAS concentrations during pregnancy and repeated measures of depressive symptoms in women assessed from pregnancy to 8 years postpartum. Methods: This study was based on 377 women from the Health Outcomes and Measures of the Environment Study, a birth cohort in Cincinnati, OH (USA). PBDEs (BDE-28, -47, -99, -100, -153, and ∑PBDEs) and PFAS (perfluorooctanoate [PFOA], …

Safety Of Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (Ercp) In Pregnancy: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Mohamed Azab, Shishira Bharadwaj, Mahendran Jayaraj, Annie S. Hong, Pejman Solaimani, Mohamad Mubder, Hyeyoung Yeom, Ji Won Yoo, Michael L. Volk

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background/Aims: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a technically challenging procedure rarely associated with severe postprocedure complications. Hormonal changes during pregnancy promote cholelithiasis, but there are limited clinical data available on the outcomes of ERCP in pregnant women. ERCP techniques without irradiation were recently introduced as potential alternative. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the safety of ERCP in pregnancy and to compare outcomes of radiation versus nonradiation ERCP. Materials and Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Medline/Ovid, Web of Science, and Google Scholar through April 18th, 2018 using PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines identified 27 studies reporting the …

Methodology For Sampling Women At High Maternal Risk In Administrative Data, Jennifer Vanderlaan, Anne Dunlop, Roger Rochat, Bryan Williams, Susan E. Shapiro

Nursing Faculty Publications

Background: In population level studies, the conventional practice of categorizing women into low and high maternal risk samples relies upon ascertaining the presence of various comorbid conditions in administrative data. Two problems with the conventional method include variability in the recommended comorbidities to consider and inability to distinguish between maternal and fetal risks. High maternal risk sample selection may be improved by using the Obstetric Comorbidity Index (OCI), a system of risk scoring based on weighting comorbidities associated with maternal end organ damage. The purpose of this study was to compare the net benefit of using OCI risk scoring vs …

Adolescent Pregnancy: A Clinical Guideline For School Nurses In New Mexico, Karin Ludi

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The overall purpose of this project is to ensure that school nurses and health assistants are knowledgeable and have the resources to care for pregnant adolescents in the public school system. New Mexico has consistently ranked in the top 10 in the United States for teen births to women aged 15-19 years. The New Mexico School Health Manual is currently used to guide school nurses and health assistants in the care of pregnant adolescents, but it is vague and addresses emergencies such as labor and bleeding.

From this author’s experience as a school nurse in the public school system, it …

Nutrient And Food Group Intakes Of Low-Income Pregnant Women By Race/Ethnicity, Alla M. Hill, Danielle L. Nunnery Phd, Rdn, Ldn, Alice Ammerman Drph, Jigna M. Dharod Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

In an exploratory study, a convenience sample of 148 pregnant women was recruited from a WIC clinic in the southeast region of the U.S. to: 1) Examine and compare daily nutrient and food group intakes of WIC pregnant women to national guidelines, and; 2) Determine racial/ethnic differences in nutrient and food group intakes among WIC pregnant women. Women were selected for the study if they were: ≥ 18 y, in 2^nd trimester of pregnancy, and if they spoke English or Spanish as a first language. Upon recruitment, participants were interviewed to collect information on their socio-demographics, including race/ethnicity. Additionally, …

Physical Exercise During Pregnancy And Its Related Factors: An Observational Study In Japan, Megumi Haruna, Masayo Matsuzaki, Mie Shiraishi, Seonae Yeo

Asian/Pacific Island Nursing Journal

This study aimed to investigate the exercise habits of pregnant women in the third trimester (N = 303). We assessed participation in physical activities, including exercise or sports, using the Japanese version of the Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire. A total of 183 (60.4%) pregnant Japanese women participated in some form of exercise and 87 (28.7%) exercised for 2 hours or more, per week, in the third trimester. Multiple logistic regression analyses indicated that women who set themselves a gestational weight gain target (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 8.10, 95% CI [2.82, 23.4], p< .001), were more likely to participate in exercise or sports. In contrast, multiparous women (AOR = 0.44, 95% CI [0.26, 0.72], p = .001), and those whose …

Violence Against Pregnant Women With Disabilities, Ari K. Mwachofi

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background

Each year, violence is perpetrated against 1.5 million US women, of whom 324,000 are pregnant. Violence in pregnancy has adverse effects on maternal and infant health. Although there are 4.7 million childbearing age women with disabilities, and their pregnancy rates are growing, there is very little information about violence against pregnant women with disabilities.

Objectives

The study questions are: Are there differences in pre- and in-pregnancy violence experiences of women with and without disabilities? Is disability a significant predictor of pre- and in-pregnancy violence against women?

Methods

The study uses data from the 2009 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System …

Racial Disparities In The Association Between Stress And Preterm Birth, Saba W. Masho, Sarah Kye Price, Patricia Anne Kinser, Nancy Jallo

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: High levels of maternal stress have been linked to preterm births. However, findings from previous studies are inconsistent due to the varied use of stress measures. This study examined the effect of maternal stress on preterm birth, using both psychosocial and physiological measures.

Methods: This study was conducted among 231 pregnant women enrolled during their first prenatal care visit. Presence of stress was assessed at enrollment using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Stressful Life Events Inventory (SLEI). Samples of maternal salivary cortisol were obtained during the first trimester and birth outcomes were ascertained at delivery. Multiple …

Perspectives From Community-Based Doulas And Mothers: Neighborhood Context And Pregnancy, Dara D. Mendez, Jessica Burke, Jennifer Jones, Cynthia Salter

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Objectives: Limited research explores the potential pathways by which neighborhoods influence pregnancy or how community members conceptualize and interpret how neighborhood contexts and living environments influence pregnancy and birth.

Study Design: We applied participatory Concept Mapping and a series of focused discussions with community-based doulas and mothers.

Methods: We collaborated with a community-based doula program to investigate how mothers and community doulas perceived the neighborhood to influence reproductive health. We conducted a series of focused discussions including ‘Brainstorming’ to uncover key themes related to how neighborhood context influenced pregnancy, ‘Sorting and Rating’ of key themes in association with pregnancy and …

Evaluation Of A Tobacco Educational Intervention For Pregnant Alaska Native Women, Christi A. Patten, Carrie Enoch, Caroline C. Renner, Karin Larsen, Paul A. Decker, Kari J. Anderson, Caroline Nevak, Ann Glasheen, Kenneth P. Offord, Anne Lanier

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Tobacco cessation interventions developed and evaluated for Alaska Native women do not exist. As part of routine clinical care provided at a prenatal visit, a brief tobacco educational intervention for Alaska Native pregnant women (N=100; mean ± SD age = 25.9±6.2 years; mean 6.3± 2.6 months gestation) was piloted at the Y-K Delta Regional Hospital in Bethel, Alaska. This retrospective study reports on the evaluation of this clinical program. The intervention was consistent with the clinical practice guidelines (i.e., 5 A’s – ask, advise, assess, assist, arrange), with an average duration of 20.2 ± 6.8 minutes. The self-reported tobacco abstinence …

Guide To A Successful Pregnancy: A Resource Manual For Pregnant And Parenting Young Women In Las Vegas, Nevada Institute For Children's Research And Policy Reports

Nevada Institute for Children's Research and Policy Reports

A Guide to a Successful Pregnancy.

• Are you Pregnant? Taking a pregnancy test
• First steps of Pregnancy: Options of pregnancy, health plans, obtaining medical care such as a doctor
• Months 1, 2, 3: Maintaining a healthy diet, what you should stay away from, exercise, symptoms of danger, and normal symptoms of pregnancy
• Months 4, 5, 6: Following a routine, classes available during pregnancy, normal pregnancy symptoms
• Months 7, 8, 9: Following a routine, normal pregnancy symptoms
• Labor and Delivery: Symptoms of labor, symptoms of danger
• Parenting: Normal symptoms after birth, Routine to follow to return to normal state, Breast feeding …