Medical Specialties Commons^™

Prenatal Allostatic Load And Preterm Birth: A Systematic Review, Shahirose Sadrudin Premji, Gianella Santos Pana, Alexander Cuncannon, Paul E. Ronksley, Aliyah Dosani, K. Alix Hayden, Sharifa Bashir Lalani, Wangira Musana, Kiran Shaikh, Ilona S. Yim

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Objective: Allostatic load refers to cumulative neuroendocrine burden and has been postulated to mediate and moderate physiological and psychological stress-related responses. This may have important implications for the risk of preterm birth. This systematic review examines the evidence on the association between prenatal allostatic load and preterm birth.

Data sources: A comprehensive search of seven electronic databases was conducted from inception to August 23, 2022 to identify all English-language observational and mixed methods studies examining allostatic load and preterm birth with no year or geographic restrictions.

Study eligibility criteria: Studies were included if they measured allostatic load, evaluated as the …

Antenatal Dexamethasone For Improving Preterm Newborn Outcomes In Low-Resource Countries: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Of The Who Action-I Trial, Who Action Trial Collaborators, Katherine E. Eddy, Joshua P. Vogel, Nick Scott, Dagnachew Fetene, Shabina Ariff, Sajid Bashir Soofi, Lumaan Sheikh, Farrukh Raza, Almas Aamir

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: After considerable debate, there is now unequivocal evidence that use of antenatal corticosteroids improves outcomes in preterm neonates when used in women at risk of early preterm birth in reasonably equipped hospitals in low-resource countries. We aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of dexamethasone administration in the management of preterm birth in a cohort of pregnant women from five low-resource countries.
Methods: We performed a cost-effectiveness analysis using data from 2828 women (and 3051 babies) who participated in the WHO ACTION-I trial, a multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled trial that assessed the safety and efficacy of dexamethasone in pregnant women at risk …

Crucial Nuances In Understanding (Mis)Associations Between The Neonatal Microbiome And Cesarean Delivery, Alexa M Sassin, Grace J Johnson, Alison N Goulding, Kjersti M Aagaard

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

As rates of Cesarean delivery and common non-communicable disorders (NCDs), such as obesity, metabolic disease, and atopy/asthma, have concomitantly increased in recent decades, investigators have attempted to discern a causal link. One line of research has led to a hypothesis that Cesarean birth disrupts the presumed normal process of colonization of the neonatal microbiome with vaginal microbes, yielding NCDs later in life. However, a direct link between a disrupted microbiota transfer at time of delivery and acute and/or chronic illness in infants born via Cesarean has not been causally established. Microbiota seeding from maternal vaginal or stool sources has been …

The Kids Are Alright: A New Generation Of Educators, Gal Barak, Matthew Ryan Carroll, Andrea Dean

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Generational theory states that as a result of experiencing the same life-altering, world-wide events at key developmental ages, individuals of a given generation share unique perspectives, values, and traits compared to other generations as reported by Johnson and Romanello (

The Association Of Baseline Plasma Sars-Cov-2 Nucleocapsid Antigen Level And Outcomes In Patients Hospitalized With Covid-19, Angela J Rogers, Deborah Wentworth, Andrew Phillips, Katy Shaw-Saliba, Robin L Dewar, Neil R Aggarwal, Abdel G Babiker, Weizhong Chang, Nila J Dharan, Victoria J Davey, Elizabeth S Higgs, Norman Gerry, Adit A Ginde, J W Awori Hayanga, Helene Highbarger, Jeroen L Highbarger, Mamta K Jain, Virginia Kan, Kami Kim, Perrine Lallemand, Bradley G Leshnower, Joseph K Lutaakome, Gail Matthews, Ahmad Mourad, Eleftherios Mylonakis, Ven Natarajan, Maria L Padilla, Lavannya M Pandit, Roger Paredes, Sarah Pett, Srikanth Ramachandruni, M Tauseef Rehman, Brad T Sherman, D Clark Files, Samuel M Brown, Michael A Matthay, B Taylor Thompson, James D Neaton, H Clifford Lane, Jens D Lundgren

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Levels of plasma SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) antigen may be an important biomarker in patients with COVID-19 and enhance our understanding of the pathogenesis of COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether levels of plasma antigen can predict short-term clinical outcomes and identify clinical and viral factors associated with plasma antigen levels in hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of baseline plasma antigen level from 2540 participants enrolled in the TICO (Therapeutics for Inpatients With COVID-19) platform trial from August 2020 to November 2021, with additional data on day 5 outcome and time to discharge.

SETTING: 114 centers in 10 countries. …

Use Of Telemedicine In An Obgyn Residency Clinic During Covid, Sarah Dreibelbis, Anna Grassi, Daniel Jiang, John Dougherty

Transformative Medicine

INTRODUCTION: Telemedicine can address healthcare disparities by improving access to care and eliminating barriers to in-office appointments. The primary goal of this study is to compare the number of completed telemedicine appointments to the number of completed in-office appointments for an OBGYN residency clinic during the early months of the COVID pandemic. The study also aims to evaluate patient demographics and types of visits performed using telemedicine. METHODS: All OBGYN residency clinic visits at a single institution from March 2020 – May 2020 were included and reviewed. Proportions of the visit type were evaluated for completion as well …

Integration Of Mouse Ovary Morphogenesis With Developmental Dynamics Of The Oviduct, Ovarian Ligaments, And Rete Ovarii, Jennifer Mckey, Dilara N Anbarci, Corey Bunce, Alejandra E Ontiveros, Richard R Behringer, Blanche Capel

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Morphogenetic events during the development of the fetal ovary are crucial to the establishment of female fertility. However, the effects of structural rearrangements of the ovary and surrounding reproductive tissues on ovary morphogenesis remain largely uncharacterized. Using tissue clearing and lightsheet microscopy, we found that ovary folding correlated with regionalization into cortex and medulla. Relocation of the oviduct to the ventral aspect of the ovary led to ovary encapsulation, and mutual attachment of the ovary and oviduct to the cranial suspensory ligament likely triggered ovary folding. During this process, the rete ovarii (RO) elaborated into a convoluted tubular structure extending …

Possible Gender Differences In The Level Of Perceived Social Support In Couples Who Are Experiencing Issues With Infertility., Maya Pinzon, Shawna Rotoli

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Objective The purpose of this study is to examine whether there are gender differences in the level of perceived social support in couples experiencing issues with fertility. Methods A total of 938 participants aged 18-47 years, with self-reported issues of infertility, were evaluated using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) which comprises three subscales which correspond with distinct sources of social support: significant other (SO), family, and friends. Differences between sexes for total score and for all subscale scores were subsequently analyzed using SPSS Statistics (IBM Corp, Armonk, USA). Results Mean total scores and scores on all subscales …

An Epi-Metabolomics Approach For Studying Epigenetic And Metabolic Changes In Alzheimer’S Disease Brain, Nadia Ashrafi, Sangeetha Vishweswaraiah, Ali Yilmaz, Sumeyya Akyol, Juozas Gordevicius, Stewart Graham

Conference Presentation Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Mild And Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Longitudinally Profiled Using High-Resolution Metabolomics, Ali Yilmaz, Sigal Liraz Zaltsman, Esther Shohami, Juozas Gordevicius, Jack E. Sherman, Ray Bahado-Singh, Stewart F. Graham

Conference Presentation Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Menstrual Irregularities Following Covid-19 Vaccination: A Global Cross-Sectional Survey, Azza Sarfraz, Zouina Sarfraz, Muzna Sarfraz, Zainab Nadeem, Miguel Felix, Ivan Cherrez-Ojeda

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination generates protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2 infection. There is no clear evidence of COVID-19 vaccine-induced menstrual irregularities.
Objective: To identify potential menstrual irregularities following COVID-19 vaccine among females.
Methods: A worldwide cross-sectional survey study was conducted from June 10, 2021, to July 10, 2021 using online mediums. The survey consisted of 15 questions divided into baseline characteristics, vaccination status and dosage, menstruation and relate factors, and thoughts and knowledge about menstrual irregularities. Non-probability convenience sampling method was used including 510 responses. The results were tabulated, with bivariate analysis and chi-square test results. The sensitivity …

“Do Not Detach The Placenta From My Baby's Cord” - Lotus Birth Case Series From Tanzania Tertiary Hospital, Willbroad Kyejo, Davis Rubagumya, Christian Mwalo, Lynn Moshi, Munawar Kaguta, Miriam Mgonja, Shweta Jaiswal

Family Medicine, East Africa

Introduction: Lotus birth is seldom practiced, with its prevalence being not well documented. There is no clear existing guideline or pathway for this practice. Safety in delivery as well as caring for newborn and her mother is of paramount importance. Hence, clarity for Lotus delivery in any set up is indispensable.

Cases findings: We have described on case series approach to women who opted to delivery without detachment of placenta. We have described delivery characteristics, neonatal clinical course, cord, and placenta manage- ment. In year 2022 at our center, we have received two cases of lotus delivery.

Conclusion and …

Pregnancy Following Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Bilateral Endometriotic Cystectomy Rare Case Report Of Endometriosis Stage Iv, Willbroad Kyejo, Ally Zain Ismail, Brenda Moshi, Gregory Ntiyakunze, Nancy Matillya, Munawar Kaguta

Family Medicine, East Africa

Introduction and importance: Endometriosis is a common cause of infertility in women. In this case report we explain successful conception in deep-infiltrating ovarian endometriosis following robot-assisted surgery and androgenic agonist treatment.

Case presentation: A 38-year-old current Para 2, Living 2 presented 8 years ago with chronic lower abdominal pain, dysmenorrhea, and delayed conception. Advance endometriosis was highly suspected from the history and examination. Robot-assisted laparoscopic partial cystectomy was performed for the deep-infiltrating ovarian endometriosis. She was then discharged with postoperative androgenic agonists and with timed intercourse, she got pregnant within 9 months.

Clinical discussion: Advanced endometriosis (Stage III or …

Ambient Temperature During Pregnancy And Risk Of Maternal Hypertensive Disorders: A Time-To-Event Study In Johannesburg, South Africa, Chérie Part, Jean Le Roux, Matthew Chersichb, Shobna Sawry, Véronique Filippi, Nathalie Roos, Lee Fairlie, Britt Nakstad, Jeroen De Bont, Stanley Luchters

Institute for Human Development, East Africa

Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy are a leading cause of maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity. We evaluate the effects of ambient temperature on risk of maternal hypertensive disorders throughout pregnancy. We used birth register data for all singleton births (22–43 weeks' gestation) recorded at a tertiary-level hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa, between July 2017–June 2018. Time-to-event analysis was combined with distributed lag non-linear models to examine the effects of mean weekly temperature, from conception to birth, on risk of (i) high blood pressure, hypertension, or gestational hypertension, and (ii) pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, or HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets). Low …

Generalisability Of Deep Learning Models In Low-Resource Imaging Settings: A Fetal Ultrasound Study In 5 African Countries, Carla Sendra-Balcells, V´Ictor M. Campello, Jordina Torrents-Barrena, Yahya Ali Ahmed, Mustafa Elattar, Benard Ohene Botwe, Pempho Nyangulu, William Stones, Sikolia Wanyonyi, Marleen Temmerman

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Most artificial intelligence (AI) research and innovations have concentrated in high-income countries, where imaging data, IT infrastructures and clinical expertise are plentiful. However, slower progress has been made in limited-resource environments where medical imaging is needed. For example, in Sub-Saharan Africa the rate of perinatal mortality is very high due to limited access to antenatal screening. In these countries, AI models could be implemented to help clinicians acquire fetal ultrasound planes for diagnosis of fetal abnormalities. So far, deep learning models have been proposed to identify standard fetal planes, but there is no evidence of their ability to generalise in …

Symptoms Of Maternal Psychological Distress During Pregnancy: Sex-Specific Effects For Neonatal Morbidity, Sandra J. Weiss, Joseph Musana

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Objectives: Maternal psychological distress during pregnancy has been associated with preterm birth. However, little is known about the relationship of a woman’s psychological symptoms during pregnancy to the infant’s morbidity at birth or any differential effects of these symptoms on female vs. male fetuses. Our research aims addressed these gaps.

Methods: A total of 186 women were enrolled between 24 and 34 weeks gestation when demographic information was acquired and they completed the Brief Symptom Inventory to measure psychological distress. Data on gestational age at birth, fetal sex, and neonatal morbidity was extracted from the medical record. To control for …

Reproductive Health Perspectives Of Young Women With Perinatally And Behaviourally Acquired Hiv: A Qualitative Study, Lizelle Comfort, Dana Watnick, Melissa Peskin, Julie Gutierrez, Jacob Abadi, Jessica Atrio

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to describe the sexual and reproductive goals of female adolescents with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in an urban cohort and decipher if they vary depending on the mode of HIV acquisition.

METHODS: We conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with 25 Black and/or Hispanic/Latinx female adolescents living with HIV (14 perinatally, 11 behaviourally acquired) aged 17-25 years who have access to care and antiretroviral therapy at an urban public hospitals (NYC, NY). Interviews were transcribed, coded and analysed using thematic analysis.

RESULTS: Interviews demonstrated that access to antiretroviral therapy and HIV disclosure to a sexual …

Biophysical And Biochemical Characterization Of The Receptor Binding Domain Of Sars-Cov-2 Variants, Ritika Khatri, Hilal Ahmad Parray, Gazala Siddiqui, Adarsh Kumar Chiranjivi, Sneha Raj, Rachel Kaul, Vikas Maithil, Sweety Samal, Shubbir Ahmed

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The newly emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants are potential threat and posing new challenges for medical intervention due to high transmissibility and escaping neutralizing antibody (NAb) responses. Many of these variants have mutations in the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein that interacts with the host cell receptor. Rapid mutation in the RBD through natural selection to improve affinity for host receptor and antibody pressure from vaccinated or infected individual will greatly impact the presently adopted strategies for developing interventions. Understanding the nature of mutations and how they impact the biophysical, biochemical and immunological properties of the RBD will help …

Metagenomes Of Rectal Swabs In Larger, Advanced Stage Cervical Cancers Have Enhanced Mucus Degrading Functionalities And Distinct Taxonomic Structure, Tatiana V Karpinets, Xiaogang Wu, Travis Solley, Molly B El Alam, Travis T Sims, Kyoko Yoshida-Court, Erica Lynn, Mustapha Ahmed-Kaddar, Greyson Biegert, Jingyan Yue, Xingzhi Song, Huandong Sun, Joseph F Petrosino, Melissa P Mezzari, Pablo Okhuysen, Patricia J Eifel, Anuja Jhingran, Lilie L Lin, Kathleen M Schmeler, Lois Ramondetta, Nadim Ajami, Robert R Jenq, Andrew Futreal, Jianhua Zhang, Ann H Klopp, Lauren E Colbert

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Gut microbiome community composition differs between cervical cancer (CC) patients and healthy controls, and increased gut diversity is associated with improved outcomes after treatment. We proposed that functions of specific microbial species adjoining the mucus layer may directly impact the biology of CC.

METHOD: Metagenomes of rectal swabs in 41 CC patients were examined by whole-genome shotgun sequencing to link taxonomic structures, molecular functions, and metabolic pathway to patient's clinical characteristics.

RESULTS: Significant association of molecular functions encoded by the metagenomes was found with initial tumor size and stage. Profiling of the molecular function abundances and their distributions identified …

Lower Fetal Fraction In Clinical Cell-Free Dna (Cfdna) Screening Results Is Associated With Increased Risk Of Hypertensive Disorders Of Pregnancy, Deeksha Madala, Mohamad Ali Maktabi, Riwa Sabbagh, Hadi Erfani, Andrea Moon, Ignatia B Van Den Veyver

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate if fetal fraction (FF) reported on cell-free DNA (cfDNA) screening is a marker for adverse obstetric outcomes.

METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed medical records from a cohort of women with singleton pregnancies who had cfDNA screening. We evaluated if reported FF could predict the following pregnancy complications: hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), fetal growth restriction, preterm delivery, gestational diabetes mellitus, or a composite maternal morbidity, defined as the presence of at least one of these outcomes.

RESULTS: Receiver operating curve analysis was performed on FF from 534 women to define the FF that differentiated a low FF group …

Are Women With Disabilities Less Likely To Utilize Essential Maternal And Reproductive Health Services?-A Secondary Analysis Of Pakistan Demographic Health Survey, Shafaq Mahmood, Waqas Hameed, Sameen Siddiqi

Community Health Sciences

Background: People with disabilities deal with widespread exclusion from healthcare services, including sexual and reproductive health (SRH) rights. Studies analyzing the relationship between disability and key SRH utilization outcomes have often reported mixed findings. In Pakistan, very little to no literature is available on this topic, therefore we aim to determine inequalities in the utilization of essential maternal and reproductive health services between women with and without disabilities in Pakistan.
Methods: This was a secondary analysis of Pakistan Demographic Health Survey 2017-18 performed on a weighted sample of 6,711 women aged 15-49 years with a live birth in the 5 …

Characteristics, Emotional Experience, And Impact Of Unplanned Out-Of-Hospital Births In The City Of Beit Shemesh, Israel, Allison Rosenbaum, Dm, Cnm, Mss

Midwifery Thinks! Symposium

Allison Rosenbaum, CNM, MSS, DM has been living and practicing midwifery in Israel since 2002. She obtained a master’s degree in social work from the Bryn Mawr Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research in 1994, then went on to study nursing and midwifery at MGH School of Health Professionals and Philadelphia University’s Institute of Midwifery and Women’s Health (now Thomas Jefferson University), earning her Master of Science in 2018 and her Doctorate in Midwifery in 2022. Currently, she works at Assuta Medical Center in Ashdod, Israel, and is the director of their waterbirth program. She is also involved …

Barriers And Facilitators To Exclusive Breastfeeding In Rural Pakistan: A Qualitative Exploratory Study, Atif Riaz, Shelina Bhamani, Sheraz Ahmed, Fayyaz Umrani, Sadaf Jakhro, Abdul Khaliq Qureshi, Syed Asad Ali

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) of children until six months of age is considered one of the most critical interventions in tackling childhood undernutrition. EBF rates are suboptimal in Pakistan, particularly in rural areas where child undernutrition is most prevalent. This study aimed to explore barriers to EBF in a rural context of Pakistan.
Methods: The study was conducted in the rural district Matiari of Sindh, Pakistan, during Jan-March 2020. We used a qualitative exploratory study design and conducted 36 focus group discussions (FGDs). Participants were purposively selected mothers who had not practiced EBF during their previous childbirth, their spouses and …

Standardizing Perinatal Mental Health Interventions: A Guide For The U.S., Maile Lauren Robles

Master's Projects and Capstones

The term perinatal individual refers to women and other individuals who are pregnant or who have been pregnant within the last 12 months. Every year, in the United States there are 700 pregnancy-related deaths and 10% are due to mental health causes including death by suicide. Mental health conditions including but not limited to anxiety, depression, substance use disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder affect one in five perinatal individuals throughout the United States. This increases perinatal morbidity, hospitalization costs, and economic burden nationwide.

After 43 days postpartum, mental health conditions are the second leading cause of death. The United States …

The Global Network Socioeconomic Status Index As A Predictor Of Stillbirths, Perinatal Mortality, And Neonatal Mortality In Rural Communities In Low And Lower Middle Income Country Sites Of The Global Network For Women's And Children's Health Research, Archana B Patel, Carla M Bann, Cherryl S Kolhe, Adrien Lokangaka, Antoinette Tshefu, Melissa Bauserman, Lester Figueroa, Nancy F Krebs, Fabian Esamai, Sherri Bucher, Sarah Saleem, Robert L Goldenberg, Elwyn Chomba, Waldemar A Carlo, Shivaprasad Goudar, Richard J Derman, Marion Koso-Thomas, Elizabeth M Mcclure, Patricia L Hibberd

Global Health Articles

BACKGROUND: Globally, socioeconomic status (SES) is an important health determinant across a range of health conditions and diseases. However, measuring SES within low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) can be particularly challenging given the variation and diversity of LMIC populations.

OBJECTIVE: The current study investigates whether maternal SES as assessed by the newly developed Global Network-SES Index is associated with pregnancy outcomes (stillbirths, perinatal mortality, and neonatal mortality) in six LMICs: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guatemala, India, Kenya, Pakistan, and Zambia.

METHODS: The analysis included data from 87,923 women enrolled in the Maternal and Newborn Health Registry of the NICHD-funded …

The Global Network Socioeconomic Status Index As A Predictor Of Stillbirths, Perinatal Mortality, And Neonatal Mortality In Rural Communities In Low And Lower Middle Income Country Sites Of The Global Network For Women's And Children's Health Research, Archana B. Patel, Carla M. Bann, Cherryl S. Kolhe, Adrien Lokangaka, Antoinette Tshefu, Melissa Bauserman, Lester Figueroa, Nancy F. Krebs, Fabian Esamai, Sarah Saleem

Community Health Sciences

Background: Globally, socioeconomic status (SES) is an important health determinant across a range of health conditions and diseases. However, measuring SES within low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) can be particularly challenging given the variation and diversity of LMIC populations.
Objective: The current study investigates whether maternal SES as assessed by the newly developed Global Network-SES Index is associated with pregnancy outcomes (stillbirths, perinatal mortality, and neonatal mortality) in six LMICs: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guatemala, India, Kenya, Pakistan, and Zambia.
Methods: The analysis included data from 87,923 women enrolled in the Maternal and Newborn Health Registry of the NICHD-funded …

Poziotinib Inhibits Her2-Mutant-Driven Therapeutic Resistance And Multiorgan Metastasis In Breast Cancer, Rashi Kalra, Ching Hui Chen, Junkai Wang, Ahmad Bin Salam, Lacey E Dobrolecki, Alaina Lewis, Christina Sallas, Clayton C Yates, Carolina Gutierrez, Balasubramanyam Karanam, Meenakshi Anurag, Bora Lim, Matthew J Ellis, Shyam M Kavuri

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The pan-HER tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) neratinib is therapeutically active against metastatic breast cancers harboring activating HER2 mutations, but responses are variable and often not durable. Here we demonstrate that recurrent HER2 mutations have differential effects on endocrine therapy responsiveness, metastasis, and pan-HER TKI therapeutic sensitivity. The prevalence and prognostic significance may also depend on whether the HER2 mutant has arisen in the context of lobular versus ductal histology. The most highly recurrent HER2 mutant, L755S, was particularly resistant to neratinib but sensitive to the pan-HER TKI poziotinib, alone or in combination with fulvestrant. Poziotinib reduced tumor growth, diminished multiorgan …

Clinical And Radiologic Factors Associated With Adnexal Torsion In Premenarchal And Menarchal Children And Adolescents., Beth I. Schwartz, Rebecca J. Mercier, Sharon Gould, David Saul, Claire Loiselle, Nimali Weerasooriya, Katrina Marcinkowski, Erin A Teeple, Loren Berman

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Adnexal torsion is a gynecologic emergency in children and adolescents but remains a challenging diagnosis, with no consistent clinical or radiologic diagnostic criteria. Our objective was to identify risk factors associated with adnexal torsion in premenarchal and menarchal patients with surgically confirmed torsion compared with those without torsion.

METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of all patients who underwent surgery between January 2016 and December 2019 for possible adnexal torsion. Data on demographics, clinical characteristics, radiologic variables, and operative findings were compared using descriptive statistics. Independent predictors of torsion were then examined in multivariate logistic regression models.

RESULTS: …

The Impact Of Therapeutic Neonatal Positioning In The Nicu, Amanda Blaise

2022 Southern California Nursing Research Conference

Also presented at the National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN) Conference in September 2023

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 …