Maternal and Child Health Commons^™

Risk Factors And Public Health Interventions Associated With Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Among Females Aged 10–19 Years In Kenya: A Scoping Review Protocol, Kimbley Asaso Omwodo, Abdu Mohiddin, Danielle Denwood, Augustine N. Gitonga

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Background ; Adolescent pregnancy is associated with multifaceted challenges that impact countries’ health, education and economic stability. Despite ongoing interventions, in developing countries such as Kenya, adolescent pregnancy rates continue to be high. There is a need for more synthesised evidence on regional-specific risk factors to support tailored prevention strategies.

Objective; This scoping review aims to explore what is known about the risk factors and intervention strategies focused on adolescent pregnancy prevention in Kenya.

Methods and analysis; Using the Arksey and O’Malley framework combined with a three-step search strategy as recommended by the Joanna Briggs Institute, relevant articles will be …

Sociodemographic Factors Associated With Prenatal Care Utilization In Arkansas, United States., Pearl A Mcelfish, Aaron Caldwell, Donya Watson, Jonathan Langner, Jennifer Callaghan-Koru, Austin Porter, Don E Willis, Jennifer A Andersen, Nicola L Hawley, James P Selig, Amir Forati, Maria R Alcala, Lanita White, Enrique Gomez-Pomar, Clare C Brown

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVES: This study examines prenatal care utilization differences in Arkansas.

METHODS: Birth records data from the National Center for Health Statistics were used. The study population consisted of singleton live births in Arkansas from 2014 to 2022. Primary outcomes included number of prenatal visits, fewer than the recommended number of prenatal visits, late prenatal care, and no prenatal care. Summary statistics were computed, and adjusted rates ratios were calculated adjusting for maternal age, maternal education, and parity for payer, race/ethnicity, and rural/urban residence.

RESULTS: Mothers with a Medicaid-covered birth had 0.90 times fewer prenatal care visits and were 1.26 times …

Namai Zambia: Final Study Technical Report, Nachela Chelwa

Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights, and Choices

No abstract provided.

"Our Vision Is That Black Mothers And Birthing People, Fathers, And Partners Are Safe, Honored, And Respected Throughout Pregnancy And Parenthood": Black Birth Workers' Agenda For Black Maternal Health In Oregon, Sarah Marguerite Applin

University Honors Theses

Black women and Birthing People (BWBP) face disproportionate rates of mortality within the United States healthcare system. BWBP are three times more likely to suffer a pregnancy-related death than White women. Therefore, addressing and consulting with BWBP about the birthing experience that BWBP sustains when they are bearing children is imperative. The inclusion and application of this key knowledge and understanding should be emphasized and at the root of further development toward reproductive justice. This participatory story was led by Dr. Roberta Hunte. Interviews and focus groups with Black birth workers, birthing people, and public health professionals were conducted in …

Characteristic And Survival Analysis Of Infants With Critical Congenital Heart Disease, Suprohaita Rusdi Talib, Johanes Edy Siswanto, Mulyadi M. Djer, Nurzalia Safanta, Syifa Nurhakiki, Khobir Abdul Karim Taufiqurahman, Asri Adisasmita

Kesmas

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a major health concern worldwide. This study focused on survival analysis and the factors influencing survival in infants with critical congenital heart disease (CCHD). A total of 79 infants diagnosed with CCHD were identified, with 48.1% (n=38) exhibiting duct-dependent pulmonary circulation, 35.6% (n=28) exhibiting duct-dependent systemic circulation, 6.3% (n=5) exhibiting critical non-duct-dependent, and 10.2% (n=8) exhibiting parallel circulation issues. Of the infants studied, 55.7% (n=44) were male, 78.5% (n=62) had a gestational age of ≥37 weeks, 62% (n=49) had a birth weight of ≥2,500 grams, 59.5% (n=47) exhibited normal fetal growth, 93.7% (n=74) experienced no …

Current Concepts In Prenatal Dental Care: A Narrative Review, Adam Lawlor

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Dysbiosis Of The Oral Microbiome And Pathophysiology Of Pregnancy Complications, Jiselle Cornejo, Claudia M. Tellez Freitas

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Evaluating Maternal Drug Use Disparities, Risk Factors And Outcomes In Northeast Arkansas: A Pre, During, And Post-Covid-19 Pandemic Analysis., Enrique Gomez Pomar, Johnna Berryhill, Sudeepa Bhattacharyya

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: The use of addictive substances remains a major health problem in the U.S. An increase in drug overdose and mortality was observed during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in underserved populations. This surge also impacted pregnant women especially with the use of marijuana (THC) and opioids.

METHODS: Retrospective study analyzing mother-infant dyads with reported Meconium Drug Screen (MDS) results, from January 2018 through April 2023 at a reference hospital serving an urban and rural area of Arkansas. Due to the absence of universal screening, the prevalence of drug use was variable during the study period. An adjusted monthly positive rate …

Gestational Weight Gain And Increased Risk Of Cesarean Delivery Across Body Mass Index Categories., Pearl A Mcelfish, Britni L Ayers, Nicola L Hawley, Aaron Caldwell, Austin Porter, Michael D Macechko, Donya Watson, Jennifer A Callaghan-Koru, James P Selig, Jennifer A Andersen, Nirvana Manning, Lanita White, Enrique Gomez-Pomar, Clare C Brown

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Unnecessary cesarean delivery can have negative implications for both mothers and infants. In the United States, the proportion of women undergoing cesarean delivery exceeds the acceptable World Health Organization proportion. Reducing cesarean deliveries is a national goal of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Healthy People 2030, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine if excessive gestational weight gain is associated with increased risk of cesarean delivery across multiple body mass index categories.

STUDY DESIGN: Analysis was conducted using vital records data from the National …

Procalcitonin-Guided Duration Of Antibiotic Treatment In Children Hospitalised With Confirmed Or Suspected Bacterial Infection In The Uk (Batch): A Pragmatic, Multicentre, Open-Label, Two-Arm, Individually Randomised, Controlled Trial, Cherry-Ann Waldron, Philip Pallmann, Simon Schoenbuchner, Debbie Harris, Lucy Brookes-Howell, Céu Mateus, Jolanta Bernatoniene, Katrina Cathie, Saul N. Faust, Helen Nabwera

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Background Procalcitonin is a rapid response biomarker specific for bacterial infection, which is not routinely used in the UK National Health Service. We aimed to assess whether using a procalcitonin-guided algorithm would safely reduce the duration of antibiotic therapy compared with usual care, in which C-reactive protein is the commonly used biomarker.

Methods The BATCH trial was a pragmatic, multicentre, open-label, parallel, two-arm, individually randomised, controlled trial conducted in 15 hospitals in England and Wales. Children aged 72 h to 18 years who were admitted to hospital and were being treated with intravenous antibiotics for suspected or confirmed bacterial infection …

The Role Of Social Support In Protecting Against Perinatal Depression Among Egyptian Women, Radwa Raafat Abdelshafi

Theses and Dissertations

Perinatal Depression (PND) is a global public health issue affecting many women as they transition to motherhood, and carrying detrimental consequences for both mothers and infants. Research in low and middle-income countries shows higher PND prevalence rates than in high-income and Western countries. In addition, social support has been shown to strongly protect or reduce the impact of PND. This study aimed to address a gap in research on PND in Egypt, and to build an understanding of the social support ecological system of new mothers. A survey was conducted with 81 first-time middle-class mothers living in Greater Cairo between …

Interventions To Prevent And Manage Infections In Pregnancy, Rahima Yasin, Li Jiang, Jai K. Das, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta

Institute for Global Health and Development

Background: Care interventions aimed at preventing and treating maternal infections during the gestational period are of paramount importance. Timely immunizations, screening strategies, and management of maternal infections reduce the risk of complications for the developing fetus and play a pivotal role in improving neonatal outcomes.
Summary: We aim to summarize evidence for a total of thirteen interventions, pertaining to the prevention and treatment of maternal infections during the antenatal period, from Every Newborn Series published in The Lancet 2014. We identified the most recent systematic reviews, extracted data from each review, and conducted a sub-group meta-analysis for low-income countries and …

The Quic-Sp: A Spanish Language Tool Assessing Unpredictability In Early Life Is Linked To Physical And Mental Health, Sabrina R. Liu, Natasha A. Bailey, Sara Romero-González, Amy Moors, Belinda Campos, Elysia P. Davis, Laura M. Glynn

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Accumulating evidence indicates that unpredictable signals in early life represent a unique form of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) associated with disrupted neurodevelopmental trajectories in children and adolescents. The Questionnaire of Unpredictability in Childhood (QUIC) was developed to assess early life unpredictability, encompassing social, emotional, and physical unpredictability in a child’s environment, and has been validated in three independent cohorts. However, the importance of identifying ACEs in diverse populations, including non-English speaking groups, necessitates translation of the QUIC. The current study aims to translate and validate a Spanish language version of the QUIC (QUIC-SP) and assess its associations with mental and …

Congenital Rickets, Melissa Intriago

Mako: NSU Undergraduate Student Journal

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Maternal Anxiety Of Breastfeeding Exclusivity And Duration, Zoe E. Treat

2025 Honors Symposium

This study examined whether postpartum anxiety affects breastfeeding exclusivity and duration among mothers in Northwest Arkansas. While maternal anxiety was not a significant predictor, child age and infant birth order were associated with breastfeeding outcomes.

The Relationship Of Peer Recovery Support Specialists And Recovery Of Perinatal Women With A Substance Use Disorder, Mary C. Talbot

2025 Honors Symposium

Background: Substance use in pregnant and postpartum women is a growing issue in the United States. Drug use while pregnant can lead to birth defects, stillbirths, and problems providing positive parenting to their children. Many women with substance use disorders (SUD) feel extreme shame and stigma related to their substance use and have trouble accessing recovery-related treatment and other services. Peer recovery support treatment uses the lived experiences of individuals in current recovery from SUD to facilitate and support recovery in others. Purpose: The purpose of this review was to evaluate the impact of peer recovery support specialists on the …

Improvement In Prenatal Education And Involvement In Patient Care, Miranda Ibrahim, Christelle Reeves, Timothy Kremer

North Texas Research Forum 2025

BACKGROUND: While the attempt is to educate the patient (and their family members) and empower them in their medical decision making, integration of birth plans and discussion of such plans is not routinely implemented by most obstetrical providers. There is currently no standardized approach to the education and birth plan development/or the obstetrical patients. The goal of this project, therefore, is to develop a standardized approach to discussion of birth plans and, albeit indirectly, allow for an opportunity for education for obstetrical patients. METHODS: On a daily basis, through birth plan discussions with patients during routine obstetrical visits, and via …

Planned Out Of Hospital Birth Maternal And Neonatal Outcomes In A Single Institution, Priyanka Vuppala, Juhi Singhal, Linda Haddox

Central & West Texas and San Antonio GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

A Parent's Guide To Success, Marina D. Bucciarelli

Entry Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects Class of 2025

A Parent’s Guide to Success, a doctoral capstone project, explored occupational therapy’s (OT) role in family-centered practice (FCP). The project focused on areas of education, advocacy, and program development which were informed by the completion of a scoping review. This capstone project was developed as a primary prevention resource for parents and caregivers of children from birth to three years. It was designed to prepare, inform, and support new parents and caregivers with educational videos and resources that depict the skills, knowledge, and support needed for optimized family outcomes. Education was also a valuable aspect of this project as the …

Perinatal Policy Disparities And Their Impact On Maternal, Paternal, And Child Health, D'Ashanae Y. Pippens

Theses and Dissertations

This systematic review synthesized evidence on perinatal policy framework to evaluate their public health significance and impact on family outcomes. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology, peer-reviewed literature, policy documents, and corporate data from 2015-2025 were reviewed across national, state, and global levels. The analysis revealed seven thematic domains, (1) policy design and duration, (2) wage replacement, (3) insurance continuity, (4) workplace breastfeeding accommodations, (5) parental leave, (6) equity in access, and (7) policy enforcement. Evidence shows that integrated and inclusive policies particularly those in Sweden, Germany, and progressive U.S. states (NY and CA), yield substantial …

Racial Health Disparities Among Pregnant Women Of Color In New York City: Biological And Systemic Impacts, Kaylin Peña

Pitzer Senior Theses

Racial Health Disparities Among Pregnant Women of Color in New York City: Biological and Systemic Impacts

Abstract

This thesis aims to explore how racial health disparities, underrepresentation in gynecology, and socioeconomic barriers contribute to adverse pregnancy outcomes among women of color in New York City. Through an interdisciplinary approach that combines resources from medical anthropology and human biology, this research will examine the biological implications of chronic stress, specifically HPA axis dysregulation, and its role in maternal health outcomes. With the idea of intersectionality, as conceptualized by Kimberlé Crenshaw, the study analyzes the various effects of systemic inequities and social …

Oregon Doula Workforce Analysis, Aisha K Gilmore, Apoorva Somayazulu, Lindsay Dickey, Rosemelty Jimenez Medal

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

No abstract provided.

Educating Nurses On Culturally Competent Intimate Partner Violence Care, Nicole Lee

Nursing | Senior Theses

Purpose

The purpose of this research proposal is to examine the impact of mandatory training for labor and delivery nurses on culturally sensitive care for pregnant women who have experienced intimate partner violence. It aims to address gaps in provider training by evaluating improvement in screening rates, enhanced confidence, and effective interventions.

Methods

This study will recruit nurses from different labor and delivery units from different hospitals. This study will use a pre-test and post-test design to assess the effectiveness of the training. The evaluation will measure the changes in knowledge, confidence, and screening practices before and after training.

Results …

Infant Health Equity In Oklahoma: A Mixed-Methods Exploration Of Personal, Organizational, Environmental, And Policy Factors Contributing To Black Infant Mortality, Ayesha M. Lampkins

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Black women experience higher rates of adverse birth outcomes, including infant mortality. There is a gap in the literature on multilevel strategies to achieve infant health equity and engage Black women. This study is unique in that no others have looked at the views of Oklahoma Black women to inform and address infant health equity strategies and utilize these views to provide context to existing infant mortality data. The study research questions are: 1) What views on infant health equity and infant mortality are held by Black women in Oklahoma? 2) What differences exist between Black and White mothers in …

Investigating The Impact Of Phthalate Exposures From Personal Care Products On Uterine Fibroid Incidence And Prevalence In Us-Born Black Women, Ella Brissett

CMC Senior Theses

Uterine fibroids are benign tumors composed of smooth muscle cells and connective tissue that develop within or on the walls of the uterus. Despite being non-cancerous, they can severely affect quality of life by causing heavy bleeding, chronic pain, and reproductive complications. Fibroids are typically found in women of reproductive age, but they disproportionately affect Black women, who experience higher incidence and severity. The underlying causes of this disparity is poorly understood; however, an emerging body of research is highlighting the role of phthalates, endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in many personal care products, in exacerbating fibroid development. Through a critical analysis …

Environmental And Behavioral Determinants Of Congenital Defects: An Ecologic Study In Kentucky, Amelia G. Floyd

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Congenital defects are a significant contributor to infant morbidity and mortality. The multifactorial etiology of such defects presents complex challenges for public health. This ecologic study investigates the association between environmental and behavioral exposures and congenital defects rates at the county level in Kentucky from 2010 to 2019. The Kentucky Department for Public Health, Office of Vital Statistics, provided all relevant defect data. County-level exposure data was collected from multiple sources.

Descriptive and geospatial analyses revealed substantial geographic variability, with notable high defect rates in northeastern Kentucky. Negative binomial regression models identified behavioral and socioeconomic factors to be the strongest …

Birthing While Black: The Color Of Care And Black Women’S Lived Experiences Giving Birth In The United States, Portia Cowlings

Theses and Dissertations

Black women in the United States face disproportionate maternal health outcomes during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum compared to other racial and ethnic groups. Despite advancements in healthcare, the United States continues to report the highest maternal mortality rates among high-income developed nations, with Black women experiencing rates up to three times higher than their White counterparts. This phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of Black women in the United States to understand how they navigate the continuum of maternal healthcare, from preconception through postpartum. Guided by the social determinants of health (SDOH) theoretical framework, childbirth was examined through four interconnected …

Facilitated Group Care For Maternal And Child Health Model Fidelity: A Scoping Review, Ashley Gresh, Phoebe Parker, Anne Batchelder, Jalana Lazar, Christina X. Marea, Camilla Bjelland, Rohan D. Jeremiah, Giovanna Cristina Machado-Kayzuka, Hayden Geibel, Dhruvi R. Patel, Esnath Kapito, Kathleen F. Norr, Crystal L. Patil

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Group care is a transformative model of prenatal, postnatal, and well-child care. The Centering-based group care model has three core components: health care, interactive learning, and community building. It has been implemented in 33 countries with associated improved maternal and child health outcomes. Maintaining fidelity to the model is essential for its effectiveness. However, to date no standardised measure of fidelity to the group care model exists. This review aimed to explore how fidelity is measured in group care and identify common themes to understand what is essential to maintain fidelity. We used the scoping review framework by Arksey & …

Risk And Protective Factors For Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (Sids) In Low-Resource Communities In Kolkata India: A Mixed Methods Exploratory Study Of Semi-Structured Interviews And Survey Data, Susan Samreth, Alexandra Leader, Jillian Kiely, Turja Chakrabarti, Rupa Kapoor

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID), Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and infant sleep practices are widely documented and studied in high-resource countries. Knowledge of SUID/SIDS occurrence, risk factors and protective factors in low or middle-resource countries such as India is lacking. This was an exploratory study using a mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative) approach to better understand infant sleep practices and the various factors that may influence them amongst caregivers in 5 low-income communities in Kolkata, India. Twenty-eight and 22 caregivers of infants < 12 months old were recruited using a convenience sampling approach to participate in semi-structured interviews (phase 1) and a survey (phase 2), respectively. This research was conducted in partnership with Pratit International, a locally based NGO dedicated to providing comprehensive health care to disenfranchised communities in Kolkata. Analysis of qualitative and quantitative data found that infant caregivers frequently described risk factors (e.g., bedsharing, soft sleep surface, infant sleep position, objects in sleep area, environmental smoke exposure, low rates of pacifier use) and protective factors (e.g., breastfeeding, routine immunization/prenatal care, low rates of caregiver substance use) that have been associated with SIDS in high resource communities. Qualitative data revealed that certain caregivers' reasons for infant sleep position were rooted in cultural beliefs. Prenatal and postnatal sleep education given by a healthcare professional were limited and awareness of safer sleep advice in the community was low. These study findings suggest the need to provide safer sleep education resources in a culturally appropriate manner and can help guide future research on potential interventions such as the baby box.

The Effects Of Medical Misinformation About Vaccines On Parents Of Pediatric Patients, Mya Izabela B. Emelia

Nursing | Student Research Posters

No abstract provided.