Women's Health Commons^™

Vaginismus: Causes, Diagnosis, And Treatment Options, Heather Thomas

Best Integrated Writing

This paper provides a current review of the diagnosis, causes, and treatment outcomes for vaginismus. Of particular interest are predisposing factors, like a lack of sex education and a sexually restrictive upbringing, for the development of this disorder. Controversies surrounding US-based diagnostic criteria for female sexual dysfunction are also reviewed, and up-to-date and novel treatment options, like vaginal Botox injections, are described.

Breaking The Cycle: Reducing Maternal Mortality Disparities In Minnesota, Grace Hambike

Undergraduate Research Symposium 2025

A comparative analysis of Minnesota's maternal mortality rates with states implementing successful maternal health initiatives and a review of policies supporting doulas, midwives, and culturally competent care models. Conclusions show that addressing maternal mortality disparities requires systemic healthcare reforms and culturally competent interventions. Expanding access to doulas, midwives, and community-based care can significantly improve maternal outcomes. Future research should focus on long-term effects of policy changes and continued surveillance of maternal health disparities.

Implications Of Glyphosate-Based Herbicides On The Female Reproductive System And Reproductive Outcomes, Alexandra Stone, Olivia G. Camp Ms, David Bai Md, Awoniyi Awonuga, Husam M. Abu-Soud

Medical Student Research Symposium

Background

Glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) are the most widely used herbicides in the United States, accounting for 19% of estimated global use. Although the Environmental Protection Agency has reaffirmed that the active ingredient glyphosate (GLY) is safe for humans, recent studies on exposure have suggested an association with cancer, metabolic disorders, endocrine disruption and infertility, and Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Recently, we have shown that GLY exposure deteriorates metaphase II oocyte quality through zinc deficiency, ROS accumulation, and chromosome disruption. In this work, we review the mechanisms of GLY toxicity in the female reproductive tract and discuss the potential clinical implications …

Cell-Free Dna Results Indicating Mosaic Monosomy X Of Likely Maternal Origin: Impact On Genetic Counseling Practices And Patient Experiences, Audrey Mcbride, Ashley Cannon, Siddharth Prakash, Aaron W Roberts, Angela Seasely, Anna C E Hurst, Laura Hendon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: To investigate the current genetic counseling practices involving a cfDNA result indicating mosaic monosomy X of likely maternal origin, and to better understand the perspectives of patients who have received this result.

Method: A total of 60 prenatal genetic counselors completed surveys about their experiences with this result, cfDNA consenting practices, and management practices. In addition, qualitative interviews were conducted with 5 patients to gain insight into their experiences with result disclosure and follow-up care.

Results: 95% of genetic counselors reported feeling prepared to counsel on these results. However, responses to current practices varied. Of the genetic counselors surveyed, …

Bevacizumab Beyond Progression: Impact Of Subsequent Bevacizumab Re-Treatment In Patients With Ovarian, Fallopian Tube, And Peritoneal Cancer After Progression, Amma Asare, Rebecca Ann Previs, Daniel Spinosa, Bryan Fellman, Amelia L Scott, Isabelle Mulder, May Mahmoud, Ahmed Enbaya, Jean Hansen Siedel, Lauren Cobb, Pamela T Soliman, Anil K Sood, Robert L Coleman, Angeles Alvarez Secord, Shannon N Westin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: This study evaluated whether patients with epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, and primary peritoneal carcinoma (OC) who are immediately re-treated with bevacizumab derive benefit after disease progression on a bevacizumab-containing regimen.

Methods: This multi-institutional, retrospective study compared patients with high grade non-mucinous epithelial OC who received bevacizumab followed directly by another bevacizumab-containing treatment regimen to patients who received bevacizumab followed by a regimen that did not contain bevacizumab (or received no further treatment). Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated using Kaplan Meier product-limit estimator and modeled via Cox proportional hazards regression.

Results: Among 226 patients with OC …

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 …

An Analysis Of Comprehensive Sex Education As A Means Of Reducing Teenage Pregnancy Rates, Ben Hiett, Adriana Parella

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Teenage pregnancy rates have been declining since the 1990s, yet teenage pregnancy remains a pressing public health concern given its associated negative maternal and infant complications. Many experts and advocates have placed an increasing emphasis on school programs that provide teenagers with comprehensive education on healthy sexual functioning, safe sex practices, and effective contraceptive use, pointing to them as a means of reducing unplanned teen pregnancies. However, there is still some debate regarding the effectiveness of comprehensive sex education compared to more limited programs that focus primarily on promoting abstinence. Using data from County Health Rankings and SIECUS, we compared …

Improving Knowledge And Confidence Of Family Nurse Practitioners In Offering The Hpv Vaccine, Leni Terano Fisher

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Abstract

Introduction

Despite the recommendations of the United States Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, HPV immunization lags behind other routine vaccines by up to 31%. Although there are many reasons for the low vaccine rate, provider hesitancy and lack of confidence significantly contribute to suboptimal HPV vaccine uptake.

Objectives

This project aimed to utilize evidence-driven interventions to increase family nurse practitioners' (FNPs) knowledge and confidence in offering the HPV vaccine.

Methods

Participants were given pre- and post-questionnaire surveys. The Wilcoxon Rank Test was used to compare, quantify, and measure the results of the eight-week data collection.

Results

The subjects were …

Maternal Health Predictors In Ohio, Sritha Donepudi, Humza Khan

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Background: Ohio has continued to have a maternal mortality rate higher than the average which has posed the question of how geographic location, socioeconomic status, and demographics affect these rates.
Objective: This paper aims to investigate the relationship between variables affecting maternal mortality rates in Ohio such as teen birth rates and primary care physician access with where one lives between Rural and Urban areas and their household income in order to provide more information for future research.
Methods: This paper utilized County Health Rankings and statistical and correlation analysis with SPSS to analyze rates across counties in Ohio.
Results: …

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

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

No abstract provided.

An Evaluation Of The Association Between Female Reproductive Health Policy And Children's Health Outcomes, Kira Markowski, Rachel Bobko

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Background: As policy pertaining to female reproductive health and education continues to be a central issue concerning Americans and a divisive focus of political campaigns, it is important to fully understand the ramifications of female reproductive health legislation not only on women’s health outcomes but also the health outcomes of children and adolescents.
Objective: We set out to identify how legislation and policy related to female reproductive health and education impacts the health and well-being of children and adolescents. By evaluating this relationship, we aim to show whether variations in policy correlate with variations in a child’s well-being as lawmakers …

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 …

Empowering Birth: Comparing Nurse-Led Holistic And Pharmacologic Pain Relief Approaches​, Jessica C. Moore

Nursing | Student Research Posters

Childbirth is often described as one of the most meaningful experiences in a woman’s life. During this time, effective pain management is essential not only for reducing discomfort, but also for improving maternal satisfaction and minimizing unnecessary obstetric interventions. While childbirth is frequently approached as a purely physical process, it is inherently holistic, influenced by cultural, social, psychological, and emotional factors.

Growing evidence highlights the value of incorporating and educating patients and providers on non-pharmacologic strategies such as breathing techniques, massage, aromatherapy, hydrotherapy, positioning ,ambulation, and continuous emotional support.

For example, a study in Sweden that found that a group …

Quality Over Quantity: Doula Perspectives On Equity, Access, And Quality Of Care In Black Maternal Health Outcomes, Terry-Ann E. Lynch

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Black maternal mortality in the United States is a public health crisis. There are a plethora of reasons as to why maternal and fetal deaths disproportionately impact Black women. From a public health perspective, health disparities are an area of concern in marginalized communities, with Black maternal mortality being a risk factor. “According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2021, the maternal mortality rate for non-Hispanic Black (subsequently, Black) women was 69.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, 2.6 times the rate for non-Hispanic White (subsequently, White) women (26.6)” Maternal Mortality Rates in the United States, 2021” …

Inflammatory Mediators And The Rage Pathway In Placental Tissues Of Pregnancies Complicated By Severe Preeclampsia, Neelima Chandra, Thomas D. Kimble, Kathleen R. Heim, Sharon M. Anderson, Andrew P. Wong, Andrea R. Thurman, Gustavo F. Doncel

CONRAD Publications

Introduction: Preeclampsia (PE) is a complex multisystem disorder of pregnancy associated with abnormal placentation, vascular anomalies, and systemic inflammation and hypertension. Previous research assessing inflammatory triggers of the condition used plasma, amniotic fluid, or explant samples. Studies using placental tissue from either vaginal or cesarean deliveries are confined to semiquantitative analysis using subjective scoring methods and generally involve a small sample size.

Methods: In this study, we have quantified the expression of inflammatory mediators by immunohistochemical image analysis of archived placental tissues obtained from cesarean delivery of preeclamptic, chorioamnionitic, and normal pregnancies.

Results: Among the inflammatory mediators, we found a …

Longitudinal Assessment Of Intravillous Arterioles In Normal Pregnancy Using Superb Microvascular Imaging, R. Horgan, E. Sinkovskaya, G. Saade, E. Kalafat, A. Heeze, A. Abuhamad

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Faculty Publications

Objective

To use superb microvascular imaging (SMI) to longitudinally evaluate blood flow in intravillous arterioles (IVA) in pregnancy, and to develop reference ranges for IVA pulsatility index (PI) and peak systolic velocity (PSV) from 12 to 38 weeks' gestation.

Methods

The data for this study were obtained from the National Institutes of Health-funded Human Placenta Project. Eligible for inclusion were women aged 18-35 years, with a body mass index of <  30 kg/m², without comorbidities, with a singleton pregnancy conceived spontaneously and a gestational age of ≤ 13 + 6 weeks. Exclusion criteria were maternal or neonatal complications, fetal or umbilical cord anomalies, abnormal placental implantation and delivery <  37 weeks. Each participant underwent eight ultrasound examinations during pregnancy. Using SMI technology, the total number of IVA identified was recorded in a sagittal placental section at the level of cord insertion. The PI and PSV were measured in a total of six IVA (two in the central portion of the placenta, two peripherally towards the uterine fundal portion and two peripherally towards the lower uterine segment). Umbilical artery (UA)-PI was also obtained. Multilevel regression models were used to create reference ranges for IVA-PI and IVA-PSV at 12-38 weeks' gestation.

Results

A total of 90 women fulfilled the study criteria. IVA-PI decreased throughout pregnancy from a mean ± SD of 1.04 ± 0.23 in the first trimester (at 12-13 weeks) …

Timing Of Delivery In Preeclampsia: Time To Reconsider?, Rebecca Horgan, Ahmed S. Z. Moustafa, Mackenzie Mchugh, Tetsuya Kawakita, Baha Sibai, George Saade

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Faculty Publications

The article discusses the need to reassess the timing of delivery in cases of preeclampsia, a condition affecting 2%–8% of pregnancies and linked to significant maternal and neonatal risks. It highlights that existing guidelines, primarily based on older studies, may not adequately reflect current clinical practices and advancements in neonatal care. The authors suggest that planned delivery at 34–36 weeks of gestation may offer maternal benefits without increasing short-term neonatal morbidity, while also emphasizing the importance of considering long-term outcomes for both mothers and infants. They advocate for further research, including large-scale randomized trials, to better understand the implications of …

Association Between Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes And Awareness Of Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Numom2b-Hhs Secondary Analysis, Elizabeth M. Wendl, Amanda A. Allshouse, Ashley Goodwin, Bri Hobbs, Philip Greenland, Lisa Levine, William Grobman, George R. Saade, Natalie Cameron, C. Noel Bairey Merz, Caroline Rouse, Sarah Rogan, Judith H. Chung, Lauren H. Theilen, National Heart, Lung, And Blood Institute Numom2b Heart Health Study Network

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Faculty Publications

Background

Adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) affect 10%-20% of pregnancies and are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Objective

To determine whether the history of APO is associated with a person's awareness of their cardiovascular risk factors (CRF) 2-7 years postpartum.

Methods

This is a secondary analysis of a multicenter cohort study in which nulliparous pregnant people were enrolled in the first trimester and followed prospectively. Participants with a CRF (hypertension, dyslipidemia, and/or prediabetes/diabetes) at follow-up were included. We excluded participants with: pre-gestational diabetes, chronic hypertension, dyslipidemia during the index pregnancy or subsequent pregnancy, and non-fasting blood draws. The exposure …

Impacts Of Ramadan Fasting During Pregnancy On Pregnancy And Birth Outcomes: An Umbrella Review, Abdullah Al-Taiar, Md Estiar Rahman, May Salama, Ali H. Ziyab, Wilfried Karmaus

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background

Despite a large number of primary research studies, and systematic and narrative reviews, there is no consensus on the impact of fasting during Ramadan while pregnant on pregnancy and birth outcomes. Currently, there is no evidence-based guideline for Muslim women regarding Ramadan fasting during pregnancy and clinicians cannot provide firm recommendations.

Objectives

To review the current evidence regarding the impact of Ramadan fasting during pregnancy on pregnancy and birth outcomes.

Search Strategy

We conducted an umbrella review of all systematic and narrative reviews examining the impacts of fasting during Ramadan while pregnant on pregnancy and birth outcomes by searching …

The Role Of Doulas In The Health Care Continuum For Pregnant People With Substance Use Disorder: Perspectives Of Patients, Doulas, And Healthcare Providers, Dashaunda Taylor, Derek A. Chapman, Caitlin E. Martin, Cynthia C. F. Romero, Gerard Moeller

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Objectives/Goals: The goals of this research are to 1) determine the prevalence of perinatal doula services use in Virginia, with a focus on individuals with substance use disorders (SUD), 2) evaluate awareness of doulas among pregnant and postpartum people with SUD, and 3) assess provider knowledge and interaction with doulas for the care of this population. Methods/Study Population: Both quantitative and qualitative methods will be used to evaluate patient and healthcare provider knowledge regarding doula services and the patient–doula–healthcare provider relationship. Surveys and semi-structured interviews will be administered to doulas, pregnant and postpartum women, and healthcare providers in this mixed-methods …

Association Between The Social Vulnerability Index And Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes, Tetsuya Kawakita, Misa Hayasaka, Lindsay Robbins, Juliana Martins, George Saade

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Faculty Publications

Objective: To assess the association between the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and racial disparities in pregnancy outcomes across U.S. counties and to quantify these racial disparities.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using restricted Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data sets, including natality data sets, fetal death data sets, and all-cause mortality data sets from 2016 to 2021. We limited analyses to Black or White individuals aged 15-44 years from 3,114 U.S. counties. Participants were categorized into quartiles based on county-level SVI. The primary outcome was maternal mortality rate while pregnant or within 42 days of the end of …

Methodological And Clinical Concerns In The Study On Postpartum Hypertension Management, Takaki Tanamoto, Kyosuke Kamijo, Yusuke Tsutsumi, Tetsuya Kawakita

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Faculty Publications

[Introduction] We read with interest the recent study by Rosenfeld et al.¹ However, we have several clinical and methodological concerns about this study.¹

First, this study's propensity score matching (PSM) lacked key clinical confounders, including perinatal risk factors and the highest systolic/diastolic blood pressures. Smoking, alcohol use, and multifetal gestation, which influence blood pressure during pregnancy,²,³ potentially affect both primary and secondary outcomes. Additionally, the authors did not report standardized mean differences before and after PSM, which are essential for assessing balance.⁴

Exposure To Phthalates And Replacements During Pregnancy In Association With Gestational Blood Pressure And Hypertensive Disorders Of Pregnancy, Erin E. Mcnell, Danielle R. Stevens, Barrett M. Welch, Emma M. Rosenthal, Suzanne Fenton, Antonia M. Calafat, Julianne Cook Botelho, Elena Sinkovskaya, Ann Przybylska, George Saade, Alfred Abuhamad, Kelly K. Ferguson

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Faculty Publications

Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as phthalates may increase risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP). Prior studies lack investigation of chemical mixtures, phthalate replacements, or key periods of susceptibility including early pregnancy. In the present study, we used a longitudinal approach to evaluate gestational exposure to phthalates and replacements, as both single-pollutants and mixtures, in association with blood pressure and diagnosis of preeclampsia or any HDP. The Human Placenta and Phthalates prospective pregnancy cohort includes 291 participants recruited from two U.S. clinics. Urinary metabolites of ten phthalates and replacements were quantified at up to 8 time points per individual …

Association Between The Intensity Of Exercise In The First Trimester And Early Second Trimester And The Risk Of Gestational Diabetes, Takaki Tanamoto, Misa Hayasaka, Tetsuya Kawakita

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Faculty Publications

Objective

Although some studies show that exercise decreases the incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), the optimal exercise intensity during pregnancy remains unclear. We examined GDM risk according to exercise intensity in pregnant individuals.

Methods

We analyzed data from the Nulliparous Pregnancy Outcomes Study: Monitoring Mothers‐to‐Be (nuMoM2b), a prospective study enrolling nulliparous individuals in the first trimester. Participants with pregestational diabetes or delivery before 20 weeks were excluded. Exercise intensity during the first (6–13 weeks’ gestation) and early second (16–21 weeks’ gestation) trimesters was categorized by metabolic equivalent of task hours per week (MET‐hr/week) as none, low intensity (< 7.5), moderate intensity (7.5–14.9), or high intensity (≥ 15). The primary outcome was GDM; secondary outcomes included preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, preterm birth, small‐for‐gestational‐age birth, and stillbirth. Adjusted relative risks (aRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a generalized linear mixed‐effects model with a Poisson distribution and robust error variance, controlling for the random effects of individuals and potential confounders.

Results …

Association Of Mean Arterial, Systolic, And Diastolic Blood Pressure Trends In Early Pregnancy With Superimposed Preeclampsia With Severe Features In Pregnancies Complicated By Chronic Hypertension, Tetsuya Kawakita, Justin M. Leach, George R. Saade, Kim Boggess, Lorraine Dugoff, Brenna L. Hughes, Joseph Bell, Kjersti Aagaard, Rodney K. Edwards, Kelly Gibson, David M. Haas, Lauren Plante, Torri Metz, Brian Casey, Sherri Longo, Matthew K. Hoffman, Kara K. Hoppe, Methodius Tuuli, Michelle Y. Owens, Heather Frey, Todd Rosen, Uma M. Reddy, Wendy Kinzler, Emily Su, Iris Krishna, Mary E. Norton, Daniel Skupski, Yasser Y. El-Sayed, Ronald Librizzi, Mounira Habli, Shauna Williams, Gabriella Pridjian, David S. Mckenna, Sarah Osmundson, Joanne Quinones, Zorina Galis, Lorie Harper, Namasivayam Ambalavanan, Jeff M. Szychowski, Alan T.N. Tita

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of longitudinal systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) in early pregnancy with later development of superimposed preeclampsia with severe features in pregnancies complicated by mild chronic hypertension.

METHODS: This secondary analysis used data from the CHAP (Chronic Hypertension and Pregnancy) trial, a multicenter randomized controlled trial that involved pregnant individuals with chronic hypertension. Participants were categorized based on the development of superimposed preeclampsia with severe features. Longitudinal blood pressure measurements from enrollment to the development of superimposed preeclampsia with severe features or delivery were assessed using regression models. …

Longitudinal Assessment Of Fetal Myocardial Performance Index In Normal Pregnancy Using Spectral Tissue Doppler, R. Horgan, E. Sinkovskaya, E. Kalafat, G. Saade, A. Abuhamad

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Faculty Publications

Objective

Although spectral tissue Doppler imaging is recognized as the optimal method for assessing the fetal myocardial performance index (MPI), longitudinal reference ranges for fetal MPI measured using spectral tissue Doppler have not been established. Our objective was to use spectral tissue Doppler data to establish gestational-age-specific reference ranges from 12–33 weeks for left and right ventricular fetal MPI.

Methods

This was a prospective longitudinal study of women aged 18–35 years, with a body mass index below 30 kg/m² and a singleton pregnancy conceived spontaneously. Fetal MPI measurements were obtained in the first, second and third trimesters and MPI was …

'I Did Not Know We Could Exercise This Small Premature Baby': Challenges Experienced By Parents While Implementing Early Intervention For Their Preterm Infants-A Qualitative Perspective, Manasa Kolibylu Raghupathy, Selim Jahangir, Sonia Khurana, Leslie Edward S. Lewis, Bhamini Krishna Rao

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Preterm birth is a highly stressful experience for both parents and infants. Parental participation in care enhances developmental outcomes, fosters parent-infant interactions and builds parental confidence. However, low parental adherence has always been a challenge in the successful implementation of intervention programs both in the NICU and at home. It is imperative to understand parents' perspectives and view the challenges that they experience through their lens while providing early intervention to their infants born preterm. This study is aimed at identifying new parents' challenges when implementing early intervention programs for their infants during the transition from hospital to home. …

Protocol For Culturing Patient-Derived Organoids Of Cervical Cancer, Rui Wang, Timothy Harris, Dalissa Negrón-Figueroa, David Lo, Allison Judge, D'Shaunique Walters, Bo Jiang, Lauren E Colbert

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Herein, we present a protocol for culturing patient-derived organoids (PDOs) of cervical cancer that includes workflows for tumor biopsy/resection tissue and cytobrush-sampled cells. We describe steps for PDO culture initiation, including rinsing, gentle dissociation, Lymphoprep separation, and cell assessment, as well as seeding cells from surgical and cytobrush tissue digestion. We then provide guidance on PDO maintenance and passage and techniques for producing conditioned medium. Overall, this protocol serves as a valuable guide for establishing and maintaining cervical cancer PDOs. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Colbert et al.

The Camden Study - A Pregnancy Cohort Study Of Pregnancy Complications And Birth Outcomes In Camden, New Jersey, Usa., Stephanie Shiau, Xinhua Chen, Ayana April-Sanders, Ellen C Francis, Shristi Rawal, Megan Hansel, Kehinde Adeyemi, Zorimar Rivera-Núñez, Emily S Barrett

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy is a unique stage of the life course characterized by trade-offs between the nutritional, immune, and metabolic needs of the mother and fetus. The Camden Study was originally initiated to examine nutritional status, growth, and birth outcomes in adolescent pregnancies and expanded to study dietary and molecular predictors of pregnancy complications and birth outcomes in young women.

METHODS: From 1985-2006, 4765 pregnant participants aged 12 years and older were recruited from Camden, NJ, one of the poorest cities in the US. The cohort reflects a population under-represented in perinatal cohort studies (45% Hispanic, 38% non-Hispanic Black, 17% White …

Effects Of Sex And Estrous Cycle On Extended-Access Oxycodone Self-Administration And Cue-Induced Drug Seeking Behavior, Bhumiben P Patel, Jessica A Loweth

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

INTRODUCTION: Increasing evidence indicates that sex is a factor that impacts the abuse liability and relapse vulnerability of prescription opioids like oxycodone. However, while women are more likely than men to be prescribed and to use these drugs, the impact of sex and ovarian hormones on prescription opioid use and relapse vulnerability remains unclear. Accurately assessing these measures is complicated by the fact that chronic opioid exposure can lower ovarian hormone levels and cause cycle irregularities.

METHODS: Adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats self-administered oxycodone (0.1 mg/kg/infusion) under extended-access conditions (6 h/day, 10 days) followed by forced abstinence. Separate groups …