Women's Health Commons^™

Prevalence And Determinants Of Fully Vaccinated Status For Covid-19 Among Pregnant Women In Brazil, Ghana, Kenya, And Pakistan, Vaishnavi Mathur, Jessica Schue, Berhaun Fesshaye, Prachi Singh, Emily Miller, Caroline Badzi, Emefa Modey, Marleen Temmerman, Ferdinand Okwaro, Renato Souza

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Maternal immunization provides essential maternal and fetal protection for several infectious diseases. The variability in vaccination guidelines for pregnant women across countries and through the course of the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the perception of both the general public and broader health care systems towards COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy and moreover shaped the accessibility and decision-making trajectory of pregnant women to become fully vaccinated. As part of a larger multi-country, mixed-methods study, the purpose of this cross-sectional analysis is to assess what factors are associated with pregnant women being fully vaccinated for COVID-19 in Brazil, Ghana, Kenya, and Pakistan. In each …

First Covid-19 Vaccination Rates Among Pregnant Tennessee Women By Month Of Conception And Urbanization Level: March 2021 – November 2021, Claudia Valenzuela, Anne K. Driscoll, Elizabeth Harvey, Heather Wingate

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Throughout the pandemic, COVID-19 vaccination coverage was lower for the general population living in rural counties than in urban counties. In Tennessee (TN), COVID-19 vaccinations became available to pregnant women in March 2021. Little is known about rates of COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy during the pandemic, or whether these rates changed or differed by urbanization level.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe COVID-19 vaccination rates among pregnant women in TN by month of conception and urbanization level.

Methods: COVID-19 vaccination data from the TN Immunization Information System and the TN Surveillance for Emerging Threats to Mothers …

Association Of Covid-19 Status With Maternal And Neonatal Outcomes Among Pregnant Women At Mombasa County Referral Hospital, Kenya, Salome Mghoi Rajab

MSc in Advanced Practice Midwifery

Background: COVID-19 pandemic has raised global concern regarding maternal and neonatal health owing to physiological and immunological changes that may heighten disease severity. Despite the global evidence linking COVID-19 infection with unfavorable pregnancy outcomes, data from Sub-Saharan Africa remain limited. This leaves an essential vacuum in our understanding of how COVID-19 status affects maternal and neonatal outcomes in counties like Mombasa, where health-care system problems may alter risks. Vertical transmission remains a puzzle to be solved.

Aim: To assess the association of COVID-19 status on maternal and neonatal outcomes between March 2020 to March 2022.

Methodology: A …

The Psychosocial Impact Of Covid-19 Mitigation Measures On Frontline Staff Providing Sexual Health And Family Planning Services In Kenya: A Mixed-Methods Study, Ferdinand Okwaro, Abdu Mohiddin, Marleen Temmerman

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Background The recognition of the unintended impact of COVID-19 mitigation measures to the availability of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services led to the initiation of mitigation and health systems support mechanisms within public health facilities by the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Kenya to maintain pre-Covid-19 levels of SRH service provision. These recovery mechanisms however concentrated on policy and infrastructural elements of service provision with limited attention given to the psychosocial impacts of COVID-19 on health care workers (HCWs). This paper examines the psychosocial impact of COVID-19 on front line family planning (FP) and sexually transmitted infections (STI) management …

Covid-19 Vaccine Attitudes And Behaviors Among Pregnant Women In Nairobi, Kenya With Diverse Socio-Economic And Educational Backgrounds, Jessica Schue, Ferdinand Okwaro, Ingrid Gichere, Daizy Cherono, Mandeep Sura, Emily Miller, Berhaun Fesshaye, Prachi Singh, Grace Belayneh Belayneh, Rupali Limaye, Marleen Temmerman

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Introduction

Methods

Placental Transfer Of Sars-Cov-2 Antibodies In Mother-Neonate Pairs: A Prospective Nested Cohort Study, Alex Mugo, Angela Koech, Liberty Cantrell, Moses Mukhanya, Isaac Mwaniki, Joseph Mutunga, Merryn Voysey, Rachel Craik, Marleen Temmerman, Geoffrey Omuse

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Background: Newborns depend on the transfer of IgG across the placenta to acquire protection against pathogens. We assessed the placental transfer of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, primarily derived from infection, from seropositive pregnant women enrolled in a pregnancy cohort in Kilifi, Kenya.

Methods :The study was nested within a prospective observational multi-country cohort study. All available paired maternal delivery and cord blood samples were selected. Maternal sera were tested for SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD) IgM/IgG total antibodies using the Wantai assay. For positive samples, maternal and corresponding cord blood samples were tested for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies against the spike (anti-spike) and …

Exploring Covid-19 Vaccination Behavior: A Cross-Country Study Among Pregnant And Postpartum Women In Brazil, Ghana, Kenya, And Pakistan, Rupali Limaye, Berhaun Fesshaye, Emilly Miller, Prachi Singh, Saleem Jessani, Muhammad Asim, Ferdinand Okwaro, Caroline Badzi, Emefa Amoah, Marleen Temmerman

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV2 are more likely to be hospitalized and require ventilation, compared to non-pregnant women. Although the development of the COVID-19 vaccine was regarded as a scientific breakthrough among many, the pace of development in combination with delayed and unclear recommendations for maternal vaccination led to slower vaccine uptake among this population. We explored the decision-making process for COVID-19 vaccination among pregnant and postpartum women in four countries: Brazil, Ghana, Kenya, and Pakistan through 201 in-depth interviews. A grounded theory approach was used for analysis, and a socio-ecological framework was used to synthesize emerging themes. Four levels …

Placental Transfer Of Sars-Cov-2 Antibodies In Mother-Neonate Pairs: A Prospective Nested Cohort Study, Alex Mugo, Angela Koech, Liberty Cantrell, Moses Mukhanya, Isaac Mwaniki, Joseph Mutunga, Merryn Voysey, Rachel Craik, Peter Dadelszen, Marleen Temmerman, Geoffrey Omuse

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Background

Newborns depend on the transfer of IgG across the placenta to acquire protection against pathogens. We assessed the placental transfer of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, primarily derived from infection, from seropositive pregnant women enrolled in a pregnancy cohort in Kilifi, Kenya.

Methods

The study was nested within a prospective observational multi-country cohort study. All available paired maternal delivery and cord blood samples were selected. Maternal sera were tested for SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD) IgM/IgG total antibodies using the Wantai assay. For positive samples, maternal and corresponding cord blood samples were tested for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies against the spike (anti-spike) and …

Racial Disparities In Maternal Mortality Before, During, And After The Covid-19 Pandemic In The United States: A Difference-In-Difference Analysis, Kyosuke Kamijo, Misa Hayasaka, Tetsuya Kawakita

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Faculty Publications

Background

This study aimed to examine changes in racial disparities in pregnancy-related and maternal mortality before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

Methodology

This was a cross-sectional study using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) data from January 2018 to June 2024. We focused on pregnancy-related and maternal mortality among Black and White individuals to examine racial disparities. The study periods were defined as pre-pandemic (January 2018-March 2020), pandemic (April 2020-March 2022), and post-pandemic (April 2022-June 2024). We applied interrupted time series analysis and difference-in-difference (DID) models …

Preeclampsia In The Context Of Covid-19: Mechanisms, Pathophysiology, And Clinical Outcomes, Guilherme M Nobrega, Brittany R Jones, Indira U Mysorekar, Maria Laura Costa

Center on Aging Staff Publications

The emergence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to the global COVID-19 pandemic, significantly impacting the health of pregnant women. Obstetric populations, already vulnerable, face increased morbidity and mortality related to COVID-19, aggravated by preexisting comorbidities. Recent studies have shed light on the potential correlation between COVID-19 and preeclampsia (PE), a leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity worldwide, emphasizing the significance of exploring the relationship between these two conditions. Here, we review the pathophysiological similarities that PE shares with COVID-19, with a particular focus on severe COVID-19 cases and in PE-like syndrome cases related with …

Gender-Specific Mental Health Outcomes In Central America: A Natural Experiment, Thea Nagasuru

Computer Science Summer Fellows

While COVID lockdown measures have had varying effects on the mental health of different demographics, several bodies of research have noted their disparate effect on women. Why is women's mental health more negatively impacted by lockdown measures, and how much more are they impacted than men? How can we predict and mitigate these negative effects on women? This paper aims to contribute to answering those questions by comparing COVID stringency measures and their effect on the gap in depression rates between men and women in two neighboring countries: Nicaragua and Honduras.

Covid-19 Prevalence And Trends Among Pregnant And Postpartum Persons In Maine By Rurality And Pregnancy Conditions, Charlie O. Grantham, Christina M. Ackerman-Banks Md, Heather S. Lipkind Md, Ms, Kristin Palmsten Scd, Katherine A. Ahrens Mph, Phd

Journal of Maine Medical Center

No abstract provided.

Sars-Cov-2 Seroprevalence In Pregnant Women In Kilifi, Kenya From March 2020 To March 2022, Angela Koech, Geoffrey Omuse, Alex Mugo, Isaac Mwaniki, Joseph Mutunga, Moses Mukhanya, Onesmus Wanje, Grace Mwashigadi, Geoffrey Katana, Marleen Temmerman

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Background: Seroprevalence studies are an alternative approach to estimating the extent of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and the evolution of the pandemic in different geographical settings. We aimed to determine the SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence from March 2020 to March 2022 in a rural and urban setting in Kilifi County, Kenya.

Methods: We obtained representative random samples of stored serum from a pregnancy cohort study for the period March 2020 to March 2022 and tested for antibodies against the spike protein using a qualitative SARS-CoV-2 ELISA kit (Wantai, total antibodies). All positive samples were retested for anti-SARS-CoV-2 anti-nucleocapsid antibodies (Euroimmun, ELISA kits, NCP, …

Association Of The Covid-19 Pandemic With Women, Infants, And Children (Wic) Receipt Among Pregnant Individuals: United States, 2016-2022, Savannah Busch, Jennifer A Andersen, Don E Willis, Pearl Anna Mcelfish, Sharon Reece, Dominique Dubois, Clare C Brown

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives. To evaluate the effect of COVID-19 on Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) receipt among pregnant individuals overall and by race/ethnicity.

Methods. We measured changes in WIC receipt among Medicaid-covered births (n = 10 484 697) from the US National Center for Health Statistics Natality Files (2016–2022). Our interrupted time series logistic model included a continuous monthly variable, a binary post-COVID variable, and a continuous slope shift variable. We additionally fit separate models for each race/ethnicity relative to White individuals, using interaction terms between the time series variables and race/ethnicity.

Results. We found decreases in …

Nutrition-Related Experiences Of Women With Perinatal Depression During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study, Dahlia Stott, Cynthia Klobodu, Lisa A. Chiarello, Bobbie Posmontier, Mona Egohail, Pamela A. Geller, June Andrews Horowitz, Brandy-Joe Milliron

College of Nursing Faculty Papers & Presentations

Women with perinatal depression are at a high risk for unhealthy dietary behaviors but whether the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has exacerbated this risk is unknown. Here we report the findings of a qualitative study exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nutrition-related experiences of women with perinatal depression. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with 18 women with a history of perinatal depression and 10 healthcare providers. A semistructured format elicited how food and nutrition-related behaviors of women with perinatal depression were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thematic analysis identified 4 themes related to …

Kangaroo Mother Care In Improving Thermoregulation Of Premature Babies During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Case Report, Ari Damayanti Wahyuningrum, Yuni Sufyanti Arief, Rizki Fitriyasari Pk, Chui Ping Lei, Rinik Eko Kapti

Kesmas

Premature babies lose four times more heat than those with sufficient birth weight. Moreover, their body temperature regulation center does not function properly. This study aimed to investigate Kangaroo Mother Care's effect in increasing premature babies' thermoregulation during the COVID-19 pandemic at Hospital A in Malang City, Indonesia. This study was a case report with data from follow-up checks on premature babies discharged from the hospital. The Kangaroo Mother Care method, carried out by the mother, increased the thermoregulation of premature babies' temperature by 0.2ᴼC compared to the father. It was because women have a slightly higher body temperature than …

Psychosocial Impacts Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Women With Spinal Cord Injury, Heather B Taylor, Rosemary B Hughes, Diana Gonzalez, Muna Bhattarai, Susan Robinson-Whelen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This study represents the first known research addressing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women with spinal cord injury (SCI) in the United States. Women in this population face unique barriers that put them at elevated risk for compromised quality of life, risk that was magnified by physical and social restrictions imposed during the pandemic. This qualitative study examined the perceptions of women with SCI and the effect of the pandemic on their lives. The predominantly White and relatively well-educated sample of 105 women with traumatic SCI was diverse in age, injury characteristics, and geographic representation. Recruited across the …

Researching Covid To Enhance Recovery (Recover) Adult Study Protocol: Rationale, Objectives, And Design, Leora I Horwitz, Tanayott Thaweethai, Shari B Brosnahan, Mine S Cicek, Megan L Fitzgerald, Jason D Goldman, Rachel Hess, S L Hodder, Vanessa L Jacoby, Michael R Jordan, Jerry A Krishnan, Adeyinka O Laiyemo, Torri D Metz, Lauren Nichols, Rachel E Patzer, Anisha Sekar, Nora G Singer, Lauren E Stiles, Barbara S Taylor, Shifa Ahmed, Heather A Algren, Khamal Anglin, Lisa Aponte-Soto, Hassan Ashktorab, Ingrid V Bassett, Brahmchetna Bedi, Nahid Bhadelia, Christian Bime, Marie-Abele C Bind, Lora J Black, Andra L Blomkalns, Hassan Brim, Mario Castro, James Chan, Alexander W Charney, Benjamin K Chen, Li Qing Chen, Peter Chen, David Chestek, Lori B Chibnik, Dominic C Chow, Helen Y Chu, Rebecca G Clifton, Shelby Collins, Maged M Costantine, Sushma K Cribbs, Steven G Deeks, John D Dickinson, Sarah E Donohue, Matthew S Durstenfeld, Ivette F Emery, Kristine M Erlandson, Julio C Facelli, Rachael Farah-Abraham, Aloke V Finn, Melinda S Fischer, Valerie J Flaherman, Judes Fleurimont, Vivian Fonseca, Emily J Gallagher, Jennifer C Gander, Maria Laura Gennaro, Kelly S Gibson, Minjoung Go, Steven N Goodman, Joey P Granger, Frank L Greenway, John W Hafner, Jenny E Han, Michelle S Harkins, Kristine S P Hauser, James R Heath, Carla R Hernandez, On Ho, Matthew K Hoffman, Susan E Hoover, Carol R Horowitz, Harvey Hsu, Priscilla Y Hsue, Brenna L Hughes, Prasanna Jagannathan, Judith A James, Janice John, Sarah Jolley, S E Judd, Joy J Juskowich, Diane G Kanjilal, Elizabeth W Karlson, Stuart D Katz, J Daniel Kelly, Sara W Kelly, Arthur Y Kim, John P Kirwan, Kenneth S Knox, Andre Kumar, Michelle F Lamendola-Essel, Margaret Lanca, Joyce K Lee-Lannotti, R Craig Lefebvre, Bruce D Levy, Janet Y Lin, Brian P Logarbo, Jennifer K Logue, Michele T Longo, Carlos A Luciano, Karen Lutrick, Shahdi K Malakooti, Gail Mallett, Gabrielle Maranga, Jai G Marathe, Vincent C Marconi, Gailen D Marshall, Christopher F Martin, Jeffrey N Martin, Heidi T May, Grace A Mccomsey, Dylan Mcdonald, Hector Mendez-Figueroa, Lucio Miele, Murray A Mittleman, Sindhu Mohandas, Christian Mouchati, Janet M Mullington, Girish N Nadkarni, Erica R Nahin, Robert B Neuman, Lisa T Newman, Amber Nguyen, Janko Z Nikolich, Igho Ofotokun, Princess U Ogbogu, Anna Palatnik, Kristy T S Palomares, Tanyalak Parimon, Samuel Parry, Sairam Parthasarathy, Thomas F Patterson, Ann Pearman, Michael J Peluso, Priscilla Pemu, Christian M Pettker, Beth A Plunkett, Kristen Pogreba-Brown, Athena Poppas, J Zachary Porterfield, John G Quigley, Davin K Quinn, Hengameh Raissy, Candida J Rebello, Uma M Reddy, Rebecca Reece, Harrison T Reeder, Franz P Rischard, Johana M Rosas, Clifford J Rosen, Nadine G Rouphael, Dwight J Rouse, Adam M Ruff, Christina Saint Jean, Grecio J Sandoval, Jorge L Santana, Shannon M Schlater, Frank C Sciurba, Caitlin Selvaggi, Sudha Seshadri, Howard D Sesso, Dimpy P Shah, Eyal Shemesh, Zaki A Sherif, Daniel J Shinnick, Hyagriv N Simhan, Upinder Singh, Amber Sowles, Vignesh Subbian, Jun Sun, Mehul S Suthar, Larissa J Teunis, John M Thorp, Amberly Ticotsky, Alan T N Tita, Robin Tragus, Katherine R Tuttle, Alfredo E Urdaneta, P J Utz, Timothy M Vanwagoner, Andrew Vasey, Suzanne D Vernon, Crystal Vidal, Tiffany Walker, Honorine D Ward, David E Warren, Ryan M Weeks, Steven J Weiner, Jordan C Weyer, Jennifer L Wheeler, Sidney W Whiteheart, Zanthia Wiley, Natasha J Williams, Juan P Wisnivesky, John C Wood, Lynn M Yee, Natalie M Young, Sokratis N Zisis, Andrea S Foulkes

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

IMPORTANCE: SARS-CoV-2 infection can result in ongoing, relapsing, or new symptoms or other health effects after the acute phase of infection; termed post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), or long COVID. The characteristics, prevalence, trajectory and mechanisms of PASC are ill-defined. The objectives of the Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) Multi-site Observational Study of PASC in Adults (RECOVER-Adult) are to: (1) characterize PASC prevalence; (2) characterize the symptoms, organ dysfunction, natural history, and distinct phenotypes of PASC; (3) identify demographic, social and clinical risk factors for PASC onset and recovery; and (4) define the biological mechanisms underlying PASC pathogenesis. …

Development Of A Definition Of Postacute Sequelae Of Sars-Cov-2 Infection, Tanayott Thaweethai, Sarah E Jolley, Elizabeth W Karlson, Emily B Levitan, Bruce Levy, Grace A Mccomsey, Lisa Mccorkell, Girish N Nadkarni, Sairam Parthasarathy, Upinder Singh, Tiffany A Walker, Caitlin A Selvaggi, Daniel J Shinnick, Carolin C M Schulte, Rachel Atchley-Challenner, George A Alba, Radica Alicic, Natasha Altman, Khamal Anglin, Urania Argueta, Hassan Ashktorab, Gaston Baslet, Ingrid V Bassett, Lucinda Bateman, Brahmchetna Bedi, Shamik Bhattacharyya, Marie-Abele Bind, Andra L Blomkalns, Hector Bonilla, Hassan Brim, Patricia A Bush, Mario Castro, James Chan, Alexander W Charney, Peter Chen, Lori B Chibnik, Helen Y Chu, Rebecca G Clifton, Maged M Costantine, Sushma K Cribbs, Sylvia I Davila Nieves, Steven G Deeks, Alexandria Duven, Ivette F Emery, Nathan Erdmann, Kristine M Erlandson, Kacey C Ernst, Rachael Farah-Abraham, Cheryl E Farner, Elen M Feuerriegel, Judes Fleurimont, Vivian Fonseca, Nicholas Franko, Vivian Gainer, Jennifer C Gander, Edward M Gardner, Linda N Geng, Kelly S Gibson, Minjoung Go, Jason D Goldman, Halle Grebe, Frank L Greenway, Mounira Habli, John Hafner, Jenny E Han, Keith A Hanson, James Heath, Carla Hernandez, Rachel Hess, Sally L Hodder, Matthew K Hoffman, Susan E Hoover, Beatrice Huang, Brenna L Hughes, Prasanna Jagannathan, Janice John, Michael R Jordan, Stuart D Katz, Elizabeth S Kaufman, John D Kelly, Sara W Kelly, Megan M Kemp, John P Kirwan, Jonathan D Klein, Kenneth S Knox, Jerry A Krishnan, Andre Kumar, Adeyinka O Laiyemo, Allison A Lambert, Margaret Lanca, Joyce K Lee-Iannotti, Brian P Logarbo, Michele T Longo, Carlos A Luciano, Karen Lutrick, Jason H Maley, Gail Mallett, Jai G Marathe, Vincent Marconi, Gailen D Marshall, Christopher F Martin, Yuri Matusov, Alem Mehari, Hector Mendez-Figueroa, Robin Mermelstein, Torri D Metz, Richard Morse, Jarrod Mosier, Christian Mouchati, Janet Mullington, Shawn N Murphy, Robert B Neuman, Janko Z Nikolich, Ighovwerha Ofotokun, Elizabeth Ojemakinde, Anna Palatnik, Kristy Palomares, Tanyalak Parimon, Samuel Parry, Jan E Patterson, Thomas F Patterson, Rachel E Patzer, Michael J Peluso, Priscilla Pemu, Christian M Pettker, Beth A Plunkett, Kristen Pogreba-Brown, Athena Poppas, John G Quigley, Uma Reddy, Rebecca Reece, Harrison Reeder, W B Reeves, Eric M Reiman, Franz Rischard, Jonathan Rosand, Dwight J Rouse, Adam Ruff, George Saade, Grecio J Sandoval, Jorge L Santana, Shannon M Schlater, Frank C Sciurba, Fitzgerald Shepherd, Zaki A Sherif, Hyagriv Simhan, Nora G Singer, Daniel W Skupski, Amber Sowles, Jeffrey A Sparks, Fatima I Sukhera, Barbara S Taylor, Larissa Teunis, Robert J Thomas, John M Thorp, Paul Thuluvath, Amberly Ticotsky, Alan T Tita, Katherine R Tuttle, Alfredo E Urdaneta, Daisy Valdivieso, Timothy M Vanwagoner, Andrew Vasey, Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez, Zachary S Wallace, Honorine D Ward, David E Warren, Steven J Weiner, Shelley Welch, Sidney W Whiteheart, Zanthia Wiley, Juan P Wisnivesky, Lynn M Yee, Sokratis Zisis, Leora I Horwitz, Andrea S Foulkes

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

IMPORTANCE: SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with persistent, relapsing, or new symptoms or other health effects occurring after acute infection, termed postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), also known as long COVID. Characterizing PASC requires analysis of prospectively and uniformly collected data from diverse uninfected and infected individuals.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a definition of PASC using self-reported symptoms and describe PASC frequencies across cohorts, vaccination status, and number of infections.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Prospective observational cohort study of adults with and without SARS-CoV-2 infection at 85 enrolling sites (hospitals, health centers, community organizations) located in 33 states plus Washington, DC, …

Refugee Women’S Receptiveness For Virtual Engagement On Reproductive Health During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Heike Thiel De Bocanegra, Zahra Goliaei, Nossin Khan, Sereen Banna, Rawnaq Behnam, Sheila K Mody

Faculty Publications & Research of the TUC Public Health Program

BACKGROUND: Refugee women who leave their country due to persecution and violence have multiple barriers to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. The COVID-19 pandemic added an additional barrier to in-person reproductive health education, dialogue, and clinical care. This study aimed to assess the potential of using virtual group meetings as a forum for refugee women to learn about and discuss reproductive health concerns such as cervical cancer screening, family planning, childbirth, and postpartum care.

METHOD: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 36 refugee women and stakeholders to assess factors that impact refugee women's receptiveness for virtual platforms to obtain information …

The Tgf-Β Superfamily As Potential Therapeutic Targets In Pancreatic Cancer, William A Grobman, Grecio J Sandoval, Torri D Metz, Tracy A Manuck, Rebecca G Clifton, Brenna L Hughes, George R Saade, Monica Longo, Amber Sowles, Kelly Clark, Hyagriv N Simhan, Dwight J Rouse, Hector Mendez-Figueroa, Cynthia Gyamfi-Bannerman, Jennifer L Bailit, Maged M Costantine, Harish M Sehdev, Alan T N Tita, George A Macones

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether preterm birth rates changed in relation to the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and whether any change depended on socioeconomic status.

METHODS: This is an observational cohort study of pregnant individuals with a singleton gestation who delivered in the years 2019 and 2020 at 1 of 16 U.S. hospitals of the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network. The frequency of preterm birth for those who delivered before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (ie, in 2019) was compared with that of those who delivered after its onset (ie, in 2020). Interaction analyses were performed for …

The Vitamin D Serum Levels In Pregnant Women Affected By Covid-19: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Luiza Szarpak, Stepan Feduniw, Michal Pruc, Michal Ciebiera, Basar Cander, Mansur Rahnama-Hezavah, Łukasz Szarpak

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Vitamin D can modulate immune responses, and its deficiency is linked to increased autoimmunity and susceptibility to infection. In the general population, it has been observed that serum vitamin D levels are connected with the risk of COVID-19 and its severity. Our study aims to examine reported findings on the effect of vitamin D serum levels on infection of COVID-19 during pregnancy. PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched for relevant studies. Serum vitamin D serum levels in COVID-19-positive and COVID-19-negative pregnant women were 24.61 ± 20.86 ng/mL and 24.12 ± 17.33 ng/mL, respectively. In mild vs. …

The Effects Of Natural Epigenetic Therapies In 3d Ovarian Cancer And Patient-Derived Tumor Explants: New Avenues In Regulating The Cancer Secretome, Aya Mohr-Sasson, Jigal Haas, Michal Sivan, Yoni Zehori, Rina Hemi, Raoul Orvieto, Arnon Afek, Jaron Rabinovici

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

KEY MESSAGE: Menstruation of adolescent girls might be influenced by Covid-19 mRNA vaccine, however, the ovarian reserve estimated by AMH is not compromised.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have suggested that the acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) mRNA vaccine causes menstrual abnormalities which led to concerns regarding its influence on the reproductive system. This study aims to investigate the influence of the SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine on gynecologic well-being and future fertility of adolescent girls.

METHODS: This is a prospective cohort study conducted at a university affiliated medical center between June and July 2021. Adolescent girls aged 12-16 years who were vaccinated …

Outcomes Following Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation For Severe Covid-19 In Pregnancy Or Post Partum, John J Byrne, Amir A Shamshirsaz, Alison G Cahill, Mark A Turrentine, Angela R Seasely, Joe Eid, Caroline E Rouse, Michael Richley, Nandini Raghuraman, Mariam Naqvi, Yasser Y El-Sayed, Martina L Badell, Cece Cheng, James Liu, Emily H Adhikari, Soha S Patel, Erika R O'Neil, Patrick S Ramsey

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

IMPORTANCE: Existing reports of pregnant patients with COVID-19 disease who require extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) are limited, with variable outcomes noted for the maternal-fetal dyad.

OBJECTIVE: To examine maternal and perinatal outcomes associated with ECMO used for COVID-19 with respiratory failure during pregnancy.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This retrospective multicenter cohort study examined pregnant and postpartum patients who required ECMO for COVID-19 respiratory failure at 25 hospitals across the US. Eligible patients included individuals who received care at one of the study sites, were diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy or up to 6 weeks post partum by positive nucleic …

Investigation Of Teratogenic Concerns In The Covid-19 Era, Emily Daykin

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

In the United States, Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) has disproportionately impacted vulnerable populations, including pregnant people, who were shown to be at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 infection and pregnancy complications. Research on the teratogenicity of COVID-19 is still ongoing, but overall neither COVID-19 infection nor vaccination appear to increase the risk of birth defects. Numerous studies have investigated healthcare providers’ opinions on whether and when pregnant people should get vaccinated, as well as pregnant people’s perceptions of COVID-19 vaccines and psychosocial impacts of the pandemic. However, more research is needed to identify the most common concerns regarding …

The Effect Of Lockdowns On The Status Of Women In The World, Angelika B. Magno

Angelo King Institute for Economic and Business Studies (AKI)

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious respiratory illness that causes moderate to severe symptoms that can be fatal to older people or those with other underlying health concerns. Considered a global pandemic, this disease spreads rapidly across the world, calling for a need for the implementation of lockdowns. This study examines the effects of lockdowns on joblessness among women, controlling for household conditions, namely, perceived household responsibility, hours allotted for household chores, and safety at home. Data for lockdowns were sourced from Google’s Community Mobility reports, whereas joblessness among women and household conditions were sourced from Facebook’s Survey on Gender …

Hereditary Angioedema And Covid-19 During Pregnancy: Two Case Reports, Amanda Salih, Aaron Chin, Manisha Gandhi, Amir Shamshirsaz, Hennie Lombaard, Joud Hajjar

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Role Of Biomarkers (Sflt-1/Plgf) In Cases Of Covid-19 For Distinguishing Preeclampsia And Guiding Clinical Management, Guilherme M Nobrega, Jose P Guida, Juliana M Novaes, Larissa M Solda, Luciana Pietro, Adriana G Luz, Giuliane J Lajos, Carolina C Ribeiro-Do-Valle, Renato T Souza, Jose G Cecatti, Indira U Mysorekar, Tabata Z Dias, Maria Laura Costa

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

OBJECTIVES: To analyze soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1) and placental growth factors (PlGF) concentrations and their ratio in pregnant and postpartum women with suspected COVID-19, and further investigate conditions associated with an increased ratio (sFlt-1/PlGF > 38), including preeclampsia (PE) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

STUDY DESIGN: The present study is a secondary analysis of a prospective cohort. Blood samples were collected at time of COVID-19 investigation and the serum measurements of sFlt-1 and PlGF were performed. Clinical background, SARS-CoV-2 infection characteristics, maternal and perinatal outcomes were further analyzed.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Serum measurements of sFlt-1 and PlGF; obstetrics …

Presidential Vote Share And Covid-19 Vaccination Rate In Indonesia: A District-Level Cross-Sectional Ecological Study, Gede Benny Setia Wirawan, Ni Luh Zallila Gustina, Ivy Cerelia Valerie, I Gusti Ayu Indah Pradnyani Rs, Muchamad Zaenal Arifin, Pande Putu Januraga

Kesmas

Political affiliation has been reported as a determinant of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in some countries, although few studies have examined the Asian context. This study aims to fill this gap by employing an ecological study design using Indonesian regions as data points. Political affiliation was represented by incumbent President Jokowi’s vote share in the 2019 presidential election. Potential confounders included population density, human development index, availability of hospitals and primary health care, 2019–2020 economic growth, COVID-19 mortality rate, and proportion of Muslims in the population. The final analysis included 201 out of 501 districts and cities in Indonesia. Controlling for …

The Effect Of Covid-19-Related Occupational Stress And Burnout In Referral Hospital Nurses, Yulastri Arif, Masyithah Fadhani

Kesmas

Nurses' continuous contribution to patient health makes them prone to occupational stress, which has been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Occupational stress that lasts for a long time and is not resolved may cause burnout. Burnout experienced by nurses can impact patients, hospital services, and themselves. This study aimed to determine the effect of occupational stress on the incidence of nurse burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic. It used a quantitative approach with a cross-sectional design. The study sample was 235 nurses in six COVID-19 referral hospitals in West Sumatra from a proportional random sampling technique. Data were collected using a …