Women's Health Commons^™

Metabolomics Of A Neonatal Cohort From The Alliance For Maternal And Newborn Health Improvement Biorepository: Effect Of Preanalytical Variables On Reference Intervals, Lena Jafri, Aysha Habib Khan, Muhammad Ilyas, Muhammad Imran Nisar, Javairia Khalid, Hafsa Majid, Aneeta Hotwani, Fyezah Jehan

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Background: The study was conducted to determine reference interval (RI) and evaluate the effect of preanalytical variables on Dried blood spot (DBS)-amino acids, acylcarnitines and succinylacetone of neonates.
Methodology: DBS samples were collected within 48-72 hours of life. Samples were analyzed for biochemical markers on tandem mass spectrometer at the University of Iowa. Comparison of RI across various categorical variables were performed.
Results: A total of 610 reference samples were selected based on exclusion criteria; 53.2% being females. Mean gestational age (GA) of mothers at the time of delivery was 38.7±1.6 weeks; 24.5% neonates were of low birth weight and …

Immune Environment And Antigen Specificity Of The T Cell Receptor Repertoire Of Malignant Ascites In Ovarian Cancer, Kyoko Yoshida-Court, Tatiana V Karpinets, Aparna Mitra, Travis N Solley, Stephanie Dorta-Estremera, Travis T Sims, Andrea Y Delgado Medrano, Molly B El Alam, Mustapha Ahmed-Kaddar, Erica J Lynn, K Jagannadha Sastry, Jianhua Zhang, Andrew Futreal, Alpa Nick, Karen Lu, Lauren E Colbert, Ann H Klopp

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

We evaluated the association of disease outcome with T cell immune-related characteristics and T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire in malignant ascites from patients with high-grade epithelial ovarian cancer. Ascitic fluid samples were collected from 47 high-grade epithelial ovarian cancer patients and analyzed using flow cytometry and TCR sequencing to characterize the complementarity determining region 3 TCR β-chain. TCR functions were analyzed using the McPAS-TCR and VDJ databases. TCR clustering was implemented using Grouping of Lymphocyte Interactions by Paratope Hotspots software. Patients with poor prognosis had ascites characterized by an increased ratio of CD8+ T cells to regulatory T cells, which …

Phase I Dose Escalation Study Of Topical Bexarotene In Women At High Risk For Breast Cancer, Parijatham S Thomas, Anisha B Patel, J Jack Lee, Diane D Liu, Mike Hernandez, Miguel Muzzio, Alejandro Contreras, Valerie Sepeda, Carrie Mays, Diane Weber, Lana A Vornik, Seema A Khan, Eileen Dimond, Brandy M Heckman-Stoddard, Marjorie Perloff, Powel H Brown

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Bexarotene is a rexinoid that has been shown to prevent mammary tumors in mouse models but oral dosing has toxicities. This phase I study evaluates topical bexarotene, as a potential chemoprevention agent, for safety and toxicity in high-risk women for breast cancer.

Epidemiological/Disease And Economic Burdens Of Cervical Cancer In 2010–2014: Are Younger Women At Risk?, Chuhao Xi, Jay J. Shen, Betty Burston, Soumya Upadhyay, Shoujun Zhou

Healthcare Administration and Policy Faculty Research

Objective: Cervical cancer is an important factor threatening women’s health in China. This study examined the epidemiological and economic burden of cervical cancer among the medically insured population, which could provide data support for government departments to formulate policies. Methods: All new cases of cervical cancer under the Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance (UEBMI) plan in a provincial capital city in eastern China from 2010 to 2014 were collected. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to analyze the factors affecting the survival rates for cervical cancer. Outpatient and hospitalization expenses were used to assess the direct economic burden, and …

Community Healthcare Providers’ Perspectives On Hiv Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (Prep) Use Among Black Women, Kayla Pitchford, Sylvia Shangani, Charlotte Dawson, Kristin Heron

College of Sciences Posters

The most at-risk population among women for HIV diagnosis in the U.S. are Black women, who account for 61% of all new HIV cases. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a safe and effective HIV prevention method for people at risk of HIV acquisition. Despite being disproportionately affected by HIV, Black women’s knowledge, perceived benefits, and uptake of PrEP remain low. The socio-ecological model may be useful for understanding why there is a low uptake of PrEP among Black women by examining the complex interplay between individual, relationship, community, and societal factors. The current study used the socio-ecological framework to explore provider …

Impact Of Treating Maternal Periodontal Disease On The Risk Of Preterm Birth And Low Birth Weight: An Umbrella Review Of Systematic Reviews, May Salama, Abdullah Al-Taiar

College of Health Sciences Posters

Pregnancy involves complex physical and hormonal changes that significantly impact almost every organ system, including the oral cavity. The presence of oral disease in women has consequences for both their child and their health. The two main oral conditions linked to pregnancy are gingivitis and periodontal disease. Several studies have demonstrated that there is a positive association between periodontal disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes such as preterm birth (PTB) and low birth weight (LBW). PTB and LBW are among the leading causes of perinatal mortality and morbidity. It has been hypothesized that periodontal disease may cause PTB and/or LBW either …

A Systematic Literature Review Of Research From 2010 To 2020 Addressing User-Generated Online Comments Related To Health Issues And Recommendations For Future Research, Muhammad Ittefaq, Mauryne Abwao, Ioana A. Coman, Waqas Ejaz

School of Communication Studies - Faculty Scholarship

This systematic literature review was conducted to provide insights into how online readers’ comments have been studied in the context of health over a 10-year span. About 593 studies published between 2010 and 2020; of these, 34 met the research criteria for inclusion. Our findings reveal that 60% of the studies focused on the United States, and a qualitative method was used in 74.3% of these studies. About 23.5% of the studies explored vaccine-related issues. Our results reveal that among the selected studies, 76.5% and 20.6% had female and male first authors, respectively. Textual analysis of abstracts shows that the …

Assessing Women's Understanding Of Mensuration: Knowledge Gaps And Educational Needs, Makenzie Kapitula, Alexis Hendrickson, Sarah Lalli

Student Research Poster Presentations 2023

The menstrual cycle is more complex than what seems to be taught in the education system. School systems focus on the basics of the menstrual cycle, like for example what to do when a young female gets her menstrual cycle for the first time and telling the young female that she can get pregnant but then do not go into detail on the timeframe when pregnancy can occur. It consists of more information than what is taught in the public school system and should be better taught to young females to prevent the unpreventable. The main objective of the study …

What Impact Does The Ability To Access Healthcare Have On Maternal Outcomes In Africa?, Helena Harris

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: Maternal mortality rates reflect health inequities in access to obstetric care in some parts of the world including many African countries. Geographical barriers and limited number of skilled human resources have put women in rural areas at a significantly higher risk of maternal mortality.

Research Question: What impact does the ability to access healthcare have on maternal outcomes in African rural areas compared to urban cities?

Methods: A literature review was performed of credible databases. Six articles were reviewed extensively highlighting the purpose, strengths, and limitations of each study. Refer to Appendix A for the literature review table.

Findings: …

Barriers To Hpv Screening And Prevention In Latin America: A Systematic Review, Lauren Rutten

Theses and Graduate Projects

In Latin America, cervical cancer is the second most common female cancer and the fourth most leading cancer of women around the world, with an estimated 342,000 deaths in 2020.1 This systematic review of literature gives insight into Latin Americas barriers to Human Papillomavirus Virus (HPV) screening and prevention. A comprehensive literature review was conducted using google scholar, the WHO, and the CDC. Search terms included: barriers to HPV screening, cervical cancer, Latin America, Central America, Costa Rica, Prevention of HPV, and Human Papillomavirus. Three main barriers to HPV screening and prevention were found including, fear, lack of education, and …

Bibliography, Kim Riddle

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Bibliography of presentations and research by Kim (Bourne) Riddle.

Reproductive Justice And Feminism: A Comparative Legal Analysis Of The Policies And Healthcare Systems In The United States And Colombia, Samantha Cooke

Modern Languages, Philosophy and Classics Theses

This thesis seeks to offer a comparative legal analysis of the state of the laws regarding abortion and reproductive autonomy in the United States of America and Colombia. This thesis will first address a brief history of feminism and its origins in the United States and Colombia. It will also analyze the policies held by each respective nation; starting with old legislation and moving to current policies regarding abortion. It will also include a comparison between both the U.S. and Colombia; offering suggestions for the future with regards to potential policy changes. The purpose of this thesis is to demonstrate …

Parental Instincts: The Neurological And Biological Factors Associated With Parenthood, Jared Reeder

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The following project involves a systematic review of the scientific literature on neural and biological changes of mothers and fathers in parenthood. Until very recently, little scientific research was devoted to studying how bearing children affects a man or woman’s long-term biology. Over the last twenty years, studies of neuroplastic changes in new mothers show specific neural mechanisms responsible for altering the behaviors of mothers during and after pregnancy. These changes in neuroplasticity alter behavior in such a way that led to mothers requiring less sleep and being more prone to hearing the cries of their children. In addition to …

Early Mortality Among Aboriginal And Non-Aboriginal Women Who Had A Preterm Birth In Western Australia: A Population-Based Cohort Study, Helen D. Bailey, Caitlin Gray, Akilew A. Adane, Natalie A. Strobel, Scott W. White, Rhonda Marriott, Gizachew A. Tessema, Carrington C. J. Shepherd, Mary Sharp

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Having a preterm ( < 37 weeks' gestation) birth may increase a woman's risk of early mortality. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (hereafter Aboriginal) women have higher preterm birth and mortality rates compared with other Australian women. Objectives: We investigated whether a history of having a preterm birth was associated with early mortality in women and whether these associations differed by Aboriginal status. Methods: This retrospective cohort study used population-based perinatal records of women who had a singleton birth between 1980 and 2015 in Western Australia linked to Death Registry data until June 2018. The primary and secondary outcomes were all-cause and cause-specific mortality respectively. After stratification by Aboriginal status, rate differences were calculated, and Cox proportional hazard regression was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for all-cause and cause-specific mortality. Results: There were 20,244 Aboriginal mothers (1349 deaths) and 457,357 non-Aboriginal mothers (7646 deaths) with 8.6 million person-years of follow-up. The all-cause mortality rates for Aboriginal mothers who had preterm births and term births were 529.5 and 344.0 (rate difference 185.5, 95 % CI 135.5, 238.5) per 100,000 person-years respectively. Among non-Aboriginal mothers, the corresponding figures were 125.5 and 88.6 (rate difference 37.0, 95 % CI 29.4, 44.9) per 100,000 person-years. The HR for all-cause mortality for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal mothers associated with preterm birth were 1.48 (95 % CI 1.32, 1.66) and 1.35 (95 % CI 1.26, 1.44), respectively, compared with term birth. Compared with mothers who had term births, mothers of preterm births had higher relative risks of mortality from diabetes, cardiovascular, digestive and external causes. Conclusions: Both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women who had a preterm birth had a moderately increased risk of mortality up to 38 years after the birth, reinforcing the importance of primary prevention and ongoing screening.

An Interpretive Description Study Of The Views And Experience Of Obstetric Fistula Risk Factors Among Women Attending Evangel Vesico Vagina Fistula Centre In Nigeria, Lydia Babatunde-Bulndi

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

An obstetric fistula is a hole between the birth canal and the bladder or rectum, which is caused by prolonged, obstructed labour without intervention. Sufferers of obstetric fistula may experience chronic urinary and/or faecal incontinence. Although obstetric fistula is directly caused by prolonged obstructed labour, factors such as unskilled birth assistance can increase fistula risk indirectly. Harmful traditional practices, such as female genital mutilation, lack of formal education, illiteracy, poverty, limited social role for women, malnutrition, early marriage before the full development of the pelvis, and a lack of emergency obstetric services are some of the additional factors associated with …

Virtual Home Visits During Covid-19 Pandemic: Mothers' And Home Visitors' Perspectives, Abdullah Al-Taiar, Michele A. Kekeh, Stephanie Ewers, Amy L. Prusinski, Kimberly J. Alombro, Nancy Welch

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background

The experiences of mothers enrolled in Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program with virtual home visiting (VHV) during the pandemic remain mostly unknown. This study aimed to describe in detail the experience of home visitors and mothers with VHV during COVID-19 pandemic. This is a prerequisite for guiding future efforts to optimize MIECHV services that are provided through virtual operation.

Methods

Focus groups discussion were conducted with home visitors (n = 13) and mothers (n = 30) who were enrolled in BabyCare program in Virginia from January 2019 to June 2022. This included mothers who received …

Period Poverty And Life Strains: Efforts Made To Erase Stigma And To Expand Access To Menstrual Hygiene Products, Jennifer L. Brinkley, Nicole Niebuhr

Indiana Journal of Law and Social Equality

No abstract provided.

Black Maternal And Infant Mortality Rates And Food Apartheid In Louisville, Maame Dei

Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to determine whether there is a correlation between the Black maternal and infant mortality rates and food apartheid or food deserts. This thesis will highlight that further research is needed in understanding how food insecurity may influence maternal and infant mortality. This thesis collected data from several midsize cities to assess accessibility to healthy food options and maternal and infant mortality rates. The cities were selected based on similarities in demographic and geographic makeup and having experienced a similar pattern of redlining. St. Louis, Memphis, Knoxville, and Pittsburgh were cities that were chosen for …

Maternal Postnatal Depressive Symptoms And Its Effects On Infant Bonding, Tammy Nguyen

Nursing | Senior Theses

The objective of this thesis is to gain insight on precipitating factors that increase postpartum mother’s depressive symptoms, including stress and anxiety, and how attachment is influenced. Maternal-infant bonding is defined as the emotional relationship and interaction between mother and infant. Postnatal depressive symptoms typically are under-diagnosed due to a lack of education and the stigma of believing that the effects are “normal” consequences of motherhood. Those affected may not seek professional help. Unrealistic expectations about bonding with their infants can have a negative mental health impact on mothers and influence infants’ behaviors. High expectations of needing to be a …

The Rise And Fall Of A Reproductive Right: Dobbs V. Jackson Women’S Health Organization, Carol Sanger

Faculty Scholarship

Although the phrase “Post-Roe Era” is still used by those who want to underscore the loss wrought last June by Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, it is only a matter of time before the present state of reproductive constitutionalism solidifies into the more authoritarian “Dobbs Era.” In these early days of transition, states are still figuring out what they want the legal status of abortion to be, ever since Dobbs overruled both Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, thus tossing the issue of abortion’s legality back to the states for …

Thinly Rooted: Dobbs, Tradition, And Reproductive Justice, Darren L. Hutchinson

Faculty Articles

In Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey. These two cases held that the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment encompassed a right of women to terminate a pregnancy. Roe reflected over 60 years of substantive due process precedent finding and reaffirming a constitutional right of privacy with several animating themes, including bodily integrity, equality, and dignity. The Court’s substantive due process doctrine had established that the analysis in such cases would involve multiple points of inquiry, such as tradition, contemporary practices, and …

Abortion Decisions As Humanizing Acts: The Application Of Ambivalent Sexism And Objectification To Women-Centered Anti-Abortion Rhetoric, Rachel L. Dyer, Olivia R. Checkalski, Sarah Gervais

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Women-centered anti-abortion rhetoric, grounded in ostensibly positive beliefs that pregnant people are precious objects who must be protected from having abortions, has proliferated anti-abortion activism and legislation. However, abortion stigma, marked by negative perceptions of people who terminate pregnancies, is the most widely used theoretical tool for understanding the social and psychological implications of abortion. In this article, we first integrate these two seemingly contradictory perspectives on abortion through the lens of ambivalent sexism theory. We then argue that ambivalent sexism paves the way for objectifying perceptions and treatment of pregnant people; specifically, our typology of reproductive objectification provides a …

Effect Of Positive Emotion Intervention During Late Pregnancy On Improving Colostrum Secretion: A Randomised Control Trial Protocol, Kechen Xu, Ying Xie, Xiujun Han, Ying Yu, Suqing Liu, Suliu Wu, Qian Yang, Qi Zhang

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Introduction Though evidence has revealed the beneficial effects of cognitive improvement interventions on breastfeeding, the effect of psychological interventions has rarely been studied. This study aims to test whether promoting a positive emotion intervention, 'Three Good Things' intervention, during the last trimester of pregnancy can enhance early colostrum secretion and breastfeeding behaviours by modulating the hormones associated with lactation (prolactin and insulin-like growth factor I). We will attempt to promote exclusive breastfeeding by using physiological behavioural measures.

Methods and analysis This study is designed as a randomised controlled trial conducted in the Women's Hospital School of Medicine at Zhejiang University …

Empowering Choices: Patient Education For Contraceptive Confidence, Maria Anns Abraham

Nursing | Student Research Posters

The complexity of birth control options significantly impacts women's lives, with hormonal contraceptives being commonly used but often misunderstood. These contraceptives, which contain estrogen and progestin or progestin only, come in various forms such as pills, implants, IUDs, injections, the vaginal ring, and skin patches, offering benefits such as reduced menstrual cramps and ectopic pregnancy risk. However, they can also lead to adverse effects including increased blood pressure, nausea, headaches, breakthrough bleeding, and heightened risk of blood clots, with research indicating a potential link between their use and a decline in mental health. Given the prevalence of depression, particularly in …

Cervical Cancer Prevention In The Philippines, Kate Isabel Juanillo

Nursing | Student Research Posters

Although cervical cancer is preventable, it continues to pose a significant health concern in the Philippines as evidenced by high cervical cancer diagnosis rates. The purpose of this quantitative study is to investigate low cervical cancer screening rates and the effectiveness of educational interventions in increasing awareness and screening rates. A literature review will examine topics such as low cervical cancer screening rates, cervical cancer screening methods, and barriers. This research proposal involves a quasi-experimental study that investigates education as an intervention for increasing cervical cancer awareness and cervical cancer screening rates. Fifty Filipino women will be randomly assigned to …

Effects Of Menopause In Coronary Artery Disease, Angelica Gonzales

Nursing | Student Research Posters

No abstract provided.

Empowering Low-Income Women With Breast Cancer: Promoting Acupuncture At Community Health Fairs, Katrina Ramos

Nursing | Student Research Posters

No abstract provided.

The Strong Black Woman Schema: A Proactive Approach To Conceptualizing And Providing Mental Health Treatment For Black Women Who Identify With The Strong Black Woman Schema, Kendra Mulder

DSW Capstone Projects

The Strong Black Woman Schema is the ideology that Black women should display mental and physical strength, stoicism, and nurturer traits. While Black women who identify with this schema typically associate this term with a positive identity, there are adverse outcomes that stem from this identification. Black women who identify with the Strong Black Woman schema experience higher rates of depression, anxiety, and psychological distress. No treatment modality has been determined to treat Black women who identify with the Strong Black Woman Schema. This capstone presentation will present a systematic literature review that discusses how the Strong Black Woman Schema …

Physical Inactivity And Single-Female Caregivers, Johanna Hoch, Rachel Hogg-Graham Dr., John Lyons Dr., Maureen Jones Dr.

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

Physical activity is vital for human health. However, many adults in the United States and beyond do not reach the pre-determined recommended levels of activity needed for health benefits. Single-female caregivers present a unique and vulnerable population that is often more inactive than their partnered peers or single-male caregivers. The primary purpose of this cross-sectional investigation was to identify the prevalence of physical inactivity in single-family, female-led households and determine differences in personal factors and social determinants of health between single-female caregivers who indicated they were physically active compared to single-female caregivers who indicated they were not physically active. A …

The Role Of Porn Literacy In Comprehensive Sex Education To Reduce Endorsements Of Gendered Sexual Violence And Support Healthy Adolescent Development, Kiana Harnish

Scripps Senior Theses

Due to stigmatization of sex and insufficient sexual education, modern-day adolescents rely on free online pornography as a source of education about sex and relationships. This thesis provides a review of the connections between adolescent porn use and the socialization of sexual violence (SV) and coercion against women, comprehensive sex education (CSE) and healthy adolescent sexual development, and porn literacy (PL) and sexual attitude or behavior changes. Porn literacy aims to equip adolescents with tools to critically analyze sexualied media and messages, to empower them to make informed decisions to engage or disengage with porn and their sexuality in a …