Women's Health Commons^™

'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. …

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 …

Rwanda's Natural Remedies: A Fresh Look At The Fight Against Malaria, Leandre Nsabimana Ndisanze

Pomona Senior Theses

Malaria remains one of the most devastating parasitic diseases globally, disproportionately affecting sub-Saharan Africa, where Rwanda continues to face high transmission rates and rising resistance to conventional interventions. Despite decades of control efforts, the emergence of drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum and insecticide-resistant Anopheles mosquitoes threatens to reverse recent gains. This research responds to the urgent need for sustainable and culturally relevant alternatives by exploring the therapeutic potential of Rwandan traditional medicinal plants. These indigenous remedies, long used by local healers, offer an underexplored reservoir of bioactive compounds that may provide the basis for novel antimalarial drugs.

The central hypothesis of this …

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 …

Therapy-Based Strategies To Support Tummy Time In Infants Post-Hospital Discharge: A Scoping Review Protocol, Ketaki Inamdar, Sonia Khurana

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Tummy time is essential for infant development, yet many caregivers face significant challenges with adherence due to behavioral and contextual barriers. While numerous tummy time interventions exist, a limited understanding of their behavioral components hinders effective replication and implementation. This scoping review aims to identify multidisciplinary interventions used to promote tummy time in infants aged 0–12 months, evaluate their impact on adherence, developmental and health outcomes, and examine the behavior change techniques employed using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). Following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology, a comprehensive search will be conducted in MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science Core Collection, …

Why A Healthy Diet Is Important For Women's Health, Halley Doster

Theses and Dissertations

Nutrition plays a critical role in women’s reproductive health, yet many women face barriers to maintaining a balanced diet. This study aimed to examine the relationship between nutritional intake and reproductive health outcomes among women of reproductive age, as well as to assess their knowledge and challenges related to healthy eating. Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 50 women at a community health center and analyzed using SPSS to generate descriptive statistics and explore patterns through chi-square and regression analyses. Findings revealed that most participants had moderate to low fruit and vegetable intake, and fewer than half …

Maternal Rest Improves Growth In Small-For-Gestational-Age Fetuses (<10th Percentile), Greggory R Devore, Bardo Polanco, Wesley Lee, Jeffrey Brian Fowlkes, Emma E Peek, Manesha Putra, John C Hobbins

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Optimal management of fetuses diagnosed as small for gestational age based on an estimated fetal weight ofHowever, maternal bed rest has not been recommended based on the results of a randomized clinical trial that showed that maternal rest does not improve fetal growth in small-for-gestational-age fetuses. This study was conducted to revisit this question.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine whether maternal bed rest was associated with an increase in the fetal biometric parameters that reflect growth after the diagnosis of a small-for-gestational-age fetus.

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study was conducted on fetuses who were diagnosed as small for …

A Comparative Analysis Of Hysterectomy Outcomes: Robotic Single-Port Vs Traditional Transvaginal Notes Approaches, Qiannan Yang, Daniel Y Lovell, Juliana Wu, Chunhua Zhang, Xiaoming Guan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: This study aimed to explore the feasibility and safety of robotic single port vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (RSP-vNOTES) hysterectomy when compared with traditional vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (T-vNOTES) hysterectomy.

Methods: In this study, the clinical data of 135 patients who underwent RSP-vNOTES or T-vNOTES hysterectomy performed by a single minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon from January 2017 to September 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical characteristics, surgical outcomes, perioperative complications, and postoperative pain scores were collected and analyzed.

Results: A total of 79 patients underwent T-vNOTES hysterectomy and 56 patients underwent RSP-vNOTES hysterectomy. Compared to the T-vNOTES …

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 …

Codon Composition In Human Oocyters Reveals Age-Associated Defects In Mrna Decay, Pavla Brachova, Lane K. Christenson, Nehemiah S. Alvarez

Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences Faculty Publications

Oocytes from women of advanced reproductive age exhibit diminished developmental potential, but the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely defined. Oocyte maturation depends on translational control of maternal mRNA synthesized during growth. We performed a computational analysis on human oocytes from women < 30 versus ≥40 years and observed that mRNA GC content correlates negatively with half-life in oocytes from young (< 30 yr) but positively with oocytes from aged (>40 yr) women. In young oocytes, longer mRNA half-life is associated with lower protein abundance, whereas in aged oocytes GC content correlates positively with protein abundance. During the GV-to-MII transition, codon composition stratifies stability: codons that support rapid translation (optimal) stabilize mRNA, while slow-translating codons (non-optimal) promote decay. With reproductive aging, GC-containing codons become more optimal and align with increased …

Anemia In Pregnant Women: Findings From Kuwait Birth Cohort Study, Abdullah Al-Taiar, Ali H. Ziyab, Majeda S. Hammoud, Reem Al-Sabah, Saeed Akhtar

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background Anemia is the most common hematologic disorder in pregnancy, affecting over one-third of pregnant women globally. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of anemia in pregnant women and its associated factors in the Kuwait Birth Cohort study.

Methods The Kuwait birth cohort (n = 1,108) was a prospective study in which pregnant women were recruited during their second or third trimester. Data were collected through personal interviews during antenatal care visits, including data on sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. Blood samples were analyzed under strict quality control to measure various laboratory indicators. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin (Hb) < 110 g/L. Predictors of anemia were categorized as underlying or direct factors, and logistic regression models were used to investigate their association with anemia.

Results …

Consumption Of The Food Groups With The Revised Benefits In The New Wic Food Package: A Scoping Review, Qi Zhang, Priyanka T. Patel, Bidusha Neupane, Caitlin M. Lowery, Futun Alkhalifah, Faezeh Mahdavi, Esther May Sarino

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background: On 18 April 2024, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) published the first food package changes to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in over a decade, which reduced some food benefits (juice, milk, canned fish, and infant fruits and vegetables) and offered substitutes (cash-value vouchers (CVVs) or cash-value benefits (CVBs) to redeem for fruits and vegetables, cheese, soymilk, or other dairy products). Methods: To assess the impact of the changes on the consumption and redemption of these food groups, a systematic search was conducted, identifying 23 peer-reviewed publications between 2010 and 2024. …

A Systematic Review And Narrative Synthesis Of Factors Affecting Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Willingness Among Black Women For Hiv Prevention, Alexis Sims Haynes, Christine Markham, Vanessa Schick, Robert Suchting, Nivedhitha Parthasarathy, Sumaita Choudhury, Mandy J Hill

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can significantly reduce human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission among Black women in the United States (U.S.), a group disproportionately affected by HIV. However, PrEP uptake in this HIV-vulnerable population is low. This review analyzes the factors influencing Black women's PrEP willingness using the Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations (BMVP). Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Study Design (PICOS) framework, we conducted a systematic literature search and selected 24 peer-reviewed studies on PrEP willingness. Narrative synthesis revealed a heterogeneous landscape of the determinants affecting PrEP willingness …

Challenges And Opportunities Of Universal Health Coverage In Africa: A Scoping Review, Evaline Chepchirchir Langat, Paul Ward, Hailay Gesesew, Lillian Mwanri

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Background: Universal health coverage (UHC) is a global priority, with the goal of ensuring that everyone has access to high-quality healthcare without suffering financial hardship. In Africa, most governments have prioritized UHC over the last two decades. Despite this, the transition to UHC in Africa is seen to be sluggish, with certain countries facing inertia. This study sought to examine the progress of UHC-focused health reform implementation in Africa, investigating the approaches utilized, the challenges faced, and potential solutions.

Method: Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines, we scoped the literature …

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” …

Exploring Differences In Cannabis Use And Harm Perceptions Among Sexual Minority And Heterosexual Females: A Brief Report, Sarah J. Ehlke, Samantha A. Fitzer, Kendra Rigney

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: Sexual minority women (SMW) have higher rates of cannabis use compared to heterosexual women, which may be partially attributed to lower harm perceptions. However, no study has examined if the association between harm perceptions and cannabis use is stronger for SMW than heterosexual women. This study examined if sexual identity (SMW vs. heterosexual woman) moderated the association between harm perceptions and past 30-day cannabis use among a sample of female young adults (18-25 years old). Method: Participants were 949 (29.8% SMW; Mean age = 24.33; 92.1% non-Hispanic White) females (99.3% cisgender) recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk who reported weekly …

Physical Activity And Hypertension Outcomes Around Menopause In Adult Women—A Secondary Analysis Of The All Of Us Research Program, Meriam F. Naguib

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Hypertension significantly impacts menopausal women due to a decrease in estrogen levels. That is due to estrogen level changes, causing many metabolic alterations, one of which is increased vascular resistance, leading to hypertension. Advanced treatments are made available to help alleviate the condition; however, lifestyle modifications—especially physical activity—show a critical role in hypertension control. This thesis explored the effect of physical activity as a non-pharmacological, lifestyle intervention on hypertension in women by menopausal status (pre-, peri-, and post-menopausal). This study used a secondary analysis with a retrospective design. Physical activity was defined using the American Heart Association's (AHA) guidelines (i.e., …

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 …

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 …

The Use Of Motivational Interviewing In Preventing Dental Caries Among Young Children, Denise C. Mckinney, Melissa L. Sullivan, Futun Alkhalifah

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Dental caries is a complex, preventable disease that remains a global health burden. The burden of this disease has been shown to impact young children before the age of 6 years. Discussing dental caries prevention with the mother/caregiver(s) prior to childbirth is an ideal time to influence positive oral health behaviors. Motivational interviewing (MI) is a person-centered, goal-oriented, collaborative communication style that has been used to help individuals modify behaviors. The interrelated principles of partnership, acceptance, compassion, and evocation underpin the MI approach while utilizing communication skills such as asking open-ended questions, affirmation, reflective listening, and summarizing (OARS) to engage …