Maternal Health News

Women physicians are more likely to experience miscarriage, infertility and pregnancy complications compared with the general population, yet only 8% of survey respondents received education on the risks of delaying pregnancy, data show.

TORONTO — An online training module that instructed clinicians to assess vaccination status and use strong language to recommend vaccines helped increased influenza vaccine uptake at 12 obstetrics clinics, according to researchers.

Concurrent use of cannabis and nicotine during pregnancy vs. use of either substance alone was tied to increased risks for infant and neonatal death and maternal and neonatal morbidity, researchers reported.

IUD use increased in South Carolina after implementation of a statewide initiative focused on improving contraceptive access for women of reproductive age, according to results of a cohort study published in JAMA Network Open.

A first-trimester algorithm that includes a blood test, ultrasound data and maternal characteristics predicted two-thirds of preterm preeclampsia and three-quarters of early-onset preeclampsia among nulliparous women, researchers reported.

The Eat, Sleep, Console approach — which prioritizes nonpharmacologic care — improved outcomes among infants treated for opioid withdrawal syndrome, according to study results published in JAMA Pediatrics.

A greater proportion of American Indian or Alaska Native and Black women of reproductive age live in states with effective abortion bans vs. limited or available access, highlighting possible unequal impact of abortion bans, data show.

Severe maternal morbidity was associated with increased risk for mental health hospitalization or emergency department visit up to 13 years postpartum, according to a population-based Canadian cohort study published in JAMA Network Open.

Pregnant and lactating women have historically been excluded from most clinical research, often due to perceptions of greater legal liability if a woman, her fetus or infant is harmed by an intervention.

Susan Weiner, MS, RDN, CDCES, FADCES, talks with Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN, about benefits of plant-based eating plans for women’s health