Planning for the forgotten fourth trimester of pregnancy: A parallel group randomized control trial to test a postpartum planning intervention vs. standard prenatal care.

BACKGROUND: Black and brown birthing people experience persistent disparities in adverse maternal health outcomes, partially due to inadequate perinatal care. The goal of this study is to design and evaluate a patient-centered intervention for obstetric patients with one or more cardiometabolic risk factors for severe maternal morbidity [gestational diabetes, diabetes mellitus, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (chronic hypertension, preeclampsia, eclampsia, or gestational hypertension), or preconception obesity (BMI > 30)] to promote postpartum visit attendance. METHODS: To address identified unmet needs for postpartum support and barriers to postpartum care, we developed 20 thematic postpartum planning modules, each with corresponding patient educational materials, community resources, care coordination protocols, and clinician support tools (decision aids, electronic medical record prompts and fields). During prenatal care encounters, a research coordinator delivers the educational content (in English or Spanish), facilitates the participant's planning and shared decision-making, provides the participant with resources, and documents decisions in the electronic medical record. We will randomize 320 eligible patients with a 1:1 ratio to the intervention or standard prenatal care and evaluate the impact on postpartum visit attendance at 4-12 weeks and secondary outcomes (postpartum mental health, perceived future maternal and cardiometabolic risk, contraceptive use, primary care use, readmission, and patient satisfaction with care). DISCUSSION: Through engagement with patients and community stakeholders, we developed a guideline-based, locally tailored intervention to address drivers of engagement with postpartum care for high-risk obstetric patients. If demonstrated to be effective, the educational materials and electronic medical record based-tool can be adapted to other settings. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05430815) on June 23, 2022.

Slavery, Home Ownership, and Contemporary Perinatal Outcomes in the Southeast: A Test of Mediation and Moderation.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the effect of geographic variation in historic slavery on perinatal outcomes [chronic hypertension, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), very preterm birth (VPTB), or very low birth weight birth (VLBW)] among Black people living in states where slavery was legal in 1860 and test mediation by Black homeownership. METHODS: We linked data from the 1860 census (the proportion of enslaved residents) to natality data on outcomes (2013-2021) using resident county. The percent of Black residents in a county who owned their home was a potential mediator. We fit log binomial models to estimate risk ratios (RRs) representing total and controlled direct effects (accounting for Black homeownership) of proportion enslaved on outcomes, accounting for potential confounding using marginal structural models. RESULTS: Among 2,443,198 included births, 8.8% (213,829) experienced HDP, 4.1% (100,549) chronic hypertension, 3.3% (81,072) VPTB, and 2.6% (62,538) VLBW. There was an increase in chronic hypertension and VPTB risk, but not HDP or VLBW, in counties with a 10% greater proportion enslaved in 1860 [adjusted RR: 1.06, 95% CI: (1.02, 1.1); 1.02 (1.00, 1.05); 1.00 (0.98, 1.02); 1.01 (1.00, 1.03)]. There was not evidence of mediation by Black homeownership. CONCLUSIONS: Historic slavery remains relevant for perinatal health.

Validation of ICD-10 Codes for Severe Maternal Morbidity at Delivery in a Public Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Severe maternal morbidity is a composite measure of serious obstetric complications that is often identified in administrative data using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) diagnosis and procedure codes for a set of 21 indicators. Prior studies of screen-positive cases have demonstrated low predictive value for ICD codes relative to the medical record. To our knowledge, the validity of ICD-10 codes for identifying severe maternal morbidity has not been fully described. METHODS: We estimated the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of ICD-10 codes for severe maternal morbidity occurring at delivery, compared with medical record abstraction (gold standard), for 1,000 deliveries that took place during 2016-2018 at a large, public hospital. RESULTS: We identified a total of 67 cases of severe maternal morbidity using the ICD-10 definition and 74 cases in the medical record. The sensitivity was 26% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 16%, 37%), the positive predictive value was 28% (95% CI = 18%, 41%), the specificity was 95% (95% CI = 93%, 96%), and the negative predictive value was 94% (95% CI = 92%, 96%). CONCLUSIONS: The validity of ICD-10 codes for severe maternal morbidity in our high-burden population was poor, suggesting considerable potential for bias.

Understanding the Relationship Between Gender Representation in County Government and Perinatal Outcomes to Black, White, and Hispanic Birthing People in Georgia.

Objective: To characterize the association between percent of county-level elected officials who were female-presenting and perinatal outcomes in Georgia and variation by individual race, 2020-2021. Materials and Methods: We gathered data on the gender composition of county-level elected officials for all Georgia counties (n = 159) in 2022 and calculated the percent of female elected officials (percent female, 0-100). We linked this to data from 2020 to 2021 birth certificates (n = 238,795) to identify preterm birth (PTB, <37 weeks), low birthweight (LBW, <2500 grams), hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and cesarean delivery. We fit multilevel log binomial models with generalized estimating equations, with percent female as the primary independent variable. We adjusted for individual and county-level potential confounders and individual race/ethnicity as an effect modifier. Results: County median percent female elected officials was 22.2% (interquartile range: 15.5). Overall, 14.6% of births were PTB and 10.1% LBW. A 15 percentage point increase in percent female elected officials was associated with lower risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy for white (adjusted risk ratio [RR]: 0.94, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.88-0.99), and possibly Hispanic (adjusted RR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.89-1.0) and non-Hispanic other (adjusted RR: 0.94 (0.87-1.01), but not black birthing people (adjusted RR: 1.0, 95% CI: 0.95-1.05). There was not a clear pattern for PTB, birthweight, or cesarean delivery. Conclusion: Greater female representation in county government was associated with improved maternal health for some racial/ethnic groups in Georgia.

Extending Driver's Licenses to Undocumented Immigrants: Comparing Perinatal Outcomes Following This Policy Shift.

Research shows that restrictive immigration policies and practices are associated with poor health, but far less is known about the relationship between inclusive immigration policies and health. Using data from the United States natality files, we estimate associations between state laws granting undocumented immigrants access to driver's licenses and perinatal outcomes among 4,047,067 singleton births to Mexican and Central American immigrant birthing people (2008-2021). Fitting multivariable log binomial and linear models, we find that the implementation of a license law is associated with improvements in low birthweight and mean birthweight. Replicating these analyses among U.S.-born non-Hispanic White birthing people, we find no association between the implementation of a license law and birthweight. These findings support the hypothesis that states' extension of legal rights to immigrants improves the health of the next generation.

Childhood maltreatment and trajectories of cardiometabolic health across the reproductive life span among individuals with a first birth during the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study.

OBJECTIVE: Childhood adversity is associated with poor cardiometabolic health in adulthood; little is known about how this relationship evolves through childbearing years for parous individuals. The goal was to estimate differences in cardiometabolic health indicators before, during and after childbearing years by report of childhood maltreatment in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) cohort study. METHODS: Including 743 individuals nulliparous at baseline (1985-1986) with one or more pregnancies >20 weeks during follow-up (1986-2022), we fit segmented linear regression models to estimate mean differences between individuals reporting or not reporting childhood maltreatment (physical or emotional) in waist circumference, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, and body mass index (BMI) prior to, during, and following childbearing years using generalized estimating equations, allowing for interaction between maltreatment and time within each segment, and adjusting for total parity, parental education, and race (Black or white, self-reported). RESULTS: Individuals reporting maltreatment (19%; 141) had a greater waist circumference (post-childbearing: +2.9 cm, 95% CI (0.7, 5.0), higher triglycerides [post-childbearing: +8.1 mg/dL, 95% CI (0.7, 15.6)], and lower HDL cholesterol [post-childbearing: -2.1 mg/dL, 95% CI (-4.7, 0.5)] during all stages compared to those not reporting maltreatment. There were not meaningful differences in blood pressure, fasting glucose, or BMI. Individuals who reported maltreatment did not report faster changes over time. CONCLUSION: Differences in some aspects of cardiometabolic health between individuals reporting versus not reporting childhood maltreatment were sustained across reproductive life stages, suggesting potentially persistent impacts of childhood adversity.

Racial and ethnic inequities in stillbirth in the US: Looking upstream to close the gap: Seminars in Perinatology.

Though stillbirth rates in the United States improved over the previous decades, inequities in stillbirth by race and ethnicity have persisted nearly unchanged since data collection began. Black and Indigenous pregnant people face a two-fold greater risk of experiencing the devastating consequences of stillbirth compared to their White counterparts. Because race is a social rather than biological construct, inequities in stillbirth rates are a downstream consequence of structural, institutional, and interpersonal racism which shape a landscape of differential access to opportunities for health. These downstream consequences can include differences in the prevalence of chronic health conditions as well as structural differences in the quality of health care or healthy neighborhood conditions, each of which likely plays a role in racial and ethnic inequities in stillbirth. Research and intervention approaches that utilize an equity lens may identify ways to close gaps in stillbirth incidence or in responding to the health and socioemotional consequences of stillbirth. A community-engaged approach that incorporates experiential wisdom will be necessary to create a full picture of the causes and consequences of inequity in stillbirth outcomes. Investigators working in tandem with community partners, utilizing a combination of qualitative, quantitative, and implementation science approaches, may more fully elucidate the underpinnings of racial and ethnic inequities in stillbirth outcomes.

Understanding the role of childhood nurture, abuse, and stability on gestational diabetes in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study (CARDIA).

BACKGROUND: To estimate associations between facets of the maternal childhood family environment with gestational diabetes (GDM) and to test mediation by pre-pregnancy waist circumference. METHODS: We used data from CARDIA, a cohort of individuals aged 18-30 years at baseline (1985-86), followed over 30 years (2016). We included participants with one or more pregnancies ≥ 20 weeks after baseline, without pre-pregnancy diabetes. The primary exposure was the Childhood Family Environment Scale (assessed year 15), including the total score and abuse, nurture, and stability subscales as continuous, separate exposures. The outcome was GDM (self-reported at each visit for each pregnancy). We fit log binomial models with generalized estimating equations to calculate risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusting for age at delivery, parity, race (Black or White), and parental education. We used regression models with bootstrapped CIs to test mediation and effect modification by excess abdominal adiposity at the last preconception CARDIA visit (waist circumference ≥ 88 cm). RESULTS: We included 1033 individuals (46% Black) with 1836 pregnancies. 130 pregnancies (7.1%) were complicated by GDM. For each 1 point increase on the abuse subscale (e.g., from "rarely or never" to "some or little of the time") there was a 30% increased risk of GDM (RR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.0, 1.7). There was evidence of effect modification but not mediation by preconception abdominal adiposity. CONCLUSIONS: A more adverse childhood family environment was associated with increased risk of GDM, with a stronger association among individuals with preconception waist circumference ≥ 88 cm.

Short Term Coping-Behaviors and Postpartum Health in a Population-Based Study of Women with a Live Birth, Stillbirth, or Neonatal Death.

OBJECTIVE: Responding to the National Institutes of Health Working Group's call for research on the psychological impact of stillbirth, we compared coping-related behaviors by outcome of an index birth (surviving live birth or perinatal loss - stillbirth or neonatal death) and, among individuals with loss, characterized coping strategies and their association with depressive symptoms 6-36 months postpartum. METHODS: We used data from the Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network follow-up study (2006-2008) of 285 individuals who experienced a stillbirth, 691 a livebirth, and 49 a neonatal death. We conducted a thematic analysis of coping strategies individuals recommended following their loss. We fit logistic regression models, accounting for sampling and inverse probability of follow-up weights to estimate associations between pregnancy outcomes and coping-related behaviors and, separately, coping strategies and probable depression (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale > 12) for those with loss. RESULTS: Compared to those with a surviving live birth and adjusting for pre-pregnancy drinking and smoking, history of stillbirth, and age, individuals who experienced a loss were more likely to report increased drinking or smoking in the two months postpartum (adjusted OR: 2.7, 95% CI = 1.4-5.4). Those who smoked or drank more had greater odds of probable depression at 6 to 36 months postpartum (adjusted OR 6.4, 95% CI = 2.5-16.4). Among those with loss, recommended coping strategies commonly included communication, support groups, memorializing the loss, and spirituality. DISCUSSION: Access to a variety of evidence-based and culturally-appropriate positive coping strategies may help individuals experiencing perinatal loss avoid adverse health consequences.

Postpartum healthcare expenditures for commercially insured deliveries with and without severe maternal morbidity.

BACKGROUND: Although severe maternal morbidity is associated with adverse health outcomes in the year after delivery, patterns of healthcare use beyond the 6-week postpartum period have not been well documented. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to estimate healthcare utilization and expenditures for deliveries with and without severe maternal morbidity in the 12 months following delivery among commercially insured patients. STUDY DESIGN: Using data from the 2016 to 2018 IBM Marketscan Commercial Claims and Encounters Research Databases, we identified deliveries to individuals 15 to 49 years of age who were continuously enrolled in noncapitated health plans for 12 months after delivery discharge. We used multivariable generalized linear models to estimate adjusted mean 12-month medical expenditures and 95% confidence intervals for deliveries with and without severe maternal morbidity, accounting for region, health plan type, delivery method, and obstetrical comorbidities. We estimated expenditures associated with inpatient admissions, nonemergency outpatient visits, outpatient emergency department visits, and outpatient pharmaceutical claims. RESULTS: We identified 366,282 deliveries without severe maternal morbidity and 3976 deliveries (10.7 per 1000) with severe maternal morbidity. Adjusted mean total medical expenditures for deliveries with severe maternal morbidity were 43% higher in the 12 months after discharge than deliveries without severe maternal morbidity ($5320 vs $3041; difference $2278; 95% confidence interval, $1591-$2965). Adjusted mean expenditures for readmissions and nonemergency outpatient visits during the 12-month postpartum period were 61% and 39% higher, respectively, for deliveries with severe maternal morbidity compared with deliveries without severe maternal morbidity. Among deliveries with severe maternal morbidity, adjusted mean total costs were highest for patients living in the western region ($7831; 95% confidence interval, $5518-$10,144) and those having a primary cesarean ($7647; 95% confidence interval, $6323-$8970). CONCLUSION: Severe maternal morbidity at delivery is associated with increased healthcare use and expenditures in the year after delivery. These estimates can inform planning of severe maternal morbidity prevention efforts.

Political representation and perinatal outcomes to Black, White, and Hispanic people in Georgia: a cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: Our goal was to estimate differences in perinatal outcomes by racial differences in political representation, a measure of structural racism. METHODS: We gathered data on the racial composition of county-level elected officials for all counties in Georgia (n = 159) in 2022. We subtracted the percent of non-White elected officials from the percent of non-White residents to calculate the "representation difference," with greater positive values indicating a larger disparity. We linked this to data from 2020-2021 birth certificates (n = 238,795) on outcomes (preterm birth, <37 weeks, low birthweight birth <2500 g, birthweight, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, cesarean delivery). We fit log binomial and linear models with generalized estimating equations, stratified by individual race/ethnicity and including individual and county covariates. RESULTS: Median representation difference was 17.5% points (interquartile range: 17.2). A 25-percentile point increase in representation difference was associated with a greater risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy [White: adjusted risk ratio (RR): 1.12, 95% confidence interval (CI): (1.05, 1.2), Black: 1.06, 95% CI: (0.95, 1.17), other: 1.14, 95% CI: (1.0, 1.3), Hispanic: 1.19, 95% CI: (1.07, 1.32)] and lower mean birthweight for Black birthing people [adjusted beta -15.3, 95% CI: (-25.5, -7.4)]. CONCLUSIONS: Parity in political representation may be associated with healthier environments.

Interpretable machine learning to predict adverse perinatal outcomes: examining marginal predictive value of risk factors during pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: The timely identification of nulliparas at high risk of adverse fetal and neonatal outcomes during pregnancy is crucial for initiating clinical interventions to prevent perinatal complications. Although machine learning methods have been applied to predict preterm birth and other pregnancy complications, many models do not provide explanations of their predictions, limiting the clinical use of the model. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop interpretable prediction models for a composite adverse perinatal outcome (stillbirth, neonatal death, estimated Combined Apgar score of <10, or preterm birth) at different points in time during the pregnancy and to evaluate the marginal predictive value of individual predictors in the context of a machine learning model. STUDY DESIGN: This was a secondary analysis of the Nulliparous Pregnancy Outcomes Study: Monitoring Mothers-to-be data, a prospective cohort study in which 10,038 nulliparous pregnant individuals with singleton pregnancies were enrolled. Here, interpretable prediction models were developed using L1-regularized logistic regression for adverse perinatal outcomes using data available at 3 study visits during the pregnancy (visit 1: 6 0/7 to 13 6/7 weeks of gestation; visit 2: 16 0/7 to 21 6/7 weeks of gestation; visit 3: 22 0/7 to 29 6/7 weeks of gestation). We identified the important predictors for each model using SHapley Additive exPlanations, a model-agnostic method of computing explanations of model predictions, and evaluated the marginal predictive value of each predictor using the DeLong test. RESULTS: Our interpretable machine learning model had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curves of 0.617 (95% confidence interval, 0.595-0.639; all predictor variables at visit 1), 0.652 (95% confidence interval, 0.631-0.673; all predictor variables at visit 2), and 0.673 (95% confidence interval, 0.651-0.694; all predictor variables at visit 3). For all visits, the placental biomarker inhibin A was a valuable predictor, as including inhibin A resulted in better performance in predicting adverse perinatal outcomes (P<.001, all visits). At visit 1, endoglin was also a valuable predictor (P<.001). At visit 2, free beta human chorionic gonadotropin (P=.001) and uterine artery pulsatility index (P=.023) were also valuable predictors. At visit 3, cervical length was also a valuable predictor (P<.001). CONCLUSION: Despite various advances in predictive modeling in obstetrics, the accurate prediction of adverse perinatal outcomes remains difficult. Interpretable machine learning can help clinicians understand how predictions are made, but barriers exist to the widespread clinical adoption of machine learning models for adverse perinatal outcomes. A better understanding of the evolution of risk factors for adverse perinatal outcomes throughout pregnancy is necessary for the development of effective interventions.

Social Determinants of Health Needs and Perinatal Risk in Socially Vulnerable Pregnant Patients.

OBJECTIVES: To understand perinatal risks associated with social needs in pregnancy Methods. Multivariable log-binomial regression analyses adjusting for age, parity, and insurance were used to evaluate the relationship between any social need (e.g., housing, transportation, food, and intimate partner violence) and adverse perinatal outcomes (stillbirth, prematurity, maternal morbidity) in a cohort of English and Spanish-speaking patients who obtained prenatal care and birthed at our institution during a one-year period. RESULTS: Of 2,435 patients, 1,608 (66%) completed social needs screening at least once during prenatal care. The cohort was predominantly non-Hispanic Black (1,294, 80%) and publicly insured (1,395, 87%). Having one or more social need was associated with three-fold increased risk of stillbirth (aRR 3.35, 95%CI 1.31,8.6) and 14% reduction in postpartum care attendance (aRR 0.86, 95%CI 0.78-0.95) and was highest in individuals reporting transportation needs. CONCLUSIONS: Social needs during pregnancy were associated with increased risk of stillbirth.

The impact of screening for social risks on OBGYN patients and providers: A systematic review of current evidence and key gaps.

BACKGROUND: Increasingly, policymakers and professional organizations support screening for social assets and risks during clinical care. Scant evidence exists on how screening impacts patients, providers, or health systems. OBJECTIVE: To systematically review published literature for evidence of the clinical utility of screening for social determinants of health in clinical obstetric and gynecologic (OBGYN) care. SEARCH STRATEGY: We systematically searched Pubmed (March 2022, 5,302 identified) and identified additional articles using hand sorting (searching articles citing key articles (273 identified) and through bibliography review (20 identified)). SELECTION CRITERIA: We included all articles that measured a quantitative outcome of systematic social determinants of health (SDOH) screening in an OBGYN clinical setting. Each identified citation was reviewed by two independent reviewers at both the title/abstract and full text stages. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We identified 19 articles for inclusion and present the results using narrative synthesis. MAIN RESULTS: The majority of articles reported on SDOH screening during prenatal care (16/19) and the most common SDOH was intimate partner violence (13/19 studies). Overall, patients had favorable attitudes towards SDOH screening (in 8/9 articles measuring attitudes), and referrals were common following positive screening (range 5.3%-63.6%). Only two articles presented data on the effects of SDOH screening on clinicians and none on health systems. Three articles present data on resolution of social needs, with inconsistent results. CONCLUSIONS: Limited evidence exists on the benefits of SDOH screening in OBGYN clinical settings. Innovative studies leveraging existing data collection are needed to expand and improve SDOH screening.

A Descriptive Study of Maternal Vaccination Uptake, Attitudes, and Beliefs in Pregnancy Among Persons Delivering at an Urban Safety Net Hospital.

Objective: To estimate uptake of influenza, tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap), and COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy and describe vaccine attitudes and beliefs among predominantly racial and ethnic minority individuals delivering at a publicly funded hospital. Methods: We collected survey and electronic medical record data for English-speaking postpartum individuals who delivered a live-born infant from July 7, 2022, through August 21, 2022, and agreed to participate in our study. The 58-item survey included questions about general vaccine attitudes and beliefs as well as vaccine-specific questions. We calculated rates of influenza, Tdap, and COVID-19 vaccinations and compared distributions of survey responses by number (no vaccines, one vaccine, or two or three of the recommended vaccines) and type of vaccines received during pregnancy. Results: Of the 231 eligible individuals, 125 (54.1%) agreed to participate. Rates of influenza, Tdap, and COVID-19 vaccination were 18.4%, 48.0%, and 5.6% respectively. A total of 61 (48.8%) did not receive any recommended vaccines during pregnancy, 40 (32.0%) received one vaccine, and 24 (19.0%) received two or three vaccines. Approximately 66.1% of the no vaccine group, 81.6% of the one vaccine group, and 87.5% of the two or three vaccine group strongly agreed or agreed that they trusted the vaccine information provided by their obstetrician or midwife. While most (>69.2%) agreed that the vaccine-preventable diseases were dangerous for pregnant women, only 24.0%, 29.3%, and 40.3% agreed that they were worried about getting influenza, whooping cough, or COVID-19, respectively, while pregnant. Discussion: Vaccine uptake in our population was low and may be due, in part, to low perceived susceptibility to vaccine-preventable diseases. Obstetricians and midwives were trusted sources of vaccine information, suggesting that enhanced communication strategies could be critical for addressing maternal vaccine hesitancy, particularly in communities of color justifiably affected by medical mistrust.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Prenatal Care Utilization at a Public Hospital.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to compare rates of prenatal care utilization before and after implementation of a telehealth-supplemented prenatal care model due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. STUDY DESIGN: Using electronic medical record data, we identified two cohorts of pregnant persons that initiated prenatal care prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic following the implementation of telehealth (from March 1, 2019 through August 31, 2019, and from March 1, 2020, through August 31, 2020, respectively) at Grady Memorial Hospital. We used Pearson's Chi-square and two-tailed t-tests to compare rates of prenatal care utilization, antenatal screening and immunizations, emergency department and obstetric triage visits, and pregnancy complications for the prepandemic versus pandemic-exposed cohorts. RESULTS: We identified 1,758 pregnant patients; 965 entered prenatal care prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and 793 entered during the pandemic. Patients in the pandemic-exposed cohort were more likely to initiate prenatal care in the first trimester (46.1 vs. 39.0%, p = 0.01), be screened for gestational diabetes (74.4 vs. 67.0%, p <0.001), and receive dating and anatomy ultrasounds (17.8 vs. 13.0%, p = 0.006 and 56.9 vs. 47.3%, p <0.001, respectively) compared with patients in the prepandemic cohort. There was no difference in mean number of prenatal care visits between the two groups (6.9 vs. 7.1, p = 0.18). Approximately 41% of patients in the pandemic-exposed cohort had one or more telehealth visits. The proportion of patients with one or more emergency department visits was higher in the pandemic-exposed cohort than the prepandemic cohort (32.8 vs. 12.3%, p < 0.001). Increases in rates of labor induction were also observed among the pandemic-exposed cohort (47.1 vs. 38.2%, p <0.001). CONCLUSION: Rates of prenatal care utilization were similar before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, pregnant persons receiving prenatal care during the pandemic entered care earlier and had higher utilization of certain antenatal screening services than those receiving prenatal care prior to the pandemic. KEY POINTS: · Patients initiated prenatal care earlier during the COVID-19 pandemic.. · Uptake of telehealth services was low.. · Rates of diabetes screening and ultrasound use increased during the pandemic..

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Obstetric Interventions at a Public Hospital.

INTRODUCTION: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, health systems quickly implemented changes in care delivery with a goal of balancing patient-focused obstetric care with the need to protect pregnant persons and health care providers from infection. Yet, there is no consensus within the scientific community on the impact these measures have on obstetric outcomes in vulnerable populations. We aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rates of obstetric procedures and severe maternal morbidity (SMM) among births at an urban safety net institution. METHODS: We used an interrupted time series design to calculate risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) comparing monthly rates of labor induction, cesarean births (overall and among nulliparous, term, singleton, vertex births), operative vaginal births, and SMM among births occurring at a public hospital before (March 1, 2016, to February 29, 2020) and during (March 1, 2020, to May 31, 2021) the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: There were 10,714 and 2,736 births in the prepandemic and postpandemic periods, respectively. Overall, the rates of obstetric interventions and SMM were constant over the two time periods. There were no significant differences in rates of labor induction (42% during prepandemic period vs. 45% during pandemic period; RR, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.93-1.34), operative vaginal births (5% vs. 6%; RR, 1.24; 95% CI, 0.88-1.76), cesarean births (28% vs. 33%; RR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.94-1.28), or nulliparous, term, singleton, vertex cesarean births (24% vs. 31%; RR, 1.27; 95% CI, 0.92-1.74). Rates of SMM (7% vs. 8%; RR, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.86-1.65) were also unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that the rapid implementation of measures to reduce viral transmission in the labor and delivery setting did not materially affect routine clinical management or rates of serious maternal complications.

Types and timing of trauma exposure across the life course and maternal hypertension.

Objective: To estimate associations between types and timing (first occurrence and time since) of trauma exposure and hypertension experienced during pregnancy in a safety-net hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. Methods: Participants completed a 14-item trauma screener. We linked that information to data from the medical record on hypertension (inclusive of chronic hypertension, gestational hypertension, or preeclampsia). We fit logistic regression models and used the estimates to calculate risk ratios for each trauma type and each critical window (0-9 years, 10-19, and 20+). We fit unadjusted models and adjusted for age, parity, and education. Results: We included 704 individuals with a delivery within 12 months of screening. The majority (94%, 661) reported at least one traumatic event, most commonly witnessing violence (79.4%). Overall, 18% experienced gestational hypertension, 10.8% chronic hypertension, and 11.9% preeclampsia. Among individuals who reported trauma, 31.5% screened positive for probable posttraumatic stress disorder and 30.9% for probable depression compared to 0 and 2.3% among those without reported trauma. No trauma type (violence, witnessing violence, non-interpersonal, or sexual assault) was associated with increased hypertensive risk, regardless of timing. Similarly, time between trauma and delivery (0-3 years, 3-10 years, 10+ years) was not associated with increased hypertensive risk. Conclusions: In this sample with a high trauma and hypertension burden, trauma was not associated with elevated risk of hypertension during pregnancy, despite a high burden of PTSD and depressive symptoms among people with trauma exposure. Future research should consider how community-level exposure may modify the impact of trauma on adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Childhood trauma and postpartum care use, estimating mediation by posttraumatic stress disorder and depressive symptoms.

PURPOSE: To estimate the effect of childhood trauma on postpartum visit attendance and explore mediation by posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depressive symptoms. METHODS: We analyzed data from Grady Trauma Project surveys linked to electronic medical records. We measured childhood trauma using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and 4-12 week postpartum visit attendance using outpatient records. We fit log binomial causal mediation models to estimate risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the total effect of childhood trauma (categorized as any moderate to severe trauma or not) on postpartum visit attendance and the controlled direct effect, eliminating PTSD or depressive symptoms, controlling for age, parity, income, education, and relationship status. RESULTS: Among 493 birthing people, 54.3% (268) attended the postpartum visit. Individuals without childhood trauma were more likely to attend the visit than those with childhood trauma (56.9% [173/304] v. 50.3% [95/189]). In mediation models, childhood trauma remained associated with reduced likelihood of attendance (adjusted RR: 0.83 [0.68, 1.38]) with possible mediation by PTSD symptoms (controlled direct effect: 0.98 [0.70,1.42]) but not depressive symptoms (controlled direct effect: RR: 0.86 [0.56, 1.38]). CONCLUSIONS: Screening and treating PTSD symptoms during pregnancy may slightly increase postpartum care engagement.

A Qualitative Study of Perceptions, Strengths, and Opportunities in Cardiometabolic Risk Management During Pregnancy and Postpartum in a Georgia Safety-Net Hospital, 2021.

INTRODUCTION: Despite the strong link between cardiometabolic pregnancy complications and future heart disease, there are documented gaps in engaging those who experience such conditions in recommended postpartum follow-up and preventive care. The goal of our study was to understand how people in a Medicaid-insured population perceive and manage risks during and after pregnancy related to an ongoing cardiometabolic disorder. METHODS: We conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with postpartum participants who had a cardiometabolic conditions during pregnancy (chronic or gestational diabetes, chronic or gestational hypertension, or preeclampsia). We recruited postpartum participants from a single safety-net hospital system in Atlanta, Georgia, and conducted virtual interviews during January through May 2021. We conducted a content analysis guided by the Health Belief Model and present themes related to risk management. RESULTS: From the 28 interviews we conducted, we found that during pregnancy, advice and intervention by the clinical care team facilitated management behaviors for high-risk conditions. However, participants described limited understanding of how pregnancy complications might affect future outcomes, and few described engaging in postpartum management behaviors. CONCLUSION: Improving continuity and content of care during postpartum may improve uptake of preventive behaviors among postpartum patients at risk of heart disease.