Geographic Differences in Preconception Health Indicators Among Ohio Women Who Delivered Live Births, 2019-2021.

To determine whether geographic differences in preconception health indicators exist among Ohio women with live births, we analyzed 9 indicators from the 2019-2021 Ohio Pregnancy Assessment Survey (N = 14,377) by county type. Appalachian women reported lower rates of folic acid intake and higher rates of depression than women in other counties. Appalachian and rural non-Appalachian women most often reported cigarette use. Suburban women reported lower rates of diabetes, hypertension, and unwanted pregnancy than women in other counties. Preconception health differences by residence location suggest a need to customize prevention efforts by region to improve health outcomes, particularly in regions with persistent health disparities.

Vital Signs: Maternity Care Experiences - United States, April 2023.

Introduction: Maternal deaths increased in the United States during 2018-2021, with documented racial disparities. Respectful maternity care is a component of quality care that includes preventing harm and mistreatment, engaging in effective communication, and providing care equitably. Improving respectful maternity care can be part of multilevel strategies to reduce pregnancy-related deaths. Methods: CDC analyzed data from the PN View Moms survey administered during April 24-30, 2023, to examine the following components of respectful care: 1) experiences of mistreatment (e.g., violations of physical privacy, ignoring requests for help, or verbal abuse), 2) discrimination (e.g., because of race, ethnicity or skin color; age; or weight), and 3) reasons for holding back from communicating questions or concerns during maternity (pregnancy or delivery) care. Results: Among U.S. mothers with children aged <18 years, 20% reported mistreatment while receiving maternity care for their youngest child. Approximately 30% of Black, Hispanic, and multiracial respondents and approximately 30% of respondents with public insurance or no insurance reported mistreatment. Discrimination during the delivery of maternity care was reported by 29% of respondents. Approximately 40% of Black, Hispanic, and multiracial respondents reported discrimination, and approximately 45% percent of all respondents reported holding back from asking questions or discussing concerns with their provider. Conclusions and implications for public health practice: Approximately one in five women reported mistreatment during maternity care. Implementing quality improvement initiatives and provider training to encourage a culture of respectful maternity care, encouraging patients to ask questions and share concerns, and working with communities are strategies to improve respectful maternity care.

Underdiagnosis of obesity in pediatric clinical care settings among children born preterm: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal care of preterm infants may include dietary approaches such as high calorie formulas to promote physical growth. However, continuing growth-promoting strategies beyond the point of necessity, coupled with poverty and food insecurity which are more common among families of children born preterm, may increase the risk of obesity. Because children born preterm tend to have more pressing health conditions that require ongoing care, obesity may go undiagnosed by providers. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 38,849 children (31,548 term, 7301 preterm) born from 2010 to 2015, who received clinical care at a large pediatric medical center (Ohio, USA). Electronic medical record data, linked to Ohio birth certificates, were used to identify children with measured obesity (≥2 weight-for-length values ≥95th percentile before 24 months of age or BMI values ≥95th percentile at or after 24 months of age). Children were considered to have diagnosed obesity if their medical record had an obesity-related phrase or billing code recorded. Modified Poisson regression was used to compare risk of obesity undiagnosis among obese children born preterm versus at term. RESULTS: In total, 13,697 children had measured obesity, 10,273 (75%) of which were undiagnosed. Children born preterm with measured obesity were 8% more likely to be undiagnosed compared to children born at term (adjusted relative risk = 1.08 95% CI 1.05, 1.11). The risk was slightly higher for preterm children born to white women or born to women with higher educational attainment. For both groups, Primary Care and subspecialist clinics were the most common settings for undiagnosed obesity (74.9% and 16.8% of undiagnosed cases, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Preterm birth was associated with increased risk of undiagnosed obesity in early childhood. This highlights the need to enhance obesity screening in the preterm population and to further explore reasons for this disparity.

Feeding Infants at the Breast or Feeding Expressed Human Milk: Long-Term Cognitive, Executive Function, and Eating Behavior Outcomes at Age 6 Years.

OBJECTIVE: To examine how expressed milk feeding diverges from feeding at the breast in its association with neurodevelopment and behavior. We hypothesized that longer and exclusive feeding at the breast only (ie, no formula, no feeding expressed milk) would be associated with the optimal cognitive developmental, executive function, and eating behaviors and that expressed milk feeding would be associated with less-optimal outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: The Moms2Moms cohort (Ohio, US) reported infant feeding practices at 12 months postpartum and children's global cognitive ability, executive function, and eating behaviors at 6 years. Linear and log-binomial regression models estimated associations with durations of feeding at the breast, expressed milk, human milk (modes combined), and formula. RESULTS: Among 285 participants, each month of exclusive feeding at the breast only was associated with a decreased risk of clinically meaningful executive function (working memory) deficit (adjusted relative risk [RR] 0.78, 95% CI 0.63-0.96) but was unassociated with inhibition (adjusted RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.85-1.01). Feeding expressed milk was not clearly related to executive function outcomes. No associations with global cognitive ability were observed. Weak associations were observed with eating behaviors for some feeding practices. CONCLUSIONS: Feeding at the breast may offer advantages to some aspects of executive function that expressed milk may not. Large, prospective studies exploring mechanisms could further distinguish the effect of feeding mode from that of nutrients.

Moms in motion: weight loss intervention for postpartum mothers after gestational diabetes: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Up to 50 % of women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) will receive a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) within a decade after pregnancy. While excess postpartum weight retention exacerbates T2DM risk, lifestyle changes and behavior modifications can promote healthy postpartum weight loss and contribute to T2DM prevention efforts. However, some women have difficulty prioritizing self-care during this life stage. Efficacious interventions that women can balance with motherhood to reduce T2DM risk remain a goal. The objective of the Moms in Motion study is to evaluate the efficacy of a simple, novel, activity-boosting intervention using ankle weights worn with daily activities during a 6-month postpartum intervention among women with GDM. We hypothesize that women randomized to the 6-month intensity-modifying intervention will (1) demonstrate greater weight loss and (2) greater improvement in body composition and biomarker profile versus controls. METHODS: This study will be a parallel two-arm randomized controlled trial (n = 160). Women will be allocated 1:1 to an ankle weight intervention group or a standard-of-care control group. The intervention uses ankle weights (1.1 kg) worn on each ankle during routine daily activities (e.g., cleaning, childcare). Primary outcomes include pre- and post-assessments of weight from Visit 2 to Visit 3. Secondary outcomes include body composition, glycemia (2-h, 75 g oral glucose tolerance test), and fasting insulin. Exploratory outcomes include energy expenditure, diet, and psychosocial well-being. DISCUSSION: Beyond the expected significance of this study in its direct health impacts from weight loss, it will contribute to exploring (1) the mechanism(s) by which the intervention is successful (mediating effects of energy expenditure and diet on weight loss) and (2) the effects of the intervention on body composition and biomarkers associated with insulin resistance and metabolic health. Additionally, we expect the findings to be meaningful regarding the intervention's effectiveness on engaging women with GDM in the postpartum period to reduce T2DM risk. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier, is NCT03664089 . The trial registration date is September 10, 2018. The trial sponsor is Dr. Sarah A. Keim.

Perceived social support and postpartum depression symptoms across geographical contexts: Findings from the 2016 Ohio Pregnancy Assessment survey.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between perceived social support and postpartum depression symptoms (PDS) and to understand how this association may differ for urban, suburban, rural Appalachian, and rural non-Appalachian women in Ohio. METHODS: Data were obtained via the 2016 Ohio Pregnancy Assessment Survey (n = 3382), a representative sample of postpartum women in Ohio. We conducted bivariate analyses to assess the associations between self-perceived social support and PDS, and covariates. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were conducted using a modified Poisson distribution to estimate the association between social support and PDS, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. We also examined geographical context as an independent predictor of PDS and as an effect modifier for the association between social support and PDS. RESULTS: 15.6% of survey respondents experienced PDS. Women with low levels of social support had slightly higher prevalence (aPR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.0-2.1) of PDS compared to women with high social support. Geographic context was an independent predictor of PDS; women in rural Appalachia had significantly lower prevalence (aPR: 0.5, 95% CI: 0.2-0.9) of PDS compared to women in urban areas. We did not find that geographical context modified the relationship between social support and PDS (Wald P = .5). CONCLUSIONS: Low social support was associated with increased PDS but did not reach statistical significance. Women living in rural Appalachia had a lower prevalence of PDS. Future studies should explore the reasons for lower rates of PDS in rural Appalachia.

The Effectiveness of "Push-to-Web" as an Option for a Survey of New Mothers.

INTRODUCTION: With shifting demographics and declining response rates, state and national health surveys are considering mixed mode approaches. Most states field the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) surveillance project, but few have studied the effect of encouraging online responses. METHODS: Like PRAMS, the 2016 Ohio Pregnancy Assessment Survey interviewed new mothers 2-4 months after delivery (n = 3382). Fielding included a traditional mailed paper questionnaire with telephone follow-up protocol and two experiments: a rotating web invitation added a web survey link at different points during the mail protocol, and a push-to-web protocol asked women to complete the survey online before mailing a questionnaire. This analysis examined the responses rates and tested for unweighted demographic differences using Pearson's chi-square. RESULTS: The unweighted response rate was highest with the traditional contact protocol (30.0%) and slightly lower among the rotating web invite (27.4%) and the push-to-web (25.5%) groups. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of push-to-web protocol respondents completed the survey online, with 70% of those web surveys submitted before the first paper questionnaire was mailed. Women who responded to the web versus mail surveys were similar on most characteristics, although in both experimental groups, women who completed the web version were more likely to be college educated. Among the push-to-web group, 60% of web and 36% of mail respondents had a 4-year college degree (p < .001). DISCUSSION: Given the potential for push-to-web to shift respondents to an online survey without greatly impacting response rates, researchers should continue to examine the utility of incorporating a web mode in surveys of new mothers.

Healthcare Experiences of Low-Income Women with Prior Gestational Diabetes.

Introduction An important yet understudied component of postpartum type 2 diabetes risk reduction among high risk women is experiences with the healthcare system. Our objective was to describe the healthcare experiences of a diverse, low-income sample of women with prior GDM, including their suggestions for improving care. Methods Focus groups were conducted among African American, Hispanic, and Appalachian women who were diagnosed with GDM within the past 10 years. Participants were recruited from community and medical resources. Twelve focus groups were conducted, four within each race-ethnic group. Results Three broad themes were identified around barriers to GDM care, management, and follow-up: (1) communication issues; (2) personal and environmental barriers; and (3) type and quality of healthcare. Many women felt communication with their provider could be improved, including more education on the severity of GDM, streamlining information to be less overwhelming, and providing additional support through referrals to community resources. Although women expressed interest in receiving more actionable advice for managing GDM during pregnancy and for preventing type 2 diabetes postpartum, few women reported changing behaviors. Barriers to behavior change were related to cost, transportation, and competing demands. Several opportunities for improved care were elucidated. Discussion Our findings suggest that across all racial and ethnic representations in our sample, low-income women with GDM experience similar communication, personal, and environmental barriers related to the healthcare they receive for their GDM. Considering the increased exposure to the health care system during a GDM-affected pregnancy, there are opportunities to address barriers among women with GDM across different race-ethnic groups.

Type 2 diabetes after gestational diabetes mellitus in South Asian women in the United States.

AIMS: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes. The incidence of both GDM and type 2 diabetes is exceedingly high in South Asian populations. However, the risk of type 2 diabetes after GDM in South Asian women in the United States is unknown. METHODS: South Asians aged 40 to 84 years without known cardiovascular disease were enrolled in a community-based cohort called Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America study. A history of GDM was elicited through self-report, and type 2 diabetes was ascertained by an oral glucose tolerance test. We performed a multivariable logistic regression analysis to examine the odds of type 2 diabetes after GDM history in this cross-sectional analysis. RESULTS: About 9.7% of women in the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America study self-reported a history of GDM, and were significantly younger, with higher mean diastolic blood pressure and self-reported weight at age 20 and 40 years than women without a history of GDM. In a model adjusted for age, weight at age 40, family history of diabetes, education, income, physical activity, caloric intake, alcohol use, and cigarette smoking, women with a history of GDM had increased odds of having type 2 diabetes compared with women without GDM (OR 3.2; 95% CI 1.3, 7.5). CONCLUSIONS: A history of GDM further increases the risk of type 2 diabetes in US South Asian women. Our findings underscore the importance of early postpartum screening in a population at high risk for type 2 diabetes.

Development and Validation of an Algorithm to Determine Spontaneous versus Provider-Initiated Preterm Birth in US Vital Records.

BACKGROUND: Determining whether initiation of preterm birth was spontaneous, or through labour induction or caesarean without labour or membrane rupture is critical in surveillance and aetiological research on preterm birth, although this information is not explicitly included on the US Birth Certificate. Algorithms combining several fields from birth certificates have been developed to infer the initiating event, but none has been validated against manual review of original obstetric records. Our objective was to develop a birth certificate-based algorithm to determine initiation of preterm birth and validate it by manual review of original records. METHODS: We developed an algorithm from the 2003 US Standard Birth Certificate to determine spontaneous vs. indicated preterm birth. The algorithm was first tested on obstetrical records from 80 preterm (<37 weeks) births in Columbus OH (2006-12) abstracted by an obstetrics research nurse and reviewed by an obstetrician-gynecologist. Onset of delivery was spontaneous if the initiating event was premature rupture of membranes (PROM) or contractions, or indicated if the initiating event was induction or caesarean without labour or PROM. The algorithm was validated in an independent sample of 100 preterm births from four hospitals. RESULTS: Codes for tocolysis, fetal intolerance of labour, and anaesthesia during labour did not predict labour and were dropped. The final algorithm correctly classified 73/80 cases, kappa = 0.83. In the validation, 86/100 cases were correctly classified. The kappa statistic was 0.68 (0.52, 0.83); predictive values for spontaneous and indicated onset were 85% (75%, 92%) and 89% (71%, 98%). CONCLUSIONS: The algorithm distinguished spontaneous from indicated preterm birth, using birth certificates, with good accuracy.

The Ohio Gestational Diabetes Postpartum Care Learning Collaborative: Development of a Quality Improvement Initiative to Improve Systems of Care for Women.

Objectives To improve clinical practice and increase postpartum visit Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) screening rates in women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods We recruited clinical sites with at least half of pregnant patients enrolled in Medicaid to participate in an 18-month quality improvement (QI) project. To support clinical practice changes, we developed provider and patient toolkits with educational and clinical practice resources. Clinical subject-matter experts facilitated a learning network to train sites and promote discussion and learning among sites. Sites submitted data from patient chart reviews monthly for key measures that we used to provide rapid-cycle feedback. Providers were surveyed at completion regarding toolkit usefulness and satisfaction. Results Of fifteen practices recruited, twelve remained actively engaged. We disseminated more than 70 provider and 2345 patient toolkits. Documented delivery of patient education improved for timely GDM prenatal screening, reduction of future T2DM risk, smoking cessation, and family planning. Sites reported toolkits were useful and easy to use. Of women for whom postpartum data were available, 67 % had a documented postpartum visit and 33 % had a postpartum T2DM screen. Lack of information sharing between prenatal and postpartum care providers was are barriers to provision and documentation of care. Conclusions for Practice QI and toolkit resources may improve the quality of prenatal education. However, postpartum care did not reach optimal levels. Future work should focus on strategies to support coordination of care between obstetrical and primary care providers.

Provision of specific preconception care messages and associated maternal health behaviors before and during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between receipt of specific preconception care messages before pregnancy and maternal behaviors before and during pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: Data were from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System 2009-2010. Only women who reported receiving general preconception care were asked questions about specific health messages that they received before pregnancy (32.2% of the total sample; N = 10,267). Preconception care messages that were received and corresponding behaviors that were examined included taking vitamins with folic acid before pregnancy, dieting to lose weight or exercising before pregnancy (for women who were overweight or obese before pregnancy), and smoking and drinking alcohol during pregnancy (for women who reported smoking or alcohol use in the past 2 years). Separate weighted multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess the association between receipt of specific preconception care messages and maternal behaviors before and during pregnancy. RESULTS: Women who reported receiving the message about taking vitamins with folic acid before pregnancy reported taking vitamins more often in the month before pregnancy compared with women who did not receive the message (77% vs 40%; P < .01; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.99; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.24-4.00). Among overweight and obese women, there was no difference in dieting or exercising between those who received the message about maintaining a healthy weight before pregnancy and those who did not (dieting: 41% vs 39% [P = .58; aOR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.77-1.47]; exercising: 43% vs 40% [P = .42; aOR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.81-1.51]). Among smokers, women who received the message regarding smoking during pregnancy smoked more often during the last 3 months of pregnancy than women who did not receive the message (47% vs 27%; P < .01; aOR, 2.22; 95% CI, 1.21-4.09). Among drinkers, the same percentage of women who did and did not receive the message about alcohol use during pregnancy drank in the last 3 months of pregnancy (13% vs 13%; P = .86; aOR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.65-1.38). CONCLUSION: Our study found that counseling on folic acid was associated with greater vitamin use, although counseling on dieting, exercising, drinking, and smoking among women who were at high risk was not associated with behaviors before or during pregnancy.

Differences in breast-feeding initiation and continuation by maternal diabetes status.

OBJECTIVE: To examine (i) the prevalence of and associations between breast-feeding initiation and continuation by maternal diabetes status and (ii) the reasons for not initiating and/or continuing breast-feeding by maternal diabetes status. DESIGN: Secondary data analyses of a population-based cross-sectional study were conducting using data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), 2009-2011. Multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate the associations between breast-feeding initiation and continuation by diabetes status. SETTING: Thirty states and New York City, USA. SUBJECTS: Mothers of recently live-born infants, selected by birth certificate sampling. RESULTS: Among 72755 women, 8.8 % had gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and 1.7 % had pregestational diabetes mellitus (PDM). Breast-feeding initiation was similar among GDM and no diabetes mellitus (NDM) women (80.8 % v. 82.2 %, respectively, P=0.2), but continuation was lower among GDM (65.7 % v. 68.8 %, respectively, P=0.01). PDM women had lower initiation and continuation compared with NDM (78.2 %, P=0.03 and 60.4 %, P<0.01, respectively). In adjusted analyses, current smoking status was a significant effect modifier for initiation, but not for continuation. CONCLUSIONS: Differences in breast-feeding initiation and continuation prevalence by maternal diabetes status may reflect differences in prenatal education, indicating the need for increased efforts among PDM women. Additionally, non-smoking women with PDM or GDM would benefit from additional breast-feeding education.

Trends in breastfeeding initiation in the NICU by gestational age in Ohio, 2006-2012.

BACKGROUND: While breastfeeding in the United States is on the rise, trends among infants admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) are less known. The objective of this study was to examine trends in breastfeeding initiation among NICU-admitted infants in Ohio from 2006 to 2012 and to determine differences in breastfeeding initiation trends by gestational age. METHODS: Using Ohio Vital Statistics birth certificate data, the Cochran-Armitage test for trend was used to determine significant trends in breastfeeding by gestational age. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between breastfeeding initiation and gestational age by year. RESULTS: From 2006 to 2012, 48,758 infants born in Ohio were admitted to the NICU, representing 5.6 percent of all newborns. Breastfeeding among NICU-admitted infants increased from 53.3 percent in 2006 to 63.8 percent in 2012 (p < 0.01). Increasing, significant trends in breastfeeding were also observed within each gestational age category over the 7 years. In 2011 and 2012, preterm infants were significantly more likely than term infants to be fed breastmilk in the NICU. DISCUSSION: The gap between breastfeeding initiation among NICU-admitted and non-admitted infants appears to be narrowing, particularly for the most extreme gestational ages. While these increasing trends in breastfeeding among the most premature infants are encouraging, nearly 40 percent of mothers of term infants admitted to the NICU, the largest proportion of the NICU population, are still not initiating breastfeeding. More education and support specific to mothers of infants admitted to the NICU is needed.

Instituting a sugar-sweetened beverage ban: experience from a children's hospital.

Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption is linked to increased weight and obesity in children and remains the major source of added sugar in the typical US diet across all age groups. In an effort to improve the nutritional offerings for patients and employees within our institution, Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, implemented an SSB ban in 2011 in all food establishments within the hospital. In this report, we describe how the ban was implemented. We found that an institutional SSB ban altered beverage sales without revenue loss at nonvending food locations. From a process perspective, we found that successful implementation requires excellent communication and bold leadership at several levels throughout the hospital environment.

Trends and factors associated with self-reported receipt of preconception care: PRAMS, 2004-2010.

BACKGROUND: Preconception care (PCC) is a form of primary prevention for promoting health, assessing risk, and intervening to modify risk factors to try to improve maternal and infant outcomes. Clinical provision of preconception care before and after the release of recommendations has not been evaluated. Our objective was to determine trends in self-reported receipt of PCC from 2004 to 2010, and factors associated with self-reported receipt of PCC. METHODS: Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) data from 12 states were used to determine trends in PCC. Weighted multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with self-reported receipt of PCC. RESULTS: The sample consisted of n = 64,084 women, with 30.8 percent reporting receipt of PCC. PCC increased from 30.3 percent in 2004 to 32.6 percent in 2010 (p = 0.08 for trend). Women who were younger, with lower household income, or with a preterm birth were less likely to report PCC. Women with lower levels of education, who were non-Hispanic black, intending pregnancy, without previous children, or with prepregnancy government insurance were more likely to report PCC. CONCLUSIONS: Only one-third of women with a recent live birth report receipt of any PCC. There is a need to increase PCC receipt, especially among populations that demonstrate lower levels.

Postpartum diabetes testing among women with recent gestational diabetes mellitus: PRAMS 2009-2010.

The objective of this study was to estimate rates of and factors associated with postpartum diabetes testing in women with recent gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Secondary data analysis was conducted using data from the 2009 and 2010 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System from three states and one city (Colorado, Minnesota, Utah, and New York City). Frequency of postpartum diabetes testing was estimated overall and among women who attended a postpartum visit. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with postpartum diabetes testing. Approximately 8.2% [95% confidence interval (CI) 7.5-8.9] of women self-reported a history of GDM (n = 829), of which 48.5% (43.9-53.1) reported being tested for diabetes postpartum. Among the 90.0% (86.5-93.4) of women with recent GDM who attended the postpartum visit, 51.7% (46.1-57.2) reported being tested for diabetes postpartum. Women who received inadequate/intermediate prenatal care were half as likely to report postpartum testing compared with women who received adequate prenatal care [odds ratio 0.45 (95% CI 0.25-0.83)]. Women with a prepregnancy body mass index classified as obese were over twice as likely to report postpartum testing compared to normal weight women. Women with GDM are at increased risk of persistent glucose intolerance after delivery, yet postpartum testing rates remain around 50%, regardless of attendance to the postpartum visit. Improving adequacy of prenatal care might further increase postpartum testing rates. Continued efforts to translate postpartum testing into practice are needed among these women at risk for future type 2 diabetes.

Differences in breastfeeding initiation by maternal diabetes status and race, Ohio 2006-2011.

To examine breastfeeding trends at hospital discharge from 2006 to 2011 by diabetes status and to determine associations between diabetes status and breastfeeding. Ohio Vital Statistics birth certificate data from 2006 to 2011, including all singleton births to Ohio resident mothers of reproductive age (16-44 years), were used to analyze trends in breastfeeding by diabetes status [prepregnancy diabetes (PDM), gestational diabetes (GDM)]. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the relationship between breastfeeding at discharge and diabetes type. Because a significant interaction between diabetes status and race existed, the model was stratified by race. This study includes 803,222 Ohio births from 2006 to 2011. A significant, increasing trend of breastfeeding (P < .0001) existed among women with GDM (63-70 %) and no DM (62-69 %). GDM breastfeeding rates were frequently the highest, while women with PDM often had the lowest breastfeeding initiation rates, regardless of sample characteristic. In models stratified by race, Black women were often the least likely to breastfeed, but overweight or obese and diabetes were not associated with a decreased likelihood of breastfeeding as they were among White women. While breastfeeding rates have increased in Ohio, they have still not reached the Healthy People 2020 goals. Our study shows that breastfeeding initiation rates vary by diabetes status and race. This study can aid in tailoring breastfeeding intervention and counseling efforts to women least likely to initiate breastfeeding, such as women with pregnancy diabetes, to improve the health of both infants and mothers.

Improving care for women with a history of gestational diabetes: a provider perspective.

To identify perceived roles with regard to care for women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) history and resources for improving care among women with a history of GDM from the perspective of obstetrician/gynecologists (OB/GYNs), certified nurse midwives (CNM), family practitioners, and internists. In 2010, a survey was sent to a random sample of OB/GYNs, CNM, family practitioners, and internists (n = 2,375) in Ohio to assess knowledge, attitudes, and postpartum practices regarding diabetes prevention for women with a history of GDM. A total of 904 practitioners completed the survey (46 %). Over 70 % of CNMs strongly agreed it is part of their job to help women with GDM history improve diet and increase exercise, compared with 60 % of family practitioners/internists and 55 % of OB/GYNs (p < 0.001). More OB/GYNs and CNMs identified a need for more local nutrition specialists and patient education materials, compared with family practitioners/ internists. Between 60 and 70 % of OB/GYNs and CNMs reported lifestyle modification programs and corresponding reimbursement would better support them to provide improved care. Health care providers giving care to women with GDM history have varying perceptions of their roles, however, there was agreement on resources needed to improve care.

Ohio primary health care providers' practices and attitudes regarding screening women with prior gestational diabetes for type 2 diabetes mellitus--2010.

INTRODUCTION: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with a 7-fold increased lifetime risk for developing type 2 diabetes mellitus. Early diagnosis of type 2 diabetes is crucial for preventing complications. Despite recommendations for type 2 diabetes screening every 1 to 3 years for women with previous diagnoses of GDM and all women aged 45 years or older, screening prevalence is unknown. We sought to assess Ohio primary health care providers' practices and attitudes regarding assessing GDM history and risk for progression to type 2 diabetes. METHODS: During 2010, we mailed surveys to 1,400 randomly selected Ohio family physicians and internal medicine physicians; we conducted analyses during 2011-2013. Overall responses were weighted to adjust for stratified sampling. Chi-square tests compared categorical variables. RESULTS: Overall response rate was 34% (380 eligible responses). Among all respondents, 57% reported that all new female patients in their practices are routinely asked about GDM history; 62% reported screening women aged 45 years or younger with prior GDM every 1 to 3 years for glucose intolerance; and 42% reported that screening for type 2 diabetes among women with prior GDM is a high or very high priority in their practice. CONCLUSION: Because knowing a patient's GDM history is the critical first step in the prevention of progression to type 2 diabetes for women who had GDM, suboptimal screening for both GDM history and subsequent glucose abnormalities demonstrates missed opportunities for identifying and counseling women with increased risk for type 2 diabetes.