The association between postpartum depressive symptoms and contraception.

BACKGROUND: Postpartum depression affects 10% to 20% of birthing people and is associated with changes in healthcare use. Little is known about the association between postpartum depressive symptoms and choice to use contraception; however, both untreated or undertreated depression and short interpregnancy intervals pose substantial perinatal health risks. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate whether postpartum depressive symptoms are associated with changes in decisions to use any method of contraception. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study included birthing people who delivered between 2017 and 2022 and were referred to a collaborative care program for mental healthcare. Through this program, birthing people with mental health conditions have access to specialized perinatal mental healthcare and prospective symptom monitoring via a patient registry. Postpartum depressive symptoms are assessed via the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and scores were stratified by severity according to clinical cutoffs. Contraceptive method choice was determined by documentation in the electronic health record and dichotomized as "none" if the participant declined all forms of contraception both at delivery and at the postpartum visit. Bivariable and multivariable analyses were performed. RESULTS: Of the 1871 participants that met the inclusion criteria, 160 (8.5%) had postpartum Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scores of >14, representing moderately severe or worse depressive symptoms, and 43 (2.3%) had severe (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 of >19) depressive symptoms. Birthing people with higher Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scores were more likely to have medical comorbidities; to have a higher body mass index; to self-identify as Black, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, or Hispanic or Latina; and to have a preterm delivery and less likely to be married or nulliparous than those with Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scores of ≤14. There was no difference in any other sociodemographic or clinical characteristics. The choice to use any contraceptive method decreased with increasing depressive symptoms in bivariable and multivariable analyses, reaching statistical significance in birthing people with severe depressive symptoms (adjusted odds ratio, 2.92; 95% confidence interval, 1.46-5.84). CONCLUSION: Severe perinatal depressive symptoms are associated with a declination of any form of postpartum contraception. This finding becomes increasingly relevant as abortion access continues to be threatened across the United States, compounding the potential effect of opting not to use contraception.

Major trauma in pregnancy: prediction of maternal and perinatal adverse outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Trauma, largely the consequence of motor vehicle crashes, is the leading cause of pregnancy-associated maternal mortality. Prediction of adverse outcomes has been difficult in pregnancy given the infrequent occurrence of traumatic events and anatomic considerations unique to pregnancy. The injury severity score, an anatomic scoring system with weighting dependent on severity and anatomic region of injury, is used in the prediction of adverse outcomes in the nonpregnant population but has yet to be validated in pregnancy. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to estimate the associations between risk factors and adverse pregnancy outcomes after major trauma in pregnancy and to develop a clinical prediction model for adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective analysis of a cohort of pregnant patients who sustained major trauma and who were admitted to 1 of 2 level 1 trauma centers. Three composite adverse pregnancy outcomes were evaluated, namely adverse maternal outcomes and short- and long-term adverse perinatal outcomes, defined as outcomes occurring within the first 72 hours of the traumatic event or encompassing the entire pregnancy. Bivariate analyses were performed to estimate the associations between clinical or trauma-related variables and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to predict each adverse pregnancy outcome. The predictive performance of each model was estimated using receiver operating characteristic curve analyses. RESULTS: A total of 119 pregnant trauma patients were included, 26.1% of whom met the severe adverse maternal pregnancy outcome criteria, 29.4% of whom met the severe short-term adverse perinatal pregnancy outcome definition, and 51.3% of whom met the severe long-term adverse perinatal pregnancy outcome definition. Injury severity score and gestational age were associated with the composite short-term adverse perinatal pregnancy outcome with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.20 (95% confidence interval, 1.11-1.30). The injury severity score was solely predictive of the adverse maternal and long-term adverse perinatal pregnancy outcomes with odds ratios of 1.65 (95% confidence interval, 1.31-2.09) and 1.14 (95% confidence interval, 1.07-1.23), respectively. An injury severity score ≥8 was the best cutoff for predicting adverse maternal outcomes with 96.8% sensitivity and 92.0% specificity (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.990±0.006). An injury severity score ≥3 was the best cutoff for the short-term adverse perinatal outcomes, which correlates with a 68.6% sensitivity and 65.1% specificity (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.755±0.055). An injury severity score ≥2 was the best cutoff for the long-term adverse perinatal outcomes, yielding a 68.3% sensitivity and 72.4% specificity (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.763±0.042). CONCLUSION: For pregnant trauma patients, an injury severity score of ≥8 was predictive of severe adverse maternal outcomes. Minor trauma in pregnancy, defined in this study as an injury severity score <2, was not associated with maternal or perinatal morbidity or mortality. These data can guide management decisions for pregnant patients who present after trauma.

The association between adverse childhood experiences and perinatal depression symptom trajectories.

BACKGROUND: Having a history of adverse childhood experiences is associated with an increased risk for treatment-resistant depression in the general population. Whether this relationship is true in the perinatal context is unknown. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the association between adverse childhood experiences and the trajectories of antenatal and postpartum depression among people enrolled in a perinatal collaborative care program for mental healthcare. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study included all pregnant and postpartum people who were referred to and enrolled in a perinatal collaborative care program for mental healthcare and who delivered at a single, quaternary care institution between March 2016 and March 2021. Individuals referred to the collaborative care program were linked with a care manager and had access to evidence-based mental health treatment such as a psychiatric consult, pharmacotherapy, and psychotherapy. All individuals enrolled in the collaborative care program underwent adverse childhood experience screens at intake. A score of >3 on the validated Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire was defined as a high adverse childhood experience score. Depression symptom monitoring occurred via electronic Patient Health Questionaire-9 screening every 2 to 4 weeks, and escalation of care was recommended for those without evidence of improvement. Antenatal depression trajectories were determined by comparing the earliest available prenatal Patient Health Questionaire-9 score closest to the time of referral to collaborative care with the latest Patient Health Questionaire-9 score before delivery. Postpartum trajectories were determined by comparing the earliest postpartum Patient Health Questionaire-9 score after delivery with the latest score before 12 weeks' postpartum. Depression trajectories were categorized as improved, stable, or worsened based on whether the Patient Health Questionaire-9 scores changed by at least 2 standard deviations (ie, 5 points on the Patient Health Questionaire-9 scale). Bivariable and multivariable analyses were performed. RESULTS: Of the 1270 people who met the inclusion criteria, 294 (23.1%) reported a high adverse childhood experience score. Those with a high adverse childhood experience score were more likely to experience a worsened antenatal depression trajectory than those with a low adverse childhood experience score (10.3% vs 4.3%; P=.008). This association persisted after adjusting for potential confounders (adjusted odds ratio, 2.39; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-5.46). There was no significant difference in the postpartum depression trajectories between those with a high and those with a low adverse childhood experience score. CONCLUSION: Having a high adverse childhood experience score is associated with a worsened antenatal depression trajectory for those enrolled in a collaborative care program. Given its high prevalence, future research should evaluate effective modalities of perinatal depression prevention and treatment specific for pregnant people with a history of adverse childhood experiences.

Accuracy and utilization patterns of intraabdominal imaging for major trauma in pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Imaging protocols for major maternal trauma during pregnancy are not standardized, and it is uncertain whether focused assessment with sonography for trauma or computed tomography of the abdomen/pelvis is preferred for detecting intraabdominal hemorrhage. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to estimate the accuracy of focused assessment with sonography for trauma compared with computed tomography of the abdomen/pelvis, validate imaging accuracy with clinical outcomes, and describe clinical factors associated with each imaging mode. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study of pregnant patients evaluated for major trauma at one of two Level 1 trauma centers between 2003 and 2019. We identified 4 imaging groups: no intraabdominal imaging, focused assessment with sonography for trauma only, computed tomography of the abdomen/pelvis only, and both focused assessment with sonography for trauma and computed tomography of the abdomen/pelvis. The primary outcome was a composite maternal severe adverse pregnancy outcome, including death and intensive care unit admission. We estimated sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of focused assessment with sonography for trauma for hemorrhage with computed tomography of the abdomen/pelvis as the reference standard. We performed analysis of variance and chi-square tests to compare clinical factors and outcomes across imaging groups. Multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate associations between selected imaging mode and clinical factors. RESULTS: Of 119 pregnant trauma patients, 31 (26.1%) experienced a maternal severe adverse pregnancy outcome. Intraabdominal imaging modes included none in 37.0%, focused assessment with sonography for trauma only in 21.0%, computed tomography of the abdomen/pelvis only in 25.2%, and both modes in 16.8%. With computed tomography of the abdomen/pelvis as the reference, focused assessment with sonography for trauma had sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 11%, 91%, 50%, and 55%, respectively. One patient had a maternal severe adverse pregnancy outcome with a positive focused assessment with sonography for trauma and negative computed tomography of the abdomen/pelvis, and 2 patients with a positive computed tomography of the abdomen/pelvis did not have an adverse outcome. Use of computed tomography of the abdomen/pelvis with or without focused assessment with sonography for trauma was associated with a higher injury severity score, lower systolic blood pressure nadir, higher motor vehicle collision speed, and higher rates of hypotension, tachycardia, bone fracture, maternal severe adverse pregnancy outcome, and fetal demise. The association of computed tomography of the abdomen/pelvis use with higher injury severity score, tachycardia, and lower systolic blood pressure nadir persisted in multivariable analysis. With each 1-point increase in the injury severity score, there was an 11% higher likelihood of using computed tomography of the abdomen/pelvis over focused assessment with sonography for trauma for intraabdominal imaging. CONCLUSION: The sensitivity of focused assessment with sonography for trauma in detecting intraabdominal hemorrhage in pregnant trauma patients is poor, and computed tomography of the abdomen/pelvis has a low false-negative rate. Providers seem to prefer computed tomography of the abdomen/pelvis to focused assessment with sonography for trauma in patients with the most severe trauma. Computed tomography of the abdomen/pelvis with or without focused assessment with sonography for trauma is more accurate than focused assessment with sonography for trauma alone.

Association Between Antenatal Depression Symptom Trajectories and Preterm Birth.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether, among pregnant people referred for mental health care, improvement in antenatal depression symptoms before delivery was associated with a reduction in preterm birth. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included all pregnant people referred to a perinatal collaborative care program for mental health care who delivered between March 2016 and March 2021. Those referred to the collaborative care program had access to subspecialty mental health treatment, including psychiatric consultation, psychopharmacotherapy, and psychotherapy. Depression symptoms were monitored with the self-reported PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnarie-9) screens in a patient registry. Antenatal depression trajectories were determined by comparing the earliest prenatal PHQ-9 score after collaborative care referral with the score closest to delivery. Trajectories were categorized as improved, stable, or worsened according to whether PHQ-9 scores changed by at least 5 points. Bivariable analyses were performed. A propensity score was generated to control for confounders that were significantly different on bivariable analyses according to trajectories. This propensity score was then included in multivariable models. RESULTS: Of the 732 pregnant people included, 523 (71.4%) had mild or more severe depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 score 5 or higher) on their initial screen. Antenatal depression symptoms improved in 256 (35.0%), remained stable in 437 (59.7%), and worsened in 39 (5.3%); the corresponding incidence of preterm birth was 12.5%, 14.0%, and 30.8%, respectively ( P =.009). Compared with those with a worsened trajectory, pregnant people who had an improved antenatal depression symptom trajectory had a significantly decreased odds of preterm birth (adjusted odds ratio 0.37, 95% CI 0.15-0.89). CONCLUSION: Compared with worsened symptoms, an improved antenatal depression symptom trajectory is associated with decreased odds of preterm birth for pregnant people referred for mental health care. These data further underscore the public health importance of incorporating mental health care into routine obstetric care.

The Association between the Number of Vacuum Pop-Offs and Adverse Neonatal Outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: Obstetrical vacuum manufacturers have long recommended a maximum of two to three pop-offs be allowed before abandoning the procedure. However, there is a paucity of evidence on the safety of vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery in relation to the number of pop-offs to support this recommendation. Our objective was to examine whether the number of pop-offs in a vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery was associated with adverse neonatal outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective cohort study of women who underwent a trial of a vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery at a single tertiary care institution between October 2005 and June 2014. Maternal and fetal factors associated with the number of pop-offs were examined in bivariable analyses. Multivariable analyses were performed to determine the independent association of the number of pop-offs with adverse neonatal outcomes. RESULTS: Of the 1,730 women who met inclusion criteria, 1,293 (74.7%) had no pop-offs, 240 (13.9%) had one pop-off, 128 (7.4%) had two pop-offs, and 69 (4.0%) had three or more pop-offs. Neonatal scalp/facial lacerations, intracranial hemorrhage, seizures, central nervous system depression, and neonatal intensive care unit admission were all associated with the number of pop-offs in bivariable analyses. In multivariable analyses, compared to no pop-offs, having any vacuum pop-offs was associated with an increased odds of adverse neonatal outcomes. However, there was not a consistent dose-response relationship. CONCLUSION: While having vacuum pop-offs in a vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery was associated with an increased risk of adverse neonatal outcomes, there did not appear to be a dose-dependent association with the number of pop-offs. KEY POINTS: · There are no specific guidelines on how many pop-offs can be allowed before abandoning a vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery.. · Having any vacuum pop-offs was associated with an increased risk of adverse neonatal outcomes.. · There was no dose-dependent association between number of pop-offs and adverse neonatal outcomes..

Optimization of the Mood Disorder Questionnaire in identification of perinatal bipolar disorder.

BACKGROUND: The recognition of bipolar disorder during the perinatal period is often challenging because birthing people most commonly present in a depressive episode. The phenotypic expression of episodes of bipolar depression is difficult to differentiate from major depressive disorder and can lead to misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment. The Mood Disorder Questionnaire is a readily available screening tool for bipolar disorder that has been validated in previous studies for use in the general and perinatal populations. However, the discriminatory capacity of the Mood Disorder Questionnaire for perinatal people who screen positive for depression in nonpsychiatric settings is still unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the discriminatory capacity of the Mood Disorder Questionnaire to identify bipolar disorder in perinatal people who screen positive for depression on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study included individuals enrolled in the Collaborative Care Model for Perinatal Depression Support Services, a collaborative care program for perinatal mental health services implemented in a quaternary care setting, from January 2017 to April 2021. All individuals completed the Mood Disorder Questionnaire and psychiatric evaluation by a licensed clinical social worker. Clinical and sociodemographic characteristics were compared between those with and without a clinical diagnosis of bipolar disorder using bivariable analyses. The discriminatory capacity and test characteristics of the Mood Disorder Questionnaire were assessed at each score cutoff using the gold standard of a psychiatric clinical evaluation for comparison. RESULTS: From January 2017 to April 2021, 1510 birthing people were enrolled in the Collaborative Care Model for Perinatal Depression Support Services and included in this study. Among this group, 62 (4.1%) were diagnosed with bipolar disorder by psychiatric clinical evaluation using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, diagnostic criteria. A score of ≥7 on question 1 is often used in the general population to identify bipolar disorder, which has a 60% sensitivity and 88% specificity in our perinatal sample with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.74 (95% confidence interval, 0.72-0.76). Lowering the threshold to ≥4 improves sensitivity to 81% and the discriminatory capacity to an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.75 (95% confidence interval, 0.70-0.80), at the expense of a reduction in specificity to 69%. CONCLUSION: The administration of the Mood Disorder Questionnaire in the perinatal period can help to identify which individuals who have screened positive for depression on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 are at risk of a bipolar or unipolar disorder. In this context, lowering the Mood Disorder Questionnaire score threshold from that used in the nonperinatal population down to 4 improves test characteristics and reduces the risk of a missed diagnosis of bipolar disorder.

Maternal Antibody Response and Transplacental Transfer Following Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection or Vaccination in Pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Pregnant persons are at increased risk of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and adverse obstetric outcomes. Understanding maternal antibody response, duration, and transplacental transfer after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and COVID-19 vaccination is important to inform public health recommendations. METHODS: This prospective observational cohort study included 351 pregnant people who had SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy. Immunoglobulin (Ig) G and IgM to SARS-CoV-2 S1 receptor binding domain were measured in maternal and cord blood. Antibody levels and transplacental transfer ratios were compared across (1) disease severity for those with SARS-CoV-2 infection and (2) infection versus vaccination. RESULTS: There were 252 individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection and 99 who received COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy. Birthing people with more severe SARS-CoV-2 infection had higher maternal and cord blood IgG levels (P = .0001, P = .0001). Median IgG transfer ratio was 0.87-1.2. Maternal and cord blood IgG were higher after vaccination than infection (P = .001, P = .001). Transfer ratio was higher after 90 days in the vaccinated group (P < .001). Modeling showed higher amplitude and half-life of maternal IgG following vaccination (P < .0001). There were no significant differences by fetal sex. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy leads to higher and longer lasting maternal IgG levels, higher cord blood IgG, and higher transfer ratio after 90 days compared with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Greater infection severity leads to higher maternal and cord blood antibodies. Maternal IgG decreases over time following both vaccination and infection, reinforcing the importance of vaccination, even after infection, and vaccine boosters for pregnant patients.

The association between engagement in a perinatal collaborative care program and breastfeeding among people with identified mental health conditions.

BACKGROUND: Untreated antenatal mental health conditions are associated with noninitiation and early discontinuation of breastfeeding. Whether interventions designed to optimize perinatal mental health can mitigate this association is unknown. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine whether engagement of pregnant people with mental health conditions in a perinatal mental health collaborative care program was associated with differences in breastfeeding initiation and continuation and whether any observed association was mediated by changes in depressive symptoms. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study included all pregnant people who were referred antenatally by their obstetrical clinician to a perinatal collaborative care program and who delivered viable neonates between January 2017 and June 2018. Pregnant people were dichotomized by whether they engaged in collaborative care services. Breastfeeding initiation (endorsed at delivery) and continuation at the postpartum visit were compared between individuals who did and did not engage in collaborative care using bivariable and multivariable analyses. Mediation analyses were performed to determine if any observed associations were mediated by improvements or remission in depressive symptoms. RESULTS: During the study period, 350 eligible pregnant people were referred to the perinatal collaborative care program because of an identified mental health condition. Of these people, 264 (75.4%) engaged in collaborative care. Compared with those who did not engage in collaborative care, people who engaged in collaborative care were more likely to initiate breastfeeding (168 [95%] vs 47 [87%]; P=.046) and continue breastfeeding at the postpartum visit (92 [74%] vs 20 [53%]; P=.012). These associations persisted after controlling for potential confounders (adjusted odds ratio for initiation, 3.30; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-9.98; adjusted odds ratio for continuation, 3.08; 95% confidence interval, 1.29-7.36). Neither association was mediated by improvements or remission in depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Although antenatal mental health conditions are a risk factor for lack of initiation or early cessation of breastfeeding, engagement in a collaborative care program was associated with improvements in both breastfeeding initiation and continuation. This association was independent of improvement in depressive symptoms, suggesting that the benefits of perinatal collaborative care may extend beyond its psychological impact.

The Diagnostic Utility of Growth Ultrasound for the Indication of Maternal Overweight or Obesity.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic utility of serial growth ultrasounds for the indication of maternal overweight or obesity. STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective cohort study of all women with a body mass index ≥25 kg/m2 who underwent at least one growth ultrasound at ≥24 weeks gestation and delivered at a single tertiary care institution between January 2010 and December 2013. Women were excluded if they had other medical indications for growth ultrasounds. Ultrasounds were divided into three gestational age epochs: 24 to 316/7 weeks, 32 to 356/7 weeks, and ≥36 weeks. Outcomes examined included the accuracy of sonographic detection of fetal growth restriction (FGR) and fetal overgrowth compared with diagnoses of small for gestational age (SGA) and large for gestational age (LGA) based on the birth weight. The test characteristics of ultrasound and the number needed to screen (NNS) to detect growth abnormalities at the time of birth were estimated for each condition and gestational age epoch. The NNS for the detection of fluid abnormalities was also assessed. RESULTS: During the study period, 3,945 eligible sonograms were performed in 2,928 women. FGR was identified on ultrasound in 42 (1.4%) women, fetal overgrowth in 94 (3.2%) women, oligohydramnios in 35 (1.2%) women, and hydramnios in 41 (1.4%) women. The NNS for the diagnoses of SGA, LGA, oligohydramnios, and hydramnios at delivery was at least 137 prior to 32 weeks of gestation and decreased (i.e., at least 45 and 16, for 32 to 356/7 weeks and ≥36 weeks, respectively) with advancing gestational age epochs. CONCLUSION: If growth ultrasounds are to be performed for the sole indication of maternal overweight or obesity, consideration should be given to delaying initiation until at least 32 weeks of gestation given the infrequency of growth and fluid abnormalities identified earlier. KEY POINTS: · There are limited data to support serial growth ultrasounds in overweight and obese women.. · The sensitivity of ultrasound for growth abnormalities at <32 weeks is low in women with BMI ≥25. · Consideration should be given to delaying initiation of growth ultrasounds until at least 32 weeks.

Neighborhood deprivation and preterm delivery during the coronavirus 2019 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Prior studies have reported decreases in the preterm delivery incidence during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the findings are inconsistent. Given the wide disparities in the pandemic's impact across communities, neighborhood deprivation may explain the observed variation in the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and preterm delivery. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the changes in the incidence of preterm delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic with attention to the effect modification introduced by neighborhood hardship. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study included all the pregnant patients who delivered at an urban tertiary care hospital during the pandemic (April-November 2020) or before the pandemic (April-November 2019). We compared the incidence of preterm delivery, spontaneous preterm delivery, and medically indicated preterm delivery before 37 weeks' gestation across epochs. Planned analyses stratified the cohorts by neighborhood deprivation metrics defined by the residential zip code; the metrics included the median neighborhood household income and the hardship index (a composite index including dependency, educational attainment, unemployment, poverty, per capita income, and crowded housing). The Breslow-Day test for homogeneity assessed the association of the delivery epoch and neighborhood deprivation with the preterm delivery outcomes. RESULTS: Of 16,544 eligible deliveries, 8.7% occurred preterm. The incidences of preterm delivery (8.4% vs 9.0%; P=.17), spontaneous preterm delivery (5.0 vs 5.4%; P=.27), and medically indicated preterm delivery (3.2% vs 3.5%; P=.47) were similar in the pandemic and prepandemic epochs. However, the preterm delivery (odds ratio, 0.78; 95% confidence interval, 0.64-0.96) and spontaneous preterm delivery (odds ratio, 0.76; 95% confidence interval, 0.59-0.99) decreased from the prepandemic to the pandemic epoch in those living in neighborhoods <50th percentile for median income (Breslow-Day P values.047 and.036, respectively). Similarly, the preterm delivery (odds ratio, 0.78; 95% confidence interval, 0.64-0.97) and spontaneous preterm delivery (odds ratio, 0.74; 95% confidence interval, 0.57-0.98) decreased for those inhabiting the neighborhoods in the highest-hardship quartile (Breslow-Day P values.045 and.029, respectively). CONCLUSION: The populations residing in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods experienced reductions in preterm delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Neighborhood-level social determinants of health offer insight into the complex etiologies that contribute to preterm delivery and provide opportunities for public health and equity-focused prevention strategies.

Timing of perinatal mental health needs: data to inform policy.

BACKGROUND: The policies pertaining to perinatal healthcare should be informed by medical needs. The windows of standard obstetrical care and mandated Medicaid coverage eligibility typically end approximately 8 weeks postpartum, even though women may have perinatal health concerns, including suicidal ideation, which are identified beyond this period. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the timing of mental health needs across the perinatal period with a focus on how frequently the initial referral and suicidal ideation occur outside of standard obstetrical care windows. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study included all women during pregnancy or up to one year postpartum referred to a perinatal mental health collaborative care program (COMPASS) between September 2017 and September 2019. The timing of initial referral to COMPASS was identified, with women referred postpartum categorized by whether the referral was made after 8 weeks postpartum. The characteristics of the women were compared according to the timing of the initial mental health referral with receiver operating characteristic curves to identify whether patient characteristics could accurately classify women whose initial mental health needs were not recognized until after 8 weeks postpartum. Similarly, the assessment of suicidal ideation, either at or after referral, was ascertained, with the evaluation of the timing at which suicidal ideation was first expressed. RESULTS: Of 1421 women referred for mental healthcare during the study period, 774 (54%) were initially referred antenatally and 647 (46%) were initially referred postpartum. The women who were referred antenatally exhibited no clustering in the timing of referral. Of the women referred postpartum, 203 (31%) were referred after 8 weeks postpartum. Sociodemographic and medical characteristics were unable to accurately classify which women were referred for mental health care after 8 weeks postpartum (area under the curve, 0.64; 95% confidence interval, 0.58-0.68). A total of 215 (16%) women reported suicidal ideation at or after the time of initial referral: 129 (17%) antenatally and 86 (14%) postpartum. The incidence of suicidal ideation was not significantly different before vs 8 weeks postpartum. CONCLUSION: Perinatal mental health needs, including suicidal ideation, are often first recognized beyond 8 weeks postpartum. These data should be taken into consideration in policymaking discussions pertaining to the approach to medical care continuity and postpartum healthcare coverage.

The association between the COVID-19 pandemic and postpartum care provision.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic led to a rapid transformation in the healthcare system to mitigate viral exposure. In the perinatal context, one change included altering the prenatal visit cadence and increasing the utilization of telehealth methods. Whether this approach had inadvertent negative implications for postpartum care, including postpartum depression screening and contraceptive utilization, is unknown. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine whether preventative health service utilization, including postpartum depression screening and contraceptive utilization, differed during the COVID-19 pandemic when compared with the prepandemic period. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study included all pregnant patients who received prenatal care at 1 of 5 academic obstetrical practices and who delivered at Northwestern Memorial Hospital either before (delivery from September 1, 2018, to January 1, 2019) or during (delivery from February 1, 2020, to May 15, 2020) the COVID-19 pandemic. Completion of postpartum depression screening was assessed by reviewing standardized fields in the documentation associated with the screening in the electronic health record system. The method of contraception used was ascertained from the postpartum clinical documentation. Patients were classified as initiating long-acting reversible contraception use if they received NEXPLANON (etonogestrel implant) or an intrauterine device during the hospitalization for delivery or within 3 months following delivery. Bivariable and multivariable analyses were performed. RESULTS: Of the 2375 pregnant patients included in this study, 1120 (47%) delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pregnant patients who delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic were significantly less likely to have undergone postpartum depression screening (45.5% vs 86.2%; P<.01); this association persisted after adjusting for potential confounders (adjusted odds ratio, 0.13; 95% confidence interval, 0.11-0.16). Pregnant patients who delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic also were significantly less likely to initiate long-acting reversible contraception use within 3 months of delivery (13.5% vs 19.6%; adjusted odds ratio, 0.67; 95% confidence interval, 0.53-0.84). CONCLUSION: The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a decrease in the completion of postpartum depression screenings and fewer patients initiating long-acting reversible contraception use overall. These results can inform adaptations in healthcare delivery in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Is peripartum magnesium sulfate associated with a reduction in postpartum depressive symptoms?

BACKGROUND: The prevention of postpartum depression is an important area of investigation given its association with major maternal and neonatal sequelae, yet few evidence-based treatments to reduce the frequency of postpartum depression are used. Recent data suggest that N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists may lead to rapid improvement of depressive symptoms lasting up to 2 weeks. We hypothesized that the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist magnesium sulfate would elicit antidepressant effects subsequent to its receipt by women receiving peripartum seizure prophylaxis for a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the frequency of depressive symptoms at 2 weeks and 6 weeks after delivery between women who did and did not receive peripartum magnesium sulfate for a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: This prospective cohort study included women with a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy at ≥34 weeks' gestation with singleton gestations. Magnesium sulfate for seizure prophylaxis was administered at the obstetrician's discretion. The Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology survey was administered before hospital discharge and again at 2 weeks and 6 weeks after delivery to assess for postpartum depressive symptoms. The primary outcome for this study was the change in Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology score from baseline to 2 weeks after delivery, which was analyzed both continuously and categorically (any symptom worsening vs stability or improvement). Secondary outcomes included the change in Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology score from baseline to 6 weeks after delivery and the proportion of women who experienced an increase in Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology score at 6 weeks after delivery. RESULTS: Of the 342 women enrolled, 39% (n=134) received magnesium sulfate. Compared with women who did not receive magnesium, women who received magnesium had a significantly smaller change in their mean Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology score (0.6±3.4 vs 1.6±3.0; P=.015) and also were less likely to have an increase in Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology score at 2 weeks after delivery (52% vs 67%; P=.022). These differences were not present at 6 weeks after delivery. After controlling for potential confounders, women who received magnesium continued to have a lower odds of having an increased Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology score from baseline at 2 weeks after delivery than women who did not receive magnesium (adjusted odds ratio, 0.88; 95% confidence interval, 0.78-0.98). CONCLUSION: Peripartum magnesium was associated with less of an exacerbation in depressive symptoms in the immediate postpartum period. Given the implications of postpartum depression on maternal and child health and the lack of existing prophylaxis, randomized trials should examine this novel potential prophylactic therapy.

Increased Depression Screening and Treatment Recommendations After Implementation of a Perinatal Collaborative Care Program.

OBJECTIVE: The study evaluated whether implementation of perinatal collaborative care is associated with improvements in screening and treatment recommendations for perinatal depression by obstetric clinicians. METHODS: This cohort study, conducted from January 2015 to January 2019, included all women who received prenatal care in five obstetric clinics and delivered at a single quaternary care hospital in Chicago. In January 2017, a perinatal collaborative care program (COMPASS) was implemented. Completion of depression screening and recommendations for treatment following a positive depression screen were compared before and after COMPASS implementation. Adjusted analyses included inverse probability weighting by using propensity scores to impose control over imbalance between exposure groups with respect to prespecified covariates. RESULTS: A total of 7,028 women were included in these analyses: 3,227 (46%) before and 3,801 (54%) after COMPASS implementation. Women who received obstetric care after implementation were significantly more likely than those who received care before implementation to receive antenatal screening for depression (81% versus 33%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=8.5, 95% confidence interval [CI]=7.6-9.5). After implementation, women with a positive antenatal screen for depression were more likely to receive a treatment recommendation (61% versus 44%; aOR=2.1, 95% CI=1.2-3.7). After implementation of perinatal collaborative care, combined psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy were more frequently recommended, compared with before implementation. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a perinatal collaborative care program was associated with improvements in perinatal depression screening and recommendations for treatment by obstetric clinicians.

Association between Receipt of Intrapartum Magnesium Sulfate and Postpartum Hemorrhage.

Objective The aim of the study is to investigate the association between intrapartum administration of magnesium sulfate in women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and postpartum hemorrhage. Study Design This was a retrospective cohort study of women diagnosed with a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy who delivered singleton gestations >32 weeks at a single, large volume tertiary care center between January 2006 and February 2015. Women who received intrapartum magnesium sulfate for seizure prophylaxis were compared with women who did not receive intrapartum magnesium sulfate. The primary outcome was frequency of postpartum hemorrhage. Secondary outcomes included estimated blood loss, uterine atony, and transfusion of packed red blood cells. Bivariable analyses were used to compare the frequencies of each outcome. Multivariable logistic regression models examined the independent associations of magnesium sulfate with outcomes. Results Of 2,970 women who met inclusion criteria, 1,072 (36%) received intrapartum magnesium sulfate. Women who received magnesium sulfate were more likely to be nulliparous, publicly insured, of minority race or ethnicity, earlier gestational age at delivery, and undergo labor induction. The frequency of postpartum hemorrhage was significantly higher among women who received magnesium sulfate compared with those who did not (12.4 vs. 9.3%, p = 0.008), which persisted after controlling for potential confounders. Of secondary outcomes, there was no difference in estimated blood loss between women who did and did not receive magnesium sulfate (250 mL [interquartile range 250-750] vs. 250 mL [interquartile range 250-750], p = 0.446). However, compared with women who did not receive magnesium sulfate, women who received magnesium sulfate had a greater frequency of uterine atony (8.9 vs 4.9%, p < 0.001) and transfusion of packed red blood cells (2.0 vs. 0.8%, p = 0.008). These differences persisted after controlling for potential confounders. Conclusion Intrapartum magnesium sulfate administration to women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy is associated with increased odds of postpartum hemorrhage, uterine atony, and red blood cell transfusion.

Risk factors for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in pregnant women.

Background: Risk factors for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in pregnancy remain poorly understood. Identifying and understanding populations at a heightened risk of acquisition is essential to more effectively target outreach and prevention efforts. Objective: This study aimed to compare sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of pregnant women with and without severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection and, among those with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, to compare characteristics of those who reported coronavirus disease symptoms and those who were asymptomatic at diagnosis. Study Design: This retrospective cohort study includes pregnant women who delivered or intended to deliver at Northwestern Memorial Hospital after initiation of a universal testing protocol on admission (April 8, 2020-May 31, 2020). Women were dichotomized by whether they had a positive test result for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Among women with a positive test result, women were further dichotomized by whether they reported symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019. Bivariable analysis and parametric tests of trend were used for analyses. Logistic regression was used to control for potential confounders and to examine effect modification between race and ethnicity and any other identified risk factors. Results: During the study period, 1418 women met inclusion criteria, of whom 101 (7.1%) had a positive test result for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Of the 101 women who had a positive test result, 77 (76.2%) were symptomatic at the time of diagnosis. Compared with women who had a negative test result for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, those with a positive test result were younger and were more likely to have public insurance, to identify as black or African American or Latina, to be unmarried, to be obese, to have preexisting pulmonary disease, and to have living children. An increasing number of living children was associated with an increasing risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, and this finding persisted after controlling for potential confounders. There was no effect modification between race or ethnicity and having living children with regard to the risk of infection. There were no significant differences identified between women who were symptomatic and asymptomatic. Conclusion: Many risk factors for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in pregnancy are similar to the social and structural determinants of health that have been reported in the general population. The observed association between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection and having children raises the possibility of children themselves being vectors of viral spread or behavior patterns of parents being mediators of acquisition.

The association between 17-hydroxyprogesterone caproate use and postpartum hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether receipt of 17α-hydroxyprogesterone caproate within seven days of delivery is associated with increased risk of postpartum hemorrhage. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study of women who were receiving 17α-hydroxyprogesterone caproate for preterm birth prevention and delivered between 2010 and 2014. Women were dichotomized by whether a dose of 17α-hydroxyprogesterone caproate was administered within seven days of delivery. Demographic and clinical characteristics were examined, including obstetric history and details of 17α-hydroxyprogesterone caproate receipt. Bivariable analyses were used to compare the frequency of postpartum hemorrhage in women stratified by 17α-hydroxyprogesterone caproate receipt within seven days of delivery. Multivariable analysis was used to adjust for potential confounders. RESULTS: Of 221 women who met inclusion criteria, 93 (42%) received 17α-hydroxyprogesterone caproate within seven days of delivery and 18 (7.8%) experienced a postpartum hemorrhage. No differences were observed in the frequency of postpartum hemorrhage between women who did and did not deliver within seven days of 17α-hydroxyprogesterone caproate injection (9.7% vs 7.0%, p=0.478). These findings persisted after adjusting for potential confounders (aOR for PPH 2.9, 95% CI, 0.5-15.8). CONCLUSION: Recent receipt of 17α-hydroxyprogesterone caproate for prevention of recurrent preterm birth is not associated with risk of postpartum hemorrhage.