Search Results: MCHLine

Annotation: This summary report is from a focus group convened to discuss issues related to the use of ACTG 076 to treat HIV-infected pregnant women. The chief issues covered are: women's attitudes about health care providers and the health care system; information and informed decision making; and counseling and testing. Implications, conclusions and recommended are included. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

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Keywords: Attitudes, Counseling, HIV, HIV infected patients, Pediatric HIV, Pregnant women, Testing, Treatment outcome, Treatment refusal

Annotation: This clinical practice guideline provides information about the relationships between various care options and health outcomes in the management of pregnancy. Topics include approaches to care of pregnant women in the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense; recommendations, including for oral health care during pregnancy; routine pregnancy care; referral indications; emerging topics; and research priorities.

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Keywords: Health care, Oral health, Pregnant women, Referral, Research, Treatment outcomes

Annotation: This brief provides information about the role of oral health in maternal mortality and preterm birth. It includes statistics on the number pregnant women who died of pregnancy-related causes and on the percentage of infants born prematurely in 2019 and in 2020. Background information on both issues is presented, and comparisons by race and ethnicity and educational attainment are offered.

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Keywords: Educational factors, Ethnic factors, Oral health, Pregnancy outcome, Pregnant women, Preterm birth, Racial factors

Annotation: This policy brief examines the rates of singleton preterm births by rurality and census region across the United States for the years 2012-2018. It also presents variations by maternal characteristics, including race and ethnicity, payment method, and participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) during pregnancy among women who live in counties with different levels of rurality. The study findings indicate that the preterm birth rate for singleton pregnancies in the United States from 2012-2018 was 7.9% and had increased every year since 2014 in both rural and urban areas. The singleton preterm birth rate was higher for women residing in rural areas compared to women residing in urban areas. The report presents implications for these findings.

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Keywords: Pregnancy outcomes, Pregnant women, Preterm birth, Rural heatlh, Rural populations

Annotation: This issue brief identifies nine maternal morbidity conditions, such as hypertensive disorders, and 24 maternal and child outcomes, such as cesarean section delivery and preterm birth, and uses an economic model to calculate the financial costs of maternal morbidity in the United States. The authors advocate for affordable, continuous health insurance coverage, including extending postpartum Medicaid coverage to ensure that key physical and mental health needs following birth are identified and met.

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Keywords: Maternal health, Maternal morbidity, Pregnancy, Pregnancy outcomes, Pregnant women

Annotation: This systematic review was conducted to support the United States Preventive Services Task Force in updating its 2014 recommendation on daily low dose aspirin use during pregnancy for individuals at increased risk for preeclampsia. The report reviewed updated evidence on the effectiveness and potential harms of daily aspirin use during pregnancy to prevent morbidity and mortality associated with preeclampsia. Data sources included MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Collaboration Registry of Controlled Trials; results were limited to studies published between January 2013 and July 2019. The reviewed studies showed that daily aspirin use in pregnancy for individuals at increased risk for preeclampsia consistently led to beneficial effects on perinatal mortality, preterm birth, fetal growth restriction, and preeclampsia diagnosis.

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Keywords: Pregnant women, Drugs, Evidence based medicine, High risk groups, Literature reviews, Maternal health, Perinatal care, Preeclampsia, Pregnancy, Pregnancy complications, Pregnancy outcomes, Preventive health services

Annotation: This systematic review updates the 2012 evidence review used to inform the United States Preventive Services Task Force recommendations on the benefits and harms of screening for gestational diabetes mellitus. Since gestational diabetes mellitus is mostly asymptomatic, screening for it during pregnancy could identify women who could benefit from treatments to reduce the adverse consequences of this condition. Data sources included MEDLINE, Embase, and CINAHL between 2010 and May 2020; other sources included ClinicalTrials.gov, reference lists of primary studies and systematic reviews through June 2021. The results of this review showed that screening tests can identify women with gestational diabetes at or after 24 weeks of gestation and treatment is associated with improvement in various maternal and neonatal outcomes without serious harms.

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Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, Evidence based medicine, Gestational diabetes, Literature reviews, Pregnancy, Pregnancy complications, Pregnancy outcomes, Pregnant women, Screening

Annotation: This report describes opportunities for improving maternal and infant health outcomes among Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries. The document reports on the work of the Expert Workgroup on Maternal and Infant Health, convened in 2019 and 2020. In addition, the report demonstrates the use of three of the Maternal and Perinatal Health Core Set measures: cesarean sections for low-risk pregnancies, attendance at postpartum care visits, and number of well-child visits in the first 15 months of life.

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Keywords: Child health, Health equity, Infants, Maternal health, Maternal morbidity, Pregnancy, Pregnancy outcomes, Pregnant women

Annotation: This action plan lays out specific steps that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is taking to address the high maternal mortality rate in the United States. The document targets the following actions: reduce the maternal mortality rate by 50 percent in five years; reduce the low-risk cesarean delivery rate by 25 percent in five years; achieve blood pressure control in 80 percent of women of reproductive age with hypertension. In addition to describing the challenges of maternal mortality and the specific action steps, the report also provides a detailed list of current maternal health programs and initiatives with links for more information.

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Keywords: Cesarean section, Childbirth, Hypertension, Maternal health, Perinatal care, Plans, Pregnancy, Pregnancy complications, Pregnancy outcomes, Pregnant women, Public policy

Annotation: This resource presents the Community Preventive Services Task Force recommendations on exercise programs for pregnant women to reduce the development of gestational hypertension. In addition to describing interventions aimed to engage women in regular exercise during pregnancy, the website offers information from a systematic review that included 17 studies published through February 2017. The review assessed the effectiveness of exercise programs in preventing gestational hypertensive disorders, defined as new onset high blood pressure during pregnancy.

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Keywords: Exercise, Hypertension, Maternal health, Physical fitness, Pregnancy, Pregnancy complications, Pregnancy induced hypertension, Pregnancy outcomes, Pregnant women, Prevention

Annotation: This guide offers health professionals an overview of preventive oral health supervision during five developmental periods: prenatal, infancy, early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence. It is designed to help health professionals implement specific oral health guidelines during these periods. For each period, information about family preparation, risk assessment, interview questions, screening, examination, preventive procedures, anticipatory guidance, measurable outcomes, and referrals is discussed. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

• View Guide Online Or Download Complete Guide In .pdf

Keywords: Adolescents, Assessment, Bright Futures, Children, Disease prevention, Guidelines, Health promotion, Infants, Injury prevention, Oral health, Oral health care, Outcome and process assessment, Postpartum care, Pregnancy, Pregnant women, Preventive health services, Referrals, Resources for professionals, Screening

Annotation: This paper examines the social determinants experienced over the life course and their influence on adverse birth outcomes for black women in Maryland. Contents include background on Maryland and data on maternal and child health (MCH) outcomes in Baltimore City, Montgomery County, Prince Georges County, and on the Eastern Shore; vital statistics data on the health of mothers and infants in Maryland; and a set of proposals to strengthen Maryland's policies and programs around MCH.

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Keywords: Adverse effects, Blacks, Health care disparities, Health disparities, Infants, Life course, MCH programs, MCH research, MCH services, Maryland, Mothers, Outcome and process assessment, Policy development, Pregnant women, Program development, Racial discrimination, Racial factors, Racism, Sociocultural factors, Socioeconomic factors, State programs, Statistical data, Women

Annotation: This document provides recommendations and strategies for improving birth outcomes in Connecticut. Contents include the list of organizations represented on the Connecticut Coalition to Improve Birth Outcomes and how they used policy analysis tools to identify priorities and recommendations, and the Collaborative Improvement and Innovation Network that supports the strategies outlined in the plan. Topics include addressing socioeconomic factors, making the healthy choices the easy choice, protecting individuals, implementing evidence-based interventions in clinical settings, and providing individual or public educational messages and support. Information about the perinatal landscape, emerging issues, and suggestions for using the plan are also included.

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Keywords: Coalitions, Collaboration, Connecticut, Ethnic groups, Health disparities, Infant mortality, Infants, Low birthweight, Networking, Outcome and process assessment, Perinatal care, Pregnant women, Preterm birth, Program improvement, Service integration, Statewide planning, Systems development

Annotation: This resource provides information to help state and territorial health agencies address the goal of decreasing prematurity in the United States. The resources are categorized in two ways: by life stage, including Preconception, Prenatal, Birth to 28 Days, and First Year; and by scope of resources, including Policy Resources, Community Resources, Organizational Resources, Health IT Resources, Healthcare Provider Resources, and Self-Management Resources.

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Keywords: Infant care, MCH programs, Policy development, Preconception care, Pregnancy outcome, Pregnant women, Prenatal care, Prevention programs, Program improvement, Resources for professionals, State initiatives

Annotation: This document outlines a plan for maternal and child health services and services for children with special health care needs using Title V funds in Virginia. Topics include needs assessment priorities, planned activities, health status and health system capacity indicators, national and state performance measures, and outcome measures.

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Keywords: Block grants, Children, Health status, Infants, Measures, Needs assessment, Outcome and process assessment, Pregnant women, Program management, Service delivery systems, Special health care needs, State MCH programs, Statewide planning, Title V programs, Virginia, Women's health

Annotation: This paper investigates the impact of mothers’ earnings on birth weight and gestational age of infants. It also analyzes the impact of earnings on mothers’ consumption of prenatal medical care, and their propensity to smoke and drink during pregnancy. Study methodology and findings are described.

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Keywords: Alcohol use during pregnancy, Pregnancy outcome, Pregnant women, Prenatal care, Smoking during pregnancy, Socioeconomic factors, Working mothers

Annotation: This compendium is a collection of recommendations for states to address infant mortality, supplemented by action steps, examples, and case studies. Topics include implementing health-promotion efforts; improving access to health care for women before, during, and after pregnancy; and ensuring health care quality for all women and infants. The compendium also discusses implementing maternal-risk screening for all women of reproductive age, enhancing service integration for all women and infants, developing data systems to understand and inform efforts, and promoting social equity.

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Keywords: Infant mortality, Perinatal health, Policy, Pregnancy outcome, Pregnant women, Program improvement, Statewide planning, Women

Annotation: This webinar reviews the importance of major nutrients in pregnancy outcomes and infant cognitive and neurological development. Focusing on three of the major nutrients -- folic acid, vitamin D and omega-3 DHA -- the presenter provides evidence-based guidelines on appropriate levels of intake and identifies the health benefits during pregnancy and lactation and upon infant visual, social, cognitive, and psychomotor development. The presenter discusses the best sources for major nutrients and offers guidelines on food safety for pregnant women.

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• Slides (.pdf)

Keywords: Guidelines, Infant development, Maternal nutrition, Multimedia, Nutrition education, Nutrition research, Pregnant outcome, Pregnant women

Annotation: This booklet was developed for women who have been diagnosed with diabetes during pregnancy and want to learn how to take care of themselves during and after pregnancy. Topics include what gestational diabetes is, how it can affect the health of mom and baby, and how it can be controlled. A log for monitoring blood sugar and diet is included.

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Keywords: Consumer education materials, Gestational diabetes, Low literacy materials, Pregnancy complications, Pregnancy outcome, Pregnant women, Self care, Women's health promotion

Annotation: This brief summarizes effective and efficient interventions provided by state maternal and child health (MCH) programs to improve the lives of mothers, children, and families, and that merit increased national investment. Topics include the Title V MCH Block Grant program; improving birth outcomes and maternal health; breastfeeding promotion; smoking cessation for pregnant women and mothers; newborn screening; ensuring childhood immunizations; Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) for all children; early childhood programs; children's access to a medical home; preventing childhood injury; promoting adolescent health; adolescent pregnancy prevention and family planning services; and screening and treatment of sexually transmitted infections.

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Keywords: Adolescent health, Breastfeeding promotion, Child health, Cost effectiveness, EPSDT, Families, Immunization, Injury prevention, Maternal health, Medical home, Neonatal screening, Pregnancy outcome, Pregnant women, Prevention services, Preventive health services, Sexually transmitted diseases, Smoking cessation, Smoking during pregnancy