Maternal and Child Health Journal最新文献

Introduction: Arab refugees, immigrants, and migrants (RIMs) experience barriers in accessing accurate health information. To combat this, the Refugee Reproductive Health Network (ReproNet) developed Arabic, culturally concurrent health literacy sessions that included pre-recorded presentations on postpartum care. We evaluated the impact of these group sessions on postpartum knowledge and health literacy in the Arab RIM community in Southern California.

Methods: We recruited a convenience sample of 51 Arab RIMs through community organizations and the ReproNet client list for one in-person and three virtual informational sessions on postpartum care. We administered pre- and 2-4 week post-session surveys to measure e-Health Literacy (eHL) and Postpartum Health Literacy (PHL). We conducted descriptive analyses and t-tests to assess mean differences using SAS 9.4.

Results: Of the 51 attendees, 47 participants completed both the pre- and post-tests. Most participants were college-educated, single, and had never had a live birth. The average age was 39.3 years. We observed a significant increase in both eHL and PHL after the informational sessions. Females under the age of 35 had improved more in PHL than those over 35. Nulliparous females had a lower PHL baseline than parous females.

Discussion: Group health literacy training sessions that implement culturally concurrent methods, including pre-recorded presentations, are effective in increasing postpartum knowledge and health literacy in the Arab RIM community, regardless of parity. Enhancing PHL has the potential to reduce the risks of postpartum complications, such as postpartum depression (PPD), and can potentially contribute to postpartum females' mental and physical health.

Objective: To explore the combined effects of COVID-19 and the infant formula shortage.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey explored breastfeeding behavior by COVID-19 infant feeding guidance, access to lactation support, and awareness and effect of the infant formula shortage. A multilinear regression model with backward elimination with bootstrapping was used to determine statistically significant predictors of breastfeeding duration. Text responses were analyzed to calculate the number and type of effects of the infant formula shortage.

Results: The number of effects of the infant formula shortage on the family, access to lactation support in the hospital, and number of hours of employment outside the home were the three most predictive variables for breastfeeding duration. However, access to lactation support was the only predictor that was statistically significant. Free form text responses demonstrated that formula feeding and some breastfeeding parents felt stress from the infant formula shortage.

Discussion: Access to lactation support in the hospital is widely recognized as a predictor of breastfeeding success. The decrease in lactation support that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic may have created a barrier to breastfeeding. It is also remarkable that, regardless of feeding practice, the infant formula shortage created stress for families.

Conclusions for practice: Access to a lactation consultant continues to be a significant contributor to breastfeeding behavior. Infant formula shortages may create risks for formula fed and breastfed infants. Breastfeeding protection and promotion may be a critical step in decreasing dependence on infant formula.

Objectives: Reproductive complications vary across rural and urban areas in the Southeastern U.S., yet maternal mental health-an important precursor to such complications-remains understudied. This study is the first to examine how mental disorders may contribute to disparities in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) between urban and rural settings.

Methods: We used South Carolina (SC) data on delivery hospitalizations for more than 270,000 mothers presenting with HDP who have given birth only once between 1999 and 2017. A Fairlie decomposition method was performed to examine the contribution of diagnosed maternal mental health conditions, and social inequalities account for the urban-rural differences in HDP prevalence.

Results: The prevalence of HDP was 5.75% among urban mothers and 6.16% among rural mothers. Fairlie decomposition results indicated that maternal factors such as education attainment, chronic hypertension, and gestation age explained 90% of the geographic disparities in the HDP prevalence. Interestingly, differences in maternal mental health conditions, such as mental disorders of pregnancy and perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, reduced the urban-rural gap in the HDP prevalence.

Conclusions for practice: Our results highlight the importance of individual and community drivers required to improve maternal mental health conditions. More community support systems for the mental health along with reproductive health will greatly improve maternal health outcomes.

The study was conducted to determine the effect of a web-based support program based on the Health Promotion Model (HPM) on healthy lifestyle behaviors, self-efficacy, and prenatal distress in pregnant women with preeclampsia. The study was conducted with 82 pregnant women diagnosed with preeclampsia, 41 of whom were in the web-based support group and 41 in the control group. Participant introduction form, Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Scale-II (HLBS-II), Self-Efficacy Scale (SES), Prenatal Distress Scale (PDS), pregnant women's self-monitoring form, and postpartum assessment form were used for data collection. The increase in the total scores of the HLBS-II and the SES and the decrease in the total score of the PDS was found to be statistically significant in the pregnant women in the web support-based group after the web support. The HPM-based web-based support program improved healthy lifestyle behaviors and self-efficacy and reduced prenatal stress levels of pregnant women with preeclampsia but did not contribute to neonatal outcomes. SIGNIFICANCE: Pregnant women diagnosed with preeclampsia often face heightened physiological and psychological challenges. This study demonstrates that a web-based support program structured around the Health Promotion Model (HPM) significantly improves healthy lifestyle behaviors and self-efficacy while reducing prenatal distress in this high-risk population. These findings suggest that digital health interventions are effective, accessible tools for enhancing maternal well-being. By integrating such platforms into standard obstetric care, healthcare providers can offer continuous, evidence-based support that empowers patients to manage their condition more effectively outside of clinical settings.

Objective: The postpartum period is a critical phase in a woman's life, marked by physical, emotional, and social changes. In Nepal, where labor migration is prevalent, many women experience this transformative period without their husbands' physical presence, who often work abroad to support their families. This study explores the lived experiences of these women, shedding light on the intersection of motherhood, migration, and socio-cultural contexts in Nepal.

Methodology: A deductive and inductive qualitative approach was adopted to capture the subjective lived experiences of women with labor migrant husbands during the postpartum period. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 16 participants, and thematic analysis was used to identify patterns, themes, and insights emerging from the data. An interview guide was developed based on the Biopsychosocial Model to explore and gain a deeper understanding of women's postpartum experiences.

Results: The findings reveal a myriad of challenges faced by women with labor-migrant husbands during the postpartum period. Four themes were identified: the emotional landscape of motherhood, the struggles of new mothers facing postpartum challenges without spousal support, the power of community: stories of support during the postpartum journey, and coping strategies.

Conclusion: While the qualitative approach of this study provided valuable insights into women's lived experiences, it may not allow for generalization to the population of postpartum women with labor migrant husbands in Nepal. The results of this study further highlight the need for an inquiry into the long-term impacts of spousal absence on maternal mental health and child development.

Objective: The primary goal of this study is to investigate whether a race/ethnicity match between parents and home visitors (HV) is associated with their relationship quality and whether quality ratings differ depending on parent or HV report.

Methods: Participants included 1,461 parent/HV dyads who participated in the Maternal Infant Health Program, Michigan's largest evidence-based home visiting program for Medicaid-eligible pregnant people and infants. At the time of discharge, parents and HVs were asked to complete a brief survey and reported on their background, program experiences, and relationship quality. We ran a series of multivariable logistic regression analyses and regressed HV- and parent-reported relationship quality ratings on race/ethnicity (mis)match controlling for covariates that likely contribute to the HV-parent relationship quality.

Main findings: Both parents and HVs rated the relationship quality positively, but their ratings were only moderately correlated, which suggests that parents and HVs use different criteria to determine relationship quality. When there is a race/ethnicity match, HVs rate the relationship quality higher, but match is not associated with parents' relationship quality ratings. In general, Black parents reported lower relationship quality ratings compared to White parents, which suggests that Black parents' dissatisfaction is stemming from sources other than a race/ethnicity mismatch.