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The field of relationship science has called for more research on the impact of relationship education on child outcomes, yet studies in this area remain sparse, particularly regarding maternal and infant health at birth. Research on group prenatal care demonstrates that individual-oriented group interventions have a positive impact on infant birth outcomes, suggesting the need to consider the impacts of other forms of group programming for women. The current study examined the impact of MotherWise, an individual-oriented relationship education and brief case management/coaching program for minority and low-income pregnant women, on birth outcomes. The study sample included 136 women who enrolled in a larger randomized controlled trial of MotherWise during early pregnancy. Although statistical power was limited due to the sample size and the effects were not outright significant at p 0.05, results indicated that the effects of MotherWise on birth outcomes were small to moderate in size (0.23 for birthweight, 0.46 for preterm birth) and suggest important avenues for future tests of relationship education programs and their impacts on maternal and infant health. The current study suggests that relationship education during pregnancy could directly impact women's and infant's health.关系科学领域呼吁有更多的研究来针对关系教育对儿童结果的影响。这一领域的研究仍然很少，特别是在产妇和婴儿出生时的健康方面。关于群体产前护理的研究表明，面向个人的群体干预措施对婴儿出生结果具有积极影响，这表明需要考虑其他形式的群体方案对妇女的影响。本研究调查了MotherWise对分娩结果的影响，这是一项针对少数族裔和低收入孕妇的以个人为导向的关系教育和简单案例管理/指导项目。该研究的样本包括了136名妇女，她们在早期怀孕期间参加了MotherWise的一项更大的随机对照试验。虽然由于样本量的原因，统计能力有限，且在p.05时的影响并不完全显著。结果表明，MotherWise对出生结果的影响在样本量上是小到中等的（出生体重为23，早产为46)，并为未来的关系教育项目测试及其对母婴健康的影响提出了重要的途径。本研究表明，怀孕期间的关系教育可以直接影响妇女和婴儿的健康。.

Background: The incidence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are on the rise in the United States, especially in the South, which has a heavy chronic disease burden and large number of Medicaid nonexpansion states. Sizeable disparities in HDP outcomes exist by race/ethnicity, geography, and health insurance coverage. Our objective is to explore HDP in the Alabama Medicaid maternity population, and the association of maternal sociodemographic, clinical, and care utilization characteristics with HDP diagnosis. Materials and Methods: Data were from Alabama Medicaid delivery claims in 2017. Bivariate analyses were used to examine maternal characteristics by HDP diagnosis. Hierarchical generalized linear models, with observations nested at the county level, were used to assess multivariable relationships between maternal characteristics and HDP diagnosis. Results: Among women with HDP diagnosis, a higher proportion were older, Black, had other comorbidities, and had more perinatal hospitalizations or emergency visits compared with those without HDP diagnosis. There were increased odds of an HDP diagnosis for older women and those with comorbidities. Black women (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.24, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.16–1.33), women insured only during pregnancy by Sixth Omnibus Reconciliation Act Medicaid (aOR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.02–1.15), and women entering prenatal care (PNC) in the second trimester (aOR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.03–1.18) had elevated odds of HDP diagnosis compared with their counterparts. Conclusions: Beyond traditional demographic and clinical risk factors, not having preconception insurance coverage or first trimester PNC entry were associated with higher odds of HDP diagnosis. Improving the provision and timing of maternity coverage among Medicaid recipients, particularly in nonexpansion states, may help identify and treat women at risk of HDP and associated adverse perinatal outcomes.

Objective Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) contribute significantly to the development of severe maternal morbidities (SMM), particularly among low-income women. The purpose of the study was to explore the relationship between maternal characteristics and SMM, and to investigate if differences in SMM exist among patients with HDP diagnosis. Study Design This study utilized 2017 Alabama Medicaid administrative claims. SMM diagnoses were captured using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's classification by International Classification of Diseases codes. Maternal characteristics and frequencies were compared using Chi-square and Cramer's V statistics. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine multivariable relationships between maternal characteristics and SMM among patients with HDP diagnosis. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to estimate risk. Results A higher proportion of patients experiencing SMM were >34 years old, Black, Medicaid for Low-Income Families eligible, lived in a county with greater Medicaid enrollment, and entered prenatal care (PNC) in the first trimester compared with those without SMM. Almost half of patients (46.2%) with SMM had a HDP diagnosis. After controlling for maternal characteristics, HDP, maternal age, county Medicaid enrollment, and trimester PNC entry were not associated with SMM risk. However, Black patients with HDP were at increased risk for SMM compared with White patients with HDP when other factors were taken into account (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.37, 95% CI: 1.11–1.69). Patients with HDP and SMM were more likely to have a prenatal hospitalization (aOR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.20–1.76), emergency visit (aOR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.07–1.57), and postpartum cardiovascular prescription (aOR = 2.43, 95% CI: 1.95–3.04). Conclusion Rates of SMM differed by age, race, Medicaid income eligibility, and county Medicaid enrollment but were highest among patients with clinical comorbidities, especially HDP. However, among patients with HDP, Black patients had an elevated risk of severe morbidity even after controlling for other characteristics. Key Points

Group prenatal care is a health care delivery model that utilizes shared medical appointments to place greater focus on patient education, mutual support, and increased time with the clinician to promote a healthy pregnancy. Several studies suggest that medically low-risk women participating in group prenatal care have improved pregnancy outcomes, but the same tenants can likely be used to help women with diabetes and obesity achieve healthy outcomes during pregnancy and throughout their life course. This chapter will review the background, care model, and evidence regarding group medical visits for pregnant women with diabetes and obesity.

OBJECTIVE The study aimed to test the hypothesis that higher Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) scores are associated with increased pain scores and opioid use during postpartum hospitalization following cesarean section. STUDY DESIGN We conducted a retrospective cohort of English or Spanish-speaking women ≥18 years who had prenatal care for a singleton gestation and delivered by cesarean at ≥36 weeks within a tertiary center during 2017. Exclusions included women with fetal anomalies, intrauterine fetal demise, sickle cell disease, previously diagnosed pain disorders (e.g., chronic pain or fibromyalgia), substance use disorder (based on documented prescription or use of methadone or buprenorphine), or reoperation during hospital stay. Women without an EPDS recorded antenatally were also excluded. Major depressive symptoms (MDS) were defined as a documented antenatal EPDS ≥12. Women with and without MDS were compared, and multivariable linear regression models were generated to evaluate associations between MDS status and both pain scores and opioid use. RESULTS Of the 891 women meeting other inclusion criteria, 676 (76%) had documented antenatal EPDS scores, and 104 (15.4%) of those had MDS. Women with MDS were more likely to be use tobacco and have general anesthesia for cesarean delivery, but groups were otherwise similar. Women with MDS reported higher daily and average pain scores postpartum (2.4 vs. 1.7 average; p

This study aimed to assess whether patient satisfaction differs between women beginning cervical ripening in the outpatient versus inpatient setting.We performed a planned secondary analysis evaluating patient satisfaction randomized to outpatient versus inpatient cervical ripening. In the original randomized controlled trial, low-risk parous women ≥39 weeks who required cervical ripening for induction and had reassuring fetal heart rate monitoring were included and randomized to inpatient versus outpatient ripening with a transcervical Foley's catheter. All women were then admitted to the labor ward on the following day. Patient satisfaction was evaluated using three separate surveys. The first two surveys, Six Simple Questions and Lady-X, were previously validated. The third survey used visual analog scales to assess overall pain experienced during Foley's placement, overall pain experienced during labor, how likely they would be to choose the same type of care for their next pregnancy, and how likely they would be to recommend their method of cervical ripening to friends/family.From May 2016 to October 2017, 129 women were randomized (outpatient, 65; inpatient, 64). Based on survey results, there was no difference in satisfaction between outpatient and inpatient cervical ripening with transcervical Foley's catheterization, with high satisfaction in both groups. Patients in both the outpatient and inpatient groups would choose the same type of care for their next pregnancy (on a scale of 1-7, median (25th-75th percentile): 7 [7-7] vs. 7 [6-7], respectively,Parous women's satisfaction does not differ between inpatient and outpatient cervical ripening with transcervical Foley's catheterization.· Outpatient cervical ripening may allow providers to incorporate the benefits of electively inducing women as well as decrease the time spent in the labor and delivery unit.. · Parous women's satisfaction does not differ between inpatient and outpatient cervical ripening with transcervical Foley.. · Additional prospective evaluation is warranted to further characterize patient preferences in relation to the location of cervical ripening..

To evaluate the effects of offering immediate postpartum long-acting reversible contraception to pregnant patients with heart disease.Retrospective cohort of pregnant patients with cardiac disease managed by a Comprehensive PregnancyHeart Program. Patients were divided into 2 cohorts: pre-immediate postpartum LARC Program implementation (March 2015 to January 2017) and post-implementation (February 2017 to June 2019). The primary outcome was LARC (intrauterine device [IUD] or etonogestrel implant) use postpartum, defined as LARC either immediately postpartum or at the postpartum visit. Secondary outcomes included contraception intent at delivery and IUD expulsion rate of IUDs placed immediately postpartum.Of 159 included patients, 96 (60%) delivered during the post-implementation period. LARC use tripled after program implementation, 11% vs 35%, p0.01. Specifically, immediate postpartum IUD use increased from 1 (1.6%) to 10 (10.4%), p = 0.05, and use of immediate postpartum implant increased from 0 to 14 (14.6%), p = 0.002. Rates of women without contraception plans at delivery decreased from 32% to 14%, p0.01, as did the number of women using medroxyprogesterone acetate: 16% vs 4%, p = 0.01. Tubal ligation rates were not different before and after program implementation: 24% and 29%, p = 0.46. Postpartum visit rates were similar between Pre and Post groups: 70% and 72%, p = 0.78, respectively. One immediate postpartum IUD expulsion occurred.LARC use tripled in pregnant patients in an obstetric heart disease program after implementation of an immediate postpartum LARC Program. Access to immediate postpartum IUDs and implants should be a public health priority for women with heart disease to reduce their disproportionate burden of maternal morbidity and mortality.Access to immediate postpartum IUDs and implants should be a public health priority for women with heart disease - as well as all people with high-risk health conditions - to reduce their disproportionate burden of maternal morbidity and mortality.

Bipolar disorder (BD) during pregnancy is known to be a morbid condition associated with poor outcomes for both the mother and her infant. We aimed to determine if women with BD and their children have higher charges and health service utilization than mother-infant dyads with and without other mental health (MH) diagnoses. The International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD9) codes were used to identify mutually exclusive groups of women who gave birth between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2012, coding first for BD, then diagnoses that comprised an “other MH diagnoses group” that included post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. Health service utilization and related charges were obtained for the dyad for delivery and for 2 years post-delivery at a single tertiary care center. Analyses included 4440 dyads. A BD diagnosis occurred in 1.8% of medical record codes, other MH diagnoses in 10%, and no known MH diagnosis in 88%. Compared with women with both other MH and no known MH diagnoses, women with BD had higher delivery charges (p < 0.001), higher cumulative charges in the 2 years postpartum (p < 0.001), higher preterm birth and low birthweight rates (15.5% v. 6.9% and 20.8% v. 6.4%, p < 0.001, BD v. no known MH, respectively), and greater utilization of inpatient and emergency psychiatric care services (p < 0.001). Compared with women with and without other mental health diagnoses, women with BD have the highest care utilization and charges. They also have higher preterm birth and low birthweight infant rates, two clinically relevant predictors of long-term health for the child. Given the low prevalence of BD and severity of the disease versus the magnitude of systems costs, women with BD, and their children, deserve the heightened attention afforded to other high-risk perinatal conditions.

Health inequities are not caused by personal failings or shortcomings within disadvantaged groups, which can be erased with behavioral interventions. The scope of the problem is much greater and will only fully be addressed with the examination of the systems, structures, and policies that perpetuate racism, classism, and an economic, class, race, or gender divide between patients and the people who care for them. Solution-oriented strategies to achieve health equity will remain elusive if researchers continue to focus on behavior modification in patients while failing to do harder work that includes focusing on the institutions, community, and societal contexts in which pregnant women are living; addressing social determinants of health; considering racism in study design, analysis, and reporting; valuing the voices of patients, practitioners, and researchers from historically disadvantaged groups; disseminating research findings back to the community; and developing policy and reimbursement structures to support care delivery change that advances equitable outcomes. A case study shows us how group prenatal care may be one viable vehicle through which to affect this change. Group prenatal care is one of the few interventions shown to improve pregnancy outcomes for black women. Studies of group prenatal care have predominantly focused on the patient, but here we propose that the intervention may exert its greatest impact on clinicians and the systems in which they work. The underlying mechanism through which group prenatal care works may be through increased quantity and quality of patient and practitioner time together and communication. We hypothesize that this, in turn, fosters greater opportunity for cross-cultural exposure and decreases clinician implicit bias, explicit bias, and racism, thus increasing the likelihood that practitioners advocate for systems-level changes that directly benefit patients and improve perinatal outcomes.

Objective This study aimed to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of Diabetes Group Prenatal Care to increase patient engagement in diabetes self-care activities. Study Design A pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted at two sites. Inclusion criteria were English or Spanish speaking, type 2 or gestational diabetes, 22 to 34 weeks of gestational age at first study visit, ability to attend group care at specified times, and willingness to be randomized. Exclusion criteria included type 1 diabetes, multiple gestation, major fetal anomaly, serious medical comorbidity, and serious psychiatric illness. Women were randomized to Diabetes Group Prenatal Care or individual prenatal care. The primary outcome was completion of diabetes self-care activities, including diet, exercise, blood sugar testing, and medication adherence. Secondary outcomes included antenatal care characteristics, and maternal, neonatal, and diabetes management outcomes. Analysis followed the intention-to-treat principle. Results Of 159 eligible women, 84 (53%) consented to participate in the study and were randomized to group (n = 42) or individual (n = 42) prenatal care. Demographic characteristics were similar between study arms. Completion of diabetes self-care activities was similar overall, but women in group care ate the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables on more days per week (5.1 days/week ± 2.0 standard deviation [SD] in group care vs. 3.4 days ± 2.6 SD in individual care; p Conclusion Diabetes group care is feasible and shows promise for decreasing gestational weight gain, improving diet, and increasing postpartum diabetes testing among women with pregnancies complicated by diabetes. Key Points

Objective: To measure the impact of group prenatal care (GPC) on diabetes-specific peer support and depressive symptoms in women with pregnancies complicated by diabetes.Materials and methods: This...

To assess whether outpatient cervical ripening with a transcervical Foley catheter in parous women undergoing elective induction of labor shortens the total duration of time from admission to the labor ward until delivery.We performed an open-label randomized controlled trial at a single academic center in parous women at 39 weeks of gestation or greater with a cervix 3 cm or less dilated, or, if 2-3 cm dilated, less than 80% effaced and reassuring fetal heart rate monitoring (defined as moderate variability with a normal baseline and absence of decelerations). Exclusions were obstetric and neonatal conditions deemed unsuitable for outpatient cervical ripening, contraindications to vaginal delivery, or conditions that required immediate hospitalization. Women were randomized in the ambulatory setting to either an outpatient transcervical catheter (with immediate placement) or inpatient transcervical catheter placement and concomitant oxytocin infusion on the labor ward. Women in the outpatient group were instructed to return to the hospital the next day or sooner if labor occurred. Induction of labor was managed per institutional protocol, and once participants were admitted, oxytocin was initiated. The primary outcome was the duration of time from labor ward admission until delivery. Based on a prior study in our institution, a total of 128 women were needed for 80% power to detect a 12-hour difference in total duration spent from labor ward admission until delivery with a two-sided α of 0.05.Of 743 women screened, 129 provided consent and were randomized from May 2016 to October 2017. Baseline characteristics were balanced between groups. Outpatient cervical ripening did not significantly shorten the time from labor ward admission until delivery (12.4±7.4 vs 13.5±7.0 hours, P=.38).Outpatient cervical ripening in parous women does not shorten the time from labor ward admission until delivery if oxytocin is initiated simultaneously with inpatient transcervical catheter placement.ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02756689.

Objective Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) are one of the most common complications of the perinatal period.1 ACOG recommends screening for both depressive and anxiety symptoms at least once during the perinatal period using a standardized, validated tool.2 The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Screen (EPDS) is the most commonly used tool to screen for depression, and while it contains anxiety-related questions, it has not been validated to screen for anxiety. In fact, the ideal tool to screen for perinatal anxiety remains a matter of debate.3-5 The aim of our study was to evaluate the ability of the EPDS to also screen for anxiety related symptoms as compared to the gold-standard of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). Study Design Women receiving obstetric care at three of the University of Alabama at Birmingham obstetric clinics were screened simultaneously using the EPDS and GAD-7 from 10/1/17 to 5/31/18. The screened population included English and Spanish-speaking women from public and private offices at varied gestational ages and postpartum. Only the first screen was included if a woman was screened more than once. The total score on both the EDPS and GAD-7, as well as the score on three anxiety-specific EPDS questions (#4, 5 and 6) were collected. Demographic data were collected from the electronic medical record. A positive score was set at 10 for both the GAD-7 and EPDS. The data were then analyzed using standard statistical modeling including logistic regression and Pearson correlation coefficients. Results 407 women were screened and included in the study: 102 (25%) were postpartum, otherwise average gestational age was 22.4 weeks; 178 (44%) self-identified as African American and 24 (6%) as Hispanic; 203 (49%) received care in the public office (predominantly Medicaid-insured). Only 13 (3%) of screens were completed in Spanish. The prevalence of a positive GAD-7 was 17% and a positive EPDS was 11%. The correlation between a positive EPDS and GAD-7 screen was 0.83 (p Conclusion PMADs are common in our obstetric population. A positive EPDS alone was correlated with a positive GAD-7. In the presence of a negative EPDS screen, using a score of 5 or greater on the three anxiety-specific EPDS questions may be helpful in identifying women who could benefit from further anxiety screening and treatment.

Patients participating in group prenatal care gather together with women of similar gestational ages and 2 providers who cofacilitate an educational session after a brief medical assessment. The model was first described in the 1990s by a midwife for low-risk patients and is now practiced by midwives and physicians for both low-risk patients and some high-risk patients, such as those with diabetes. The majority of literature on group prenatal care uses CenteringPregnancy, the most popular model. The first randomized controlled trial of CenteringPregnancy showed that it reduced the risk of preterm birth in low-risk women. However, recent meta-analyses have shown similar rates of preterm birth, low birthweight, and neonatal intensive care unit admission between women participating in group prenatal care and individual prenatal care. There may be subgroups, such as African Americans, who benefit from this type of prenatal care with significantly lower rates of preterm birth. Group prenatal care seems to result in increased patient satisfaction and knowledge and use of postpartum family planning as well as improved weight gain parameters. The literature is inconclusive regarding breast-feeding, stress, depression, and positive health behaviors, although it is theorized that group prenatal care positively affects these outcomes. It is unclear whether group prenatal care results in cost savings, although it may in large-volume practices if each group consists of approximately 8-10 women. Group prenatal care requires a significant paradigm shift. It can be difficult to implement and sustain. More randomized trials are needed to ascertain the true benefits of the model, best practices for implementation, and subgroups who may benefit most from this innovative way to provide prenatal care. In short, group prenatal care is an innovative and promising model with comparable pregnancy outcomes to individual prenatal care in the general population and improved outcomes in some demographic groups.

To investigate the relationships between psychological and physiologic measures of stress, mood, and gestational age at delivery and preterm birth.This prospective cohort study recruited healthy women in the early second trimester who were 18-45 years of age. Validated psychological measures of perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and anxiety were completed at 16, 22, 28, 34, and 40 weeks of gestation. Cortisol concentration was measured in maternal hair at 16, 28, and 40 weeks of gestation to approximate first-, second-, and third-trimester levels of physiologic stress. Statistical methods included: analyses of variance, t tests, χ, Pearson correlations, regression modeling, and mediation analysis as appropriate. Hair cortisol concentrations were natural log-transformed to normalize values.Eleven (12%) of the 90 included women had a spontaneous preterm birth or preterm premature rupture of membranes. Perceived stress at 16 weeks of gestation correlated with both second-trimester cortisol concentration (r=0.28, P=.007) and earlier gestational age at delivery (r=-0.30, P.01). Gestational age at delivery was also negatively correlated with cortisol concentration in the second trimester (r=-0.25, P=.02) and second-trimester cortisol concentration was higher in preterm- (2.7 ± 0.4 log-transformed pg/mg) compared with term- (2.0 ± 0.7 log-transformed pg/mg, P.001) delivered women. Using mediation statistics, the association between the psychological measure, the physiologic measure, and gestational age at delivery was mainly driven by increased physiologic stress (hair cortisol concentration) in the second trimester (difference in coefficients [standard error]=-0.05 [0.02]).Higher perceived stress in the second trimester is associated with both elevated second-trimester hair cortisol concentration and gestational age at delivery. Physiologic measure of stress in the second trimester appears most strongly associated with preterm birth. Identification and amelioration of early pregnancy stressors may attenuate physiologic stress and ultimately affect preterm birth.

We aimed to determine if group prenatal care affects the progression to A2 gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) when compared with conventional care for women with GDM.Prospective observational cohort of women diagnosed with GDM who attended group visits compared with a historical control group of women who received conventional obstetrical care in the year prior but would have met inclusion criteria for group care. The primary outcome was progression to A2 GDM. Secondary outcomes included antepartum, intrapartum and postpartum maternal outcomes and neonatal outcomes.A total of 165 subjects were included: 62 in group care and 103 in conventional care. Compared with patients with conventional care, group subjects were more likely to attend a postpartum visit (92% versus 66%; p = 0.002) and were almost 4 times more likely to receive recommended diabetes screening postpartum (OR 3.9, CI 1.8-8.6). Group subjects were much less likely to progress to A2 GDM (OR 0.15, CI 0.07-0.30). There were no differences in neonatal outcomes.Group prenatal care for women with diabetes is associated with decreased progression to A2 GDM and improved postpartum follow-up for appropriate diabetes screening without significantly affecting obstetrical or neonatal outcomes.

BACKGROUND Our objectives were to describe the receipt of influenza and tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccines among postpartum women and their close contacts and the factors associated with cocooning. METHODS A survey between February 2013 and April 2013 of 613 postpartum women from 9 obstetrics practices assessed vaccine receipt among respondents and close contacts, demographics and 5 domains of health beliefs (benefits, barriers, susceptibility, severity and social norms). Multivariable models assessed the association of these factors with Tdap or influenza "cocooning," defined as the mother plus at least 1 close contact of her newborn receiving the vaccine. RESULTS The response rate was 45%; 61% of mothers reported that they and at least 1 close contact of their newborn had received influenza vaccine, and 67% reported this for Tdap. Infants whose mothers received influenza vaccine had a mean of 2.8 close contacts who also received influenza vaccine versus a mean of 0.9 contacts for infants whose mothers did not receive influenza vaccine (P < 0.0001). Infants whose mothers received Tdap vaccine had an average of 2.4 contacts who also received it versus 0.8 for infants whose mothers did not receive Tdap (P < 0.0001). Factors associated with influenza and Tdap cocooning included obstetrician recommendation, high perceived benefits, low perceived barriers and perceived susceptibility to disease. For Tdap, race/ethnicity was associated with cocooning (Hispanic/Latino, adjusted odds ratio 0.26, 95% confidence interval: 0.10-0.64 referent to White). CONCLUSION Maternal vaccination and obstetrician recommendation are associated with infant cocooning. Interventions to increase cocooning of infants should focus on encouraging strong provider recommendations, increasing maternal knowledge of disease risk and addressing identified barriers. Reasons for possible racial/ethnic differences should be further explored.

Infants infected with Bordatella pertussis experience high morbidity and significant mortality. Vaccinating pregnant mothers with the tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine is a recommended strategy for preventing infant pertussis. This is especially important for mothers living in poverty and from racial and ethnic minority populations as these groups are at increased risk of having a pertussis-affected infant. Using the Health Belief Model as a framework, we surveyed a convenience sample of pregnant mothers representing these high-risk populations to understand factors associated with Tdap vaccine uptake during their pregnancy. Among the 316 mothers surveyed, 82% had gotten or planned to get Tdap that same day even though 63% of the sample had concerns about the safety of the vaccine during pregnancy. Perceived benefits and norms were the Health Belief Model constructs most consistently associated with Tdap vaccination. Although 32% of women reported prior Tdap vaccine receipt, this factor was not associated with Tdap vaccination during the current pregnancy, contrasting studies of vaccination done in non-pregnant populations. Important variations in attitudes were apparent, with Spanish-speaking women significantly more likely to have concerns about the vaccine's safety and efficacy than English-speaking women. This study indicates that among this high-risk population acceptance of Tdap vaccine during pregnancy is high. However, our results suggest that it may be important to modify information conveyed about the safety and importance of Tdap during pregnancy based on individual level factors such as language or acculturation.

OBJECTIVE To describe the outcomes of women with high-grade cervical cytology in pregnancy and to identify factors that predict completion of appropriate postpartum follow-up. METHODS We describe a case series of all patients with high-grade cervical cytology collected during pregnancy between 2007 and 2011 at a single institution. Patients were considered adherent with follow-up if they received any kind of postpartum evaluation or treatment for their cervical dysplasia at our institution within 9 months of delivery. RESULTS Of 138 women with high-grade cervical cytology in pregnancy, 87 (63%) had high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, 47 (34%) had atypical squamous cells that cannot rule out high-grade (ASC-H), and 4 (3%) had atypical glandular cells (AGC). Most patients (81%) underwent colposcopy during pregnancy. A total of 48 patients (43%) had biopsies performed, 26 (54%) were CIN 2 or 3, and one (2%) was adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS). A total of 97 (70%) of 138 patients completed recommended postpartum follow-up, resulting in the detection of one additional case of AIS and one case of invasive adenocarcinoma. Hispanic ethnicity (odds ratio [OR], 3.6; confidence interval [CI], 1.4-9.1), being married (OR, 4.5; CI, 1.6-12.4), being employed (OR, 3.7; CI, 1.3-10.5), and CIN2 or 3 on antenatal biopsy (OR, 9.8; CI, 2.0-47.9) were all significantly associated with completion of postpartum follow-up. CONCLUSION Colposcopy during pregnancy resulted in the detection of one case of AIS. Postpartum evaluation and treatment detected an additional case of AIS as well as one case of invasive cervical adenocarcinoma. Whereas certain demographic characteristics were associated with completion of recommended follow-up, the strongest association is with a high-grade biopsy during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to evaluate the rate of patient adherence to provider recommendations for biopsy proven cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2 or 3 in an academic safety-net hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a case series of patients with biopsy-proven CIN 2 or 3 identified via pathology records between January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2012 at a single academic safety-net hospital. Patients with human immunodeficiency virus, lupus, or pregnancy were excluded. Patient demographics, recommended management, and patient adherence were extracted from the patient chart. Complete adherence was defined as completion of follow-up recommendations within 6 months of the recommended follow-up date. The primary outcome was rate of complete adherence to management recommendations. Descriptive statistics, univariate analysis, and multivariable logistic regression were performed. RESULTS Six hundred eighty-four patients met inclusion and exclusion criteria. The complete adherence rate was 89% (n = 606). In multivariable analyses, those who completed follow-up were older (mean = 31 vs 29 years; p = .031), more likely to use a long-acting reversible contraceptive or sterilization for contraception (92% vs 87%; p = .036) and more likely to have been recommended excision (90% vs 83%; p = .009). In multivariable analysis, using a long-acting reversible contraceptive or sterilization (odds ratio = 1.75; CI = 1.02-3.0) and the recommendation of any kind of treatment as opposed to expectant management (odds ratio = 3.89; CI = 1.96-7.70) remained significantly associated with complete follow-up. CONCLUSIONS Patients were overall highly adherent to management recommendations when diagnosed with CIN 2 or 3. Those patients recommended to undergo treatment as opposed to observation were more likely to follow up.

Objective The aim of the study was to determine the frequency that endometrial biopsies (EMBs) performed on postmenopausal (PMP) women with benign endometrial cells (BECs) on Pap test are adequate for assessing malignancy or hyperplasia. Methods This is a case series including all PMP women older than 55 years at a single academic institution between January 2008 and September 2015 with a Pap test result including BEC. Patients were identified via an internal cytology database. Patient data, the ability to obtain an EMB, and the result of the EMB were collected. An adequate EMB was defined as the presence of glands and stroma sufficient to assess for endometrial hyperplasia and/or malignancy. Descriptive statistics were performed, and then univariable and logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate associations of patient factors and adequacy of EMB. Results One hundred sixteen women met inclusion criteria. One hundred seven had an EMB scheduled (92%) and of those 91 EMBs were obtained (85%). Of the obtained biopsies, 63 were inadequate to rule out the diagnosis of hyperplasia and/or malignancy (69%). Of these, 19 patients underwent pelvic ultrasound (30%), 12 followed up with repeat Pap test (19%), and 4 underwent dilation and curettage (6%). Of the adequate biopsies, 5 had a diagnosis of hyperplasia (18%) and 5 with malignancy (18%). Conclusions In PMP women with BEC on Pap test, adequate EMB was only obtained in 31% of patients. Most patients without an adequate biopsy had no further workup of their abnormal Pap test.

OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to identify factors associated with the presence of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) at surgical margins of loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) pathology specimens. MATERIALS AND METHODS All women evaluated for lower genital tract disease at a single academic institution were prospectively entered into a database. The database was queried for all women who had a LEEP performed for indications within contemporary American Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology guidelines between April 1, 2013, and April 30, 2015. Factors extracted from the database included demographics, contraception, weight, tobacco use, provider volume, resident participation, history of cervical procedure, and pathology features including preceding Pap test category. A positive margin was defined as HSIL on either the endocervical or ectocervical margin of the LEEP specimen or in endocervical curettage specimen after LEEP. We performed univariable statistics to identify factors associated with positive margins and then logistic regression modeling on significant factors for the outcome of positive margins. RESULTS Two hundred sixty-nine women were identified. Seventy five (27.8%) of these women had positive margins. Only tobacco use, gravity, parity, and preceding Pap category were significant on univariable analysis. After multivariable analysis, smokers remained more likely to have positive margins (odds ratio = 2.01; CI = 1.12-3.6; p < .01) as did those with preceding HSIL Pap tests (odds ratio = 1.96; CI = 1.13-3.41; p < .01). CONCLUSIONS In our population, of all the factors assessed, only tobacco use and preceding high-grade Pap tests were associated with positive margins at time of LEEP. This information may be helpful in preprocedural planning to optimize treatment.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate agreement between an abnormal endocervical brush (ECB) collected at the time of colposcopy and subsequent endocervical curettage (ECC). METHODS All women evaluated for lower genital tract disease at a single academic institution were prospectively entered into a database. The database was queried for those who had a colposcopic exam with ECB between April 1, 2013, and June 15, 2015, and who subsequently returned for an ECC to further evaluate eligibility for expectant management or ablative therapy. ECB and ECC results were divided into 2 groups: "low-grade" included low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) or atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance, and "high-grade" included high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) or atypical squamous cells-cannot exclude high-grade. Women with atypical glandular cells and unsatisfactory ECB results were excluded. Percent agreement between ECB and ECC was calculated based on these categories. RESULTS Seventy-nine women were included: 54 (68%) had a low-grade ECB, and 25 (32%) had a high-grade ECB. Of those who had a low-grade ECB, 4 had a low-grade ECC, 3 had a high-grade ECC, and 47 were negative, resulting in an agreement of 7.4% (4/54). Of those who had a high-grade ECB, 1 had a low-grade ECC, 4 had a high-grade ECC, and 20 were negative, resulting in 16% (4/25) agreement. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that there is poor agreement between ECC and ECB in our patient population.

Background Many young and middle-aged women receive their primary health care from their obstetrician-gynecologists. A recent change to vaccination recommendations during pregnancy has forced the integration of new clinical processes at obstetrician-gynecology practices. Evidence-based best practices for vaccination delivery include the establishment of vaccination standing orders. Objectives As part of an intervention to increase adoption of evidence-based vaccination strategies for women in safety-net and private obstetrician-gynecology settings, we conducted a qualitative study to identify the facilitators and barriers experienced by obstetrician-gynecology sites when establishing vaccination standing orders. Study Design At 6 safety-net and private obstetrician-gynecology practices, 51 semistructured interviews were completed by trained qualitative researchers over 2 years with clinical staff and vaccination program personnel. Standardized qualitative research methods were used during data collection and team-based data analysis to identify major themes and subthemes within the interview data. Results All study practices achieved partial to full implementation of vaccine standing orders for human papillomavirus, tetanus diphtheria pertussis, and influenza vaccines. Facilitating factors for vaccine standing order adoption included process standardization, acceptance of a continual modification process, and staff training. Barriers to vaccine standing order adoption included practice- and staff-level competing demands, pregnant women's preference for medical providers to discuss vaccine information with them, and staff hesitation in determining HPV vaccine eligibility. Conclusions With guidance and commitment to integration of new processes, obstetrician-gynecology practices are able to establish vaccine standing orders for pregnant and nonpregnant women. Attention to certain process barriers can aid the adoption of processes to support the delivery of vaccinations in obstetrician-gynecology practice setting, and provide access to preventive health care for many women.

Objective Group B Streptococcus (GBS) causes significant infant morbidity and mortality. Promising GBS vaccines are currently in clinical trials. Because GBS vaccines would be the first to specifically target pregnant women, we sought to assess acceptability of a hypothetical GBS vaccine. Study design We performed an internet survey among currently pregnant or recently delivered women receiving care at one of 9 Ob/Gyn practices in Colorado. Vaccine acceptability was assessed using questions based on constructs from the Health Belief Model. Multivariable analyses assessed the characteristics associated with GBS vaccine acceptability during the current/recent pregnancy. Results The response rate was 50% (n = 231). While 78% agreed that a GBS vaccine would be a good way to protect newborns, 90% and 83% agreed, respectively, that they worried generally about the safety and effectiveness of new vaccines. Moreover, 39% believed it is generally dangerous for pregnant women to get vaccines. Seventy nine percent ‘definitely’ or ‘probably’ would have gotten a GBS vaccine in their most recent pregnancy if available. The most influential factors associated with this outcome were a strong belief in the vaccine's benefits (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 6.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.01–20.16), and low perceived barriers to vaccination (AOR 0.11, 95% CI (0.03–0.37)). Conclusion A GBS vaccine may be acceptable to pregnant women but would benefit from strong provider support and education about the risks and consequences of GBS infection and the benefits to vaccination.

There is increasing attention on immunizations by obstetrician-gynecologists and a need to improve vaccination rates for all women.To evaluate the effect of a multimodal intervention on rates of immunization with tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap); human papillomavirus (HPV); and influenza in outpatient obstetrics and gynecology clinics.Immunization rates at 2 clinics were compared pre- and post-implementation of multiple interventions at a public integrated health-care system. Study interventions began on June 6, 2012 and concluded on May 31, 2014; the preimplementation time period used was June 6, 2010 to June 5, 2012. Interventions included stocking of immunizations in clinics, revision and expansion of standing orders, creation of a reminder/recall program, identification of an immunization champion to give direct provider feedback, expansion of a payment assistance program, and staff education. All women aged 15 and older who made a clinic visit during influenza season were included in the influenza cohort; women who delivered an infant during the study time period and had at least 1 prenatal visit within 9 months preceding delivery were included in the Tdap cohort; each clinic visit by a nonpregnant woman aged 15-26 years was assessed and included in the HPV analysis as an eligible visit if the patient was lacking any of the 3 HPV vaccines in the series. The primary outcome was receipt of influenza and Tdap vaccine per current American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists guidelines and receipt of HPV vaccine during eligible visits. Influenza and Tdap were assessed with overall coverage rates at the institutional level, and HPV was assessed at the visit level by captured opportunities. All analyses included generalized estimating equations and the primary outcome was assessed with time as a covariate in all models.A total of 19,409 observations were included in the influenza cohort (10,231 pre- and 9178 post-intervention), 2741 in the Tdap cohort (1248 pre- and 1493 post-intervention), and 12,443 in the HPV cohort (7966 pre- and 4477 post-intervention). Our population was largely Hispanic, English-speaking, and publicly insured. The rate of influenza vaccination increased from 35.4% pre-intervention to 46.0% post-intervention (P.001). The overall rate for Tdap vaccination increased from 87.6% pre-intervention to 94.5% post-intervention until the recommendation to vaccinate during each pregnancy was implemented (z = 4.58, P.0001). The average Tdap up-to-date rate after that recommendation was 75.0% (z = -5.77, P.0001). The overall rate of HPV vaccination with an eligible visit increased from 7.1% before to 23.7% after the intervention.Using evidence-based practices largely established in other settings, our intervention was associated with increased rates of influenza, Tdap, and HPV vaccination in outpatient underserved obstetrics and gynecology clinics. Integrating such evidence-based practices into routine obstetrics and gynecology care could positively impact preventive health for many women.

To examine the relationship between depression and disability in seasonal and migrant Hispanic agricultural workers.A total of 315 adult Hispanic agricultural workers living in northwest farmworker housing were interviewed to diagnose major and minor depression and assess disability. Statistical analysis determined demographic and clinical factors significantly related to a diagnosis of depression and examined the association between depression and disability.The rate of major depression was 3.2% (n=10) and of minor depression, 6.3% (n=20). The sole demographic factor significantly associated with depression was female gender (P.02). Controlling for gender, regression analysis demonstrated increased disability in those diagnosed with major and/or minor depression (P.001). Those diagnosed with depression had a significantly higher mean total disability score [20.6 (95% CI 16.8-24.4) vs. 6.8 (95% CI 5.6-8.0)] than those without such diagnosis. Nondepressed subjects were significantly more likely (39% vs. 3%) to be completely free of functional impairment than those with depression (P.001).This study confirms the known association between depression and disability and extends it to the seasonal and migrant Hispanic farmworker population. The severity of disability found in the depressed group was such that it could affect performance of agricultural work compared with that found in the nondepressed group.

Debilitating mental illness is treatable if found. There is no validated self-administered mental illness evaluation tool for immigrant Hispanic farm workers with variable literacy levels. This study tested sensitivity and specificity of an audiotaped survey developed for low literacy levels compared with standard interview instruments. Subjects from 11 migrant camps completed a self-administered audiotaped survey in Spanish to diagnose major depression, substance abuse, panic and generalized anxiety, and domestic violence. Primary care clinics assisted in finding camps and provided follow-up treatment. For 154 men and 156 women, the audio tool was most sensitive for major depression and specific for anxiety disorder, alcohol abuse, and domestic violence. Seventy percent of those diagnosed with major depression received appropriate treatment. This study validated an inexpensive, self-administered audio tool to evaluate the mental health of immigrant Hispanic farm workers with a wide range of literacy levels.