New from CDC
Anemia among Pregnant Women Participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) — United States, 2008–2018
Anemia during pregnancy increases risk for maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. This study assessed anemia prevalence among pregnant women enrolled in WIC from 2008 to 2018.
Pre-pregnancy and Gestational Diabetes and Cessation of Breastfeeding <1 Week Postpartum — United States, 2016-2018
Diabetes may delay milk letdown, and perceiving milk production as insufficient can lead to breastfeeding cessation. This study evaluated whether pre-pregnancy or gestational diabetes only is associated with breastfeeding less than 1 week postpartum among women who had initiated breastfeeding. The study analyzed data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, a population-based survey of women with a recent live birth.
Influenza Vaccination among Pregnant Women: Self-report Compared With Vaccination Data From Electronic Health Records, 2018-2020 Influenza Seasons
Having accurate influenza vaccination coverage estimates can guide public health activities. The objectives of this study were to (1) validate the accuracy of electronic health record (EHR)–based influenza vaccination data among pregnant women compared with survey self-report and (2) assess whether survey respondents differed from survey non-respondents by demographic characteristics and EHR-based vaccination status.
Risk of Birth Defects by Pre-gestational Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes: National Birth Defects Prevention Study, 1997-2011
Previous studies found consistent associations between pre-gestational diabetes and birth defects. Given the different biological mechanisms for type 1 and type 2 diabetes, this study used National Birth Defects Prevention Study data to estimate associations by diabetes type.
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Incident Hypertension in Multi-Racial/Ethnic Women: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitous synthetic chemicals that may disrupt blood pressure controls; however, human evidence to support this hypothesis is scant. This study examined the association between serum concentrations of PFAS and risks of developing hypertension among 1,058 midlife women initially free of hypertension.
Medicaid Expansion and Contraceptive Use among Female High-School Students
Access to effective contraception prevents unintended pregnancies among sexually active female youth. These analyses, conducted in 2021, assessed state-level Youth Risk Behavior Survey data among female students in grades 9–12 who reported being sexually active. Measured outcomes included self-reported use of moderately effective or highly effective, long-acting reversible contraception at last sex. States that expanded Medicaid were compared with other states in 2013 (baseline) and 2019 (after expansion).
Early-pregnancy Plasma Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance (PFAS) Concentrations and Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy in the Project Viva Cohort
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are associated with adverse cardiometabolic outcomes during pregnancy, but associations between PFAS and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are inconsistent and joint effects of PFAS mixtures have not been evaluated. The objective of this study was to quantify the associations of plasma concentrations of individual PFAS and PFAS mixtures in early pregnancy with gestational hypertension and preeclampsia, as well as average blood pressure in the second and third trimesters, in a large prospective pregnancy cohort.
Iron Status and Inflammation in Women of Reproductive Age: A Population-based Biomarker Survey and Clinical Study
Women of reproductive age (WRA) are at increased risk for anemia and iron deficiency. However, there is limited population-level data in India, which could help inform evidence-based recommendations and policy. The purpose of this study was to conduct a population-based biomarker survey of anemia, iron deficiency, and inflammation in WRA in Southern India.
A Cluster Randomized Trial of Delivery of Intermittent Preventive Treatment of Malaria in Pregnancy at the Community Level in Malawi
Malaria in pregnancy doubles the risk of low birthweight. To prevent this and other adverse health consequences, the World Health Organization recommends administering intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for all pregnant women at each antenatal care (ANC) visit. A cluster randomized, controlled trial was conducted to assess the effect of delivery of IPTp by community health workers on the coverage of at least 3 doses of IPTp and ANC visits in Malawi.
COVID-19 Impact on Women
Maternal and Perinatal Outcomes Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infection During Pregnancy, Florida, 2020–2021: A Retrospective Cohort Study
The objective of this study was to estimate risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy, preterm birth, maternal or neonatal admission to an intensive care unit, perinatal or fetal death, and maternal death. The study used a population-based, retrospective cohort of all pregnancies with a live birth or fetal death in Florida from March 1, 2020 to April 30, 2021.
COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage and Intent among Women Aged 18-49 Years by Pregnancy Status, United States, April-November 2021
Pregnant and postpartum women are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. This study assessed COVID-19 vaccination coverage, intent, and attitudes among women of reproductive age overall and by pregnancy status in the United States using data from the National Immunization Survey Adult COVID Module.
Information on the severity of COVID-19 attributable to the Delta variant in the United States among pregnant people is limited. This study assessed the risk for severe COVID-19 by pregnancy status in the period of Delta variant predominance compared with the pre-Delta period.
While many national registries, health facilities, and research groups are collecting data regarding SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant and postpartum women and its effect on their newborns, there is a need for a collaborative and methodologically rigorous approach to better combine these data and address knowledge gaps, especially those related to rare outcomes. The authors propose that using a sequential, prospective meta-analysis (PMA) is the best approach to generate data for policy- and practice-oriented guidelines.
This study assessed COVID-19 vaccination coverage and intent, factors associated with COVID-19 vaccination, reasons for non-vaccination, and knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs related to COVID-19 illness and vaccination among pregnant women in the United States.
Pregnant women with symptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have a higher risk of adverse outcomes than do women who are not pregnant, yet the concern of many women regarding safety remains a barrier to maternal vaccination. This letter to the editor describes a study that included a retrospective, observational, matched-cohort study involving pregnant women between the ages of 16 and 49 years at eight Vaccine Safety Datalink sites from December 15, 2020 through July 1, 2021. The study evaluated the incidences of 25 medically attended acute adverse events among the vaccinated women as compared with the unvaccinated matched controls.
Infants younger than 6 months of age are at high risk for complications of COVID-19 and are not eligible for vaccination. Transplacental transfer of antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) after maternal COVID-19 vaccination may confer protection against COVID-19 in infants. This study used a case-control test-negative design to assess the effectiveness of maternal vaccination during pregnancy against hospitalization for COVID-19 among infants younger than 6 months of age.
Snapshots
