Publications by authors named "Christine L Curry"

Background: Associations between early-life menstrual cycle characteristics (MCC) and gestational diabetes (GDM) remain unclear.

Objectives: To evaluate associations between early-life MCCs and GDM in first pregnancy, across pregnancies and its recurrence.

Methods: This analysis included participants from a US-based digital cohort enrolled between 11/2019 and 9/2023 who provided consent, completed relevant surveys, were without diabetes and aged ≥18 at first pregnancy (n = 30,473).

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  • A study evaluated the prevalence of androgen excess (AE) symptoms in 24,435 participants from a U.S. digital cohort, focusing on signs like hirsutism, chin hair, hair loss, and acne from November 2019 to December 2022.
  • Results revealed that possible hirsutism was at 6.9%, chin hair at 12.6%, hair loss at 1.7%, and moderate to severe acne at 31.8%, with variations noted across different age groups and demographics.
  • The findings suggest that AE symptoms differ by age, ethnicity, and body mass index, indicating the need for more inclusive health evaluations in diverse populations.
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Background: While it is known that vital signs and behaviors change during pregnancy, there is limited data on timing and scale of changes for sensor-derived health metrics across pregnancy and postpartum. Wearable technology provides an opportunity to understand physiologic and behavioral changes across pregnancy with greater detail, more frequent measurements, and improved accuracy. The aim of this study is to describe changes in physiologic and behavioral sensor-based health metrics during pregnancy and postpartum in the Apple Women's Health Study (AWHS) and their relationship to demographic factors.

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  • Early menarche is linked to negative health outcomes, and trends in the US show it's happening earlier, but more research is needed on how factors like socioeconomic status and BMI impact this.
  • The study aims to analyze trends in age at menarche and how long it takes to achieve regular menstrual cycles while considering early-life BMI's role as a mediator.
  • Data from 71,341 female participants reveal that the average age of menarche decreased over the decades, with a notable increase in cases of early and very early menarche.
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  • Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common condition that causes irregular menstrual cycles and is linked to cardiovascular and metabolic issues, but more research is needed on its specific relationships and interventions.
  • The study aimed to analyze how PCOS, time to menstrual regularity from menarche, and irregular cycles impact the occurrence of various cardiometabolic conditions in participants using the Apple Research app.
  • The research involved a large group of US-based individuals, finding that 12.3% had PCOS, with a focus on various cardiovascular and metabolic health outcomes, while also considering how lifestyle factors may influence these associations.
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  • This study analyzed menstrual cycle length and variability using data from over 165,000 cycles tracked by 12,608 participants in the US.
  • It found that menstrual cycles tend to shorten with age until around 50, after which they lengthen, and that cycles are longer on average for Asian and Hispanic women compared to white women.
  • Additionally, participants with higher body weight (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m) exhibited longer and more variable menstrual cycles, particularly those aged under 20 and over 50, highlighting the need for further research into the factors affecting menstrual health.
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  • The study investigated abnormal uterine bleeding patterns by analyzing menstrual tracking data while considering demographic and health factors.
  • It included participants from the Apple Women's Health Study, focusing on individuals who weren't pregnant, breastfeeding, using hormones, or menopausal, and confirmed the accuracy of their tracking.
  • Results showed that 16.4% of participants experienced some form of abnormal bleeding, with specific prevalence rates for irregular, infrequent, prolonged menses, and spotting, noting a significantly higher prevalence among Black participants.
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COVID-19 vaccination may be associated with change in menstrual cycle length following vaccination. We estimated covariate-adjusted differences in mean cycle length (MCL), measured in days, between pre-vaccination cycles, vaccination cycles, and post-vaccination cycles within vaccinated participants who met eligibility criteria in the Apple Women's Health Study, a longitudinal mobile-application-based cohort of people in the U.S.

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  • A study analyzed the impact of COVID-19 vaccination on menstrual cycle length using data from 14,915 participants in the Apple Women's Health Study who actively tracked their cycles and completed a vaccine update survey.
  • The research included a total of 128,094 menstrual cycles from both vaccinated (8,486) and unvaccinated (1,166) participants, evaluating changes in cycle length before and after vaccination while controlling for factors like hormonal contraceptive use and pregnancy.
  • Results indicated no significant difference in the average menstrual cycle length between vaccinated and unvaccinated participants prior to vaccination, suggesting that vaccination did not affect menstrual cycles in this cohort.
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Background: Faculty development for nurse and physician educators has a limited evidence base in high income countries, and very little research from low- and middle-income countries. Health professions educators in many global settings do not receive training on how to educate effectively.

Objective: To pilot and assess a faculty development program aimed at nurse and physician educators at a teaching hospital in rural Haiti.

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  • The Apple Women's Health Study aims to better understand the connections between women's health, menstrual cycles, and behavior by utilizing a mobile app to gather data from 10,000 participants.
  • The study, which began enrollment between November 2019 and May 2020, requires participants to use the Apple Research app and engage in monthly surveys for a year, with eligibility criteria including age and language proficiency.
  • Initial results show a mean participant age of 33.6 years, a racial and ethnic makeup reflective of the US population, and varying response rates to follow-up surveys, with 82.7% of participants remaining in the study at the six-month mark.
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Preexisting immunity against dengue virus or West Nile virus was previously reported to mediate antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in a mouse model. We show here that ZIKV-immune plasma samples from both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals mediated ZIKV ADE of infection and in mice. In a lethal infection model with a viral inoculum 10 times higher, both ADE and protection were observed, depending on the amount of infused immune plasma.

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In the spring of 2017, a full-term infant with microcephaly was delivered in South Florida. During first trimester, the mother presented with fever, nausea, and vomiting. She reported no foreign travel for herself or her partner.

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Zika virus is a mosquito-transmitted flavivirus and was first linked to congenital microcephaly caused by a large outbreak in northeastern Brazil. Although the Zika virus epidemic is now in decline, pregnancies in large parts of the Americas remain at risk because of ongoing transmission and the potential for new outbreaks. This review presents why Zika virus is still a complex and worrisome public health problem with an expanding spectrum of birth defects and how Zika virus and related viruses evade the immune response to injure the fetus.

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Zika virus (ZIKV) infection of pregnant women is associated with pathologic complications of fetal development. Here, we infect pregnant rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) with a minimally passaged ZIKV isolate from Rio de Janeiro, where a high rate of fetal development complications was observed. The infection of pregnant macaques with this virus results in maternal viremia, virus crossing into the amniotic fluid (AF), and in utero fetal deaths.

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Introduction In 2015, there was an outbreak of Zika virus in Brazil that spread throughout the Americas. The association of Zika virus with birth defects in infants born to infected pregnant women created concern for women of childbearing age. Social media is an important platform for health promotion, communication, and education on preventative methods during Zika virus outbreaks.

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Zika virus infection during pregnancy can lead to congenital Zika syndrome. Implementation of screening programs and interpretation of test results can be particularly challenging during ongoing local mosquitoborne transmission. We conducted a retrospective chart review of 2,327 pregnant women screened for Zika virus in Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA, during 2016.

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Aim: This study was conducted to ascertain the knowledge and perceptions of the Zika virus among reproductive-aged women living in the first affected area of the United States with local mosquito-borne transmission.

Methods: Reproductive-aged women were surveyed during the four weeks immediately following the announcement of local Zika virus transmission. The survey evaluated the participant's knowledge of Zika pathogenesis and transmission, sequelae of infection, epidemiology and public health information.

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Background: Haiti has a chronic physician shortage, and the country has been facing an increased disease burden since the 2010 earthquake and the subsequent introduction of cholera. In such resource-challenged settings, access to postgraduate medical education often is limited due to inadequate financial, structural, and academic resources. A crucial component to improved health in Haiti is the expansion of continuing medical education (CME).

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Objective: To determine whether barriers to immediate post-placental intrauterine device (PPIUD) placement exist at the provider level.

Study Design: Obstetrics providers at seven academic teaching hospitals in Massachusetts were asked to complete an electronic survey regarding their knowledge, experience, and opinions about immediate PPIUDs.

Results: Eighty-two providers, including obstetricians, family medicine physicians, and midwives, completed the survey.

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Background And Objectives: Robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery is increasingly used for the management of patients with gynecologic malignancies. The rate of portsite metastases in patients undergoing these procedures is unknown.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of a prospective database.

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Objective: To evaluate medical students in the United States at several medical schools regarding their knowledge of the global health burden of obstetric fistulas.

Study Design: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 8 schools across the United States over a period of 6 months. The survey was composed of 18 questions on epidemiology, pathology, and treatment of fistulas.

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