Preterm Birth in African American Women: A Multi-Omic Pilot Study in Early Pregnancy.

Preterm birth (PTB; <37 weeks completed gestation) is a devastating problem affecting over 13 million live births worldwide. In the U.S.

Changes in Lipid Profiles with the Progression of Pregnancy in Black Women.

: Lipid metabolism plays an important role in maternal health and fetal development. There is a gap in the knowledge of how lipid metabolism changes during pregnancy for Black women who are at a higher risk of adverse outcomes. We hypothesized that the comprehensive lipidome profiles would show variation across pregnancy indicative of requirements during gestation and fetal development.

Postpartum romantic attachment and constructiveness: The protective effects of a conflict communication intervention for parents' relationship functioning over one year.

Parent relationship functioning has a well-documented influence on children's early socioemotional development as early as infancy. Postpartum parenting is also a critically vulnerable period for relationships and often results in relationship decline. We investigated the effects of a rigorous, psycho-educational conflict communication intervention for supporting parents' relationship functioning in terms of self-reported romantic attachment and observed conflict constructiveness.

Epigenetic Implications of Neighborhood Disorder and Psychological Distress among Pregnant Black Women.

In the United States, Black women experience preterm birth (PTB; <37 weeks gestation) at more than 1.5 times the rate of non-Hispanic White women. Social determinants of health including the neighborhood environment have been recognized as contributing to the risk of PTB.

PhD student perspectives on maintaining and formalizing peer mentorship during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mentorship is important for doctoral education and development. Students in Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing programs traditionally receive formal mentorship from more experienced faculty mentors, creating a top-down, mentor-mentee relationship. Peer mentorship, characterized by a mentor-mentee relationship between peers in similar career stages, provides unique opportunities for career development and socialization.

DNA Methylation Patterns of Glucocorticoid Pathway Genes in Preterm Birth Among Black Women.

Preterm birth (PTB; <37 weeks gestation) rates have increased for 5 of the last 6 consecutive years in the United States. These rates are particularly alarming for U.S.

Positive parenting, parenting stress, and child self-regulation patterns differ across maternal demographic risk.

We examined relations between positive parenting, parenting stress, and children's regulatory abilities across infancy and early childhood. First-time mothers and their infants ( = 682) were recruited prenatally. Mothers belonged to one of three potential demographic risk groups: adolescent mothers (AM), adult low-educated mothers (LEM), and adult high-educated mothers (HEM).

Loneliness and Depressive Symptoms among Pregnant Black Women during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

We explored the associations among perceived stress, depressive symptoms, loneliness, and social support during the COVID-19 pandemic; and differences in perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and social support prior to the pandemic and during the pandemic among pregnant Black women. A sample of 33 pregnant Black women who participated in the Biosocial Impact on Black Births (BIBB) and were still pregnant in May-June 2020 were invited to complete an online survey about their experiences during the pandemic. Fifteen women responded or to experiencing stress and anxiety because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Neighborhoods, Racism, Stress, and Preterm Birth Among African American Women: A Review.

African American women are more likely to experience preterm birth (<37 completed weeks gestation) compared with White women. African American women are also more likely to live in neighborhoods characterized as disadvantaged (i.e.

Children's Dysregulated Representations Mediate Ineffective Parenting Practices and Effortful Control in Lower Income Families.

Objective: Rooted in attachment theory, we tested the degree to which children's dysregulated representations mediate linkages between ineffective parenting and children's effortful control in a sample of lower income families.

Background: Children in lower income households are at greater risk for difficulties with effortful control. Although ineffective parenting practices may influence children's development of effortful control, there is limited knowledge related to the mechanisms underlying this association.

Methodologic Considerations for Epigenomic Investigation of Preterm Birth in African American Women.

Epigenetic modifications are chemical changes that can modify gene expression without changing the sequence of the gene. These modifications are potentially identifiable and reversible, making the epigenome an important area of research for discovering biomarkers to identify those who may be at risk and providing therapeutic interventions to prevent adverse health outcomes. African Americans bear a disproportionate risk of adverse health outcomes (e.

Social support moderates the relation between childhood trauma and prenatal depressive symptoms in adolescent mothers.

Background: Depression is a concern during pregnancy, but it is especially prevalent for pregnant adolescents. Because prenatal depression is a strong predictor of postpartum depression and other forms of psychopathology in both mothers and children, it is important to understand potential risk and protective factors for prenatal depression.

Objectives: The present study examined whether social support buffered the impact of childhood trauma on prenatal depression, and whether social support exerted a stronger buffering effect for adolescents compared to adults.

Timing of Prenatal Care Initiation and Psychological Wellbeing in Black Women.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to see if timing of prenatal care initiation was related to psychological wellbeing of Black women.

Study Design And Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, a sample of 197 pregnant Black women completed a self-reported survey between 8 weeks and less than 30 weeks gestation as part of the Biosocial Impact on Black Births study. The questions asked about the initiation of prenatal care, perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and psychological wellbeing.

Stress During Pregnancy and Epigenetic Modifications to Offspring DNA: A Systematic Review of Associations and Implications for Preterm Birth.

Offspring born preterm (ie, before 37 weeks of gestation) are more likely to die or experience long-standing illness than full-term offspring. Maternal genetic variants (ie, heritable, stable variations in the genetic code) and epigenetic modifications (ie, chemical modifications to the genetic code that can affect which genes are turned on or off) in response to stress have been implicated in preterm birth. Fetal genetic variants have been linked to preterm birth though the role of offspring epigenetics in preterm birth remains understudied.

How Depressive Symptoms among African American Women Relate to Measures of Social Disorder in Her Childhood and Pregnancy Neighborhood.

Pregnant African American women who report higher levels of social disorder (e.g., vacant housing, drug dealing) in their neighborhoods also report higher levels of depressive symptoms.

Neighborhood Environment and DNA Methylation: Implications for Cardiovascular Disease Risk.

Exposure to chronic stress such as living in disadvantaged neighborhoods has been related to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Chronic stress may increase the risk for CVD by increasing levels of systemic inflammation (e.g.

The Built Environment and Birth Outcomes: A Systematic Review.

Objective: The purpose of this systematic review is to report findings of published studies of the relationships between poor-quality built environments and negative birth outcomes.

Method: Quantitative studies measuring various aspects of the built environment including property damage, housing damage, physical disorder, physical incivilities, nuisance, vacancy, tenure, occupancy, and structural deterioration and their effects on birth outcomes such as preterm birth, low birthweight, and small for gestational age were identified using Scopus, PubMed, Medline, and PsycINFO databases.

Results: A total of 2,059 abstracts were reviewed based on the search criteria.