Motherhood at work: exploring maternal mental health

Up to 1 in 5 women in the postpartum period will experience a mental health disorder like postpartum depression or generalized anxiety disorder. How an organization handles a mother’s return to work can have a significant impact on her mental health, according to new research from the University of Georgia.

Two UAlbany Studies Find Links Between Neighborhood Risk and Birth Outcomes, and Maternal Depression and Gestational Diabetes

Two new studies released by the University at Albany School of Public Health shed light on different factors impacting the health of mothers and newborns, with one study finding a link between neighborhood risk and birth outcomes, and a second indicating a relationship between maternal depression and gestational diabetes.

Specialized Care Team Launched in Central Texas to Help High-Risk Expectant Mothers

To offer transport to a high level of specialty care for expectant mothers and their babies, Baylor Scott & White Health has launched the system’s first Central Texas maternal transport team.
Baylor Scott & White maternal nurses staff the team, which also includes pilots, paramedics and EMTs who will facilitate transfers of high-risk obstetrics patients via air and ground transfers from hospitals throughout the region. The maternal transport team began service May 17, transporting patients to and from facilities inside and outside of the Baylor Scott & White Health system.

Antibiotics for C-sections Effective After Umbilical Cord Clamped

Antibiotics for cesarean section births are just as effective when they’re given after the umbilical cord is clamped as before clamping – the current practice – and could benefit newborns’ developing microbiomes, according to Rutgers co-authored research. The study, by far the largest of its kind and published in the journal Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control, challenges current recommendations for antibiotic use. Administering antibiotics after clamping does not increase the risk of infection at the site of C-section incisions, the study concludes.

Breastfeeding Guide Aims to Help Docs Ease Moms Through Tough 1st Week

A new guide seeks to ensure healthcare providers are ready to help new mothers with the challenging first week of breastfeeding – and to address gaps in knowledge and support created in previous decades when breastfeeding was far less common.