Journal of women's health
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Journal of women's health · Feb 2021
ReviewSleep-Disordered Breathing and Pregnancy-Related Cardiovascular Disease.
Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is a serious medical condition characterized by intermittent episodes of airflow limitation, intermittent hypoxia, and sleep disturbance triggering a pattern of autonomic dysfunction associated with hypertension, diabetes, and other adverse health conditions. SDB incidence is two to three times higher during pregnancy and is associated with an increased risk of cardiometabolic complications, including pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes. ⋯ Furthermore, definitive clinical trials are needed to determine the extent to which SDB intervention reduces the risk of adverse cardiovascular and neonatal outcomes in pregnancy. This review article discusses an accumulation of research pointing to SDB as a prevalent risk factor for gestational cardiometabolic disease, as well as a potential therapeutic target to reduce cardiometabolic morbidity.
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Journal of women's health · Feb 2021
ReviewPregnancy-Associated Deaths from Homicide, Suicide, and Drug Overdose: Review of Research and the Intersection with Intimate Partner Violence.
The leading causes of pregnancy-associated deaths, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are homicide, suicide, and drug overdose. Intimate partner violence during pregnancy has been shown to contribute to maternal mortality from pregnancy-associated deaths. ⋯ The review also will include data showing racial and ethnic inequities. In addition, we identify gaps and guiding questions for further research, as well as suggestions for immediate changes in practice and policy.
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Journal of women's health · Feb 2021
ReviewThe Intersection of Disability and Pregnancy: Risks for Maternal Morbidity and Mortality.
It is estimated that 1 in 4 women in the United States live with a disability, and using population-based estimates, 10-12% of women of childbearing age have a disability. There are limited data to suggest that women with disabilities experience higher rates of or risks for adverse outcomes related to pregnancy, delivery, and access to appropriate postpartum care. ⋯ Given the lack of systematic evidence in this area across conditions and functional impairments, more research is needed to clarify the interaction of specific disabilities with pregnancy and provide evidence-based information to the field to decrease the risks to mothers and their infants. This article will provide an overview of conditions that contribute to maternal morbidity and mortality as they relate to pregnancy in women with disabilities and provide resources to the field to further the investigation of this area.
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Journal of women's health · Feb 2021
The Need to Consider Pregnancy As a Biological Variable to Reduce Preventable Suffering Related to Pregnancy.
Maternal morbidity and mortality constitute a national health crisis, and pain is a significant component of maternal morbidity. One important way to reduce maternal morbidity is to reduce the pain associated with pregnancy. Unfortunately, our understanding of how to reduce pain in women is hampered because, historically, mostly male subjects have been used in the study of pain. ⋯ Moreover, pain in nonpregnant women differs in many ways from pain experienced by pregnant women. We argue here that to better address maternal morbidity, we must better address the pain associated with pregnancy. Furthermore, just as it is important to include both men and women in pain research to better understand pain in both sexes, conducting pain research in pregnant women is essential to finding ways to reduce pain in pregnant women.
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Journal of women's health · Feb 2021
Environmental Factors Involved in Maternal Morbidity and Mortality.
Nongenetic, environmental factors contribute to maternal morbidity and mortality through chemical exposures via air, water, soil, food, and consumer products. Pregnancy represents a particularly sensitive window of susceptibility during which physiological changes to every major organ system increase sensitivity to chemicals that can impact a woman's long-term health. Nonchemical stressors, such as low socioeconomic status, may exacerbate the effects of chemical exposures on maternal health. ⋯ Epidemiological studies linking exposures to adverse maternal health outcomes underscore the importance of environmental health impacts, and mechanistic studies in model systems reveal how chemicals perturb biological pathways and processes. Environmental stressors are associated with a variety of immediate maternal health impacts, including hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, fibroids, and infertility, as well as long-term maternal health impacts, such as higher risk of breast cancer and metabolic disorders. Identifying and reducing a pregnant woman's environmental exposures is not only beneficial to her offspring but also important to preserve her short- and long-term health.