Weight of It All - WOIA Research Study

Being in a research study helps research scientists answer pressing questions.

Our question is: How can we help black pregnant people have less complications in labor and birth?

We want to help future families thrive without having traumatic birth experiences.

In our study we look at how lipids impact this experience. We look at body measurements, food and nutrition intake, the gut microbiome, social determinants of health, the oxytocin system, and birth outcomes.

Being a part of this study will push the needle that much closer to making the Midwifery Model of Care the norm rather the exception.

Emory School of Nursing in partnership with Atlanta Birth Center will be conducting this Research Study on how Lipid Levels in Black Women impact labor outcomes.

Who is Eligible to participate? Pregnant Black Women between the ages of 18-40 years-old that are between 8-17 weeks pregnant.

Where will the study be conducted?
At Atlanta Birth Center.
What will be studied?
Research on Metabolism and Lipid Levels During Pregnancy.

We examine prenatal blood samples for lipid predictors of labor dysfunction, then look at the influence of pregnancy exposures (body composition, adipose tissue hormones, diet, physical activity, and social determinants of health) on expression of these lipids.

If you are interested please contact the Clinical Research Coordinator:
Kareena Cumberbatch, RN, MSN

Clinical Research Coordinator

[email protected]

IG:

www.nursing.emory.edu/site/the-weight-of-it-all

Happy Birthday to Marion Cuthbert, a change agent and disrupter in her time! In 1944, she became the first black woman to serve as dean of women at Brooklyn College.

Was a talented writer who published books of poetry and essays.

She graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor’s degree and later became the Dean of Women at Talladega College.

Cuthbert later received her master's degree and Doctorate from Columbia University. Her dissertation, titled "Education and Marginality: A Study of the Negro College Graduate," was a sociological study of the effects of education on the lives of African-American women.

Her dissertation focused on the experiences of black females at the intersection of race, gender and culture in context of college attainment.

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Today we salute the Black Midwives on the first annual National Black Midwives Day!
We honor the legacy of the Granny midwives of the past that birthed this nation, we honor the persevering midwives of the present that are reclaiming our heritage, and we honor the future midwives that will carry the torch forward because of their example! There is no we without them!

Special thanks to our Black ABC Midwives, Cat D., Jaya , Dr. Lexi , Nkechi Brody and Nurse Leila(Midwife Leila coming soon!) You all inspire us everyday to serve our community with passion, authenticity, and joy. You all exemplify the true heart of a midwife!

Special shout-out to our ABC Mama and Sister .vernette ❤️

Go to Change.com to sign the petition to to make this a Black Midwives Day official! Link will be in the highlight section!

Room ✅ Equipment ✅ Snacks and Gift bag ✅ Ready for a study visit! Emory School of Nursing in partnership with Atlanta Birth Center is conducting a Research Study on how Lipid Levels in Black Women impact labor outcomes.

Who is Eligible to participate? Pregnant Black Women between the ages of 18-40 years-old that are between 8-17 weeks pregnant.

Where will the study be conducted? Atlanta Birth Center in partnership with EMORY School of Nursing Research Department.

What will be studied? Research on Metabolism During Pregnancy.

Why are you doing this study? The mortality and morbidity rate of pregnant black women in Georgia is ranked as one of the worst, we want to change that! We believe the midwifery model to care helps to protect women and families, and we’d like to have research and data to back that up!

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These doulas are working to fight a growing maternal mortality health crisis among Black women, who suffer and die at a higher rate — as a result of substandard maternal care and racial biases — than their white counterparts.

Nationally, Black women are nearly three times as likely to die from a maternal cause as white women: The National Center for Health Statistics reports that in 2020, the maternal mortality rate for Black women was 55.3 deaths per 100,000 live births. That year, the rate for white women was 19.1 deaths per 100,000 live births. Black women are also more likely than white women to have C-sections, have their pain minimized or ignored, report mistreatment, and have stillbirths.

Parents as Teachers, a nonprofit in St. Louis, provides doulas who offer nonmedical support to mothers before, during and after pregnancy. In doing so, the program is extending a benefit largely associated with white and affluent women to predominantly Black, low-income mothers who would not otherwise know about it or be able to afford it. Unlike certified nurse midwives who deliver babies, doulas offer guidance on pain or complications ahead of delivery and help clients navigate hospitals and doctors. Continuous guidance from a doula has been cited as one of the most effective interventions in easing pregnancy.

The program began four years ago when a group of Black women working at Parents as Teachers noticed a familiar refrain from clients fearful of the healthcare system. “I don’t want to die,” Aminah Williams, one of the group’s doulas, recalled more than one Black expectant mother telling her. The concerns are not hyperbole.

“We have an obligation to work to overhaul currently unjust systems that perpetuate unacceptable racial inequities in health outcomes,” the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said in a statement last year.

The New York Times spoke with doulas working at Parents as Teachers. Tap the link in our bio to read more about their experiences and their work. Photos by .

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These doulas are working to fight a growing maternal mortality health crisis among Black women, who suffer and die at a higher rate — as a result of substandard maternal care and racial biases — than their white counterparts.

Nationally, Black women are nearly three times as likely to die from a maternal cause as white women: The National Center for Health Statistics reports that in 2020, the maternal mortality rate for Black women was 55.3 deaths per 100,000 live births. That year, the rate for white women was 19.1 deaths per 100,000 live births. Black women are also more likely than white women to have C-sections, have their pain minimized or ignored, report mistreatment, and have stillbirths.

Parents as Teachers, a nonprofit in St. Louis, provides doulas who offer nonmedical support to mothers before, during and after pregnancy. In doing so, the program is extending a benefit largely associated with white and affluent women to predominantly Black, low-income mothers who would not otherwise know about it or be able to afford it. Unlike certified nurse midwives who deliver babies, doulas offer guidance on pain or complications ahead of delivery and help clients navigate hospitals and doctors. Continuous guidance from a doula has been cited as one of the most effective interventions in easing pregnancy.

The program began four years ago when a group of Black women working at Parents as Teachers noticed a familiar refrain from clients fearful of the healthcare system. “I don’t want to die,” Aminah Williams, one of the group’s doulas, recalled more than one Black expectant mother telling her. The concerns are not hyperbole.

“We have an obligation to work to overhaul currently unjust systems that perpetuate unacceptable racial inequities in health outcomes,” the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said in a statement last year.

The New York Times spoke with doulas working at Parents as Teachers. Tap the link in our bio to read more about their experiences and their work. Photos by

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In honor of Midwifery Week 2022, the Antiracism group of the GA ACNM Affiliate is proud to host a screening of the documentary Aftershock on October 6th from 6:30-8:30pm in person at Emory SON Room P01 OR join us on zoom at this link. After the movie, we'll have time for discussion, facilitated by Dr. Alexis Dunn-Amore.

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“Not only are there blatant racial disparities in breastfeeding rates, there is a blatant disparity in breastfeeding leadership as well. It is not debatable that breastfeeding advocacy is white female-led. This is a problem [that] perpetuates the common misconception that black women don’t breastfeed.”

Check out these 9 Black-led organizations leading the fight to reduce disparities in breastfeeding success for Black mothers and birthing people, their families, and their villages.

Did you know? A Mediterranean-style diet can help reduce the risk of pregnancy complications and improve overall heart health?

Swipe to learn how a LITTLE change in what we eat can make a BIG health difference.

Birthright is a podcast hosted by Kimberly Seals Allers that aims to discuss joy and healing in Black birth. Allers is also the founder of the Irth app, the first “Yelp-like” app for Black parents to explore their options for ob/gyn’s, birthing hospitals and pediatricians.

“By seeking out and exploring positive birth stories, we can find ideas, solutions and blind spots in our quest to make the birth experience equitable for all Black birthing bodies.” Check out the Birthright podcast on Spotify, Apple podcasts, Audible, and other streaming platforms!

The purpose of this study is to learn if a person’s metabolism and environment during pregnancy can help have an easier labor and birth (short and uncomplicated labor, labor that starts on its own around your due date).

Black pregnant people have the highest rates of complications during labor and birth. In this study, we are trying to understand things that help protect Black people from having a complicated birth.

To do this, we will be collecting information on the things people do (like the foods they eat and their health habits), experiences they have (discrimination, early childhood experiences, prenatal care), the environmental chemicals they are exposed to, and their metabolism during pregnancy. We are especially interested in whether care in a midwife-led birth center helps improve Black birthing people’s labor outcomes compared to care with an obstetrician in a hospital.

This project is led by a team of nurse-midwife scientists at Emory University School of Nursing and a Community Advisory Board made up of Black women in the community. This project is in partnership with Atlanta Birth Center.

Who is Eligible to participate? Pregnant Black People between the ages of 18-40 years-old who are between 8-17 weeks pregnant.

Where will the study be conducted? Atlanta Birth Center

What will be studied? Pregnancy people’s metabolism, social determinants of health, and labor/birth outcomes.

When does the study start? March 2022

What will I be asked to do?
There are two study visits: Visit 1 occurs during 8-17 weeks of pregnancy and entails the following:

• Height measurement
• Weight measurement
• Blood Pressure measurement
• Blood Draw
• Circumference and Skin Fold Measurements (arm, thigh, natural waist)
• Hand Grip Strength
• Questionnaires (which can be done at home)

Visit 2 occurs between 26-30 Weeks and entails the following (in addition to the Visit 1 list):
•Stool sample (you collect at home and mail back to us)

Both Visit 1 and 2 require an 8-10 hour fast and takes about 1.5 hours (you'll be able to eat right after the body composition measurements).

You will be paid with a $100 Visa gift card or a $100 Amazon gift card for each visit, so a total of $200. Snacks will be provided, and we will pay for your parking that day!

Why are you doing this study? The mortality and morbidity rate of pregnant black women in Georgia is ranked as one of the worst, we want to change that! We believe the midwifery model to care helps to protect women and families, and we’d like to have research and data to back that up!