Predicting labor onset relative to the estimated date of delivery using smart ring physiological data

Black/African American Women's Woes: Women's Perspectives of Black/African American Maternal Mortality in the USA

BACKGROUND

Despite advances in perinatal care in the USA, maternal mortality is on the rise, and maternal death is higher than in any other high-income country. Maternal mortality in the USA is a persistent public health concern. This issue disproportionately affects Black/African American women, with their likelihood of pregnancy-related death being three times more likely compared to White women. This study aimed to explore the resources needed for Black/African American women to address the relatively higher maternal mortality rates recorded for them.

METHODS

An anonymous link with demographic and open-ended questions was sent to US women 18 years and older to participate in the study. A total of 140 participants responded to the survey. We retained a final sample of 118 responses after eliminating responses with missing data. Descriptive statistics are reported for closed-ended items. Open-ended responses were analyzed using content analysis procedures, where we coded and categorized the data into themes.

RESULTS

Six themes were identified from the study data: (1) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training for health providers focused on racial bias and discrimination, (2) Advocacy, (3) Provider selection, (4) Researching doctors and delivery hospitals to inform women's birthing decision-making, (5) Women's care-seeking behaviors, and (6) Addressing the Social Determinants of Health.

CONCLUSION

Based on the study's findings, we recommend DEI training for healthcare professionals providing direct care to pregnant and postpartum women, advocacy and resource-awareness training for pregnant Black/African American women and their spouses/partners, or a family member, to assist them in their pregnancy and birthing journeys.

Neural substrates underlying rhythmic coupling of female reproductive and thermoregulatory circuits

Coordinated fluctuations in female reproductive physiology and thermoregulatory output have been reported for over a century. These changes occur rhythmically at the hourly (ultradian), daily (circadian), and multi-day (ovulatory) timescales, are critical for reproductive function, and have led to the use of temperature patterns as a proxy for female reproductive state. The mechanisms underlying coupling between reproductive and thermoregulatory systems are not fully established, hindering the expansion of inferences that body temperature can provide about female reproductive status. At present, numerous digital tools rely on temperature to infer the timing of ovulation and additional applications (e.g., monitoring ovulatory irregularities and progression of puberty, pregnancy, and menopause are developed based on the assumption that reproductive-thermoregulatory coupling occurs across timescales and life stages. However, without clear understanding of the mechanisms and degree of coupling among the neural substrates regulating temperature and the reproductive axis, whether such approaches will bear fruit in particular domains is uncertain. In this overview, we present evidence supporting broad coupling among the central circuits governing reproduction, thermoregulation, and broader systemic physiology, focusing on timing at ultradian frequencies. Future work characterizing the dynamics of reproductive-thermoregulatory coupling across the lifespan, and of conditions that may decouple these circuits (e.g., circadian disruption, metabolic disease) and compromise female reproductive health, will aid in the development of strategies for early detection of reproductive irregularities and monitoring the efficacy of fertility treatments.