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Maternal Health

Maternal health during and immediately after pregnancy is strongly correlated with access to and quality of prenatal medical care; nutrition; and food security. RAND's research on maternal health throughout the world includes studies of prenatal obstetric care for low-income women, the effects of public assistance on birth outcomes, maternal and infant mortality, family planning and birth spacing, prenatal substance use, and maternal mental health.

Journal Article

Journal Article

Utilization of Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) Services Among Pregnant Women in HIV Care in Uganda: A 24-Month Cohort of Women from Pre-Conception to Post-Delivery

Improved provider-client communication could enhance post-birth care and prevention of mother-to-child transmission among HIV infected women in care.

May 3, 2018
Journal Article

Journal Article

Stigma Gets in My Way: Factors Affecting Client-Provider Communication Regarding Childbearing Among People Living with HIV in Uganda

Among Ugandan HIV clients and health care providers, communication about childbearing needs is poor and associated with stigma.

Apr 10, 2018
Journal Article

Effect of the Affordable Care Act on Breastfeeding Outcomes

When new mothers have affordable access to lactation support services and breast pumps, they are more likely to breastfeed until their infants are ready to transition to solid foods.

Feb 9, 2018
Journal Article

Cesarean Deliveries and Maternal Weight Retention

Cesarean delivery does not lead to greater maternal weight retention after pregnancy.

Oct 12, 2017
News Release

News Release

Nation's Public Cord Blood Banks Provide Benefits, Despite Drop in Use

The nation's public umbilical cord blood banks provide benefits that far outweigh their costs and should continue to receive federal support, even though use of cord blood stem cells from the banks has been declining.

Sep 29, 2017
Report

Public Cord Blood Banks Provide Benefits Despite Drop in Use

U.S. umbilical cord blood banks provide benefits that far outweigh their costs. The national cord blood system should continue to receive federal support, even though use of cord blood stem cells from the banks has been declining.

Sep 29, 2017
Research Brief

Public Cord Blood Banks: Worthy of National Investment

RAND studied trends affecting public cord blood banks and considered changes to the program to buttress banks' financial stability. Researchers found a system worthy of investment, especially if it helps improve the quality of the national inventory.

Sep 29, 2017
Journal Article

Journal Article

Going to Scale: Design and Implementation Challenges of a Program to Increase Access to Skilled Birth Attendants in Nigeria

A program to increase the number of skilled birth attendants in Nigeria was hampered by design, implementation and operational challenges.

Jun 13, 2017
Journal Article

Journal Article

The Emergence and Promise of Telelactation

Telehealth services to support lactation may hold particular promise, but additional research is needed to determine whether the benefits outweigh potential challenges.

Jun 2, 2017
Journal Article

Journal Article

Correlates of Electronic Cigarettes Use Before and During Pregnancy

Women of reproductive age were more likely to use electronic cigarettes than smoking cessation aids to quit smoking, suggesting an urgent need to understand the potential risks and benefits of e-cigarette use in this population.

May 19, 2017
Journal Article

Journal Article

The Effect of Increasing the Supply of Skilled Health Providers on Pregnancy and Birth Outcomes: Evidence from the Midwives Service Scheme in Nigeria

This study highlights the complexity of improving maternal and child health outcomes in developing countries, and shows that scaling up supply of midwives may not be sufficient on its own.

Mar 15, 2017
Report

A Psychometric Study of the Modified Bridges for Newborns Screening Tool

This report describes RAND Corporation work evaluating the psychometric characteristics of the Modified Bridges for Newborns, a screening tool to identify high-risk mothers in Los Angeles Count who are eligible for supportive services.

Feb 6, 2017
Report

Maternity leave policies: Trade-offs between labour market demands and health benefits for children

This brief examines maternity and parental leave provision across European Union countries and its potential impact on the breastfeeding of very young babies (up to 6-months).

Oct 12, 2016
Journal Article

Journal Article

Four Case Studies to Explore the Added Value of Oxford AHSN

This report provides evidence that the Oxford Academic Health Science Network (Oxford AHSN) is capable of promoting high quality NHS care and delivering projects which improve patient outcomes, at a cost that appears to represent good value for money.

Sep 15, 2016
Commentary

Is It Time to Extend Maternity Leave Across Europe?

Any policy solution for extending maternity leave must strike a balance between protecting infant health through extended breastfeeding and mitigating any potentially negative impact on the mother's career progression or increased costs to business.

Sep 13, 2016
Commentary

The Economic Rationale for Investing in Family Planning in Sub-Saharan Africa

Proven benefits to reduced fertility — or to delayed start to childbearing and greater spacing between births — include lower maternal mortality, fewer unsafe abortions, reduced risks from early childbearing, and women's ability to engage in more income-generating opportunities.

Aug 3, 2016
Commentary

New Depression-Screening Guidelines Could Help Both Mother and Child

Behavioral health professionals and community agencies often do not consider the impact of parental depression on young children or focus on the adult's role as a parent. New guidelines recommending depression screening during primary care visits for pregnant women and new mothers are a critical first step.

Mar 18, 2016
Commentary

Africa Succeeds in Meeting Many Long-Term U.N. Development Goals

Africa's great strides toward meeting the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals are a compelling reminder of the continent's potential to create a more prosperous and sustainable environment for its people.

Dec 7, 2015
Journal Article

Maternal Health Status and Early Childbearing: A Test of the Weathering Hypothesis

This study examines the hypothesis of early childbearing as detrimental to maternal well-being.

Nov 24, 2015
Commentary

A Tale of Two Deliveries, or an Out-of-Network Problem

Two mothers gave birth within weeks of each other, at the same hospital, using the same employer-sponsored insurance. Both had an epidural. But one received a surprise physician bill for anesthesiology, while the other didn't have to pay a dime. Why?

Nov 4, 2015

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