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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

Feasibility and Effectiveness of Telelactation Among Rural Breastfeeding Women

This article evaluates the feasibility and impact of telelactation via personal electronic devices on breastfeeding duration and exclusivity among rural women.

Nov 13, 2020
Journal Article

Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Among Pregnant Women Referred by Criminal Justice Agencies Before and After Medicaid Expansion: A Retrospective Study of Admissions to Treatment Centers in the United States

Pregnant women with OUD referred by criminal justice agencies between 1992 and 2017 were consistently less likely to receive evidence-based treatment than women referred through other sources.

Jun 30, 2020
Research Brief

Reducing Child Deaths in Nigeria

A program paid expectant mothers in Nigeria to use prenatal, delivery, and postnatal health services, resulting in an increase in use of care. This led to a substantial decrease in child deaths. Scaling this program up across Nigeria could reduce stillbirths by 85,000 annually.

Jun 22, 2020
Journal Article

Maternal Cash Transfers Led To Increases In Facility Deliveries And Improved Quality Of Delivery Care In Nigeria

A randomized controlled trial in Nigeria evaluated an intervention that paid pregnant women to deliver in a health facility, which led to a 41% increase in facility deliveries. We found improvements in the quality of delivery care and in satisfaction with care.

Jun 4, 2020
Journal Article

Consensus Guidelines and State Policies: The Gap Between Principle and Practice at the Intersection of Substance Use and Pregnancy

We review the change over time in state-level policy environments around substance use in pregnancy and contrast the policy response with the principles and guidance from professional societies and federal agencies.

Jun 3, 2020
Blog

Infectious Diseases, Zimbabwe, Students with Disabilities: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on the U.S. response to infectious diseases, Zimbabwe after Mugabe, the support for students with disabilities, and more.

Feb 14, 2020
Infographic

State Policies Related to Substance Use in Pregnancy

This infographic illustrates the evolution from 2000 to 2015 of state policy environments related to substance use in pregnancy. Punitive or potentially punitive policies were more commonly enacted than were policies supporting treatment.

Feb 14, 2020
Journal Article

Five-Year Outcomes Among Medicaid-Enrolled Children With In Utero Opioid Exposure

Children with in utero opioid exposure had a predicted probability of being diagnosed with a pediatric complex chronic condition similar to that among children with tobacco exposure and those with neither exposure (20.4%,18.7%, and 20.2%, respectively). Our findings were consistent when we examined a subgroup of opioid-exposed children identified as having neonatal opioid withdrawal symptoms.

Feb 6, 2020
Commentary

Policies That Punish Pregnant Women for Substance Use Don't Help Mother or Baby

About half of all U.S. states now have policies that criminalize substance use during pregnancy, consider it grounds for civil commitment, or consider it child abuse or neglect. But research suggests that punitive policies aren't beneficial for infants or their mothers.

Jan 28, 2020
News Release

The NHS Spends Significantly Less on Pregnancy-Related Research Compared with Other Health Conditions

The National Health Service spends significantly less on pregnancy-related research compared with other health conditions. Funding for pregnancy research totaled £255 million from 2013 to 2017, or about £51 million a year. As pregnancy care costs the NHS £5.8 billion annually, this means that for every £1 spent on pregnancy care, less than 1 penny is spent on research.

Jan 14, 2020
Report

Pregnancy research review: Policy report

This study presents a review of UK pregnancy research needs and priorities, comparing this to current research expenditure and setting the findings in the context of NHS costs related to pregnancy.

Jan 13, 2020
Journal Article

Healthcare at the Beginning of Life and Child Survival: Evidence from a Cash Transfer Experiment in Nigeria

We study the effects of a cash transfer program in Nigeria in which households were offered a payment of $14 conditioned on uptake of health services.

Dec 20, 2019
Journal Article

Opioid Litigation and Maternal-Child Health: Investing in the Future

Funds from opioid litigation should be allocated in a way that benefits those most affected and reduces the risk of future harm.

Dec 19, 2019
Blog

How Americans Get the News, Iran, Caregiving: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on how Americans consume the news, U.S.–Iranian relations, how federal disability payments help caregivers, and more.

Dec 13, 2019
Journal Article

Association of Punitive and Reporting State Policies Related to Substance Use in Pregnancy With Rates of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

State policies that impose punitive action against pregnant women who use illicit substances are associated with higher rates of infants being born with opioid withdrawal.

Nov 15, 2019
Commentary

Meghan Markle May Avoid the Spotlight After Giving Birth and Send a Powerful Public Health Message

Meghan Markle plans to break from royal tradition by declining to present her baby to the public on the the steps of the maternity ward, hours after giving birth, with flawless hair and makeup. This could bring attention to many of the postpartum challenges faced by women everywhere.

Apr 11, 2019
Tool

Simulation of County Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) Rates Tool

This web-based tool aims to inform policymakers about the rates of neonatal abstinence syndrome by county across eight states from 2009 to 2015. This analysis is displayed via maps and interactive charts.

Mar 15, 2019
Journal Article

Workfare and Infant Health: Evidence From India's Public Works Program

India's National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, which prioritizes female participation, increased newborn mortality among women eligible to participate. Work-related stresses adversely affect fetal health; however maternal work participation may have positive income effects for older children.

Jan 29, 2019
Report

The Welcome Baby Program: An Implementation and Outcomes Evaluation

Findings from an evaluation of First 5 LA's Welcome Baby universal home visiting program showed significant variation across sites, but generally positive responses from participants.

Dec 11, 2018
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

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