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Maternal and child health

Improving maternal and child health

Our maternal and child health researchers are experts in clinical psychology, clinical medicine and epidemiology. We rely on strong relationships with pediatrics and OB/GYN health care leaders interested in research. These relationships enhance the work we do and help bring research to patients. Many studies are focused on vaccine safety, medication exposures in pregnancy, maternal mental health, and pediatric health. We also work with communities to research maternal and child health needs within the community and to implement solutions.

Investigators

Key projects

Oral corticosteroid use and risk for preterm birth

We are assessing the risk of preterm birth associated with oral corticosteroid use during pregnancy in women with autoimmune diseases. We will develop a tool to help clinicians counsel pregnant women who may use these medications. It is funded by a NICHD Career Development Award.

EHR-based decision support for pediatric acute abdominal pain in emergency care

We are implementing and evaluating an electronic decision support system to improve care for children with acute abdominal pain. This is in collaboration with our partners at Children’s Hospital and Clinics of Minnesota and Kaiser Northern California. This study is funded by NICHD.

Choose Your Fish

With the Minnesota Department of Health, we produced a brochure and website aimed at increasing the consumption of fish low in mercury and other contaminants among Minnesota women of childbearing age and their families. This project, Choose Your Fish, used focus groups, surveys and other input from HealthPartners patients and members to develop fish consumption messages. Our research and patient education experts created materials that would resonate most with the target population. The resulting materials are a brochure and mobile-responsive website with videos, tips for cooking fish and a recipe page with a Pinterest-like format.

Improve blood pressure management in adolescents through EHR-based clinical decision support

We are using clinical decision support tools to recognize and manage early elevated blood pressure in teens. This study is funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

PowerUp

This community-wide youth health initiative is designed to make better eating and active living easy, fun and popular so that youth in the participating communities can reach their full potential. The goal is to change policy, programs, systems and environment so that active living and healthy nutrition are easy choices in the participating communities. Amery Hospital and Clinic, Hudson Hospital and Clinic, Lakeview Hospital, Stillwater Medical Group and Westfields Hospital and Clinic are among the numerous community partners that include schools, government agencies, voluntary organizations, businesses and others.

Mothers and Infants Linked for Healthy Growth (MILK)

The purpose of this study is to learn more about how breast milk is related to mother and infant weight gain and body composition (the amount of muscle and fat in your body). This study is in partnership with the University of Minnesota.

Early environmental stressors and emerging cardiometabolic risk

This study examines the ways that environmental stressors in early childhood affect later cardiometabolic risk. We are looking to identify protective factors (skills, resources, coping strategies) associated with improved health outcomes. This project is funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). It is being conducted in partnership with the University of Minnesota.

 Key publications

Learn more about our Maternal and Child Health investigators and their publications by visiting Knowledge Exchange.