Maternal Health

Investigating racism's impact on birth outcomes

Q&A with University of Michigan researcher Safyer McKenzie-Sampson on racism’s impact on reproductive health

Safyer McKenzie-Sampson is the John G. Searle Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Behavior & Health Equity at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. She focuses her research on the multi-level impacts of racial discrimination on adverse perinatal outcomes in Black communities. Her work uniquely examines these outcomes through the lens of maternal nativity, highlighting the experiences of Black immigrants

What proposed Medicaid cuts could mean for rural communities, hospital access

Q&A with Michael Shepherd

Major cuts to Medicaid funding could have rural communities across the country facing widespread hospital closures and reduced access to healthcare, says Michael Shepherd, a health policy researcher at the University of Michigan.

Michigan Health Equity Challenge announces winners of second annual competition

Three student-led proposals addressing rural healthcare access, Parkinson’s disease care, and water quality monitoring have emerged as winners in the University of Michigan’s Michigan Health Equity Challenge.

Researchers uncover hidden risk of infant mortality linked to grandmothers' obesity

New research from Eduardo Villamor

A new study has found that a grandmother’s obesity significantly increases the risk of infant mortality in her grandchildren, suggesting the need to address obesity in women of childbearing age for future generational health.

Maternal suicide: Study provides insights into complicating factors surrounding perinatal deaths

Pregnant and postpartum people who died by suicide more likely to experience intimate partner problems, depression, substance abuse, health problems

Suicide is a leading cause of death during pregnancy and in the months after delivery in the United States, but many of these deaths may be preventable, say University of Michigan researchers.

Grandchild's stillbirth risk linked to grandma's weight

New research from Eduardo Villamor

Research has shown that pregnant women with a body max index of 30 or higher face a greater chance of experiencing a stillbirth compared to pregnant women with a normal BMI. Now, a new Michigan Public Health study finds that a grandmother's BMI also relates to the risk of a grandchild being stillborn.