Description:

“Recent Pregnancy and Birth Outcomes Research: Team Science with the Northwestern Maternal and Fetal Medicine Division”

Abstract: While already worse than in other wealthy nations, U.S. maternal and neonatal birth outcomes—such as infant and maternal mortality, preterm birth, and pregnancy complications—have deteriorated in recent years. This trend reflects the worsening health status of the reproductive age U.S. population, including increases in the prevalence of obesity, cardiovascular risk factors, mental health conditions, and substance use, with huge racial disparities in adverse outcomes. There remains little consensus on quality-of-care measures for deliveries, major gaps in postpartum-care transitions, and increasing assaults on reproductive rights in red states. Feinglass will present findings from a range of studies based on national, Illinois, and Northwestern health system data, and review public and clinical policy approaches to improving birth outcomes. 

By Joe Feinglass, Research Professor of Medicine and IPR Associate

This event is part of the Fay Lomax Cook Winter 2025 Colloquium Series, where our researchers from around the University share their latest policy-relevant research.