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Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common cause of disability, affecting about 2.5% of North Americans. Although one-third of people with TBI are female, most TBI research is focused on high-risk groups that are primarily male, like veterans and professional athletes. This means that the consequences of TBI most relevant to women and those assigned female at birth, like the impact of TBI on mental health around the time of pregnancy, have received little attention.
Read MoreBecoming a father often represents a critical milestone in a man’s life. Much of the academic literature has focused on the roles, needs, challenges, and expectations of fathers after the baby is born, but there is a need to better understand what it means to be a father from the time they learn of conception through the opportunity they have to see their child come into the world. Fathers perspectives are important for developing resources and implementing programs to help fathers fulfill their roles, and support the needs of expectant and new mothers.
Read MoreWomen’s periods of reproduction and childbirth are characterized by major changes in their bodies and lives. For many women, childbirth is a key event in their lives, and they develop strong expectations towards this experience. Unfortunately, in the last two decades there is increased evidence about abusive behaviors towards women by no other than health professionals. These behaviors were named ‘obstetric violence.
Read MorePregnancy is a unique “teachable moment” during a woman’s life where improvements to lifestyle behaviors, including diet and physical activity, not only serve to enhance their health, but also the health of their child. Traditionally, physical activity declines during pregnancy due to psychological reasons, such as desire to engage in physical activity, and physiological reasons, including fatigue due to childbearing. Yet, there are several health benefits to maintaining or increasing physical activity during pregnancy. These include reducing the risk for excess gestational weight gain (GWG), development of gestational diabetes mellitus, birth complications and incidence of cesarean section, and birthing a baby large for gestational age.
Read MoreConsumption of alcohol is common in many societies and related to various occasions, especially in the context of leisure and festivities. As gender roles have changed, women's consumption patterns have become similar to men's in many countries. In case of deviant behavior, such as drunkenness in public, women are criticized more harshly, and stigmatization is experienced more frequently. This is also mirrored in higher self-stigmatization among women with alcohol dependence in comparison to men. This is also of great relevance with regards to health services and health services research, as we have shown at the example of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
Read MoreEven low levels of prenatal alcohol exposure can harm embryofetal development. There is no known safe amount of alcohol use during pregnancy or while trying to conceive, and there is no safe time for alcohol use during pregnancy.
Read MoreRacial disparities in maternal and infant mortality have worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic. These disparities persist regardless of social and economic factors, and are ultimately caused by systemic racism that permeates healthcare as well as countless upstream social determinants of health. While the statistics and causes for disparities in Black maternal and infant health are clear, there is less information on how to effectively address these disparities in the short-term. Digital media campaigns are one potential way to distribute information in a time and cost-efficient manner, directly in the online spaces where women spend their time.
Read MoreCOVID-19 has transformed everyone’s lives globally. Early on in the pandemic, our research team became interested in the symptom of anosmia (loss of smell) as an early clinical feature of COVID-19 infection. “Why does this occur?” we wondered, and began exploring further to see if the virus impacted the brain, mental health or had consequences for pregnant women and newborns.
Read MoreNot all pregnancies follow the textbook. Miscarriage or stillbirth occurs in 1 in 5, and in 1 in 20 an anomaly is found which could signal the presence of a health condition. Pregnancy complications are extremely distressing for expectant parents and increase women’s risk of experiencing depression, anxiety and trauma.
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