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Preconceptional Health: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, White Plains, NY [email protected] 914 997 4463

Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

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Page 1: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Preconceptional Health:Preconceptional Health:Who Cares?Who Cares?

Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhDOb/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY

Office of the Medical DirectorMarch of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, White Plains, NY

[email protected] 914 997 4463

Page 2: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

• State the goals of preconcpetion care• Identify the major elements of preconcpeiton

care• Understand the limitations of the research and

science • Describe the benefits and challenges of

preconception care• Learn about the most current national efforts and

guidelines

Objectives

Page 3: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Healthy PeopleThe Road Map to the Nation’s Health

• HP2000- Increase the proportion of women receiving appropriate preconceptional care to 60%

• HP2010- Removed- unable to measure and track objective

Page 4: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

•Polio vaccine•PKU•Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)•Fetal Alcohol Syndrome •Surfactant therapy for RDS•Nitric oxide therapy for PPHN•PERI Grants•PRI Grants

Major March of Dimes Funded Research

Page 5: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth
Page 6: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth
Page 7: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation

Mission:• To improve infant health by preventing infant

mortality, birth defects, LBW and PTB

The Continuum of Reproductive Health• Improving health of infants requires focusing on the entire

spectrum of reproductive health from prior to conception through the first year of an infant’s life and throughout the woman’s childbearing years

• Preconceptional health is the cornerstone of healthy infants, children, families and communities

Page 8: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

• Preconception care is comprised of biomedical and behavioral interventions that aim to identify and address reversible risks to a woman’s health or pregnancy outcome, emphasizing those factors which must be acted on before conception or early in pregnancy to have maximal impact.

• Thus, it is neither a single visit nor all well-woman care.

8/29 DRAFT SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE PRECONCEPTION HEALTH

Definition of Preconception Care

Page 9: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

• Preconceptional care is an anticipatory process, often facilitated by a care provider, that encourages individuals and couples to seriously consider their decision to become parents. Through this process they become aware that preconception, conception, pregnancy, birth, and childbearing are a continuum in which earlier events affect the present and the future.

• This process helps people examine their desire and readiness for parenthood.

• Individuals consider their health, age, emotions, support network, finances and career goals as they decide to become parents, to delay parenthood or not to become parents.

Wisconsin Association for Perinatal Care Position Statement on Preconceptional Care

Definition of Preconception Care

Page 10: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

• To reduce the risk of adverse health effects for the woman, fetus, or neonate by optimizing the woman’s health and knowledge before planning and conceiving a pregnancy.

• Because reproductive capacity expands almost four decades for most women, optimizing women’s health before and between pregnancies is an ongoing process that requires access to and the full participation of all segment of the health care system.

The Importance of Preconception Care in the Continuum of Women's Health CareACOG Committee Opinion Number 313, September 2005

Goal of Preconception Care

Page 11: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

• Counseling about folic acid and prevention of neural tube defects• Education about risks for diabetes, glycemic control and pregnancy

outcome• Education to increase awareness of the importance of diet, weight

and fitness• Education about the importance of compliance with treatment in

women with chronic conditions and when appropriate, obtaining preconceptional genetic counseling

• Identification of and help for victims of domestic violence/abuse • Appropriate screening, prevention and treatment of infectious

diseases• Education to increase awareness that during the earliest weeks of

pregnancy, no level of alcohol and tobacco ingestion is proven safe

California Preconception Care Initiative: Every Woman, Every Time

What is Preconception Care

Page 12: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Pre/Interconception/Internatal Care• Readiness for pregnancy (FP)• Optimal management of any medical conditions (diabetes, HBP, asthma,

infections, heart disease, depression, addiction )• Infections and STIs• Immunizations• Family history, genetic counseling, carrier testing• Substance abuse (smoking, alcohol, other drugs)• Domestic violence (DV/IPV)• Stress reduction• Optimal weight and activity • Good nutrition-- folic acid for men and women• Avoid teratogens (work site, environment)• Review all meds and home remedies with hcp

Page 13: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Critical Periods of Development

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12Weeks gestation from LMP

Central Nervous SystemCentral Nervous System

HeartHeart

ArmsArms

EyesEyes

LegsLegs

TeethTeeth

PalatePalate

External genitaliaExternal genitalia

EarEar

Missed Period Mean Entry into Prenatal Care

Most susceptible time for major malformation

Page 14: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Why Preterm Birth?

• #1 obstetric challenge in the U.S.

• Leading problem in pediatrics

• Common, serious, and costly

Page 15: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Preterm Birth/Prematurity• Single most important cause of perinatal

mortality in U.S. (about 75% of these losses)

• Leading cause of neonatal mortality (0-27 days) in U.S. since 1999

• Second leading cause of infant mortality in U.S.

• Leading cause of black infant mortality in U.S.

Page 16: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Preterm Birth/Prematurity

• Major determinant of neonatal and infant illness:– Neurodevelopmental handicaps (CP, mental

retardation)– Chronic respiratory problems– Intraventricular hemorrhage– Periventricular leukomalacia – Infection– Retinopathy of prematurity– Necrotizing enterocolitis– Neurosensory deficits (hearing, visual)

Page 17: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Birth Weight and Coronary Heart Disease Barker Hypothesis

1.5

1.251.15

10.9

0.7

0

0.25

0.5

0.75

1

1.25

1.5

1.75

<5.0 5.0-5.5 5.6-7.0 7.1-8.5 8.6-10.0 >10.0

Ag

e A

dju

sted

Rel

ativ

e R

isk

Rich-Edwards 1997

Birthweight (lbs)

Page 18: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Birth Weight and Insulin Resistance Syndrome Barker Hypothesis

18

8.4 8.5

4.9

2.21

0

5

10

15

20

<5.5 5.6-6.5 6.6-7.5 7.6-8.5 8.6-9.5 >9.5

Od

ds

rat i

o a

dj u

s ted

fo

r B

MI

Barker 1993 Birthweight (lbs)

Page 19: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Current Definitions

• Gestation Length– Premature (preterm delivery, PTD)- < 37 weeks

– Early preterm delivery - < 32 weeks

• Birth Weight– Low Birth weight (LBW) - < 2500 grams or 5.5 lbs

– Very low birth weight - (VLBW) < 1500 grams or 3.3 lbs

• Growth Restriction

– < 10th percentile for gestational age

• IUGR - intrauterine growth restricted applies to fetuses

• SGA - small for gestational age applies to neonates

Page 20: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

www.marchofdimes.com/peristats

Page 21: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

9.611.0

12.3

7.6

0

5

10

15

1983 1993 2003

Preterm is less than 37 completed weeks gestation.Source: National Center for Health Statistics, final natality dataPrepared by March of Dimes Perinatal Data Center, 2004

Pe

rce

nt

HP 2010 Objective28% Increase

Preterm Birth RatesUnited States, 1983, 1993, 2003

Percent

Page 22: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Distribution of Live Births by Gestational AgeUnited States, 1990 and 2001

2001Live Births

n = 3,986,102*

1990Live Births

n = 4,111,396*

Not Preterm (88.4%)Not Preterm (89.4%)

Very Preterm (1.9%)

Moderately Preterm (10.0%)

Very Preterm (1.9%)

Moderately Preterm (8.7%)

Total Preterm = 10.6% Total Preterm = 11.9%

* Note: Live births with missing gestational age data were excluded from the analysis.

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, final natality data

Prepared by March of Dimes Perinatal Data Center, 2003

Page 23: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Distribution of Preterm Births by Gestational Age, US, 2002

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, 2002 natality file

Prepared by the March of Dimes Perinatal Data Center, 2004

16.2

5

7.6

12.9

21.1

37.1

(34 Weeks)

(33 Weeks)

(32 Weeks)

(<32 Weeks)

(35 Weeks)

(36 Weeks)

“Near term infants had significantly more medical problems and increased hospital costs compared with contemporaneous full term infants

Near term infants may represent an unrecognized at-risk neonatal population.”Wang, et al. Clinical Outcomes of Near-Term Infants, Pediatrics (114) 372-6, 2004.

~60% of PTB 35 - 36 weeks

Page 24: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

TYPETYPE of Preterm Birth of Preterm Birth

SpontaneousPreterm Labor

SpontaneousPremature Ruptureof the Membranes

Iatrogenic(Medical

Indication)

PretermBirth

While this suggests distinct pathways, many of the risk factors for all 3 are similar

50%

25-30%

25-30%

Page 25: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

PLURALITYPreterm and Low Birthweight Births

By Plurality, United States, 2002

10.46.1

58.2 55.4

92.7 94.6

0

20

40

60

80

100

Preterm Birth Low Birthweight

Percent

Preterm is less than 37 weeks gestationLow birthweight is less than 2500 grams or 5 1/2 poundsSource: National Center for Health Statistics, final natality dataPrepared by March of Dimes Perinatal Data Center, 2002

TwinsTwins

Higher Order

Higher Order

SingletonSingleton

Page 26: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

MATERNAL AGEPreterm Births by Maternal Age

Among Singletons, US, 1990 and 2001

23.3

13.7

10.2

8.3 8.49.7

11.5

21.5

13.1

9.4 9.210.6

12.8

10.8

0

5

10

15

20

25

<15 15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40+

1990 2001

Percent

Source: National Center for Health Statistics

Prepared by March of Dimes Perinatal Data Center, 2004

Page 27: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

RACE ETHNICITYPreterm Births

by Race/Ethnicity, US, 1990 and 2001

8.5

18.9

12

10.111 10.610.8

17.6

13.2

10.311.4 11.9

0

5

10

15

20

White Black NativeAmerican

Asian orPacific

Islander

Hispanic All Races/Ethnicities

1990 2001

Percent

People of Hispanic ethnicity may be any race; all other categories are non-Hispanic

Source: National Center for Health Statistics

Prepared by March of Dimes Perinatal Data Center, 2004

Page 28: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Infant MortalityUnited States, 1915-2002

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

1915 1925 1935 1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995

Rate per 1,000 live births

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, final mortality data

Prepared by March of Dimes Perinatal Data Center, 2002

Page 29: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

www.cdc.gov/mmwr

• Unexpected findings- most of increase due to:– non Hispanic white– >30 years– married– >high school– onset PNC first trimester– nonsmoker– private insurance

Page 30: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Three Leading Causes of Infant Mortality United States, 1990 and 2002

50.6

114.4

140.7

130.3

96.5

198.1

0 50 100 150 200 250

SIDS

Preterm / LBW

Birth Defects

1990

2002

Rate per 100,000 live births

Source: National Center for Health Statistics

Prepared by March of Dimes Perinatal Data Center, 2004

Page 31: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Cause of Infant Death

2001final rate

2002 prelim rate

% change

Birth defects 136.9 140.7 + 3%

Prematurity/LBW 109.5 114.4 + 5%

SIDS 55.5 50.6 - 8%

Maternal complications

37.2 42.9 +15%

Rates are per 100,000 live births

Leading Cause-specific IMR and % ChangeUnited States, 2001 and 2002

Page 32: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Risk Factors for Preterm Labor/Delivery• The best predictors of having a preterm birth are:

current multifetal pregnancya history of preterm labor/delivery or prior low birthweightmid trimester bleeding (repeat) some uterine, cervical and placental abnormalities

• Other risk factors:

–multifetal pregnancy

–maternal age (<17 and >35 yrs)

–black race

–low SES

–unmarried

–previous fetal or neonatal death

–3+ spontaneous terminations

–uterine abnormalities

–incompetent cervix

–genetic predisposition

–low pre-pregnant weight–obesity–infections–bleeding –anemia –major stress –lack of social supports–tobacco use–illicit drug use–alcohol abuse–folic acid deficiency

Page 33: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Folic Acid Deficiency

• Predisposes to:• NTDs

• Other birth defects (cleft lip/palate, cardiac,

limb reduction, urinary tract, omphalocele, trisomies)

• Early and recurrent pregnancy loss

• Low birth weight and prematurity

• Gestational hypertension, preeclampsia in Black women

• Atherosclerotic vascular disease (stroke, CAD)

• Colorectal and cervical cancer

• Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia

• Alzheimer’s Disease

Page 34: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Folic Acid RecommendationsPrevent Recurrence, 1991• All women with a previous NTD pregnancy should

take 4 mg or 4000mcg interconceptionally

Prevent Occurrence, USPHS September, 1992• All women of childbearing potential should

consume 0.4 mg (400 micrograms) of folic acid daily

Food & Nutrition Board of IOM, 1998• Men (14 yr & older) 400 µg any source• Women (14 yr & older) 400 µg synthetic + food• Pregnancy 600 µg synthetic + food• Lactation 500 µg any source

Page 35: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Folic Acid Knowledge and Behavior 1995 and 2004

40

12

24

77

28

2

4

52

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Take folic aciddaily

Knew folic acidshould be taken

before pregnancy

Knew folic acid canprevent birth

defects

Aware of folic acid

1995

2004

Percentage of women ages 18-45

Page 36: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Things Women Reported Might Encourage them to Take a Multivitamin Daily

March of Dimes Folic Acid Survey, 2003

4

4

4

4

4

4

9

33

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

I f not in pill form

If pregnant

Someone to remind me

Remembered to take

Needed vitamins

Feeling run down

Change in health

Advised by a health care provider

Percentage of women ages 18-45who do not take vitamins daiily

Page 37: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Perceived Benefits of Folic Acid

Q. 14 “Please tell me whether each statement is true or false, or ifyou are not sure.” Note: Correct responses are outlined.

OB/G FP OB/G FP OB/G FP

Prevent some birth defects 98% 96% 0% 0% 2% 3%

Prevent some cardiovascular events 56% 70% 12% 8% 33% 23%

Prevent osteoarthritis 7% 8% 35% 50% 58% 42%

Decrease risk of Alzheimer's 20% 32% 24% 32% 55% 36%

Lower risk of colorectal cancer 35% 37% 19% 27% 47% 36%

Decreases homocysteine levels 51% 70% 8% 5% 40% 25%

Most grain products in US are fortified with folic acid

58% 56% 20% 18% 22% 26%

Because grain supply is fortified with folic acid, women of childbearing age do not need folic acid supplements

8% 5% 82% 82% 11% 13%

True False Not Sure

Page 38: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

When Do Physicians Recommend Multivitamins/Folic Acid?

Q. 15 “In your practice, do you always, usually, occasionally, or neverrecommend multivitamins or folic acid supplementation:…?”

OB/G FP OB/G FP OB/G FP OB/G FP

Among patients who express interest in becoming pregnant

89% 78% 9% 16% 2% 4% 0% 2%

At annual GYN exams with non-pregnant women

27% 21% 34% 34% 32% 41% 8% 4%

At other types of visits by non-pregnant women, regardless of the reason for the visit

13% 9% 27% 22% 50% 60% 9% 9%

Always Usually Occasionally Never

Page 39: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

• Only about one-half of the physicians generally bring up folic acid (or multivitamins) during an annual exam

• Patients are not likely to bring up the issue of folic acid on their own, and physicians perceive that patients have only moderate compliance levels when advised to take folic acid or multivitamins

• Physicians suggest that “some doctors” may not address folic acid with their patients primarily due to lack of knowledge about folic acid, and lack of time during the exam

• Survey responses suggest that folic acid is not high on physicians’ priority list, in light of all the other preventive issues they need to address with patients

Prevention or Well-Woman Care

Page 40: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

14%

4%

16%

57%

9%

3%

4%

46%

40%

8%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

DK/Not sure

"5 milligrams"

"4 milligrams"

"1 milligram"

"400 micrograms"OB/GYNFP

Perceived Recommended PreconceptionalFolic Acid Dose for NTD Patients

Q. 21 “To the best of your knowledge, what is the recommended preconceptional daily dose of folic acid for women who have had a pregnancy affected by NTD?”

Page 41: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Mean serum and red blood cell folate levels, before and after folic acid fortification,

NHANES women aged 15-44 years

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, 1988-94 and 1999-2000

5.0

163.0

265.5

0

5

10

15

20ng/mL

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350ng/mL

Serum folate Red blood cell folate

12.8

1988-1994 1999-20001988-1994 1999-2000

Page 42: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

DAILY Take the Good Acids

• Folic acid (at least 400 mcg)

–Vitamin B9

• Ascorbic acid

–Vitamin C

• Omega 3 fatty acid

Page 43: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth
Page 44: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Factors that Contribute to Increasing Rates of Preterm Birth

• Increasing rates of births to women 35+ years of age– Independent risk of advanced PATERNAL age

• Increasing rates of multiple births• Indicated deliveries

– Induction– Enhanced management of maternal and fetal conditions– Patient preference/consumerism (section on demand)

• Substance abuse– Tobacco– Alcohol– Illicit drugs

• Bacterial and viral infections • Increased stress (catastrophic events, DV, racism)

Page 45: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Multiple Birth Ratios by Maternal RaceUnited States, 1980-2002

19.3 19.7 19.9 20.3 20.3 21.0 21.6 22.0 22.4 23.0 23.9 24.4 25.2 25.7

33.032.0

26.1 27.428.6

30.0 30.7 31.1

23.3

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

All Races White Black

Ratio per 1,000 live births

Source: NCHS, final natality data, 1980-2001Prepared by March of Dimes Perinatal Data Center, 2003

Page 46: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Higher-Order Multiple Birth RatiosBy Maternal Race, United States, 1980-2002

37.0 38.2 40.3 43.3 45.1 51.2 48.356.2 61.0

69.281.4

95.5104.2

116.2127.5

152.6

193.5184.9

184.0173.6 180.5185.6

72.8

0

40

80

120

160

200

240

All races White Black

Ratio per 100,000 live births

Source: NCHS, final natality data, 1980-2002Prepared by March of Dimes Perinatal Data Center, 2004

Page 47: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Proportion of Preterm Births by PluralityProportion of Preterm Births by PluralityUnited States, 1992 and 2002United States, 1992 and 2002

11.7 16.4

88.3 83.6

0

25

50

75

100

1992 2002

Singletons

Multiples

Percent of preterm births

% Multiple Births 2.4% 3.3%

40% increase in the

proportion of multiple

preterm births from

1992 to 2002

Source: National Center for Health Statistics.

Prepared by March of Dimes Perinatal Data Center, 2004.

Page 48: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Total and Primary Cesarean and VBAC Rates United States, 1989-2002

Page 49: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Singleton Preterm Births by Delivery MethodUnited States, 1990 and 2001

9.3 9.2

11.2

9.510.2

13.4

0

5

10

15

Vaginal VBAC C-Section

1990 2001

Percent

Source: National Center for Health Statistics

Prepared by March of Dimes Perinatal Data Center, 2004

Page 50: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Perinatal Impact of Substance Abuse

• There are many direct and indirect adverse perinatal outcomes associated with substance abuse

• Substance use (smoking, alcohol, illicit drugs and abuse of prescription drugs) is associated with many adverse reproductive and perinatal outcomes including: infertility, unintended pregnancy, STIs, miscarriage, fetal death, birth defects, developmental disabilities, PROM, placental abruption, preterm birth, low birthweight, infant mortality, SIDS

Page 51: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Substance Abuse and Substance Abuse and Reproductive Health IssuesReproductive Health Issues

• Polydrug use is common• Substance abuse, domestic violence and STIs often

overlap• Women often use substances to cope with stress and/or

depression– assess and intervene with primary causes

• Substances influence behavior and cognition– alcohol and other substances are associated with

unintended pregnancy• Substances can impair a person’s immune system,

increase susceptibility to infections• Pregnancy is a time of relative immune suppression

Page 52: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Provider/Client Opportunity• Pregnancy is a window of opportunity as 96% of women

in the US are seen by a healthcare provider during their pregnancy and seen multiple times– Internatal (preconceptional and interconceptional)

periods are also opportunities to address substance abuse issues with more pharmocotherapy options

• Women are more likely to change their behavior during pregnancy than at any other time in their lives and the changes can have life long health benefits

• Women are more likely to stop substance abuse during pregnancy or when they are planning to become pregnant, both spontaneously and with assistance, than at any other time in their lives.

Page 53: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Substance Abuse in Pregnant Women in the US• Women aged 15 to 44 who were currently pregnant were less likely than

nonpregnant women in this age group to currently use:

– an illicit drug, smoke cigarettes, or drink alcohol

• Pregnant women 15-25 years were more likely to have smoked cigarettes in the past month and to have used an illicit drug during the past month than pregnant women aged 26 to 44.

• Among pregnant women aged 15 to 44, ~10% reported drinking alcohol during the past month, 4% reported binge alcohol use, and less than 1% reported heavy alcohol use.

• Among pregnant women aged 15 to 44, whites were more likely to have smoked cigarettes during the past month than blacks or Hispanics

Source: The NSDUH Report: Substance Use During Pregnancy: 2002 and 2003 Updatewww.oas.samhsa.gov

Page 54: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Substance Abuse in Pregnant and NonPregnant Women

in the US, 2002-2003

Source: SAMHSA 2002-2003 NSDUHwww.oas.samhsa.gov

Page 55: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Source: SAMHSA 2002-2003 NSDUH Updatewww.oas.samhsa.gov

Past Month Substance Use among Women Aged 15 to 44 by Pregnancy and Recent Motherhood Status, 2002-2003

Page 56: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Past Month Cigarette Use among Women Aged 15 to 44by Pregnancy Status, Age, and Race/Ethnicity, 2002 -2003

Source: SAMHSA 2002-2003 NSDUHwww.oas.samhsa.gov

Page 57: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Health Consequences of Smokingfor Women

Evidence confirms that in addition to adverse health outcomes such as cancer, cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, women smokers face gender-specific health risks related to reproduction and menopause.

Women and Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General. USPHS 2001

effects of smoking on reproductive outcomesPreventing Maternal Smoking. National Governors Association Issue Brief 2001

interventions and state best practices

Page 58: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Pregnancy Related Smoking Risks

• Ectopic Pregnancy (RR 1.5-2.5)

• Infertility (RR 1.5-3.0)

• Conception Delay (RR 1.4-2.4)

• Spontaneous Abortions (RR 1.1-3.4)

• PPROM (RR 2.0-5.0)*

• Preterm labor (RR 1.2-2.0)*

• LBW (RR 1.5-3.5)*

• SGA (RR 1.5-10)*

References:

* U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Women and

Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General. 2001

Page 59: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

LBW (<2500 g) and PTD (<37 wks) by Smoking Status and by Race/Ethnicity, CT, 1998

12

17.7 17.8

11.7

23.1

19.3

5.9

13.1

8.7 8.6

13.311.9

0

5

10

15

20

25

WhiteNonHisp

BlackNonHisp

Hispanic WhiteNonHisp

BlackNonHisp

Hispanic

Yes No

Percent

Prepared of PDC, MOD

Source: Connecticut Dept of Public Health, OPPE

Low Birthweight Preterm

Page 60: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Impact of Smoking• Smoking during pregnancy is responsible for:

– 20% of all LBW– 8% of preterm births – 5% of all perinatal deaths

• Pregnant smokers compared to nonsmokers are:– 2.0-5.0 times as likely to experience PPROM– 1.2-2.0 times as likely to deliver preterm– 1.5-10 times as likely to deliver a SGA infant– 1.5-3.5 times as likely to deliver a LBW infant

• Smoking increases risk of stillbirth (RR=1.4-1.6)– Risk increases with increased amount smoked

• Smoking during and after pregnancy increases risk for SIDS by 3-fold

Page 61: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Cigarette Smoke Contains

• Nicotine• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons• Tar• Carbon particles• Carbon monoxide

Page 62: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Biotransformation of Compounds in Cigarette Smoke

• Phase 1: Reactive intermediates are formed

»CYP1A1 enzyme

• Phase 2: Conjugation of reactive intermediates for detoxification

»GST enzymes

Page 63: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Metabolic Genes and Cigarette Smoking

• Maternal smoking was associated with a mean birth weight reduction of 377 g

• CYP1A1 was associated with a 252 g reduction for the AA genotype group, and 520 g for the Aa/aa genotype

• GSTT1 was associated with a 285 g reduction and 642 g for the present and absent genotypes

• If both were present, there was a 1285 g reduction in birth weight and a 5.5 wk reduction in gestational age

Wang X (PERI grantee), Zuckerman B, Pearson C, et al. Maternal cigarette smoking, metabolic gene polymorphism, and infant birth weight. JAMA, 2002, 287(2): 195-202.

Page 64: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

CYP1A1

• Isoenzyme cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) – Important in the bioactivation of benzopyrene and other

aromatic hydrocarbons in cigarette smoke• Gene for CYP1A1 is on chromosome 15• Contains 7 exons• Polymorphism reported in exon 7

– Valine replaces isoleucine– Protein structure is altered

• Homozygotes or heterozygotes for this variant have – higher enzyme activity than wild-type carriers– increased production of toxicants

Page 65: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs)

• Phase 2 detoxification enzymes• Protect cells from toxicants by conjugation with glutathione• GSTT1 = GST theta 1-1 • GSTT1 is involved in the biotransformation of low molecular weight

halogenated compounds and reactive epoxides produced after metabolization of aromatic hydrocarbons present in cigarette smoke

• Gene for GSTT1 is on chromosome 22• A deletion has been identified in the gene

– Homozygotes of GSTT1-null genotype do not express the gene, consequently do not have any GSTT1 enzyme activity

– Prevalence of the null polymorphism ranges from 12-20% in Europeans to 65% in Asian populations

Page 66: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Chromosomal Instability in Amniocytesfrom Fetuses of Mothers Who Smoke

• Does maternal smoking have a genotoxic effect on amniotic cells?

• Prospective study, amniocytes were obtained by routine amniocentesis for prenatal diagnosis from 25 controls and 25 women who smoke (10 cig/d for 10 yrs)

• Maternal smoking is associated with increased chromosomal instability in amniotic fluid cells, expressed as chromosomal lesions (gaps and breaks) and structural chromosomal abnormalities

• Band 11q23, involved in leukemogenesis, seems especially sensitive to genotoxic compounds contained in tobacco.

de la Chica, etal. JAMA 293 (10):1212-22, March 2005.

Page 67: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Vitamin C May Cut Pregnant Smoking Risks

• Primate model experimental design at OHSU with 3 groups:– 7 monkeys born to mothers who received 2 mgm qd of

nicotine, comparable to a smoking mother – 7 monkeys born to mothers who received both nicotine and

250 mgm vitamin C qd– 6 control monkeys- neither nicotine nor vitamin C

• The monkeys given nicotine and vitamin C had lung air flow close to that of a normal animal

• The researchers note that vitamin C did not counteract other negative effects of smoking during pregnancy, such as abnormal brain development and decreased body weight.

Proskocil BJ, et al. Am J Resp and Crit Care Med, 171:1032-9, 2005.

Page 68: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Vitamin C May Cut Pregnant Smoking Risks (cont)

• “The study showed that smoking had a much more adverse effect on fetal development than was previously thought, with smoking mothers causing changes in their babies' lungs.

• "What happens to you as a fetus is extraordinarily important as to what diseases you may be susceptible to as an adult.”

• “If I can't get patients who smoke to quit during pregnancy, I plan to start telling them to take vitamin C”.

Interview with Dr. Michael Gravett, Chief MFM OHSU (Oregon Health and Science University) School of Medicine, May 2005.

"The single most important thing is for pregnant women to stop smoking," said Dr. Eliot Spindel (co-author).

Page 69: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Warning From the CDC Stay away from tobacco smoke if you are at risk for heart

disease (common complex disorders)!

• "We don't make these kind of statements lightly.  What we are seeing in the data is a substantial biological change that occurs with even 30 minutes of exposure to secondhand smoke." Terry Pechacek, Assoc Director of Science, CDC's Office on Smoking and Health

• The number of heart attacks in Helena, MT, decreased substantially after the city banned indoor smoking, then rose quickly to its former level after the law was struck down in court

• During the six-month period in 2002 when the ban was in effect, the number of heart attacks reported by Helena's heart hospital fell by 40 %.

Sargent RP, Shepard RM, Glantz SA. Reduced incidence of admissions for myocardial infarction associated with public smoking ban: before and after study. BMJ:328, 977-83, 2004. bmj.com

Page 70: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

9 States with Smokefree Workplace Legislation for All Workers*

• California

• Delaware

• New York

• Connecticut

• Maine

*including restaurant and bar workers as of 9/05

5 other states (FL, UT, ID, HI, ND) are ‘smokefree’ but exclude bars

WA and MD have smokefree offices

• Massachusetts

• Rhode Island

• Vermont

• Montana (2009)

Page 71: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Smoking Cessation and Preterm Birth (Cochrane Review)

• 64 trials (51 RCTs of 20,931 women) and 6 cluster-randomised trials (over 7500 women) provided data on smoking cessation and/or perinatal outcomes

• Smoking cessation interventions reduced low birthweight (RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.70 to 0.94) and preterm birth (RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.72 to 0.98)

• One intervention strategy, rewards plus social support, resulted in a significantly greater smoking reduction than other strategies (RR 0.77, 95% CI 0.72 to 0.82).

• Smoking cessation programs in pregnancy reduce the proportion of women who continue to smoke, and reduce low birthweight and preterm birth.

Lumley J, et al. Interventions for promoting smoking cessation during pregnancy. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2004, Oct 18;(4):CD001055.

Page 72: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

The 5 A’s

1. Ask about tobacco use

2. Advise to quit

3. Assess willingness to make a quit attempt

4. Assist in quit attempt

5. Arrange follow-upA Clinician’s Guide to Helping Pregnant Women Quit Smoking

http://iml.dartmouth.edu/education/cme/Smoking

Page 73: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Compliance with Best Practice

• 100% of Ob/Gyns reported they asked about tobacco use

• 98% discussed the harm related to smoking and advised smokers to quit

• 66% assessed smokers readiness to quit• 51% provide social support for cessation within the

office• 43% provided pregnancy-specific materials• 23% helped arranged social support at home (assist)

Page 74: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Common Reasons why Providers Don’t Promote Behavioral Interventions

• Don’t believe it works

• Not enough time

• No reimbursement

• No system in place for implementation

Page 75: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

http://iml.dartmouth.edu/education/cme/Smoking

Page 76: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Brain of healthy baby Brain of baby with FAS

Page 77: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

LBW (<2500 g) and PTD (<37 wks) by Alcohol Useand by Maternal Race/Ethnicity, CT, 1998

13.1

29.2 29.4

16.7

32.8

23.3

6.4

13.3

9.3 8.8

1412.5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

WhiteNonHisp

BlackNonHisp

Hispanic WhiteNonHisp

BlackNonHisp

Hispanic

Yes No

Percent

Prepared of PDC, MOD

Source: Connecticut Dept of Public Health, OPPE

Low Birthweight Preterm

Page 78: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Effects of Alcohol on PregnancyFetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)

• Miscarriage• Preterm birth• Low birth weight• FAS• ARBD - Alcohol-Related Birth Defects• ARND - Alcohol-Related

Neurodevelopmental Disorders• Birth complications

Page 79: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Maternal Alcohol Use Increases Neonatal Infection Risk

• A woman who drinks alcohol during pregnancy increases the chances of her newborn acquiring an infection soon after birth

• Data were analyzed from the Maternal Lifestyles and Development Study on 11,656 infants delivered at 32-42 wks

• Increasing amounts of maternal alcohol consumption at any point during pregnancy and during the 3 months before pregnancy -- significantly increased the risk of neonatal infection

• Heavy drinking (7+ drinks/wk) during the second trimester increased the risk of infection in the newborn nearly 7 fold compared with abstaining from alcohol.

• Binge drinking during the second or third trimester more than quadrupled the risk of neonatal infection.

Gauthier, et al. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, June 2005.

Page 80: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Screening Tools are the Most Effective Way to Determine Risk

• Quick, brief questionnaires have been demonstrated to be effective in prenatal care for assessing alcohol and drug use

• Pregnant women describe their health care providers as the best source of information

• Pregnant women will generally follow the provider’s advice

Page 81: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

How to Use Screening Tools

• Choose a screen that fits your style and is culturally appropriate for the patients

• Be nonjudgmental and supportive when asking about use

• Stress the benefits of abstinence and offer to help the patient achieve it

• Know where to refer the patient for further assessment

• T-ACE, 4 Ps+, TWEAK, AUDIT, TQDH

Page 82: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

4Ps+ (5Ps)

• Have you used drugs or alcohol during this Pregnancy• Have you had a problem with drugs or alcohol in the

Past?• Does your Partner have a problem with drugs or

alcohol?• Do you consider one of your Parents to be an addict

or alcoholic?• + In the month before you knew you were pregnant

how many cigarettes did you smoke?

Page 83: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

History: Red Flags• Maternal chaotic lifestyle:

– psychosocial stresses– spouse/partner of an alcoholic or drug abuser– domestic violence, physical and sexual

• Psychiatric diagnosis:– depressions, psychosis, anxiety, PTSD– lack of functional coping skills– unexplained mood swings, personality changes

• Late or no prenatal care:– missed appointments and compliance problems– STIs, sexual promiscuity

Page 84: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Physical Examination Findings for the Majority of Substance Abusers

Nothing unusual is the most

frequent finding in users of

licit and illicit drugs.

Page 85: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Effects of Domestic Violence onPreterm Birth and Low Birth Weight

• Prospective study of 3149 low income, relatively low risk pregnant women (82% Af Am) in Alabama, 1997-2001

• 3103 completed the Abuse Assessment Screen and in the past year:– 27% reported emotional abuse– 19% reported physical abuse– 10% reported being beaten, bruised, threatened with a weapon or being

permanently injured

• Abuse was reported by 6% of women during pregnancy

• Logistic regression analysis indicated that injury from physical abuse in the past year was significantly associated with PTB/LBW– AOR 1.6 (95% CI 1.1-2.3) for PTB– AOR 1.8 (95% CI 1.3-2.5) for LBW– mean birth weight significantly lower (-75.2 g, p<.05)

• Injuries resulting from physical abuse are associated with both LBW and PTB Neggers Y, et al. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 83(5):455-60, 2004.

Page 86: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Impact of Police-Reported IPV during Pregnancy on Birth Outcomes

• Population based, retrospective cohort study in Seattle WA using police data and state birth certificate files, Jan 1995-Sep 1999 – Exposed subjects: IPV incident police report during pregnancy and who

subsequently had a singleton live birth of fetal death– Unexposed controls: randomly selected Seattle residents with a

singleton LB or FD without an IPV police report

• Results:– AOR 1.7 (95% CI 1.2-2.4) for LBW: AOR 2.5 (95% CI 1.3-4.9) for VLBW– AOR 1.6 (95% CI 1.1-2.3) for PTB; AOR 3.7 (95% CI 1.8-7.6) for VPTB– AOR 3.5 (95% CI 1.4-8.5) for neonatal death

• Police-reported partner violence during pregnancy is significantly associate with ah increased risk of adverse birth outcomes

• There is a critical need to identify women with DV and to provide women health and social service information and referrals, particularly to high risk pregnancy programs.

Lipsky S, et al. Obstet Gynecol 102(3):557-64, 2003.

Page 87: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Sexually Transmitted infections CategoriesNew York and US, 2002

Sexually transmitted infections are risk factors for adverse perinatal outcomes such as miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, preterm delivery, birth defects, newborn illness and death.

While prenatal screening for STIs is important, preconception and interconception screening and treatment are also important to reducing the impact of recurrent infections on birth outcomes.

ACOG/CDC HIV Guidelines

Page 88: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

STI Impact on Women

•Spontaneous abortion•Ectopic pregnancy•PID•Infertility•Preterm delivery•PROM•Puerperal sepsis•Postpartum infection•Wound and pelvic infections after c section•Postpartum endometrosis•Neurosyphilis

•Disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI)

•Septic tertiary syphilis

•Cervical cancer

•Vulvar cancer

•Vaginal cancer

•Anal cancer

•Liver cancer

•Kaposis’s sarcoma

•T cell leukemia

•Body cavity lymphoma

•Chronic liver disease, cirrhosis

Page 89: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

STI Impact on Babies

•Miscarriage•IUGR•Stillbirth•Prematurity•Low birthweight•Conjunctivitis•Pneumonia•Encephalitis•GBS meningitis• Neonatal sepsis•Vertical transmission•Hepatitis, cirrhosis•Chronic HBV infection

•Neurologic damage•Laryngeal papillomatosis•Transmission through BF•Birth defects (brain, spinal cord, eyes, auditory nerves)•Neonatal Death•CMV, HSV, syphilis associated neurologic problems•Childhood morbidity•Liver cancer as an adult

Page 90: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth
Page 91: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Interventions- What works?

Page 92: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

The Importance of Prenatal Care• Early, comprehensive,

culturally sensitive accessible, available prenatal care is always important, but studies have not shown that it reduces rates of PTB/LBW

• It has been shown to reduce fetal deaths, IMR and complications of pregnancy

• Early PNC may be too late to prevent some PTB

10.5 10.8

25.8

16.8 16.1

36.7

11 10.7

22.9

0

10

20

30

40

Early care Late care No care

White Black Hispanic

Preterm Births by Prenatal Care and Race/Ethnicity, US, 2001

Page 93: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Can Preterm Labor be Prevented?

• Primary prevention is the goal– especially risk reduction in the preconceptional period

and early in pregnancy

• Preterm prevention programs have focused on risk assessment or prediction of preterm labor– risk assessment identifies only half of preterm births– during pregnancy most biomarkers, even in

combination with risk factors, do not have good positive predictive values

• Causation is the great unknown

Page 94: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Prevention of Preterm Labor, Preterm Delivery and Prematurity

• Primary prevention– identifying and managing risks– risk reduction approach and strategies to reproductive health– prevent PTL

• Secondary prevention– prevent preterm delivery

• Tertiary prevention– prevent/minimize complications of prematurity

Page 95: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

March of Dimes Investment in the Science and Public Health of Preterm Delivery

• Toward Improving the Outcome of Pregnancy (TIOP I)- regionalization of perinatal care

• TIOP II - regionalization, continuum, elimination of health disparities

• Perinatal Epidemiological Research Initiative (PERI 1998-2004)– Six innovative research initiatives to define biomarkers and

mechanisms – Epidemiologic approaches to test biologically plausible hypotheses for

the major determinants of preterm birth– Examine the interactions of risk factors associated with

prematurity and relevant biologic samples

• Prematurity Research Initiative -PRI

Page 96: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Major Pathways to Preterm Labor

• Inflammation/infection (ascending), 40%– cytokines

• Stress (maternal/fetal), 25%– CRH

• Bleeding (decidual hemorrhage, abruption), 25%– thrombin

• Stretching (uterine distention), 10%

Page 97: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

proteases

PTD

Uterine Contractions

Cervical change

• Infection: - Chorion-Decidual - Systemic

DecidualHemorrhageAbruption

CRHE1-E3

Prothrombin G20210AFactor V LeidenProtein C, Protein SType 1 PlasminogenMTHFR

PathologicalUterine

Distention

• Multifetal Pregnancy• Polyhydramnios• Uterine abnormalities

Inflammation

• Maternal-Fetal Stress

•Premature Onset of Physiologic Initiators

Activation of Maternal/Fetal

HPA Axis

CRH

+

+ChorionDecidua

uterotonins

Mechanical stretch

Gap jct IL-8

PGE2Oxytocin recep

PROM

InterleukinsTNF-α Fas L

Adapted from: C. J. Lockwood, E. Kuczynski, Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 15, 78 (2001) & X. Wang et al. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 15, 63 (2001)

MMPsSusceptibility

to environmental

toxins

CYP1A1GSTT1

Page 98: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Common Complex Disorder

Page 99: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

PTB as a Common Complex Disorder

• Common–12.1% of all US births in 2002

• Well defined phenotype–birth before 37 weeks of gestation, dating by LMP with ultrasound confirmation

• Complex–“Complex genetic traits refer to those phenotypes not fitting patterns of Mendelian segregation and/or assortment but exhibiting a preferential familial clustering that cannot be explained by cultural or environmental causes.”

•Genetic contribution–Familial aggregation–Recurrence of preterm birth –Racial disparity

•Environmental influences•Gene-environment interactions

Page 100: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Genome: All of the genetic material (DNA) belonging to a particular organism.

Genomics: All of the structure and function of an entire genome (e.g., the human genome), including its sequences, structures, regulation, interactions, and products. (SNP, Haplotype mapping)

“HuGE”: Human Genome Epidemiology

Proteomics, Metabolomics

www.marchofdimes.com/gyponline

www.cdc.gov/genomics

genome.gov

Page 101: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Candidate Gene Association Study• Case-control study of 426 SNPs with PTD in 300 mothers

with PTD and 456 mothers with term births at Boston MC• 25 candidate genes in the final haplotype analysis, a

significant association was found for the F5 gene haplotype and PTD

• Ethnic specific analyses revealed:– consistent finding of the F5 gene– IL1R2 in Blacks– NOS2A in whites– OPRM1 in Hispanics

• Results underscore the potentially important role of F5 gene variants in the pathogenesis of PTD

Hao K, Wang X, Niu T, et al. A candidate gene association study on preterm delivery: application of high throughput genotyping technology and advanced statistical methods. Human Molecular Genetics, 2004, 13(7): 683-91

Page 102: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Genomic approaches do not replace but can add to:

• Community based interventions

• Patient / Consumer education

• Provider education

• Equity in health outcomes and health care

Page 103: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Proteomics Help Identify Intra-amniotic Inflammation

• Proteomic analysis of AF can promptly identify biomarkers characteristic of intrauterine inflammation

• Results can be available in 50 minutes, useful for clinical decision making

• Patients with PTL and evidence of intra-amniotic inflammation showed a distinctive proteomic profile involving neutrophils defensins -1 and -2 and calgranulins A and C

• Scoring system developed which has a 92.9% sensitivity and 91.8% specificity

Buhumschi, et al. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 112:173-181, 2005.

Page 104: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Metabolomics in PTL: A Novel Approach to Identify Patients at Risk for PTD

• For the first time, researchers have successfully profiled the amniotic fluid metabolome (the sum of all metabolic processes occurring in the amniotic fluid), to identify which women who have experienced PTL are also at risk for PTB.

• With PTB rates increasing, the need for tools that can identify PTB risk has never been greater.

• Romero, et al studied the amniotic fluid of 3 groups of patients – those with PTL who delivered at term, those with intra-amniotic inflammation who had both PTL and PTD, and those with no sign of inflammation who still had PTL and PTD.

• By using metabolomic profiling, 96% of the time patients belonging to the appropriate clinical group were correctly identified.

• A second study, in a different set of patients with a larger sample size, has already confirmed the effectiveness of this method.

• “Until now, we have never had a way to predict the course of preterm labor with such accuracy. Metabolomic profiling is providing that tool.”

Romero, et al. SMFM, Reno, NV (Feb. 10, 2005)

Page 105: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

PharmacogenomicsPharmacogenomics“Drugs by Design?”“Drugs by Design?”

““In the very near future, In the very near future, primary care physicians will primary care physicians will routinely perform genetic routinely perform genetic tests before writing a tests before writing a prescription because (they prescription because (they will) want to identify the will) want to identify the poor responders.”poor responders.”

F. Collins F. Collins (AAFP Annual Meeting, 1998)(AAFP Annual Meeting, 1998)

Page 106: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Preterm Birth Legislation Introduced

•“PREEMIE Act”, authorizes expansion of research into the causes and prevention of prematurity and increases federal support of public and health professional education as well as support services related to prematurity.•“Prevent Prematurity and Improve Child Health Act of 2005”, calls for improved access to health coverage for pregnant women, infants and children. It would provide states increased flexibility and federal resources to expand access to maternity care for income-eligible pregnant women and increased access to health coverage for infants and children with special health care needs.

Page 107: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Innovative Perspectives

“The prevention of preterm delivery will require intervention at an earlier stage in the processes that lead to it.”

• Strategies are needed to prevent infections• Therapies should be rigorously evaluated in women who

have recurrent PTD due to disturbances in uterine blood vessels and blood flow

• Refine assisted reproductive techniques (ART) to reduce the occurrence of twin and higher-order multifetal pregnancies

Lockwood CJ. Predicting premature delivery--No easy task. NEJM, 2002, 346 (4):282-4.

Page 108: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Interventions that Work• Early, comprehensive, accessible prenatal care• Educate all pregnant women about preterm labor signs

and symptoms• Screen and treat all UTIs and STIs

• Identify cigarette smokers and intervene (5As)

• Assess for alcohol use and intervene

• Identify illicit substance users and intervene

• Assess for domestic violence and intervene

• Eliminate folic acid deficiency

• Reduce major stress levels early and throughout pregnancy

Page 109: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Interventions that Work• Provide culturally sensitive, age appropriate

pre/interconceptional care (risk reduction focus)

• Prevent unintended pregnancy

• Promote optimal weight

• Appropriate exercise and activity

• Good mental health

• Manage all chronic conditions (hypertension, diabetes)

• Oral health and periodontal disease

• Omega 3 fatty acid

• Progesterone to prevent recurrent preterm birth forsome women

Page 110: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

• Clotting abnormalities (Thrombophilia) - Yale • Genetic • Can screen • Can treat

• Stress research - CDC, MOD (PERI), others • Progesterone (high risk by history)

– Multisite US, MFMU-NICHD by ~ 33%• Meis P, et al. NEJM. 348:2379-85, 2003.

– Brazil, da Fonesca by 50%+• daFonesca, et al. AJOG. 188(2):419-24, 2003.

Promising Research DirectionsPromising Research Directions

Page 111: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

•Further studies are needed to evaluate progesterone use in “patients with other high-risk obstetric factors” (multiple gestation, short cervical length, positive test results for cervicovaginal fetal fibronectin)• Unresolved issues, such as optimal delivery of the drug and its long-term safety, still remain• When progesterone is used, restrict use to “only women with a documented history of a previous spontaneous preterm birth less than 37 weeks of gestation”

–previous preterm <34 wks, SMFM 2005

Use of Progesterone to Reduce Preterm BirthACOG Committee Opinion, No 291, November 2003

Page 112: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Petrini J, et al. Obstet Gynecol, Feb 2005

• If all eligibles had received 17P therapy, nearly 10,000 spontaneous PTB out of about 480,000 PTB’s would have been prevented in 2002

• Nationally, the PTB rate would have been reduced by about 2% from 12.1% to 11.8% (p<0.001).

Estimated Impact of 17P

Page 113: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Life Course Perspective

Prenatal Care

Poor Birth Outcome

0 5 PregnancyPuberty

Internatal Care

Primary Care for Women

Early Intervention

Prenatal Care

Primary Care for Children

Age

White

AfricanAmerican

Page 114: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Take Home Messages• Preterm birth is a common complex disorder meeting

criteria for high public health priority• Intervene throughout the continuum of reproductive

health for women and men with culturally sensitive risk reduction interventions

• All providers have a major role in the success of primary and secondary prevention

• All pregnant women are at risk for preterm labor and birth and should be taught the signs and symptoms beginning about 20 weeks of gestation

• A multidisciplinary approach is needed• Everyone can make a difference

Page 115: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Prevent the Preventable• Ø Unintended pregnancies• Ø Folic acid deficiency• Ø Alcohol• Ø Tobacco • Ø Illicit drugs• Ø Infections (UTIs, STIs, periodontal disease)• Ø Extremes of weight• Ø Some Prescription Drugs• Ø Environmental toxins• Ø Known genetic/familial risks• Ø Unnecessary interventions resulting in

preterm birth

Page 116: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Campaign Goals

1. Increase public awareness of the problems of prematurity to at least 60% for women of childbearing age and 50% for the general public by 2010

2. Reduce the rate of preterm birth from 12.3% in 2003 to the HP2010 objective of 7.6%

Page 117: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

March of Dimes Prematurity Campaign Aims

1. Generate concern and action around the problem of prematurity

2. Educate women of reproductive age about risk reduction and warning signs

3. Provide affected families with information, emotional support, and opportunities to help other families

4. Assist health practitioners to improve prematurity risk detection and address risk -associated factors

5. Invest more public and private research dollars to identify causes of preterm labor and prematurity, and to identify and test promising interventions

6. Expand access to health coverage in order to improve maternity care and infant health outcomes

Page 118: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

March of Dimes

www.marchofdimes.com

Pregnancy and Newborn Health Education Center [email protected]

Page 119: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Premature Birth:The answers can’t come soon enough

Page 120: Preconceptional Health: Who Cares? Karla Damus, RN MSPH PhD Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health, AECOM, Bronx, NY Office of the Medical Director March of Dimes Birth

Thank you for your attention

Additional Resources

Pregnancy and Newborn Health Education Center [email protected]

www.marchofdimes.com www.jjpi.com

this continuing education presentation is sponsored by the

March of Dimes - Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute Grand Rounds Program

as part of the March of Dimes National Prematurity

Campaign