Journal of National Black Nurses' Association : JNBNA, 2015
Postpartum weight retention increases a woman's risk of entering subsequent pregnancies overw... more Postpartum weight retention increases a woman's risk of entering subsequent pregnancies overweight or obese, and women who are overweight or obese in pregnancy face higher rates of complications for themselves and their infants. This study assessed the feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of an intervention to prevent postpartum weight retention in predominantly low-income African-American women. A randomized control pilot study was conducted to test the effects of the intervention on weight, adiposity, health behaviors, and eating and exercise self-efficacy from baseline (Time 1) to study completion (Time 2). The women in the experimental group had significantly greater decreases in triceps skinfolds (p = 0.01) and subscapular skinfolds (p = 0.04) and had significantly greater nutrition knowledge (p =0.04) than the control group. The results indicate that women randomized to a postpartum weight management program significantly decreased adiposity, increased nutritio...
Background: Current research is unveiling serious gaps in the interconception care being provided... more Background: Current research is unveiling serious gaps in the interconception care being provided to mothers of high-risk infants. These women have a heightened need for attention to medical conditions, risk exposures, and health behaviors for their well-being and that of future children. The Postpartum Plus Prevention Program (P4) was created by the UNC Center for Maternal and Infant Health and the March of Dimes to respond to a CDC call to address interconception service gaps, build knowledge about how to care for this population, and ultimately reduce poor birth outcomes. Methods: The program offers a package of services aimed at meeting the unique needs of women who deliver prematurely. Services provided by a nurse practitioner after the delivery include evaluation of immediate postpartum health needs, complete health assessment, maximizing the content of the 6-week postpartum visit, and support for the mother's wellness and reproductive health over the course of a year. Res...
MCN. The American journal of maternal child nursing
Advertisement. Close Window. Close Window. Thank you for choosing to subscribe to the eTOC for MC... more Advertisement. Close Window. Close Window. Thank you for choosing to subscribe to the eTOC for MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. Enter your Email address: Wolters Kluwer Health may email you for journal ...
Preconception health and health care (PCHHC) has gained increasing popularity as a key prevention... more Preconception health and health care (PCHHC) has gained increasing popularity as a key prevention strategy for improving outcomes for women and infants, both domestically and internationally. The Action Plan for the National Initiative on Preconception Health and Health Care: A Report of the PCHHC Steering Committee (2012-2014) provides a model that states, communities, public, and private organizations can use to help guide strategic planning for promoting preconception care projects. Since 2005, a national public-private PCHHC initiative has worked to create and implement recommendations on this topic. Leadership and funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention combined with the commitment of maternal and child health leaders across the country brought together key partners from the public and private sector to provide expertise and technical assistance to develop an updated national action plan for the PCHHC Initiative. Key activities for this process included the identification of goals, objectives, strategies, actions, and anticipated timelines for the five workgroups that were established as part of the original PCHHC Initiative. These are further described in the action plan. To assist other groups doing similar work, this article discusses the approach members of the PCHHC Initiative took to convene local, state, and national leaders to enhance the implementation of preconception care nationally through accomplishments, lessons learned, and projections for future directions.
JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2000
JAMA is a highly cited weekly medical journal that publishes peer-reviewed original medical resea... more JAMA is a highly cited weekly medical journal that publishes peer-reviewed original medical research findings and editorial opinion.
Objectives To describe the true incidence of fatal child abuse, determine the proportion of child... more Objectives To describe the true incidence of fatal child abuse, determine the proportion of child abuse deaths missed by the vital records system, and provide estimates of the extent of abuse homicides in young children.
... Sarah Verbiest, MPH, MSW, Center for Maternal and Infant Health, University of North Carolina... more ... Sarah Verbiest, MPH, MSW, Center for Maternal and Infant Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box 7181, Room ... Health Branch, North Carolina Division of Public Health, Mail Service Center 1929, Raleigh, NC 27699-1929, and Kathryn Menard, MD, MPH ...
Objectives: Short interpregnancy intervals are associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. Increa... more Objectives: Short interpregnancy intervals are associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. Increased postpartum use of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) could reduce short interpregnancy intervals. Therefore, the primary objective of our study was to evaluate if a postpartum educational script about LARC (LARC script) could increase postpartum LARC utilization at the 6-week postpartum visit. Study design: We completed a randomized controlled trial (1:1) of 800 postpartum women in Raleigh, North Carolina. Women were recruited from the postpartum unit and randomized to receive (intervention) or not receive (control) the LARC script prior to hospital discharge. We conducted follow-up phone interviews to assess LARC use after their 6-week postpartum visit. We used Pearson's chi-squared test to compare LARC use between arms. Results: Between May 2011 and January 2012, 400 women were randomized to each arm. Three hundred sixty-nine women (92.3%) in each arm were successfully contacted after their 6-week postpartum visit. LARC use was reported by 17.6% and 13.3% of women in the intervention and control arms, respectively (p=.103). Conclusions: The LARC script did not increase LARC utilization at the 6-week postpartum visit. Future studies should evaluate interventions that address both educational and systematic barriers to postpartum LARC uptake. Implications: Use of a postpartum educational script focused on the intrauterine device and contraceptive implant did not increase their utilization after the 6-week postpartum visit. Future studies should evaluate interventions that address both educational and systematic barriers to postpartum contraceptive uptake.
Background: North Carolina has one of the fastest growing Mexican-American populations, yet healt... more Background: North Carolina has one of the fastest growing Mexican-American populations, yet health care providers have minimal information on how to address the family planning needs of this population. Study Design: We conducted semistructured interviews with postpartum Mexican-American women, aged 18-35 years, within 1 month of delivery. Salient themes were identified, coded and analyzed. Results: Twenty women were interviewed. The majority had firmly held family size intentions: most desired to have 2 to 4 children with 2 to 5 years between births. Partners' preferences and the family size in which the participant was raised were factors that most influenced their family size preference. First-generation Mexican-American participants were more likely to have a partner whose intentions are influenced by the gender(s) of their children compared with participants born in Mexico. Participants desired longer intrapartum intervals for optimal infant development, with financial considerations cited less frequently. Conclusion: Postpartum women of Mexican descent articulate consistent family planning intentions. Partners' desires may challenge the achievement of these intentions. Providers can encourage the most effective forms of contraception to promote ideal and intended family size.
Women who are diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at increased risk for develo... more Women who are diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at increased risk for developing prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). To date, there have been few interdisciplinary interventions that target predominantly ethnic minority low-income women diagnosed with GDM. This paper describes the rationale, design and methodology of a 2-year, randomized, controlled study being conducted in North Carolina. Using a two-group, repeated measures, experimental design, we will test a 14- week intensive intervention on the benefits of breastfeeding, understanding gestational diabetes and risk of progression to prediabetes and T2DM, nutrition and exercise education, coping skills training, physical activity (Phase I), educational and motivational text messaging and 3 months of continued monthly contact (Phase II). A total of 100 African American, non-Hispanic white, and bilingual Hispanic women between 22-36 weeks of pregnancy who are diagnosed with GDM and their infants will be randomized to either the experimental group or the wait-listed control group. The first aim of the study is to determine the feasibility of the intervention. The second aim of study is to test the effects of the intervention on maternal outcomes from baseline (22-36 weeks pregnant) to 10 months postpartum. Primary maternal outcomes will include fasting blood glucose and weight (BMI) from baseline to 10 months postpartum. Secondary maternal outcomes will include clinical, adiposity, health behaviors and self-efficacy outcomes from baseline to 10 months postpartum. The third aim of the study is to quantify the effects of the intervention on infant feeding and growth. Infant outcomes will include weight status and breastfeeding from birth through 10 months of age. Data analysis will include general linear mixed-effects models. Safety endpoints include adverse event reporting. Findings from this trial may lead to an effective intervention to assist women diagnosed with GDM to improve maternal glucose homeostasis and weight as well as stabilize infant growth trajectory, reducing the burden of metabolic disease across two generations. NCT01809431.
Journal of National Black Nurses' Association : JNBNA, 2015
Postpartum weight retention increases a woman's risk of entering subsequent pregnancies overw... more Postpartum weight retention increases a woman's risk of entering subsequent pregnancies overweight or obese, and women who are overweight or obese in pregnancy face higher rates of complications for themselves and their infants. This study assessed the feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of an intervention to prevent postpartum weight retention in predominantly low-income African-American women. A randomized control pilot study was conducted to test the effects of the intervention on weight, adiposity, health behaviors, and eating and exercise self-efficacy from baseline (Time 1) to study completion (Time 2). The women in the experimental group had significantly greater decreases in triceps skinfolds (p = 0.01) and subscapular skinfolds (p = 0.04) and had significantly greater nutrition knowledge (p =0.04) than the control group. The results indicate that women randomized to a postpartum weight management program significantly decreased adiposity, increased nutritio...
Background: Current research is unveiling serious gaps in the interconception care being provided... more Background: Current research is unveiling serious gaps in the interconception care being provided to mothers of high-risk infants. These women have a heightened need for attention to medical conditions, risk exposures, and health behaviors for their well-being and that of future children. The Postpartum Plus Prevention Program (P4) was created by the UNC Center for Maternal and Infant Health and the March of Dimes to respond to a CDC call to address interconception service gaps, build knowledge about how to care for this population, and ultimately reduce poor birth outcomes. Methods: The program offers a package of services aimed at meeting the unique needs of women who deliver prematurely. Services provided by a nurse practitioner after the delivery include evaluation of immediate postpartum health needs, complete health assessment, maximizing the content of the 6-week postpartum visit, and support for the mother's wellness and reproductive health over the course of a year. Res...
MCN. The American journal of maternal child nursing
Advertisement. Close Window. Close Window. Thank you for choosing to subscribe to the eTOC for MC... more Advertisement. Close Window. Close Window. Thank you for choosing to subscribe to the eTOC for MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. Enter your Email address: Wolters Kluwer Health may email you for journal ...
Preconception health and health care (PCHHC) has gained increasing popularity as a key prevention... more Preconception health and health care (PCHHC) has gained increasing popularity as a key prevention strategy for improving outcomes for women and infants, both domestically and internationally. The Action Plan for the National Initiative on Preconception Health and Health Care: A Report of the PCHHC Steering Committee (2012-2014) provides a model that states, communities, public, and private organizations can use to help guide strategic planning for promoting preconception care projects. Since 2005, a national public-private PCHHC initiative has worked to create and implement recommendations on this topic. Leadership and funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention combined with the commitment of maternal and child health leaders across the country brought together key partners from the public and private sector to provide expertise and technical assistance to develop an updated national action plan for the PCHHC Initiative. Key activities for this process included the identification of goals, objectives, strategies, actions, and anticipated timelines for the five workgroups that were established as part of the original PCHHC Initiative. These are further described in the action plan. To assist other groups doing similar work, this article discusses the approach members of the PCHHC Initiative took to convene local, state, and national leaders to enhance the implementation of preconception care nationally through accomplishments, lessons learned, and projections for future directions.
JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2000
JAMA is a highly cited weekly medical journal that publishes peer-reviewed original medical resea... more JAMA is a highly cited weekly medical journal that publishes peer-reviewed original medical research findings and editorial opinion.
Objectives To describe the true incidence of fatal child abuse, determine the proportion of child... more Objectives To describe the true incidence of fatal child abuse, determine the proportion of child abuse deaths missed by the vital records system, and provide estimates of the extent of abuse homicides in young children.
... Sarah Verbiest, MPH, MSW, Center for Maternal and Infant Health, University of North Carolina... more ... Sarah Verbiest, MPH, MSW, Center for Maternal and Infant Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box 7181, Room ... Health Branch, North Carolina Division of Public Health, Mail Service Center 1929, Raleigh, NC 27699-1929, and Kathryn Menard, MD, MPH ...
Objectives: Short interpregnancy intervals are associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. Increa... more Objectives: Short interpregnancy intervals are associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. Increased postpartum use of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) could reduce short interpregnancy intervals. Therefore, the primary objective of our study was to evaluate if a postpartum educational script about LARC (LARC script) could increase postpartum LARC utilization at the 6-week postpartum visit. Study design: We completed a randomized controlled trial (1:1) of 800 postpartum women in Raleigh, North Carolina. Women were recruited from the postpartum unit and randomized to receive (intervention) or not receive (control) the LARC script prior to hospital discharge. We conducted follow-up phone interviews to assess LARC use after their 6-week postpartum visit. We used Pearson's chi-squared test to compare LARC use between arms. Results: Between May 2011 and January 2012, 400 women were randomized to each arm. Three hundred sixty-nine women (92.3%) in each arm were successfully contacted after their 6-week postpartum visit. LARC use was reported by 17.6% and 13.3% of women in the intervention and control arms, respectively (p=.103). Conclusions: The LARC script did not increase LARC utilization at the 6-week postpartum visit. Future studies should evaluate interventions that address both educational and systematic barriers to postpartum LARC uptake. Implications: Use of a postpartum educational script focused on the intrauterine device and contraceptive implant did not increase their utilization after the 6-week postpartum visit. Future studies should evaluate interventions that address both educational and systematic barriers to postpartum contraceptive uptake.
Background: North Carolina has one of the fastest growing Mexican-American populations, yet healt... more Background: North Carolina has one of the fastest growing Mexican-American populations, yet health care providers have minimal information on how to address the family planning needs of this population. Study Design: We conducted semistructured interviews with postpartum Mexican-American women, aged 18-35 years, within 1 month of delivery. Salient themes were identified, coded and analyzed. Results: Twenty women were interviewed. The majority had firmly held family size intentions: most desired to have 2 to 4 children with 2 to 5 years between births. Partners' preferences and the family size in which the participant was raised were factors that most influenced their family size preference. First-generation Mexican-American participants were more likely to have a partner whose intentions are influenced by the gender(s) of their children compared with participants born in Mexico. Participants desired longer intrapartum intervals for optimal infant development, with financial considerations cited less frequently. Conclusion: Postpartum women of Mexican descent articulate consistent family planning intentions. Partners' desires may challenge the achievement of these intentions. Providers can encourage the most effective forms of contraception to promote ideal and intended family size.
Women who are diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at increased risk for develo... more Women who are diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at increased risk for developing prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). To date, there have been few interdisciplinary interventions that target predominantly ethnic minority low-income women diagnosed with GDM. This paper describes the rationale, design and methodology of a 2-year, randomized, controlled study being conducted in North Carolina. Using a two-group, repeated measures, experimental design, we will test a 14- week intensive intervention on the benefits of breastfeeding, understanding gestational diabetes and risk of progression to prediabetes and T2DM, nutrition and exercise education, coping skills training, physical activity (Phase I), educational and motivational text messaging and 3 months of continued monthly contact (Phase II). A total of 100 African American, non-Hispanic white, and bilingual Hispanic women between 22-36 weeks of pregnancy who are diagnosed with GDM and their infants will be randomized to either the experimental group or the wait-listed control group. The first aim of the study is to determine the feasibility of the intervention. The second aim of study is to test the effects of the intervention on maternal outcomes from baseline (22-36 weeks pregnant) to 10 months postpartum. Primary maternal outcomes will include fasting blood glucose and weight (BMI) from baseline to 10 months postpartum. Secondary maternal outcomes will include clinical, adiposity, health behaviors and self-efficacy outcomes from baseline to 10 months postpartum. The third aim of the study is to quantify the effects of the intervention on infant feeding and growth. Infant outcomes will include weight status and breastfeeding from birth through 10 months of age. Data analysis will include general linear mixed-effects models. Safety endpoints include adverse event reporting. Findings from this trial may lead to an effective intervention to assist women diagnosed with GDM to improve maternal glucose homeostasis and weight as well as stabilize infant growth trajectory, reducing the burden of metabolic disease across two generations. NCT01809431.
Uploads
Papers by Sarah Verbiest