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Season 4

Supporting Maternal Well-Being in a Complex World

Season 4: Supporting Maternal Well-Being in a Complex World

In its fourth season, the Labor of Love podcast brings host Veronica Maria Pimentel, MD, MS, FACOG, together with leading obstetric care professionals to explore the most critical issues in maternal health today.

Jump to Episodes

  1. Congenital Syphilis: Connecting the Dots from Screening to Treatment
  2. Vaccinating for Two: Overcoming Challenges in Maternal Vaccines
  3. Breaking the Silence on Maternal Mental Health: Part 1
  4. Breaking the Silence on Maternal Mental Health: Part 2
  5. Stillbirth: Navigating Compassionate Care and Support
  6. Safe Travels: Risks, Tips, and Best Practices during Pregnancy

Episodes

Episode 1: Congenital Syphilis: Connecting the Dots from Screening to Treatment

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Congenital syphilis is on the rise, making early detection and treatment more critical than ever. This episode equips obstetric care professionals with guidance on implementing syphilis screening, the latest updates on at-home testing, and managing infants with syphilis exposure. The conversation also explores how to collaborate with public health departments for improved syphilis diagnosis and data insights and best practices for working with the neonatal intensive care unit to manage congenital syphilis cases. Kimberly Stanford, MD, MPH, associate professor at the University of Chicago and director of HIV and sexually transmitted infection screening at the Chicago Center for HIV Elimination, and Ina Park, MD, MS, professor in the departments of family and community medicine and obstetrics and gynecology at UCSF School of Medicine and medical consultant with the CDC Division of STD Prevention, join Labor of Love host Veronica Maria Pimentel, MD, MS, FACOG, to discuss best practices for implementing syphilis screening.

Special commentary provided by Victoria Mobley, MD, MPH, at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Division of Public Health, and Christopher Golden, MD, FAAP, at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Resources

Episode 2: Vaccinating for Two: Overcoming Challenges in Maternal Vaccines

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Immunization during pregnancy plays a vital role in protecting both patients and their babies. This episode provides health professionals with the latest guidance on immunization during pregnancy, including COVID-19, Influenza, RSV, and Tdap. Experts discuss co-administration strategies, proper documentation, and approaches to overcoming vaccine hesitancy and access barriers. The conversation also covers preparing pregnant patients for respiratory illness season, addressing challenges such as maternal sepsis, and sharing case studies on successful vaccine interventions. Ilona Goldfarb, MD, MPH, FACOG, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Stanford University School of Medicine, and Maura Jones Pullins, MD, ob-gyn and maternal–fetal medicine fellow at the University of North Carolina, join Labor of Love host Veronica Maria Pimentel, MD, MS, FACOG, to provide guidance on overcoming challenges in maternal vaccination.

Special commentary provided by Jesse Hackell, MD, FAAP, at the American Academy of Pediatrics and Jean-Venable “Kelly” R. Goode, Pharm.D., BCPS, FAPhA, FCCP, at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Resources

Episode 3: Breaking the Silence on Maternal Mental Health: Part 1

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Maternal mental health plays a critical role in pregnancy and postpartum outcomes, but there are still many challenges in effectively addressing it in clinical practice. This first episode in our two-part maternal mental health special dives into the integral role that mental health plays during pregnancy and postpartum, focusing on mood and anxiety disorders and their effects on maternal outcomes. Experts discuss screening and diagnosis recommendations and racial and socioeconomic inequities in access to care. Listeners will gain valuable insights on supporting maternal well-being, reducing stigma, and improving screening and diagnosis. David F. Silver, MD, MBA, FACOG, reproductive psychiatrist and director of women’s behavioral health at University of Pittsburg Medical Center Magee-Womens Hospital, and Tiffany A. Moore Simas, MD, MPH, MEd, FACOG, the Donna M. and Robert J. Manning chair in obstetrics and gynecology at University of Massachusetts T.H. Chan School of Medicine, the academic partner of University of Massachusetts Memorial Health, join Labor of Love host Veronica Maria Pimentel, MD, MS, FACOG, to discuss strategies for bettering maternal mental health care.

Special commentary provided by Karen Sheffield-Abdullah, PhD, RN, CNM, FACNM.

Content Warning
This episode discusses sensitive topics related to mental health and health inequities. It may be difficult for listeners who have experienced pregnancy-related complications or who are sensitive to discussions of health care disparities. Take care while listening.

Resources

Episode 4: Breaking the Silence on Maternal Mental Health: Part 2

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Finishing our two-part maternal mental health special, this episode explores the critical role of mental health treatment during pregnancy and postpartum. Experts discuss treatment recommendations, strategies for integrating mental health care into obstetric practice, and the latest evidence on the safety and efficacy of psychiatric medications during pregnancy and lactation. Listeners will gain valuable insights into supporting maternal well-being, reducing stigma, and improving treatment. David Silver, MD, MBA, FACOG, reproductive psychiatrist and director of women’s behavioral health at University of Pittsburg Medical Center Magee-Womens Hospital; and Tiffany A. Moore Simas, MD, MPH, MEd, FACOG, the Donna M. and Robert J. Manning chair in obstetrics and gynecology at University of Massachusetts Chan School of Medicine, the academic partner of University of Massachusetts Memorial Health, join Labor of Love host Veronica Maria Pimentel, MD, MS, FACOG, to discuss strategies for bettering maternal mental health care.

Special commentary provided by Karen Sheffield-Abdullah, PhD, RN, CNM, FACNM.

Content Warning
This episode discusses sensitive topics related to mental health and health inequities. It may be difficult for listeners who have experienced pregnancy-related complications or who are sensitive to discussions of health care disparities. Take care while listening.

Resources

Episode 5: Stillbirth: Navigating Compassionate Care and Support

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Supporting families through the profound loss of stillbirth requires both clinical expertise and emotional sensitivity. This episode explores how obstetric care professionals can support grieving families through compassionate care. Our guests will examine strategies for clinicians to manage their own mental health, integrate mental health resources into practice, and train residents in empathetic patient support. The episode includes insights from a mental health expert on discussing grief and loss with patients and perspectives from people who have experienced stillbirth on the support they need from health care professionals. Dvora Entin, LCSW, PMH-C, adjunct professor at the Wurzweiler School of Social Work, and Uma M. Reddy, MD, MPH, FACOG, vice chair of research and professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, join Labor of Love host Veronica Maria Pimentel, MD, MS, FACOG, to share clinical insights on compassionate care.

Special commentary provided by Katharine White, MD, MPH, FACOG, at Boston Medical Center and Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, and Erica M. Freeman at Sisters in Loss.

Content Warning
This episode contains sensitive discussions of pregnancy loss. It may be difficult for those who have experienced infertility or pregnancy loss. Please take care while listening.

Resources

Episode 6: Safe Travels: Risks, Tips, and Best Practices during Pregnancy 

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Many patients wonder if it’s safe to travel during pregnancy. What should obstetric care professionals be advising? This episode provides guidance on counseling patients who plan to travel during pregnancy, covering health risks such as emerging vector-borne diseases like Oropouche and dengue, potential travel-related complications, and how to recognize and manage symptoms that may develop after travel. Sarah Dotters-Katz, MD, MMHPE, FACOG, associate professor and the director of undergraduate medical education for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Duke University, and Lorrie Harris-Sagaribay, MPH, teratogen information specialist with MotherToBaby and president of the Organization of Teratology Information Specialists, join Labor of Love host Veronica Maria Pimentel, MD, MS, FACOG, to answer key questions and provide expert guidance.

Special commentary from Stephanie Gaw, MD, PhD, FACOG, at the University of California San Francisco.

Resources

Season 1

In Season 1 of the Labor of Love podcast, Dr. Pimentel works to answer the questions new parents have about how COVID-19 and the vaccines may affect pregnancy.

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Season 2

In the second season of Labor of Love, obstetric care professionals explored the obstacles they encountered while working with pregnant patients throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Season 3

In the third season of Labor of Love, obstetric care professionals focus on current and emerging threats to patients during pregnancy and postpartum.

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This Resource was supported by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as a part of a financial assistance award totaling $400,000 with 100 percent funded by ACOG and CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

For ACOG's complete disclaimer, visit www.acog.org/iz-disclaimer.