pregnancy and childbirth

Pregnant woman holding pill pack
June 9, 2020

Opioid prescriptions after childbirth linked to increased risk of overdose, persistent use

Women who are prescribed opioids after childbirth have an increased risk of persistent opioid use or other serious opioid-related events, including overdose, in their first year postpartum, according to a new study by Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers. This is true regardless of whether the woman had a vaginal delivery or a cesarean section.

By Kelsey Herbers
May 27, 2020

Target trials support drug safety in pregnant women

Out of concern for fetal safety, pregnant people have typically been excluded from drug trials. And when human health is on the line, drug studies assessing fetal safety in animal models may be viewed as far from definitive.

By Paul Govern
May 18, 2020

Women in criminal justice system less likely to receive evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder

Pregnant women involved in the criminal justice system are disproportionately not receiving medications for opioid use disorder, as compared to their peers, according to a Vanderbilt-led study published today in PLOS Medicine.

By Jake Lowary
March 30, 2020

Researcher explores coronavirus risks for pregnant women

The novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19, is raising concern about the impact of the illness on pregnant women.

By Jessica Pasley
March 10, 2020

Vanderbilt University Medical Center to acquire Nashville location of Baby+Company

To provide additional maternity care and a full spectrum of birthing experience options for patients, Vanderbilt University Medical Center has announced plans to acquire the Nashville location of Baby+Company, a freestanding birthing center that emphasizes a family-centered, low-intervention approach to delivery for uncomplicated pregnancies.

By Kelsey Herbers
VUMC Patient Navigator Bri Yip, at left, reviews upcoming prenatal appointments with MyMaternityHealth Bundle participant Amy New.
March 4, 2020

Bundled maternity plan offered to VUMC, MNPS employees

Hearing that she could deliver her second child with no out-of-pocket expense convinced Vanderbilt University Medical Center employee Amy New to enroll in the new MyMaternityHealth Bundle offered by Vanderbilt Health, and she quickly learned the program’s advantages didn’t stop there.

By Jill Clendening
October 24, 2019

Retiring the wallpaper

The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology recently kicked off the first phase of renovations for the Labor and Delivery unit. Staff from the department helped “retire” the wallpaper in the current delivery rooms by tearing it off the walls.
By VUMC News and Communications
August 29, 2019

New tool helps predict patients’ opioid needs after cesarean section

Most women who undergo a cesarean section are sent home with more opioids than they need, but a significant proportion of women use all opioids and report unmet pain needs, according to Sarah Osmundson, MD, MS, assistant professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
By Kelsey Herbers
August 8, 2019

Low-level alcohol use increases miscarriage risk

Women who consume alcohol during pregnancy — even in small amounts — have a 19% greater risk of miscarriage than women who don’t use alcohol.
By Kelsey Herbers
July 18, 2019

Effort seeks to improve safety of drugs given during pregnancy

A 19-year-old student is leading a multi-institutional collaboration to identify drugs that can be prescribed safely to pregnant women without harming the fetus.
By Bill Snyder
June 12, 2019

Baby boom hits Emergency Room; 17 employees expecting babies this year

Fourteen nurses, two doctors and a social worker walk into an Emergency Department. They're all pregnant.
By Kristin Smart
January 31, 2019

In utero antibiotics and obesity risk

Maternal antibiotic use during pregnancy was not associated with childhood obesity at age 5, according a national study led by a Vanderbilt pediatrician.
By Leigh MacMillan
January 2, 2019

Welcome to 2019

Say hello to Vanderbilt’s first baby of 2019, Ozlynn-Kay West.
By VUMC News and Communications