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Maternal health

A doctor rests their hand on a mother's shoulder as she holds her baby.
Mental Health
Adolescent stress may raise risk of postpartum depression in adults
Published April 18, 2024
Early-life stress may lead to prolonged elevation of the hormone cortisol after childbirth and in turn, postpartum depression
Maternal health
Study affirms link between sickle cell disease, risk of increased mortality in pregnant people
Published Feb 6, 2023
The study finds that the mortality rate for pregnant people with sickle cell disease is 26 times higher than the national average—a figure that hasn't improved since the last time this population was assessed
A line drawing of a mother and child
Maternal health
Study advances search for early postpartum depression indicators
Published Oct 5, 2022
Biological markers could be critical in identifying mothers who are at a high risk of developing postpartum depression prior to their giving birth
Chemical beakers and a line drawing of a pregnant person
Maternal health
Study finds harmful chemicals present in large sample of pregnant women
Published Aug 11, 2022
A new study found a high presence of chemicals in pregnant women, with the highest levels of toxins found in Black and Latina study participants
A pregnant woman looks at an ultrasound with a doctor
Q+A
The rising maternal health risks facing American women
Published May 4, 2022
Andreea Creanga, program director for health research and policy program MDMOM, discusses troubling trends in maternal health and the work she and her colleagues are doing to make pregnancy and childbirth safer
A pregnant woman and her partner
Health disparities
Race alone does not account for higher preeclampsia rates for Black women, study finds
Published Jan 7, 2022
U.S.-born Black women are at higher risk of preeclampsia than their foreign-born counterparts, suggesting biological, cultural, and social factors may contribute to the development of the blood pressure disorder
Screenshot of a global map tracking vaccine policies by country
Vaccine tracking
Global policies on COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy vary widely by country according to new online tracker
Published June 28, 2021
Johns Hopkins project provides worldwide snapshot of policies influencing access to COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant and lactating people
Addis Ababa
Maternal health
Survey identifies troubling effect of pandemic on where women give birth in Ethiopia
Published Dec 17, 2020
In urban areas, delivery rates in lower-level health facilities increased and hospital deliveries decreased after social distancing restrictions were put in place
Maternal health
Jhpiego wins $100M USAID award
Published Jan 27, 2020
Global health nonprofit assembles team of 12 partners to lead the five-year MOMENTUM 2A award
Nurse researcher Kereng "Molly" Rammipi talks to patients at a clinic
Women's Health
Self-screening for cervical cancer
Published Winter 2019
A new cervical cancer screening program, created in coordination with Jhpiego, allows women in Botswana to take control of their health. / Johns Hopkins Magazine