General Posts – Tulane Center of Excellence in MCH

Navigating Commitments and Cultivating Connections at CityMatCH

March 19, 2024CEMCHLeave a comment

Several of our second-year MCH students attended the 2023 CityMatCH Maternal and Child Health Leadership Conference Meeting in New Orleans, LA on September 20th-22nd. This year’s theme for CityMatch was Reconnecting and Transforming MCH: A Journey of Healing, Rebirth, and Growth. What follows is a post from one of the attendees.

Sydney Bond, BS

This year the conference I chose to attend was CityMatCH. It was conveniently located in New Orleans, Louisiana. However, its proximity provided an unforeseen challenge. How to say present and be actively engaged at a conference in your home city when school and work obligations still exist. By day two of the conference, I was able to be fully present with a few adjustments. I am up for the challenge of the next conference in town.

During the morning plenary session on day two of the conference, we heard from a few audience members about the work they are doing in their home states. One woman who works in Philadelphia spoke on a pilot program her organization supports that will provide monthly cash payments to pregnant residents during pregnancy and for a year postpartum. The goal of the program is to improve infant and maternal health outcomes for Black residents in Philadelphia. I was intrigued to hear about this program as I have not heard of any programs that will provide direct assistance to individuals. I made sure to track the woman down after the session and learned even more about the program. I was happy to exchange contact information with her and look forward to seeing the program outcomes.

Even with the initial challenges of the conference, I am happy I was able to attend and had the opportunity to create connections.

Sydney Bond, BS, is a second-year MPH student concentrating in Maternal and Child Health. Her research interests are Black maternal and infant mortality, Black maternal morbidity, health equity, reproductive justice, maternity care deserts, and obstetric violence. After earning her MPH, Sydney plans on working towards becoming a midwife/Family Nurse Practitioner. She hopes to one day open her a clinic focusing on holistic and preventive health for all.

Building the Human Connection

February 19, 2024CEMCHLeave a comment

Jazlynn Taylor, BS

This year, I had the privilege of attending the CityMatch Conference right here in New Orleans. There were several moments during the conference that truly stood out to me. One aspect of the conference that resonated with me the most were the sessions focused on fatherhood. These sessions delved into various research studies highlighting the involvement of fathers in multiple stages of pregnancy and the perinatal period. The overarching theme of these fatherhood sessions was a compelling call to action for inclusivity, emphasizing the need to involve fathers in the Maternal and Child Health field. It was eye-opening to listen to the speakers address the challenges that fathers face, such as feeling “ignored by doctors during appointments,” the lack of available resources when preparing for fatherhood, and the absence of paternity leave, which reduces the time available to bond with the new baby and support their partners. One promising solution discussed was the PRAMS for Dads initiative, which aims to survey fathers and gain a better understanding of their needs. Acknowledging the crucial role that men can play in improving reproductive health within their families is becoming increasingly recognized and appreciated.

Another session that left a lasting impact on me was the final plenary session, “Unexpected: Supporting the Needs of Black Mothers Living with HIV.” During this session, I witnessed two remarkable Black women sharing their lived experiences and creating a safe and supportive space for other mothers, both current and expecting, who are living with HIV. It was heartwarming to hear these two women speak out about not allowing their status to define them or to be confined within the limitations that society might impose. In addition to the documentary they presented, the two women also spoke in person at the conference. Their deep connection, love, and support for each other and their families were palpable. It was even more inspiring to learn that they lived a great distance from each other, yet they still managed to find the time to support one another and newly diagnosed mothers. As the documentary and discussion concluded, I felt an immense sense of joy and honor that these two Black women had the courage to share their stories authentically and live unapologetically in their truth.

Preparing to Enter the MCH Workforce

January 8, 2024CEMCHLeave a comment

By Jacqueline Oschin, BSPH

CityMatCH was the second conference I have attended and was a nice introduction to a more focused view of maternal and child health. I enjoyed being in such a large group of people that share the same passions and goals. I really appreciated the first and final plenary sessions which addressed how to have difficult conversations with people who may not agree with you, and women’s lived experiences of having children and being able to breastfeed while living with HIV, respectively. The final session was really meaningful as we got to hear from women living with HIV, and having this human connection was so impactful, especially because presentations often focus on research and studies and tend to lack the human experience aspect. I also went to a session on “community lawyering” which I deeply enjoyed as it touched on structural barriers to health such as housing, and how to equip people with knowledge of their rights and how to fight for them.

CityMatCH, which took place in New Orleans this year, was also a great opportunity to meet people from local organizations as well as national organizations that I have learned about throughout my studies such as Birthmark Doula Collective, Black Mamas Matter Alliance, and March of Dimes. It was exciting meeting people from March of Dimes, as I have utilized their resources on maternal and child health many times for research projects. I was also able to connect with people from the New Orleans Health Department and learn more about the work they are doing locally. As I am graduating this semester, the conference was a great opportunity to network and learn more about career opportunities in the field of maternal and child health both locally and across the country. Leaving the conference, I feel more equipped with knowledge about the MCH workforce and how I can be a meaningful part of it.

Jacqueline Oschin, BSPH, is a second-year MPH student, concentrating in Maternal and Child Health. She plans to graduate in December 2023. Her interests include health equity, human rights, structural violence, and criminal legal system reform. She also loves painting, travelling, and her cat Princess Nutter Butter.

On Radical Contraceptive Care, Paradigm Shifts, and Mac and Cheese.

November 27, 2023CEMCHLeave a comment

By Stacy Pierre, BS

Conferences in New Orleans are a very different experience compared to those out of town. Firstly, no other city’s conferences have top-tier mac and cheese for lunch. Massive shout-out to the chefs! Secondly, it’s a lot more difficult to act like the paper is not due when you can see it sitting on your desk at the end of the day. Similarly, it is much more difficult to detach oneself from the premise of a conference that actively centers a request to one’s community. The CityMatCH conference was just that: a commitment to centering marginalized communities in discussions about their maternal healthcare, a willingness to listen to their voices, and a “radical paradigm shift.”

The word radicalism was doing quite a bit of heavy lifting at times. The session on radical contraceptive care was about access to the same contraceptives currently available to the same populations we are already reaching, with the bonus of advocating for broader abortion access. For someone who routinely starts conversations with this premise, the offered conclusion of “advocating for legalized abortion” felt off. The session on a radical shift in parenting was simply a commitment to targeting fathers in our data-collection endeavors. I imagine that for the generations prior who failed to center paternal care as a determinant of maternal health outcomes, this is a paradigm shift. To me, it felt like an incomplete conversation—the jump-off point to a call to action that never happened.

The most radical perspectives came from three Black women from Los Angeles who routinely walk into meetings with funders and advocate for grants for programming and assistance for teenage mothers in their communities. The keynote conversation on Black women living with HIV was a powerful example of radical love. The indigenous speakers who have advocated for decades for discussions centering on their communities were a model of radical commitment to this society. The request to center those voices often feels like a double-edged sword. Populations bearing the brunt of the issues of our systems are being asked to be at the forefront of fixing them. How equitable is that request? How heavy is this added burden?

These questions are a starting point for next year’s conference. Many of this year’s attendees were just getting familiar with this new paradigm. I am unsure of how sustainable it is to keep relying on those most affected to carry the radical commitment forward. I am hopeful we can collectively do better. I am grateful for a shared space to air those concerns.

Stacy Alerte Pierre, BS, is a second-year MPH student concentrating in Maternal and Child Health. She plans to graduate in December 2023. Her interests include sexual and reproductive rights, health disparities and accessibility issues in low and middle-income countries, social justice, and radical health system restructuring. She is currently training as a community birth sister/doula. In her free time, she loves cooking and baking, poetry, embroidery, and British television.

Kicking off CityMatCH 2023

November 13, 2023CEMCHLeave a comment

By Megan Cahalin, BS

As second year CEMCH scholars, we were given the option to return to the American Public Health Association Conference or attend a conference we had never been to before, City MatCH. While APHA was an amazing experience, I was eager to attend a new conference, this one entirely dedicated to maternal and child health. The conference kicked off with one of my favorite plenary sessions, titled How to Have Difficult Conversations About Race.

Based on his best-selling book, Kwame Christian facilitated this session from the perspective of a negotiation expert. Kwame kept the crowd engaged the entire session with his insight into having productive discussions, avoiding common mistakes, using compassionate curiosity, and deliberating with the opposition in a practical setting. With the tools outlined in this session, session-goers gained insight into the psychological aspects that influence how you are perceived and how to gain leverage in polarizing conversations. This was one of my favorite sessions, because the session focused on skills that are so rarely talked about in a professional setting. The skills and tips outlined in the plenary session helped me gain confidence in something so arbitrary, yet difficult to do well. Though health disparities are discussed in the curriculum of Tulane SPHTM, how to have conversations with opposing entities about this truth is not covered, especially when you do not fall into the population that you are speaking on behalf of.

Leaving with the skills to be able to effectively negotiate with those who disagree, we can more efficiently promote and advocate for health equity in both our careers and personal lives. This plenary session left me feeling ready to tackle the rest of the conference, attending sessions about celebrating youth voices, reproductive justice, improvements in screening for congenital syphilis, maternal health equity, and my favorite session – the plenary highlighting the specific health and social needs of Black mothers living with HIV.

After completing her BSPH at Tulane University, Megan Cahalin knew that the next step for her professional career was to continue her studies. She is passionate about sexual health education, STI stigma reduction, and reproductive justice. Megan will most likely go on to get her CHES certification once she graduates in May of 2024. Her career goals include working with community sexual health education programming. She loves to cook dinner every night with some jazz playing! She also loves to stay active, whether it’s yoga, running, or cycling. And finally, under times of stress, Megan turns to painting, cuddling with her two kittens or calling her sister.

Going the Distance: Connecting from Guatemala to Tulane

December 6, 2021December 6, 2021CEMCHLeave a comment

Several of our MCH students attended the 2021 American Public Health Association (APHA) conference, October 24-27, in-person or online. What follows is a post from one of the attendees.

By Bryn Prieto

As a first semester graduate student and first-time attendee at APHA, I was expecting my experience to be as hindered by the pandemic as the rest of my life has been. Fortunately, I found that the scope of projects, the countries of focus, and the institutions that researchers hailed from brought to life the global focus of our work in public health and how much there is to learn from one another, regardless of the distance.

Like many US-born folks, I’ve spent the majority of my life being taught health and medicine from a US-centric lens. This conference brought about the opportunity to connect our learning to efforts across the globe, often with an emphasis we rarely see at home. I was lucky enough to reconnect with my pre-pandemic work as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala through a project on treatments in midwife-attended home births in the Western Highlands. I was especially happy to see this project aim to empower midwives and the work they do rather than replace their practices with something else. In my experience in Guatemala, midwives were often disrespected and ignored despite the importance they hold in childbirth and child rearing in the highlands. The efforts to prevent postpartum hemorrhage were hindered previously by stigma towards community health workers and midwives, and I was happy to see this project embrace their impact and place in Guatemalan culture by working with them to prevent poor outcomes, rather than attempt to replace them.

APHA offered the opportunity for me to reconnect with past work, and expand my horizons for future research projects. I was able to apply my learnings in epidemiology, better understand my design research class, and recognize key aspects of public health. The chance to connect my work in the Peace Corps within a new context and information from graduate school reminded me that there is still much to learn, and I’m looking forward to whatever that may be at next year’s conference.

Bryn Prieto is a first year MPH graduate student in Maternal and Child Health. She is particularly interested in prenatal practices and care, reproductive epidemiology, and health equity. She loves to read, watch soccer, and travel in her free time.

Towards Sustainable Diets in the United States: Webinar on November 2

October 29, 2021October 29, 2021CEMCHLeave a comment

Please join the Tulane Center of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health, the Tulane MCH Nutrition Leadership Training program, and the West Virginia Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for a webinar:

Towards Sustainable Diets in the United States
Presented by Diego Rose, PhD, MPH, RD
Tuesday, November 2, 2021
12:00 – 1:00 pm CDT

Register here: https://bit.ly/DietEnviron

Birth Justice Film Festival

October 4, 2021October 29, 2021CEMCHLeave a comment

Join us Saturday, October 9, for the Birth Justice Film Festival, which introduces educational, engaging, and thought-provoking documentaries followed by expert panel discussions. For 2021, The Art of Birthing will feature three documentaries – Tutwiler; Belly of the Beast; and Legacy Power Voice: Movements in Black Midwifery. We will host a live watch party in New Orleans at the Diboll Gallery Auditorium inside the Tulane University School of Public Health on Canal Street, while simultaneously broadcasting to our virtual registrants. Visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-art-of-birthing-2021-bjff-fundraiser-tickets-178802090867 to learn more and register.

Windows of opportunity: how better access to maternity care may help prevent obstetric and violent deaths

April 1, 2021April 1, 2021CEMCHLeave a comment

Join us for this semester’s Tulane Center of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health webinar.

Windows of opportunity: how better access to maternity care may help prevent obstetric and violent deaths

Presented by:

Veronica Gillispie-Bell, MD, MAS, FACOG
Medical Director, Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative (LaPQC) and Louisiana Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review (LA-PAMR)

Maeve Wallace, PhD
Assistant Professor, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine

Friday, April 16, 2021

12:00 – 1:00 CDT

To register for this webinar, visit: http://bit.ly/TulaneMCH

Drs. Gillispie-Bell and Wallace will present on:

the association between maternity care deserts and risk of death during pregnancy and up to one year postpartum.
the magnitude of violent death during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
potential pathways for reducing pregnancy-associated mortality.

Activism During COVID-19

February 22, 2021February 22, 2021CEMCHLeave a comment

Tune in this Thursday at 6 pm CST to learn about Hip Hop for Change’s founder and CEO, Khafre Jay’s, non-profit work using hip-hop to educate and advocate for social justice. Listen as he explains how his advocacy has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Presented by The Skin You’re In, TU School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and the Tulane Center of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health (CEMCH).Registration is free and required:https://tulane.zoom.us/…/regi…/WN_HpSBr9u5QzaK_uUuJJZRRw