MHSI’s two new maternal health research coordinators, Cyndy Woods and Pam Leeper, traveled to Little Rock last week for training at the Community Health Centers of Arkansas headquarters.
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is partnering with the Community Health Centers of Arkansas (CHCA) for a maternal health research program, Delivering HOPE (Helping Women Optimize Prenatal Equity).
The goal of this partnered research project is to compare the effectiveness on maternal health outcomes of two multilevel interventions – Delivering HOPE and enhanced standard of care (ESoC) - specifically focusing on the aspects of excessive gestational weight gain, diet quality, and pregnancy and delivery complications.
The research coordinators will collect data at key times, including baseline, 24-week gestation, 34-week gestation, 6-month postpartum and 12-month postpartum, as well as ensure that participants receive the necessary resources and guidance to improve maternal and fetal health outcomes. They will also support nutritional and gestational weight gain counseling for participants, assist them with signing up for nutritional resources, including SNAP/WIC, and provide referrals to community safety net food organizations. These roles will be vital to the success of the Delivering HOPE program.