Women, Volume 5, Issue 2 (June 2025) – 2 articles

Previous cross-sectional studies have investigated social determinants of health (SDOH) among pregnant women with COVID-19. However, there are scant data on the impact of these determinants on maternal outcomes from cohorts of pregnant women with COVID-19. We evaluated the association between social determinants of health and both COVID-19 severity and adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) in a cohort of pregnant women in Los Angeles (L.A.) County, California. The APOs considered were fetal loss, gestational hypertensive disorders, prolonged rupture of membranes, and maternal death. We recruited pregnant women with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 and collected data on maternal COVID-19 severity, trimester at diagnosis, comorbidities, mode of delivery, COVID-19 vaccination, APOs, maternal age, medical insurance type, race/ethnicity, and neighborhood income. Participants who were obese were more likely to experience severe COVID-19 (OR: 3.61, 95% CI: 1.44–9.46), while even one vaccine dose before COVID-19 infection was associated with reduced odds of severe disease (OR:0.14, 95% CI: 0.02–0.52). Pregnant participants living in low-income areas were more likely to experience APOs (p = 0.01) and severe COVID-19 (p = 0.009). This suggests that economic inequities could negatively impact maternal outcomes among pregnant women with COVID-19. We also found that SDOH moderated severity effects on APOs in Black women vs. non-Black women. These findings underscore the importance of considering social determinants of health to improve maternal health. Full article

Congenital CMV (cCMV) is the leading cause of hearing loss and neurodevelopmental disabilities in children, affecting 15–18% of births in the United States (U.S.). Despite its strong presence, the lack of routine prenatal screening limits its detection and prevention, especially in low-resource communities. The aim of this scoping review is to describe the scope of the CMV interventions and the policies on CMV screening in the United States, identify successful strategies for the implementation of improved CMV screening rates, and make recommendations for future efforts aimed at improving CMV screening in U.S. healthcare settings. The Joanna Briggs Institute recommendations for scoping reviews and the Arksey and O’Malley (2005) York methodology guided the different review steps. These included (1) identifying research questions; (2) searching for relevant studies; (3) selecting studies relevant to the research questions; (4) charting the data; (5) collating, summarizing, and reporting results. A total of six studies were retained for analysis. A common barrier reported across studies was the lack of generalizability of findings due to small sample size. Challenges encountered by patients often centered around awareness, emotional resistance, and cultural norms. Providers also faced significant barriers, particularly related to time constraints, knowledge gaps, and the prioritization of CMV education in prenatal care. Furthermore, a recurrent theme across included studies was the critical role of education in increasing awareness and reducing CMV transmission risks. Findings will contribute to the advancement of CMV prevention through the identification of gaps in education, policy, and practice, thus assuring better health outcomes for mothers and infants. Full article