Lin Betty, Middleton Rachel R, Terefe Bethlehem, Appleton Allison A, Feingold Beth J, Lynch Tara, Pieterse Alex L, Rogers Rebecca, Armah Annabelle E, Bierce Lydia F, Flagg Amanda M, McCarthy Sarah
Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, University at Albany, Albany, New York, USA
Obstetrics and Gynecology, Albany Medical Center, Albany, New York, USA.
BMJ Open. 2024 Apr 23;14(4):e087141. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-087141.
In the USA, Black birthing people and infants experience disproportionately worse pregnancy-related health outcomes. The causes for these disparities are unknown, but evidence suggests that they are likely socially and environmentally based. Efforts to identify the determinants of these racial disparities are urgently needed to elucidate the highest priority targets for intervention. The Birth and Beyond (BABY) study evaluates how micro-level (eg, interpersonal and family) and macro-level (eg, neighbourhood and environmental) risk and resiliency factors transact to shape birth person-infant health, and underlying psychobiological mechanisms.
The BABY study will follow 350 Black families (birthing parents, non-birthing parents and infants) from pregnancy through the first postpartum year, with research visits during pregnancy and at infant ages 6 and 12 months. Research visits comprise a combination of interview about a range of recent and life course stress and resiliency exposures and supports, psychophysiological (sympathetic, parasympathetic and adrenocortical) assessment and behavioural observations of parent-infant coregulatory behaviours. Spatial analyses are completed by mapping parent current and past residential addresses onto archival public data (eg, about neighbourhood quality and racial segregation). Finally, EMRs are abstracted for information about birthing parent relevant medical history, pregnancy conditions and infant birth outcomes. Analyses will evaluate the risk and resiliency mechanisms that contribute to pregnancy and birth-related outcomes for Black birthing people and their infants, and the protective role of individual, familial, cultural, and community supports.
The BABY study has been approved by the Institutional Review Board at Albany Medical Centre. The study team consulted with local organisations and groups comprised of stakeholders and community leaders and continues to do so throughout the study. Research results will be disseminated with the scientific and local community as appropriate.
在美国，黑人分娩者和婴儿经历的与妊娠相关的健康结局要差得多。这些差异的原因尚不清楚，但有证据表明，它们可能基于社会和环境因素。迫切需要努力确定这些种族差异的决定因素，以阐明干预的最优先目标。“出生及以后”（BABY）研究评估微观层面（如人际和家庭层面）和宏观层面（如社区和环境层面）的风险及复原力因素如何相互作用，以塑造分娩者-婴儿的健康状况以及潜在的心理生物学机制。
BABY研究将追踪350个黑人家庭（分娩父母、非分娩父母和婴儿），从孕期一直到产后第一年，在孕期以及婴儿6个月和12个月大时进行研究访问。研究访问包括一系列关于近期和人生历程中的压力及复原力暴露与支持的访谈、心理生理（交感神经、副交感神经和肾上腺皮质）评估以及对母婴核心调节行为的行为观察。通过将父母当前和过去的居住地址映射到档案公共数据（如关于社区质量和种族隔离的数据）来完成空间分析。最后，提取电子病历以获取有关分娩父母相关病史、妊娠情况和婴儿出生结局的信息。分析将评估导致黑人分娩者及其婴儿妊娠和与分娩相关结局的风险及复原力机制，以及个人、家庭、文化和社区支持的保护作用。
BABY研究已获得奥尔巴尼医疗中心机构审查委员会的批准。研究团队与由利益相关者和社区领袖组成的当地组织和团体进行了磋商，并在整个研究过程中持续进行。研究结果将在适当时向科学界和当地社区传播。
