Taliya Maddox
Pronouns: she/her
Research Mentor(s): Nadia Saadat
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Pediatrics / Medicine
Program:
Authors: Taliya Maddox Maddox, Christopher Engeland Engeland, Dawn Misra, Carmen Giurgescu, Vasantha Padmanabhan, Nadia Saadat
Session: Session 5 2:40-3:30 p.m. Hussey Room
Poster:
Abstract
Background: The African-American [Black] birth-giving community notably experiences a higher adverse social exposure leading to increased inflammation during pregnancy. Inflammation during pregnancy, also known as maternal inflammation, has been found to be impacted by the social factors [3]. Social factors such as increased depressive symptoms and intimate partner violence have been tied to systemic maternal inflammation and therefore negative perinatal outcomes including pre-term birth and birth weight [3]. However, the implications of neighborhood environment in conjunction with psychosocial stressors on Black maternal inflammation are not as extensively comprehended or addressed. Objectives: Our main objective is to investigate an association between one’s neighborhood context (perceived crime and neighborhood disorder) and psychosocial stressors (perceived stress, experiences of discrimination, and depressive symptoms) with maternal inflammation. We hypothesize that there is a significant connection between the social factors of the neighborhood context and psychosocial stressors with maternal inflammation [cytokines]. Design/Methods: This project is an extension of the Biosocial Impact on Black Birth (BIBB) study, a longitudinal cohort-based project working to better understand how biosocial factors may implicate birth outcomes in Black birth-givers. As such, data and samples were collected as part of the BIBB study. By using Spearman and Pearson correlation analyses, we will further explore the extent of a relationship between perceived crime, Ross-Mirowsky score, stress levels, experiences of discrimination, depressive symptoms and maternal inflammation in Black birth-giving individuals (n=589) in the Midwest region of the United States [Metropolitan Detroit, Michigan; Detroit, Michigan; Columbus, Ohio].We are monitoring inflammation at three time points by conducting quantitative analyses of maternal inflammatory marker levels [C-Reactive Protein, Interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8, IL-9, IL-10, Interferon-?, Macrophage migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF), Tumor Necrosis Factor- Alpha,]. Results and Conclusions: It is becoming more widely acknowledged that individuals predisposed to disadvantaged areas are more susceptible to higher risk of inflammation and associated complications [2]. Preliminary data allude to a relationship between neighborhood environment and psychosocial stressors with maternal inflammation. These correlations will be further investigated via controlling for possible confounding variables to more certainly comprehend factors that influence perinatal outcomes. However, these relationships highlight the importance of screening the environment of at-risk patient populations such as Black women.
