News

New clinic is attempting to raise healthier families

East Bay’s BLOOM has created an atmosphere that Black families can turn to because workers understand social, cultural, racial challenges they may be facing

New Black Baby Equity Clinic Helps Infants and Moms Flourish

Not being heard, not being taken seriously and being misunderstood by health care providers often describes a routine medical visit for many Black parents. For Black parents of young children, that lack of cultural understanding can lead to grim consequences for the health of the baby and mother.

How stress reduction for moms helps their health — and their kids

For generations, doctors and midwives believed when women experienced stress during pregnancy, it could harm fetal development. But it wasn’t until relatively recently that scientists uncovered evidence showing just how much stress during pregnancy — and stress from long-ago childhood trauma...

Can Cash Payments Improve the Health of Pregnant People and Children?

The article discusses the potential benefits of cash payments for improving the health outcomes of caregivers and children. Cash transfers have been shown to increase access to healthcare services, improve nutrition, reduce maternal depression, and lower risk of low birth weight.

Watch the interview: How to End Transgenerational Trauma While Pregnant

Dr. Nicki Bush speaks with Alice Wertz on the AsPrescribed KCBS radio show about the emerging science on the intergenerational transmission of stress and health. She highlights how policies and programs that support caregiver mental health can have a two-generational impact.

Prenatal Wellness Classes Cut Moms’ Depression in Half Up to 8 Years Later

A low-cost, prenatal intervention benefits mothers’ mental health up to eight years later, a new UC San Francisco study finds.

Prenatal Wellness Group Participation Improves Stress Response in Infants

Infants whose mothers participated in a mindfulness-based program during pregnancy had healthier stress responses at 6 months old, a new UC San Francisco study found.   Read the full article here: UCSF News

Exposure to Abuse, Violence Leaves an Immune Signature

Cancer and diabetes cause biological changes that doctors can detect on tests, but assessing the presence of trauma has always been up to the judgment of clinicians. Now scientists at UC San Francisco have identified an immune signature that could serve as a biomarker for severe trauma and indicate...

Maternal Stress During Pregnancy Linked to Infant Illness

Greater maternal stress during pregnancy is linked with significant increases in the number and variety of infant illness during the first year of life, independent of the level of stress after birth, according to a study led by researchers at UC San Francisco.   Read the full article here: UCSF...