We believe that storytelling is at the heart of our work in confronting how structural racism
Collaboratories
Collaboratories: Transdisciplinary Monthly Discussion Series on Preterm Birth
Discover how we initiate unique dialogues among different sectors of research and community partners once a month in our Transdisciplinary Collaboratory events.
Black Women’s Perspectives on Structural Racism Across the Reproductive Lifecourse: Opportunities for Novel Measure Development
For our Jully 2018
Resource Allocation Program (RAP) Grantees
Using Community Health Workers in San Francisco for Preterm Birth Prevention
This RAP funded project examines the effects of embedding a Community Health Worker (CHW) program in prenatal care clinics at Zuckerberg San Francisco General (ZSFG). The project aims to give pregnant women supports that can reduce stress, decrease social challenges, and ultimately reduce the chance that babies come too early. Learn more here.
EatSF : Fruit and Vegetable Vouchers to Support Pregnant Mothers in San Francisco
The tension between what a limited food budget allows and the desire to eat a healthier diet is often strongest during pregnancy.
Preterm Birth Initiative Postdoctoral Transdisciplinary Research Fellowship
The Preterm Birth Initiative focuses on strengthening communications, collaboration and capacity building within the maternal and newborn health field, and offers a two-year, non-accredited transdisciplinary postdoctoral fellowship focused on prematurity.
2017 Annual Symposium on Preterm Birth
On November 17, 2017, the UCSF Preterm Birth Initiative hosted our second annual Symposium on Preterm Birth, bringing together over 250 researchers, community members and public health experts representing both the California and East Africa arms of the Preterm Birth Initiative.
What is the Preterm Birth Initiative?
The Preterm Birth Initiative at UCSF is dedicated to holistic, place-based research and respectful care across the reproductive life course. Learn more about our work in California and East Africa to move the needle on the epidemic of prematurity.
The UCSF East Africa Preterm Birth Initiative
An overview of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) East Africa Preterm Birth Initiative. PTBi-EA is working with partners in Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda to reduce the burden of preterm birth.
Housing and Preterm Birth: Community-Academic Partnerships for Research and Action
Community-academic partnerships are fundamental to the pursuit of research done differently. Our initiative is proud to partner with the San Francisco State Health Equity Institute and four leading community-based organizations to engage and build the knowledge of our inaugural cohort of Benioff Community Innovators. These are 10 women from San Francisco who are teamed up with SF State MPH students to explore programmatic and policy solutions that focus on the link between poor housing conditions and preterm birth.
The Benefits of Kangaroo Care
Kangaroo care is the practice of holding a newborn skin-to-skin against the chest, providing warmth, feeding, protection from infection, and bonding. Holding a preterm baby for the first time can be scary, especially if they are born so small. But studies have shown the kangaroo care is associated with improved outcomes, fewer complications, and shorter hospital stays compared to conventional care.
Roman's story
Roman was born 11 weeks early. Now 11 years old and in 5th grade, he is happy, friendly, and excels at math. He also has cerebral palsy, which means he has trouble controlling his muscles and body movements — a complication from his being born prematurely. According to Roman's father, "with Roman's disability, he could very easily just be in the background, but he doesn't want to be. And people want to interact with him. I think that's really his biggest strength."
Empowering people to take charge of their own health
Can genetics be a tool to personalize the care that people are getting and who is at risk for what? During the 2017 World Prematurity Day keynote session, Anne Wojcicki, CEO and co-founder of 23andMe, discussed the beauty of human diversity, and how to capture and teach people about it.
A day in the life of data: Every action counts
Strengthening the quality of data about preterm birth is crucial for capturing the true burden of prematurity and for determining where healthcare facilities need improvement. Learn more about the importance of accurate data in improving the health of mothers and preterm babies.
Case studies of Kangaroo Mother Care in Vietnam
Immediate and continuous kangaroo mother care (KMC) can help stabilize preterm babies and improve breastfeeding. Watch a series of KMC video case studies from Dr. Kim Chi Luong at the Tu Du Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Mothers co-create research agendas to reduce preterm birth
All of PTBi-CA’s research engages community stakeholders to achieve advances in prematurity that are relevant, translatable, and sustainable. Watch as PTBi California partners with mothers to prioritize research questions and evaluate research proposals for funding.
California residents talk about how premature birth has affected their lives
Prematurity is an epidemic that affects the lives of millions worldwide and is the leading cause of death in children under age 5 each year. To turn the curve, we need to consider the social, environmental, and behavioral factors that affect prematurity risk, and how race and equity profoundly impact the starting point of life.
