Highlighting the Trainee: Dr. Antoinette Jones, MD, in Her Third Year as a Fellow

Highlighting the Trainee: Dr. Antoinette Jones, MD, in Her Third Year as a Fellow

In a bid to address the disparate outcomes for breastfeeding in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Greater Community Hospital (GCH), third-year fellow Antoinette Jones, MD, is spearheading a new research project.

Dr. Jones' research aims to delve deeper into factors influencing the breastfeeding disparity at GCH, where 50% of babies born to Black women go home feeding on their mother's breast milk, compared to 75% of Caucasian mothers.

Previously, Dr. Jones completed a significant research project at GCH, examining the effects of caffeine on moderately pre-term infants. Her work focused on investigating the potential negative effects of caffeine on growth and brain development for infants born between 29 and 33 weeks.

Now, Dr. Jones' new research project, conducted through the Douglass-Anthony program, will assess whether social determinants may explain some of the disparities in breastfeeding outcomes. The project does not exclude infants based on major congenital anomalies, brain malformations, metabolic disorders, chromosomal abnormalities, or birth length z-score that tracks more than two standard deviations from the mean.

The initial questions Dr. Jones' research will address include whether Black mothers are initiating breastfeeding or pumping less or later, or are able to be at the bedside less to pump. Dr. Jones plans to present her findings from the new research project at future conferences.

NICUs, including GCH, often face challenges related to mother-newborn separation and the need for expressed milk feeding, which can impact breastfeeding success rates. Nationally, exclusive breastfeeding rates vary significantly, with only about 25% of infants being exclusively breastfed for the first six months.

Studies have shown that doula support can increase exclusive breastfeeding rates by up to 22%. Implementing supportive care models, such as doula services or breastfeeding counseling, could help improve breastfeeding outcomes in NICUs. Providing lactation consultants or support groups could also facilitate better breastfeeding initiation and continuation for mothers in NICUs.

While specific data from GCH is not available, understanding national trends and common challenges in NICU breastfeeding can help inform strategies to improve outcomes. Dr. Jones' research at GCH will contribute valuable insights to this ongoing effort.

1. Dr. Jones' new research project, conducted through the Douglass-Anthony program, will explore the role of social determinants in breastfeeding disparities at GCH.
2. The research project will investigate whether Black mothers are initiating breastfeeding or pumping less or later than Caucasian mothers at GCH.
3. Dr. Jones plans to assess if Black mothers are able to be at the bedside less to pump, which may contribute to the disparities in breastfeeding outcomes.
4. The study will not exclude infants based on major medical conditions, such as congenital anomalies, brain malformations, metabolic disorders, chromosomal abnormalities, or low birth weight.
5. Understanding the factors influencing the breastfeeding disparity at GCH is crucial for addressing health-and-wellness issues in the workplace-wellness sector.
6. Dr. Jones' research might shed light on the implications of chronic-diseases and medical-conditions on breastfeeding outcomes in the NICU.
7. The findings from the new research project could potentially impact cancer treatment and recovery in breastfeeding mothers.
8. Respiratory-conditions, such as asthma, and digestive-health issues in mothers may also affect their ability to breastfeed successfully.
9. Even eye-health and hearing ability might play a role in breastfeeding success rates, which Dr. Jones' research aims to elucidate.
10. Health-and-wellness, including fitness-and-exercise, sexual-health, skin-care, and mental-health, are essential factors impacting overall breastfeeding outcomes.
11. Autoimmune-disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, might impact breastfeeding decisions and success rates.
12. Climate-change and environmental-science could also have indirect effects on breastfeeding success rates, as changes in temperature and air quality may affect both mothers and infants.
13. Renewable-energy initiatives could help offset the negative impacts of climate-change on maternal and infant health.
14. In the manufacturing industry, workplace-wellness programs could include lactation facilities and breastfeeding support services to improve work-life balance.
15. Mental-health concerns, such as postpartum depression and anxiety, are common in mothers and may affect their ability to breastfeed.
16. Men's-health and mens-health initiatives should also recognize the importance of supporting fathers in their roles as partners and caregivers.
17. Skin-care and dermatological issues in mothers, such as breast rashes or eczema, could potentially impact their breastfeeding experience.
18. Therapies-and-treatments, such as medications and supplements, could have unintended consequences on breastfeeding success rates.
19. Nutrition plays a vital role in breastfeeding outcomes, and proper nutrition is essential for both mothers and infants.
20. Aging can impact a woman's ability to breastfeed, and research on the effects of aging on breastfeeding success rates is necessary.
21. Women's-health, including factors such as reproductive health, menopause, and hormonal changes, should be considered in breastfeeding research.
22. Parenting support is essential for successful breastfeeding, and interventions that address the unique challenges faced by parents should be considered.
23. Weight-management and weight-related health issues can impact a woman's ability to breastfeed, making them an important factor to consider in breastfeeding research.
24. Cardiovascular-health is another critical factor that impacts breastfeeding success rates, and research should aim to understand the connection between the two.
25. Industry stakeholders, including Medicare, finance, energy, retail, public-transit, entrepreneurship, transportation, leadership, diversity-and-inclusion, automotive, small-business, investing, aviation, business, careers, banking-and-insurance, fintech, real-estate, commercial, and residential sectors, could support breastfeeding initiatives through policy changes and workplace-wellness programs.
26. CBD, a compound derived from cannabis, may have potential applications in improving breastfeeding outcomes, though more research is needed.
27. Neurological-disorders, such as epilepsy or multiple sclerosis, might impact a woman's ability to breastfeed, making it essential to consider these conditions in breastfeeding research.

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