Maternal Child Health

Our Maternal Child Health Research aligns with the life course perspective: Pregnancy and maternal health contribute to later life health and disease for both the pregnant person and child. PHS faculty focus on a variety of determinants, inequities and outcomes related to pregnancy and early childhood, both domestically and internationally.

Program Faculty:

Amina Alio, PhD

Ann Dozier, PhD, FAAN

Research focuses on breastfeeding programs; birth outcomes including maternal morbidity and mortality; evaluation of MCH programs.

Diana Fernandez, MD, MPH, PhD

Pregnancy related weight gain

Theresa Green, PhD, MBA

Elaine Hill, PhD

Todd Jusko, PhD

Immunotoxicity of early-life environmental exposures such as PCBs, PFAS, and metals.

Neurodevelopmental consequences of lead exposure.

Camille Martina, PhD

Molly McNulty, JD

Focus is on the law as a social determinant of health, and also on legal research methodology (from a “policymaking” perspective). My specialty is Medicaid for mothers, children and adolescents, as well as other MCH policies and programs such as lead poisoning testing, immunizations, family planning etc.

David Rich, ScD, MPH

Air pollution exposure during pregnancy, fetal growth, and biomarkers of placental development, inflammation and oxidative stress, and metabolic deficiency

Air pollution exposure and triggering of acute cardiorespiratory events, and changes in cardiorespiratory biomarkers

Accountability studies examining effectiveness of local, regional, and national air quality policies

Edwin van Wijngaarden, PhD, MSc

Neurotoxicity of toxic metals and biomarkers of potential mechanisms.

Genetic, nutritional, and sociodemographic modifiers of environmental toxicity.

Impact of a fish diet on health and development across the life span.