NICHD #: 1U54HD113030-01, Co-PIs Mendez, Birru Talabi, Simhan

 The EMBRACE Center is a multidisciplinary community-academic partnership to advance maternal and reproductive health for Black birthing people through Clinical transformation. The EMBRACE Center research aims to integrate interconception (time between pregnancies) and 4th trimester care that centers Black families and improves postpartum health and wellness.

The EMBRACE Center provides reproductive justice, anti-racism, and anti-oppression training for healthcare providers, researchers, and policy advocates. Leadership of the EMBRACE Center is comprised of community experts and advocates, who have a long history of supporting Black birthing people and families in the region.

NICHD #: 1R61HD113515-01 PI Birru Talabi

INTREPID is a study assessing the effects of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Supreme Court decision in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New York, and Ohio on the health outcomes of people with and without chronic diseases who have had an abortion, physicians who care for birthing people with chronic diseases, and measures of severe maternal morbidity and mortality using Medicaid data. We are using qualitative interviews to achieve our aims, which include: 1) Evaluating--among people with and without chronic diseases who have had an abortion--the barriers and facilitators they faced in accessing abortion care; 2) Assessing--among physicians-- the impact of abortion policy on medical decision-making and practice; and 3) generating new evidence about the impact of abortion policy on population- based pregnancy and healthcare-related outcomes.

NIAMS K23AR075057 PI: Birru Talabi

A natural history registry of women with diverse autoimmune diseases, to assess longitudinal reproductive health outcomes in this group. We recruit from UPMC rheumatology clinics and from the Pitt + Me online research registry.

Participants will be asked to complete surveys about their reproductive health goals and outcomes; their autoimmune disease and medications; and their experiences in the healthcare system. Participants’ medical records will be reviewed annually to document their health outcomes.

NICHD #: 5R21HD109440-02 PI: Birru Talabi

We developed a new measure to evaluate the extent to which people’s reproductive autonomy is supported in the healthcare environment. Future work will validate the RAH measure in a large cohort of diverse women and evaluate its effect on the clinical outcomes of women at high risk for preterm birth, and maternal morbidity and mortality.

RESPOND is a national study assessing the effects of the overturning of Roe v Wade  on the pregnancy and health outcomes of women with rheumatic diseases, the medical decision-making of rheumatologists, the frequency of severe maternal morbidity and mortality among pregnant women with rheumatic diseases, and the healthcare related outcomes among non-pregnant women with rheumatic diseases.  

We are using qualitative interviews and national claims data to achieve our aims, which include: 1) exploring the impact of abortion policy changes on the health and well-being of women with rheumatic diseases and the medical decision-making of rheumatologists; 2) evaluating and comparing the frequency of adverse pregnancy outcomes among women with rheumatic diseases since the overturning of Roe v Wade by state; and 3) assessing the effects of state abortion policies on the care of non-pregnant women with rheumatic diseases.  

Findings from this study will inform a policy and public health response that enhances patient-centered healthcare for women with rheumatic diseases.