On October 30th, the Washington University Institute for Public Health (IPH), convened local and national researchers, public health practitioners, and community partners for the 12th Annual IPH Conference, “Healthy Moms, Health Babies: Paving the Path to Reproductive Equity.”
During the full day event, co-hosted by the Center for Diabetes Translation Research (WU-CDTR), attendees participated in an engaging set of keynote presentations, panel discussions and poster presentations pertaining to maternal and infant health and reproductive equity in the region.
The conference began with opening remarks from Dr. William Powderly, Larry J. Shapiro Director of the IPH, and Dr. Debra Haire-Joshu, Joyce Wood Professor of Public Health and Medicine and Director of the WU-CDTR.
The conference welcomed two nationally recognized leaders in maternal and infant health, Dr. Haywood Brown, Vice President for Diversity, Inclusion & Equal Opportunity at the University of South Florida; and Dr. James Greenberg, Director of the Neonatology Division at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and a Professor at the University of Cincinnati Pediatrics Department. The keynote speakers highlighted the state and impact of reproductive inequity at the national level and lessons learned from efforts to improve infant mortality and pre-term birth in Cincinnati.
Following each keynote presentation, a set of panelists representing a variety of sectors in the St. Louis region convened to discuss the current state of health in the region and opportunities for collaboration to foster maternal and infant health equity. WU-CDTR members and former Pilot and Feasibility recipients, Drs. Ebony Carter and Cynthia Herrick participated as panelists, highlighting their experience serving patients in the St. Louis region and conducting research to improve health outcomes for mothers during prenatal and postpartum care.
To learn more about the conference and to access resources shared at the program, visit the IPH website.