Oral

The purpose of this session is to first provide an overview of the multiple domains that influence overall environmental quality and the relationship with pregnancy outcomes and then focus on one domain – built environment. Both risk (e.g., residential segregation) and mediating factors (e.g., access to healthy food stores) for pregnancy outcomes will be discussed. Environmental exposures range across multiple domains which are associated with adverse birth outcomes. The built environment, an important aspect of a woman's mental and physical health, is modifiable and thus an important target for interventions designed to improve public health. Identifying mediating pathways will help guide public resources for reducing the racial disparity in birth outcomes between US blacks and whites.

Session Objectives: 1.) Describe what contributes to overall environmental quality. 2.) Describe one domain of environmental quality, built environment, in the context of pregnancy outcomes. 3.) Describe what contributes to psychosocial status among a pregnancy cohort.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)