Preconception Care Research: Improving Birth Outcomes & Reproductive Health Workshop

Welcome and Opening Remarks
Estella Parrott, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Uma Reddy, NICHD
Hani Atrash, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Session I: Reproductive Health
Moderator: Marcelle Cedars, UCSF

• Germaine Buck Louis, NICHD - Reproductive health influences surrounding conception
• Marcelle Cedars, UCSF - Endometriosis, uterine fibroids, other gynecological conditions
• Kristina Adams Waldorf, University of Washington - Immunology: before the sperm and egg meet and consequences of the rendezvous

Discussion

Break

Session II: Oocyte/Sperm/Embryo Quality
Moderator: Andrea Dunaif, Northwestern University

• Kelle Moley, Washington University, St. Louis - Maternal obesity and diabetes: oocyte and embryonic origins of developmental abnormalities
• Tom Fleming, University of Southampton, UK - Impact of poor nutrition on egg and embryo potential into postnatal life
• Andrea Dunaif, Northwestern University - Fetal origins of PCOS
• Carmen Williams, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) - Paternal influence on calcium signaling and embryo development

Discussion

Session III: Genetics, Epigenetics, and Congenital Anomalies
Moderator: Pat Hunt, Washington University

• Pat Hunt, Washington State University - Influencing the genetic quality of gametes and embryos
• Benjamin Tycko, Columbia University - Update on imprinted genes and fetal-placental growth
• Siobhan Dolan, Albert Einstein - Genomics in preconception care: assessing risk

Discussion

Lunch

Session IV: Environmental Influences
Moderator: Germaine Buck Louis, NICHD

• Melissa McDiarmid, University of Maryland - Occupational exposure surrounding conception: when might it matter?
• John Meeker, University of Michigan - Impact of environmental exposures on human semen quality and sperm DNA damage)
• Warren Foster, McMaster University, Hamilton ON - Impact of environmental influences/exposures on egg function/physiology/biology

Discussion

Session V: Nutrition/Obesity/Micronutrients
Moderator: Marlene Goldman, Harvard University

• Marlene Goldman, Harvard University - Optimal dietary status in couples trying to conceive: is there a role for antioxidant vitamins?
• Carl Keen, UC Davis - Preconception nutrition/micronutrients

Break

• Katharine Wenstrom - Preconception folate supplementation
• James Clapp, Case Western Reserve University - Exercise effects on reproductive health and the course and outcome of pregnancy
• E. Albert Reece, University of Maryland - Diabetes induced embryopathy: opportunities for prevention

Discussion

Summary Remarks

Welcome

Session VI: Clinical Perspectives
Moderator: Carolina Reyes, LA Best Babies

• Merry-K Moos, University of North Carolina - Preconceptional Health: From Science to Practice
• Michael Lu, UCLA - How the life course perspective affects reproductive health
• Anne Dunlop, Emory University - Toward improving reproductive outcomes: the rationale and evidence for interconception
• Radek Bukowski, University of Utah - Preconception care after adverse pregnancy outcome
• Robert Goldenberg, Drexel University - How infection before or surrounding conception affects reproductive health
• Carol Hogue, Emory University - Reducing preterm births through improved pregnancy planning: research recommendations

Discussion

Session VII: Demographic and Socioeconomic Influences
Moderator: Jennifer Culhane, Drexel University

• Richard David, University of Illinois - Impact of socioeconomic environment at birth on adult childbearing
• Jennifer Culhane, Drexel University - Preliminary findings from the interconceptional care preterm prevention project: prevalence of risk factors and intervention participation rates

Discussion

Lunch

Session VIII: Study Designs and Methodological Challenges
Moderator: Rajeshwari Sundaram, NICHD

• Sam Posner, CDC - Public health research in preconception health and healthcare
• Brian Jack, Boston University - Translational, behavioral and clinical research: getting preconception care into practice
• David Dunson, NIEHS - Discovering patterns in pre- and post-conception multivariate and functional data

Discussion

Session IX: Future Research Directions and Recommendations
Moderators: Estella Parrott/NICHD, Uma Reddy/NICHD, Hani Atrash/CDC

Concurrent Breakout Teams (4 teams) to Develop Future Research Recommendations
Breakout Team #1 (Sessions I and II)
Breakout Team #2 (Sessions III and IV)
Breakout Team #3 (Sessions V and VII)
Breakout Team #4 (Sessions VI and VIII)

Plenary Session: Each Breakout Team to Present Future Research Recommendations for Discussion

Closing Remarks