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VA Maternal Health Summit Hosts Maternal and Reproductive Health Professionals
Women Veterans are the fastest growing Veteran population and reproductive care is more important than ever in VA. Today, there are more than 2 million women Veterans in the US. Among women Veterans using VA health care, 43% are of reproductive age (18-44 years old).
VA provides a wide array of reproductive health services from contraception to breastfeeding and lactation to treatment of menopausal symptoms and covers a full range of reproductive, maternity care, post-partum services for female Veterans to support their family planning goals.
Last month, the Perinatal Reproductive Educational Planning and Resources (PREPARe) program hosted its first VA Maternal Health Summit at the Orlando VA Medical Center, led by VHA Innovation Ecosystem Senior Innovation Fellow and PREPARe innovator, Melissa Tran.
Bringing Together a Community of Veteran Maternal Health Advocates
The VA Maternal Health Summit brought together maternal and reproductive health care professionals to collaborate, share knowledge, and explore innovative ideas for advancing maternal and reproductive care for Veterans and their families.
“The purpose of the Summit was to discuss the current and future state of maternal health by identifying actionable steps that can be taken to meet these needs for Veterans,” said Tran. “There is a need to address the maternal health crisis facing our women Veterans and birthing people.”
Over 155 VA providers and executive leaders from 46 VA facilities across the nation, community partners, and Veteran Service Organization representatives gathered for the event. With VA employees specializing in areas from gynecology, physical therapy, mental health, whole health, and nutrition, the event focused on connecting individuals to share their experiences caring for perinatal Veterans and their families.
Diving Deeper into Maternal Health
The Summit hosted three panels, titled Innovation and Research, Health Disparities and Social Determinants, and Veteran Lived Experience. Each panel brought experts to discuss future opportunities for research and innovation, important factors facing maternity care in the current climate, and provided an opportunity for three Veterans to share their experiences with the PREPARe program.
“I would hope that every VA has the resources that we have here in Orlando… As a single mom, for my last trimester, any little thing meant the world to me and I hope that other women Veterans can receive that support as well,” said a U.S. Coast Guard Veteran.
Tran hopes this is the first of many annual VA Maternal Health Summits. “Our attendees are leaving the event feeling more connected to the mission of serving all Veterans and with ideas for how to improve access to services at their facilities. We’ve barely scratched the surface.”
Studying Infertility in Veterans
The VA New England Center for Innovation Excellence (NECIE) and Legacy have partnered to test and cryopreserve sperm from 1,000 Global War on Terror Veterans across the United States to investigate why Veterans from recent wars are more likely to struggle with infertility than their civilian peers.
“Many of our Veterans have experienced serious health conditions,” said Leandro DaSilva, U.S. Navy Veteran, Director of NECIE. “If this can help identify contributing factors to Veterans’ health, we are eager to participate and support this collaboration.”
Veterans interested in participating in the CRADA may visit the Legacy CRADA website and sign up to receive notice when they are eligible. Currently the CRADA covers GWOT Veterans between the ages of 18 and 50 receiving care at VA Boston HCS. Participants who sign up and are deemed eligible will provide samples through Legacy kits, which will then be tested and cryogenically stored. While only male Veterans can provide sperm samples, VA and Legacy hope that study findings will help improve VA fertility services for all Veterans. For questions, contact VISN1NECIE@VA.GOV.
Digital Initiatives in Connected Health Panel
Dr. Arash Harzand, Co-Director and Chief Health Advisor for Digital Health, and former Senior Innovation Fellow, will be speaking on a panel called “CH-PNL Digital Initiatives in Connected Health” today from 1:00 – 1:55 P.M. Eastern as part of the Works With by Silicon Labs Virtual Conference.
Works With 2023 is a two-day event featuring technical sessions, keynotes, and expert-led panels covering the latest trends, tools, and design techniques for developers. This free, all-virtual event features more than 40 technical sessions specifically designed to bring together leading ecosystem partners, thought leaders, and Silicon Labs experts to dive deep into the technologies driving IoT.
Dr. Harzand will be sharing his expertise on connected digital health devices, such as smart watches and glucose monitors, and emerging trends in the digital and connected health space. Learn more and register to watch the panel here.
Want to learn more about innovation at VA? Visit our website, scan Diffusion Marketplace, and explore VA Pathfinder to learn more about our opportunities.
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