Both patients and providers reported positive experiences with TeamBirth.
According to their responses to the Mothers Autonomy in Decision Making scale (MADM), a survey given to see if they felt involved and in control if their care, postpartum patients in Oklahoma who participated in TeamBirth huddles during labor reported feeling more involved in their decision making and that their choices were respected compared to patients who did not have TeamBirth huddles.
Investigators
Constandina Kapogiannis (she/her) is the Research Manager for I’M SPEAKING study and is based at Endeavor Health. She holds a M.S. in Nursing from DePaul University in Chicago, IL. Constandina is passionate about the health of women, infants, and children. She has worked in the Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN) realm her entire career, having spent over 13 years providing care to high risk obstetrics patients in the hospital setting. She championed multiple quality improvement projects that have improved inpatient care by implementing evidenced based practices. In 2021, she made the transition from the bedside to obstetrics research. She has worked on studies evaluating COVID complications in pregnant patients and their children, preventing prematurity and preterm birth through the use of progesterone or a pessary, sleep apnea and hypertension, minimizing opioid prescriptions post cesarean delivery, and hemorrhage prevention. Constandina is committed to decreasing health disparities, eliminating biases, addressing social determinants of health, and encouraging all patients to strive for their best health.
Claire is a Research Associate II at the University of Illinois Chicago, focusing on improving maternal and child health quality care. She holds a B.A. in Public Health with minors in Biology, Ethics, and Nonprofit Leadership Development from Augustana College (IL) and a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from the University of Iowa College of Public Health. Claire’s academic and professional journey has been deeply rooted in her passion for fostering the well-being of future generations. Throughout her life, she has cared deeply about the health and development of children, realizing during graduate school that supporting birthing people is the foundation of this mission. During her studies, Claire contributed to numerous research projects on maternal and child health, gaining valuable experience addressing critical issues and advancing care for birthing people and families.
Mia Elizabeth Williams (she/her) is a Research Coordinator in the Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN) department at Endeavor Health. She holds a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MPH-MPA from University of Wisconsin-Madison’s School of Medicine and Public Health and La Follette School of Public Affairs. Her research experiences have focused on elevating qualitative research methods and community-engaged research to center those who are most impacted by health inequities.
Verónica Castillo Le Maitre (she/her) is a Research Coordinator in the Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN) department at Endeavor Health. She is a pediatrician from Venezuela who recently completed her Master of Public Health at the University of Illinois Chicago as a Fulbright Scholar. Passionate about Maternal and Child Health and Global Health, her professional journey has been shaped by work with international organizations and agencies on community-driven projects supporting vulnerable populations. Her research interests focus on improving early childhood development—from conception through age eight—by implementing culturally responsive care strategies, promoting health literacy among families and caregivers, and supporting global efforts to reduce disparities in maternal and child health. She is especially driven by the belief that empowering families during the earliest years lays the foundation for lifelong health and well-being.
Adriana Quintana is a Clinical Research Coordinator II at the University of Chicago. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Master of Public Health from Benedictine University. Adriana has a strong commitment to collaborative, culturally responsive research, informed by her experience in community-centered initiatives aimed at advancing health equity and addressing minority health and health disparities in the Chicagoland region.
Kennedy Paredes (she/her) is a Research Assistant in the Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN) department at Endeavor Health. She holds a B.S. in Psychology from The University of Tulsa and an MPH in Global Health Equity from Loyola University Chicago’s Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health. Her previous research experiences focused on improved health communication and health disparities reduction. Her interests include advancing health equity as well and health education.