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CURE Token Launches CURE Chain Development by Securing Technical Advisor Jim Nasr

CURE Token, LLC

Jacob Beckley, visionary founder of CURE Token and THE BECKLEY FOUNDATION philanthropist, has set his sights on another new and exciting venture in his quest to upend traditional approaches to medical research and to enable universal access to medical care, especially for the underserved. As COVID hampered the The Beckley Foundation's fundraising events and efforts, Beckley needed innovative, alternative ways to fund its commitments to active medical research programs. CURE Token was launched to fill funding gap, and instead exploded in a short time to a $52M market cap, enabling the expansion of the Beckley foundation's mission to include supplementing the devastating patient and family costs associated with childhood cancer care. "Supporting childhood cancer research, patients and their families is a compassionate effort, and I'm pleased we are able to make even a small difference", says Beckley, "but it's the tip of an iceberg fraught with underlying problems in an industry disinterested in change". He goes on to describe two fundamental healthcare industry problems at opposite ends of the delivery system. "Researchers need to share data, every day, real-time, in an anonymous, secure system. COVID vaccines are an example of the speed and acuity that can be brought to bear through real-time collaboration. That same process needs to be replicated every day, in every way, on every research project. By the time professional papers are published and peer reviewed, it's already old news". At the other end of the spectrum Beckley talks about his primary goal: patient access. "All the medical research, innovation and development in the world is worthless if patients are unable to access it due to economics or geography. Healthcare access should not be limited to the wealthy, the insured, or the geographically well located. Healing is for everyone." CURE Chain, Beckley's visionary concept to address both of these goals is becoming a reality, and he's harnessing the horsepower to make it happen sooner rather than later. Jim Nasr, a well-respected tech innovator and CEO of Acoer, an award-winning tech firm specializing in user friendly blockchain development will join Beckley in structuring and launching CURE Chain. Nasr is well versed in the healthcare industry, from his role as chief software architect for the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the US, his collaboration with Mayo Clinic's development of their connected diagnostics platform, and positions on a variety of key healthcare technology committees and related boards. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af858de1aef1df75ada4dce/4a886ac6-bbde-4bf9-8a2e-d191eabccf97/cure-chain-leadership.png?format=1000w "CURE Chain provides a novel opportunity to address the issues that Jacob has identified. As example, through use of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) on a public Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) network, we intend to reference clinical research and patient data uniquely, securely and in a privacy preserving manner. This DLT “anchoring” will significantly increase confidence on the authenticity of the underlying data and accountable monitoring and usage it," says Nasr. “We firmly believe that properly conceived DLT and blockchain integration as an underlayer of computational trust can lead to decentralized healthcare delivery and the leveling of the playing field—reducing the gap between the developed and underdeveloped health systems, the insured and uninsured, and the wealthy and the poor." Full CURE Chain implementation will proceed after the conclusion of the already underway key design activities. These include: Technical architecture design—on schedule, with the technical team already hard at work, identification of research organizations for piloting clinical trial data exchange, and the development of patient user experience models. "Financial institutions tried to thwart cryptocurrency development and growth, but it happened anyway by mass demand. CURE Chain will change a healthcare industry that doesn't know it's broken and has no motivation to change, and it will do it by mass demand," Beckley explains. "Once it catches on and people, both researchers and patients, see the value change will be monumental". A pretty bold, futuristic statement, but it comes from someone whose title is "Senior Vice President of Innovation, Product and Technology" at one of the country's acclaimed digital innovation firms, Fusion92. Perhaps it's time to pay attention. Contact Details Eric Brown +44 7960 044904 eric@curetoken.net

February 15, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Regenerative Medicine Company Vascudyne Relocates to High Capacity GMP Manufacturing Facility

Vascudyne, Inc.

Vascudyne, Inc., a biotechnology trailblazer in regenerative medicine, announced today that it has relocated to 15,000 sq. ft. of recently remodeled manufacturing, warehouse, laboratory, and office space. This new facility is needed to meet increased demand for research and development and manufacturing of Vascudyne’s TRUE™ Tissue technology that is unique and 100% natural. Nothing synthetic or artificial is ever used in the manufacturing process, in contrast to other regenerative medicine cardiovascular devices with synthetic polymer-based scaffolds that slowly degrade in the body and may lead to adverse immune response. Vascudyne announced in July the successful first human use of its TRUE™ Graft for hemodialysis access in end-stage renal disease patients. “The addition of a dedicated 5,000 sq. ft. ISO 7 Cleanroom manufacturing facility is paramount for the successful continuation of our TRUE Graft clinical studies,” said Cory Pries, Director of Quality at Vascudyne. “The expandable manufacturing capacity we have added is designed to support our current pilot clinical studies all the way to initial commercialization.” "We are dedicating 2,500 sq. ft. of the ISO 7 Cleanroom space to our new product development pipeline for coronary artery bypass graft, heart valves, and surgical patches," added Dr. Zeeshan Syedain, Vascudyne’s Chief Scientific Officer. “While we are initially focusing on cardiovascular applications for our TRUE Tissue technology, we can readily manufacture products and delivery systems for a range of medical devices, implantation sites, and geometries. We are excited to develop implantable biomaterials that are ready to use, off-the-shelf, and regenerative.” Vascudyne announced in December the closing of its Series A financing round for $10M that has fueled its growth and enabled the company’s relocation to the new facility. “Our investors’ continued support and promising early results from TRUE Graft’s first in man pilot study have propelled our growth,” said Rick Murphy, Vascudyne’s Chief Operating Officer. “We are establishing a strong presence in the epicenter of the Medical Alley, the Silicon Valley of Healthcare, and are creating excellent employment opportunities for talented people in the area. The move to this new facility positions us well to meet growing global demand for our products.” Vascudyne licensed its proprietary TRUE Tissue technology developed by world renowned tissue engineering leader Robert Tranquillo, PhD, Distinguished McKnight University Professor, and his colleagues from the University of Minnesota in 2017. TRUE Graft is not available for commercial sale. About Vascudyne Headquartered in the heart of Medical Alley in Minnesota, Vascudyne is on a mission to improve patient care with regenerative biomaterials that are inspired by nature. Vascudyne, a privately held company founded in 2014, uses the TRUE™ Tissue technology to develop TRUE to Nature™ biomaterials for soft tissue repair and replacement. For more information, please visit https://www.vascudyne.com/. About TRUE Tissue Technology TRUE™ Tissue is developed from cells isolated from donor tissue and is 100% biological. There are no synthetic materials or chemical fixation used, and implanted tissues are completely cell-derived and acellular. The TRUE Tissue technology can be readily shaped into tubes, sheets, and other geometries making it suitable for many soft tissue applications, is mechanically comparable to native tissues, and is a ready to use, off-the-shelf allograft. Forward Looking Statements This announcement contains forward-looking statements. Such statements may include, without limitation, statements identified by words such as "projects," "may," "will," "could," "would," "should," "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," "intends," "plans," "potential" or similar expressions. These statements relate to future events or Vascudyne’s clinical development programs, reflect management’s current beliefs and expectations and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Vascudyne’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different. Vascudyne undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future presentations or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Contact Details Sandy Williams, Marketing Director swilliams@vascudyne.com Company Website https://vascudyne.com/

February 09, 2022 09:23 AM Eastern Standard Time

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GROUNDWORK BIOAG AND NOVATERO EXPAND MYCORRHIZAL BIO-PLATFORM FOR BRAZIL

Groundwork BioAg

Groundwork BioAg and its exclusive Brazilian distribution partner, NovaTero BioAg, announced a new product offering for Brazilian farmers this growing season – Rootella® BR ULTRA – which expands the reach to in-furrow and seed treatment application methods in soybean, corn and other cereals. Rootella BR ULTRA is the highest concentrated mycorrhizal inoculant in the market, containing 167,000 viable propagules per gram of Rhizophagus intraradices, with an application rate of as low as 15 grams per hectare. “As farmers manage the unseasonably dry weather, our expanded product portfolio offers additional choices for farmers in Brazil, especially as many switch to Safrinha,” said Bernardo Arnaud, NovaTero Chairman. “Farmers across Brazil continue to benefit from adding Rootella to their farm management practices to protect soil and plant health while extending above and below ground insurance against environmental stresses.” For the past three years, NovaTero has helped Brazilian farmers to naturally increase yield, reduce dependency on phosphorus and improve carbon sequestration in soil by applying the proven Rootella BR mycorrhizae inoculants. “As part of our strategy to expand our mycorrhizal bio-platform, we continue to set the standard for concentration of cost-effective, commercial scale mycorrhizae,” said Dr. Yossi Kofman, Co-Founder and CEO of Groundwork BioAg. “As the impact of climate change continues around the world, we are committed to help increase the productivity of major crops – like those in key breadbaskets such as Brazil. As the ‘queen of biologicals,’ mycorrhiza offers the strongest natural defense against chronic drought while reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers.” After being granted the only definitive commercial registration in Brazil, the companies’ exclusive partnership has accelerated innovation to meet demand of the rapidly growing Brazilian market, where the biologicals market is projected to show a double digit CAGR in the coming years. The Rootella BR portfolio includes two of the most concentrated formulations of mycorrhizae on the market today. About Groundwork BioAg Groundwork BioAg, a global bioagriculture company, leverages the natural power of mycorrhizal fungi to improve the productivity, sustainability and profitability of commercial agriculture and expand regenerative agriculture practices. Groundwork BioAg is the first to use innovative techniques to solve challenges inherent in high-volume mycorrhizal inoculant production. We will not rest until every hectare of arable land is protected by mycorrhizae and every farmer benefits from higher crop yields while preserving our soils. For more information, visit www.groundworkbioag.com. Contact Details AgTech PR for Groundwork BioAg Jennifer Goldston +1 816-260-0040 jennifer@agtechpr.com Company Website https://www.groundworkbioag.com

February 08, 2022 08:30 AM Central Standard Time

How The US is Leading the World to End COVID

YourUpdateTV

After two years of dealing with COVID issues, everyone is sick of arguing about masks and wants the supply chain fixed, the economy to rebound and kids to stay in school. The United States has been the global leader in the fight donating more than a half a billion vaccine doses and hundreds of millions of dollars. More needs to be done, and it’s in the hands of Congress to pass an emergency plan to End COVID Now. YourUpdateTV spoke to Michelle Nunn, President & CEO of CARE USA and Dr. Angela Wakhweya, CARE USA Senior Director, Health Equity and Rights Team to discuss how the US is leading the world to end COVID. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/vbbO4zX15Qw An emergency plan being considered by Congress will put billions of dollars into vaccines that could help reduce the risk of new variants developing that could threaten the United States and finally allow us to get back to normal. END COVID NOW is up with new advertisements across the country starting today, Lead The World and Variants are running nationwide on TV and cable as well as digital and streaming platforms. The Campaign to End COVID Now says This pandemic isn’t going away. Instead, it is a chronic disaster for everyone – families, communities, the whole country. The solution is straightforward and staring us in the face – we must achieve global immunity through ensuring everyone in the world has access to vaccines as quickly as possible. If not, we will continue to see variant after variant spread through our neighborhoods, disrupting and threatening our lives and our children’s lives. To learn more, visit EndCovidNow.com About the Campaign to End Covid: The End Covid Now campaign was formed by public health experts, scientists, and other concerned Americans to pressure our nation’s leaders and pharmaceutical companies to ensure future variants don’t shut down America. The plan to end COVID-19 consists of investing more money in vaccine manufacturing, sharing the vaccine formula so other countries can manufacture and distribute them, and working with allied countries to get more people vaccinated so Americans are safe from future variants. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

February 07, 2022 12:03 PM Eastern Standard Time

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G Medical Innovations (NASDAQ: GMVD) to Open One of the Largest COVID-19 Test Processing Labs and Walk-in Testing Facilities in the U.S.

G Medical Innovations Holdings

G Medical Innovations Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: GMVD), a telehealth, medical device, and remote patient monitoring company providing clinical-grade solutions for consumers, medical professionals, and healthcare institutions, today announced that it has secured a 26,000 square foot site in Laguna, CA, to open one of the largest COVID-19 test processing laboratories in the United States for its G Medical Labs, Tests and Services division. “The new facility will enable us to process a dramatic increase in samples we have begun receiving via the distribution success of our LiveNow At-Home PCR test kits developed in partnership with McDade Products, LLC. The first million test kits began shipping to retailers nationally last week, and millions more will be on retailers’ shelves in the coming weeks,” said Dr. Yacov Geva, President, and CEO of G Medical Innovations. The Laguna lab will enable the company to process approximately 100,000 samples per day. The site will also offer same-day, walk-in COVID-19 PCR testing for the general public and has the capacity to process samples for other labs and entities that require expedited results. The facility is expected to open by next week. In January, Pittsburgh-based McDade Products, LLC and G Medical Tests and Services partnered to make millions of FDA EUA-approved COVID-19 PCR collection test kits available for retailers in response to a national shortage of COVID-19 test options. The LiveNow COVID-19 PCR Test Collection Kits provide 24 to 48-hour certified lab results and retail for $9.99. Visit https://www.mcdadegrp.com/ to place orders for the LiveNow PCR Collection Kits. G Medical Labs, Tests and Services currently operates storefront testing locations in California. During the next few months, the company expects to expand its network of storefront testing locations in other U.S. regions to be announced at a later date. About G Medical Innovations G Medical Innovations Holdings Ltd. is an early commercial-stage healthcare company engaged in the development of next-generation mHealth and telemedicine solutions and monitoring service platforms. The Company’s solutions and services can empower consumers, patients, and providers to better monitor, manage and improve clinical and personal health outcomes, especially for those who suffer from cardiovascular disease (or CVD), pulmonary disease, and diabetes. The Company’s current product lines consist of its Prizma medical device (or Prizma), a clinical-grade device that can transform almost any smartphone into a medical monitoring device, enabling both healthcare providers and individuals to monitor, manage and share a wide range of vital signs and biometric indicators; its Extended Holter Patch System, a multi-channel patient-worn biosensor that captures electrocardiography (or ECG) data continuously, including its QT Syndrome Prolongation Detection Capabilities Patch. In addition, the Company is developing its Wireless Vital Signs Monitoring System (or VSMS), which is expected to provide full, continuous, and real-time monitoring of a wide range of vital signs and biometrics. Its monitoring services include provision of Independent Diagnostic Testing Facility (or IDTF) monitoring services and private monitoring services. Visit https://gmedinnovations.com/. About McDade Group McDade Products is a division of McDade Group, a privately held specialty sales, marketing, and distribution company serving the U.S. retail industry. Founded in 1994, McDade Group is a growing and dynamic sales, marketing, and distribution services company headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA. The company has expanded to provide solutions in distribution, category management, full-service merchandising, and consulting across the U.S. retail industry. Many of the world’s leading CPG manufacturers rely on the ability of McDade Group to build strong industry relationships and deliver services, insights, and expertise for hundreds of their products. Visit: https://www.mcdadegrp.com/ or LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mcdade-group/. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other Federal securities laws. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” and similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. For example, G Medical is using forward-looking statements when it discusses opening one of the largest COVID-19 test processing laboratories in the United States, that the new facility will enable the company to process a dramatic increase in samples, distribution of At-Home PCR test kits, the processing capacity of the Laguna lab, and that it will offer same-day, walk-in COVID-19 PCR testing, the timing of the opening of the facility, and that during the next few months, the company expects to expand its network of storefront testing locations in other U.S. regions to be announced at a later date. Because such statements deal with future events and are based on G Medical’s and McDade Products’ current expectations, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties, and actual results, performance, or achievements of G Medical and McDade Products could differ materially from those described in or implied by the statements in this press release. The forward-looking statements contained or implied in this press release are subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in G Medical’s prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(4), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on June 28, 2021, the registration statement on Form F-1 filed on January 31, 2022 (registration no. 333-262422) and in any subsequent filings with the SEC. Except as otherwise required by law, the companies undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. References and links to websites have been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such websites is not incorporated by reference into this press release. G Medical and McDade Products are not responsible for the contents of third-party websites. Investor Relations CONTACT: G Medical Innovations Contact Details G-Medical Innovations Kobi Ben-Efraim, CFO +972 8-958-4777 Kobi@gmedinnovations.com Company Website https://gmedinnovations.com/

February 07, 2022 07:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

New Research Finds the Collaborative Care Model is Associated with Reductions in Racial Disparities in Mental Health Care for Pregnant People

Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine

The collaborative care model, an evidence-based health intervention that is often used in primary care, has been shown to improve health outcomes for people with depression. It is a team-based approach where a physician collaborates with other professionals, including mental health practitioners, to proactively manage a patient’s mental health. The collaborative care model is not commonly used in obstetrics despite the fact that mental health conditions are one of the leading contributors to poor pregnancy outcomes. In a new study to be presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine’s (SMFM) annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting™, which is being held virtually, researchers will unveil findings that suggest that implementing the collaborative care model during pregnancy not only is associated with improvements in the screening and treatment of depression in pregnancy, but is also associated with reductions in racial disparities in these important steps in mental health care. Researchers analyzed data from 4,710 pregnant and postpartum people who self-identified as either Black or White. Individuals were divided into two groups (before and after implementation of the collaborative care model) and results were analyzed by race. The primary goal of the research was to evaluate how often pregnant people were screened for depression. When a pregnant person screened positive for depression, the researchers also looked at how often treatment was recommended. In the first group, researchers examined data from August 2015 to September 2016 before the collaborative care model was implemented. In the second group, researchers looked at data from September 2017 to February 2019 after the collaborative care model was implemented. The study found that before the collaborative care model was implemented, there were significant disparities between Black and White pregnant people on screening for depression. After collaborative care was implemented, results showed the disparities between the two groups were eliminated. Similarly, for pregnant people who screened positive, implementation of the collaborative care model was associated with elimination of racial disparities in the recommendation for treatment. “In primary care, the collaborative care model allows mental health care to be seamlessly integrated into physical health care,” says one of the study’s authors Emily S. Miller, MD, MPH, a maternal-fetal medicine subspecialist and assistant professor at Northwestern University in Chicago. “In the field obstetrics, however, this model is not often utilized. What’s exciting about our research is that it demonstrates that we can implement a model — collaborative care — that has been used in primary care for years and apply it to the field of obstetrics to not only improve screening and treatment for depression, but also to promote equity.” The next step, say researchers, is to implement the collaborative care model in obstetrics care across the United States to help improve health outcomes for pregnant people with depression. The abstract has been published in the January 2022 supplement of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AJOG ) and can be accessed at no cost on the AJOG website. To view the presentation of this abstract or other Pregnancy Meeting™ abstracts and events, visit the SMFM website or contact Karen Addis at karen@addispr.com or 301-787-2394. ### Contact Details Karen Addis +1 301-787-2394 KAREN@ADDISPR.COM Company Website https://www.smfm.org/

February 05, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

The Importance of Indoor Air Quality

YourUpdateTV

Aire Serv®, a Neighborly® company, is a global franchise providing installation, maintenance and repair of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and indoor air quality systems. Aire Serv® franchisees provide services to residential and commercial customers from more than 200 locations worldwide. Established in 1992, Aire Serv® is part of Neighborly®, is the world’s largest home services franchisor of 29 brands and nearly 5,000 franchises collectively serving 10 million+ customers in nine countries, focused on repairing, maintaining and enhancing homes and businesses, united under one platform serving 10 million+ customers in nine countries. Neighborly® brands are found at Neighborly.com and through the Neighborly App. For more information about Aire Serv®, visit AireServ.com. The quality of the air we breathe has a direct effect on our health and comfort. You may notice some of the more prominent side effects of indoor air pollution, like an unpleasant odor, but many others go undetected. These include headaches, fatigue, respiratory issues, and other serious, long-term conditions. Recently, Hall of Famer and Super Bowl Champion, Jerome “The Bus” Bettis, teamed up with Aire Serv, a Neighborly company, on a nationwide satellite media tour to discuss the importance of indoor air quality, especially when it comes to how pollution can impact workouts. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/moFVmGsuRK0 Jerome was diagnosed with asthma at the age of 14 and as an avid athlete, making sure he wasn’t aggravating that condition was critical to his performance level. As a result, he started learning about different air pollutants and discovered that many are actually found within the home. When you’re constantly breathing in air pollutants, it can take a toll on your breathing over time and especially make it difficult to breathe deeply while exercising. When you don’t get enough oxygen, your energy level decreases, which directly impacts the intensity and performance of your workouts. The cleaner the air you breathe, the better you’re setting up your body for a successful training session. Something as simple as changing the air filters quarterly can have a great impact on indoor air quality. Also, being more mindful of the items in your household will help, such as opting for real plants that will help purify the air indoors, buying beeswax or organic candles, and even swapping out dryer sheets and fabric softeners for more natural alternatives. The experts at Aire Serv recommend making sure you have proper ventilation and filtration throughout the home, as well as air treatments to get rid of any bacteria or viruses. To determine what’s best for your home, call a service professional from Aire Serv to test for you, as this will eliminate a lot of the guesswork. Aire Serv service professionals will go through a discovery stage that discusses issues in the home such as dry throat, allergies, asthma, headaches, and fatigue before analyzing the air quality inside of the home. Once the analysis is complete, the service professionals can recommend additional measures to improve the quality of air in the home, including air and duct cleaning, duct sealing, UVC protection, and ionization. For more information, you can visit AireServ.com, or Neighborly.com to learn more about their other home service brands. About Jerome “The Bus” Bettis: The former Pittsburgh Steelers Running Back is one of the best all-time running backs in the NFL (6th overall in rushing). Jerome Bettis was also the recipient of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 2001. “The Bus” finished his NFL career in January 2006 after 13 seasons, retiring immediately following the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 21-10 win over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL in his hometown of Detroit. Diagnosed with asthma at age 14, Bettis is a tireless advocate for asthma education and awareness. Bettis founded and establish “The Bus Stops Here Foundation” in 1996 to help improve the quality of life for disadvantaged and underprivileged children. About Aire Serv ®: Aire Serv®, a Neighborly® company, is a global franchise providing installation, maintenance and repair of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and indoor air quality systems. Aire Serv® franchisees provide services to residential and commercial customers from more than 200 locations worldwide. Established in 1992, Aire Serv® is part of Neighborly®, is the world’s largest home services franchisor of 29 brands and nearly 5,000 franchises collectively serving 10 million+ customers in nine countries, focused on repairing, maintaining and enhancing homes and businesses, united under one platform serving 10 million+ customers in nine countries. Neighborly® brands are found at Neighborly.com and through the Neighborly App. For more information about Aire Serv®, visit AireServ.com. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

February 04, 2022 02:54 PM Eastern Standard Time

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New Research Finds that Having a Care Manager During Pregnancy Reduces Likelihood of Delivering a Baby Prematurely for Individuals Most at Risk

Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Research shows that pregnant people on Medicaid are more likely to have worse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm birth, compared to those who have private insurance. When a baby is born too early — or prematurely — it puts the infant at greater risk of health complications and death. In 2011, North Carolina implemented the Pregnancy Medical Home (PMH) program, an initiative designed to improve outcomes for pregnant people on Medicaid by providing them with comprehensive care from a team of professionals. In addition to medical providers, the team includes individuals who can help pregnant people address various social and economic factors that put them at greater risk of having a poor pregnancy outcome. In a new study to be presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine’s (SMFM) annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting™, which is being held virtually, researchers will unveil findings that suggest that providing intensive pregnancy care management — defined as having more than five face-to-face visits with a care manager during pregnancy — reduces preterm birth rates for both Black and white people. Researchers analyzed data from January 2016 to December 2017. The study included 3,565 pregnant people in North Carolina on Medicaid. Individuals were categorized as either high-risk or low-risk using a screening assessment tool, the Maternal-Infant Impactability Score (MIIS). Those classified as high-risk had at least three of the following risk factors: a prior preterm birth, high blood pressure, smoked, used recreational drugs or alcohol, had a mental health condition, experienced domestic violence, had housing instability, or suffered from food insecurity. High-risk pregnant people were then assigned a care manager who provided a range of support during their pregnancy, including calling the pregnant person to check in, accompanying the individual to medical appointments, and helping to address the social and economic factors that put someone at a greater risk of delivering a baby prematurely. Out of study’s 3,565 pregnant people, the overall preterm birth rate was 18.3 percent. Researchers also looked at how effective the screening tool was for pregnant people who were in the highest risk category. Results revealed that when the screening tool was used and assuming pregnant people received subsequent care management, the preterm birth rates for Black and White people decreased. However, the preterm birth rate for Black people decreased significantly from 24.4 percent to 20.1 percent, while the rate decreased only slightly for White people from 15.6 percent to 15.5. When looking simply at the receipt of intensive care management, findings showed that preterm birth rates decreased for both Black and White people, regardless of their risk stratification. For Black people who received intensive care management during pregnancy, the preterm birth rate was 16.9 percent vs. 26.0 percent for Black people who did not receive intensive care management during pregnancy. For White people who received intensive care management during pregnancy, the preterm birth rate was 12.3 percent vs. 17.8 percent for White people who did not receive intensive care management during pregnancy. “Regardless of your risk factors, what this research shows is that if you have intensive care management while you’re pregnant — someone who’s really there for you throughout your pregnancy — it helps lower your risk of delivering your baby prematurely,” says the study’s lead author Divya Mallampati, MD, MPH, a maternal-fetal medicine fellow at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “The research also reveals that people who are at the highest risk benefit the most from having intensive care management during pregnancy.” The next step, say researchers, is to analyze whether the PMH model helps to improve other health outcomes in pregnancy. The abstract has been published in the January 2022 supplement of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AJOG ) and can be accessed at no cost on the AJOG website. To view the presentation of this abstract or other Pregnancy Meeting™ abstracts and events, visit the SMFM website or contact Karen Addis at karen@addispr.com or 301-787-2394. About the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM), founded in 1977, is the medical professional society for obstetricians who have additional training in high-risk, complicated pregnancies. SMFM represents more than 5,000 members who care for high-risk pregnant people and provides education, promotes research, and engages in advocacy to reduce disparities and optimize the health of high-risk pregnant people and their families. SMFM and its members are dedicated to optimizing maternal and fetal outcomes and assuring medically appropriate treatment options are available to all patients. For more information, visit SMFM.org and connect with the organization on Facebook and Twitter. For the latest 2022 Annual Meeting news and updates, follow the hashtag #smfm22. EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Feb. 3, 2022 2:00 p.m. EST Contact Details Karen Addis +1 301-787-2394 KAREN@ADDISPR.COM Company Website https://www.smfm.org/

February 03, 2022 02:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

New Research Finds Chewing Sugar-Free Gum Reduced Preterm Births

Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Each year, an estimated 15 million babies are born prematurely or preterm (defined as delivery before the 37 th week of pregnancy), and this number is rising, according to the World Health Organization. Preterm babies are at greater risk of experiencing serious health problems. Over the last several decades, multiple studies have shown a link between poor oral health and increased occurrence of preterm birth. Researchers have looked at various ways to improve dental health during pregnancy, including doing a “deep-teeth cleaning,” (also called ‘scaling and planing’) which involves removing plaque and tarter on the teeth and below the gum line. However, despite improving periodontitis, deep teeth cleaning approaches have not proven to be effective in the prevention of preterm birth. But now researchers have discovered an easy and inexpensive way to improve oral health and reduce preterm births. In a new study to be presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine’s (SMFM) annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting™, which is being held virtually, researchers will unveil findings that suggest that daily use of xylitol chewing gum starting pre- or early pregnancy significantly reduced the number of preterm births. Xylitol is a naturally occurring alcohol found in fruits and vegetables and is commonly used as a sugar substitute in chewing gum. The study, the largest of its kind, was conducted over 10 years and included 10,069 women in the South-Central African country of Malawi, which has the highest number of preterm births in the world. Most Malawians live in rural locations, making it especially difficult to conduct of study of this magnitude. The cluster randomized trial enrolled participants from eight health centers in Malawi and was approved by the Malawi Ministry of Health. Participants enrolled voluntarily and consented to participation before they became pregnant or within 20 weeks of becoming pregnant. All of the eight health centers provided health care messages promoting oral health care and preterm birth prevention and care, while half of the eight centers were randomized to also provide xylitol chewing gum to enrolled research participants. In the four health centers that served as the control group, 5,520 participants received basic perinatal and oral health education, including things they could do to help lower the chance of delivering a baby prematurely. In the other four centers, the 4,549 enrolled participants also received this same health education. In addition, they were given xylitol chewing gum and instructed to chew the gum for 10 minutes once a day, ideally twice a day, throughout pregnancy. Out of the 9,670 participants who were available for contact during the up to six years of follow-up, results showed a significant reduction in preterm birth among those who chewed the xylitol containing gum (12.6 percent vs. 16.5 percent) and fewer low birth weight babies, those weighing 5.5 pounds or less (8.9 percent vs. 12.9 percent). Participants also saw an improvement in their oral health. “Using xylitol chewing gum as an intervention prior to 20 weeks of pregnancy reduced preterm births, and specifically late preterm births between 34 to 37 weeks,” says the study’s lead author Kjersti Aagaard, MD, PhD, a Professor in Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Vice Chair of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Texas Children’s and Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “When we analyzed by birth weight, instead of estimated gestational age at delivery, we similarly showed a significant improvement in the birth weight with one-third fewer low birth weight babies being born.” Adds Aagaard, “What’s unique about our study is that we used a readily available, inexpensive, and palatable means to reduce the risk of a baby being born too soon or too small. There is some real science behind the choice of xylitol chewing gum to improve oral health, and our novel application to improving birth outcomes is exciting. This has been a labor of love with our colleagues in Malawi, and we were honored to work side-by-side to demonstrate that xylitol chewing gum in early or pre-pregnancy improved oral health by reducing periodontal disease in pregnancy, which was strongly associated with our observed reduction of preterm and low birthweight birth in Malawi. This fits with longstanding evidence linking oral health with preterm births.” The next step, say researchers, is to conduct studies in other parts of the world, including in the U.S., to determine whether this invention will be effective in settings where there may be a lower burden of preterm birth tied to oral health. The abstract has been published in the January 2022 supplement of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AJOG ) and can be accessed at no cost on the AJOG website. To view the presentation of this abstract or other Pregnancy Meeting™ abstracts and events, visit the SMFM website or contact Karen Addis at karen@addispr.com or 301-787-2394. ### About the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM), founded in 1977, is the medical professional society for obstetricians who have additional training in high-risk, complicated pregnancies. SMFM represents more than 5,000 members who care for high-risk pregnant people and provides education, promotes research, and engages in advocacy to reduce disparities and optimize the health of high-risk pregnant people and their families. SMFM and its members are dedicated to optimizing maternal and fetal outcomes and assuring medically appropriate treatment options are available to all patients. For more information, visit SMFM.org and connect with the organization on Facebook and Twitter. For the latest 2022 Annual Meeting news and updates, follow the hashtag #smfm22. EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Feb. 3, 2022 10:15 a.m. EST Contact Details Karen Addis +1 301-787-2394 KAREN@ADDISPR.COM Company Website https://www.smfm.org/

February 03, 2022 10:15 AM Eastern Standard Time

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