DEPARTMENT OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
TULANE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND TROPICAL MEDICINE
REPRODUCTIVE EPIDEMIOLOGY
EPID 6480
Classroom: 1203, Tidewater Building, Wednesday, 9:00-11:30 am
Xu Xiong, MD, DrPH
Associate Professor of Epidemiology
Tidewater Building, Room 2022
Phone: (504) 988-137
Fax: (504) 988-1568
Email: xxiong@tulane.edu
TA:
Email:
Office Hours:
Mengxi Zhang
mzhang2@tulane.edu
Tuesday 4:00PM-5:00PM
Guest lecturers:
Gabriella Pridjian, MD, Professor and Chair, Dept. of Obstetrics & Gynecology, School
of Medicine
Emily Harville, PhD, Associate Professor of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and
Tropical Medicine
Pierre Buekens, MD, MPH, PhD, Professor and Dean, School of Public Health and
Tropical Medicine
A. Course Outline:
This course provides students analytical skills necessary to conduct epidemiological studies
in reproductive health in human populations. Reproductive epidemiology covers broad health
issues from the pre-conception, prenatal, delivery and post-natal periods and emphasizes
health issues affecting both women and infants. Relevant methodological, clinical, policy and
programmatic issues will be presented will practical illustrations from domestic and
international settings. Students will be able to design a reproductive health epidemiology
study, discuss relevant methodological issues in reproductive health epidemiology studies,
and apply reproductive/perinatal health data to improve reproductive programs and policy.
B. Course Objectives:
By the completion of the course, the students will be able to:
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Measure the key reproductive health indicators, both morbidity and mortality.
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Appraise key epidemiologic study design and measurement issues in reproductive health.
Identify the sources of data used in reproductive epidemiology and the strengths and
weaknesses of the different data sources.
Choose different methodologies used to collect data and conduct analysis on reproductive
epidemiology topics.
Discuss with key study design and measurement issues in topics such as infertility, birth
defects and early reproductive loss, pregnancy-induced hypertension, and low birth
weight.
Evaluate relationships between lifestyle, occupational factors and reproductive outcomes.
Select the key variables for the evaluation of prenatal care.
Identify the common pregnancy-induced disorders (e.g., anemia, pregnancy-induced
hypertension, gestational diabetes mellitus) and their prevalence, risk factors, maternal
and infant outcomes.
Review the epidemiology of preterm birth and understand key differences in the
conducting and interpretation of results of studies of preterm birth, intrauterine growth
restriction and low birth weight
Describe the epidemiology of stillbirth/fetal death, early neonatal death, infant mortality,
perinatal mortality and maternal mortality.
Criticize key evidence-based medicine approaches in reproductive health
(methodological and ethics features of randomized clinical trials, systematic review or
meta-analysis, Cochrane Collaboration).
Examine key evidence-based global health issues in reproductive health, especially in
developing countries.
Assess the concept and public health significance of possible fetal origins of some health
problems in later life (e.g., obesity, hypertension, type II diabetes, and cardiovascular
disease).
Determine the public health significance of major reproductive and perinatal problems
and the importance of epidemiologic studies in developing prevention strategies.
C. Prerequisite:
Students must have completed introductory epidemiology and biostatistics courses (EPID
6030, BIOS 6030).
D. Course Format:
In-class lectures, and directed group discussions of course materials and projects. Students
will be expected to read assigned readings and be prepared to discuss them. Students will be
expected to select one specific topic and analyze existing perinatal data and write abstract
and present their individual project.
E. My Tulane Blackboard:
http://mytulane.blackboard.com/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp will be used for course
materials, announcements, assignments, communication regarding the class and additional
useful information. It is the student’s responsibility to check the course site for changes to
the syllabus or announcements.
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F. Course evaluation:
Evaluation will be based on:
- Classroom participation: 20%
- Journal article critique: 20%
- Quiz (1, 2, 3): 30%
- Secondary data analysis project: 30%
The approximate guidelines for the transformation of percentages into grade points for this
course are:
A
>95%
A90-95%
B+
85-89%
B
80-84%
B70-79%
C
50-69%
G. Textbooks:
Allen J. Wilcox. Fertility and Pregnancy: An Epidemiologic Perspective (First Edition).
Oxford 2010
H. Reading materials:
Reading materials and handouts will be delivered to the students before each section
including each section course syllabus and 1-2 suggested readings.
I. CLASS SCHEDULE: Wednesday, 9:00-11:30 am
EPID 6480: REPRODUCTIVE EPIDEMIOLOGY
(Subject to Change)
Class
Date
Section 1
Topic
Introduction
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Jan. 14
Section 2
Study Design
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Jan. 21
Section 3
Early Pregnancy
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Jan. 28
Section 4
Birth Defects
Feb. 4
Section 5
Feb. 11
Section 6
Feb. 18
Prenatal Screening
(Prof. Gabriella
Pridjian)
Prenatal Care
Lab: (9:00-11:45 am)
Contents
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Syllabus/Course Evaluation
Overview of Reproductive Health and
Reproductive Epidemiology
Overview of Basic Epidemiologic Study
Designs
Reproductive Data Sources
Infertility/ Assisted Reproductive
Technologies /Multiple Pregnancies
Early Pregnancy Loss/abortions
Unintended Pregnancy/Teen Pregnancy
Delayed Childbearing
Cause of Abnormal Development
Principle of Teratology Defects
Major Congenital Malformation
Surveillance & Prevention of Birth
Defects
Screening of High Risk Pregnancy &
Genetic Disorders
Measurement of Prenatal Care
Prenatal Care and Pregnancy Outcomes
Wilcox Book
Readings
Chapters 1, 8
Evaluation &
Assignment Due Date
Article critique:
Literature/article search
Chapters 2, 3
Chapters 2, 9,
10
Article critique: Article
submission
Chapters 11, 16
Data analysis project:
Topic choice & dataset
delivery
Chapters 4, 5
Quiz_1
Chapter 6
Section 7
Feb. 25
Section 8
Mar. 4
Section 9
Reproductive Risk
Assessment
(Dr. Emily Harville)
Pregnancy
Complications I:
Pregnancy
Complications II:
Mar. 11
Section 10 Preterm Birth and Low
Birth Weight
Mar. 18
Section 11 Perinatal Mortality and
Infant Mortality
Mar. 25
Section 12 NO CLASS (Spring
break)
Apr. 1
Section 13 Global Reproductive
Health
Apr. 8
Section 14 Evidence-Based
Global Health
Apr. 15
(Dr. Pierre Buekens)
Section 15 Long-Term Impacts of
Apr. 22
Perinatal Health
Section 16 Final exam
May 6
8:00-10:00 am
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Major Issues in Exposure Assessment
Lifestyle Factors and Pregnancy
Outcomes
Occupational and Environmental Hazard
Anemia: Prevalence & Birth Outcomes
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Screening
& Birth Outcomes
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Screening
& Birth Outcomes
Hypertensive Disorders in Pregnancy
Preterm Birth, Fetal Growth Restriction &
Low Birth Weight
Etiology of Preterm Birth and Low Birth
Weight
Prevention of Preterm Birth
Fetal deaths, Stillbirths, Neonatal Deaths,
and Perinatal Deaths
Birth Weight and Perinatal Mortality
Chapters 7, 17
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Global Maternal and Child Health
Chapter 18
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Evidence-Based Global Health: Maternal
and Infant Mortality in Developing
Countries
Fetal Origins of Adult Disease
Hypothesis: Strengths and Limitations
Chapter 18
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Oral Presentation
Chapters 13, 17
Chapters 18, 19
Data analysis project:
Data analysis & results
Chapters 14, 15
Quiz_2
Chapter 12
Chapter 20
Data analysis project:
Abstract submission
Quiz_3
Data analysis project:
Oral Presentation