25 March 2025 | 13:30 - 15:30 (MDT)
Open Session - HYBRID
Room: UMC Third Floor - 386
Organisers: Christine Ingemann (Centre for Public Health in Greenland, NIH, SDU); Susan Chatwood (University of Alberta)
Session Description:
This session invites indigenous knowledge holders, community members, health personnel and researchers to share their stories about circumpolar maternal and child health. We welcome perspectives from both a biomedical and Indigenous knowledge standpoint with the aim to reframe best practices within a circumpolar context. It is our objective to examine circumpolar maternal and child health systems from a comparative global perspective that builds on the strengths of Indigenous knowledges to advance best practices for health policy and service delivery.
Oral Presentations:
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unfold_moreHousing, healthcare, and community development policy to support fertility and pregnancy decisions in Greenland — Malory Peterson
Malory Peterson 1; Augustine Rosing 2
1 Arizona State University; 2 Paamiut Museum, Kommuneqarfik SermersooqFormat: Oral in-person
Abstract:
For men and women living in Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland), decisions about fertility and pregnancy, such as delaying childbearing, having a child, or electing an abortion, are influenced by environmental and economic factors beyond one’s partnership and family context. Secure housing and opportunities to pursue education affect peoples’ decisions about if and when to have a child. Furthermore, healthcare provider trust and communication- or lack of trust- influences peoples’ experiences of pregnancy and childbirth in Greenland. In a country with limited human resources, how can policymakers and stakeholders leverage existing sustainable development and healthcare policies to support Kalaallit men and women in their pregnancy decisions and improve reproductive health outcomes?
In this presentation we discuss findings from interviews with 61 people living in Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq in Greenland about the economic, environmental, and social factors that influence fertility and pregnancy decisions for Kalaallit families. We identify key cross-sectoral policies related to development and provision of culturally safe healthcare that may help to support fertility decisions for prospective parents and reproductive-aged people in Greenland. Finally, we highlight opportunities for policy and program development that may laterally support fertility decisions and reproductive health for people in Greenland.
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unfold_moreOnline Reflective Supervision: Supporting the Infant Mental Health Workforce in the Alaska — Mary Dallas Allen
Mary Dallas Allen 1
1 University of Alaska Anchorage, UArctic Thematic Network on Social WorkFormat: Oral in-person
Abstract:
This paper will present the results of a program evaluation of online reflective supervision groups provided to Early Head Start and Head Start (EHS/HS) infant and early childhood mental health consultants (MHCs) in Alaska. EHS/HS programs are federally funded early care and education programs, and they are required to provide infant and early childhood mental health consultation (IECMHC) to support the behavioral health of children, families, and staff. In Alaska this mandate is unmet due to the shortage of behavioral health providers serving infants, toddlers, preschool children, and their families. Even when behavioral health providers are willing to provide IECMHC services, they rarely receive training or reflective supervision to support them in their work. To meet this need, we implemented monthly online reflective supervision groups for EHS/HS MHCs from 2021 – 2024. Thirteen mental health professionals participated, and the participants worked with EHS/HS programs across all regions of Alaska (Arctic, Interior, Southcentral, Southeast, Southwest, and Western). We held between 8 - 11 reflective supervision groups each year, and participants attended between 86 - 91% of group sessions. Participants reported an increase in self-efficacy in providing IECMHC services from pre-test to post-test, but their reports of work-related stress did not change. Participants reported that they were highly satisfied with the reflective supervision and that the groups contributed to their job satisfaction and commitment to IECMHC. This evaluation demonstrates the effectiveness of online reflective supervision groups for supporting the infant and early childhood mental health workforce in rural communities in the Arctic.
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unfold_moreCheka Gǫįtì (gift of the child): Discerning Maternal Services, Policies, and Influences during Tumultuous Times in the Northwest Territories (2018 to 2024) — Pertice Moffitt
Janat Ibrahimi 1; Pertice Moffitt 2
1 University of Alberta; 2 University of ManitobaFormat: Oral in-person
Abstract:
Maternal services and policies are initiated, envisioned, and established under a colonial premise. Cheka Gǫįtì is an effort to assess and document how maternal care programs and policies affect maternal child services for individuals (n=18) and in four communities of the Northwest Territories (NT). Two-Eyed Seeing and adapted policy frameworks are employed to guide the research process (community engagement, data collection and analysis, and knowledge mobilization). Findings are grouped under the policy dimensions of effectiveness, dependent colonialism, equity, cost, feasibility and acceptability. Recommendations are provided towards decolonizing the predominant westernized system.
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unfold_moreMidwifery and Childbirth in a Sámi Perspective: Exploring Traditions, Experiences, and Cultural Aspects in Modern Healthcare — Anne-Hedvig Salmi Nordsletta
Anne-Hedvig Salmi Nordsletta 1
1 UiT; Midwife and PhD candidate at Centre for Sámi Studies at the Arctic University in Norway, Tromsø.Format: Oral in-person
Abstract:
The Sámi, the Indigenous people of northern Scandinavia and parts of Russia, have unique cultural practices and traditions, particularly regarding childbirth and pregnancy. Despite the significance of these events within Sámi culture, there is a notable lack of research on how Sámi women experience pregnancy and childbirth and how midwives address these cultural needs within Norway's healthcare system. This research aims to explore the experiences of Sámi women and midwives regarding childbirth and identify cultural practices that remain or have evolved within modern maternity care. This study explores midwives' experiences in providing childbirth care to Sámi women in the Troms and Finnmark region. The study aims to shed light on how midwives understand Sámi culture and how they accommodate the needs of Sámi women in childbirth care. Using a qualitative research approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 11 midwives working in various regional maternity wards. Based on reflexive thematic analysis principles, the analysis identifies several key aspects of the midwives' practices, including challenges related to cultural competence, communication, and the integration of Sámi traditions within a modern biomedical context. The findings highlight the need for increased awareness of Sámi culture in childbirth care and emphasize the importance of a tailored and respectful care practice. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of how the cultural background of Sámi women can be integrated into modern childbirth care and fosters the discussion on culturally adapted practices in a continuously evolving healthcare system.
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unfold_moreThe role of prenatal Vitamin D levels in postpartum hemorrhage in a cohort of pregnant people from rural Alaska — Julie Beans
Julie Beans 1; Reinou Groen 1; Anjali Madeira 1; Gretchen Day 2; Lauryl Torkelson 3; David Compton 3; Joseph Klejka 3; Jennifer Shaw 4
1 Southcentral Foundation; 2 Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium; 3 Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation; 4 University of Alaska FairbanksFormat: Oral in-person
Abstract:
Background: Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is a leading cause of postpartum morbidity and mortality globally. Alaska Native and American Indian (ANAI) populations are disproportionately affected, with incidence of PPH up to nine times the U.S. average. This study examined the relationship between prenatal Vitamin D serum levels and PPH outcomes among ANAI individuals in Alaska.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of pregnant ANAI people in rural Alaska from 2017-2019 using electronic health record data. Prenatal Vitamin D level was the independent variable; abnormal postpartum bleeding (>= 500mL) and PPH (>=1000mL) occurrence after a vaginal birth were the primary outcomes. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed to evaluate the relationship between Vitamin D, other known PPH risk factors, and PPH incidence.
Results: A total of 1343 index pregnancies were included in this study, of which 1258 (94%) had a vaginal birth with 370 (29%) experiencing abnormal bleeding and 127 (10%) a PPH. Deficient Vitamin D levels (under 12ng/mL) were found in 10%, 2%, and 3% of records in the first, second and third trimesters, respectively. Logistic regression indicated an association between Vitamin D level under 12ng/mL in the first trimester and abnormal bleeding (n=603, p=0.0001, OR=2.2). No association was found between abnormal bleeding and Vitamin D deficiency in the second and third trimesters.
Conclusion: There is need for further research on Vitamin D screening and supplementation before and during pregnancy as a possible risk reduction tool for abnormal postpartum bleeding.
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unfold_moreThe (Lack of) Care for Maternal Wellness During Crisis: Kivillarmiut Mothers in Nunavut’s Stories of Sadness and Fear — Judy Clark; Rosanna Amarudjuak; Nadine Alareak; Patricia (Patti) Johnston
Patricia Johnston 1; Judy Clark 2; Rosanna Amarudjuak 2; Nadine Alareak 2
1 University of Calgary; 2 Arctic WellnessFormat: Oral in-person
Abstract:
The mental health and wellness of many women during the perinatal period can be negatively impacted when they are forced to travel to give birth and/or seek medical care. For Inuit women required to leave Nunavut’s Kivalliq Region to travel to Winnipeg, Manitoba, their wellness can be further complicated by racism, discrimination, limited social and cultural support, unmet financial/material needs, and surveillance by non-Inuit health and social services workers among other things. Interactions between Kivillarmiut women that attempt to seek medical and health care for themselves and/or their young children are reported to be often negative, adversarial and traumatic. Many of these interactions can result in negative impacts to women’s health, but also impacts to socio-health decision making for themselves and their children. Interviews with Kivillarmiut women indicate that when these interactions involve family separation, or risk of family separation through child apprehension during times of crisis, these traumatic interactions decrease the potential for health and social services systems existing between Manitoba and Nunavut to facilitate maternal wellness. Initial findings concerning best practices for care for families in crisis during the perinatal period will be offered.
Please note we all plan to attend and present on our research:
- Judy Clark, Arctic Wellness, Principal Applicant, Keeping the Children Home (Inuit; Indigenous, Manitoba)
- Rosanna Amarudjuak, Arctic Wellness, Researcher (Inuit; Indigenous, Nunavut)
- Nadine Alareak, Arctic Wellness, Researcher (Inuit; Indigenous, Nunavut)
- Patricia Johnston, University of Calgary (Qallunaa; non-Indigenous, Alberta); ECR within five years of completing postdoctoral studies/ 2 years in research appointment.
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unfold_moreEarly life nutrition: A closer look at food security, vitamin D, and rickets in Nunavut — Amy Caughey
Amy Caughey 1
1 University of Alberta, Nunavut Research InstituteFormat: Oral in-person
Abstract:
Inuit communities in Canada continue to experience food insecurity, amidst a complex nutrition transition impacting diet quality. Inuit women and their children are highly vulnerable to this reality, since nutrition in the early life environment (the first 1000 days, from conception to age 2) can impact health outcomes over the lifespan. In Nunavut, vitamin D status is a known concern for maternal-child health yet remains poorly described. Using data collected systematically through a retrospective chart review of Inuit children from 18 communities in Nunavut born from 2010 to 2013 (n=2522), food security, infant feeding and vitamin D supplementation were described, and factors associated with rickets (vitamin D deficiency in children) diagnosis were examined. While most pregnant women reported consuming some country food daily or weekly, one in three pregnant women reported being food insecure. Rickets diagnosis was present in 1.6% of children, and the odds of rickets diagnosis was higher for children whose mothers experienced food insecurity in pregnancy. Enhanced supports for early life nutrition in the areas of breastfeeding, vitamin D supplementation, and prenatal food security are needed in Nunavut. In the context of the social determinants of health, this study illustrates the far-reaching impacts of food insecurity on health for Inuit communities.
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unfold_moreCommunicating the existing knowledge on pregnancy, birth, and child rearing and health in the Arctic – A Podcast Series for students and practitioners in health and social field — Siri Paulsen
Christine Ingemann 1, Siri Paulsen 2
1 University of Southern Denmark; 2 Sialuk ProductionsFormat: Oral virtual
Abstract:
All over the Arctic, research is being made on the practices of health care systems and institutions in regards to new parents or parents to be. This research is often done by midwives, doctors, doulas, nurses, and other health professionals, as well as statisticians, anthropologists and other academics. All valuable and important work, which means a lot to the people the work is about: people of the Arctic who are about to or have recently become parents.
It is important to spread the awareness of the research that is being made, both when it comes to sharing the research amongst each other, and when it comes to passing on the knowledge to younger generations of researchers and health professionals. This is why a group of researchers decided to begin the project of creating a podcast series, where researchers and indigenous knowledge holders present their research in a down-to-earth manner, where anyone in- and outside the individual researcher’s specific field of research can understand the essence and relevance of the work.
The podcast series is produced over the summer and fall 2024 and released in December 2024, by Sialuk Productions.
Poster Presentations (during Poster Exhibit and Session on Wednesday 26 March):
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unfold_moreCo-creation of a trauma-informed methodological framework for circumpolar maternal and child health research — Kaeleigh Brown
Kaeleigh Brown 1
1 University of AlbertaFormat: Poster virtual
Abstract:
Introduction – Traumatic experiences are prevalent, and trauma theory posits that traumatic experiences can influence mental and physical health. It is assumed that adopting a trauma-informed approach will have a positive effect on service users and participants. Trauma-informed research is a newly evolving concept, and there is a dearth of guidelines and frameworks for researchers, especially within Indigenous and northern health contexts. I will describe an approach to co-creating circumpolar maternal and child health trauma-informed principles and framework with Indigenous women living in circumpolar regions.
Methods – An iterative process will incorporate various data sources into the principles and framework, including Indigenous values and knowledges. Initial development will refer to the existing primary and grey literature. An exploratory focus group, consisting of circumpolar and Indigenous researchers, knowledge holders, and clinicians will then discuss trauma and trauma-informed care. The findings will be analyzed and presented to a trauma-informed working group, and a living document of principles created. Indigenous women in the NWT and Nunavut, participating in focus groups within a larger study, will co-create guidelines to govern the group sessions. Based on the guidelines, a final framework will be co-developed by the working group, participants, and other stakeholders.
Discussion – I will present a multi-faceted approach to methodological framework development, including co-development with Indigenous women and research participants. This work will add to existing scholarship on trauma-informed principles and frameworks, as well as framework development.
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unfold_moreBridging Reproductive Health Gaps in the Northwest Territories: Empowering Families Through Culturally Grounded Education and Care — Treiva Plamadon
Janat Ibrahimi 1; Treiva Plamondon 2
1 University of Alberta; 2 Northern Birthwork CollectiveFormat: Poster virtual
Abstract:
Families in communities throughout the Circumpolar North, including the Northwest Territories in Canada, face significant challenges in accessing essential reproductive healthcare. Many are forced to leave their home communities during pregnancy and childbirth, traveling long distances to receive care. This displacement not only causes emotional, financial, and logistical burdens but also disconnects families from their land and cultural support systems. There is a clear need for accessible, culturally relevant reproductive health education that allows people to remain in their communities while preparing for these critical life events.
Northern Birthwork Collective is an organization that currently addresses gaps in spiritual, logistical, and emotional needs of birthing people through doula care that conventional health services do not provide in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. Northern Birthwork Collective seeks to extend their reproductive knowledge beyond Yellowknife to address reproductive health gaps in other communities in the Northwest Territories by delivering in-person, culturally respectful, reproductive health education that is grounded in Indigenous Traditional knowledge.
The project will employ a community based participatory approach through partnerships with local reproductive health care service providers such as Healthy Famil throughout the Northwest Territories and midwifery clinics in Hay River and Fort Smith. Through collaboration with Indigenous midwives, Elders, and reproductive health care service providers, Northern Birthwork Collective will develop and employ workshops that will empower childbearing individuals and families with the knowledge they need to navigate their reproductive health journeys, covering a broad range of topics, including sexual health, prenatal care, labor, postpartum recovery, infant feeding, and mental wellness.