Elizabeth Nethery: Comparing incidence, risk factors and macrosomia-associated morbidity for midwives v. physician clients in BC and Washington State

Graduate and Postdoctoral StudiesGraduate School

Research topic Comparing incidence, risk factors and macrosomia-associated morbidity for midwives v. physician clients in BC and Washington State

Faculty Faculty of Medicine

Program Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD)

Research supervisor(s) Patricia Janssen

Home town Vancouver

Country Canada

Selected Award(s)

Vanier Scholarship

Four Year Doctoral Fellowship (4YF)

Why did you decide to pursue a graduate degree?

I have always wanted to do research as a primary investigator. After several years working as a researcher but on projects which were designed by others, I wanted to have the ability to design and carry out independent projects. I also wanted more training in epidemiology and biostatistics.

Why did you decide to study at UBC?

My supervisor is at UBC and this was the best location for my family. My doctoral program is well regarded and has a variety of courses. This is also one of the only universities in Canada with both a Midwifery program and a School of Population and Public Health.

What is it specifically, that your program offers, that attracted you?

The opportunity to take different courses on a range of relevant topics which are useful to my current research. I also hope that the breadth of coursework will also help me enhance my longer-term career plans.

What was the best surprise about UBC or life in Vancouver?

A good surprise is how nice it is now to live on campus with a family. The 'worst' surprise is how much Vancouver has become busier in the 10 years since I have lived here.

UBC one of the only universities in Canada with both a Midwifery program and a School of Population and Public Health.

What aspect of your graduate program do you enjoy the most or are looking forward to with the greatest curiosity?

I enjoy working independently and with others, to develop my research ideas, and to use those ideas to design feasible projects.

What do you see as your biggest challenge(s) in your future career?

This will be juggling the many roles that I hope to take. I hope to maintain a research career as well as some clinical practice as a midwife and I anticipate this will be challenging. I also have a family, so maintaining a healthy balance between my dual careers and my family/personal life will be my biggest challenge.

How do you feel your program is preparing you for those challenges?

I do not feel as if my program or department is addressing any of these specific challenges.

What aspects of your life or career before now have best prepared you for your UBC graduate program?

I have been involved in research for many years prior to this graduate program.

What do you like to do for fun or relaxation?

I enjoy spending time with my family and being outdoors or skiing in the winter.

What advice do you have for new graduate students?

Don't be afraid to change or advocate for yourself if you want to research something different than what your supervisor 'wants' you to.

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Learn more about Elizabeth's research

A big baby (defined as macrosomia or birth weight >4000g) is generally considered an adverse outcome in maternity care. About 10% of all babies in Canada are macrosomic. This is a significant public health concern because big babies are linked to difficult deliveries, birth injury, and other complications. In Ontario, from 2004-2009, 18% of midwife births were macrosomic babies. In both BC and Washington state, in 2015, there were more big babies among women who saw a midwife in pregnancy, when compared to the rest of the province or state. In this study, I aim to understand 1) the reasons for higher rates of big babies among midwifery clients and 2) if big babies and their mothers experience differences in poor outcomes when comparing care with a midwife vs. a physician. The study population is low-risk births from BC and WA state using administrative datasets. Midwifery care is one of the fastest growing professions in Canada. As of 2016, midwives deliver over 10% of the babies in Canada and 21% of all births in BC. These higher rates of big babies among midwifery clients deserve further study to understand why this is happening and what the consequences are. Findings from this study could inform patients, midwives, physicians, and policymakers about how to improve care for big babies and reduce costly and undesirable outcomes.

Elizabeth Nethery