Population, Family and Reproductive Health
Master's Essays
The master’s essay is the culminating project for students in a master’s degree program in PFRH. The goal of the essay is for scholars to apply the skills and knowledge they have acquired during their coursework and fieldwork to a public health issue of interest to them. Students select their topic and identify a faculty essay advisor. Students also choose an essay format, such as a research report, structured literature review, program evaluation, research proposal, or legislation position paper. In addition to the written essay, students present their findings in 10-minute presentations to faculty, staff, and other students in PFRH. Many students publish their master’s essays in peer-reviewed scholarly journals. The master’s essay is completed in the last two terms of enrollment in the master’s degree program.
2025 Master's Essays
March 10, 2025
| Global burden of stigma and discrimination against transgender and gender-diverse adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
| State level actions to protect minor confidentiality in sexual and reproductive healthcare in Maryland |
| Assessing Eligibility of Vegan and Vegetarian Diet Breast Milk in Human Milk Banks: Nutritional and Ethical Perspectives |
April 30, 2025 - Session 1
| Advancing Food Security, Social Protection, and Economic Opportunity for Young Adults in Brazil: A Legislation Position Paper |
| Applying Human-Centered Design to Develop an Intervention Addressing Mental Health and Internalized Stigma Among Adolescents and Young Adults Living with HIV in Ndola, Zambia |
| Reproductive Empowerment and the Achievement of Contraceptive Preferences Among Ugandan Women: Applying the WGE-SRH Framework |
April 30, 2025 - Session 2
| Understanding Community Health Workers’ Perceptions of Psychosocial Wellbeing among Antenatal Women in rural Kunigal, Karnataka, India |
| Expanding Mothers and Babies to Birthing Hospitals with Doula Services in Maryland |
| Secondary Data Analysis of Data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) to Measure Racism and its Relationship to Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy in Black Women |
| Association Between Area-Level Physical Environmental Exposures and Female Reproductive Development and Aging: A Systematic Review |
May 7, 2025 - Session 1
| A Prospective Birth Cohort Study on Early Childhood Co-morbidities Among Subgroups Defined by Gestational Age |
| Uncovering the Biological Pathways Linking Maternal Immune Activation to Child Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Exploring Cord Blood Immune Biomarkers through Proteomics |
| Prenatal Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Exposures, Newborn Mitochondrial DNA Copy Number, and the Modifying Role of Maternal Folate Level |
| Understanding Clinicians' Perspectives on Barriers and Facilitators Affecting Sexual and Reproductive Health Care for Male Adolescents |
May 7, 2025 - Session 2
| Timing of Pregnancy Recognition: A Scoping Review |
| Maternal Care Equity: Developing a Comprehensive Support Program for Undocumented Expectant Mothers in Maryland |
| Cardiometabolic Conditions of Pregnancy Among Migrant Birthing People: A Scoping Review |
| Neighborhood-level Factors and Cardiometabolic Health Outcomes During and After Pregnancy: A Scoping Review of Maternal Health Research |
May 14, 2025 - Session 1
| The New Playbook for Health Equity? A Scoping Review of Barriers, Facilitators, and Recommendations for Youth Sports Participation |
| Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Qualifying Disabilities and Participation in Special Education Services and their Implications for School Discipline: A Literature Review |
| Case Management within the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Context: A Scoping Review and Critical Appraisal of Literature |
| Approaching the Reproductive and Sexual Health Needs of Women Who Use Drugs Through a Harm Reduction Lens, Baltimore and Beyond |
May 14, 2025 - Session 2
| Protective Factors that Mitigate Change in Family Mealtime Routines during the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Longitudinal Qualitative Analysis |
| Understanding the Long-term Health Impacts of Severe Maternal Morbidity |
| The Relationship Between Breastfeeding Practices and the Morbidity and Mortality of HIV-Exposed Infants in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Literature Review |
| “Why we are afraid of reporting”: a Qualitative Exploration of Barriers to Help Seeking for Intimate Partner Violence among Kenyan Women |
| Identifying Enablers of Progress in Family Planning: A Qualitative Case Study of Bolivia, an Exemplary Latin American Country |
2024 Master's Essays
March 11, 2024
| Violence Against Transgender Women and Transfeminine People in Hostile Legal Environments: A Scoping Review and Ecological Analysis in Low- and Middle-Income Countries |
| Navigating Identity and Understanding Barriers: A Comprehensive Examination of Mental Health Challenges and Current Policies Surrounding LGBT Youth in the United States |
| Contraception and Sexual Activity in Transgender Males: A Scoping Review |
| Youth-Led Reproductive Health Work at a Global Scale: A Case Study with USAID/Jhpiego Affiliates |
May 1, 2024 - Session 1
| Prenatal Melamine, Aromatic Amine, and Psychosocial Stress Exposures and Their Association with Gestational Diabetes in a San Francisco Pregnancy Cohort |
| Maternal Mediterranean-style diet adherence during pregnancy and metabolomic signature in postpartum plasma: Findings from the Boston Birth Cohort |
| The Vegan Diet During Pregnancy and the Implications for Fetal Growth and Development: A Scoping Reivew |
| The Evolution and Analysis of the US Food and Drug Administration’s Regulation of Mifepristone Through a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy Program |
| Population-level Estimates of Equitable Gender Norms: |
May 1, 2024 - Session 2
| The impact of green space valuation on depression among adolescents in Baltimore, Maryland |
| Pre- and postnatal maternal psychosocial factors and children’s cardiovascular health: a systematic review |
| A Scoping Review of Telemedicine-Provided Abortion Care: Evidence on Efficacy, Safety, and Patient Satisfaction |
| Abortion in Muslim-majority countries: a scoping literature review |
May 1, 2024 - Session 3
| Interplay Between Sickle-Cell Disease and Uterine Fibroids |
| Disparities in Cervical Cancer Prevention for Black women |
| Gaps in the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Need for Paid Leave Expansion in the United States: A Legislation Position Paper |
| A Qualitative Exploration of Experiences Related to Receipt of Pre-Abortion Ultrasound in United States Crisis Pregnancy Centers |
May 8, 2024 - Session 1
| Addressing economic violence and intimate partner violence among vulnerable young women in Kenya: A qualitative study |
| Maternal Health Issues in New Jersey: An Analysis of the Changing Landscape |
| The Association between Young People’s Adversity and Their Sexual & Reproductive Health Based on the Adverse Behaviors and Experiences Survey |
| The Association between Women’s Perception of Community Support for and Utilization of Maternity Healthcare Services in Ethiopia |
May 8, 2024 - Session 2
| Risk Factors Associated with Custody Loss of Opioid-Exposed Newborns during Delivery Hospitalization |
| School-Based Mental Health Interventions: Recent Advancements and Best Practices |
| Scoping Review: Violence against Women and Girls Response Interventions in Conflict Settings |
May 8, 2024 - Session 3
| Systematic Review and Meta-analysis: Perinatal Oral health and Pregnancy Complications in the United States (2003 - 2023) |
| Breastfeeding Practices and Guidelines in High-Risk Pregnancies: A Scoping Review |
| Post-Dobbs Reproductive Landscape: Addressing Maternal Morbidity & Mortality Alongside |
| Exploring Challenges and Opportunities to Enhancing Support and Care in Abortion Services: Evaluating Training Gaps, Counseling Disparities, and Referral Systems Within Healthcare Assistance Programs |
May 15, 2024 - Session 1
| Quality of family planning care among women wishing to delay or space pregnancies in Rajasthan, India |
| Evaluating the Implementation of a Personal-Agency-Based Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Curriculum and Its Effect on Personal-Agency Outcomes Among Out-of-School Young People (Ages 10-25) in Masindi, Uganda: A Proposal |
| Paternal involvement and its influence on the social, cognitive, and emotional development of children from birth to pre-k: A Systematic Review |
| Reforming Labor Laws to Reduce Stunting in Ecuador |
May 15, 2024 - Session 2
| Mobilizing Healthcare: A Narrative Review and Conceptual Framework For Mobile Health Clinic Advocacy |
| The Integration of Men into Ante-Natal Care (ANC) in Sub-Sharan Africa: A Case Study of Nigerian Context |
| Lived definitions of Intersectional Stigma, Discrimination, and Violence: Findings from cognitive interviews with gay men and other men who have sex with men, and transgender women |
| Shifting Paradigms: Examining Gender Roles Among Nairobi Youth |
May 15, 2024 - Session 3
| Better for All the World: Understanding the Present and Historical Reproductive Subjugation of Disabled Americans Through Forced Sterilization and Imagining a Better Reproductive Future for All |
| Nurturing Roots: A Process Evaluation of “Show Me Strong Kids,” a Grassroots Child Health Initiative that Relies on Local Collaboration |
| Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Maternal Drug Use: A scoping review |
2023 Master's Essays
May 3, 2023 - Group 1
| Feasibility pilot of Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) to understand micro-environments on college campuses |
| Child Marriage, Displacement, and the Perceived Impact of Family Planning on Marriage Dynamics among Adolescent Women in Yemen |
| Health Professional PAC Campaign Contributions to Members of Congress – Voting Patterns on Abortion and Contraceptive Bills |
| Conflict and Consent: Factors Associated with Marriage Decision-Making for Adolescent Girls in Yemen's Humanitarian Crisis |
| Scoping Review of Implementation of Technological Interventions Addressing Gender-based Violence: Learning from the Dissemination/Implementation of a Web-Based Safety Planning Tool in Nairobi |
May 3, 2023 - Group 2
| An Assessment of the Influence of Comprehensive Sex Education Programs on Public School Students in the United States |
| A scoping review on the measurement of contraceptive preferences |
| Y2CONNECT.org Baltimore- A Mobile Friendly Youth-Focused Solution to Connect Adolescents to Local Cross-Sector Resources |
May 3, 2023 - Group 3
| Understanding and Addressing Postpartum Depression in the United States |
| Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Postpartum Morbidity |
| Maternal Stress And In-Utero Autoimmune Disease Programming: Implications for Racial Health Inequities |
| The Multi-level Predictors of Adherence to Nutritional Supplementation During Pregnancy in Low- and Middle-Income Countries |
| Factors and Barriers Informing Male Engagement in Fertility and Family Planning Decisions in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Literature Review |
May 10, 2023 - Group 1
| Exploring the Experiences of FGM/C Affected Migrant Women in Western Nations: A Scoping Review of Accessing Sexual and Reproductive Health Services |
| Empathy Training As A Means For Provider Behavior Change In Private Family Planning Clinics In Burkina Faso: A Qualitative Analysis Of The Provider’s Perspective |
| The Bridge: Promoting Clinical research participation among Black pregnant and postpartum birthing people |
| Where there are no Data: A Case Study on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention in Nicaragua |
| Quality of Contraceptive Counseling and Person-Centered Care: A Cross-sectional Study Among a National Sample of Women in Ethiopia |
May 10, 2023 - Group 2
| Does current contraceptive choice affect what other methods women are told about? A secondary analysis of counseling comprehensiveness in Ethiopia |
| Addressing the Role Slavery and Racial Stereotypes Play in the Low Occurrence of Initiation and Continuation of Breastfeeding Among Black Mothers |
| Bumps in the Road: Assessing Facility Preparedness to Address Intimate Partner Violence During Pregnancy in Ethiopia |
| Identifying Community Strategies to Promote Breastfeeding Practices among American Indian and Alaska Natives: A Systematic Review of US and Canadian studies |
| Scoping Review: Child Marriage and Childbearing among Adolescent Girls under Humanitarian Setting of LMIC |
May 10, 2023 - Group 3
| Use of Misoprostol to Prevent Postpartum Hemorrhage in Low-Resource Settings |
| Can expansion of nurse-midwifery care improve birth outcomes of marginalized populations in the United States: A Systematic Review |
| Exploring the prospective relationship between psychosocial beliefs in adolescence and later parenting in Baltimore City |
| Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Quality of Care Checklist: A Pilot Project in Baltimore City |
| Police Violence and Youth Traumatic Stress: A Systematic Review |
May 17, 2023 - Group 1
| Do covert contraceptive users engage with the health system differently? Understanding women’s care experiences in Kenya |
| A Scoping Review about the Effect of Abortion Access on Women’s Wages and Employment |
| Impact of testosterone therapy with and without oophorectomy among transmasculine and gender diverse individuals: A scoping review |
| A Systematic Review of Acceptability of STI Self-Sampling and Self-Testing in Young Adults in the United States |
May 17, 2023 - Group 2
| Missed Opportunities in STI Screening of Pregnant Women: A study of the literature and practice patterns concerning STI and perinatal infections |
| Determinants of Young Women’s Contraceptive Knowledge and Services in Nigeria Tanesha Mondestin Haitian Women's Birth Equity: A Case Study of the Maternal Health Crisis for Black Migrants in the United States |
| Barriers to Proper Nutrition on College Campuses and its Contribution to Malnutrition among Undergraduate Students |
May 17, 2023 - Group 3
| Process and Outcomes of the HIV Hard-To-Reach Study in Uganda |
| Vaginal microbiomes and risk of preterm Birth in HIV positive women: A scoping review |
| Evaluation of the Quality of Online Asynchronous Humanitarian Health Education |
| Lessons Learned Around Pediatric Home Equipment Decisions: From Social Context to Technological Platforms |