Emily W. Harville
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About Emily
Harville's research focuses on reproductive and perinatal epidemiology. Overarching themes in Harville's writings include mechanisms of health disparities - what factors create disparities - and life course influences on pregnancy outcomes - how does health prior to pregnancy affect birth outcomes and how does pregnancy health affects later-life health. Harville also studies effects of disaster on maternal and child health. Harville serves as a member or consultant to maternal and child health working and advocacy groups and a volunteer statistician and data scientist for organizations seeking to use data for social purposes.
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Finds women who did not have children had worse cognitive health and women who had breastfed had better cognitive health in midlife.
Finds experiencing multiple disasters was associated with worse mental health, but the combined effect of multiple disasters was not worse than expected.
Finds clear racial disparities in birth outcomes, but they were reduced modestly or not at all after cardiovascular risk factors were adjusted for. Does not provide evidence for preconception cardiovascular risk being a strong contributor to racial disparities.
Does not suggest an increased risk of pregnancy complications (gestational hypertension or diabetes) associated with exposure to the oil spill. Notes future studies should assess such exposure and outcomes prospectively and clinically instead of relying on self-report.
Finds Generation 1’s higher glucose levels were associated with higher birthweight in generation 3, while lipids were associated with lower birthweight. Suggests the possibility of multigenerational developmental programming of birth outcomes, although mechanisms (whether biological or environmental) are undetermined.