The International Partnership for Perinatal Excellence Grand Rounds Podcast

What does trauma-informed care actually look like in practice, and why does it matter for every birth? In this episode, we sit down with Mandy Irby, BSN, RN, board-certified labor and delivery nurse, founder of The Birth Nurse, and expert in trauma-informed birth care. Drawing from her own experiences as both a labor nurse and patient, Mandy shares how healthcare teams can reduce birth-related tra...

In this episode of Perinatal Grand Rounds, hosted by the Star Legacy Foundation, Executive Director Lindsay Wimmer speaks with Cynthia Sparks, RN, certified breastfeeding counselor, case manager, and founder of Mainline Maternity Care in the Baltimore area. Cynthia shares her powerful journey from becoming a teen mother to building a nurse-led, community-based maternity care model that supports fa...

In honor of Memorial Day, Star Legacy Foundation and the International Partnership for Perinatal Excellence welcome Dr. Lakeatta Tong, a retired Air Force nurse and founder of Airman’s Angels, for a powerful conversation on perinatal loss within military families. Drawing from over two decades of service in maternal and child health, Dr. Tong shares insights on grief, pregnancy after loss, mental...

In this episode of Perinatal Grand Rounds, Lindsey Wimmer of the Star Legacy Foundation sits down with board-certified OB-GYN Dr. Franziska Haydanek — known to millions as Paging Doctor Fran. Together, they explore how social media is reshaping patient education, the delicate balance between honesty and fear in obstetrics, supporting families through loss, and why informed partnership between pati...

Dr. Louise O’Brien, a leading expert in sleep and maternal-fetal medicine at the University of Michigan, explores the critical role of maternal sleep during pregnancy, its impact on complications like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, fetal growth, and stillbirth, and discuss groundbreaking research on non-invasive interventions like CPAP therapy. From practical sleep hygiene tips to life-changi...

In this episode of Perinatal Grand Rounds, researcher and bereaved mother Dr. Danielle Pollock shares how her personal loss led to groundbreaking research on stillbirth stigma and its far-reaching impact on families, clinicians, and prevention efforts. Drawing from her work developing the Stillbirth Stigma Scale, Danielle explores how public and self-stigma deepen grief, fuel isolation, and limit...

In this episode of the Grand Rounds podcast, we sit down with Lynn Ingram of Ingram Screening to explore the critical role of early, consistent, and equitable perinatal mental health screening. Lynn shares how improved screening standards can help clinicians identify risks sooner, support families more effectively, and close long-standing gaps in care. Through evidence-informed insights and real-w...

In this deeply moving episode of the Star Legacy Foundation podcast, we sit down with Rachell Dumas, founder of A Light After Nine. Rachell shares her personal journey through the heartbreak of nine pregnancy losses and how she transformed her grief into a mission to support other families navigating the unimaginable. Learn how she created A Light After Nine to honor her children, bring hope, and...

In this episode, Dr. Ponnila Marinescu, MFM specialist and faculty at the University of Rochester Medical, joins us to talk about perinatal palliative care, and how she’s preparing future clinicians to both prevent loss and compassionately support families when it occurs.

Dr. Mana Parast, Director of Perinatal Pathology at UC San Diego and physician-scientist leading groundbreaking research on placental development and pregnancy outcomes. Dr. Parast’s work spans from studying placental pathology in stillbirth and cord accidents, to creating innovative stem cell “disease-in-a-dish” models for disorders like pre-eclampsia and fetal growth restriction. Most recently,...

In this episode, we welcome Jane Warland – midwife, researcher, and advocate – who joins us to discuss the Wince Project. This culturally sensitive stillbirth awareness initiative is working to help prevent stillbirth in Australia’s Indigenous communities through respectful engagement, education, and collaboration.

A conversation exploring perspectives on pregnancy, health, and approaches to loss prevention.

From addressing racial disparities in patient care to emphasizing the importance of including partners, prioritizing preventive care before pregnancy, and tailoring care to each individual—these ladies cover a lot of ground. Join us for a meaningful conversation during Black Maternal Health Week as we explore what it truly means to provide culturally humble care in the perinatal setting.

A discussion highlighting insights and experiences related to Birth With Dignity.