To describe the importance of community engagement from research projects and research centers in times of disasters or emergencies, using the case of Puerto Rico in recent years (2017 - 2022) as an example.

First, research participants and stakeholders from local community and health organizations were contacted via email and phone calls after each emergency to assess their immediate needs. Second, needs were classified in categories (materials, educational resources, service referrals, and collaborations). Finally, delivery of support was coordinated in a timely manner whether in person or online.

Activities were conducted such as handing out materials, providing educational resources, contacting participants, and stakeholders, as well as coordinating collaboration with community and organizations.

Several lessons were learned from our experiences related to Puerto Rico’s recent emergencies as well as some relevant recommendations for future disasters. The efforts presented illustrate the importance of community engagement from academic institutions in disasters. Research centers and research projects, particularly those with community engagement components, should consider providing support in the preparedness phase as well as the recovery phase if necessary. Community engagement in emergencies is crucial to recovery efforts as well as fostering empowerment and making an impact on individual and societal levels.

Studies have reported mixed findings regarding the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on pregnant women and birth outcomes. This study used a quasi-experimental design to account for potential confounding by sociodemographic characteristics.

Data were drawn from 16 prenatal cohorts participating in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program. Women exposed to the pandemic (delivered between 12 March 2020 and 30 May 2021) (n = 501) were propensity-score matched on maternal age, race and ethnicity, and child assigned sex at birth with 501 women who delivered before 11 March 2020. Participants reported on perceived stress, depressive symptoms, sedentary behavior, and emotional support during pregnancy. Infant gestational age (GA) at birth and birthweight were gathered from medical record abstraction or maternal report.

After adjusting for propensity matching and covariates (maternal education, public assistance, employment status, prepregnancy body mass index), results showed a small effect of pandemic exposure on shorter GA at birth, but no effect on birthweight adjusted for GA. Women who were pregnant during the pandemic reported higher levels of prenatal stress and depressive symptoms, but neither mediated the association between pandemic exposure and GA. Sedentary behavior and emotional support were each associated with prenatal stress and depressive symptoms in opposite directions, but no moderation effects were revealed.

There was no strong evidence for an association between pandemic exposure and adverse birth outcomes. Furthermore, results highlight the importance of reducing maternal sedentary behavior and encouraging emotional support for optimizing maternal health regardless of pandemic conditions.