Center for Better Beginnings

04/30/2026

Back to our early days...the 90s
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04/30/2026

This Triton Giving Day, we're showing up for better beginnings.💙

At UC San Diego's Center for Better Beginnings, our team is working to close the information gaps families face when they need answers. Turing research into real-world, evidence-based information on medications, vaccines, and other exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Together, we can build a better future. Because better beginnings starts better evidence.

Be part of something bigger. 💙💛
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04/24/2026

is anyone else simply ✨overwhelmed ✨

Wishing everyone a very Happy Administrative Professionals Day! We want to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude for the incredible hard work, dedication, and organization you bring to the team every single day!!
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04/02/2026

On March 20th, we celebrated a special new addition to the Center: our very own Little Free Library! 📚

Dr. Jones led a special ribbon cutting ceremony as our staff gathered at the Center to welcome this exciting new addition.

Our Little Free Library and bookshelf will be such a meaningful addition to the Center for Better Beginnings, creating more opportunities for connection, imagination, and a love of reading.

A heartfelt thank you to our incredible team who worked so hard to build, paint, and bring this project to life. This truly was a collective effort.

We’re looking forward to filling these shelves with books and sharing the joy of reading for years to come

03/30/2026

Does maternal cannabis use impact infant eye health? 👁️🤰

As cannabis legalization expands, our Study of Outcomes in Mothers and Infants (SOMI) team investigated a critical question: Does a maternal diagnosis of Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) increase the risk of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) in preterm babies?

ROP is a leading cause of preventable visual impairment in infants born early. Our researchers analyzed data from over 31,000 births in California (2011–2020).

✨ The Findings:
We found no meaningful difference in ROP rates between infants born to mothers with a CUD diagnosis (32.1%) and those without (33.3%).

While these results are reassuring regarding this specific blinding disorder, major medical groups still advise against cannabis use during pregnancy due to other potential complications and developmental effects.

🔗 Read the full study in the Journal of AAPOS or on our website at https://betterbeginnings.org/news-press/maternal-cannabis-use-disorder-did-not-increase-the-risk-of-a-blinding-disorder-in-preterm-infants/.
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03/02/2026

The Center for Better Beginnings at UC San Diego is hiring a Clinical Research Assistant/Interviewer (French-speaking).

This full-time, on-site position supports multi-site prospective pregnancy registry studies, including:

• Screening and recruitment
• Participant interviews and follow-up
• Protocol management and regulatory compliance
• Medical record abstraction and data collection

The role requires fluency in English and French (Canadian French preferred), clinical research experience, and the ability to handle sensitive health information with accuracy and cultural awareness.

Compensation range: $34.58 - $38.93 per hour (based on experience).

09/23/2025

We moved for FASD! 🏃‍♀️🪑
Our UC San Diego Center for Better Beginnings team showed up to raise awareness and build community.
Move FASD is about getting bodies moving and conversations started because 1 in 20 Americans live with FASD. Together, we’re inviting new partners and giving FASD a seat at the table. ❤️
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08/15/2025

A takeaway from this year’s international RheumaPreg 2025 meeting was: we need to protect women through research, not from research.

Read more about the conference here:

Advancing Care at the Intersection of Rheumatology and Pregnancy: Key Takeaways from RheumaPreg 2025 | UCB

08/14/2025

The American College of Rheumatology released updated guidelines for the screening, treatment and management of lupus nephritis in non-pregnant populations. Read more on their website, keeping in mind the guidelines may be adjusted during pregnancy and breastfeeding:

ACR's full guidelines on screening, treatment and management of are now available and emphasize continuous care, shared decision-making, and more.

08/13/2025

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) recently released updated guidelines for lupus treatment and management in non-pregnant adults and children. The guidelines propose broad, routine use of hydroxychloroquine; minimizing glucocorticoid exposure; and timely introduction of standard and/or biologic immunosuppressive medications (e.g., cyclophosphamide, mycophenolic acid, azathioprine, methotrexate, belimumab, anifrolumab, and anti-CD20 therapies).

Read more here, but keep in mind the guidelines may be adjusted during pregnancy and breastfeeding: https://bit.ly/45qv7M2

The following transcript is automatically generated and may contain typos or misspellings. Please listen to the episode for the most accurate language.

08/13/2025

Researchers and engineers at Northwestern University have created and are pilot testing a wearable, noninvasive device that can provide real-time monitoring of how much breastmilk a baby is drinking while breastfeeding! More research is needed, but the device could help parents and clinicians who are tracking an infant’s nutritional intake. Read about it here: https://bit.ly/4mywYFg

See how a new noninvasive wearable tracks how much milk baby is getting in real time—easing stress for parents and offering vital support for NICU babies or those struggling to gain weight.