Lyndsay Avalos, PhD, MPH

People

Kaiser Permanente Division of Research
2000 Broadway
Oakland, CA 94612

(510) 891-3426 (phone)
Lyndsay.A.Avalos@kp.org
Kaiser Permanente Researcher Profiles

Lyndsay Ammon Avalos, PhD, MPH, is a research scientist at the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research. She holds a bachelor’s degree in animal physiology and neuroscience from UC San Diego, an MPH from Boston University, and a PhD in Epidemiology from UC Berkeley. She was an NIAAA pre-doctoral fellow through the training program at the Alcohol Research Group in Emeryville, Calif., and UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health. Her doctoral studies concentrated on the modifying effect of multinutrient supplements on the relationship between alcohol consumption during pregnancy and reproductive and perinatal outcomes. As a Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health (BIRCWH) K12 scholar, Dr. Avalos’s research assessed the effectiveness of Kaiser Permanente’s Universal Perinatal Depression Screening program. Her current research broadly focuses on identifying genetic and environmental factors (e.g., alcohol use, medication exposure, ambient temperature, nutrition) during the perinatal period that influence maternal, fetal, and infant health.

Current Position(s):

Research Scientist I, Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California

Section Affiliations:

Primary Research Interests:

Reproductive and perinatal epidemiology
Perinatal depression
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy
Nutrition during pregnancy
In utero exposures in relation to adverse maternal, fetal, and infant health

Studies

Prenatal Depression and Antidepressant Exposure: Effects on Child Speech and Language Disorders

The aims of this study are to 1) Assess the relationship between untreated prenatal depression and the risk of speech and language disorders of offspring; 2) Compare the effectiveness of treatment of prenatal depression on speech and language disorders of offspring; 3) Evaluate whether the timing and duration of SSRI use during pregnancy is related to child speech and language disorders; and 4) Assess the extent to which these relationships differ by infant sex.
Investigator: Avalos, Lyndsay
Funder: Northern California Community Benefit Programs

Maternal Marijuana Use During Pregnancy, Marijuana Legalization, and Adverse Obstetrical and Neonatal Outcomes: A 12-year Cohort Study

The goal of this application is to examine the association between maternal marijuana use during pregnancy and adverse obstetrical and neonatal outcomes. We aim to: 1) Examine trends in prenatal marijuana use following the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes in California; 2) Assess whether maternal marijuana use during pregnancy is associated with the risk of adverse maternal health and pregnancy outcomes; and 3) Assess whether maternal marijuana use during pregnancy is associated with the risk of adverse fetal and neonatal outcomes.
Investigator: Avalos, Lyndsay; Young-Wolff, Kelly
Funder: National Institute on Drug Abuse

Moderate Hypertension in Pregnancy: Safety and Effectiveness of Treatment

The aims of this study are to: 1. Estimate risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes after antihypertensive medication exposure compared to a) untreated chronic or gestational hypertension, and b) healthy pregnancies with neither hypertension nor treatment. We will study: a) Maternal outcomes including cesarean delivery, postpartum hemorrhage, pre-eclampsia, and ICU admission; and b) Neonatal outcomes including preterm birth, small-for-gestational age, intensive care unit (NICU) stay, congenital malformations, and perinatal death. 2.Examine how risks vary for different antihypertensive agents. 3.Examine how risks vary according to the degree of blood pressure control achieved during treatment. 4. Examine how risks vary by obesity, GDM status and race/ethnicity.
Investigator: Avalos, Lyndsay
Funder: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

Impact of Folate, Obesity and Genetics on Maternal Depression

Research is desperately needed to inform safe and effective interventions for the prevention and treatment of maternal depression. An important first step to understanding whether nutrition may serve as an intervention and improve maternal mental health, is to elucidate the relationship between nutrition and depression during the peripartum period (during pregnancy and after). The aims of this study will address a gap in knowledge and provide insights into the relationship between nutrition and maternal depression which will take us a few steps closer to identifying whether dietary modifications or supplements may provide an inexpensive, easily modifiable intervention for the prevention of peripartum depression.
Investigator: Avalos, Lyndsay
Funder: National Institute of Mental Health

Climate Change and Health: Assessing the Risk of Preterm Delivery

The overall objective of this study is to examine the impact of climate change on the risk of preterm delivery (PTD) by using a case-crossover study design utilizing members of KPNC. In our first aim, we will assess the relationship between apparent temperature and PTD. Estimates will be adjusted for important air pollutants. In our second aim we will determine whether maternal factors (age, race/ethnicity and SES as measured by medicaid status) impact the relationship between apparent temperature and preterm delivery. Finally, we will explore whether additional maternal factors may impact the the relationships in the first aim. These additional factors include hypertension, smoking, alcohol use, medication use, gestational diabetes, depression, and pre-pregnancy BMI.
Investigator: Avalos, Lyndsay
Funder: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Highlighted Publications

Improved Perinatal Depression Screening, Treatment, and Outcomes With a Universal Obstetric Program

Author(s): Avalos LA; Raine-Bennett T; Chen H; Adams AS; Flanagan T

Obstet Gynecol. 2016 May;127(5):917-25.

Current Position(s):

Section Affiliations:

Primary Research Interests:

Studies

Prenatal Depression and Antidepressant Exposure: Effects on Child Speech and Language Disorders

Maternal Marijuana Use During Pregnancy, Marijuana Legalization, and Adverse Obstetrical and Neonatal Outcomes: A 12-year Cohort Study

Moderate Hypertension in Pregnancy: Safety and Effectiveness of Treatment

Impact of Folate, Obesity and Genetics on Maternal Depression

Climate Change and Health: Assessing the Risk of Preterm Delivery

Highlighted Publications

Improved Perinatal Depression Screening, Treatment, and Outcomes With a Universal Obstetric Program

A systematic review to calculate background miscarriage rates using life table analysis

Do multivitamin supplements modify the relationship between prenatal alcohol intake and miscarriage?

Publications

Pre- and Early Pregnancy Onset Depression and Subsequent Rate of Gestational Weight Gain

Preventing Perinatal Depression to Improve Maternal and Child Health-a Health Care Imperative

Trends in marijuana use among pregnant women with and without nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, 2009-2016

Association of Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy With Prenatal Marijuana Use

Understanding periviable birth: A microeconomic alternative to the dysregulation narrative

Intimate Partner Violence, Smoking, and Pregnancy: What Can We Do to Help?

Predictors of Breastfeeding Initiation and Maintenance in an Integrated Healthcare Setting

The impact of high apparent temperature on spontaneous preterm delivery: a case-crossover study

The impact of maternal factors on the association between temperature and preterm delivery

The Kaiser Permanente Northern California research program on genes, environment, and health (RPGEH) pregnancy cohort; study design, methodology and baseline characteristics.

Improved Perinatal Depression Screening, Treatment, and Outcomes With a Universal Obstetric Program

Formal and informal substance use treatment utilization and alcohol abstinence over seven years: Is the relationship different for blacks and whites?

Factors Associated with Seasonal Influenza Vaccination in Pregnant Women

Antidepressant medication use, depression, and the risk of preeclampsia

The Association Between Influenza Vaccination and Other Preventative Health Behaviors in a Cohort of Pregnant Women

Genital herpes and its treatment in relation to preterm delivery

Feasibility and acceptability of a novel, computerized screening and brief intervention (SBI) for alcohol and sweetened beverage use in pregnancy

Trends in Elective Labor Induction for Six United States Health Plans, 2001-2007

Volume and Type of Alcohol During Early Pregnancy and the Risk of Miscarriage

The Prevalence and Trends of Antiviral Medication Use During Pregnancy in the US: A Population-Based Study of 664,297 Deliveries in 2001-2007

Effectiveness of seasonal trivalent influenza vaccine for preventing influenza virus illness among pregnant women: a population-based case-control study during the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 influenza seasons

Prevalence and trends in the use of antipsychotic medications during pregnancy in the U.S., 2001-2007: a population-based study of 585,615 deliveries

Prevalence, Trends, and Patterns of Use of Antidiabetic Medications Among Pregnant Women, 2001-2007

Trends in the Use of Antiepileptic Drugs among Pregnant Women in the US, 2001-2007: A Medication Exposure in Pregnancy Risk Evaluation Program Study

Alcohol, tobacco and drug use as reasons for abortion

A systematic review to calculate background miscarriage rates using life table analysis

Does Lack of Multinutrient Supplementation During Early Pregnancy Increase Vulnerability to Alcohol-Related Preterm or Small-for-Gestational-Age Births?

Stress, substance use and sexual risk behaviors among primary care patients in Cape Town, South Africa

Do multivitamin supplements modify the relationship between prenatal alcohol intake and miscarriage?