The International Partnership for Perinatal Excellence Grand Rounds Podcast

From Teen Mother to Nurse-Led Maternity Founder: Cynthia Sparks on Community-Based Perinatal Care

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 families through pregnancy, birth, postpartum recovery, breastfeeding, and maternal mental health. She discusses the gaps in education and access that families face, the impact of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, and the importance of holistic, multidisciplinary care. The conversation also explores systemic disparities in maternal health, the role of community partnerships, and how organizations like Mainline Maternity Care and the International Partnership for Perinatal Excellence are working to improve outcomes through education, empowerment, and integrated support systems.

Honoring Military Families Through Pregnancy and Infant Loss: A Conversation with Dr. Lakeatta Tong

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 health, military culture, and the importance of compassionate support systems for service members and their families.

Bridging the Gap: Evidence, Empowerment & Online Education with Dr. Franziska Haydanek (@PagingDrFran)

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 patients and providers matters more than ever.

Sleep and Pregnancy: How Maternal Sleep Impacts Health Outcomes with Dr. Louise O’Brien

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-changing clinical insights, this conversation is essential listening for healthcare providers, researchers, and anyone interested in improving maternal and infant outcomes.

Danielle Pollock on Stillbirth Stigma, Research, and Changing the Conversation

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 open conversations in healthcare and society. She also challenges clinicians and communities to say the word stillbirth, normalize informed risk discussions, and recognize bereaved parents as powerful agents of change. This episode offers critical insight into how reducing stigma can improve both bereavement care and prevention.