Video highlighting Indiana CTSI researcher to air during Notre Dame football game on NBC

“What would you fight for?”

We know that University of Notre Dame researcher, Joyce Adams, PhD, BSN, fights for improving postpartum care for mothers locally and globally. On October 4, Fighting Irish fans will get the chance to view an inspiring video segment highlighting her work during the football game against Boise State.

The video is part of a Notre Dame series that highlights students and faculty who are “pursuing breakthroughs for a world in need.” Adams and her collaborator David Haas, MD, of Indiana University School of Medicine’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, are both featured in the segment, which details the lifesaving impact of their work with mothers in Ghana and Indiana.

The U.S. leads all developed nations in maternal deaths. Most maternal deaths occur after childbirth, when support is limited and warning signs are missed.

Adams received a reciprocal innovation demonstration grant from the Indiana CTSI in 2021. With that funding, she developed and implemented the Focused Postpartum Care program, which addresses this gap. By providing mothers with a year of structured follow-up, education on warning signs, and peer networks, the model gives women the support they need for themselves and their families.

The video segment, “Fighting for Maternal Health,” will air during halftime on NBC. Kickoff is at 3:30pm E.T.

For a sneak peek, you can view the segment on Notre Dame’s website. You can also learn more about Adams and her work in the accompanying article.

In 2024, the Indiana CTSI profiled Adams as an “Emerging Leader.” Read the profile here.