faculty profile

Jeremy Neal   PhD, RN, CNM, FACNM

Associate Professor
Co-Director, Postdoctoral Program

Bio

Dr. Neal conducts translational research aimed at improving the quality and safety of care to laboring women. His professional goal is to improve perinatal and public health by optimizing short- and long-term pregnancy and birth outcomes for mother and baby while decreasing health care costs.

Dr. Neal's current research focuses on:
  • Investigating physiological differences between women in active versus early labor.
  • Investigating the use of inflammatory biomarkers as predictors of active labor onset among nulliparous women.
  • Evaluating patterns of normal labor progression among laboring women and use of physiologic partographs to improve birth outcomes for mothers and babies.
Recent findings have informed the development of a physiology-based labor assessment partograph which is being computerized for clinical use. The instrument allows clinicians and mothers an opportunity to graphically visualize and discuss progress together, allowing opportunity for shared decision-making regarding the plan of care.

Education

Dr. Neal received his BSN from Bowling Green State University (Bowling Green, Ohio) in 1995, MS with a focus in nurse-midwifery from The Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio) in 2005, and PhD from The Ohio State University in 2008.

Academic Interests

Dr. Neal teaches nurse-midwifery specialty courses and doctoral courses in the School of Nursing. 

Grants

Differences in labor progress, care received during labor, and provider-patient communication and decision-making quality among low-risk black vs. white nulliparous women with spontaneous labor onset. Funded by NIH/NIMHD R21 MD015159. (Role: PI) 2021-2023

Differences between low-risk Black and White nulliparous women in inflammation at labor admission, labor status at admission, efficiency of active labor progress, incidence of labor dystocia in the first stage of labor, and cesarean birth [Grant development]. Funded by Vanderbilt University Provost Studio Award. (Role: PI) 2017-2018

Partograph software design specification tailoring. Funded by the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing Start Up Program. (Role: PI) 2014-2016

Physiologic partograph to improve birth safety and outcomes among low-risk, nulliparous women with spontaneous labor onset: a prospective, feasibility trial. Funded by The Ohio State University College of Nursing Seed Grant Program. (Role: PI) 2012-2014

Psychoneuroimmune contributions to postpartum depression. Funded by NIH/NINR 7R01NR011278-08. (Role: Co-PI with Corwin, EJ.) 2008-2013

Inflammatory markers as predictors of active labor onset among nulliparous women. Funded by NIH/NINR R03 NR011493. (Role: PI) 2010-2013

Inflammation in pre- & post-active labor admission groups. Funded by Midwest Nursing Research Society, New Investigator Seed Grant. (Role: PI) 2010-2011

Evaluation of maternal inflammatory markers as predictors of active labor onset among low-risk, nulliparous women: Role of cervical dilation in the diagnosis of true labor. Funded by NIH/NCRR UL 1 RR025755-01. (Role: PI with Jackson, RD) 2009-2010

Maternal physiological factors influencing labor length. Funded by Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Fellowship Award, NIH/NINR, 1 F31 NR010054-01. (Role: Fellow/PI) 2007-2008

Representative Publications

Journals

Perry J, McClure N, Palmer RJ, Neal JL. (2021). Utilizing Academic-Community Partnerships With Nursing Students to Improve Hand Hygiene in Elementary Students to Reduce Transmission of COVID-19. NASN Sch Nurse, 36(6):333-338. doi: 10.1177/1942602X20986958. (PMID: 33435856)

Carlson NS, Breman RB, Neal JL, Phillippi JC. (2020). Preventing cesarean birth in women with obesity: Influence of unit-level midwifery presence on use of cesarean among women in the Consortium on Safe Labor Data Set. Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, 65(1):22-32, doi: 10.1111/jmwh.13022. (PMID: 31464045).

Smith DC, Phillippi JC, Lowe NK, Breman RB, Carlson NS, Neal JL, Gutierrez E, Tilden EL. (2020). Using the Robson Ten-Group Classification System to compare cesarean birth utilization between US centers with and without midwives. Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, 65(1):10-21, doi: 10.1111/jmwh.13035. (PMID: 31553129)

Neal JL, Carlson NS, Phillippi JC, Tilden EL, Smith DC, Breman RB, Dietrich MS, Lowe NK. (2019). Midwifery presence in United States medical centers and labor care and birth outcomes among low-risk, nulliparous women: A Consortium on Safe Labor study. Birth, 46(3):475-486, doi: 10.1111/birt.12407. (PMID: 30417436)

Carlson NS, Neal JL, Tilden EL, Smith DC, Breman RB, Lowe NK, Dietrich MS, Phillippi JC. (2019). Influence of midwifery presence in U.S. centers on labor care and outcomes of low-risk, parous women: A Consortium on Safe Labor study. Birth, 46(3):487-499, doi: 10.1111/birt.12405. (PMID: 30414200)

Neal JL, Lowe NK, Phillippi JC, Carlson NS, Knupp AM, Dietrich MS. (2018). Likelihood of cesarean birth among parous women after applying leading active labor diagnostic guidelines. Midwifery, 67:64-69, doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2018.09.007. (PMID: 30253316)

Neal JL, Lowe NK, Caughey AB, Bennett KA, Tilden EL, Carlson NS, Phillippi JC, Dietrich MS. (2018). Applying a physiologic partograph to Consortium on Safe Labor data to identify opportunities for safely decreasing cesarean births among nulliparous women. Birth, 45(4):358-367, doi: 10.1111/birt.12358. (PMID: 29851163)

Phillippi JC, Doersam JK, Neal JL, Roumie CL. (2018). Electronic informed consent to facilitate recruitment of pregnant women into research. Journal of Obstetric Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing, 47(4):529-534, doi: 10.1016/j.jogn.2018.04.134. (PMID: 29758172)

Lee NJ, Neal J, Lowe NK, Kildea SV. (2018). Comparing different partograph designs for use in standard labor care: A pilot randomized trial. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 22(3):355-363, doi: 10.1007/s10995-017-2366-0. (PMID: 28936715)

Phillippi JC, Neal JL, Carlson NS, Biel FM, Snowden JM, Tilden EL. (2017). Utilizing datasets to advance perinatal research. Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, 62(5):545-561, doi: 10.1111/jmwh.12640. (PMID: 28799702)

Neal JL, Lowe NK, Phillippi JC, Ryan SL, Knupp AM, Dietrich MS, Thung SF. (2017). Likelihood of cesarean delivery after applying leading active labor diagnostic guidelines. Birth, 44(2):128-136, doi: 10.1111/birt.12274. (PMID: 28198038)

Gillespie SL, Neal JL, Christian LM, Szalacha LA, McCarthy DO, Salsberry PJ. (2017). Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist polymorphism and birth timing: pathway analysis among African American women. Nursing Research, 66(2):95-104, doi: 10.1097/NNR.0000000000000200. (PMID: 28252571)

Neal JL, Lowe NK, Nacht AS, Koschoreck K, Anderson J. (2016). Pilot study of physiologic partograph use among low-risk, nulliparous women with spontaneous labor onset. Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, 61(2):235-241. (PMID: 26917257)

Neal JL, Lowe NK, Schorn MN, Holley SL, Ryan SL, Buxton M, Wilson-Liverman AM. (2015). Labor dystocia: a common approach to diagnosis. Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, 60(5):499-509. (PMID: 26461189)

Neal JL, Ryan SL, Lowe NK, Schorn MN, Buxton M, Holley SL, Wilson-Liverman AM. (2015). Labor dystocia: uses of related nomenclature. Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, 60(5):485-498. (PMID: 26461188)

Gillespie SL, Christian LM, Neal JL. (2015). A proposed bio-panel to predict risk for spontaneous preterm birth among African American women. Medical Hypotheses, 85(5):558-564. (PMID: 26279199)

Neal JL, Lamp JM, Lowe NK, Gillespie SL, Sinnott LT, McCarthy DO. (2015). Differences in inflammatory markers between nulliparous women admitted to hospitals in pre-active vs active labor. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 212(1):68.e1-8. (PMID: 25086275)

Sribanditmongkol V, Neal JL, Patrick TE, Szalacha LA, McCarthy DO. (2015). Effect of perceived stress on cytokine production in healthy college students. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 37(4):481-493. (PMID: 25125502)

Neal JL, Lamp JM, Buck JS, Lowe NK, Gillespie SL, Ryan SL. (2014). Outcomes of nulliparous women with spontaneous labor onset admitted to hospitals in pre-active versus active labor. Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, 59(1):28-34. (PMID: 24512265)

Neal JL, Lowe NK, Corwin EJ. (2013). Serum lactate dehydrogenase profile as a retrospective indicator of uterine preparedness for labor: a prospective, observational study. BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth, 13:128.e1-8. (PMID: 23759027)

Neal JL, Lowe NK. (2012). Physiologic partograph to improve birth safety and outcomes among low-risk, nulliparous women with spontaneous labor onset. Medical Hypotheses, 78(2):319-326. (PMID: 22138426)

Rice KE, Secrist JR, Woodrow EL, Hallock LM, Neal JL. (2012). Etiology, diagnosis, and management of leiomyomas. Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, 57(3):241-247. (PMID:
22587581)

Davidson BR, DiPiero CM, Govoni KD, Littleton SS, Neal JL. (2012). Abnormal uterine bleeding during the reproductive years. Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, 57(3):248-254. (PMID:
22594864)

Cabbage LA, Neal JL. (2011). Over-the-counter medications used in pregnancy: an integrative review. Nurse Practitioner, 36(6):22-28. (PMID: 21558979)

Neal JL, Lowe NK, Patrick TE, Cabbage LA, Corwin EJ. (2010). What is the 'slowest yet normal' cervical dilation rate among nulliparous women with spontaneous labor onset? Journal of Obstetric Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing, 39(4):361-369. (PMID: 20629924)

Neal JL, Lowe NK, Ahijevych KL, Patrick TE, Cabbage LA, Corwin EJ. (2010). 'Active labor' duration and dilation rates among low-risk, nulliparous women with spontaneous labor onset: a systematic review. Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, 55(4):308-318. (PMID: 20630357)

Ryan-Wenger, NA, Neal, JL, Jones, AS, & Lowe, NK. (2010). Accuracy of vaginal symptom self-diagnosis algorithms for deployed military women. Nursing Research, 59(1):2-10. (PMID: 20010039)

Lowe NK, Neal JL, & Ryan-Wenger NA. (2009). Accuracy of the clinical diagnosis of vaginitis compared with a DNA probe laboratory standard. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 113(1):89-95. (PMID: 19104364)

Book Chapters

Neal JL, Lowe NK, Ryan SL, Hunter LA. (2019). First stage of labor. In TL King, MC Brucker, K Osborne, CM Jevitt (Eds.), Varney's Midwifery (6th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. (ISBN: 978-1-284-16021-5)

Reviewer

  • Journal of Obstetric Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing (2009-)
  • Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health (2009-)
  • Midwifery (2011-)
  • International Journal of Childbirth (2013-)
  • WorldViews on Evidence-Based Nursing (2014-)
  • BMJ Case Reports (2014-)
  • Obstetrics & Gynecology (2016-)
  • American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology (2016-)
  • Birth (2017-)

Professional Organizations

  • American College of Nurse-Midwives, 2009-Present
  • Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, 2009-Present
  • International Alliance of Midwives, 2006-Present
  • Midwest Research Nursing Society, 2006-2014
  • Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing: Epsilon Chapter, 1994-Present

Honors/Awards

  • Fellowship in the American College of Nurse-Midwives, 66th Annual Meeting & Exhibition, 2021
  • Dean's Award for Recognition of Faculty Achievement in Research Endeavors, 2021
  • Dean Colleen Conway-Welch Excellence in Teaching PhD Students Award, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, 2020
  • Best Research Presentation at the American College of Nurse-Midwives 63rd Annual Meeting & Exhibition, Savannah, GA ("Retrospective use of a physiologic partograph protocol to identify opportunities for safely decreasing cesareans among nulliparous women with spontaneous labor onset"), 2018
  • Runner-Up for Best Review Article Award article in Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, American College of Nurse-Midwives ("Utilizing datasets to advance perinatal research"), 2018
  • Runner-Up for Best Research Article Award article in Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, American College of Nurse-Midwives ("Pilot study of physiologic partograph use among low-risk, nulliparous women with spontaneous labor onset"), 2017
  • Excellence in Teaching Award, American College of Nurse-Midwives, 2017

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