Maternal Interviews Research Articles

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia and maternal dietary nutrient pathways and diet quality.

We examined the association of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) with maternal dietary intake, using semi-Bayes hierarchical models and principal components analysis to consider intake of nutrients that contribute to one-carbon metabolism and oxidative stress pathways, and a diet quality index. We included data on 825 cases and 11,108 nonmalformed controls born from 1997-2011 whose mother participated in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS), a multisite, population-based case-control study. Exposure data were from maternal telephone interviews, which included a food frequency questionnaire. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were generated from logistic regression models that included nutritional factors as continuous variables and were adjusted for maternal energy intake, race-ethnicity, parity, and vitamin supplement intake. In the semi-Bayes hierarchical model that included all nutrients and confounders, riboflavin was the only nutrient for which the 95% CI excluded 1.0; the aOR for a 1 SD increase was 0.83. The aORs were 0.79 (95% CI 0.69-0.91) for the one-carbon metabolism pathway score, 0.90 (95% CI 0.80-1.01) for oxidative stress, and 0.85 (95% CI 0.77-0.93) for diet quality (the aORs correspond to a 1 SD increase). The findings from this study provide some support for the hypothesis that better prepregnancy nutrition is associated with reduced risk for CDH. These results provide etiologic clues but should be interpreted with caution given the novelty of the investigation.

Association between early essential newborn care and breastfeeding outcomes in eight countries in Asia and the Pacific: a cross-sectional observational -study

ObjectiveTo explore the association between early essential newborn care (EENC) policy, practice and environmental interventions and breastfeeding outcomes.DesignCross-sectional observational study.Setting150 national, provincial and district hospitals implementing EENC in eight countries...

Pacific Islands Families Study: Patterns of Intimate Partner Violence Among Pacific Mothers.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a widespread social problem affecting all populations regardless of gender, race, and socioeconomic status. The aims of this study were to examine (a) patterns of IPV among Pacific women living in New Zealand and (b) the risk and protective factors associated with IPV perpetration and victimization. As part of the longitudinal Pacific Islands Families (PIF) Study, maternal interviews, which included reports about IPV, acculturation, and sociodemographic characteristics, were administered at phases 6 weeks, 2, 6, 11, and 14 years postpartum. Age had a significant effect on perpetration of both minor and severe perpetration of IPV, and on being a victim of minor IPV. However, no significant effect was found for severe victimization. Cultural alignment also had a significant effect on perpetration of IPV with Pacific mothers who were strongly aligned to their traditional Pacific culture being significantly less likely to report minor or severe IPV perpetration compared with Pacific mothers who were closely aligned to western culture. Single mothers reported significantly more minor victimization, and those mothers who were more highly educated and were in a higher income bracket were significantly less likely to report severe physical IPV victimization. These findings can inform the timing and targeting of culturally appropriate violence prevention efforts in adolescence and young adulthood that focus on the development of healthy intimate partner relationships and effective methods of conflict resolution.

Original Article Risk Factors for Neonatal Mortality in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Benha Children Hospital

Though promising progress has been made towards achieving the Millennium Development Goal [MDG] through substantial reduction in under-five mortality, the decline in neonatal mortality remains stagnant, mainly in the middle and low-income countries. The present study aimed to: assess the incidence of neonatal mortality in neonatal intensive care units in Benha Children Hospital. Assess risk factors for neonatal mortality in neonatal intensive care units in Benha Children Hospital. Methods: This study was a prospective cohort study, which was done on 943 neonates [who were admitted in the neonatal intensive care unit at BenhaChildern Hospital].Data were obtained from: neonatal records and also maternal interview using a predesigned questionnaire. neonatal mortality among the studied cases was 18.3%.There might have been a Factual critical connection the middle of the gestational agdistis toward conception What's more neonatal mortality; there might have been statistically noteworthy expand being used about mv around kicked the bucket over made due situations. There might have been statistically noteworthy expand done crp Furthermore WBC around passed on over made due situations. Neonatal mortality On neonatal seriousness will be essential state funded wellbeing issues in creating nations. Neonatal mortality might have been 18. 3%. Amount from claiming danger figures seemed on make fundamentally connected with neonatal mortality like, easier gestational age, low conception weight, easier maternal age, neonatal sepsis Furthermore utilization of mechanical ventilation.

Fetal Programming of Semen Quality (FEPOS) Cohort - A DNBC Male-Offspring Cohort.

BackgroundPrenatal exposures may contribute to male infertility in adult life, but large-scale epidemiological evidence is still lacking. The Fetal Programming of Semen quality (FEPOS) cohort was founded to provide means to examine if fetal exposures can interfere with fetal reproductive development and ultimately lead to reduced semen quality and reproductive hormone imbalances in young adult men.MethodsYoung adult men at least 18 years and 9 months of age born to women in the Danish National Birth Cohort living in relative proximity to Copenhagen or Aarhus and for whom a maternal blood sample and two maternal interviews during pregnancy were available were invited to FEPOS. Recruitment began in March 2017 and ended in December 2019. The participants answered a comprehensive questionnaire and underwent a physical examination where they delivered a semen, urine, and hair sample, measured their own testicular volume, and had blood drawn.ResultsIn total 21,623 sons fulfilled eligibility criteria of whom 5697 were invited and 1058 participated making the response rate 19%. Semen characteristics did not differ between sons from the Copenhagen and Aarhus clinics. When comparing the FEPOS semen parameters to similar cohorts, the median across all semen characteristics was slightly lower for FEPOS participants, although with smaller variation.ConclusionWith its 1058 young adult men, the FEPOS cohort is the largest population-based male-offspring cohort worldwide specifically designed to investigate prenatal determinants of semen quality. Wide-ranging information on maternal health, lifestyle, socioeconomic status, occupation, and serum concentrations of potential reproductive toxicants during pregnancy combined with biological markers of fertility in their sons collected after puberty allow for in-depth investigations of the ‘fetal origins of adult disease hypothesis’.

NICU music therapy and mother-preterm infant synchrony: A longitudinal case study in the South of Brazil

ABSTRACT Introduction Having a hospitalised preterm baby is a traumatic experience that may affect parenting and parent-infant interaction. Music therapy in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) has been shown to foster the well-being of preterm infants and their mothers, but evidence about its effects on mother-infant interaction is still scarce. This case study explored the contributions of the Music Therapy Intervention for the Mother-Preterm Infant Dyad – MUSIP, to mother-preterm infant interaction. Method Participants were a mother and her extremely preterm son, hospitalised in a Brazilian NICU. The dyad participated in nine sessions of MUSIP, aimed at supporting maternal singing with the baby. In the NICU and then at home (4 months after discharge), the mother was interviewed and the mother-infant interaction was observed during two interactional contexts, breastfeeding and free interaction with singing. Results The video analysis showed that, during singing and right after singing, the dyad displayed more social behaviours and more synchronous co-occurrences. The thematic analysis of maternal interviews showed that MUSIP contributed to the mother’s and the infant’s empowerment and to mother-infant bonding. Discussion MUSIP empowered maternal competence to interact with the baby and facilitated synchrony, which may act as a protective factor for the infant’s development, for maternal well-being, and for mother-infant bonding.

Maternal smoking in pregnancy, fetal activity & newborn behavioral state: An observational ultrasound study

Maternal smoking during pregnancy (MSDP) remains one of the most common prenatal drug exposures in the US and worldwide. MSDP is associated with medical risk for the fetus and altered behavioral development in infants; however, fewer studies have examined the impact of MSDP on fetal behavior or newborn behavioral state. We investigated associations between MSDP and (a) fetal motor activity and (b) newborn behavioral state following handling. Participants were 79 healthy mother-fetus/newborn pairs (57% MSDP-exposed). MSDP was measured by maternal interview and verified by saliva biomarkers. Mothers completed an observational fetal ultrasound assessment between 24 and 37 weeks gestation (M = 28 weeks), including baseline, vibro-acoustic stimulus and recovery periods. Total fetal motor activity and complex body movements were coded from ultrasound videos. Following delivery, newborn post-handling behavioral state was assessed by direct observational coding. MSDP exposure was associated with higher baseline fetal motor activity, particularly at younger gestational ages. Further, motor reactivity to stimulation emerged at later gestational ages in MSDP-exposed fetuses, while motor reactivity was consistent across gestational ages in unexposed fetuses. Finally, heavy MSDP exposure was associated with more arousal following handling and greater need for soothing interventions in the newborn period. Monitoring of fetal behavior via ultrasound may offer a unique opportunity to identify at-risk infants and provides data for stronger public health messaging regarding risks of MSDP. Associations between MSDP and increased newborn fussiness highlight opportunities for education and anticipatory guidance in the postpartum period.

Prenatal Maternal Low Selenium, High Thyrotropin, and Low Birth Weights.

In consideration of the potential roles of selenoproteins in thyroid function, we aimed to evaluate the association of low selenium status with hypothyroidism during pregnancy and the association of maternal low thyroid function with infant birth size. We conducted a prospective birth cohort study in Shanghai in 2010 and investigated 1931 pregnant mothers of gestational weeks 28-36. Maternal serum selenium and thyrotropin (TSH) levels were determined and birth weights and lengths of newborns were measured. Other covariates were obtained through maternal interviews and medical records. A non-linear association was observed between maternal selenium and TSH levels. Two-piecewise multivariable linear regression models were therefore applied to assess the association of serum selenium with TSH levels, and multivariable linear regression models were applied to assess the association of TSH levels with birth weight/length. Adjusting for potential confounders, when maternal serum selenium levels < 103.7μg/L (P25th), each unit increase in selenium levels (μg/L) was significantly associated with a decrease of 0.014μIU/mL in TSH levels (β = - 0.014, 95%CI - 0.025, - 0.002, P = 0.023). However, when selenium levels ≥ 103.7μg/L, there were no significant relationships between selenium and TSH (β = 0.000, 95%CI - 0.001, 0.002, P = 0.859). Maternal TSH levels were significantly inversely associated with infant birth weight (β = - 0.060, 95%CI - 0.100, - 0.010, P = 0.010). We observed a non-linear association between maternal selenium status and TSH levels. Low selenium status during pregnancy may associate with low thyroid function that was related with low birth weights. Graphical abstract .

Understanding high rates of stillbirth and neonatal death in a disadvantaged, high-migrant district in France: A perinatal audit.

The objective of this study is to investigate factors associated with risks of perinatal death in a disadvantaged, high-migrant French district with mortality rates above the national average. The study design is a perinatal audit in 2014 in all 11 maternity units in the Seine-Saint-Denis district (25 037 births). The data come from medical chart abstraction, maternal interviews and peer assessor confidential review of deaths. A representative sample of live births in the same district, from the 2010 French Perinatal Survey, was used for comparisons (n = 429). The main outcome measures were stillbirth and neonatal death (0-27 days) at ≥22 weeks of gestation. The audit included 218 women and 227 deaths (156 stillbirths, 71 neonatal deaths); 75 women were interviewed. In addition to primiparity and multiple pregnancy, overweight and obesity increased mortality risks (50% of cases, adjusted odds ratios [aOR] 1.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-2.8, and aOR 1.9 [95% CI 1.1-3.2], respectively) as did the presence of preexisting medical/obstetric conditions (28.6% of cases, aOR 3.2, 95% CI 2.0-5.3). Problems accessing or complying with care were noted in 25% of medical records and recounted in 50% of interviews. Assessors identified suboptimal factors in 73.2% of deaths and judged 33.9% to be possibly or probably preventable. Care not adapted to risk factors and poor healthcare coordination were frequent suboptimal factors. Possibly preventable deaths were higher (P < .05) for women with gestational diabetes or hypertension (44.6%) than women without (29.0%). Preventive actions to improve healthcare referral and coordination, especially for overweight and obese women and women with medical and obstetrical risk factors, could reduce perinatal mortality in disadvantaged areas.

Assessment of Tobacco Exposure During Pregnancy by Meconium Analysis and Maternal Interview.

Smoking during pregnancy can have serious obstetric and fetal complications. Therefore, it is essential to identify in utero exposure to tobacco, being meconium the matrix of choice for this purpose. Meconium (n=565) was analyzed for nicotine, cotinine and hydroxycotinine by LC-MS-MS. Then, tobacco meconium results were compared with smoking habits during pregnancy and neonatal outcomes measures (birth weight, length, head circumference, gestational age and Apgar scores). Although meconium analysis increased identification of in-utero exposure to tobacco (17.7% meconium positive specimens vs 13.5% mothers admitting tobacco use during pregnancy), there was a statistically significant relationship between meconium results and interview answers (P<0.001). Birth weight was significantly lower for newborns with meconium positive results in males (P=0.023) and females (P=0.001), while for length significance was only observed in females (P=0.001); however, when excluding meconium specimens positive for other drugs, a statistically significant difference was only found for female weight (P=0.045). Meconium analysis proved to be more reliable for tobacco prenatal exposure detection than maternal interview. In addition, positive meconium results increased the probability for low birth weight, especially in females.

Access to care during labor and delivery and safety to maternal health.

Objective:to analyze the time of access to care during labor and delivery and the safety of maternal health.Method:cross-sectional analytical study, carried out in five maternity hospitals, four of which are of habitual and intermediate risk and one of high risk. For data collection, data from the maternal medical record and interviews with the puerperal woman were used. In the data analysis, the Chi-square test (p≤0.05) was performed to search for possible associations between the independent variables - model three delays and dependents [Adverse maternal outcomes], [Knowledge about labor/delivery] and [Service satisfaction].Results:statistical significance was observed between the adverse maternal outcome and the delay in looking for a health service (p = 0.005) and the delay in transport to the maternity hospital (p = 0.050), while the outcome knowledge about labor/delivery showed statistical association with delay in looking for a health service (p = 0.048). There was no statistically significant difference between the three delays model and satisfaction with the care.Conclusion:the women’s knowledge about labor and delivery and the time of access to obstetric care negatively interferes with the maternal outcome at delivery, which directly impacts maternal health safety.

Early-Life Predictors of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) comprise the continuum of disabilities associated with prenatal alcohol exposure. Although infancy remains the most effective time for initiation of intervention services, current diagnostic schemes demonstrate the greatest confidence, accuracy, and reliability in school-aged children. Our aims for the current study were to identify growth, dysmorphology, and neurodevelopmental features in infants that were most predictive of FASD at age 5, thereby improving the timeliness of diagnoses. A cohort of pregnant South African women attending primary health care clinics or giving birth in provincial hospitals was enrolled in the project. Children were followed longitudinally from birth to 60 months to determine their physical and developmental trajectories (N = 155). Standardized protocols were used to assess growth, dysmorphology, and development at 6 weeks and at 9, 18, 42, and 60 months. A structured maternal interview, including estimation of prenatal alcohol intake, was administered at 42 or 60 months. Growth restriction and total dysmorphology scores differentiated among children with and without FASD as early as 9 months (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.777; P < .001; 95% confidence interval: 0.705-0.849), although children who were severely affected could be identified earlier. Assessment of developmental milestones revealed significant developmental differences emerging among children with and without FASD between 18 and 42 months. Mothers of children with FASD were significantly smaller, with lower BMIs and higher alcohol intake during pregnancy, than mothers of children without FASD. Assessment of a combination of growth, dysmorphology, and neurobehavioral characteristics allows for accurate identification of most children with FASD as early as 9 to 18 months.

Maternal acetaminophen use during pregnancy and childhood behavioural problems: Discrepancies between mother- and teacher-reported outcomes.

Maternal acetaminophen use during pregnancy is common and has been associated with childhood behavioural problems among offspring, specifically hyperactivity and conduct problems. Assessments of child behaviour in many previous studies have relied on maternal or parent report. Acknowledging that results of behavioural assessments vary between informants, we examined the association between maternal acetaminophen use during pregnancy and behaviour problems in childhood based on mother- and teacher-report. A longitudinal study of 560 mother-child pairs with data on illnesses and medication use during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental assessments during childhood was conducted. Acetaminophen use during pregnancy was captured using a standardised maternal interview, completed 1year after delivery on average. Measures of childhood (6-12years of age) behaviour were obtained via mother- and teacher-report, using the Child Behaviour Checklist and Teacher Report Form. Linear and log-binomial models were used to calculate adjusted mean differences (MD) and risk ratios (RR), respectively and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for internalising, externalising, and total behaviour problems comparing acetaminophen users to non-users. Stabilized inverse probability weights were used to account for loss to follow-up, and adjustments for indication were made. Approximately 60% (n=354) of women reported use of acetaminophen during pregnancy. Acetaminophen use during pregnancy was associated with an increase in total behaviour problem score and risk of clinical behaviour problems according to mother report (MD 2.2, 95% CI 0.3, 4.1 and RR 1.93, 95% CI 0.99, 3.76) but not according to teacher report. Weighting to account for participation did not alter results, while adjustment for indications of acetaminophen use greatly attenuated the associations with mother-reported total behaviour problem score and risk of clinical behaviour problems (MD 0.1, 95% CI -2.1, 2.3 and RR 1.31, 95% CI 0.67, 2.58). Acetaminophen use during pregnancy was weakly associated with mother-reported behaviour problems and not associated with teacher-reported problems.

Stillbirth Associated With Infection in a Diverse U.S. Cohort.

To better characterize infection-related stillbirth in terms of pathogenesis and microbiology. We conducted a secondary analysis of 512 stillbirths in a prospective, multisite, geographically, racially and ethnically diverse, population-based study of stillbirth in the United States. Cases underwent evaluation that included maternal interview, chart abstraction, biospecimen collection, fetal autopsy, and placental pathology. Recommended evaluations included syphilis and parvovirus serology. Each case was assigned probable and possible causes of death using the INCODE Stillbirth Classification System. Cases where infection was assigned as a probable or possible cause of death were reviewed. For these cases, clinical scenario, autopsy, maternal serology, culture results, and placental pathology were evaluated. For 66 (12.9%) cases of stillbirth, infection was identified as a probable or possible cause of death. Of these, 36% (95% CI 35-38%) were categorized as a probable and 64% (95% CI 62-65%) as a possible cause of death. Infection-related stillbirth occurred earlier than non-infection-related stillbirth (median gestational age 22 vs 28 weeks, P=.001). Fetal bacterial culture results were available in 47 cases (71%), of which 35 (53%) grew identifiable organisms. The predominant species were Escherichia coli (19, 29%), group B streptococcus (GBS) (8, 12%), and enterococcus species (8, 12%). Placental pathology revealed chorioamnionitis in 50 (76%), funisitis in 27 (41%), villitis in 11 (17%), deciduitis in 35 (53%), necrosis in 27 (41%), and viral staining in seven (11%) cases. Placental pathology found inflammation or evidence of infection in 65 (99%) cases and fetal autopsy in 26 (39%) cases. In infection-related stillbirth cases, the likely causative nonbacterial organisms identified were parvovirus in two (3%) cases, syphilis in one (2%) case, cytomegalovirus (CMV) in five (8%) cases, and herpes in one (2%) case. Of infection-related stillbirth cases in a large U.S. cohort, E coli, GBS, and enterococcus species were the most common bacterial pathogens and CMV the most common viral pathogen.

A hospital-based birth defects surveillance system in Kampala, Uganda

BackgroundIn 2010, the World Health Assembly passed a resolution calling upon countries to prevent birth defects where possible. Though birth defects surveillance programs are an important source of information to guide implementation and evaluation of preventive interventions, many countries that shoulder the largest burden of birth defects do not have surveillance programs. This paper shares the results of a hospital-based birth defects surveillance program in Uganda which, can be adopted by similar resource-limited countries.MethodsAll informative births, including live births, stillbirths and spontaneous abortions; regardless of gestational age, delivered at four selected hospitals in Kampala from August 2015 to December 2017 were examined for birth defects. Demographic data were obtained by midwives through maternal interviews and review of hospital patient notes and entered in an electronic data collection tool. Identified birth defects were confirmed through bedside examination by a physician and review of photographs and a narrative description by a birth defects expert. Informative births (live, still and spontaneous abortions) with a confirmed birth defect were included in the numerator, while the total informative births (live, still and spontaneous abortions) were included in the denominator to estimate the prevalence of birth defects per 10,000 births.ResultsThe overall prevalence of birth defects was 66.2/10,000 births (95% CI 60.5–72.5). The most prevalent birth defects (per 10,000 births) were: Hypospadias, 23.4/10,000 (95% CI 18.9–28.9); Talipes equinovarus, 14.0/10,000 (95% CI 11.5–17.1) and Neural tube defects, 10.3/10,000 (95% CI 8.2–13.0). The least prevalent were: Microcephaly, 1.6/10,000 (95% CI 0.9–2.8); Microtia and Anotia, 1.6/10,000 (95% CI 0.9–2.8) and Imperforate anus, 2.0/10,000 (95% CI 1.2–3.4).ConclusionA hospital-based surveillance project with active case ascertainment can generate reliable epidemiologic data about birth defects prevalence and can inform prevention policies and service provision needs in low and middle-income countries.

Birth outcomes in women who have taken adalimumab in pregnancy: A prospective cohort study.

BackgroundInformation is needed on the safety of adalimumab when used in pregnancy for the treatment of certain autoimmune diseases.Methods and findingsBetween 2004 and 2016, the Organization of Teratology Information Specialists Research Center at the University of California San Diego conducted a prospective controlled observational cohort study in 602 pregnant women who had or had not taken adalimumab. Women in the adalimumab-exposed cohort had received at least one dose of the drug in the first trimester for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis or Crohn’s Disease (N = 257). Women in the disease comparison cohort had not used adalimumab in pregnancy (N = 120). Women in the healthy comparison cohort had no rheumatic or inflammatory bowel diseases (N = 225). Women and their infants were followed to one year postpartum with maternal interviews, medical records abstraction, and physical examinations. Study outcomes were major structural birth defects, minor defects, spontaneous abortion, preterm delivery, pre and post-natal growth deficiency, serious or opportunistic infections and malignancies. 42/602 (7.0%) of pregnancies were lost-to-follow-up. 22/221 (10.0%) in the adalimumab-exposed cohort had a live born infant with a major birth defect compared to 8/106 (7.5%) in the diseased unexposed cohort (adjusted odds ratio 1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.45 to 2.73). Women in the adalimumab-exposed cohort were more likely to deliver preterm compared to the healthy cohort (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 2.59, 95% CI 1.22 to 5.50), but not compared to the diseased unexposed cohort (aHR 0.82, 95% CI 0.66 to 7.20). No significant increased risks were noted with adalimumab exposure for any other study outcomes.ConclusionsAdalimumab exposure in pregnancy compared to diseased unexposed pregnancies was not associated with an increased risk for any of the adverse outcomes examined. Women with rheumatoid arthritis or Crohn’s Disease were at increased risk of preterm delivery, irrespective of adalimumab exposure.

Psychosocial and medical adversity associated with neonatal neurobehavior in infants born before 30 weeks gestation.

Background:Psychosocial adversity escalates medical risk for poor outcomes in infants born <30 weeks’ gestation. Neonatal neurobehavior and maternal psychological and socioenvironmental assessments may identify the earliest specific intervention needs. We hypothesized that maternal prenatal anxiety, depression, and adverse medical and socioenvironmental conditions would be associated with less optimal neonatal neurobehavior at NICU discharge.Methods:We studied 665 infants at 9 university NICUs. Risk indices of socioenvironmental, maternal, and neonatal medical factors were obtained from standardized, structured maternal interviews and medical record reviews. Brain injuries were classified by consensus ultrasonogram readings. NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS) exams were conducted at NICU discharge.Results:On the NNNS, generalized estimating equations indicated infants of mothers with prenatal anxiety had less optimal attention, and those born to mothers with prenatal depression had increased lethargy. Maternal medical complications predicted suboptimal reflexes. Socioenvironmental risk predicted lower self-regulation and movement quality. Infants with more severe neonatal medical complications had lower attention, increased lethargy, and suboptimal reflexes.Conclusions:Combined information from the observed associations among adverse prenatal maternal medical and psychosocial conditions, and neonatal complications may assist in the early identification of infants at elevated neurobehavioral risk.

Ambient Air Pollution Exposure during Pregnancy and Neurobehavioral Status at Birth

TPS 742: Adverse birth outcomes 1, Exhibition Hall, Ground floor, August 27, 2019, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM Toxicant exposure during pregnancy is recognized as causing adverse effects on infant neurodevelopment, with growing research implicating community air pollution. For many indicators of neurodevelopment, assessment can only be made as the infant progresses, with subtle deficits typically not measurable at birth. The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Network Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS) was developed to assess the infant’s status shortly after birth and has been shown to be a sensitive indicator with predictive validity for future status. The NNNS provides quantitative results for 13 scales: orientation, habituation, hypertonicity, excitability, arousal, lethargy, non-optimal reflexes, asymmetrical reflexes, stress, self-regulation, quality of movement, and handling. Data from the Rhode Island Child Health Study, a cohort of term births 2009-2013 in Providence, Rhode Island, US was analyzed to assess the association between estimated ambient air pollution during gestation and infant neurobehavioral health. We estimated trimester-specific residential ambient levels of black carbon and PM2.5 using satellite imaging and land-use regression models, as well as distance to major roadways. The NNNS assessment was conducted by trained research staff shortly after delivery and covariate data were collected from maternal interviews. A cohort of 309 infants with complete data on exposure, outcome, and covariates was analyzed. Adjusted odds ratios were calculated relating estimated air pollution to dichotomized NNNS scale scores. Results for all scales except attention response, arousal level, and habituation response were essentially null. There was little consistency in which pollutant and trimester were associated with these scales. These largely null results suggest that within the range of air pollution of this northeastern US city, there is unlikely to be a substantial broad impact on infant neurobehavioral health, but more selective associations between specific pollutants, times in gestation, and neurobehavioral functions are possible.

Birth outcomes following antiretroviral exposure during pregnancy: Initial results from a pregnancy exposure registry in South Africa.

BackgroundIn 2013, a pregnancy exposure registry and birth defects surveillance (PER/BDS) system was initiated in eThekwini District, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), to assess the impact of antiretroviral treatment (ART) on birth outcomes.ObjectivesAt the end of the first year, we assessed the risk of major congenital malformations (CM) and other adverse birth outcomes (ABOs) detected at birth, in children born to women exposed to ART during pregnancy.MethodData were collected from women who delivered at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital, Durban, from 07 October 2013 to 06 October 2014, using medicine exposure histories and birth outcomes from maternal interviews, clinical records and neonatal surface examination. Singleton births exposed to only one ART regimen were included in bivariable analysis for CM risk and multivariate risk analysis for ABO risk.ResultsData were collected from 10 417 women with 10 517 birth outcomes (4013 [38.5%] HIV-infected). Congenital malformations rates in births exposed to Efavirenz during the first trimester (T1) (RR 0.87 [95% CI 0.12–6.4; p = 0.895]) were similar to births not exposed to ART during T1. However, T1 exposure to Nevirapine was associated with the increased risk of CM (RR 9.28 [95% CI 2.3–37.9; p = 0.002]) when compared to the same group. Other ABOs were more frequent in the combination of HIV/ART-exposed births compared to HIV-unexposed births (29.9% vs. 26.0%, adjusted RR 1.23 [1.14–1.31; p < 0.001]).ConclusionNo association between T1 use of EFV-based ART regimens and CM was observed. Associations between T1 NVP-based ART regimen and CM need further investigation. HIV- and ART-exposed infants had more ABOs compared to HIV-unexposed infants.

“Do unto others what you want … ”: Reciprocity and childcare in the Kumasi metropolis of Ghana

This exploratory study aimed to assess reciprocity qualities in childcare and likely influences on child health outcomes. Informants were 83 child caregivers from the Kumasi metropolis of Ghana. Of these, 56 individual maternal (n = 28) and non-maternal child caregivers (n = 28) completed in-depth individual interviews. Another 23 participated completed focus group discussions, while four key informants shared their expert views on the subject-matter. All the participants responded to open-ended questions on positive and negative reciprocity in childcare. Thematic analysis of the data revealed dyads of positive reciprocal maternal and household non-maternal supports for child well-being. Conversely, negative reciprocal relational outcomes between maternal and non-maternal caregivers were detrimental to children, placing them at risk for various forms of maltreatment. Future studies should consider the conditions in which positive reciprocity is likely to thrive with a view to promoting sustainable child caregiving in Ghanaian societies.