Maternal exposure to ambient PM2.5 and term birth weight: A systematic review and meta-analysis of effect estimates

Abstract Background Neural tube defects (NTDs) are a group of disorders that arise from the failure of the neural tube close between 21 and 28 days after conception. About 90% of neural tube defects and 95% of death due to these defects occurs in low-income countries. Since these NTDs cause considerable morbidity and mortality, this study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of NTDs in Africa. Methods The protocol of this study was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO number: CRD42020149356). All major databases such as PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, African Journals Online (AJOL), and Google Scholar search engine were systematically searched. A random-effect model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of NTDs in Africa, and Cochran’s Q-statistics and I2 tests were used to assess heterogeneity between included studies. Publication bias was assessed using Begg ’s tests, and the association between determinant factors and NTDs was estimated using a random-effect model. Results Of the total 2679 articles, 37 articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of NTDs in Africa was 50.71 per 10,000 births (95% CI: 48.03, 53.44). Folic acid supplementation (AOR: 0.40; 95% CI: 0.19–0.85), maternal exposure to pesticide (AOR: 3.29; 95% CI: 1.04–10.39), mothers with a previous history of stillbirth (AOR: 3.35, 95% CI: 1.99–5.65) and maternal exposure to x-ray radiation (AOR 2.34; 95% CI: 1.27–4.31) were found to be determinants of NTDs. Conclusions The pooled prevalence of NTDs in Africa was found to be high. Maternal exposure to pesticides and x-ray radiation were significantly associated with NTDs. Folic acid supplementation before and within the first month of pregnancy was found to be a protective factor for NTDs.

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A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Human Milk Feeding and Short-Term Growth in Preterm and Very Low Birth Weight Infants

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13062089 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 2089

Author(s):

Machiko Suganuma ◽

Alice R. Rumbold ◽

Jacqueline Miller ◽

Yan Fong Chong ◽

Carmel T. Collins

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Birth Weight ◽

Human Milk ◽

Preterm Infants ◽

Very Low Birth Weight ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Poor Quality ◽

Low Birth Weight Infants ◽

Preterm Formula ◽

Meta Analyses

Human milk (HM) is the gold standard for feeding infants but has been associated with slower growth in preterm infants compared with preterm formula. This systematic review and meta-analysis summarises the post-1990 literature to examine the effect of HM feeding on growth during the neonatal admission of preterm infants with birth weight ≤1500 g and/or born ≤28 weeks’ gestation. Medline, PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus were searched, and comparisons were grouped as exclusive human milk (EHM) vs. exclusive preterm formula (EPTF), any HM vs. EPTF, and higher vs. lower doses of HM. We selected studies that used fortified HM and compared that with a PTF; studies comparing unfortified HM and term formula were excluded. Experimental and observational studies were pooled separately. The GRADE system was used to evaluate risk of bias and certainty of evidence. Forty-four studies were included with 37 (n = 9963 infants) included in the meta-analyses. In general, due to poor quality studies, evidence of the effect of any HM feeds or higher versus lower doses of HM was inconclusive. There was a possible effect that lower doses of HM compared with higher doses of HM improved weight gain during the hospital admission, and separately, a possible effect of increased head circumference growth in infants fed EPTF vs. any HM. The clinical significance of this is unclear. There was insufficient evidence to determine the effects of an exclusive HM diet on any outcomes.

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Premature birth, low birth weight, small for gestational age and chronic non-communicable diseases in adult life: A systematic review with meta-analysis

Early Human Development ◽

10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2020.105154 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 149 ◽

pp. 105154 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Elaine Luiza Santos Soares de Mendonça ◽

Mateus de Lima Macêna ◽

Nassib Bezerra Bueno ◽

Alane Cabral Menezes de Oliveira ◽

Carolina Santos Mello

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Birth Weight ◽

Low Birth Weight ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Small For Gestational Age ◽

Premature Birth ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Adult Life ◽

Communicable Diseases ◽

Non Communicable Diseases

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Impact of prenatal exercise on neonatal and childhood outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

British Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1136/bjsports-2018-099836 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 52 (21) ◽

pp. 1386-1396 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

Margie H Davenport ◽

Victoria L Meah ◽

Stephanie-May Ruchat ◽

Gregory A Davies ◽

Rachel J Skow ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Body Weight ◽

Birth Weight ◽

Low Birth Weight ◽

Body Fat ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Fat Body ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Prenatal Exercise ◽

Frequency Intensity

ObjectiveWe aimed to identify the relationship between maternal prenatal exercise and birth complications, and neonatal and childhood morphometric, metabolic and developmental outcomes.DesignSystematic review with random-effects meta-analysis and meta-regression.Data sourcesOnline databases were searched up to 6 January 2017.Study eligibility criteriaStudies of all designs were eligible (except case studies and reviews) if published in English, Spanish or French, and contained information on the relevant population (pregnant women without contraindication to exercise), intervention (subjective/objective measures of frequency, intensity, duration, volume or type of exercise, alone (‘exercise-only’) or in combination with other intervention components (eg, dietary; ‘exercise+cointervention’)), comparator (no exercise or different frequency, intensity, duration, volume, type or trimester of exercise) and outcomes (preterm birth, gestational age at delivery, birth weight, low birth weight (<2500 g), high birth weight (>4000 g), small for gestational age, large for gestational age, intrauterine growth restriction, neonatal hypoglycaemia, metabolic acidosis (cord blood pH, base excess), hyperbilirubinaemia, Apgar scores, neonatal intensive care unit admittance, shoulder dystocia, brachial plexus injury, neonatal body composition (per cent body fat, body weight, body mass index (BMI), ponderal index), childhood obesity (per cent body fat, body weight, BMI) and developmental milestones (including cognitive, psychosocial, motor skills)).ResultsA total of 135 studies (n=166 094) were included. There was ‘high’ quality evidence from exercise-only randomised controlled trials (RCTs) showing a 39% reduction in the odds of having a baby >4000 g (macrosomia: 15 RCTs, n=3670; OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.92) in women who exercised compared with women who did not exercise, without affecting the odds of growth-restricted, preterm or low birth weight babies. Prenatal exercise was not associated with the other neonatal or infant outcomes that were examined.ConclusionsPrenatal exercise is safe and beneficial for the fetus. Maternal exercise was associated with reduced odds of macrosomia (abnormally large babies) and was not associated with neonatal complications or adverse childhood outcomes.

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