Severity of homelessness predicts low birthweight and preterm births irrespective of risk factors and prenatal care

2001 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 629-636
Author(s):  
Anna Mihaylova ◽  
Nikoleta Parahuleva ◽  
Elina Petkova-Gueorguieva ◽  
Stanislav Gueorguiev

Premature birth is a significant medical, social and economic problem worldwide. In the 21st Century in developed countries, this problem accounts for over two thirds of neonatal deaths. In Bulgaria, statistics show that 10-12% of all pregnancies end with premature birth. Despite the number of studies in this field and the efforts made by obstetricians and gynecologists, the tendency to increase the number of preterm births has continued in the last decade. Its consequences are multiple complications who lead to a high neonatal mortality in the national and global world. Preterm birth is characterized by complex and vague etiology. A specific cause of premature birth can not be defined, but a set of risk factors is considered, divided into three main groups of etiological factors: socio-economic, medical-biological, and behavioral. Associated with preterm birth socio-economic and behavioral risk factors include poverty, unemployment, low education, poor prenatal care, harmful habits such as smoking, alcohol, drugs and other harmful substances, unhealthy family environment, severe and prolonged stress, excessive physical exercise (lifting weights), trauma (hits or violence), new pregnancies less than 6 months after previous birth, unhealthy diet and low mother BMI, etc. Essential for the preterm birth is also the medico - biological etiological factors. One of these is uterine enlargement, as the main reason for this may be the presence of: multiple pregnancies that occurred naturally or after using assisted reproductive technologies or polyhydramnios (increased amount of amniotic fluid). Other risk factors include: placenta previa, incorrect position of the fetus, myoma, uterine cervix malformations (including cerebrovascular insufficiency), preeclampsia, uterine contractions, acute infections during pregnancy (vaginal - chlamydia, trichomonas, mycoplasma , toxoplasmosis, bacterial vaginosis, viral rubella, cytomegalovirus, herpes, influenza, adenovirus infection, chronic diseases (hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, diseases of the lungs, liver or kidney anemia and etc.), genetic factors, previous premature birth, etc. These risk indicators are subject to detailed analysis in the work of a number of authors. To limit preterm births, a number of studies have been conducted to identify and identify the risk factors that are relevant to it. Identifying and recognizing their effects and impact leading to premature birth will significantly reduce the severe health, economic and social consequences as well as reduce the risk of neonatal death. In order to reduce the frequency of preterm births, adequate and specialized prenatal care is essential. They must be individually tailored for each particular case of pregnancy and take into account the complex of risk predispositions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam Hacker ◽  
Christine Firk ◽  
Kerstin Konrad ◽  
Kerstin Paschke ◽  
Joseph Neulen ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Reduced birthweight is associated with adverse physical and mental health outcomes later in life. Children of adolescent mothers are at higher risk for reduced birthweight. The current study aimed to identify the key risk factors affecting birthweight in a well-characterized sample of adolescent mothers to inform preventive public health efforts. Methods Sixty-four adolescent mothers (≤ 21 years of age) provided detailed data on pregnancy, birth and psychosocial risk. Separate regression analyses with (1) birthweight and (2) low birthweight (LBW) as outcomes, and pregnancy complications, prenatal care, maternal age, substance abuse during pregnancy, socioeconomic risk, stressful life events and the child’s sex as independent variables were conducted. Exploratively, a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to investigate the quality of the discriminatory power of the risk factors. Results The following variables explained variance in birthweight significantly: prenatal care attendance (p = .006), pregnancy complications (p = .006), and maternal substance abuse during pregnancy (p = .044). Prenatal care attendance (p = .023) and complications during pregnancy (p = .027) were identified as significant contributors to LBW. Substance abuse (p = .013), pregnancy complications (p = .022), and prenatal care attendance (p = .044) showed reasonable accuracy in predicting low birthweight in the ROC analysis. Conclusions Among high-risk adolescent mothers, both biological factors, such as pregnancy complications, and behavioural factors amenable to intervention, such as substance abuse and insufficient prenatal care, seem to contribute to reduced birthweight in their children, a predisposing factor for poorer health outcomes later in life. More tailored intervention programmes targeting the specific needs of this high-risk group are needed.


2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. i46-i53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariangela F Silveira ◽  
Cesar G Victora ◽  
Bernardo L Horta ◽  
Bruna G C da Silva ◽  
Alicia Matijasevich ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Despite positive changes in most maternal risk factors in Brazil, previous studies did not show reductions in preterm birth and low birthweight. We analysed trends and inequalities in these outcomes over a 33-year period in a Brazilian city. Methods Four population-based birth cohort studies were carried out in the city of Pelotas in 1982, 1993, 2004 and 2015, with samples ranging from 4231 to 5914 liveborn children. Low birthweight (LBW) was defined as <2500 g, and preterm birth as less than 37 weeks of gestation. Information was collected on family income, maternal skin colour and other risk factors for low birthweight. Multivariable linear regression was used to estimate the contribution of risk factors to time trends in birthweight. Results Preterm births increased from 5.8% (1982) to 13.8% (2015), and LBW prevalence increased from 9.0% to 10.1%, being higher for boys and for children born to mothers with low income and brown or black skin colour. Mean birthweight remained stable, around 3200 g, but increased from 3058 to 3146 g in the poorest quintile and decreased from 3307 to 3227 g in the richest quintile. After adjustment for risk factors for LBW, mean birthweight was estimated to have declined by 160 g over 1982–2015 (reductions of 103 g in the poorest and 213 g in the richest quintiles). Conclusions Data from four birth cohorts show that preterm births increased markedly. Mean birthweights remained stable over a 33-year period. Increased prevalence of preterm and early term births, associated with high levels of obstetric interventions, has offset the expected improvements due to reduction in risk factors for low birthweight.


2004 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vânia Maria de Farias Aragão ◽  
Antônio Augusto Moura da Silva ◽  
Lívia Farias de Aragão ◽  
Marco Antônio Barbieri ◽  
Heloísa Bettiol ◽  
...  

Preterm birth continues to be one of the main causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality. The objective of the present study was to identify risk factors for preterm birth in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil. The sample consisted of hospital births at 10 public and private hospitals from March 1, 1997 to February 28, 1998. A total of 2,443 live births were randomly selected, excluding multiple deliveries and stillbirths. Preterm birth rate in São Luís was 12.7%. Risk factors for preterm delivery were maternal age below 18 years, family income equal to or less than one minimum wage/ month, primiparity, vaginal delivery at a public hospital, single mothers (or living without a partner), and absence of prenatal care. The following factors remained associated with preterm birth after multivariate analysis to control for confounding: maternal age below 18 years (OR = 1.9), primiparity (OR = 1.5), and failure to appear for scheduled prenatal care visits (OR = 1.5).


1993 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barthelemy Kuate Defo ◽  
Melissa Partin

SummaryThe study compares biological, socioeconomic and behavioural determinants of low birthweight in Cameroon and the United States. Some factors in low birthweight are found to be cross-national, but others are specific to the setting. Positive risk factors of low birthweight in both countries include unmarried motherhood, female sex, multiple births, and preterm births. Outcome of the previous pregnancy is a positive risk factor in the US, but not in Cameroon. Significant negative risk factors include prenatal care visits (in both countries), mother's education (in the US only), births to mothers aged 20–34 and birth orders of 2 or more (in Cameroon only). Separate analyses of all births and the subsamples of singleton births reveal that estimates for the two groups differ only marginally.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2279
Author(s):  
Dvora Kluwgant ◽  
Tamar Wainstock ◽  
Eyal Sheiner ◽  
Gali Pariente

Preterm birth (PTB) is the leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality. Adverse effects of preterm birth have a direct correlation with the degree of prematurity, in which infants who are born extremely preterm (24–28 weeks gestation) have the worst outcomes. We sought to determine prominent risk factors for extreme PTB and whether these factors varied between various sub-populations with known risk factors such as previous PTB and multiple gestations. A population-based retrospective cohort study was conducted. Risk factors were examined in cases of extreme PTB in the general population, as well as various sub-groups: singleton and multiple gestations, women with a previous PTB, and women with indicated or induced PTB. A total of 334,415 deliveries were included, of which 1155 (0.35%) were in the extreme PTB group. Placenta previa (OR = 5.8, 95%CI 4.14–8.34, p < 0.001), multiple gestations (OR = 7.7, 95% CI 6.58–9.04, p < 0.001), and placental abruption (OR = 20.6, 95%CI 17.00–24.96, p < 0.001) were the strongest risk factors for extreme PTB. In sub-populations (multiple gestations, women with previous PTB and indicated PTBs), risk factors included placental abruption and previa, lack of prenatal care, and recurrent pregnancy loss. Singleton extreme PTB risk factors included nulliparity, lack of prenatal care, and placental abruption. Placental abruption was the strongest risk factor for extreme preterm birth in all groups, and risk factors did not differ significantly between sub-populations.


2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (8) ◽  
pp. 030006052110346
Author(s):  
Techane Sisay Tuji ◽  
Addisu Dabi Wake ◽  
Gezahegn Badeg Adere ◽  
Aselefu Beka Wedajo ◽  
Batu Dekeba Obole ◽  
...  

Objective To assess the prevalence of spontaneous preterm births and to identify the associated risk factors. Methods This single-centre cross-sectional study enrolled women that experienced a preterm birth as registered on the neonatal log-book between 30 December 2019 and 30 December 2020. A pre-tested structured checklist was used to collect data (sociodemographic characteristics; obstetric-related factors; medical history; and pregnancy-related factors). Bivariate logistic regression analyses were applied to identify factors associated with spontaneous preterm birth. A multivariate model identified significant independent risk factors. Results A total of 310 patients participated in the study. The prevalence of spontaneous preterm birth in this population was 67.1% (208 of 310; 95% confidence interval [CI] 61.5, 71.9). Patients without a partner (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.470, 95% CI 1.23, 4.42), patients residing in a rural area (AOR = 2.51, 95% CI 1.123, 5.513) and those with a history of PIH during their current pregnancy (AOR = 0.104, 95% CI 0.053, 0.014) were significantly more likely to have a spontaneous preterm birth. Conclusion The prevalence of spontaneous preterm birth in in this study was high. Healthcare providers and all stakeholders should focus on screening pregnant women at the risk of spontaneous preterm birth.


Author(s):  
Veronika Günther ◽  
Ibrahim Alkatout ◽  
Alexandra Stein ◽  
Nicolai Maass ◽  
Alexander Strauss ◽  
...  

Abstract According to the World Health Organization, smoking is the most important risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes in industrialized nations. We aimed to establish how fetal gender and smoking interact with regard to perinatal outcomes, especially preterm delivery. Data from 220,339 singleton pregnancies, obtained from the German Perinatal Survey in Schleswig-Holstein and registered between 2004 and 2017 were analyzed in regard to smoking behavior, fetal gender, and preterm delivery. The rate of preterm births was directly proportional to the women’s consumption of nicotine. The rate of preterm deliveries was 6.8% among nonsmokers, and 13.2% in women who were very heavy smokers (≥22 cigarettes/day). Very heavy smoking (≥22 cigarettes/day) had a marked impact on extremely preterm births (<28 weeks of gestation) and very preterm births (28–31 weeks of gestation). Preterm births increased by 1.2% from heavy smokers to very heavy smokers; the differences between the other groups ranged between 0.1% and 0.4%. Fetal gender also had an impact on preterm birth: male infants were predominant in nearly all groups of women who delivered preterm infants. Smoking during pregnancy and male gender are both risk factors for preterm delivery. Fetal gender should be given greater attention as one of the several risk factors of preterm birth. Due to the high rate of morbidity among preterm infants and enormous costs for the healthcare system, women should be encouraged to cease or at least reduce smoking during pregnancy.


Toxics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 75
Author(s):  
Randall Jenkins ◽  
Katia Farnbach ◽  
Sandra Iragorri

(1) Background: The incidence of hypertension in very low birthweight (VLBW) infants in a single neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) dropped markedly during a 2-year period when the IV fluid (IVF) in both the antenatal unit and the NICU temporarily changed to a di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP)-free formulation. The objective of the current report is to document this observation and demonstrate the changes in incidence of hypertension were not associated with the variation in risk factors for hypertension; (2) Methods: The charts of all VLBW infants born in a single NICU during a 7-year span were reviewed. This time includes 32 months of baseline, 20 months of DEHP-free IVF, 20 months of IVF DEHP re-exposure, and two 4-month washout intervals. The group of interest was limited to VLBW infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Chi-square analysis was used to compare incidence of hypertension among periods. Vermont Oxford NICU Registry data were examined for variation in maternal and neonatal risk factors for hypertension; Results: Incidence of hypertension in VLBW infants with BPD decreased from 7.7% (baseline) to 1.4% when IVF was DEHP-free, rising back to 10.1% when DEHP-containing IVF returned to use. Risk factors for neonatal hypertension were stable across the 3 study periods in the NICU’s group of VLBW infants; (3) Conclusions: Serendipitous removal of IVF containing DEHP resulted in near elimination of hypertension in one NICU—an effect entirely reversed after the same brand of DEHP-containing IVF returned to clinical use. These results suggest that DEHP exposure from IVF plays a major role in neonatal hypertension.


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