scholarly journals Joint contribution of socioeconomic circumstances and ethnic group to variations in preterm birth, neonatal mortality and infant mortality in England and Wales: a population-based retrospective cohort study using routine data from 2006 to 2012

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. e028227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Opondo ◽  
Ron Gray ◽  
Jennifer Hollowell ◽  
Yangmei Li ◽  
Jennifer J Kurinczuk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Birth ◽  
Infant Mortality ◽  
Ethnic Group ◽  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Neonatal Mortality ◽  
Birth Outcomes ◽  
Secondary Outcome ◽  
Adverse Birth Outcomes ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
Deprived Areas

ObjectivesThis study aimed to describe the variation in risks of adverse birth outcomes across ethnic groups and socioeconomic circumstances, and to explore the evidence of mediation by socioeconomic circumstances of the effect of ethnicity on birth outcomes.SettingEngland and Wales.ParticipantsThe data came from the 4.6 million singleton live births between 2006 and 2012.ExposureThe main exposure was ethnic group. Socioeconomic circumstances, the hypothesised mediator, were measured using the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), an area-level measure of deprivation, based on the mother’s place of residence.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe primary outcomes were birth outcomes, namely: neonatal death, infant death and preterm birth. We estimated the slope and relative indices of inequality to describe differences in birth outcomes across IMD, and the proportion of the variance in birth outcomes across ethnic groups attributable to IMD. We investigated mediation by IMD on birth outcomes across ethnic groups using structural equation modelling.ResultsNeonatal mortality, infant mortality and preterm birth risks were 2.1 per 1000, 3.2 per 1000 and 5.6%, respectively. Babies in the most deprived areas had 47%–129% greater risk of adverse birth outcomes than those in the least deprived areas. Minority ethnic babies had 48%–138% greater risk of adverse birth outcomes compared with white British babies. Up to a third of the variance in birth outcomes across ethnic groups was attributable to differences in IMD, and there was strong statistical evidence of an indirect effect through IMD in the effect of ethnicity on birth outcomes.ConclusionThere is evidence that socioeconomic circumstances could be contributing to the differences in birth outcomes across ethnic groups.

scholarly journals Variations in neonatal mortality, infant mortality, preterm birth and birth weight in England and Wales according to ethnicity and maternal country or region of birth: an analysis of linked national data from 2006 to 2012

2020 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 336-345
Author(s):  
Charles Opondo ◽  
Hiranthi Jayaweera ◽  
Jennifer Hollowell ◽  
Yangmei Li ◽  
Jennifer J Kurinczuk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Preterm Birth ◽  
Infant Mortality ◽  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Birth Outcomes ◽  
Neonatal Death ◽  
Ethnic Origin ◽  
Adverse Birth Outcomes ◽  
Country Of Birth ◽  
England And Wales

BackgroundRisks of adverse birth outcomes in England and Wales are relatively low but vary across ethnic groups. We aimed to explore the role of mother’s country of birth on birth outcomes across ethnic groups using a large population-based linked data set.MethodsWe used a cohort of 4.6 million singleton live births in England and Wales to estimate relative risks of neonatal mortality, infant mortality and preterm birth, and differences in birth weight, comparing infants of UK-born mothers to infants whose mothers were born in their countries or regions of ethnic origin, or elsewhere.ResultsThe crude neonatal and infant death risks were 2.1 and 3.2 per 1000, respectively, the crude preterm birth risk was 5.6% and the crude mean birth weight was 3.36 kg. Pooling across all ethnic groups, infants of mothers born in their countries or regions of ethnic origin had lower adjusted risks of death and preterm birth, and higher gestational age-adjusted mean birth weights than those of UK-born mothers. White British infants of non-UK-born mothers had slightly lower gestational age-adjusted mean birth weights than White British infants of UK-born mothers (mean difference −3 g, 95% CI −5 g to −0.3 g). Pakistani infants of Pakistan-born mothers had lower adjusted risks of neonatal death (adjusted risk ratio (aRR) 0.84, 95% CI 0.72 to 0.98), infant death (aRR 0.84, 95% CI 0.75 to 0.94) and preterm birth (aRR 0.85, 95% CI 0.82 to 0.88) than Pakistani infants of UK-born Pakistani mothers. Indian infants of India-born mothers had lower adjusted preterm birth risk (aRR 0.91, 95% CI 0.87 to 0.96) than Indian infants of UK-born Indian mothers. There was no evidence of a difference by mother’s country of birth in risk of birth outcomes among Black infants, except Black Caribbean infants of mothers born in neither the UK nor their region of origin, who had higher neonatal death risks (aRR 1.71, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.76).ConclusionThis study highlights evidence of better birth outcomes among UK-born infants of non-UK-born minority ethnic group mothers, and could inform the design of future interventions to reduce the risks of adverse birth outcomes through improved targeting of at-risk groups.

scholarly journals Dietary iron and calcium intakes during pregnancy are associated with lower risk of prematurity, stillbirth and neonatal mortality among women in Tanzania

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 678-686 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic Mosha ◽  
Enju Liu ◽  
Ellen Hertzmark ◽  
Grace Chan ◽  
Christopher Sudfeld ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Birth ◽  
Dietary Intake ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Neonatal Mortality ◽  
Birth Outcomes ◽  
Perinatal Care ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Adverse Birth Outcomes ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Reduced Risk

AbstractObjectivePrematurity, stillbirth and other adverse birth outcomes remain major concerns in resource-limited settings. Poor dietary intake of micronutrients during pregnancy has been associated with increased risk of adverse outcomes. We determined the relationships between dietary Fe and Ca intakes during pregnancy and risks of adverse birth outcomes among HIV-negative women.DesignWomen’s diet was assessed through repeated 24 h diet recalls in pregnancy. Mean intakes of total Fe, Fe from animal sources and Ca during pregnancy were examined in relation to adverse birth outcomes and neonatal mortality. Women were prescribed daily Fe supplements as per standard perinatal care.SettingDar es Salaam, Tanzania.SubjectsA cohort of 7634 pregnant women.ResultsMedian (interquartile range) daily dietary intake of total Fe, animal Fe and Ca was 11·9 (9·3–14·7), 0·5 (0–1·1) and 383·9 (187·4–741·2) mg, respectively. Total Fe intake was significantly associated with reduced risk of stillbirth (trend over quartiles, P=0·010). Animal Fe intake was significantly associated with reduced risk of preterm birth and extreme preterm birth. Animal Fe intake was inversely related to neonatal mortality risk; compared with women in the lowest intake quartile, those in the top quartile were 0·51 times as likely to have neonatal death (95 % CI 0·33, 0·77). Higher Ca intake was associated with reduced risk of preterm birth (relative risk; 95 % CI: 0·76; 0·65, 0·88) and extreme preterm birth (0·63; 0·47, 0·86). Women in the highest Ca intake quartile had reduced risk of neonatal mortality (0·59; 0·37, 0·92).ConclusionsDaily dietary Fe and Ca intakes among pregnant women are very low. Improvement of women’s diet quality during gestation is likely to improve the risks of adverse birth outcomes.

scholarly journals Mass incarceration and public health: the association between black jail incarceration and adverse birth outcomes among black women in Louisiana

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren Dyer ◽  
Rachel Hardeman ◽  
Dovile Vilda ◽  
Katherine Theall ◽  
Maeve Wallace
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Preterm Birth ◽  
Black Women ◽  
Low Birth Weight ◽  
Racial Disparities ◽  
Population Health ◽  
Birth Outcomes ◽  
Mass Incarceration ◽  
Interquartile Range ◽  
Adverse Birth Outcomes

Abstract Background A growing body of evidence is beginning to highlight how mass incarceration shapes inequalities in population health. Non-Hispanic blacks are disproportionately affected by incarceration and criminal law enforcement, an enduring legacy of a racially-biased criminal justice system with broad health implications for black families and communities. Louisiana has consistently maintained one of the highest rates of black incarceration in the nation. Concurrently, large racial disparities in population health persist. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of all births among non-Hispanic black women in Louisiana in 2014 to identify associations between parish-level (county equivalent) prevalence of jail incarceration within the black population and adverse birth outcomes (N = 23,954). We fit a log-Poisson model with generalized estimating equations to approximate the relative risk of preterm birth and low birth weight associated with an interquartile range increase in incarceration, controlling for confounders. In sensitivity analyses, we additionally adjusted for the parish-level index crime prevalence and analyzed regression models wherein white incarceration was used to predict the risk of adverse birth outcomes in order to quantify the degree to which mass incarceration may harm health above and beyond living in a high crime area. Results There was a significant 3% higher risk of preterm birth among black women associated with an interquartile range increase in the parish-level incarceration prevalence of black individuals, independent of other factors. Adjusting for the prevalence of index crimes did not substantively change the results of the models. Conclusion Due to the positive significant associations between the prevalence of black individuals incarcerated in Louisiana jails and estimated risk of preterm birth, mass incarceration may be an underlying cause of the persistent inequities in reproductive health outcomes experienced by black women in Louisiana. Not only are there economic and social impacts stemming from mass incarceration, but there may also be implications for population health and health inequities, including the persistence of racial disparities in preterm birth and low birth weight.

scholarly journals Maternal exposure to airborne polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and risk of adverse birth outcomes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ane Bungum Kofoed ◽  
Laura Deen ◽  
Karin Sørig Hougaard ◽  
Kajsa Ugelvig Petersen ◽  
Harald William Meyer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Preterm Birth ◽  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Polychlorinated Biphenyls ◽  
Birth Outcomes ◽  
Gestational Age ◽  
Small For Gestational Age ◽  
Maternal Exposure ◽  
Adverse Birth Outcomes ◽  
Secondary Sex Ratio

AbstractHuman health effects of airborne lower-chlorinated polychlorinated biphenyls (LC-PCBs) are largely unexplored. Since PCBs may cross the placenta, maternal exposure could potentially have negative consequences for fetal development. We aimed to determine if exposure to airborne PCB during pregnancy was associated with adverse birth outcomes. In this cohort study, exposed women had lived in PCB contaminated apartments at least one year during the 3.6 years before conception or the entire first trimester of pregnancy. The women and their children were followed for birth outcomes in Danish health registers. Logistic regression was performed to estimate odds ratios (OR) for changes in secondary sex ratio, preterm birth, major congenital malformations, cryptorchidism, and being born small for gestational age. We performed linear regression to estimate difference in birth weight among children of exposed and unexposed mothers. All models were adjusted for maternal age, educational level, ethnicity, and calendar time. We identified 885 exposed pregnancies and 3327 unexposed pregnancies. Relative to unexposed women, exposed women had OR 0.97 (95% CI 0.82, 1.15) for secondary sex ratio, OR 1.13 (95% CI 0.76, 1.67) for preterm birth, OR 1.28 (95% CI 0.81, 2.01) for having a child with major malformations, OR 1.73 (95% CI 1.01, 2.95) for cryptorchidism and OR 1.23 (95% CI 0.88, 1.72) for giving birth to a child born small for gestational age. The difference in birth weight for children of exposed compared to unexposed women was − 32 g (95% CI—79, 14). We observed an increased risk of cryptorchidism among boys after maternal airborne LC-PCB exposure, but due to the proxy measure of exposure, inability to perform dose–response analyses, and the lack of comparable literature, larger cohort studies with direct measures of exposure are needed to investigate the safety of airborne LC-PCB exposure during pregnancy

scholarly journals Determinants of preterm birth in public hospitals in central Ethiopia: an unmatched case-control study

F1000Research ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 773
Author(s):  
Berhanu Senbeta Deriba ◽  
Agumas Fentahun Ayalew ◽  
Addis Adera Gebru
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Birth ◽  
Cigarette Smoking ◽  
Birth Outcomes ◽  
Case Control Study ◽  
Case Control ◽  
Public Hospitals ◽  
Medical Illness ◽  
Adverse Birth Outcomes ◽  
Central Ethiopia ◽  
Control Study

Background: Around 15 million babies are born prematurely in the world every year. The most common cause of neonatal death in Ethiopia is premature birth. To reduce the rate of preterm delivery by correcting modifiable or preventable causes, the availability of local data is important. Hence, this study aimed to identify the determinants of preterm birth among women who gave birth in public hospitals in central Ethiopia. Methods: An Institutional-based unmatched case-control study was conducted at public hospitals in central Ethiopia to select 170 cases and 340 controls. The collected data were entered into EPI INFO and transferred to SPSS for analysis. Tables, graphs, and proportions were used to present the results. Binary and multiple logistic regressions analysis were computed to identify determinants of preterm birth. Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR), 95% Confidence Interval (CI), and a p-value < 0.05 were computed to determine the presence of an association between preterm birth and independent variables. Results: A total of 166 cases and 332 controls participated in the study, giving a response rate of 97.6%. Cigarette smoking (AOR=3.77, 95% CI=1.35,10.56), alcohol consumption (AOR=1.85, 95% CI=1.11,3.10), wanted but unplanned pregnancy (AOR=3,95% CI=1.68,5.34), neither wanted nor planned pregnancy(AOR=3.61% CI=1.62,8.06), lack of antenatal care (ANC) visits (AOR=4.13, 95% CI=1.95, 8.74), adverse birth outcomes (AOR=5.66, 95% CI=2.88,11.12), presence of a diagnosed illness (AOR=2.81, 95% CI=1.37, 5.76), presence of one or more of obstetrics complications(AOR=6.44, 95% CI=5.49, 3.35, 9), and hemoglobin level < 11g/dl  (AOR=2.78, 95% CI=1.48, 5.22) were determinants of preterm birth. Conclusion:-In this study, cigarette smoking status, alcohol drinking status, pregnancy status, adverse birth outcomes, ANC visits, obstetric complications,  presence of medical illness, and anemia were identified as determinants of preterm birth. It is important to encourage such women to attend ANC visits, stop smoking, and abstain from alcohol.

Association of US state policy orientation with adverse birth outcomes: a longitudinal analysis

2021 ◽  
pp. jech-2020-214858
Author(s):  
Alicia R Riley ◽  
Daniel Collin ◽  
Jacob M Grumbach ◽  
Jacqueline M Torres ◽  
Rita Hamad
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Preterm Birth ◽  
Low Birth Weight ◽  
Birth Outcomes ◽  
State Policy ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
State Policies ◽  
Adverse Birth Outcomes ◽  
Lower Odds ◽  
Policy Orientation

BackgroundThe current US context is marked by extreme right–left partisanship, which means that state policies tend to bundle together and are not experienced in isolation. While prior work has leveraged abrupt shifts in single policies to examine the effects of state policy on birth outcomes, we examined a holistic measure that captures political polarisation.MethodsData were drawn from national birth certificates for 2003–2017 (N=56 770 470). Outcomes included preterm birth, low birth weight, small-for-gestational age and other perinatal health measures. The primary exposure was a composite index of right–left state policy orientation, generated from historical data on 135 state policies. Multivariable regressions were used to estimate the association between state policy orientation and each outcome, adjusting for relevant covariates.ResultsCompared with infants born in states with right-leaning policy orientations, those born in left-leaning states had lower odds of adverse birth outcomes (eg, low birth weight: OR 0.95 (0.93, 0.97), preterm birth: OR 0.94 (0.92, 0.95)). Subgroup analyses revealed stronger associations for US-born and White mothers. With the inclusion of state fixed effects, left-leaning policy orientation was no longer associated with lower odds of adverse birth outcomes. Models were otherwise robust to alternative specifications.ConclusionWhile left-leaning state policy orientation has protective associations with a range of birth outcomes, the associations may be explained by stable characteristics of states, at least during the study period. Future studies should examine state policy orientation in association with other health outcomes and study periods.

scholarly journals Influence of Prenatal Exposure to Mercury, Perceived Stress, and Depression on Birth Outcomes in Suriname: Results from the MeKiTamara Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (12) ◽  
pp. 4444
Author(s):  
Anisma R. Gokoel ◽  
Wilco C. W. R. Zijlmans ◽  
Hannah H. Covert ◽  
Firoz Abdoel Wahid ◽  
Arti Shankar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Birth ◽  
Birth Outcomes ◽  
Prenatal Exposure ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Apgar Score ◽  
Low Birthweight ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Study Cohort ◽  
Adverse Birth Outcomes ◽  
Probable Depression

Prenatal exposure to mercury, stress, and depression may have adverse effects on birth outcomes. Little is known on the influence of chemical and non-chemical stressors on birth outcomes in the country of Suriname. We assessed the influence of prenatal exposure to mercury, perceived stress, and depression on adverse birth outcomes in 1143 pregnant Surinamese women who participated in the Caribbean Consortium for Research in Environmental and Occupational Health-MeKiTamara prospective cohort study. Associations between mercury (≥1.1 μg/g hair, USEPA action level/top versus bottom quartile), probable depression (Edinburgh Depression Scale ≥12), high perceived stress (Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale ≥20), and adverse birth outcomes (low birthweight (<2500 g), preterm birth (<37 completed weeks of gestation), and low Apgar score (<7 at 5 min)) were assessed using bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions. Prevalence of elevated mercury levels, high perceived stress, and probable depression were 37.5%, 27.2%, and 22.4%, respectively. Mercury exposure was significantly associated with preterm birth in the overall study cohort (OR 2.47; 95% CI 1.05–5.83) and perceived stress with a low Apgar score (OR 9.73; 95% CI 2.03–46.70). Depression was not associated with any birth outcomes. These findings can inform policy- and practice-oriented solutions to improve maternal and child health in Suriname.

Spatial social polarization and birth outcomes: preterm birth and infant mortality – New York City, 2010–14

2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 157-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Huynh ◽  
J. Spasojevic ◽  
W. Li ◽  
G. Maduro ◽  
G. Van Wye ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
Preterm Birth ◽  
Infant Mortality ◽  
Birth Outcomes ◽  
York City ◽  
Infant Mortality Rate ◽  
Neighborhood Poverty ◽  
Social Polarization ◽  
Race Ethnicity

Aims: This study assessed the relationship between spatial social polarization measured by the index of the concentration of the extremes (ICE) and preterm birth (PTB) and infant mortality (IM) in New York City. A secondary aim was to examine the ICE measure in comparison to neighborhood poverty. Methods: The sample included singleton births to adult women in New York City, 2010–2014 ( n=532,806). Three ICE measures were employed at the census tract level: ICE − Income (persons in households in the bottom vs top 20th percentile of US annual household income), ICE −Race/Ethnicity (black non-Hispanic vs white non-Hispanic populations), and ICE – Income + Race/Ethnicity combined. Preterm birth was defined as birth before 37 weeks’ gestation. Infant mortality was defined as a death before one year of age. A two-level generalized linear model with random intercept was utilized adjusting for individual-level covariates. Results: Preterm birth prevalence was 7.1% and infant mortality rate was 3.4 per 1000 live births. Women who lived in areas with the least privilege were more likely to have a preterm birth or infant mortality as compared to women living in areas with the most privilege. After adjusting for covariates, this association remained for preterm birth (ICE – Income: Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 1.16 (1.10–1.21); ICE – Race/Ethnicity: AOR 1.41 (1.34–1.49); ICE – Income + Race/Ethnicity: AOR 1.36 (1.29–1.43)) and IM (ICE – Race/Ethnicity (AOR 1.80 (1.43–2.28) and ICE – Income + Race/Ethnicity (AOR 1.54 (1.23–1.94)). High neighborhood poverty was associated with PTB only (AOR 1.09 (1.04–1.14). Conclusions: These results provide preliminary evidence for the use of the ICE measure in examining structural barriers to healthy birth outcomes.

scholarly journals A Swedish Population-based Study of Adverse Birth Outcomes among Pregnant Women Treated with Buprenorphine or Methadone: Preliminary Findings

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. SART.S38887
Author(s):  
Keele E. Wurst ◽  
Barbara K. Zedler ◽  
Andrew R. Joyce ◽  
Maciek Sasinowski ◽  
E. Lenn Murrelle
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Birth ◽  
General Population ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Birth Outcomes ◽  
Congenital Malformations ◽  
Mode Of Delivery ◽  
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome ◽  
Adverse Birth Outcomes ◽  
Abstinence Syndrome ◽  
Opioid Agonist

Background Untreated opioid dependence in pregnant women is associated with adverse birth outcomes. Buprenorphine and methadone are options for opioid agonist medication-assisted treatment during pregnancy. Objective The aim of this study was to describe adverse birth outcomes observed with buprenorphine or methadone treatment compared to the general population in Sweden. Methods Pregnant women and their corresponding births during 2005–2011 were identified in the Swedish Medical Birth Register. Data on stillbirth, neonatal/infant death, mode of delivery, gestational age at birth, Apgar score, growth outcomes, neonatal abstinence syndrome, and congenital malformations were examined. Frequencies were compared using two-sided Fisher's exact tests. Unadjusted estimates of birth outcomes for women treated with buprenorphine or methadone were compared to the registered general population. Results A total of 746,257 pregnancies among 538,178 unique women resulted in 746,485 live births. Among the 194 women treated with buprenorphine ( N = 176) or methadone ( N = 52), no stillbirths or neonatal/infant deaths occurred. Neonatal abstinence syndrome developed in 23.3% and 38.5% of infants born to mothers treated with buprenorphine and methadone, respectively. The frequency of the selected adverse birth outcomes assessed in women treated with buprenorphine as compared to the general population was not significantly different. However, a significantly higher frequency of preterm birth and congenital malformations was observed in women treated with methadone as compared to the general population. Compared with the general population, methadone-treated women were significantly older than buprenorphine-treated women, and both treatment groups began prenatal care later, were more likely to smoke cigarettes, and did not cohabitate with the baby's father. Conclusions An increased frequency of the selected adverse birth outcomes was not observed with buprenorphine treatment during pregnancy. Twofold increased frequency of preterm birth [2.21 (1.11, 4,41)] and congenital malformations [2.05 (1.08, 3.87)] was observed in the methadone group, which may be partly explained by older average maternal age and differences in other measured and unmeasured confounders.

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