scholarly journals Linking Social Vulnerability and Adverse Birth Outcomes in the Southeast United States

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hoda Fotovvat ◽  
Christopher T. Emrich
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Birth Weight ◽  
Low Birth Weight ◽  
Birth Outcomes ◽  
Social Vulnerability ◽  
National Average ◽  
Adverse Birth Outcomes ◽  
House Values ◽  
Vulnerability Indicators ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Background This study aims to explore the relationship between social vulnerability (SoVI)indicators (race/ethnicity, population structure, socioeconomic status, housing structure, and access/functional needs) with low birth weight (LBW) and preterm delivery (PTD) rates across the Southeastern United States. Methods Annual low birth weight and premature birth rates for all counties were collected between 2000 and 2015. LBW and PTD were recoded into two categories below (0) and above (1) the annual national average for each year. Multinomial logistic regression (MLR) was employed to conduct regression analysis to investigate the relationship. Results Twenty-six and twenty-four different social vulnerability indicators were influential in predicting low birth weight rates and preterm delivery across the SE United States from 2005–2015, respectively. Racial and ethnic variables were among the most frequent influential social vulnerability indicators of low birth weights. Like race and ethnicity, counties with low and medium house values have a higher likelihood of low LBW compared to counties with higher house values. Unlike LBW, race and ethnic characteristics influence PTD rates across the study area in different ways. Whereas LBW rates are driven up in counties with low/medium Hispanic populations compared to high percentage counties, PTD is more strongly associated with Black communities. Further, population structure and socioeconomic status indicators provide the most robust indication of counties more likely to have higher PTD than the national average. Conclusion Influential variables point toward a dire need to comprehensively understand the links between social vulnerability and LBW and PTD. Moving toward a comprehensive view of social vulnerability borne out of the hazards literature provides a more robust understanding of the drivers of adverse birth outcomes that has rarely been addressed in the literature.

scholarly journals Exploring the Relationships in Prenatal Weight Gain, Birth Outcomes, and Postnatal Growth up to 2 Years of Age Using a Longitudinal Cohort in Niger

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 1021-1021
Author(s):  
Kristin Kohlmann ◽  
Ousmane Guindo ◽  
Issaka Soumana ◽  
Rebecca Grais ◽  
Sheila Isanaka
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Birth Weight ◽  
Low Birth Weight ◽  
Birth Outcomes ◽  
Gestational Age ◽  
Small For Gestational Age ◽  
Postnatal Growth ◽  
Adverse Birth Outcomes ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Objectives The first 1000 days of life, from conception until a child's second birthday, is a crucial period during which life-long foundations for good health, growth, and development are established. It has been shown that poor maternal weight gain can contribute to adverse birth outcomes, such as low birth weight, small for gestational age, and prematurity, and such adverse birth outcomes can place children at greater risk for developing wasting and stunting as they age. While it has been suggested that the development of wasting and stunting may be related, the relative impact of poor birth outcomes on weight and height attainment over time is not clear. The objective of this study is to use recently collected longitudinal data to explore the inter-relationships between prenatal weight gain, birth outcomes, and postnatal risk of both wasting and stunting over time. Methods Using longitudinal data nested within a large randomized trial conducted in Madarounfa, Niger, we describe prenatal weight gain, the risk of adverse birth outcomes (preterm, small for gestational age, and low birthweight) and postnatal child growth (weight and length/height) up to 2 years of age. We use binomial regression to examine the relationship between prenatal weight gain and adverse birth outcomes. We use generalized estimating equations to examine the risk of wasting and stunting over time and evaluate potential effect modification of postnatal growth by birth outcomes. Results We followed 2796 mother-child pairs from pregnancy through 2 years of age. We found that 55.9% of the children were born preterm, 6.4% were born small for gestational weight, and 6.8% were born with low birth weight. Using longitudinal analysis, we are examining the relationship between the risk of wasting and stunting over time. Conclusions This analysis will provide evidence to describe the inter-relationships between prenatal weight gain, adverse birth outcomes, and risk of both wasting and stunting over time, with special attention to the inter-relationships between prenatal and postnatal growth. Funding Sources Médecins Sans Frontières-Operational Center Geneva and the Kavli Foundation, Norway.

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 Paternal age and the risk of low birth weight and preterm delivery: a Finnish register-based study

2018 ◽  
Vol 72 (12) ◽  
pp. 1104-1109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice Goisis ◽  
Hanna Remes ◽  
Kieron Barclay ◽  
Pekka Martikainen ◽  
Mikko Myrskylä
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Low Birth Weight ◽  
Preterm Delivery ◽  
Birth Outcomes ◽  
Conclusive Evidence ◽  
Paternal Age ◽  
Adverse Birth Outcomes ◽  
Maternal Characteristics ◽  
Parental Characteristics ◽  
Increased Risk

BackgroundBased on existing studies, there is no conclusive evidence as to whether and why paternal age matters for birth outcomes.MethodsWe used Finnish population registers on 106 652 children born 1987–2000. We first document the unadjusted association between paternal age and the risk of low birth weight (LBW; <2500 g) and preterm birth (<37 weeks’ gestation). Second, we investigate whether the unadjusted association is attenuated on adjustment for child’s, maternal and parental socioeconomic characteristics. Third, by adopting a within-family design which involves comparing children born to the same father at different ages, we additionally adjust for unobserved parental characteristics shared between siblings.ResultsThe unadjusted results show that being born to a father aged 40+, as opposed to a father aged 30–34, is associated with an increased risk of LBW of 0.96% (95% CI 0.5% to 1.3%) and to a younger father (<25) with a 1% (95% CI 0.6% to 1.3%) increased risk. The increased risk at younger paternal ages is halved on adjustment for the child’s characteristics and fully attenuated on adjustment for child/parental characteristics. The increased risk at paternal ages 40+ is partially attenuated on adjustment for maternal characteristics (β=0.62%; 95% CI 0.13% to 1.1%). Adjustment for unobserved parental characteristics shared by siblings further attenuates the 40+ coefficient (β=0.4%; 95% CI −0.5% to −1.2%). Results for preterm delivery are similar.ConclusionsThe results underscore the importance of considering paternal age as a potential risk factor for adverse birth outcomes and of expanding research on its role and the mechanisms linking it to birth outcomes.

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 Geospatial analysis of exposure to violent crime during pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes: Evidence from São Paulo’s Western Region Birth Cohort

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelica Carreira dos Santos ◽  
Alexandra Brentani ◽  
Günther Fink
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Birth Weight ◽  
Low Birth Weight ◽  
Violent Crime ◽  
Birth Outcomes ◽  
Gestational Age ◽  
Violence Exposure ◽  
Western Region ◽  
Adverse Birth Outcomes ◽  
Violent Crimes

Abstract Background Low birth weight and prematurity remain leading causes of infant mortality and morbidity globally. Although an extensive literature has highlighted the importance of socioenvironmental characteristics for birth outcomes, the role of indirect violence on health remains fairly understudied. Methods Using geocoded birth records from the ongoing Western Region Birth Cohort ( Região Oeste Coorte – ROC-Cohort) of infants born between 2012-2014 and geocoded crime reports, we assessed the associations between exposure to violent crimes during pregnancy within a 1-km radius of mother’s residence and low birth weight, preterm delivery, and being born small-for-gestational-age. Violent crime exposure was categorized into quintiles. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to examine the associations between violence exposure and birth outcomes. Models were adjusted for sex, maternal age and education, socioeconomic status, and risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, smoking, and drinking during pregnancy. ResultsAmong the 5,268 infants included, the average crime exposure during the first two trimesters of pregnancy ranged from 0.44 violent crimes in the least exposed quintile to 12.74 crimes in the most exposed. Compared to children with the lowest violence exposure, children in the highest exposure quintile were at higher odds of being born small-for-gestational-age (1.41[1.06-1.89]), preterm (1.35[1.01-1.80]), and low birth weight (1.42[1.03-1.98]). While socioeconomic status and maternal education were positively associated with lower violence exposure, no associations were found between these characteristics and the birth outcomes. Conclusions Higher exposure to external violent crimes in the close vicinity are associated with substantial increases in the odds of adverse birth outcomes. Policies to improve neighborhood safety can contribute not only to the short-term well-being of populations but may also have large social, economic, and health benefits in the long run.

scholarly journals Pregnancy-associated cancers and birth outcomes in children: a Danish and Swedish population-based register study

BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. e022946 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie C Momen ◽  
Linn Håkonsen Arendt ◽  
Andreas Ernst ◽  
Jørn Olsen ◽  
Jiong Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Birth Weight ◽  
Caesarean Section ◽  
Low Birth Weight ◽  
Birth Outcomes ◽  
Gestational Age ◽  
Apgar Score ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Register Study ◽  
Adverse Birth Outcomes

ObjectivesThis study aims to estimate the association between pregnancy-associated maternal cancers, diagnosed both prenatally and postnatally, and birth outcomes.DesignPopulation-based register study.SettingNational registers of Denmark and Sweden.ParticipantsA total of 5 523 365 children born in Denmark (1977–2008) and Sweden (1973–2006).Primary and secondary outcome measures: gestational age, birth weight, size for gestational age, Apgar score, caesarean section and sex were the outcomes of interest. ORs and relative risk ratios (RRR) with 95% CIs were estimated using logistic regression and multinomial logistic regression, respectively.ResultsIn this study, 2% of children were born to mothers with a diagnosis of cancer. Children whose mothers received a prenatal cancer diagnosis had higher risk of being born preterm (RRR: 1.77, 95% CI 1.64 to 1.90); low birth weight (RRR 1.84, 95% CI 1.69 to 2.01); low Apgar score (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.20 to 1.56); and by caesarean section (OR: 1.69, 95% CI 1.59 to 1.80). Associations moved towards the null for analyses using postnatal diagnoses, but preterm birth (RRR: 1.13, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.17) and low birth weight (RRR: 1.14, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.18) remained statistically significant, while risk of caesarean section became so (OR: 0.95, 95% CI 0.91 to 0.98). Additionally, statistical significance was reached for large for gestational age (RRR: 1.06, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.11), high birth weight (RRR: 1.04, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.06) and caesarean section (OR: 0.95, 95% CI 0.91 to 0.98).ConclusionsResults suggest an association between pregnancy-associated cancers and adverse birth outcomes in the offspring. While this is strongest for prenatally diagnosed cancers, some smaller associations exist for postnatally diagnosed cancers, indicating that cancer itself could affect fetal development, or that cancer and adverse birth outcomes share risk factors. Future studies on maternal cancer during pregnancy should consider including some postnatal years in their exposure window.

scholarly journals Febrile Rhinovirus Illness During Pregnancy Is Associated With Low Birth Weight in Nepal

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin K Philpott ◽  
Janet A Englund ◽  
Joanne Katz ◽  
James Tielsch ◽  
Subarna Khatry ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Infant Mortality ◽  
Low Birth Weight ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Birth Outcomes ◽  
Febrile Illness ◽  
Respiratory Illness ◽  
Adverse Birth Outcomes ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Febrile Respiratory Illness

Abstract Background Adverse birth outcomes, including low birth weight (LBW), defined as &lt;2500 grams, small-for-gestational-age (SGA), and prematurity, contribute to 60%–80% of infant mortality worldwide and may be related to infections during pregnancy. The aim of this study was to assess whether febrile human rhinovirus (HRV) illness is associated with adverse birth outcomes. Methods Active household-based weekly surveillance was performed for respiratory illness episodes in pregnant women as part of a community-based, prospective, randomized trial of maternal influenza immunization in rural Nepal. Rhinovirus (HRV) febrile illness episodes were defined as fever plus cough, sore throat, runny nose, and/or myalgia with HRV detected on mid-nasal swab. Multivariate regression analysis evaluated the association between febrile HRV respiratory illness and adverse birth outcomes. Results Overall, 96 (3%) of 3693 pregnant women had HRV-positive febrile respiratory illnesses. Infants born to pregnant women with HRV febrile illness had a 1.6-fold increased risk of being LBW compared with those with non-HRV febrile illness (28 of 96 [38%] vs 109 of 458 [24%]; relative risk [RR], 1.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1–2.3). No difference in risk of LBW was observed between infants born to mothers with non-HRV febrile respiratory illness and those without respiratory illness during pregnancy (109 of 458 [24%] vs 552 of 2220 [25%], respectively; RR, 1.0; 95% CI, 0.8–1.2). Conclusions Febrile illness due to rhinovirus during pregnancy was associated with increased risk of LBW in a rural South Asian population. Interventions to reduce the burden of febrile respiratory illness due to rhinovirus during pregnancy may have a significant impact on LBW and subsequent infant mortality.

scholarly journals DACA's Association With Birth Outcomes Among Mexican-Origin Mothers in the United States

Demography ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin R. Hamilton ◽  
Paola D. Langer ◽  
Caitlin Patler
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Birth Weight ◽  
Low Birth Weight ◽  
Birth Outcomes ◽  
Very Low Birth Weight ◽  
The United States ◽  
Legal Rights ◽  
Mexican Immigrant ◽  
Mexican Immigrant Women ◽  
Birth Records

Abstract The 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program granted work authorization and protection from deportation to more than 800,000 young undocumented immigrants who arrived to the United States as minors. We estimate the association between this expansion of legal rights and birth outcomes among 72,613 singleton births to high school–educated Mexican immigrant women in the United States from June 2010 to May 2014, using birth records data from the National Center for Health Statistics. Exploiting the arbitrariness of the upper age cutoff for DACA eligibility and using a difference-in-differences design, we find that DACA was associated with improvements in the rates of low birth weight and very low birth weight, birth weight in grams, and gestational age among Mexican immigrant mothers.

scholarly journals Paternal Involvement and Adverse Birth Outcomes in South Gujarat, India

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 161-166
Author(s):  
Nupur B. Godbole ◽  
Megan S. Moberg ◽  
Parth Patel ◽  
Jayesh Kosambiya ◽  
Hamisu M. Salihu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Birth Weight ◽  
Low Birth Weight ◽  
Birth Outcomes ◽  
Family Dynamics ◽  
Paternal Involvement ◽  
Adult Women ◽  
Adverse Birth Outcomes ◽  
Paternal Support ◽  
The Impact

Background and Objectives: While the impact of maternal factors on birth outcomes are widely reported, the extent to which paternal involvement and varying cultural family dynamics influence birth outcomes particularly in an international context, remain understudied. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between paternal involvement and adverse birth outcomes in South Gujarat, India. Methods: An in-person questionnaire was administered to adult women at delivery or during the one-month postpartum visit at New Civil Hospital, in South Gujarat, India between May and June 2016 to assess level of paternal support and attendance at prenatal appointments and household structure. Pregnancy variables including birthweight and gestational age at delivery were collected from maternal and newborn record/chart review. Chi-square and t-test were used to assess demographics, as appropriate. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between paternal involvement and pregnancy birth outcomes. Results: Of the 404 infants born during the study period, 26.7% were premature (<37 weeks gestation) and 29% were of low birth weight (<2500g). More than 40% of the women surveyed reported their in-laws were the primary household decision-makers; however, those who reported high paternal attendance were less likely to report in-laws as the primary decision-maker (p=0.03). Adjusted logistic regression analysis indicated the odds of delivering a low birth weight infant were greater among mothers who reported low paternal support and low paternal attendance at prenatal visits (OR=2.99 (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.84-4.86) and OR=2.16 (95% CI: 1.35-3.47), respectively). Conclusion And Global Health Implications: Low paternal support during pregnancy may be a missed opportunity to increase healthy practices during pregnancy as well as decrease the risks associated with limited social support during pregnancy. It is important to consider varying socio-cultural family dynamics in different populations and how they may influence paternal involvement during pregnancy. Key words: • Paternal involvement • Paternal support • Pregnancy complications • Low birth weight • Preterm birth   Copyright © 2020 Godbole et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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