Paediatric and perinatal epidemiology
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Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol · May 2013
The exposome--exciting opportunities for discoveries in reproductive and perinatal epidemiology.
Understanding the mechanisms that underlie successful human reproduction and development is an ambitious goal, given the many unique methodological challenges surrounding such study. These challenges are well understood by reproductive and perinatal epidemiologists and include its conditional nature, unobservable yet informative outcomes such as conception, multi-scale missing data, correlated or non-independent outcomes, interval censoring and a hierarchical data structure. Novel methodologies for overcoming these challenges and for answering critical data gaps are needed if we are to better understand the inefficiency that currently characterises human reproduction with the goal of improving population health. ⋯ The exposome accommodates research focusing on unique subpopulations, such as couples undergoing assisted reproductive technologies, so that methodological limitations such as unobservable and conditional outcomes can be better addressed. Reproductive and perinatal epidemiology is uniquely suited for proof-of-concept exposome research, given the intricate relations between fecundity, gravid health and later onset disease and the narrow and interrelated sensitive windows that characterise the conditional nature of human reproduction and development. Bold new conceptual frameworks such as the exposome are needed for designing research that may lead to discovery and improve population health.
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Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol · Jan 2013
Maternal prepregnancy obesity is an independent risk factor for frequent wheezing in infants by age 14 months.
Maternal prepregnancy obesity has been linked to the offspring's risk for subsequent asthma. We determined whether maternal obesity is associated with increased risk of wheezing phenotypes early in life. ⋯ Maternal prepregnancy obesity is independently associated with an increased risk of frequent wheezing in the infant by the age of 14 months. These findings add evidence on the potential effects of in utero exposures on asthma-related phenotypes.
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Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol · Nov 2012
Perinatal outcomes in large infants using customised birthweight centiles and conventional measures of high birthweight.
Large-for-gestational-age (LGA) or macrosomic infants are associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. It is unclear if these associations are stronger using customised birthweight centiles. We compared outcomes between term infants defined macrosomic by birthweight >4000 g (Macro(4000) ) or LGA by population centiles (LGA(pop) ) with those defined LGA by customised centiles (LGA(cust) ). ⋯ The use of customised centiles are more strongly associated with adverse birth outcomes and its use should be considered in the definition of LGA.
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Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol · Sep 2012
Validity of using ICD-9-CM codes to identify selected categories of obstetric complications, procedures and co-morbidities.
The ability to measure and track changes in risk-adjusted obstetric complication rates using administrative data underpins efforts to improve obstetric quality of care, but the validity of this approach has not been adequately evaluated. We sought to assess the validity of using composites of ICD-9-CM codes to identify selected categories obstetric complications and risk factors associated with complications. ⋯ For selected categories of obstetric complication diagnoses, use of composite sets of ICD-9-CM codes may be a valid method to identify patients within these complication categories.
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Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol · Jul 2012
ReviewGlobal policy and programme guidance on maternal nutrition: what exists, the mechanisms for providing it, and how to improve them?
Undernutrition in one form or another affects the majority of women of reproductive age in most developing countries. However, there are few or no effective programmes trying to solve maternal undernutrition problems. The purpose of the paper is to examine global policy and programme guidance mechanisms for nutrition, what their content is with regard to maternal nutrition in particular, as well as how these might be improved. ⋯ All member states are being encouraged by the World Health Assembly to scale-up efforts to improve maternal infant and young child nutrition. Hopefully Ministries of Health in countries most affected by maternal and child undernutrition will take leadership in the development of such plans, and ensure that the control of anaemia during pregnancy is given a great priority among these actions, as well as building programme experience with improved nutrition during pregnancy and lactation. For this to happen it is essential that donor support is assured, even if only to spearhead a few flagship countries.