Risk factors and ultrasonographic profile of posterior fossa haemorrhages in preterm infants

Aims:   While preterm infants are known to be at risk of intracranial haemorrhages, advances in ultrasound imaging of preterm babies have facilitated recognition of presence of haemorrhages in the posterior fossa, which include cerebellar and Cisterna Magna haemorrhages. There are limited data on the profile and predisposing risk factors. The objective was to identify antenatal, intrapartum and post-natal risk factors for and to define the clinical spectrum.
The study was designed as a retrospective case-control study in the setting of a tertiary level neonatal intensive care unit. Preterm babies ≤30 weeks gestation age admitted between January 2005 and December 2006, with an ultrasound diagnosis of posterior fossa haemorrhage and an equal number of controls matched for gestation age, gender and month of birth with normal cranial scans were selected. Systematic chart and radiographic review was done. All cranial ultrasounds in both groups were reviewed.
Results:   Eighteen babies had documented posterior fossa haemorrhage (13 cerebellar, 5 isolated Cisterna Magna, 10 both), the median time of detection being 2.5 days. Eleven babies had either no or grade I/II supratentorial bleeds, while half of all cerebellar bleeds were bilateral. All haemorrhages were visualised from mastoid view and none from anterior fontanel. On univariate analysis, multiple gestations, lack of antenatal steroids, foetal heart rate abnormalities, need for volume expanders and cardiotrophins and sepsis were associated with a higher risk for having posterior fossa bleeds.
Conclusions:   Posterior fossa haemorrhages in preterm babies are being increasingly recognised. Antenatal, intrapartum and post-natal factors may predispose towards haemorrhages in the cerebellum or Cisterna Magna.     

Outcome of congenital lung abnormalities detected antenatally

To determine the outcome of congenital lung abnormalities, data were collected retrospectively between January 1991 and December 1996 on any foetus found to have a lung lesion on antenatal ultrasound. A total of 23 foetuses had lung lesions on antenatal ultrasound. In two foetuses the antenatal ultrasound showed bilateral enlarged "bright" echogenic lungs with evidence of hydrops. Both pregnancies were terminated and tracheal atresia was confirmed. In 15 foetuses the antenatal ultrasound appearance was of a unilateral "bright" echogenic lung. There was one case of bronchial atresia and two cases of congenital lobar emphysema, which all had surgery. In nine cases there was a reduction in the size of the lesion on serial antenatal ultrasounds and no lesion was detected after birth. In three cases a small lesion was present after birth on chest radiography. In six foetuses the antenatal ultrasound appearance was of unilateral cystic or mixed cystic and echogenic lung lesions. Two pregnancies were terminated; both had congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation. Four pregnancies were continued and three infants had surgery soon after birth and were confirmed to have had congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation. One infant has been managed conservatively. In conclusion, a definitive diagnosis cannot usually be made antenatally. A large lesion on initial scan does not necessarily predict a poor outcome. The natural history of small asymptomatic postnatal lesions is unknown and a long-term prospective study is needed to determine the outcome of these lesions.     

Prevalence and clinical significance of cardiac murmurs in neonates.

AIM: To determine the prevalence and clinical significance of murmurs detected during routine neonatal examination. METHODS: In a two year prospective study, 7204 newborn babies underwent routine examination by senior house officers. All those with murmurs underwent echocardiographic examination. All babies presenting later in infancy were also identified, to ascertain the total prevalence of congenital heart disease in infancy. RESULTS: Murmurs were detected in 46 babies (0.6%) of whom 25 had a cardiac malformation. The most common diagnosis was a ventricular septal defect, although four babies had asymptomatic left heart outflow obstruction. A further 32 infants from the same birth cohort had a normal neonatal examination but were found to have a cardiac malformation before 12 months of age. CONCLUSIONS: The neonatal examination detects only 44% of cardiac malformations which present in infancy. If a murmur is heard there is a 54% chance of there being an underlying cardiac malformation. Parents and professionals should be aware that a normal neonatal examination does not preclude a clinically significant cardiac malformation. The detection of a murmur should prompt early referral to a paediatric cardiologist for diagnosis or appropriate reassurance.     

Fetal and post-natal diagnosis of major congenital heart disease: implications for medical and psychological care in the current era

Aim: The fetal or post‐natal diagnosis of major congenital cardiac abnormality has important medical and psychological consequences. Methods: We reviewed infants who underwent cardiac surgery in the first year of life at the Heart Centre for Children, The Children's Hospital at Westmead during 2009. The aims of this study were to: (i) examine the key features of cardiac diagnosis and clinical outcome, and (ii) consider how these data can inform priorities for the delivery of clinical services. Results: Over the 12‐month study period, a first cardiac surgical procedure was performed on 195 infants, with 85 infants (44%) diagnosed in the antenatal period. Of the total sample, a subset of 90 babies (46%) underwent their first procedure in the neonatal period, with 62% having had a fetal diagnosis. Major intracardiac lesions including truncus arteriosus (100%), single ventricular lesions (83%), pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect (78%) and transposition of the great arteries (53%) were diagnosed prior to birth. Improved haemodynamic stability at initial presentation was found in those with a fetal diagnosis. The overall mortality rate for all patients was 6.1% at 12 months, with a higher mortality in infants with single ventricle. Conclusions: The contemporary paradigm of care for infants with major congenital heart disease requires a multidisciplinary approach to care, with improvements in clinician–clinician and clinician–family communication, and psychological support and education for families. Changes in the allocation of resources are required to meet this model of best practice.     

Incidence and spectrum of neonatal lupus erythematosus: a prospective study of infants born to mothers with anti-Ro autoantibodies

OBJECTIVE: Neonatal lupus erythematosus (NLE) is characterized by complete congenital heart block (CCHB), cutaneous rash, and laboratory abnormalities in infants born to mothers with autoantibodies directed against SSA/Ro, SSB/La, or both. We carried out a prospective study to determine the incidence of individual NLE features. STUDY DESIGN: The study was performed in two centers: Toronto, Canada, and Milano, Italy. Mothers had been referred for the presence of anti-SSA/Ro autoantibodies, regardless of their diagnosis. All the children were seen at least once within the first 6 months of life for clinical evaluation and laboratory testing. The study group consisted of 128 infants born from 124 pregnancies in 112 women with anti-Ro antibodies with or without anti-La antibodies. RESULTS: There were two cases of CCHB for an overall percentage of 1.6%. Twenty-one children (16%) developed cutaneous NLE. Laboratory testing showed hematologic abnormalities in 27% of the babies and elevation of liver enzymes in 26%. CONCLUSIONS: Mothers with autoimmune diseases and anti-Ro antibodies are at risk of delivering a child with NLE but at a low risk of delivering a child with CCHB. Infants born to mothers with anti-Ro or anti-La antibodies should be monitored for other features of NLE in addition to CCHB.     

Prevalence and clinical aspects of congenital cytomegalovirus infection

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the present study were to determine the prevalence of congenital CMV infection, as well as to evaluate the importance of this agent as cause of congenital disease, and to describe the clinical manifestations in children attended at a General Hospital in Ribeir?o Preto, SP, Brazil. POPULATION AND METHODS: A first group including 189 newborns and their mothers was evaluated for the prevalence of the congenital CMV infection. A second group including 130 newborns and 74 infants who presented clinical manifestations of congenital disease were also investigated to evaluate the importance of the CMV as a cause of this disease and to describe the clinical findings. Diagnosis of congenital CMV infection was established by detecting the virus using viral isolation in tissue culture, polymerase chain reaction DNA amplification in urine samples and detection of specific anti-CMV IgM and IgG by immunofluorescence indirect test. RESULTS: The prevalence of congenital CMV infection was 2.6% and the prevalence of CMV antibodies in mothers was 95%. In the first group, none of the 5 congenitally infected presented clinical apparent disease at birth, although one of them had intracranial calcifications. In the second group, CMV was recognized as a causative of congenital disease in 12 children (5.9%). Of these, 10(83%) were identified after the neonatal period. The clinical findings included hepatosplenomegaly (75%), jaundice with direct hyperbilirubinemia (42%), neurologic disease consisting of microcephaly and intracranial calcifications in 42% of these children. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of congenital CMV infection was similar to that reported in other studies about highly immune populations. Infants with asymptomatic congenital CMV infection may have diseases of the central nervous system that are not clinically evident at birth, such as punctate calcifications. CMV infected patients who are symptomatic at birth have a multisystem disease, and the differential diagnosis of any newborn with clinical abnormalities including involvement of the hepatobiliary, hematopoietic and central nervous systems should include congenital CMV infection. CMV was an important agent of these abnormalities, and the majority of symptomatic patients were identified after the neonatal period, making the diagnosis more difficult.     

Prevalence and distribution of congenital heart diseases in Indre-et-Loire. Evaluation of prenatal diagnosis (1991-1994)]

Congenital heart diseases are the most frequent malformation at birth. New technologies have improved diagnosis procedures (echocardiography and Doppler). The aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of congenital heart diseases, their different types, and the detection rate of antenatal diagnosis. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed for all infants with congenital heart disease (CHD), born between January 1st 1991 and December 31st 1994, and for all fetuses which died after disruption of pregnancy, in Indre-et-Loire (a French country). In all cases, CHD diagnosis was confirmed with echocardiography and Doppler. RESULTS: CHD prevalence in newborns was 9.8% and 10.4% for the total population including dead fetal material. A high proportion of septal defects (64.8%) was observed with muscular, isolated and small forms (< 3 mm) in 70.2% of cases. The prevalence of great vessels transposition (0.15%), left ventricular hypoplasia (0.11%), and atrioventricular septal defect (0.11%), were lower than in previous studies. The performance of antenatal diagnosis was estimated at 40.5% for the four years; the prevalence of detectable CHD was only 1.4/1000. The atrioventricular septal defect was the most frequently detected. CONCLUSION: Relative high prevalence of congenital heart disease in this French county is due to the high level of small septal defects. Prevalence of detectable CHD remains low, which explains in part the difficulties of improving the antenatal diagnosis.     

Effect of short-term antenatal dexamethasone administration on type I collagen synthesis and degradation in preterm infants at birth

To assess the effects of antenatal corticoid administration on foetal collagen metabolism, cord serum concentrations of the aminoterminal propeptide and carboxyterminal telopeptide of type I procollagen (PINP and ICTP), which reflect rates of type I collagen synthesis and degradation, respectively, were measured in 67 consecutive preterm infants with gestational ages ranging from 24 to 32 wk. The samples were divided into three groups, depending on the administration and timing of antenatal corticosteroid treatment for enhancement of foetal lung maturity: cases in which the mothers had received a full 2-dose administration of dexamethasone on consecutive days 1 to 6 d before delivery (n = 23; Complete-Dexa), those who had received only a single dose of dexamethasone less than 24 h before delivery (n = 17; Partial-Dexa) and those who had not received any antenatal steroids (n = 27; No-Dexa). Infants in the Complete-Dexa group had significantly lower median PINP levels than those in the No-Dexa group (3,326 vs 4,028 microg/l; p = 0.036); the median PINP level in the Partial-Dexa group (3,999 microg/l) was close to that of the No-Dexa group. No significant differences in ICTP concentrations were seen between the groups. CONCLUSION: A significant suppression of foetal collagen synthesis but not degradation was found to be associated with antenatal dexamethasone administration. This should be taken into consideration, e.g. when assessing whether to administer repeated or single courses of corticosteroids antenatally in high-risk pregnancies.     

Transport of infants with congenital heart disease: benefits of antenatal diagnosis

Infants with significant congenital heart disease (CHD) typically require transport from their birth centre to a regional paediatric cardiac centre. Antenatal diagnosis of CHD allows early pre-emptive stabilisation, and is associated with improved early clinical status. However, the effect of antenatal diagnosis on the transport characteristics of infants with CHD has not been previously investigated. The aim of this study was to compare the transport characteristics of infants with antenatal and postnatal diagnosis of CHD. This study is a retrospective cohort study of all infants of ≤10 days and ≥34 weeks of gestation with CHD admitted to the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne (RCH) over 5 years. Demographic, diagnosis, and transport data were recorded. Cases of complex CHD were included in this study. Of 320 infants with complex CHD, 198 (62 %) had antenatal diagnosis (ANdx) and 122 (38 %) had postnatal diagnosis (PNdx). There was no significant difference in sex, birth weight, or gestation between ANdx and PNdx groups. Average age of referral was 15 vs. 53.4 h in ANdx vs. PNdx groups. Aggregate transfer distance in the ANdx group was 2216 km and in the PNdx group was 10,274 km (P?<?0.0001). Of the infants, 39 % in the PNdx group required highest-acuity “time critical” transports compared to 6 % of ANdx infants (P?=?0.0001). Conversely, only 11 % of the infants in the PNdx group had lowest acuity “non-urgent” transfers, compared to 24 % of ANdx infants (P?=?0.003). PNdx was associated with significantly higher rates of invasive ventilation (36 vs 20 %; P?=?0.01) and higher rates of inotrope use (19 vs. 9 %; P?=?0.007) during transport. Conclusions: Improved antenatal detection would allow for safer, less resource intense transfers of infants with CHD.     

Continuation of metformin in the first trimester of women with polycystic ovarian syndrome is not associated with increased perinatal morbidity

This study aimed to assess the perinatal outcome, especially foetal growth, following the continuation of metformin during the first trimester of pregnancy. All women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) treated with metformin in the first trimester and who delivered a baby weighing 500 g or more between 2003 and 2005 were studied. Subjects were matched for age and parity with randomly selected controls. The perinatal outcomes studied were: growth parameters, gestational age, congenital defects, hypoglycaemia and neonatal unit admission. Sixty-six pregnancies were compared with 66 controls; all had singleton deliveries. There was no difference in mean birth weight between the metformin and the control groups (p = 0.84). The percentage of small (<10th centile) and large (>90th centile) for gestational age babies was lower in the metformin group. In the metformin group, there were no major congenital malformations and 24% of the babies were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) compared with 27% of the babies in the control group (non-significant). Neonatal hypoglycaemia was less common in the metformin group (18.5% vs. 24.5%) and fewer babies required intravenous glucose therapy (6.3% vs. 12%). We found no evidence that the continuation of metformin in the first trimester of pregnancy was associated withan adverse foetal outcome.     

Impact of antenatal diagnosis of hypoplastic left heart syndrome on the clinical presentation and surgical outcomes: The Australian experience

Aim:   Antenatal diagnosis of severe congenital heart disease enables planning of perinatal care of affected infants. Congenital heart surgery is highly centralised in Australia, and surgery for hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) currently takes place at a single institution, in order to ensure case volume. The study aims to review the impact of antenatal diagnosis on the early clinical course of infants with HLHS in Australia.
Methods:   Retrospective review was performed on all neonates who were admitted for management of HLHS between 2001 and 2005 at the Paediatric Cardiac Surgical Unit, The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
Results:   Sixty neonates with HLHS were admitted, in whom an antenatal diagnosis was present in 46 (77%). Treatment was withdrawn in seven infants, of whom three had prenatal, and 4 had post-natal diagnoses. Antenatally diagnosed infants were commenced on prostaglandin earlier than post-natally diagnosed infants (age 1 h and 55 h respectively), and on paediatric intensive care unit admission had a higher pH (7.31 vs. 7.20), a lower lactate (3.0 vs. 6.7), a lower inspired oxygen fraction (0.21 vs. 0.96) and were less likely to be ventilated (10.8% vs. 92.9%). Infants with an antenatal diagnosis had lower peak creatinine (70 vs. 120) and alanine aminotransferase (29 vs. 242). The survival to intensive care discharge and stage 2 palliation was 74% and 68% respectively, and was not influenced by timing of diagnosis.
Conclusions:   Antenatal diagnosis of HLHS was strongly associated with a superior pre-operative clinical status, but did not influence early survival after surgical palliation.     

Influence of five years of antenatal screening on the paediatric cystic fibrosis population in one region

BACKGROUND: Antenatal screening for cystic fibrosis has been endorsed by the US National Institutes of Health. Edinburgh is the only city in the UK with an established routine antenatal screening programme for cystic fibrosis. AIMS: To report the change in numbers of infants diagnosed with cystic fibrosis born in Edinburgh after the introduction of antenatal screening for the disease. POPULATION: Infants diagnosed as having cystic fibrosis (by sweat test or genotyping, or both) in the seven years before antenatal testing (1984-90) and the first five years of antenatal testing (1991-95). Children born in this region who had moved before diagnosis were identified from the UK cystic fibrosis survey database. RESULTS: The incidence of cystic fibrosis decreased from an average of 4.6 to 1.6 children each year with antenatal screening. The reduction in the incidence (65%) was greater than that accounted for by prenatal diagnosis and termination (36%). Of the eight children born with cystic fibrosis during the period of antenatal screening, five had been subject to antenatal screening: three had only one mutation identified, one was missed due to a laboratory error, and one was identified as a one in four risk, but prenatal diagnosis was not performed. CONCLUSIONS: Antenatal testing for cystic fibrosis has successfully reduced the incidence of cystic fibrosis in this region. Although the numbers are small, it is possible that the reduction in numbers may have been greater than might be expected from antenatal screening alone.     

Brain-type natriuretic peptide at birth reflects foetal maturation and antenatal stress

Aim:  Antenatal stress, maturation and other foetal conditions affect the postnatal cardiovascular function. Atrial- (ANP) and brain-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) play important roles in regulating extracellular fluid volume and blood pressure, which may surrogate the foetal cardiovascular condition. The aim of this study was to investigate the dependence of serum ANP and BNP at birth on antenatal variables in high-risk infants.
Methods:  Plasma ANP and BNP levels in the umbilical cord blood were compared with antenatal clinical information in 280 infants.
Results:  High levels of ANP and BNP were associated with multiple pregnancy, antenatal magnesium sulphate and foetal distress. Caesarean section (CS) was paradoxically associated with low ANP and high BNP; low ANP was related with CS before labour whereas high BNP was related with CS after the commencement of labour. High BNP levels further correlated with younger gestational age and intrauteral growth restriction. With regard to short-term postnatal variables, high BNP levels were associated with low Apgar scores and respiratory failure whereas high ANP only correlated with the latter.
Conclusion:  High natriuretic peptide levels were associated with prematurity at birth, uteral contraction and antenatal stress: cord blood ANP and BNP may be a useful surrogate marker for hidden antenatal stress.     

Congenital chylothorax with hydrops: postnatal care and outcome following antenatal diagnosis

We consecutively managed 25 cases of fetal chylothorax with hydrops (pleuroamniotic shunting in 20/25 cases). Three of the 16 liveborn infants died before day 5 from malformations (n = 1) or complications of antenatal origin (n = 2). Eleven of the 13 survivors were treated in our unit. Four infants whose chylothorax had resolved before birth following antenatal shunting were delivered at term, and had no respiratory disease. Seven infants, whose chylothorax persisted, were delivered prematurely and required intensive respiratory care (with mechanical ventilation for a median duration of 34 days). The 11 infants were maintained on total parenteral nutrition for a median duration of 31 days. They were discharged home after complete clinical recovery at a median age of 64 days. Antenatal pleuroamniotic shunting may improve the prognosis of congenital chylothorax with hydrops. Chylothorax persisting at birth resolves progressively with medical management. Congenital chylothorax, critical care, non-immunologic fetal hydrops, pleuroamnotic shunting, preterm newborn     

Perinatal and neonatal mortality and morbidity in central Switzerland in 1982. An analysis of all newborns in a geographically circumscribed region

In assessment of the perinatal situation in Central Switzerland, all 5616 infants born in the geographically surrounding areas of the Children's Hospital Lucerne have been statistically evaluated, according to birth place, birth weight, gestational age, perinatal condition, and postnatal development. 76 infants (1.4%) were born at home, 417 births (7.5%) took place before the completed 37th gestational week. Only 5.8% of our newborns had weights below the 10th percentile according to the Winterthur percentile curves used in Switzerland. The perinatal mortality was 12.9%, the neonatal mortality 7.1%. 2/3 of the deaths concern either extremely premature babies or infants with severe congenital malformations. The recorded malformations coincide with the known incidence, with the exception of trisomy 21, which marked an incidence of 1:1400. 8% of all live-born babies (499) needed special neonatal care. Among the preterm infants, every 2nd, and among the full-term babies every 12th had to be transferred to the neonatal care unit. Most of the transferrals were due to simple disturbances of adaptation (6% of all live-borns), whereas 1% required intensive care because of severe disorders. In 50 babies (1% of all live-borns), the neonatal diagnosis allows to anticipate a reduction of the quality of life.     

Exposure to repeat doses of antenatal glucocorticoids is associated with altered cardiovascular status after birth

OBJECTIVE: To determine if exposure to more than one course of antenatal glucocorticoids is associated with changes in infant blood pressure and myocardial wall thickness in the first month after birth. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary neonatal intensive care unit. PARTICIPANTS: Mothers who were eligible for but declined to enter a randomised trial of repeated doses of antenatal glucocorticoids (ACTORDS)-that is, who had a singleton, twin, or triplet pregnancy at <32 weeks gestation, had received an initial course of glucocorticoids seven or more days previously, and were considered to be at continued risk of preterm birth. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Blood pressure daily for the first week then weekly until 4 weeks of age. End diastolic interventricular septal and left ventricular posterior wall (EDIVS and EDLVPW) thickness at 48-72 hours after birth. RESULTS: Thirty seven women were enrolled and delivered 50 infants. Thirty mothers (39 infants) were exposed to one course of glucocorticoids, and seven mothers (11 infants) to more than one course. Blood pressures were higher in the first week after birth in infants exposed to multiple courses of glucocorticoids, and in infants with a latency between last exposure and delivery of less than seven days. Systolic blood pressure on day 1 was >2SD above published normal ranges in 67% of babies exposed to multiple courses and 24% of babies exposed to a single course of glucocorticoids (p = 0.04). There was no difference between groups in thickness of the EDIVS or EDLVPW. However, 44/50 (88%) babies had EDIVS and 49/50 (98%) babies had EDLVPW thickness >2 SD above the expected mean for birth weight and gestation. EDIVS but not EDLVPW thickness increased with increasing latency (mean 0.02 mm/day, p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Future randomised trials should assess the long term effects of exposure to antenatal glucocorticoids, particularly multiple courses, on the cardiovascular status of the infant.     

Antenatal iron–folic acid supplementation reduces risk of low birthweight in Pakistan: secondary analysis of Demographic and Health Survey 2006–2007

The aim of the current study was to examine the impact of antenatal iron–folic acid (IFA) supplementation on perceived birth size and birthweight in Pakistan over a 5‐year period from 2002 to 2006. The data source was the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) 2006–2007. Information from 5692 most recent live‐born infants within 5 years prior to the survey was examined. The primary outcomes were maternal perception of birth size and birthweight, and the main exposure was any use of antenatal IFA supplements. Birthweight was reported for only 10% of the live births in the PDHS 2006–2007. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was adjusted for the cluster sampling design and for 13 potential confounders. The risk of having smaller than average birth size newborn was significantly reduced by 18% (adjusted odds ratio 0.82, 95% confidence interval 0.71, 0.96) for mothers who used any IFA supplements compared with those who did not. A similar (18%), but non‐significant reduction in the risk of low birthweight, was found with the maternal use of IFA supplements. The risk of having smaller than average birth size babies was significantly reduced by 19% in those women who started IFA in the first trimester of pregnancy. About 11% of babies with smaller than average birth size were attributed to non‐use of antenatal IFA supplements. Antenatal IFA supplementation significantly reduces the risk of a newborn of smaller than average birth size in Pakistan. Universal coverage of supplementation would improve birth size.     

Size at birth and early childhood growth in relation to maternal smoking,parity and infant breast-feeding: longitudinal birth cohort study and analysis

There is remarkably wide variation in rates of infancy growth, however, its regulation is not well understood. We examined the relationship between maternal smoking, parity, and breast- or bottle-feeding to size at birth and childhood growth between 0 and 5 y in a large representative birth cohort. A total of 1,335 normal infants had weight, length/height, and head circumference measured at birth and on up to 10 occasions to 5 y old. Multilevel modeling (MLwiN) was used to analyze longitudinal growth data. Infants of maternal smokers were symmetrically small at birth (p < 0.0005) compared with infants of nonsmokers, however, showed complete catch-up growth over the first 12 mo. In contrast, infants of primiparous pregnancies were thin at birth (p < 0.0005), showed dramatic catch-up growth, and were heavier and taller than infants of nonprimiparous pregnancies from 12 mo onwards. Breast-fed infants were similar in size at birth than bottle-fed infants, but grew more slowly during infancy. Among infants who showed catch-up growth, males caught up more rapidly than females (p = 0.002). In conclusion, early postnatal growth rates are strongly influenced by a drive to compensate for antenatal restraint or enhancement of fetal growth by maternal-uterine factors. The mechanisms that signal catch-up or catch-down growth are unknown but may involve programming of appetite. The importance of nutrition on early childhood growth is emphasized by the marked difference in growth rates between breast- and bottle-fed infants. The sequence of fetal growth restraint and postnatal catch-up growth may predispose to obesity risk in this contemporary population.     

Early discharge and readmission to hospital in the first month of life in the Northern Region of the UK during 1998: a case cohort study.

AIMS: To study the frequency and associations of early postpartum discharge and infant readmission to hospital. METHODS: Infants readmitted to hospital during the first 28 days of life in 1998 in the Northern Region of the UK were studied. RESULTS: A total of 4743 of 11,338 (42%) babies were discharged on or before the first postnatal day. Rates of early discharge varied significantly between hospitals. Infants <2500 g at birth (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.44, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.66), infants 35-37 weeks gestation at birth (AOR 0.65, 95% CI 0.49 to 0.86), and firstborn infants (AOR 0.09, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.10) were less likely to be discharged early. Women from more deprived areas were more likely to be discharged early (AOR 1.37, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.67). A total of 907 of 32,015 (2.8%) babies liveborn in the region were readmitted to hospital during 1998. Readmission rates varied significantly by hospital of birth but not by timing of discharge. Babies <2500 g at birth (AOR 1.95, 95% CI 1.16 to 3.28) and babies born at 35-37 weeks gestation (AOR 1.72, 95% CI 1.15 to 2.57) were more likely to be readmitted. Breast fed babies were less likely to be readmitted (AOR 0.69, 95% CI 0.53 to 0.90). Infants initially discharged early were not more likely to be readmitted. CONCLUSIONS: Early discharge occurred variably in the Northern Region in 1998. It is not associated with readmission to hospital. Breast feeding is associated with lower rates of readmission to hospital.     

2006~2012年北京市通州区出生缺陷患病率的动态变化

目的 了解北京市通州区2006~2012 年出生缺陷患病率的变化趋势和流行特征,为出生缺陷预防提供参考依据.方法 依据2006~2012 年北京市通州区出生缺陷监测系统资料,对出生缺陷的患病率及变化趋势等进行统计学分析,同时计算出生缺陷产前检出比例.结果 7 年间共监测到活产儿92 340 例,出生缺陷儿1 165 例,患病率为12.62‰,呈上升趋势(χ2= 6.77,P<0.01).户籍人口的出生缺陷患病率(11.55‰)低于流动人口(13.27‰),前者无趋势性变化,后者呈上升趋势(χ2= 25.02,P<0.01).出生缺陷患病率前5位分别是先天性心脏病、多指(趾)、唇腭裂、神经管缺陷、外耳畸形.先天性心脏病和“其他”类别的出生缺陷患病率呈上升趋势,而神经管缺陷患病率呈下降趋势.先天性心脏病产前检出比例逐年上升(χ2= 14.80,P<0.01).结论 2006~2012 年北京通州区出生缺陷患病率呈上升趋势,主要与流动人口出生缺陷率上升,监测出生缺陷类型不断扩展以及先天性心脏病诊断水平提高有关.