Paediatric and perinatal epidemiology
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Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol · Jan 2012
Vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women and their neonates in spring time in western Turkey.
Although Turkey is located in a sunny region, vitamin D deficiency is still a serious health problem in pregnant women and their infants, especially among the low socio-economic status Turkish population. This study was carried out in order to measure serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D] concentrations of the pregnant women in the last trimester and in their neonates at delivery and to determine the factors associated with maternal serum 25(OH)D concentrations. Among the patients visiting the Ege Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital in the period March to May 2008, 258 healthy pregnant women ≥37 weeks of gestation were included in this study. ⋯ This study showed that, despite a sunny environment, vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency are highly prevalent among the mothers and their neonates. This is generally due to the life style and nutritional status of the mothers. These findings suggest that much more effective vitamin D prophylaxis programmes should be implemented for pregnant women as well as for their babies.
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Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol · Jan 2012
Infant care practices related to sudden infant death syndrome in South Asian and White British families in the UK.
In the UK, infants of South Asian parents have a lower rate of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) than White British infants. Infant care and life style behaviours are strongly associated with SIDS risk. This paper describes and explores variability in infant care between White British and South Asian families (of Bangladeshi, Indian or Pakistani origin) in Bradford, UK (the vast majority of which were Pakistani) and identifies areas for targeted SIDS intervention. ⋯ Night-time infant care therefore differed significantly between South Asian and White British families. South Asian infant care practices were more likely to protect infants from the most important SIDS risks such as smoking, alcohol consumption, sofa-sharing and solitary sleep. These differences may explain the lower rate of SIDS in this population.