Paediatric and perinatal epidemiology
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Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol · Jan 1995
Multicenter StudyA multicentre study of perinatal mortality in Nepal.
A prospective survey was carried out in two Kathmandu hospitals and two rural districts to establish urban and rural perinatal mortality rates (PNMRs) for these four centres in Nepal and to ascertain the causes of perinatal mortality. All perinatal deaths occurring over a 1-year period in the four centres were included (during which time there was a total of 14,967 births). Cause of death was established by contemporary review of hospital case records or by structured questionnaire ('verbal autopsy') in the rural areas. ⋯ Perinatal asphyxia, low birthweight and infection were the most common causes but many of the deaths were unexplained. The high mortality rates were felt to reflect the difficult circumstances of childbirth in Nepal. It was concluded that a number of interventions would appear appropriate, but that these should be introduced in a scientific manner.
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Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol · Oct 1994
Preterm delivery and low birthweight among refugees in Greece.
Recently Greece received a large number of refugees mainly from Eastern European countries, Middle East, Africa and the Pontus region. Refugee status, implying psychosocial adversities and financial problems, has traditionally been associated with unfavourable pregnancy outcome. ⋯ Conditional logistic regression was used in the analysis to account for parity and delivery date (matching variables) as well as controlling explicitly for maternal age and gender of the neonate. It was demonstrated that refugee status did not overall influence the occurrence of preterm delivery or low birthweight, thus implying that these two variables are not sensitive or early indicators of the adverse effects of psychosocial stress suffered by refugees.
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Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol · Jul 1994
Electric iron contact burns in an Australian paediatric population.
Accidental burn injury is common among children. Contact burns are the second most frequent cause of burns in children and electric iron contact burns constitute a substantial proportion of this group. A prospective analysis of electric iron burns presenting from 1988 to 1991 was conducted. ⋯ Education should be directed towards the caregivers of young children emphasizing the need to use and store irons in areas to which children do not have free access. Powerpoints should be placed so that children cannot reach the cord. Manufacturers should provide insulated pads in which to store the iron and a retracting cord to help prevent the cord being within a child's reach.
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The use of caesarean section (C. S.) has been analysed in the 12 hospitals of the Midlands Province of Zimbabwe during a 2-year period. Maternal mortality rate, perinatal mortality rate, low birthweight rate, percentage of high risk pregnancy, C. ⋯ S. differentiated the 12 hospitals into two groups. Although there was no difference in the number of high risk patients in these two groups, outcomes were much better in the hospitals with a high ID rate than in the hospitals with a high C. S. rate, suggesting that attitudes of medical staff can influence both the mode of delivery and the perinatal outcome in a developing country.
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Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol · Apr 1992
Biography Historical ArticleEpidemiology and the wider world: celebrating Zena Stein and Mervyn Susser.