Archives of disease in childhood
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The first Millennium Development Goal (MDG 1) due in 2015 concerns poverty reduction. It has been claimed to be fulfilled on a global level, but still more than 1 billion people are living in abject poverty. ⋯ It argues that a focus on equity is necessary to further reduce child mortality, through poverty reduction in absolute terms and also through targeting interventions for increased child survival to disadvantaged populations. The political will to actually achieve real change for those in greatest need is crucial but not to be taken for granted, and the distribution rather than the generation of wealth needs to be made a priority in the post-MDG era.
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In this article, we draw on available evidence from Countdown to 2015 and other sources to make the case for keeping women and children at the heart of the next development agenda that will replace the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) framework after 2015. We provide a status update on global progress in achieving MDGs 4 and 5, reduce child mortality and improve maternal health, respectively--showing that although considerable mortality reductions have been achieved, many more women's and children's lives can be saved every day through available, cost effective interventions. ⋯ In the wake of population momentum and emergencies such as the recent ebola outbreak and other humanitarian crises, health systems must be strengthened to be able to respond to these pressures. In conclusion, we underscore that the unfinished business of women's and children's health must be prioritized in the days ahead, and that ending preventable maternal and child deaths is not only a moral obligation but is achievable and essential to sustainable development moving forward.
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Review Meta Analysis
Paracetamol exposure in pregnancy and early childhood and development of childhood asthma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
While paracetamol exposure in pregnancy and early infancy has been associated with asthma, it remains unclear whether this is confounded by respiratory tract infections, which have been suggested as an alternative explanation. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies that reported the association between paracetamol exposure during pregnancy or infancy and the subsequent development of childhood asthma (≥5 years). ⋯ The association during early pregnancy exposure was highly variable between studies and exposure during infancy appears to be moderately confounded by respiratory tract infections. There is insufficient evidence to warrant changing guidelines on early life paracetamol exposure at this time.