The impact of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative on breastfeeding rates at maternity units in France.

BACKGROUND: The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is associated with improved breastfeeding outcomes in many high-income countries including the UK and the USA, but its effectiveness has never been evaluated in France. We investigated the impact of the BFHI on breastfeeding rates in French maternity units in 2010, 2016 and 2021 to assess if the BFHI aids to reduce inequalities in breastfeeding. METHODS: We examined breastfeeding in maternity units (exclusive, mixed and any breastfeeding) in mothers of singleton full-term newborns using the 2010 (n = 13 075), 2016 (n = 10 919) and 2021 (n = 10 209) French National Perinatal Surveys. We used mixed-effect hierarchical multinomial regression models adjusting for neonatal, maternal, maternity unit and French administrative department characteristics, and tested certain interactions. RESULTS: The adjusted rate of exclusive breastfeeding was higher by +5.8 (3.4-8.1) points among mothers delivering in BFHI-accredited maternity units compared with those delivering in non-accredited units. When compared with average-weight newborns, this difference was sharper for infants with low birthweight: +14.9 (10.0-19.9) points when their birthweight was 2500 g. Mixed breastfeeding was lower by -1.7 points (-3.2-0) in BFHI-accredited hospitals, with no notable difference according to the neonatal or maternal characteristics. CONCLUSION: Mothers delivering in BFHI-accredited maternity units had higher exclusive breastfeeding rates and lower mixed breastfeeding rates than those delivering in non-accredited maternity units. The positive impact of the BFHI was stronger among low-birthweight neonates, who are less often breastfed, helping reduce the gap for this vulnerable group while favouring mothers with higher education levels.

Young-Onset Dementia Among Individuals With History of Preeclampsia.

This cohort study assesses the risk of developing early-onset dementia in individuals who had preeclampsia and other hypertensive disorders during pregnancy.

Early Mortality, Cardiovascular, and Renal Diseases in Women's Lives Following Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy: The Prospective Nationwide Study CONCEPTION.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate the impact of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy occurrence, recurrence, onset time, and severity on mortality and on a wide range of cardiovascular outcomes in France. METHODS AND RESULTS: CONCEPTION (Cohort of Cardiovascular Diseases in Pregnancy) is a French nationwide prospective cohort using data from the National Health Data System. We included all women in CONCEPTION with no history of a cardiovascular event who delivered in France for the first time between 2010 and 2018 (N=2 819 655). Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and cardiovascular outcomes during the study follow-up were identified using algorithms combining International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) coded diagnoses during hospitalization and purchases of medication between 2010 and 2021. We fitted Cox models with time-varying exposure to assess the associations of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy with mortality and cardiovascular events. Women with gestational hypertension had a 1.25- to 2-fold higher risk of stroke, acute coronary syndrome, peripheral arterial disease, pulmonary embolism, and chronic kidney disease, and a 2- to 4-fold higher risk of rhythm and conduction disorder and heart failure. Women with preeclampsia had a 1.35- to 2-fold higher risk of rhythm or conduction disorder and pulmonary embolism during follow-up; a 2- to 4-fold higher risk of stroke, acute coronary syndrome, and peripheral arterial disease; and a 7- to 9-fold higher risk of heart failure and chronic kidney disease. They were 1.8 times more likely to die and 4.4 times more likely to die of cardiovascular causes. CONCLUSIONS: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy drastically increase the risk of mortality, cardiovascular, and renal events early after pregnancy. Recurrent, severe, and early-onset preeclampsia further increases this risk.

A multidisciplinary and structured investigation of three suspected clusters of transverse upper limb reduction defects in France.

INTRODUCTION: Between 2019-2021, facing public concern, a scientific expert committee (SEC) reanalysed suspected clusters of transverse upper limb reduction defects (TULRD) in three administrative areas in France, where initial investigations had not identified any risk exposure. We share here the national approach we developed for managing suspicious clusters of the same group of congenital anomalies occurring in several areas. METHODS: The SEC analysed the medical records of TURLD suspected cases and performed spatiotemporal analyses on confirmed cases. If the cluster was statistically significant and included at least three cases, the SEC reviewed exposures obtained from questionnaires, environmental databases, and a survey among farmers living near to cases' homes concerning their plant product use. RESULTS: After case re-ascertainment, no statistically significant cluster was observed in the first administrative areas. In the second area, a cluster of four children born in two nearby towns over two years was confirmed, but as with the initial investigations, no exposure to a known risk factor explaining the number of cases in excess was identified. In the third area, a cluster including just two cases born the same year in the same town was confirmed. DISCUSSION: Our experience highlights that in the event of suspicious clusters occurring in different areas of a country, a coordinated and standardised approach should be preferred.

Prevalence of COVID-19 among pregnant women and its impact on childbirth in March 2021: Data from the French National Perinatal Survey.

BACKGROUND: Several series reported obstetric complications among pregnant women hospitalized for COVID. These data, because they focused on women with the most severe presentations or with specific immunosuppression, were likely to overestimate the risks associated with the infection at a global level. To date, population-based studies, most of which collected data from registers of women hospitalized during pregnancy for COVID-19, remain sparse. Neither the prevalence of COVID-19 in pregnant women nor the overall extent of obstetric complications worldwide, compared with uninfected pregnant women is clear. The impact of COVID-19 on perinatal care and obstetric management is thus difficult to evaluate. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the prevalence and determinants of COVID-19 diagnosis during pregnancy and assess related obstetric practices and perinatal outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: Used data collected at childbirth in France from women included in the 2021 national perinatal survey, we compared women with and without a COVID-19 diagnosis (for sociodemographic characteristics) and then women with no COVID-19 diagnosis during pregnancy, women diagnosed more than 15 days preceding childbirth, and those diagnosed within those 15 days for outcomes. RESULTS: The COVID-19 prevalence during pregnancy was 5.7 % (95 %CI 5.3-6.1) (678/11 930). The aOR for COVID-19 diagnosis associated with non-French nationality was 1.27 (95 %CI 1.03-1.58), with non-smoking 0.63 (95 %CI 0.55-0.81) and with multiparity 1.21 (95 %CI 1.02-1.45). Diagnosis occurred in the third trimester for 49 % -28.5 % in the 15 days before childbirth. Women with COVID-19 diagnosed during pregnancy had preterm births more often (9.6 %) than women without this diagnosis (6.9 %) (P = 0.007). Women with COVID-19 diagnosed within the 15 days preceding childbirth had more cesarean deliveries (28.3 %) than those diagnosed earlier (17.4 %) (P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 diagnosis during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of preterm birth. Obstetric outcomes were poorer in women with a COVID-19 diagnosis in the 15 days preceding childbirth.

Maternal and neonatal outcomes according to the timing of diagnosis of hyperglycaemia in pregnancy: a nationwide cross-sectional study of 695,912 deliveries in France in 2018.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: We aimed to assess maternal-fetal outcomes according to various subtypes of hyperglycaemia in pregnancy. METHODS: We used data from the French National Health Data System (Système National des Données de Santé), which links individual data from the hospital discharge database and the French National Health Insurance information system. We included all deliveries after 22 gestational weeks (GW) in women without pre-existing diabetes recorded in 2018. Women with hyperglycaemia were classified as having overt diabetes in pregnancy or gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), then categorised into three subgroups according to their gestational age at the time of GDM diagnosis: before 22 GW (GDM<22); between 22 and 30 GW (GDM22-30); and after 30 GW (GDM>30). Adjusted prevalence ratios (95% CI) for the outcomes were estimated after adjusting for maternal age, gestational age and socioeconomic status. Due to the multiple tests, we considered an association to be statistically significant according to the Holm-Bonferroni procedure. To take into account the potential immortal time bias, we performed analyses on deliveries at ≥31 GW and deliveries at ≥37 GW. RESULTS: The study population of 695,912 women who gave birth in 2018 included 84,705 women (12.2%) with hyperglycaemia in pregnancy: overt diabetes in pregnancy, 0.4%; GDM<22, 36.8%; GDM22-30, 52.4%; and GDM>30, 10.4%. The following outcomes were statistically significant after Holm-Bonferroni adjustment for deliveries at ≥31 GW using GDM22-30 as the reference. Caesarean sections (1.54 [1.39, 1.72]), large-for-gestational-age (LGA) infants (2.00 [1.72, 2.32]), Erb's palsy or clavicle fracture (6.38 [2.42, 16.8]), preterm birth (1.84 [1.41, 2.40]) and neonatal hypoglycaemia (1.98 [1.39, 2.83]) were more frequent in women with overt diabetes. Similarly, LGA infants (1.10 [1.06, 1.14]) and Erb's palsy or clavicle fracture (1.55 [1.22, 1.99]) were more frequent in GDM<22. LGA infants (1.44 [1.37, 1.52]) were more frequent in GDM>30. Finally, women without hyperglycaemia in pregnancy were less likely to have preeclampsia or eclampsia (0.74 [0.69, 0.79]), Caesarean section (0.80 [0.79, 0.82]), pregnancy and postpartum haemorrhage (0.93 [0.89, 0.96]), LGA neonate (0.67 [0.65, 0.69]), premature neonate (0.80 [0.77, 0.83]) and neonate with neonatal hypoglycaemia (0.73 [0.66, 0.82]). Overall, the results were similar for deliveries at ≥37 GW. Although the estimation of the adjusted prevalence ratio of perinatal death was five times higher (5.06 [1.87, 13.7]) for women with overt diabetes, this result was non-significant after Holm-Bonferroni adjustment. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Compared with GDM22-30, overt diabetes, GDM<22 and, to a lesser extent, GDM>30 were associated with poorer maternal-fetal outcomes.

Lower risk of hospitalisation for depression following hospitalisation for COVID-19 versus for another reason.

INTRODUCTION: Although hospitalisation for COVID-19 is associated with a higher post-discharge risk of mood disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD), this risk has not been compared to that following hospitalisation for a reason other than COVID-19. METHODS: Using data from France's National Health Data System (SNDS) database, we compared patients hospitalised for mood disorders in the 12 months following COVID-19/another reason hospitalisation. RESULTS: 96,313 adult individuals were hospitalised for COVID-19, and 2,979,775 were hospitalised for another reason. In the 12 months post-discharge, 110,976 (3.83 %) patients were hospitalised for mood disorders. In unadjusted analyses, patients initially hospitalised for COVID-19 (versus another reason) were more likely to be subsequently hospitalised for a mood disorder (4.27 % versus 3.82 % versus, respectively, p < 0.0001). These patients were also more likely to have a history of mood disorders, especially depressive disorders (6.45 % versus 5.77 %, respectively, p < 0.0001). Women, older age, lower social deprivation, a history of mood disorders, longer initial hospitalisation (COVID-19 or other), and a higher level of clinical care during initial hospitalisation were all significantly associated with the risk of subsequent hospitalisation for MDD and BD. In contrast, after adjusting for all these factors, persons initially hospitalised for COVID-19 were less likely to be subsequently hospitalised for MDD (OR = 0.902 [0.870-0.935]; p < 0.0001). No difference between both groups was observed for BD. LIMITATIONS: Other reasons were not separately studied. CONCLUSIONS: After adjusting for confounding factors, initial hospitalisation for COVID-19 versus for another reason was associated with a lower risk of hospitalisation for a mood disorder.

Cross-sectional study examining factors impacting on uptake of postpartum type 2 diabetes screening among women diagnosed with hyperglycaemia in pregnancy.

AIMS: Early postpartum glucose screening of women with hyperglycaemia in pregnancy (HIP) can identify women who have the highest risk of developing impaired glucose tolerance and T2DM. This study examines the association between demographics, events during pregnancy, socioeconomic status and postpartum T2DM screening. METHODS: Using the French National Health Data System, this cross-sectional study included all deliveries where the mother had HIP in France in 2015, (n = 76,862). The odds ratio (OR) for attending postpartum screening was calculated via multi-level logistic regression. RESULTS: T2DM screening uptake at six months postpartum was 42·9% [95 % Confidence Interval: 42·6-43·3]. Several characteristics were associated with lower uptake: living in the most deprived area(OR = 0·78[0·74-0·83]); being < 25 years-old (reference age group 25-29;≤17: 0.53 [0·31-0·90];18-24: 0.73[0·69-0·78]); smoking (0·65[0·62-0·68]); obesity (0·93[0·89-0·97]); caesarean delivery (0·95[0·92-0·99]). Factors associated with higher uptake included primiparity (1·30[1·26-1·34]); having followed the French recommendations for HIP screening (1·24[1·20-1·28]); insulin prescription (1·75[1·69-1·81]) and pre-eclampsia (1·30[1·19-1·42]). p < 0.01 is justified due to sample size. CONCLUSION: Improving identification of factors affecting postpartum T2DM screening uptake, such as demographics, socioeconomic context and events during pregnancy, may lead to development of target interventions to aide adherence to screening regime and thereby diagnosis of women with prediabetes or diabetes, for whom secondary and tertiary prevention is crucial.

The risk of hospitalization for psychotic disorders following hospitalization for COVID-19: a French nationwide longitudinal study.

COVID-19, like other infectious diseases, may be a risk factor for psychotic disorders. We aimed to compare the proportions of hospitalizations for psychotic disorders in the 12 months following discharge from hospital for either COVID-19 or for another reason in the adult general population in France during the first wave of the pandemic. We conducted a retrospective longitudinal nationwide study using the national French administrative healthcare database. Psychotic disorders were first studied as a whole, and then chronic and acute disorders separately. The role of several adjustment factors, including sociodemographics, a history of psychotic disorder, the duration of the initial hospitalization, and the level of care received during that hospitalization, were also analyzed. Between 1 January 2020 and 30 June 2020, a total of 14,622 patients were hospitalized for psychotic disorders in the 12 months following discharge from hospital for either COVID-19 or another reason. Initial hospitalization for COVID-19 (vs. another reason) was associated with a lower rate of subsequent hospitalization for psychotic disorders (0.31% vs. 0.51%, odds ratio (OR) = 0.60, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.53-0.67]). This was true for both chronic and acute disorders, even after adjusting for the various study variables. Importantly, a history of psychotic disorder was a major determinant of hospitalization for psychotic disorders (adjusted OR = 126.56, 95% CI [121.85-131.46]). Our results suggest that, in comparison to individuals initially hospitalized for another reason, individuals initially hospitalized for COVID-19 present a lower risk of hospitalization for first episodes of psychotic symptoms/disorders or for psychotic relapse in the 12 months following discharge. This finding contradicts the hypothesis that there is a higher risk of psychotic disorders after a severe COVID-19.

Comparison of Stroke Recurrence, Cardiovascular Events, and Death Among Patients With Pregnancy-Associated vs Non-Pregnancy-Associated Stroke.

Importance: Women with pregnancy-associated stroke might have different risks of stroke recurrence, including during subsequent pregnancies, and other cardiovascular events due to pregnancy-specific stroke risk factors, such as gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, or gestational diabetes. Objective: To estimate the rate of stroke recurrence, cardiovascular hospitalization, and death in women with pregnancy-associated stroke compared with women with non-pregnancy-associated stroke. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study included all women aged 15 to 49 years in France who were affiliated with the general scheme of French health care insurance (94% of women) and had a first hospitalization for stroke between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2018. Women were followed up until December 31, 2020, with the registration of stroke recurrence, hospitalization for cardiovascular conditions, and death. Data were from the French health care database Système National des Données de Santé. Statistical analyses were conducted between December 2021 and September 2022. Exposure: Pregnancy status at the time of stroke. Main Outcomes and Measures: Poisson regressions were used to estimate incidence rates of these events with 95% CIs. We used Cox proportional hazards regression models to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) of each event during the follow-up for women with a pregnancy-associated stroke vs women with a non-pregnancy-associated stroke. Results: Among women aged between 15 and 49 years between 2010 and 2018 and living in France, 1204 had a pregnancy-associated stroke at a mean (SD) age of 31.5 (5.8) years, and 31 697 had a non-pregnancy-associated stroke at a mean age of 39.6 (8.2) years. Among the 1204 women with a pregnancy-associated stroke, the incidence rate was 11.4 (95% CI, 9.0-14.3) per 1000 person-years, with 2 recurrent events during a subsequent pregnancy. Compared with women with non-pregnancy-associated stroke, women with pregnancy-associated stroke had lower risks of ischemic stroke (adjusted HR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36-0.77), cardiovascular events (adjusted HR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.49-0.69), and death (adjusted HR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.22-0.79). In contrast, the risk of recurrent intracerebral hemorrhage and cerebral venous thrombosis did not differ significantly, whereas the risks of venous thromboembolism (HR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.14-3.58) and acute coronary syndrome with ST-segment elevation (HR, 3.93; 95% CI, 1.10-14.0) were increased. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, although the risks of ischemic stroke, overall cardiovascular events, and mortality were lower after a pregnancy-associated stroke than after a non-pregnancy-associated stroke, the risks of venous thromboembolism and acute coronary syndrome with ST-segment elevation were higher. Recurrent stroke during a subsequent pregnancy remained rare.

Acute revascularization therapy for ischemic stroke during pregnancy and post-partum in France.

INTRODUCTION: Intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and mechanical thrombectomy (MT) in women with ischemic stroke (IS) during pregnancy/post-partum is challenging, and recent guidelines claimed for additional information to better argue its effectiveness and safety. This observational national study aimed to describe characteristics, rates and outcomes of pregnant/post-partum women receiving acute revascularization therapy for IS compared to their non-pregnant counterparts, and pregnant women with IS not receiving such therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, all women aged 15-49 years hospitalized in France for IS between 2012 and 2018 were retrieved from the French hospital discharge databases. Pregnant or post-partum (⩽6 weeks after delivery) women were identified. Data about patients' characteristics, risk factors, revascularization therapy, delivery, post-stroke survival, and recurrent vascular events during follow-up were recorded. RESULTS: Over the study period, 382 women with pregnancy-related IS were registered. Among them, 7.3% (n = 28) received a revascularization therapy, including nine cases during pregnancy, one the same day as delivery, and 18 during the post-partum period, compared with 8.5% (n = 1285) in women with non-pregnancy-related IS (n = 15,084). Treated pregnant/post-partum women had more severe IS than not-treated pregnant/post-partum. Compared with treated not-pregnant women, they were younger, but did not differ regarding other characteristics including stroke severity. There were no differences in systemic or intracranial hemorrhages or in the length of hospital stay between pregnant/post-partum women compared with treated not-pregnant women. All women receiving revascularization during pregnancy had a live baby. After a mean follow-up of 4.3 years, all pregnant/post-partum women were alive, one had recurrent IS and none had other vascular events. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Only a few women with pregnancy-related IS were treated with acute revascularization therapy, but this was proportionately similar to their non-pregnant counterparts, from whom they did not differed regarding characteristics, survival, and risk of recurrent events. These findings suggest that stroke physicians applied treatment strategies of IS in a similar way regardless of pregnancy in France, and this attitude was an anticipation but consistent with the recently published guidelines on the topic.

Mental health of pregnant women during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in France: Evolution of self-perceived psychological state during the first lockdown, and anxiety frequency two months after the lockdown ended.

Previous pandemics and related lockdowns have had a deleterious impact on pregnant women's mental health. We studied the impact of the SARS-CoV-2/Covid-19 pandemic and France's first lockdown on pregnant women's mental health. A cross-sectional study was conducted in July 2020 using a web-questionnaire completed by 500 adult women who were pregnant during the first lockdown in France (March-May 2020). Questions focused on their self-perceived psychological state and affects they felt before and during the lockdown and anxiety symptomatology (HAD) two months after it ended. A robust variance Poisson regression model was used to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) for anxiety and self-perceived psychological state evolution. One in five respondents (21.1%) reported psychological deterioration during lockdown. Associated determinants were: i) little or no social support (self-perceived) (aRP = 1.77, 95%CI[1.18-2.66]), ii) increased workload (1.65, [1.02-2.66]), and iii) poor/moderate knowledge about SARS-CoV-2 transmission (1.60, [1.09-2.35]). Seven percent of women reporting psychological deterioration had access to professional psychological support during lockdown, while 19% did not despite wanting it. Women reported heightened powerlessness (60.3%), frustration (64%) and fear (59.2%) during lockdown. One in seven respondents (14.2%, 95%CI[10.9-18.2]) had anxiety symptoms. Determinants associated: i) at least one pregnancy-related pathology (aPR = 1.82, 95%CI[1.15-2.88]), ii) overweightness or obesity (1.61, [1.07-2.43]), iii) one child under the age of six years in the household during the lockdown (3.26, [1.24-8.53]), iv) little or no social support (self-perceived) during the lockdown (1.66, [1.07-2.58]), v) friend or relatives diagnosed with Covid-19 or with symptoms of the disease (1.66; [1.06-2.60]), vi) no access to medication for psychological distress (2.86, [1.74-4.71]), and vii) unsuccessfully seeking exchanges with healthcare professionals about their pregnancy during the pandemic (1.66, [1.08-2.55]). Our results can guide prevention and support policies for pregnant women during pandemics, current or future, with or without lockdowns. Preventing perinatal mental health problems is essential to ensure a supportive environment for the child's development.

Aspirin for the Prevention of Early and Severe Pre-Eclampsia Recurrence: A Real-World Population-Based Study.

BACKGROUND: Many clinical trials have reported that low-dose aspirin decreases the risk of pre-eclampsia in women with prior pre-eclampsia. However, its impact in a real-world population has not been fully assessed. OBJECTIVES: To assess the rates of low-dose aspirin initiation during pregnancy in women with a history of pre-eclampsia, and to evaluate the impact of low-dose aspirin in prevention of pre-eclampsia recurrence in a real-world population. STUDY DESIGN: CONCEPTION is a French nationwide cohort study which uses data from the country's National Health Data System database. We included all women in France who gave birth at least twice between 2010-2018, and who had pre-eclampsia during their first pregnancy. Every dispensing of low-dose aspirin (75-300 mg) between the beginning of their second pregnancy and 36 weeks of gestation (WG) was identified. We used Poisson regression models to estimate the adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRRs) of receiving aspirin at least once during their second pregnancy. In women who had early and/or severe pre-eclampsia during their first pregnancy, we estimated the IRRs of pre-eclampsia recurrence during their second pregnancy according to the aspirin therapy. RESULTS: In 28,467 women who were included in the study, the aspirin initiation rate during the second pregnancy ranged from 27.8% for women in whose first pregnancy the pre-eclampsia was mild and late, to 79.9% for those women whose pre-eclampsia was severe and early. Just over half (54.3%) of those treated with aspirin-initiated treatment before 16 WG and adhered to treatment. Compared with women with mild and late pre-eclampsia, the aIRRs (95% CI) for receiving aspirin at least once during the second pregnancy were 1.94 (1.86-2.03) for women with severe and late pre-eclampsia, 2.34 (2.17-2.52) for those with early and mild pre-eclampsia, and 2.87 [2.74-3.01] for those with early and severe pre-eclampsia E. Social deprivation was associated with a lower initiation of aspirin (IRR = 0.74 [0.70-0.78]). Aspirin was not associated with a lower risk of mild and late pre-eclampsia, severe and late pre-eclampsia, or mild and early pre-eclampsia during the second pregnancy. The aIRRs for severe and early pre-eclampsia during the second pregnancy were 0.77 (0.62-0.95) for women who received prescribed aspirin at least once, 0.71 (0.5-0.89) for those who initiated aspirin therapy before 16 WG, and 0.60 (0.47-0.77) for those who adhered to aspirin treatment throughout their second pregnancy. The risk of severe and early pre-eclampsia was lower only when the prescribed mean daily dose was ≥ 100 mg/day. CONCLUSION: In women with a history of pre-eclampsia, aspirin initiation during a second pregnancy and adherence to the prescribed dosage were largely insufficient, especially for women experiencing social deprivation. Aspirin initiated before 16 WG at a dose ≥ 100 mg/day was associated with a lower risk of severe and early pre-eclampsia.

Adverse Maternal and Infant Outcomes in Women With Chronic Hypertension in France (2010-2018): The Nationwide CONCEPTION Study.

Background It has been suggested that chronic hypertension is a risk factor for negative maternal and fetal outcomes during pregnancy and postpartum. We aimed to estimate the association of chronic hypertension on adverse maternal and infant outcomes and assess the impact of antihypertensive treatment and these outcomes. Methods and Results Using data from the French national health data system, we identified and included in the CONCEPTION cohort all women in France who delivered their first child between 2010 and 2018. Chronic hypertension before pregnancy was identified through antihypertensive medication purchases and by diagnosis during hospitalization. We assessed the incidence risk ratios (IRRs) of maternofetal outcomes using Poisson models. A total of 2 822 616 women were included, and 42 349 (1.5%) had chronic hypertension and 22 816 were treated during pregnancy. In Poisson models, the adjusted IRR (95% CI) of maternofetal outcomes for women with hypertension were as follows: 1.76 (1.54-2.01) for infant death, 1.73 (1.60-1.87) for small gestational age, 2.14 (1.89-2.43) for preterm birth, 4.58 (4.41-4.75) for preeclampsia, 1.33 (1.27-1.39) for cesarean delivery, 1.84 (1.47-2.31) for venous thromboembolism, 2.62 (1.71-4.01) for stroke or acute coronary syndrome, and 3.54 (2.11-5.93) for maternal death postpartum. In women with chronic hypertension, being treated with an antihypertensive drug during pregnancy was associated with a significantly lower risk of obstetric hemorrhage, stroke, and acute coronary syndrome during pregnancy and postpartum. Conclusions Chronic hypertension is a major risk factor of infant and maternal negative outcomes. In women with chronic hypertension, the risk of pregnancy and postpartum cardiovascular events may be decreased by antihypertensive treatment during pregnancy.

Acute coronary syndrome during pregnancy and postpartum in France: the nationwide CONCEPTION study.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases, including acute coronary syndromes, are the leading cause of maternal death in many developed countries. OBJECTIVE: We assessed acute coronary syndrome incidences during pregnancy, peripartum, and postpartum periods. We also compared overall pregnancy (ie, covering all 3 periods) incidence with that found in nonpregnant women of childbearing age. STUDY DESIGN: All women aged between 15 and 49 years without ischemic heart disease who delivered between 2010 and 2018 in France were included in the CONCEPTION cohort. Data were extracted from the French National Health Insurance Information System database. Acute coronary syndromes were defined according to the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes recorded in the principal hospital diagnosis. We used Poisson regression to estimate crude acute coronary syndrome incidences, and tested age-adjusted Poisson models to compare the incidence risk ratio of acute coronary syndrome between pregnant and nonpregnant women, with 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: Among 6,298,967 deliveries in France, we observed 225 first-time acute coronary syndrome diagnoses during overall pregnancy (overall pregnancy-related acute coronary syndrome incidence, 4.34/100,000 person-years; 1 case/23,000 pregnancies). In multivariate analysis, independent factors associated with acute coronary syndrome were age, social deprivation, obesity, tobacco use, chronic hypertension, and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (all P<.05). Among the nonpregnant women aged 15 to 49 years in the general French population, 18,247 cases of acute coronary syndrome (incidence, 16.5/100,000 person-years) occurred throughout the whole study period (>100 million person-years). Compared with the acute coronary syndrome incidence in nonpregnant women, age-adjusted overall pregnancy-related acute coronary syndrome incidence was lower (incidence rate ratio, 0.76; 95% confidence interval, 0.57-0.98; P<.05). Although compared with nonpregnant women, age-adjusted incidence rates were lower during pregnancy, risk was increased during peripartum and postpartum periods. CONCLUSION: With an incidence of 4.34 per 100,000 person-years, acute coronary syndrome still accounts for a significant proportion of maternal mortality. The peripartum and postpartum periods remain high-risk periods, and greater efforts should be made in terms of acute coronary syndrome prevention, especially because several cardiovascular risk factors are treatable, such as tobacco use and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

Hospitalization for COVID-19 is associated with a higher risk of subsequent hospitalization for psychiatric disorders: A French nationwide longitudinal study comparing hospitalizations for COVID-19 and for other reasons.

INTRODUCTION: Although COVID-19 has been associated with psychiatric symptoms in patients, no study to date has examined the risk of hospitalization for psychiatric disorders after hospitalization for this disease. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare the proportions of hospitalizations for psychiatric disorders in the 12 months following either hospitalization for COVID-19 or hospitalization for another reason in the adult general population in France during the first wave of the current pandemic. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective longitudinal nationwide study based on the national French administrative healthcare database. RESULTS: Among the 2,894,088 adults hospitalized, 96,313 (3.32%) were admitted for COVID-19. The proportion of patients subsequently hospitalized for a psychiatric disorder was higher for COVID-19 patients (11.09 vs. 9.24%, OR = 1.20 95%CI 1.18-1.23). Multivariable analyses provided similar results for a psychiatric disorder of any type and for psychotic and anxiety disorders (respectively, aOR = 1.06 95%CI 1.04-1.09, aOR = 1.09 95%CI 1.02-1.17, and aOR = 1.11 95%CI 1.08-1.14). Initial hospitalization for COVID-19 in intensive care units and psychiatric history were associated with a greater risk of subsequent hospitalization for any psychiatric disorder than initial hospitalization for another reason. DISCUSSION: Compared with hospitalizations for other reasons, hospitalizations for COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic in France were associated with a higher risk of hospitalization for a psychiatric disorder during the 12 months following initial discharge. This finding should encourage clinicians to increase the monitoring and assessment of psychiatric symptoms after hospital discharge for COVID-19, and to propose post-hospital care, especially for those treated in intensive care.

Trends and disparities in breastfeeding initiation in France between 2010 and 2016: Results from the French National Perinatal Surveys.

Breastfeeding (BF) initiation rates in French maternity units are among the lowest in Europe. After increasing for several years, they decreased between 2010 and 2016, although several maternal characteristics known to be positively associated with BF in France were more frequent. We aimed to (1) quantify adjusted trends in BF initiation rates between 2010 and 2016; (2) examine associations between BF initiation rates and newborn, maternal, maternity unit, and department-level characteristics. Using data from the 2010 (n = 12,224) and 2016 (n = 11,089) French National Perinatal Surveys, we analysed BF initiation (exclusive, mixed, and any) through a succession of six mixed-effect multinomial regression models, progressively adding adjustment covariates. Adjusted exclusive and any BF initiation rates decreased by 9.6 and 4.5 points, respectively, versus by 7.7 and 1.8 points, respectively, in the crude analysis. In both years, adjusted exclusive and any BF initiation rates were lowest in the following categories of mothers: low education level, single, high body mass index and multiple or premature births. Exclusive BF initiation decreased most in primiparous mothers, those with the lowest household income, mothers that had a vaginal delivery, women born in an African country and those who delivered in a maternity unit without Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative designation. The 2010-2016 decrease in BF initiation rates in France cannot be explained by changes in mothers' characteristics; quite the opposite, adjustment increased its magnitude. Additional efforts should be put in place to understand why this decrease is particularly sharp in some subgroups of mothers.

Incidence and Time Trends of Pregnancy-Related Stroke Between 2010 and 2018: The Nationwide CONCEPTION Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Despite the potentially devastating effects of pregnancy-related stroke, few studies have examined its incidence by type of stroke. We aimed to study the nationwide incidence rates and recent temporal trends for all types of pregnancy-related stroke and to compare these incidences with stroke incidence in nonpregnant women. METHODS: We conducted a study of 6,297,698 women aged 15-49 years who gave birth in France between 2010 and 2018 with no history of stroke before pregnancy by collecting data from the French National Health Insurance Information System database. Poisson regression was used to estimate the incidence by types of strokes for the different pregnancy periods and the incidence rate ratio of stroke in pregnant vs nonpregnant French women. RESULTS: Among the 6,297,698 women, 1,261 (24.0 per 100,000 person-years) experienced a first ever stroke during, antepartum peripartum, or the first 6 weeks of postpartum. Of the pregnancy-related strokes, 42.9% were ischemic (IS), 41.9% were hemorrhagic (with similar proportion of intracerebral and subarachnoid hemorrhage), and 17.4% were cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT). Compared with nonpregnant women, incidence rates of stroke were similar during pregnancy for IS (adjusted incidence risk ratio [IRR] 0.9 [0.8-1.1]), slightly higher for all hemorrhagic strokes (IRR 1.4 [1.2-1.8]), and considerably increased for CVT (IRR 8.1 [6.5-10.1]). Pregnancy-related stroke incidence rose between 2010 and 2018 for IS and HS but was stable for CVT. DISCUSSION: The risk of pregnancy-related CVT was more than 8-fold higher than that observed in nonpregnant women. The incidence of pregnancy-related IS and HS is increasing over time, and efforts should be made for prevention considering treatable cardiovascular risk factors and hypertensive disorders in pregnant women.

Main outcomes from the first 2 years of France's screening programme for neonatal permanent hearing loss through a descriptive study.

AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the implementation of France's neonatal hearing loss screening programme years after its launch, and to estimate permanent bilateral neonatal hearing loss (PBNHL) prevalence and distribution by severity. METHODS: This descriptive study used aggregated regional data on all births in France in 2015-2016. Screening coverage, refusal rate, positive predictive value (PPV), proportion of children with suspected PBNHL, PBNHL prevalence and distribution by severity were calculated. RESULTS: Eight hundred thousand neonates were eligible for the screening programme per year. Between 2015 and 2016, screening coverage increased (83.3% vs. 93.8%; p < 0.001), and the refusal rate remained stable (0.1%). In 2016, when considering the additional tests performed several weeks after birth, the proportion of suspected PBNHL neonates decreased (1.4% vs. 0.9%) while the PPV increased (4.7% vs. 7.6%). In 2015, the estimated prevalence of PBNHL (moderate to profound) was 0.09% (95% CI 0.08-0.10). Among neonates with >= 41 decibels deficit, 56.8%, 16.6%, and 26.6% had moderate, severe and profound hearing loss, respectively. CONCLUSION: The national target of 90% screening coverage was exceeded. The additional test could be useful to avoid overcrowding in diagnostic structures. Diagnostic data quality must be improved to confirm PBNHL prevalence and distribution by severity.

Exploring the socioeconomic disparities of maternal body mass index: a national study in France.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased in various countries. Normal weight before pregnancy is important to protect maternal and newborn health. This study aimed to describe the evolution of body mass index (BMI) before pregnancy in France and explore its association with two measures of socioeconomic status (SES), education and household income. METHODS: Data were from four national perinatal surveys in France in 1998, 2003, 2010 and 2016 to describe the time evolution of maternal BMI. We explored the links between BMI and women's characteristics in the most recent period (2010-2016 surveys) since income information was not available before. Risk ratios (RRs) of underweight, overweight and obesity for each measure of SES were computed by using multivariable Poisson regression models. RESULTS: Overweight and obesity prevalence increased between 1998 and 2016, from 6% to 12% for obesity. Both were inversely associated with SES (higher prevalence among least educated and poorest women), with strong variations for each social indicator, even in multivariable analyses including both. Combining education and income revealed a wide gradient; RR for obesity was 6.01 (95% confidence interval 4.89-7.38) with low education and income <2000 euros/month vs. high education and income ≥4000 euros/month. CONCLUSIONS: Public policies must implement programs to limit the increase in overweight and its unequal distribution in the population, alongside other policies to address the societal determinants of the obesogenic environment. Health professionals need to advise women to improve their eating and physical activity to limit weight gain from childhood to early adulthood.