Differences in prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection and genotypes between ethnic populations in Suriname, South America.

Epidemiological data on hepatitis B virus (HBV) are needed to benchmark HBV elimination goals. We recently assessed prevalence of HBV infection and determinants in participants attending the Emergency Department in Paramaribo, Suriname, South America. Overall, 24.5% (95%CI = 22.7-26.4%) of participants had anti-Hepatitis B core antibodies, which was associated with older age (per year, adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] = 1.03, 95%CI = 1.02-1.04), Afro-Surinamese (aOR = 1.84, 95%CI = 1.52-2.19) and Javanese ethnicity (aOR = 1.63, 95%CI = 1.28-2.07, compared to the grand mean). 3.2% of participants were Hepatitis B surface Ag-positive, which was also associated with older age (per year, aOR = 1.02, 95%CI = 1.00-1.04), Javanese (aOR = 4.3, 95%CI = 2.66-6.95) and Afro-Surinamese ethnicity (aOR = 2.36, 95%CI = 1.51-3.71). Sex, nosocomial or culturally-related HBV transmission risk-factors were not associated with infection. Phylogenetic analysis revealed strong ethnic clustering: Indonesian subgenotype HBV/B3 among Javanese and African subgenotypes HBV/A1, HBV/QS-A3 and HBV/E among Afro-Surinamese. Testing for HBV during adulthood should be considered for individuals living in Suriname, specifically with Javanese and Afro-Surinamese ancestry.

Adequate antenatal care and ethnicity affect preterm birth in pregnant women living in the tropical rainforest of Suriname.

BACKGROUND: Adequate antenatal care (ANC) services are key for early identification of pregnancy related risk factors and maintaining women's health during pregnancy. This study aimed to assess the influence of ANC provided by the Medical Mission Primary Health Care Suriname (MMPHCS) and of ethnicity on adverse birth outcomes in Tribal and Indigenous women living in Suriname's remote tropical rainforest interior. METHOD: From April 2017 to December 2018 eligible Tribal and Indigenous women with a singleton pregnancy that received ANC from MMPHCS were included in the study. Data on low birth weight (LBW < 2500 g), preterm birth (PTB < 37 weeks), low Apgar score (< 7 at 5 min), parity (≤1 vs. > 1) and antenatal visits utilization (≥8 vs. < 8) in 15 interior communities were retrospectively analyzed using descriptive statistics, crosstabs and Fisher's exact tests. RESULTS: A total of 204 women were included, 100 (49%) were Tribal, mean age was 26 ± 7.2 years and 126 women (62%) had 8 or more ANC visits. One participant had a miscarriage; 22% had adverse birth outcomes: 16 (7.9%) LBW and 30 (14.8%) PTB; 7 women had a child with both PTB and LBW; 5 women had stillbirths. None of the newborns had low Apgar scores. Maternal age, ethnicity, ANC and parity were associated with PTB (χ2 = 8,75, p = 0.003, χ2 = 4,97, p = 0.025, χ2 = 17,45, p < 0.001, χ2 = 11,93, p < 0.001 respectively). CONCLUSION: Despite an almost 100% study adherence over one fifth of women that received ANC in the interior of Suriname had adverse birth outcomes, in particular PTB and LBW. Younger nulliparous Indigenous women with less than the recommended 8 ANC visits had a higher risk for PTB. The rate of adverse birth outcomes highlights the need for further research to better assess factors influencing perinatal outcomes and to put strategies in place to improve perinatal outcomes. Exposure assessment of this sub-cohort and neurodevelopment testing of their children is ongoing and will further inform on potential adverse health effects associated with environmental exposures including heavy metals such as mercury and lead.

How do late terminations of pregnancy affect comparisons of stillbirth rates in Europe? Analyses of aggregated routine data from the Euro-Peristat Project.

OBJECTIVE: To describe how terminations of pregnancy at gestational ages at or above the limit for stillbirth registration are recorded in routine statistics and to assess their impact on comparability of stillbirth rates in Europe. DESIGN: Analysis of aggregated data from the Euro-Peristat project. SETTING: Twenty-nine European countries. POPULATION: Births and late terminations in 2010. METHODS: Assessment of terminations as a proportion of stillbirths and derivation of stillbirth rates including and excluding terminations. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Stillbirth rates overall and excluding terminations. RESULTS: In 23 countries, it is possible to assess the contribution of terminations to stillbirth rates either because terminations are rare occurrences or because they can be distinguished from spontaneous stillbirths. Where terminations were reported, they accounted for less than 1.5% of stillbirths at 22+ weeks in Denmark, between 13 and 22% in Germany, Italy, Hungary, Finland and Switzerland, and 39% in France. Proportions were much lower at 24+ weeks, with the exception of Switzerland (7.4%) and France (39.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Terminations represent a substantial proportion of stillbirths at 22+ weeks of gestation in some countries. Countries where terminations occur at 22+ weeks should publish rates with and without terminations in order to improve international comparisons and the policy relevance of stillbirth statistics. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: For valid comparisons of stillbirth rates, data about late terminations of pregnancy are needed.

Variations in very preterm birth rates in 30 high-income countries: are valid international comparisons possible using routine data?

OBJECTIVE: Concerns about differences in registration practices across countries have limited the use of routine data for international very preterm birth (VPT) rate comparisons. DESIGN: Population-based study. SETTING: Twenty-seven European countries, the United States, Canada and Japan in 2010. POPULATION: A total of 9 376 252 singleton births. METHOD: We requested aggregated gestational age data on live births, stillbirths and terminations of pregnancy (TOP) before 32 weeks of gestation, and information on registration practices for these births. We compared VPT rates and assessed the impact of births at 22-23 weeks of gestation, and different criteria for inclusion of stillbirths and TOP on country rates and rankings. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Singleton very preterm birth rate, defined as singleton stillbirths and live births before 32 completed weeks of gestation per 1000 total births, excluding TOP if identifiable in the data source. RESULTS: Rates varied from 5.7 to 15.7 per 1000 total births and 4.0 to 11.9 per 1000 live births. Country registration practices were related to percentage of births at 22-23 weeks of gestation (between 1% and 23% of very preterm births) and stillbirths (between 6% and 40% of very preterm births). After excluding births at 22-23 weeks, rate variations remained high and with a few exceptions, country rankings were unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: International comparisons of very preterm birth rates using routine data should exclude births at 22-23 weeks of gestation and terminations of pregnancy. The persistent large rate variations after these exclusions warrant continued surveillance of VPT rates at 24 weeks and over in high-income countries. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: International comparisons of VPT rates should exclude births at 22-23 weeks of gestation and terminations of pregnancy.

Linking databases on perinatal health: a review of the literature and current practices in Europe.

BACKGROUND: International comparisons of perinatal health indicators are complicated by the heterogeneity of data sources on pregnancy, maternal and neonatal outcomes. Record linkage can extend the range of data items available and thus can improve the validity and quality of routine data. We sought to assess the extent to which data are linked routinely for perinatal health research and reporting. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of the literature by searching PubMed for perinatal health studies from 2001 to 2011 based on linkage of routine data (data collected continuously at various time intervals). We also surveyed European health monitoring professionals about use of linkage for national perinatal health surveillance. RESULTS: 516 studies fit our inclusion criteria. Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, the US and the UK contributed 76% of the publications; a further 29 countries contributed at least one publication. Most studies linked vital statistics, hospital records, medical birth registries and cohort data. Other sources were specific registers for: cancer (70), congenital anomalies (56), ART (19), census (19), health professionals (37), insurance (22) prescription (31), and level of education (18). Eighteen of 29 countries (62%) reported linking data for routine perinatal health monitoring. CONCLUSION: Research using linkage is concentrated in a few countries and is not widely practiced in Europe. Broader adoption of data linkage could yield substantial gains for perinatal health research and surveillance.