Exposure to ultra-processed foods during pregnancy and ultrasound fetal growth parameters.

Periconceptional maternal ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption impairs embryonic growth. Impacts of exposure to UPF on distinct components of fetal growth in late pregnancy are unknown. We investigated the influence of frequency of UPF consumption during pregnancy on fetal head circumference (HC), abdominal circumference (AC) and femur length (FL). This study included 417 live-born singleton pregnancies prospectively followed-up since the antenatal period in the MINA-Brazil Study, with an available ultrasound scan at >24 gestational weeks. Frequency of food groups consumption in the previous month was categorised as no/monthly, weekly or daily. Ultrasound scans were conducted at 27·8 (sd: 1·7) gestational weeks. HC, AC and FL z-scores were calculated for gestational age using the INTERGROWTH-21st Project standards. Simultaneous-quantile regression models were fitted at the 10th, 50th and 90th percentiles of the distribution of each ultrasound parameter according to UPF consumption, with adjustment for potential confounders. Participants were aged on average 24·7 (sd: 6·5) years, 44·8 % were primiparous, and 26·9 % and 24·9 %, respectively, had weekly and daily UPF consumption. Compared with no/monthly intake, daily UPF consumption impaired HC across its distribution, with significant effect sizes varying from -0·24 to -0·40 z-score. Weekly UPF consumption decreased HC at the 90th percentile by -0·39 z-score (95 % CI: -0·78, -0·01) and FL at the 50th percentile by -0·32 z-score (95 % CI: -0·60, -0·04). No association was noted with AC. Frequency of UPF consumption was negatively associated with skeletal components of fetal growth in late pregnancy. Infant body composition may benefit from healthy food practices since pregnancy.

Agreement between antenatal gestational age by ultrasound and clinical records at birth: A prospective cohort in the Brazilian Amazon.

This study aimed to assess agreement between antenatal estimates of gestational age by ultrasound and clinical records at birth in the Brazilian Amazon. Ultrasound examinations were scheduled during the second trimester for 578 pregnant women prospectively screened at primary health care units, following a standardized protocol for image quality control. A multistage algorithm was used to assess the best estimate of gestational age during the antenatal period, considering reliability of last menstrual period (LMP) and acceptable differences in relation to ultrasound estimates derived from fetal biparietal diameter and femur length. Agreement of antenatal estimates of gestational age confirmed by ultrasound and clinical records at birth was analyzed with Bland-Altman plots and kappa coefficients (preterm and postterm births). Overall, ultrasound examinations presented high quality (>90% of satisfactory images), and were adopted as the best estimate of gestational age among 83.4% of pregnant women, confirming reliable LMP in the remaining proportion. On average, difference in gestational age between antenatal estimates and clinical records was 0.43 week (95% CI: 0.32, 0.53). Classification of preterm births had a good agreement (kappa: 0.82, p<0.001), but a poor performance was observed for postterm births (kappa: -0.06, p = 0.92). Higher differences in gestational age were noted for participants with >11 years of education and cases of caesarean deliveries. In conclusion, high-quality ultrasound images from the second trimester of pregnancy based the assessment of gestational age, while reliability of LMP was limited. Information from clinical records at birth presented an acceptable agreement on average and for classification of preterm births, which is relevant for properly interpreting perinatal outcomes. Discrepancies in caesarean deliveries may warrant further investigation.

Epidemiological perspective of the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic in Amapá State, Northern Brazil / Perspectiva epidemiológica da evolução da pandemia da COVID-19 no Estado do Amapá, Norte do Brasil

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 impacted health systems worldwide; the virus quickly spread in Brazil, reaching its 27 Federative units peculiarly. The northern country region recorded the lowest number of cases and accumulated deaths from the disease. However, it is a region of sizeable territorial extension and low demographic density, marked by socioeconomic inequalities and vulnerable groups, such as indigenous tribes, riverine peoples, and quilombolas. Sociodemographic factors may contribute to the dissemination of the coronavirus in this territory; thus, studies are needed to analyze the epidemiological indicators related to the pandemic. OBJECTIVE: to evaluate incidence, mortality, and case fatality of COVID-19 trends in the state of Amapá, Brazil, from March 2020 to April 2021. METHODS: an ecological time-series study was conducted with publicly accessible data from the Health Department of the State of Amapá. Incidence and mortality rates per 100,000 inhabitants and percentage case fatality were calculated. Crude rates were calculated by municipalities, age, and sex, per month. The Prais-Winsten regression test was performed, and the trends of monthly rates were classified as increasing, decreasing, or flat. RESULTS: during the study period, there were 99.936 cases and 1,468 deaths accumulated by COVID-19 in the State of Amapá, Brazil. Macapá and Santana's cities, which have the highest demographic density and Human Development Index (HDI), had the highest number of cases and deaths. The most vulnerable population was elderly males aged 70 years or over; these individuals had the highest cumulative incidence, case fatality, and mortality rates. The second wave of the disease (October 2020 to April 2021) illustrated a more aggravating scenario, with increasing incidence and mortality rates. CONCLUSION: the COVID-19 pandemic in the state of Amapá, Brazil, is in increasing evolution, which illustrates that non-pharmacological prevention measures and acceleration of vaccination must be strengthened to avoid the development of future waves of the disease.

INTRODUÇÃO: a COVID-19 impactou os sistemas de saúde em todo o mundo, rapidamente o vírus disseminou-se no Brasil, atingindo de modo distinto as 27 unidades Federativas do país. A região norte do Brasil registrou o menor número de casos e óbitos acumulados da doença. Entretanto, trata-se de região de grande extensão territorial e baixa densidade demográfica, marcada por desigualdades socioeconômicas, presença de população vulnerável como tribos indígenas, povos ribeirinhos e quilombolas. Os fatores sociodemográficos podem contribuir para a disseminação do coronavírus na região, assim, fazem-se necessários estudos que analisem os indicadores epidemiológicos relacionados à pandemia. OBJETIVO: avaliar as tendências da incidência, mortalidade e letalidade da COVID-19 no estado do Amapá, durante o período de março de 2020 a abril de 2021. MÉTODO: foi realizado um estudo ecológico de séries temporais, com dados de livre acesso, oriundos da Secretaria de Saúde do Estado do Amapá. Foi calculado a taxa de incidência e mortalidade por 100.000 habitantes e letalidade percentual. As taxas brutas foram calculadas por municípios, idade e sexo e por mês. Foi realizado o teste de regressão de Prais-Winsten, as tendências das taxas mensais foram classificadas em crescentes, decrescentes ou estacionárias. RESULTADOS: houve 99,936 casos e 1,468 óbitos acumulados por COVID-19 no Estado do Amapá durante o período estudado. As cidades de Macapá e Santana, que apresentaram densidades demográficas e Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano (IDH) mais elevados, apresentaram o maior número de casos e óbitos. A população mais vulnerável foi constituída pelos idosos do sexo masculino, com idade igual ou superior a 70 anos, estes indivíduos apresentaram as maiores taxas acumuladas de incidência, letalidade e mortalidade. A segunda onda da doença (outubro de 2020 a abril de 2021) ilustrou um cenário mais agravante, com crescentes nas taxas de incidência e mortalidade. CONCLUSÃO: a pandemia da COVID-19 no estado do Amapá está em crescente evolução, o que ilustra que medidas de prevenção não farmacológicas e aceleração à vacinação devem ser fortalecidas para evitar o desenvolvimento de futuras ondas da doença.