Exploring preconception health in adolescents and young adults: Identifying risk factors and interventions to prevent adverse maternal, perinatal, and child health outcomes-A scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Preconception health provides an opportunity to examine a woman's health status and address modifiable risk factors that can impact both a woman's and her child's health once pregnant. In this review, we aimed to investigate the preconception risk factors and interventions of early pregnancy and its impact on adverse maternal, perinatal and child health outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines to include relevant literature identified from electronic databases. We included reviews that studied preconception risk factors and interventions among adolescents and young adults, and their impact on maternal, perinatal, and child health outcomes. All identified studies were screened for eligibility, followed by data extraction, and descriptive and thematic analysis. FINDINGS: We identified a total of 10 reviews. The findings suggest an increase in odds of maternal anaemia and maternal deaths among young mothers (up to 17 years) and low birth weight (LBW), preterm birth, stillbirths, and neonatal and perinatal mortality among babies born to mothers up to 17 years compared to those aged 19-25 years in high-income countries. It also suggested an increase in the odds of congenital anomalies among children born to mothers aged 20-24 years. Furthermore, cancer treatment during childhood or young adulthood was associated with an increased risk of preterm birth, LBW, and stillbirths. Interventions such as youth-friendly family planning services showed a significant decrease in abortion rates. Micronutrient supplementation contributed to reducing anaemia among adolescent mothers; however, human papillomavirus (HPV) and herpes simplex virus (HSV) vaccination had little to no impact on stillbirths, ectopic pregnancies, and congenital anomalies. However, one review reported an increased risk of miscarriages among young adults associated with these vaccinations. CONCLUSION: The scoping review identified a scarcity of evidence on preconception risk factors and interventions among adolescents and young adults. This underscores the crucial need for additional research on the subject.

Risk Factors for Early-Onset Versus Late-Onset Coronary Heart Disease (CHD): Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

AIM: We aimed to systematically compare literature on prevalence of modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for early compared to late-onset coronary heart disease (CHD). METHODS: PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched (review protocol registered in PROSPERO CRD42020173216). Study quality was assessed using the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute tool for observational and case-control studies. Review Manager 5.3 was used for meta-analysis. Effect sizes were expressed as odds ratio (OR) and mean differences (MD)/standardised MD (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for categorical and continuous variables. RESULTS: Individuals presenting with early-onset CHD (age <65 years) compared to late-onset CHD had higher mean body mass index (MD 1.07 kg/m2; 95% CI 0.31-1.83), total cholesterol (SMD 0.43; 95% CI 0.23-0.62), low-density lipoprotein (SMD 0.26; 95% CI 0.15-0.36) and triglycerides (SMD 0.50; 95% CI 0.22-0.68) with lower high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (SMD 0.26; 95% CI -0.42--0.11). They were more likely to be smokers (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.39-2.22) and have a positive family history of CHD (OR 2.08, 95% CI 1.74-2.48). They had lower mean systolic blood pressure (MD 4.07 mmHg; 95% CI -7.36--0.78) and were less likely to have hypertension (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.39-0.57), diabetes mellitus (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.51-0.61) or stroke (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.24-0.42). CONCLUSION: A focus on weight management and smoking cessation and aggressive management of dyslipidaemia in young adults may reduce the risk of early-onset CHD.

Improving health and social systems for all children in LMICs: structural innovations to deliver high-quality services.

Despite health gains over the past 30 years, children and adolescents are not reaching their health potential in many low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). In addition to health systems, social systems, such as schools, communities, families, and digital platforms, can be used to promote health. We did a targeted literature review of how well health and social systems are meeting the needs of children in LMICs using the framework of The Lancet Global Health Commission on high-quality health systems and we reviewed evidence for structural reforms in health and social sectors. We found that quality of services for children is substandard across both health and social systems. Health systems have deficits in care competence (eg, diagnosis and management), system competence (eg, timeliness, continuity, and referral), user experience (eg, respect and usability), service provision for common and serious conditions (eg, cancer, trauma, and mental health), and service offerings for adolescents. Education and social services for child health are limited by low funding and poor coordination with other sectors. Structural reforms are more likely to improve service quality substantially and at scale than are micro-level efforts. Promising approaches include governing for quality (eg, leadership, expert management, and learning systems), redesigning service delivery to maximise outcomes, and empowering families to better care for children and to demand quality care from health and social systems. Additional research is needed on health needs across the life course, health system performance for children and families, and large-scale evaluation of promising health and social programmes.

Association between self-reported periodontitis and high-risk oral human papillomavirus infection among Indigenous South Australians: A cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is increasing globally, reflecting an increase in human papillomavirus (HPV)-related lesions. Indigenous populations are disproportionately affected by OPSCCs. Currently, testing for oral HPV is not recommended as a screening tool to permit early detection of OPSCCs due to the high population prevalence of HPV infection. Periodontitis may be a marker of oral HPV infection, but previous research evaluating this association has been inconclusive. Here we report a large population-based study examining the association between high-risk oral HPV infection and periodontitis among Indigenous South Australians. METHODS: We utilised a large convenience sample of Indigenous South Australians aged 18+ years recruited between February 2018 and February 2020. Of the original cohort (n = 1011), 748 (73.9%) participants participated in the 12 month follow-up. Detailed information on sociodemographic characteristics, health-related behaviours, and sexual history were collected at enrolment. Saliva samples were collected at 12 months and tested for the presence of oral HPV DNA using the optimized general primer (GP) + PCR system. The primary outcomes were the prevalence of any high-risk oral HPV DNA, and separately, HPV 16 and/or 18. Periodontitis was assessed at follow-up by using validated self-reported periodontitis screening questions. Logistic regression analyses were undertaken to assess the association between self-reported periodontitis and oral HPV infection with adjustment for potential sociodemographic and behavioural confounders, with estimates presented as odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: Data on 673 participants (89.9% of the follow-up cohort) were available. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 80 (mean age 42.2, SD 14.7) and 31.5% were male. Overall, 115 (17.1%) participants had self-reported periodontitis, 40 (5.9%) had any high-risk oral HPV and 14 (2.1%) had HPV 16 and/or 18. Any high-risk HPV was detected among seven (17.5%) participants and HPV 16 and/or 18 was detected in three (21.4%) who self-reported periodontitis. In the regression analyses no significant association was found between self-reported periodontitis and high-risk oral HPV (adjusted OR: 1.10; 95% CI: 0.45-2.70) or HPV 16 and/or 18 (adjusted OR: 1.27; 95% CI: 0.32-5.03). CONCLUSION: This study did not find any association between self-reported periodontitis and high-risk oral HPV among Indigenous South Australians. Further targeted studies with standardized clinical measures of periodontal disease are needed to clarify the link between high-risk oral HPV and periodontal disease. If confirmed this would add further weight to the importance of recommendations about the utility of periodontitis screening to identify individuals at risk of carrying high-risk oral HPV, who may benefit from more intensive screening and ongoing monitoring.

The Differences in Clinical Presentation, Management, and Prognosis of Laboratory-Confirmed COVID-19 between Pregnant and Non-Pregnant Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected millions of people across the globe. Previous coronavirus outbreaks led to worsened symptoms amongst pregnant women, suggesting that pregnant women are at greater risk. OBJECTIVES: Our aim is to investigate the differences in clinical presentation, management, and prognosis of COVID-19 infection in pregnant and non-pregnant women. METHODS: We ran a search on electronic databases and analysis of the relevant articles was done using Revie Manager 5.4. RESULTS: The review consists of nine studies comprising 591,058 women (28,797 pregnant and 562,261 non-pregnant), with most of the data derived from two large studies. The risk of experiencing fever (RR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.64-0.85), headache (RR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.74-0.79), myalgia (RR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.89-0.95), diarrhea (RR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.39-0.43), chest tightness (RR: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.77-0.95), and expectoration (RR: 0.45; 95% CI: 0.21-0.97) were greater amongst non-pregnant COVID-19-infected women. Pregnant women with COVID-19 were less likely to be obese (RR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.63-0.73) or have a smoking history (RR: 0.32; 95% CI: 0.26-0.39). COVID-19-infected non-pregnant women had a higher frequency of comorbidity such as chronic cardiac disease (RR: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.44-0.77), renal disease (RR: 0.45; 95% CI: 0.29-0.71), and malignancy (RR: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.68-0.98), compared to COVID-19-infected pregnant women. The risk of ICU admission (RR: 2.26; 95% CI: 1.68-3.05) and requirement of invasive mechanical ventilation (RR: 2.68; 95% CI: 2.07-3.47) were significantly higher amongst pregnant women. CONCLUSIONS: Although the frequency of risk factors and the risk of experiencing clinical symptoms of COVID-19 were higher among non-pregnant women, COVID-19-infected pregnant women had a higher requirement of ICU admission and invasive mechanical ventilation compared to non-pregnant COVID-19-infected women. More well-conducted studies from varying contexts are needed to draw conclusions. Prospero registration: CRD42020204638.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between periodontitis and oral high-risk human papillomavirus infection.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCCs) is increasing globally. Common oral conditions such as periodontitis may contribute. We undertook a meta-analysis to quantify the association between periodontitis, oral HPV and OPSCCs. METHODS: Multiple electronic databases were searched until 12 February 2020. Studies conducted in males and/or females aged ≥ 18 years that examined periodontitis, periodontal procedures, oral HPV infection, and where possible, oral cancers, were eligible. Meta-analyses were conducted and the GRADE approach was used to examine the quality of evidence. RESULTS: Of 2709 studies identified, 13 met the eligibility criteria. Five studies could be included in the meta-analyses. There was no significant increase in the odds of high-risk oral HPV infection among individuals with confirmed periodontitis (odds ratio 4.71, 95% confidence interval 0.57-38.97). Individuals with periodontitis had a 3.65 times higher odds of having any type of oral HPV infection compared with those without periodontitis (95% confidence interval 1.67-8.01). The overall body of evidence was rated as low to very-low certainty. CONCLUSION: Meta-analysis confirms there is a positive association between periodontitis and oral HPV infection, although the overall quality of this evidence is low. Evidence for an association between periodontitis and high-risk oral HPV infection is inconclusive.

Effects of Lifestyle Modification Interventions to Prevent and Manage Child and Adolescent Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The objective of this review was to assess the impact of lifestyle interventions (including dietary interventions, physical activity, behavioral therapy, or any combination of these interventions) to prevent and manage childhood and adolescent obesity. We conducted a comprehensive literature search across various databases and grey literature without any restrictions on publication, language, or publication status until February 2020. We included randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies from both high income countries (HIC) and low-middle-income countries (LMICs). Participants were children and adolescents from 0 to 19 years of age. Studies conducted among hospitalized children and children with any pre-existing health conditions were excluded from this review. A total of 654 studies (1160 papers) that met the inclusion criteria were included in this review. A total of 359 studies targeted obesity prevention, 280 studies targeted obesity management, while 15 studies targeted both prevention and management. The majority of the studies (81%) were conducted in HICs, 10% of studies were conducted in upper middle income countries, while only 2% of the studies were conducted in LMICs. The most common setting for these interventions were communities and school settings. Evidence for the prevention of obesity among children and adolescents suggests that a combination of diet and exercise might reduce the BMI z-score (MD: -0.12; 95% CI: -0.18 to -0.06; 32 studies; 33,039 participants; I2 93%; low quality evidence), body mass index (BMI) by 0.41 kg/m2 (MD: -0.41 kg/m2; 95% CI: -0.60 to -0.21; 35 studies; 47,499 participants; I2 98%; low quality evidence), and body weight (MD: -1.59; 95% CI: -2.95 to -0.23; 17 studies; 35,023 participants; I2 100%; low quality evidence). Behavioral therapy alone (MD: -0.07; 95% CI: -0.14 to -0.00; 19 studies; 8569 participants; I2 76%; low quality evidence) and a combination of exercise and behavioral therapy (MD: -0.08; 95% CI: -0.16 to -0.00; 9 studies; 7334 participants; I2 74%; low quality evidence) and diet in combination with exercise and behavioral therapy (MD: -0.13; 95% CI: -0.25 to -0.01; 5 studies; 1806 participants; I2 62%; low quality evidence) might reduce BMI z-score when compared to the control group. Evidence for obesity management suggests that exercise only interventions probably reduce BMI z-score (MD: -0.13; 95% CI: -0.20 to -0.06; 12 studies; 1084 participants; I2 0%; moderate quality evidence), and might reduce BMI (MD: -0.88; 95% CI: -1.265 to -0.50; 34 studies; 3846 participants; I2 72%) and body weight (MD: -3.01; 95% CI: -5.56 to -0.47; 16 studies; 1701 participants; I2 78%; low quality evidence) when compared to the control group. and the exercise along with behavioral therapy interventions (MD: -0.08; 95% CI: -0.16 to -0.00; 8 studies; 466 participants; I2 49%; moderate quality evidence), diet along with behavioral therapy interventions (MD: -0.16; 95% CI: -0.26 to -0.07; 4 studies; 329 participants; I2 0%; moderate quality evidence), and combination of diet, exercise and behavioral therapy (MD: -0.09; 95% CI: -0.14 to -0.05; 13 studies; 2995 participants; I2 12%; moderate quality evidence) also probably decreases BMI z-score when compared to the control group. The existing evidence is most favorable for a combination of interventions, such as diet along with exercise and exercise along with behavioral therapy for obesity prevention and exercise alone, diet along with exercise, diet along with behavioral therapy, and a combination of diet, exercise, and behavioral therapy for obesity management. Despite the growing obesity epidemic in LMICs, there is a significant dearth of obesity prevention and management studies from these regions.

Hydroxyurea (hydroxycarbamide) for transfusion-dependent ß-thalassaemia.

BACKGROUND: Hydroxyurea (hydroxycarbamide) promotes the production of foetal haemoglobin (HbF) by reactivating gamma-genes. Evidence has shown clinical benefits of hydroxyurea in people with sickle cell anemia; however, only a few studies have assessed this treatment in people with beta (ß)-thalassaemia. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective is to review the efficacy of hydroxyurea in reducing or ameliorating the requirement of blood transfusions in people with transfusion-dependent ß-thalassaemia. The second objective is to review the safety of hydroxyurea with regards to severe adverse effects in this population. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Cystic Fibrosis and Genetic Disorders Group's Haemoglobinopathies Trials Register, compiled from electronic database searches and hand searching of journals and conference abstract books. We also searched electronic databases and trial registries, including ClinicalTrials.gov, the WHO ICTRP and PubMed (09 October 2018).Date of last search of the Group's haemoglobinopathies trials register: 04 March 2019. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials of hydroxyurea in people with transfusion-dependent ß-thalassaemia, compared with placebo or standard treatment or comparing different doses of hydroxyurea. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two authors independently assessed trials for inclusion in the review, which was verified by a third author. MAIN RESULTS: No trials were eligible for inclusion in this review. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Currently, there is no high-quality evidence to support or challenge the continued use of hydroxyurea for managing people with transfusion-dependent ß-thalassaemia. Multicentre, randomised controlled trials (compared to placebo or other available treatment, i.e. blood transfusion and iron chelation) are needed in order to assess the efficacy and safety of hydroxyurea for reducing the need for blood transfusion, for maintaining or improving mean haemoglobin levels, as well as for determining its cost-effectiveness.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Interventions to Improve Access and Coverage of Adolescent Immunizations.

Vaccination strategies are among the most successful and cost-effective public health strategies for preventing disease and death. Until recently, most of the existing immunization programs targeted infants and children younger than 5 years which have successfully resulted in reducing global infant and child mortality. Adolescent immunization has been relatively neglected, leaving a quarter of world's population underimmunized and hence vulnerable to a number of preventable diseases. In recent years, a large number of programs have been launched to increase the uptake of different vaccines in adolescents; however, the recommended vaccination coverage among the adolescent population overall remains very low, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Adolescent vaccination has received significantly more attention since the advent of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in 2006. However, only half of the adolescent girls in the United States received a single dose of HPV vaccine while merely 43% and 33% received two and three doses, respectively. We systematically reviewed literature published up to December 2014 and included 23 studies on the effectiveness of interventions to improve immunization coverage among adolescents. Moderate-quality evidence suggested an overall increase in vaccination coverage by 78% (relative risk: 1.78; 95% confidence interval: 1.41-2.23). Review findings suggest that interventions including implementing vaccination requirement in school, sending reminders, and national permissive recommendation for adolescent vaccination have the potential to improve immunization uptake. Strategies to improve coverage for HPV vaccines resulted in a significant decrease in the prevalence of HPV by 44% and genital warts by 33%; however, the quality of evidence was low. Analysis from single studies with low- or very low-quality evidence suggested significant decrease in varicella deaths, measles incidence, rubella susceptibility, and incidence of pertussis while the impact was nonsignificant for incidence of mumps with their respective vaccines. Further rigorous evidence is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies to improve immunization uptake among adolescents from low- and middle-income countries.

Can routine screening and iron supplementation for iron deficiency anemia in nonsymptomatic pregnant women improve maternal and infant health outcomes?

Pregnant women have an increased need for iron that might not be met with diet alone. Due to physiologic anemia and population differences, no set criteria for defining iron deficiency anemia (IDA) are available globally. Serum ferritin and transferrin levels are often used to guide therapy by clinicians. Studies have reported an association between poor iron status and negative health outcomes such as low birth weight, premature birth, and perinatal death for women and their infants, although the evidence is weak.

Preconception care: screening and management of chronic disease and promoting psychological health.

INTRODUCTION: A large proportion of women around the world suffer from chronic diseases including mental health diseases. In the United States alone, over 12% of women of reproductive age suffer from a chronic medical condition, especially diabetes and hypertension. Chronic diseases significantly increase the odds for poor maternal and newborn outcomes in pregnant women. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the evidence was conducted to ascertain the possible impact of preconception care for preventing and managing chronic diseases and promoting psychological health on maternal, newborn and child health outcomes. A comprehensive strategy was used to search electronic reference libraries, and both observational and clinical controlled trials were included. Cross-referencing and a separate search strategy for each preconception risk and intervention ensured wider study capture. RESULTS: Maternal prepregnancy diabetic care is a significant intervention that reduces the occurrence of congenital malformations by 70% (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 59-78%) and perinatal mortality by 69% (95% CI: 47-81%). Furthermore, preconception management of epilepsy and phenylketonuria are essential and can optimize maternal, fetal and neonatal outcomes if given before conception. Ideally changes in antiepileptic drug therapy should be made at least 6 months before planned conception. Interventions specifically targeting women of reproductive age suffering from a psychiatric condition show that group-counseling and interventions leading to empowerment of women have reported non-significant reduction in depression (economic skill building: Mean Difference (MD) -7.53; 95% CI: -17.24, 2.18; counseling: MD-2.92; 95% CI: -13.17, 7.33). CONCLUSION: While prevention and management of the chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension, through counseling, and other dietary and pharmacological intervention, is important, delivering solutions to prevent and respond to women's psychological health problems are urgently needed to combat this leading cause of morbidity.

Preconception care: caffeine, smoking, alcohol, drugs and other environmental chemical/radiation exposure.

INTRODUCTION: As providing health education, optimizing nutrition, and managing risk factors can be effective for ensuring a healthy outcome for women and her yet un-conceived baby, external influences play a significant role as well. Alcohol, smoking, caffeine use and other similar lifestyle factors, have now become an integral part of the daily life of most men and women, who use/misuse one or more of these harmful substances regularly despite knowledge of their detrimental effects. The adverse health outcomes of these voluntary and involuntary exposures are of even greater concern in women of child bearing age where the exposure has the potential of inflicting harm to two generations. This paper is examining the available literature for the possible effects of caffeine consumption, smoking, alcohol or exposure to chemicals may have on the maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH). METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the evidence was conducted to ascertain the possible impact of preconception usage of caffeine, tobacco, alcohol and other illicit drugs; and exposure to environmental chemicals and radiant on MNCH outcomes. A comprehensive strategy was used to search electronic reference libraries, and both observational and clinical controlled trials were included. Cross-referencing and a separate search strategy for each preconception risk and intervention ensured wider study capture. RESULTS: Heavy maternal preconception caffeine intake of >300 mg/d significantly increase the risk of a subsequent fetal loss by 31% (95% CI: 8-58%). On the other hand, preconception alcohol consumption leads to non-significant 30% increase in spontaneous abortion (RR 1.30; 95% CI: 0.85-1.97). Preconception counselling can lead to a significant decrease in the consumption of alcohol during the first trimester (OR 1.79; 95% CI: 1.08-2.97). Periconception smoking, on the other hand, was found to be associated with an almost 3 times increased risk of congenital heart defects (OR 2.80; 95% CI 1.76-4.47). While the review found limited evidence of preconception environmental exposure on maternal, newborn and child health outcomes, occupational exposure in female radiation workers before conception showed an increased impact in risk of early miscarriages. CONCLUSION: Identification of substance abuse and environmental history during preconception period provides an opportunity to assist women in reducing major health risks and identify key determinants of healthy pregnancy. Studies have shown that the aversion and prevention of exposure feasibility can play an important role in improving the health of women and their families, however, the results should be interpreted with great caution as there were few studies in each section. Therefore, there is a need for more rigorous studies to test the hypotheses.

Preconception care: closing the gap in the continuum of care to accelerate improvements in maternal, newborn and child health.

INTRODUCTION: Preconception care includes any intervention to optimize a woman's health before pregnancy with the aim to improve maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) outcomes. Preconception care bridges the gap in the continuum of care, and addresses pre-pregnancy health risks and health problems that could have negative maternal and fetal consequences. It therefore has potential to further reduce global maternal and child mortality and morbidity, especially in low-income countries where the highest burden of pregnancy-related deaths and disability occurs. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the evidence was conducted to ascertain the possible impact of preconception care for adolescents, women and couples of reproductive age on MNCH outcomes. A comprehensive strategy was used to search electronic reference libraries, and both observational and clinical controlled trials were included. Cross-referencing and a separate search strategy for each preconception risk and intervention ensured wider study capture. RESULTS: Women who received preconception care in either a healthcare center or the community showed improved outcomes, such as smoking cessation; increased use of folic acid; breastfeeding; greater odds of obtaining antenatal care; and lower rates of neonatal mortality. CONCLUSION: Preconception care is effective in improving pregnancy outcomes. Further studies are needed to evaluate consistency and magnitude of effect in different contexts; develop and assess new preconception interventions; and to establish guidelines for the provision of preconception care.

Evidence from district level inputs to improve quality of care for maternal and newborn health: interventions and findings.

District level healthcare serves as a nexus between community and district level facilities. Inputs at the district level can be broadly divided into governance and accountability mechanisms; leadership and supervision; financial platforms; and information systems. This paper aims to evaluate the effectivness of district level inputs for imporving maternal and newborn health. We considered all available systematic reviews published before May 2013 on the pre-defined district level interventions and included 47 systematic reviews. Evidence suggests that supervision positively influenced provider's practice, knowledge and client/provider satisfaction. Involving local opinion leaders to promote evidence-based practice improved compliance to the desired practice. Audit and feedback mechanisms and tele-medicine were found to be associated with improved immunization rates and mammogram uptake. User-directed financial schemes including maternal vouchers, user fee exemption and community based health insurance showed significant impact on maternal health service utilization with voucher schemes showing the most significant positive impact across all range of outcomes including antenatal care, skilled birth attendant, institutional delivery, complicated delivery and postnatal care. We found insufficient evidence to support or refute the use of electronic health record systems and telemedicine technology to improve maternal and newborn health specific outcomes. There is dearth of evidence on the effectiveness of district level inputs to improve maternal newborn health outcomes. Future studies should evaluate the impact of supervision and monitoring; electronic health record and tele-communication interventions in low-middle-income countries.

Impact of education and provision of complementary feeding on growth and morbidity in children less than 2 years of age in developing countries: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: About one third of deaths in children less than 5 years of age are due to underlying undernutrition. According to an estimate, 19.4% of children <5 years of age in developing countries were underweight (weight-for-age Z score <-2) and about 29.9% were stunted in the year 2011 (height-for-age Z score <-2). It is well recognized that the period of 6-24 months of age is one of the most critical time for the growth of the infant. METHODS: We included randomized, non-randomized trials and programs on the effect of complementary feeding (CF) (fortified or unfortified, but not micronutrients alone) and education on CF on children less than 2 years of age in low and middle income countries (LMIC). Studies that delivered intervention for at least 6 months were included; however, studies in which intervention was given for supplementary and therapeutic purposes were excluded. Recommendations are made for input to the Lives Saved Tool (LiST) model by following standardized guidelines developed by Child Health Epidemiology Reference Group (CHERG). RESULTS: We included 16 studies in this review. Amongst these, 9 studies provided education on complementary feeding, 6 provided complementary feeding (with our without education) and 1 provided both as separate arms. Overall, education on CF alone significantly improved HAZ (SMD: 0.23; 95% CI: 0.09, 0.36), WAZ (SMD 0.16, 95% CI: 0.05, 0.27), and significantly reduced the rates of stunting (RR 0.71; 95% CI: 0.56, 0.91). While no significant impact were observed for height and weight gain. Based on the subgroup analysis; ten studies from food secure populations indicated education on CF had a significant impact on height gain, HAZ scores, and weight gain, however, stunting reduced non-significantly. In food insecure population, CF education alone significantly improved HAZ scores, WAZ scores and significantly reduced the rates of stunting, while CF provision with or without education improved HAZ and WAZ scores significantly. CONCLUSION: Complementary feeding interventions have a potential to improve the nutritional status of children in developing countries. However, large scale high quality randomized controlled trials are required to assess the actual impact of this intervention on growth and morbidity in children 6-24 months of age. Education should be combined with provision of complementary foods that are affordable, particularly for children in food insecure countries.

Born too soon: care before and between pregnancy to prevent preterm births: from evidence to action.

Providing care to adolescent girls and women before and between pregnancies improves their own health and wellbeing, as well as pregnancy and newborn outcomes, and can also reduce the rates of preterm birth. This paper has reviewed the evidence-based interventions and services for preventing preterm births, reported the findings from research priority exercise, and prescribed actions for taking this call further. Certain factors in the preconception period have been shown to increase the risk for prematurity and, therefore, preconception care services for all women of reproductive age should address these risk factors through preventing adolescent pregnancy, preventing unintended pregnancies, promoting optimal birth spacing, optimizing pre-pregnancy weight and nutritional status (including a folic acid-containing multivitamin supplement) and ensuring that all adolescent girls have received complete vaccination. Preconception care must also address risk factors that may be applicable to only some women. These include screening for and management of chronic diseases, especially diabetes; sexually-transmitted infections; tobacco and smoke exposure; mental health disorders, notably depression; and intimate partner violence. The approach to research in preconception care to prevent preterm births should include a cycle of development and delivery research that evaluates how best to scale up coverage of existing evidence-based interventions, epidemiologic research that assesses the impact of implementing these interventions and discovery science that better elucidates the complex causal pathway of preterm birth and helps to develop new screening and intervention tools. In addition to research, policy and financial investment is crucial to increasing opportunities to implement preconception care, and rates of prematurity should be included as a tracking indicator in global and national maternal child health assessments.