Maternal and neonatal vitamin D status at birth in black South Africans.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) in pregnant women has been associated with adverse pregnancy and neonatal outcomes. 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels are affected by numerous factors, including vitamin D intake, skin pigmentation, latitude and season of the year; they therefore vary by race and country. Vitamin D status in pregnant women and their offspring in South Africa (SA) is not well established. OBJECTIVES: To assess vitamin D status by measuring serum 25(OH)D in pregnant black SA women and their offspring in Johannesburg (latitude 26°S) and to assess whether vitamin D status is affected by maternal HIV infection. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled pregnant women and their healthy neonates, and measured 25(OH)D in maternal and cord blood at delivery. Pregnant women were stratified by their HIV status. Predictors of maternal and neonatal VDD (levels <30 nmol/L) were assessed using multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 291 pregnant women and their healthy neonates were enrolled over a 21-month period. Mean (standard deviation) maternal and cord blood 25(OH)D levels were 57.0 (29.7) and 41.9 (21.0) nmol/L and the prevalence of VDD was 15.9% and 32.8%, respectively. On average, concentrations of 25(OH)D in cord blood were ~80% of those in the mother. There was no association between cord 25(OH)D and gestational age, but levels were associated with birth weight (p<0.001). There were no differences in maternal or cord blood 25(OH)D levels between those HIV-infected or uninfected. The predictor of VDD in mothers was giving birth in winter (odds ratio (OR) 2.87, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.47 - 5.61), and in neonates the predictors were maternal age (OR 16.5, 95% CI 1.82 - 149), being born in winter (OR 3.68, 95% CI 2.05 - 6.61), being born by caesarean section (OR 4.92, 95% CI 1.56 - 15.57) and being of low birth weight (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.13 - 3.50). CONCLUSIONS: Among black SA women delivering in Johannesburg, about one in six mothers and one in three neonates have 25(OH)D levels indicative of VDD. Maternal HIV status appears not to affect levels of 25(OH)D in either the mother or her neonate. Research on the effects of VDD on the outcomes of pregnancy and the best methods to combat the high prevalence of VDD in women of childbearing age in the SA context is required.

Growth of Infants Born To HIV-Positive Mothers Fed a Whey-Adapted Acidified Starter Formula with Prebiotics and Nucleotides

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to evaluate whether infants born to known HIV-positive mothers; but who were not themselves infected with HIV and who were fed a chemically acidified starter formula with prebiotics with or without nucleotides during their first six months; displayed growth rates equal to uninfected infants fed a chemically acidified starter formula without prebiotics or nucleotides. Design: The design was a multi-centre; double-blinded randomised controlled trial. Setting: The study was carried out in four academic hospitals; three in Johannesburg and one in Cape Town; South Africa. Subjects and intervention: The subjects were newborn infants born to consenting HIV-positive women who had previously decided not to breast feed. The infants were randomised to receive one of three milk formulas. The intervention comprised chemically acidified formula without prebiotics or nucleotides; with prebiotics only; or with prebiotics and nucleotides. Outcome measures: The outcome measures were the growth parameters through the first six months of life. Results: Of the 150 randomised infants; 50 did not complete the study and 16 (12.8of those tested) were infected with HIV; leaving 84 infants available for analysis. All three formulas were tolerated well; with no differences in growth parameters seen with the addition of prebiotics and nucleotides. The growth rates of the study infants up to the age of six months were very good; showing an increase in Z-scores from negative values at the time of enrolment in the first week after birth to around zero for length and 0.5 for weight.Conclusions: The three chemically acidified formulas were tolerated well and resulted in good growth over the first six months of life. No benefits were seen with the addition of prebiotics or nucleotides. The growth rates were similar to those found in previous studies of ours on biologically acidified formulas. The chemical acidification of infant formulas appears to be a realistic alternative to biological acidification should an acidified formula be required

Growth of Infants Born To HIV-Positive Mothers Fed a Whey-Adapted Acidified Starter Formula with Prebiotics and Nucleotides

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to evaluate whether infants born to known HIV-positive mothers; but who were not themselves infected with HIV and who were fed a chemically acidified starter formula with prebiotics with or without nucleotides during their first six months; displayed growth rates equal to uninfected infants fed a chemically acidified starter formula without prebiotics or nucleotides. Design: The design was a multi-centre; double-blinded randomised controlled trial. Setting: The study was carried out in four academic hospitals; three in Johannesburg and one in Cape Town; South Africa. Subjects and intervention: The subjects were newborn infants born to consenting HIV-positive women who had previously decided not to breast feed. The infants were randomised to receive one of three milk formulas. The intervention comprised chemically acidified formula without prebiotics or nucleotides; with prebiotics only; or with prebiotics and nucleotides. Outcome measures: The outcome measures were the growth parameters through the first six months of life. Results: Of the 150 randomised infants; 50 did not complete the study and 16 (12.8of those tested) were infected with HIV; leaving 84 infants available for analysis. All three formulas were tolerated well; with no differences in growth parameters seen with the addition of prebiotics and nucleotides. The growth rates of the study infants up to the age of six months were very good; showing an increase in Z-scores from negative values at the time of enrolment in the first week after birth to around zero for length and 0.5 for weight.Conclusions: The three chemically acidified formulas were tolerated well and resulted in good growth over the first six months of life. No benefits were seen with the addition of prebiotics or nucleotides. The growth rates were similar to those found in previous studies of ours on biologically acidified formulas. The chemical acidification of infant formulas appears to be a realistic alternative to biological acidification should an acidified formula be required

Survival of very-low-birth-weight infants according to birth weight and gestational age in a public hospital.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the survival rates for infants weighing 500 - 1 499 g according to birth weight (BW) and gestational age (GA). DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study. Pregnancy and delivery data were collected soon after birth and neonatal data at discharge or at death. SETTING: Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital (CHBH), a public-sector referral hospital, affiliated to the University of the Witwatersrand. SUBJECTS: Live births weighing between 500 g and 1 499 g delivered at or admitted to CHBH from January 2000 to December 2002. OUTCOME MEASURES: BW and GA-specific survival rates for all live infants born at CHBH and for those admitted for neonatal care. RESULTS: Seventy-two per cent of infants survived until discharge. The survival to discharge rate was 32% for infants weighing < 1 000 g, and 84% for those weighing 1 000 - 1 499 g. Survival rates at 26, 27 and 28 weeks' gestation were 38%, 50% and 65% respectively. Survival rates for infants admitted to the neonatal unit were better than rates for all live births, especially among those weighing < 1 000 g or with a GA < 28 weeks. There was a marked increase in survival between the 900 - 999 g and 1 000 - 1 099 g weight groups. Provision of antenatal care, caesarean section, female gender and an Apgar score more than 5 at 1 or 5 minutes were associated with better survival to hospital discharge. CONCLUSION: Survival among infants weighing less than 1 000 g is poor. In addition to severe prematurity, the poor survival among these infants (< 1 000 g) is most likely related to the fact that they were not offered mechanical ventilation. Mechanical ventilation should be offered to infants weighing < 1 000 g as it may improve their survival even in institutions with limited resources.

Neonatal adrenal hemorrhage: clinical and abdominal sonographic findings.

Four neonates with adrenal hemorrhage are presented. The clinical manifestations included most often an abdominal mass but also anemia, jaundice, hypotension, bluish discoloration of the scrotum, and abdominal calcification. The diagnosis was established in each case upon abdominal sonographic findings. The review of these patients emphasizes the subtle and diverse clinical presentation of adrenal hemorrhage in a neonate and stresses the importance of abdominal sonography in establishing the diagnosis.

Meconium aspiration syndrome: importance of the monitoring of labor.

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to identify the associated obstetric and neonatal factors in babies with meconium aspiration syndrome. STUDY DESIGN: All babies diagnosed with meconium aspiration were included in the study. Maternal details, monitoring of labor, and mode of delivery were recorded. The neonatal details included Apgar scores, resuscitation, weight, gestational age, and the grading of the radiographs for severity of meconium aspiration syndrome. Outcome was determined as survival or death, the need for mechanical ventilation, and the severity of the radiographic changes. RESULTS: Of the 55 patients entered into the study 8 babies (14.5%) died and 23 (42%) received mechanical ventilation. Fifty-four percent of the babies were born postterm. Univariate analysis revealed that the lack of monitoring of the labor was the most significant variable associated with moderate to severe radiographic changes (p = 0.008). Tracheal suction was significantly associated with more severe radiographic changes (p = 0.008). One (8.2%) of 12 babies with mild radiographic changes had an arterial pH < 7.2 (p = 0.032). Multivariate analysis showed that mortality and the need for mechanical ventilation were associated with monitoring of labor and with prolonged resuscitation. Moderate to severe changes on radiograms were associated with tracheal suction and with prolonged resuscitation. The obstetric complications in this study were those commonly seen in the local obstetric practice. CONCLUSION: The monitoring of labor was the most significant factor in the reduction of meconium aspiration syndrome. The presence of more severe radiologic changes in those babies who had tracheal suction and a lower arterial pH supports the view that aspiration occurs in some babies before delivery. The number of babies delivered postterm suggests that avoidance of postmaturity is a further preventive factor in meconium aspiration syndrome.