Prediction of deciduous teeth eruption in Brazilian children: A cross-sectional study nested in a prospective birth cohort (BRISA).

BACKGROUND: Dental eruption is part of a set of children´s somatic growth phenomena. The worldwide accepted human dental eruption chronology is still based on a small sample of European children. However, evidence points to some population variations with the eruption at least two months later in low-income countries, and local standards may be useful. So, this study aimed to predict deciduous teeth eruption from 12 months of age in a Brazilian infant population. METHODS: We developed a cross-sectional study nested in four prospective cohorts - the Brazilian Ribeirão Preto and São Luís Cohort Study (BRISA) - in a sample of 3,733 children aged 12 to 36 months old, corrected by gestational age. We made a reference curve with the number of teeth erupted by age using the Generalized Additive Models for location, scale, and shape (GAMLSS) technique. The explanatory variable was the corrected children´s age. The dependent variable was the number of erupted teeth, by gender, evaluated according to some different outcome distributional forms. The generalized Akaike information criterion (GAIC) and the model residuals were used as the model selection criterion. RESULTS: The Box-Cox Power Exponential method was the GAMLSS model with better-fit indexes. Our estimation curve was able to predict the number of erupted deciduous teeth by age, similar to the real values, in addition to describing the evolution of children's development, with comparative patterns. There was no difference in the mean number of erupted teeth between the sexes. According to the reference curve, at 12 months old, 25% of children had four erupted teeth or less, while 75% had seven or fewer and 95% had 11 or fewer. At 24 months old, 5% had less than 12, and 75% had 18 or more. At 36 months old, around 50% of the population had deciduous dentition completed (20 teeth). CONCLUSION: The adjusted age was an important predictor of the number of erupted deciduous teeth. This outcome can be a variable incorporated into children's growth and development curves, such as weight and height curves for age to help dentists and physicians in the monitoring the children's health.

Association between neonatal near miss and infant development: the Ribeirão Preto and São Luís birth cohorts (BRISA).

AIM: To analyze the association between neonatal near miss and infant development at two years. METHODS: Data from two birth cohorts, one conducted in Ribeirão Preto (RP)/São Paulo and the other in São Luís (SL)/Maranhão, were used. The cognitive, motor and communication development of children was evaluated using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley-III). The following criteria were used for the definition of NNM: birth weight < 1,500 g, 5-min Apgar score < 7, gestational age < 32 weeks, and report of congenital malformations. The relationship between neonatal near miss and development was assessed using the weighted propensity score from the Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting (IPTW). A directed acyclic graph was built to select the adjustment variables. RESULTS: A total of 1,050 mother-newborn dyads were evaluated in SL and 1,840 in RP. Regarding outcomes in SL and RP, respectively, 2.4% and 17.3% of the children were not competent in the cognitive domain, 12.1% and 13.3% in the receptive communication domain, 39.2% and 47.1% in the expressive communication domain, 20.7% and 12.6% in the fine motor domain, and 14.3% and 13.8% in the gross motor domain. The prevalence of neonatal near miss was 5.4% in SL and 4.3% in RP. Unadjusted analysis showed an association of neonatal near miss with fine motor development in SL and RP and with the cognitive, receptive communication, expressive communication, and gross motor domains only in RP. These associations remained after adjusted analysis. CONCLUSION: Neonatal near miss is a risk factor for developmental delays.

Insulin resistance phenotype is associated with vascular risk phenotype at the end of the second decade of life: a population-based study.

We hypothesize that early events of diabetes and cardiovascular disease continuums would be ongoing and associated in adolescents. We investigated the association between the Insulin Resistance Phenotype and the Vascular Risk Phenotype at the end of the second decade of life and indirect pathways from social vulnerability, alcohol consumption, and body fat mass. It is a population-based study in the RPS cohort of 18-19 years (n = 2,515), São Luís, Brazil. The theoretical model analyzed the association between Insulin Resistance Phenotype and Vascular Risk Phenotype by sex, using structural equation modeling (SEM). The Insulin Resistance Phenotype was a latent variable deduced from the correlations of Triglyceride to HDL ratio, Triglyceride Glycemic index, and VLDL; the Vascular Risk Phenotype was deduced from Systolic Blood Pressure, Diastolic Blood Pressure, and Pulse Wave Velocity. The Insulin Resistance Phenotype was directly associated with the Vascular Risk Phenotype in males (standardized coefficient SC = 0.183; p < 0.001) and females (SC = 0.152; p < 0.001). The Insulin Resistance Phenotype was an indirect pathway in the association of alcohol consumption and higher values of fat mass index with the Vascular Risk Phenotype. VLDL presented the highest factor loading, appearing as a marker of insulin resistance linked to cardiovascular risk in young people. Lower values of socioeconomic status, harmful use of alcohol, and high body fat values were also associated with higher values of the two phenotypes. The association of the Insulin Resistance Phenotype with the Vascular Risk Phenotype suggests common pathophysiological mechanisms present in early events in the continuums of diabetes and cardiovascular disease in adolescence.

Preterm birth and postpartum depression within 6 months after childbirth in a Brazilian cohort.

Preterm birth (PTB) and postpartum depression (PPD) are important public health issues, and although literature mainly supports the association between them, some reviews have highlighted methodological limitations in the studies in this field, restricting the interpretation of such finding. This study aimed at assessing the association between PTB and PPD, by comparing groups of preterm and full-term mothers in two Brazilian cities with contrasting sociodemographic indicators. This prospective convenience cohort study assessed 1421 women during pregnancy, at childbirth, and in the postpartum period. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was administrated to assess PPD within 6 months after delivery and women were considered probably depressed if scores were EDPS ≥ 12. PTB was defined as the delivery before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy. A multivariate Poisson regression was used to estimate relative risk for PPD in mothers of preterm infants, and the final analysis models were adjusted for psychosocial variables, selected according to the directed acyclic graph (DAG) approach. Frequencies of PPD were not significantly different in mothers of preterm and full-term infants, in neither city. In the final adjusted model, PTB was not associated with PPD. The association between PTB and PPD was not confirmed in two large samples from two Brazilian cities with contrasting socioeconomic profile. However, maternal health during pregnancy plays an important role in predicting PPD. Prenatal care should promote maternal mental health as an effort towards decreasing unfavored outcomes for mothers, infants, and families.

Factors associated with allergy traits around the 2nd year of life: a brazilian cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Allergic status has been strongly influenced by early exposures; however, allergic diseases are hard to measure in early life. Thus, this study proposed a latent variable allergy traits around the second year of life and analyzed pre- and perinatal factors associated with this phenomenon. METHODS: The study used data from the BRISA birth cohort, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil (n = 3644). The theoretical model included: family allergy (history of allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and asthma); gestational period variables (socioeconomic status, mother's skin color, pregestational body mass index - BMI, smoking, gestational diabetes, and hypertension); birth variables (gestational age, 5-minute Apgar score, birth weight, type of delivery), and early life factor (exclusive breast feeding). The outcome was allergy traits around the 2nd year of life, a latent variable deduced from the shared variance among medical diagnosis of allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and food allergy. The model was analyzed by structural equation modeling. RESULTS: Higher socioeconomic status (SC = 0.256; p < 0.001) and higher family allergy values (SC = 1.224; p < 0.001) were associated with higher allergy trait values. Hypertension during pregnancy was associated with higher values (SC = 0.170; p = 0.022) and exclusive breast feeding (SC = -0.192; p < 0.001) with low allergy trait values. CONCLUSION: Although socioeconomic and environmental factors were associated with allergy traits around the 2nd year of life, the family component of allergy was the exposure that best explained this outcome.

High sugar content and body mass index: modelling pathways around the first 1000 d of life, BRISA cohort.

OBJECTIVE: Few studies are focused on sugar consumption around the first 1000 d of life. Thus, this work modelled the pathways linking the consumption of sugary drinks in pregnancy and maternal pre-gestational BMI to early child's exposure to products with high sugar content and to BMI z-score in the second year of life. DESIGN: BRISA cohort, São Luís, Brazil was used from the baseline to the follow-up at the second year of life. SETTING: A theoretical model was constructed to analyse associations between variables from prenatal period (socio-economic status, age, frequency of sugary drinks consumption during pregnancy and pre-gestational BMI), birth weight, exclusive breast-feeding and two outcomes: higher calories from products with added sugar as a percentage of the total daily energy intake and BMI z-score at follow-up at the first 2 years of life, using structural equation modelling. PARTICIPANTS: Data of pregnant women (n 1136) and their offspring. RESULTS: Higher pre-gestational BMI (standardised coefficient (SC) = 0·100; P = 0·008) and higher frequency of sugary drinks consumption during pregnancy (SC = 0·134; P < 0·001) resulted in high percentage of daily calories from products with added sugar in the second year of child, although no yet effect was observed on offspring weight at that time. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal obesity and sugary drinks consumption in pregnancy increased the risk of early exposure (before to 2 years) and high exposure of child to added sugar, showing perpetuation of the unhealthy dietary behaviours in the first 1000 d of life.

Comparison of body composition parameters in the study of the association between body composition and pulmonary function.

BACKGROUND: The excess adiposity, even in the absence of diseases, is responsible for a decline in pulmonary function, which is considered a predictor of mortality and a risk factor for diseases in several epidemiological studies. However, studies on the association between obesity and pulmonary function have found only few associations or inconclusive results. The aim of the study is to evaluate the association between body composition and spirometric parameters, comparing simple obesity measures such as body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference with more precise body composition measurements such as dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and air-displacement plethysmography (BOD POD). METHODS: This is an observational, cross-sectional study that used data from the 1978/79 Ribeirão Preto birth cohort (São Paulo, Brazil). The study included 1746 participants from the 5th follow-up of the cohort. Linear regressions were calculated to evaluate the association between BMI, waist circumference, waist-height ratio (WHtR), BOD POD- and DXA-measured fat mass percentage, and spirometric parameters FEV1, and FVC. RESULTS: For every 1-kg/m2 BMI increase, FVC decreased by 13 ml in males and by 6 ml in females and FEV1 decreased by 11 ml and 5 ml, respectively. Regarding body composition measurements, for a 1% increase in fat mass assessed by BOD POD, FVC decreased by 16 ml in males and by 8 ml in females and FEV1 decreased by 13 ml and 7 ml, respectively. Hence, negative associations between body measurements and FEV1 and FVC were observed in both genders, especially when using the fat mass measurement and were more expressive in men. CONCLUSION: The anthropometric and body composition parameters were negatively associated with the spirometric variables FVC and FEV1. We have also observed that simple measures such as waist-height ratio were sufficient to detect the association of body composition with pulmonary function reduction.

Exposure to per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances in pregnant Brazilian women and its association with fetal growth.

Research pertaining to exposure of humans to per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) has received considerable public and regulatory attention in recent years. Although several studies have reported exposure to PFASs by populations in North America and western Europe, such information is still scarce in Latin America, including Brazil. In this study, concentrations of thirteen PFASs were determined in whole blood collected during the second trimester from 252 pregnant Brazilian women. This is a nested case-control study within the Brazilian Ribeirao Preto and Sao Luiz Birth Cohort Study (BRISA) with selected birth outcomes cases (n = 63) and matched controls (n = 189). PFASs concentrations were associated with conditions including preeclampsia, birth weight (BW), preterm birth, and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Among PFASs measured, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was found at the highest concentration (range: 1.06-106 ng mL-1 with a median value of 3.41 ng mL-1) which was followed by perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA, range: 0.11-2.77 ng mL-1 with a median value of 0.20 ng mL-1). A significant positive association of PFOS and PFOA concentrations with fetal growth restriction (p < 0.05) was found. This is the first study to assess whole blood concentrations of PFASs and their effect on fetal growth in pregnant Brazilian women.

Cesarean Delivery and Hypertension in Early Adulthood.

The rate of cesarean delivery (CD) is high in many parts of the world. Birth via CD has been associated with adverse later health outcomes, such as obesity, asthma, and type 1 diabetes mellitus. Few studies have focused on hypertension. We investigated the associations of CD with hypertension, systolic blood pressure (BP), and diastolic BP and tested whether body mass index (BMI; weight (kg)/height (m)2) was a mediator of these associations in a birth cohort (n = 2,020) assembled in 1978-1979 and followed up in 2002-2004 in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. The CD rate was 32.0%. Hypertension was present in 11.7% of persons born via CD and 7.7% of those born vaginally. Being born by CD increased the odds of hypertension by 51% (odds ratio = 1.51, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10, 2.07). After adjustment for confounders, this estimate changed little (odds ratio = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.07, 2.06). In a mediation analysis, odds ratios for the indirect and direct effects were 1.18 (95% CI: 1.11, 1.25) and 1.31 (95% CI: 0.97, 1.65), respectively. CD also had indirect effects on both systolic and diastolic BP via BMI. Our findings suggest that CD is associated with young-adult hypertension and that this association is at least partially mediated by BMI. This has implications for countries struggling with the burden of noncommunicable diseases and where CD rates are high.

Urinary incontinence between 12 and 24 months postpartum: a cross-sectional study nested in a Brazilian cohort from two cities with different socioeconomic characteristics.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: We aimed to identify the prevalence of urinary incontinence (UI) during the postpartum period (12-24 months) in two cities with different socioeconomic indicators in Brazil (Ribeirão Preto, SP, and São Luís, MA) and to determine associated risk factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study nested in the Brazilian Ribeirão Preto and São Luís Birth Cohort Studies (BRISA) cohort was conducted in two Brazilian municipalities (Ribeirão Preto, and São Luís). A total of 13,214 women delivered in both cities (2010-2011). We interviewed 3,751 postpartum women in Ribeirão Preto and 3275 in São Luís (2011-2013). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess factors associated with postpartum UI for each municipality. RESULTS: The prevalence of self-reported UI at 12-24 months postpartum was 16.3% (611 out of 3,751) in Ribeirão Preto and 11.4% (375 out of 3,275) in São Luís (p < 0.001). The univariate analysis performed at Ribeirão Preto showed that women who were obese, who had diabetes or gestational diabetes and who presented with excessive weight gain during gestation presented an association with postpartum UI. However, only weight gain during pregnancy remained strongly associated with UI on multivariate analysis (p = 0.009; OR 1.041 [1.010-1.073]). On the other hand, in São Luís, no risk factors were associated with postpartum UI at univariate and multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of UI was higher in Ribeirão Preto (higher socioeconomic level) than in São Luís. Weight gain during pregnancy was statistically associated with UI in Ribeirão Preto. No independent variables remained associated in the final model with UI in São Luís.

Periodontopathogenic microbiota, infectious mechanisms and preterm birth: analysis with structural equations (cohort-BRISA).

PURPOSE: The association between periodontopathogenic microbiota and preterm birth (PTB) has been overly studied. However, the biological mechanisms involved are little known. The objective is to evaluate the effect of periodontopathogenic bacteria burden (PBB), periodontal disease and other infections during pregnancy on preterm birth (PTB), through Structural Equation Modeling. METHODS: This was a case-control study nested in a prospective cohort called BRISA, including 330 pregnant women, 110 cases and 220 controls. This study included the following variables: cytokines interleukin-10 (IL-10) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß), periodontal disease, PBB, age, socioeconomic status (SES), systemic infections and PTB. The correlations between variables were analyzed using Standardized Coefficient (SC). RESULTS: Greater PBB interfered positively with the occurrence of periodontal disease (SC: 0.027; p: 0.011), but these were not associated with the cytokines studied, nor with PTB. The lower serum levels of IL-10 (SC - 0.330; p 0.022) and TGF-ß (SC - 0.612; p < 0.001), and the presence of other systemic infections during pregnancy (SC 0.159; 0.049) explained the higher occurrence of PTB. CONCLUSION: It is possible that only the more severe periodontal disease and other systemic infections are capable of altering the cascade of cytokines regulating the inflammatory process and have an effect on the occurrence of PTB.

Gender and social mobility modify the effect of birth weight on total and central obesity.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the interaction between gender and low birth weight (LBW) and lifelong social mobility as an explanation of the etiology of obesity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate total and central obesity according to gender, LBW and social mobility, within the context of the epidemiological transition in middle-income countries. We hypothesize that there are more pronounced metabolic consequences of social mobility for women born with LBW. METHODS: We used data from a birth cohort study conducted in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. Data regarding anthropometric measurements, schooling and smoking status were collected at 23-25 years of age. Social mobility was determined based on maternal and adult offspring schooling and categorized as Low-Low, Low-High and High-High. Analysis of covariance was performed to assess the association between social mobility and body mass index (BMI) or waist circumference (WC) in adulthood, stratified by LBW and gender. RESULTS: Data on 6827 singleton pregnancies were collected at birth in 1978/79 and a sample was followed up in 2002/04. A total of 2063 subjects were included in the study. Mean age was 23.9 ± 0.7 years, 51.8% (n = 1068) were female and the LBW was 6.2% (n = 128). There was a triple interaction between social mobility, LBW and gender. Among women born without LBW, BMI and WC were higher in the Low-Low group compared to High-High schooling group. Among LBW women, BMI and WC were higher in the Low-Low group compared to the Low-High group. CONCLUSIONS: Women born with LBW belonging to the low schooling group in early adulthood had high BMI and WC, compared to the Low-High social mobility group.

Dietary patterns are associated with excess weight and abdominal obesity in a cohort of young Brazilian adults.

PURPOSE: The objective of the present study was to investigate whether dietary patterns are associated with excess weight and abdominal obesity among young adults (23-25 years). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 2061 participants of a birth cohort from Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, started in 1978-1979. Twenty-seven subjects with caloric intake outside ±3 standard deviation range were excluded, leaving 2034 individuals. Excess weight was defined as body mass index (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2)), abdominal obesity as waist circumference (WC > 80 cm for women; >90 cm for men) and waist/hip ratio (WHR > 0.85 for women; >0.90 for men). Poisson regression with robust variance adjustment was used to estimate the prevalence ratio (PR) adjusted for socio-demographic and lifestyle variables. Four dietary patterns were identified by principal component analysis: healthy, traditional Brazilian, bar and energy dense. RESULTS: In the adjusted analysis, the bar pattern was associated with a higher prevalence of excess weight (PR 1.46; 95 % CI 1.23-1.73) and abdominal obesity based on WHR (PR 2.19; 95 % CI 1.59-3.01). The energy-dense pattern was associated with a lower prevalence of excess weight (PR 0.73; 95 % CI 0.61-0.88). Men with greater adherence to the traditional Brazilian pattern showed a lower prevalence of excess weight (PR 0.65; 95 % CI 0.51-0.82), but no association was found for women. There was no association between the healthy pattern and excess weight/abdominal obesity. CONCLUSIONS: In this sample, the bar pattern was associated with higher prevalences of excess weight and abdominal obesity, while the energy-dense (for both genders) and traditional Brazilian (only for men) patterns were associated with lower prevalences of excess weight.

Pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome: multifactorial assessment from the foetal stage to menopause.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a multifactorial disorder that arises from interactions between genetic, environmental and intra-uterine factors. Small-for-gestational-age (SGA) babies and the daughters of mothers with PCOS represent possible postnatal clinical targets for developmental programming by steroid excess. The presence of excess glucocorticoids and/or androgens during foetal organogenesis and growth might promote changes in gene expression, and these changes might be related to an increase in the risk of PCOS-like reproductive and metabolic disorders in postnatal life, such as rapid growth and weight gain during the first 2 years of life (only in SGA babies), hyperinsulinaemia, adipocyte dysfunction and childhood visceral obesity, premature pubarche and adrenarche (only in SGA babies) and PCOS. In the fourth decade of life, women who have PCOS may be at higher risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia and systemic arterial hypertension, which suggests that these women are also at higher risk for cardiovascular disease during menopause. However, PCOS can also occur in women who were born at appropriate weight for GA or in newborns of women without PCOS, which suggests that genetic variation and environmental factors play important roles in the development and maintenance of PCOS in a population. Genome-wide association studies based on adequate population samples have shown a higher frequency of genetic polymorphisms of the LHCGR, THADA and DENND1A genes in women with PCOS. Genetic studies of PCOS have also included analyses of structural changes in the chromosome based on an assessment of telomere length in single, cross-sectional evaluations, and these studies have produced controversial results. The present narrative review assesses the multifactorial origins of PCOS (including environmental, genetic and intra-uterine factors) and the development of conditions associated with this disorder. It is concluded that although PCOS might originate in the intra-uterine environment through developmental programming by steroid excess, the interaction between genetic and environmental factors is crucial for its appearance. Follow-up studies should be conducted to assess the same populations over their entire lifespans while taking into account different aspects of the pathogenesis of PCOS.

Effect of maternal skin-to-skin contact on decolonization of Methicillin-Oxacillin-Resistant Staphylococcus in neonatal intensive care units: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Decolonization with topical antibiotics is necessary to control outbreaks of multidrug-resistant bacterial infection in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), but can trigger bacterial resistance. The objective of this study was to determine whether skin-to-skin contact of newborns colonized with Methicillin-Oxacillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus or Methicillin-Oxacillin-Resistant Coagulase-Negative Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA/MRSE) with their mothers could be an effective alternative to promote bacterial decolonization of newborns' nostrils. METHODS: We performed a randomized clinical trial with 102 newborns admitted to the NICU in three hospitals in São Luís, Brazil. Inclusion criteria were birth weight of 1300 to 1800 g, more than 4 days of hospitalization, newborns with positive nostril cultures for MRSA and/or multidrug-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococcus and mothers not colonized by these bacteria. We used a random number algorithm for randomization. Allocation was performed using sealed opaque envelopes. Skin-to-skin contact was given twice a day for 60 minutes for seven consecutive days. The control group received routine care without skin-to-skin contact. There was no masking of newborn's mothers or researchers but the individuals who carried out bacterial cultures and assessed results were kept blind to group allocation. The primary outcome was colonization status of newborns' nostrils after 7 days of intervention. The directional hypothesis was that more newborns who receive skin-to-skin holding 2 hours/day for 7 days than newborns who receive normal care will be decolonized. RESULTS: Decolonization of MRSA/MRSE was greater in the intervention group (Risk Ratio = 2.27; 95% CI 1.27-4.07, p-value = 0.003). Number Needed to Treat (NNT) was 4.0 (95% CI 2.2 - 9.4). After adjustment for the possible confounding effects of small for gestational age birth, antibiotic use, need for resuscitation, sex and cesarean delivery, skin-to-skin contact remained strongly associated with decolonization of newborns' nostrils from MRSA/MRSE bacteria (p = 0.007). There was no need to interrupt the trial for safety reasons. CONCLUSION: Skin-to-skin contact might be an effective and safe method for promoting decolonization of newborns' nostrils colonized by MRSA/MRSE. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT01498133 , November 21, 2011).

Postpartum depression screening by telephone: a good alternative for public health and research.

This study verified the reliability and validity of the Edinburg Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) administered by telephone interviews. In a cross-sectional study of a cohort from Brazil (BRISA), the EPDS was administered by telephone to 1,083 women within 12 months postpartum, and 257 (23.7 %) participants had an EPDS score ≥10. At 67 ± 48 days after their telephone interview, 199 (EPDS ≥10 = 96; EPDS <10 = 103) participants were interviewed face-to-face using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) and completed the EPDS again by self-report. In 90 participants, the diagnosis of major depressive episode was confirmed by the SCID (EPDS ≥10 = 65; EPDS <10 = 25). The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.861. The Spearman's correlation between the EPDS administered by telephone and the self-reported EPDS was 0.69 (p < 0.001). The receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve for the EPDS administered by telephone was 0.78 (95 % confidence interval (CI) = 0.72 to 0.84). Scores ≥10 showed a sensitivity of 72.2 %, a specificity of 71.6 %, and a positive predictive value of 67.7 %. The application of the EPDS by telephone is a suitable alternative for clinical practice and research and represents a method to optimize the diagnosis of postpartum depression.

Inadequate prenatal care utilization and associated factors in São Luís, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Over the last decades there has been a reduction of social inequalities in Brazil, as well as a strong expansion of health services, including prenatal care. The objective of the present study was to estimate the rate of inadequate prenatal care utilization and its associated factors in São Luís, Brazil, in 2010 and to determine whether there was a reduction of inequity in prenatal care use by comparing the present data to those obtained from a previous cohort started in 1997/98. METHODS: Data from the BRISA (Brazilian birth cohort studies of Ribeirão Preto and São Luís) population-based cohort, which started in 2010 (5067 women), were used. The outcome variable was the inadequate utilization of prenatal care, classified according to the recommendations of the Brazilian Ministry of Health. The explanatory variables were organized into three hierarchical levels based on the Andersen's behavioral model of the use of health services: predisposing, enabling and need factors. RESULTS: Only 2.0% of the women did not attend at least one prenatal care visit. The rate of inadequate prenatal care utilization was 36.7%. Despite an improved adequacy of prenatal care use from 47.3% in 1997/98 to 58.2% in 2010, social inequality persisted: both low maternal schooling (prevalence ratio (PR) = 2.78; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 2.23-3.47 for 0 to 4 years of study) and low family income, less than 0.5 monthly minimum wage per capita (PR = 1.37; 95% CI 1.22-1. 54), continued to be associated with higher rates of inadequate prenatal care utilization. Racial disparity regarding adequate utilization of prenatal services was detected, with black (PR = 1.19; 95% CI 1.04-1.36) and mulatto (PR = 1.14; 95% CI 1.02-1.26) women showing higher rates of inadequate use. On the other hand, women covered by the FHP - Family Health Program (PR = 0.92; 95% CI 0.85-0.98) showed a lower rate of inadequate prenatal care utilization. CONCLUSIONS: Despite strong expansion of health services and expressive improvements in adequate prenatal care use and social indicators, inequalities in prenatal care use still persist. The FHP seems to be effective in reducing inadequate prenatal care utilization.

Low birth weight in São Luís, northeastern Brazil: trends and associated factors.

BACKGROUND: To analyze trends in LBW (low birth weight) rate using birth registry data and identify factors associated with LBW in São Luís comparing two birth cohorts separated by a 12-year interval. METHODS: 2,426 births were included in 1997/98 and 5,040 in 2010. The dependent variable was LBW (<2,500 g). Multiple logistic regression was performed to determine the association of independent variables with LBW. Data were also obtained from SINASC (Brazilian National Birth Registry) to analyze stillbirth and LBW rates trends from 1996 to 2010, using 3-year moving averages. RESULTS: LBW, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and preterm birth rates did not differ between the two cohorts. Despite this, birth registry data showed increasing LBW rate up to 2001, coinciding with decreasing stillbirth rate. Both stillbirth and LBW rates decreased thereafter. A significant reduction was observed in the percentage of teenage mothers, mothers with up to 4 years of education, family income up to one minimum wage and mothers who did not attend prenatal care. There was an increase in maternal age ≥35 years and schooling ≥12 years. The variables associated with LBW in 1997/98 were young maternal age (<18 years), maternal smoking during pregnancy and primiparity. Variables that remained in the adjusted model in 2010 were female gender, income <3 minimum wages, lack of prenatal care, maternal smoking during pregnancy and primiparity. CONCLUSIONS: Although LBW rate did not differ between the two cohorts, this apparent stability masked an increase up to 2001 and a decrease thereafter. The rise in LBW rate paralleled reduction in the stillbirth rate, suggesting improvement in obstetrical and newborn care. Maternal, socioeconomic and demographic factors associated with LBW differed between the two cohorts, except for smoking during pregnancy and parity that were significantly associated with LBW in both cohorts.

Psychological violence against pregnant women in a prenatal care cohort: rates and associated factors in São Luís, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Violence against pregnant women has been associated with gestational and perinatal disorders. Psychological violence is the type least investigated and its associated factors have been little studied. The present study was conducted in order to estimate prevalence rates and analyze the factors associated with exclusive and recurrent psychological violence in the municipality of São Luís, Brazil. METHODS: Data regarding 982 pregnant women, aged from 14 to 45 years, interviewed in 2010 and 2011 in a prenatal cohort were used. A self-applied questionnaire was used to screen for violence. Pregnant women submitted to physical and sexual violence were excluded from the analysis of factors associated with exclusive psychological violence. Prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated by a Poisson regression model with a hierarchical approach at three levels. At level 1 of the theoretical-conceptual model, we analyzed demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and variables that express gender inequalities; at level 2, we analyzed social support received by the women, and at level 3, the life experiences of the pregnant women. RESULTS: Prevalence rate of exclusive psychological violence was 41.6% and of recurrent violence was 32.6%. Exclusive psychological violence was associated with pregnant women's age of 14 to 18 years (PR: 1.32 95% CI: 1.04 - 1.70), pregnant women's schooling superior to that of her intimate partner (PR: 1.54 95% CI: 1.09 - 2.16), inadequate social affective support/positive social interaction (PR: 1.34 95% CI: 1.11 - 1.62), use of illicit drugs by the pregnant women (PR: 1.80 95% CI: 1.16 - 2.81) and having had six or more intimate partners in life (PR: 1.52 95% CI: 1.18 - 1.96). Recurrent exclusive psychological violence was associated with inadequate social affective support/positive social interaction (PR: 1.47 95% CI: 1.15 - 1.87), use of illicit drugs by the pregnant women (PR: 2,28 95% CI: 1,40 - 3,71) and having had six or more intimate partners in life (PR: 1.47 95% CI: 1.06 - 2.03). CONCLUSIONS: Psychological violence was a common phenomenon in this population of pregnant women that was associated with gender inequalities, inadequate social support and illicit drug use and should be routinely investigated during prenatal visits at health care services.

Socioeconomic and demographic factors are associated with dietary patterns in a cohort of young Brazilian adults.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to identify the main dietary patterns among young adults and to investigate the association of socioeconomic and demographic factors, and social mobility with dietary patterns. METHODS: Data from the fourth follow-up of the 1978/79 Ribeirão Preto birth cohort study, Brazil, were used. A total of 2,061 young adults, whose mothers gave sociodemographic information at birth in 1978-79, provided sociodemographic and dietary data through a validated food frequency questionnaire in 2002-2004, when they were aged 23-25 years. Those whose caloric intake was outside of the ±3 standard deviation range were excluded, leaving 2,034 individuals. The dietary patterns were identified by principal component analysis followed by varimax orthogonal rotation. Poisson regression with robust estimation of variance was used to derive prevalence ratios (PR). RESULTS: Four dietary patterns were identified: healthy, traditional Brazilian, energy-dense and bar. In the adjusted analysis, individuals with higher schooling (≥12 years) in adult life (PR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.07-2.14) showed greater adherence whilst men (PR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.68-0.93) had lower adherence to the healthy pattern. The highest adherence to the traditional Brazilian pattern was found for men (PR = 2.39, 95% CI: 2.04-2.80), mullatos (PR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.21-1.64), households with ≥2 members, and for those with children (PR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.07-1.55) while individuals with higher schooling in adulthood (≥12 years) (PR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.34-0.65), higher family income in adulthood (≥20 MW) (PR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.33-0.99) and higher family income at birth (≥6.1 MW) showed lower adherence. The bar pattern was positively associated with male sex (PR = 2.96, 95% CI: 2.47-3.55) and low schooling (≤8 years). The energy-dense pattern was not associated with any of the variables investigated. Social mobility was associated with the traditional Brazilian pattern. Men and women who were not poor at birth and remained so in adulthood showed lower adherence to this pattern (PR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.53-0.94 for men and PR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.20-0.80 for women). CONCLUSIONS: Four different dietary patterns were identified among young adults. Socioeconomic and demographic factors, and social mobility were associated with food choices.