Antenatal Seroprevalence of Zika and Chikungunya Viruses, Kingston Metropolitan Area, Jamaica, 2017-2019.

To determine the extent of exposure to Zika virus (ZIKV) and chikungunya virus (CHIKV) in Jamaica, we collected serum from 584 pregnant women during 2017-2019. We found that 15.6% had antibodies against ZIKV and 83.6% against CHIKV. These results indicate potential recirculation of ZIKV but not CHIKV in the near future.

Is gravidity associated with COVID-19 vaccination among pregnant women in Jamaica?

Introduction: In 2021, Jamaica's maternal mortality ratio doubled as a result of COVID-19-related deaths. Yet, COVID-19 vaccination among pregnant Jamaican women remained low. In the United States, COVID-19 vaccination is lower among pregnant women who have had multiple pregnancies (multigravidas) versus women who were pregnant for the first time (primigravidas). We examined whether this pattern exists in Jamaica. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of a convenience sample of 79 pregnant Jamaican women recruited from a teaching hospital (May-July 2022) was used to assess self-reported COVID-19 vaccination and medical mistrust beliefs-operationalized as low vaccine confidence, government mistrust, and race-based mistrust-by gravidity. We used modified Poisson regression to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for vaccination by gravidity, adjusting for age, education, and comorbidities. Results: Thirty-nine (49%) of the participants were multigravidas. Socioeconomic status was similar between multigravidas and primigravidas. COVID-19 vaccination was lower in multigravidas (46%) than primigravidas (75%) after adjusting for age, education, and comorbidities (aPR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.46-0.99; p = 0.044). Vaccine confidence was lower in multigravidas (p = 0.044). Government mistrust and race-based mistrust did not differ between the two groups. Conclusion: In Jamaica, multigravidas may have lower COVID-19 vaccine uptake and lower vaccine confidence compared with primigravidas. Understanding the distinct needs of pregnant subpopulations is essential for crafting effective maternal vaccination campaigns.

Factors Associated With Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccine Uptake Among Pregnant Women and Nonpregnant Women of Reproductive Age in Jamaica.

Background: Despite high rates of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related maternal mortality, Jamaica currently has little data on COVID-19 vaccine uptake among pregnant women. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, web-based survey of 192 reproductive-aged women in Jamaica from February 1 to 8, 2022. Participants were recruited from a convenience sample of patients, providers, and staff at a teaching hospital. We assessed self-reported COVID-19 vaccination status and COVID-19-related medical mistrust (operationalized as vaccine confidence, government mistrust, and race-based mistrust). We used multivariable modified Poisson regression to test the association between vaccine uptake and pregnancy. Results: Of 192 respondents, 72 (38%) were pregnant. Most (93%) were Black. Vaccine uptake was 35% in pregnant women versus 75% in nonpregnant women. Pregnant women were more likely to cite healthcare providers versus the government as trustworthy sources of COVID-19 vaccine information (65% vs 28%). Pregnancy, low vaccine confidence, and government mistrust were associated with a lower likelihood of COVID-19 vaccination (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] = 0.68 [95% confidence interval {CI}, .49-.95], aPR = 0.61 [95% CI, .40-.95], and aPR = 0.68 [95% CI, .52-.89], respectively). Race-based mistrust was not associated with COVID-19 vaccination in the final model. Conclusions: Pregnancy, low vaccine confidence, and government mistrust were associated with a lower likelihood of COVID-19 vaccination among reproductive-aged women in Jamaica. Future studies should evaluate the efficacy of strategies proven to improve maternal vaccination coverage, including standing "opt-out" vaccination orders and collaborative provider and patient-led educational videos tailored for pregnant individuals. Strategies that decouple vaccine messaging from government agencies also warrant evaluation.

Changes in preterm birth and stillbirth during COVID-19 lockdowns in 26 countries.

Preterm birth (PTB) is the leading cause of infant mortality worldwide. Changes in PTB rates, ranging from -90% to +30%, were reported in many countries following early COVID-19 pandemic response measures ('lockdowns'). It is unclear whether this variation reflects real differences in lockdown impacts, or perhaps differences in stillbirth rates and/or study designs. Here we present interrupted time series and meta-analyses using harmonized data from 52 million births in 26 countries, 18 of which had representative population-based data, with overall PTB rates ranging from 6% to 12% and stillbirth ranging from 2.5 to 10.5 per 1,000 births. We show small reductions in PTB in the first (odds ratio 0.96, 95% confidence interval 0.95-0.98, P value <0.0001), second (0.96, 0.92-0.99, 0.03) and third (0.97, 0.94-1.00, 0.09) months of lockdown, but not in the fourth month of lockdown (0.99, 0.96-1.01, 0.34), although there were some between-country differences after the first month. For high-income countries in this study, we did not observe an association between lockdown and stillbirths in the second (1.00, 0.88-1.14, 0.98), third (0.99, 0.88-1.12, 0.89) and fourth (1.01, 0.87-1.18, 0.86) months of lockdown, although we have imprecise estimates due to stillbirths being a relatively rare event. We did, however, find evidence of increased risk of stillbirth in the first month of lockdown in high-income countries (1.14, 1.02-1.29, 0.02) and, in Brazil, we found evidence for an association between lockdown and stillbirth in the second (1.09, 1.03-1.15, 0.002), third (1.10, 1.03-1.17, 0.003) and fourth (1.12, 1.05-1.19, <0.001) months of lockdown. With an estimated 14.8 million PTB annually worldwide, the modest reductions observed during early pandemic lockdowns translate into large numbers of PTB averted globally and warrant further research into causal pathways.

The Effect of Obstetric Drills Training - Jamaica Core Obstetric Teaching and Training in Emergencies (JOTTIE) on Postpartum Haemorrhage at a Jamaican Teaching Hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the initiation of JOTTIE, a one day simulation training course focussed on the management of common obstetric emergencies, was associated with a reduction in the morbidity and mortality associated with postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI). STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective comparative study that evaluated the incidence of multiple outcomes related to maternal morbidity secondary to PPH, during the two year period immediately prior to the introduction of JOTTIE (pre course arm, N = 88) or the two year period, one year post introduction (post course arm, N = 103) for all women who had vaginal deliveries complicated by PPH at UHWI. A relationship was said to be statistically significant if p < 0.05. Additionally, the study examined risk factors in relation to severity of haemorrhage. RESULTS: Genital tract trauma represented the highest recorded cause of PPH (approximately 71%). The data revealed that patients in the pre training arm were similarly likely to have no adverse outcome in comparison to patients in the post training arm (p = 0.962). There was also no statistically significant relationship between the time period of patient exposure in relation to the JOTTIE course and severity of PPH (p > 0.05). Uterine fibroids and Crohn's disease were the only co-morbidities found to increase the likelihood of severe PPH, at 5.154 times (p = 0.019,OR = 5.154, CI = 1.314-20.212) and 17.848 times (p = 0.085,OR = 17.848,CI = 0.672-474.365), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that prior to the introduction of the JOTTIE the rate of maternal morbidity associated with PPH was relatively low at UHWI and there was no significant effect on its management or a significant reduction in maternal morbidity since introduction of the course. Future research on the morbidity related to the other obstetric emergencies addressed at JOTTIE is needed in order to assess the effect of the course as a whole.

Detection of Potential Arbovirus Infections and Pregnancy Complications in Pregnant Women in Jamaica Using a Smartphone App (ZIKApp): Pilot Evaluation Study.

BACKGROUND: There is growing evidence of the benefits of mobile health technology, which include symptom tracking apps for research, surveillance, and prevention. No study has yet addressed arbovirus symptom tracking in pregnancy. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the use of a smartphone app (ZIKApp) to self-report arbovirus symptoms and pregnancy complications and to assess compliance with daily symptom diaries during pregnancy in a cohort of women in an arbovirus-endemic, subtropical, middle-income country (Jamaica). METHODS: Pregnant women aged ≥16 years, having a smartphone, and planning on giving birth at the recruiting center were enrolled between February 2020 and July 2020. ZIKApp comprised a daily symptom diary based on algorithms to identify potential episodes of arbovirus infection and pregnancy complications. Sociodemographic, epidemiological, and obstetric information was collected at enrollment, with additional review of medical records, and users' perception was collected through an exit survey. Descriptive analyses and logistic regression analysis of possible factors associated with diary adherence were performed. RESULTS: Of the 173 women enrolled, 157 (90.8%) used ZIKApp for a median duration of 155 (IQR 127-173) days until pregnancy end, 6 (3.5%) used the app for <7 days, and 10 (5.8%) exited the study early. For each successive 30-day period from enrollment up to 150 days after enrollment, of these 157 women, 121 (77.1%) to 129 (82.2%) completed their daily symptom diary; 50 (31.8%) to 56 (35.7%) did so on the same day. Overall, 31.8% (50/157) of the women had good adherence to diary reporting (ie, they completed the task on the same day or 2 to 3 days later for ≥80% of the days enrolled). There were 3-fold higher odds of good adherence for participants aged >34 years versus those aged 25 to 29 years (adjusted odds ratio 3.14, 95% CI 1.10-8.98) and 2-fold higher odds for women with tertiary versus secondary education (adjusted odds ratio 2.26, 95% CI 1.06-4.83). Of the 161 women who ever made a diary entry, 5454 individual symptom reports were made (median 17 per woman; IQR 4-42; range 0-278); 9 (5.6%) women reported symptom combinations triggering a potential arbovirus episode (none had an adverse pregnancy outcome) and 55 (34.2%) reported painful uterine contractions or vaginal bleeding, mainly in the month before delivery. Overall, 51.8% (71/137) of the women rated the app as an excellent experience and were less likely to be poor diary adherers (P=.04) and 99.3% (138/139) reported that the app was easy to understand and use. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot found a high adherence to ZIKApp. It demonstrated the feasibility and usability of the app in an arbovirus-endemic region, supporting its future development to contribute to surveillance and diagnosis of arbovirus infections in pregnancy and to optimize maternal care.