Relationship between maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index, gestational weight gain and childhood fatness at 6-7 years by air displacement plethysmography.

This study aims to investigate the effect of maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG) on offspring body composition. In this prospective cohort study, offspring body composition at 6 years of age was obtained through air displacement plethysmography. Linear regression was used to obtain crude and adjusted coefficients. Information regarding offspring body composition and maternal pre-pregnancy BMI was available for 3156 children and on offspring body composition and GWG for 3129 children. There was a direct association of maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and GWG with offspring's fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM), fat mass index (FMI), fat-free mass index (FFMI) and body fat percent (BF%) in crude and adjusted analyses. After adjustment for co-variables, for each kg m(-2) of maternal pre-pregnancy BMI increase, there was a mean increment of 0.13 kg in the offspring FFM, 0.06 kg m(-2) in FFMI, 0.11 kg in FM, 0.07 kg m(-2) in FMI and 0.18% in BF%. For each kilogram of maternal GWG increase, there was a mean increment of 0.08 kg in offspring's FM, 0.05 kg m(-2) in FMI, 0.04 kg in FFM, 0.01 kg m(-2) in FFMI and 0.18 % in BF%. Mothers with a higher pre-pregnancy BMI or GWG tend to have children with greater adiposity at age 6 years. Fetal overnutrition is more likely among mothers with greater BMI during pregnancy; as a consequence, it can accelerate the childhood obesity epidemic.

Detectable Trypanosoma cruzi parasitemia during pregnancy and delivery as a risk factor for congenital Chagas disease.

Vector control has led to a drastic decrease in the prevalence of acquired Chagas disease in Latin America, thus redirecting attention to congenital Chagas disease. We report results of a longitudinal study of 359 pregnant women in Yacuiba in southern Bolivia, of whom 147 (40.9%) were infected with Trypanosoma cruzi, to evaluate the relationship between the patency period of the parasitemia and the risk of congenital infection. Maternal infection was assessed by using T. cruzi-specific serologic tests, and parasitemia in mothers and newborns was diagnosed by using microscopic examination of blood in heparinized microhematocrit tubes. Parasitemia was present in 28.6% of the infected women. Its prevalence increased during the third trimester, then decreased at delivery. The likelihood of congenital infection was significantly correlated with the parasite density in the mother's blood. The risk of transmission increased during the third trimester of pregnancy and could explain premature births or low-weight newborns for infected mothers.

A randomized study of four cards designed to prevent problems during college students' 21st birthday celebrations.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of sending cards designed to prevent alcohol-related problems during 21st birthday celebrations. METHOD: College students were randomly assigned to receive cards with one of the following messages: (1) a neutral birthday greeting; (2) harm reduction information; (3) messages designed by the Be Responsible About Drinking (B.R.A.D.) Foundation, including harm reduction information and a description of the tragic death of Brad McCue during his 21st birthday celebration; (4) social norming messages designed to correct misperceptions of drinking; or (5) the combination of messages from Cards 2 and 4. A total of 994 students completed a post-21st birthday phone survey. Effects were evaluated in two cohorts with 444 and 550 students, respectively. RESULTS: There were no significant effects of the cards on drinking or alcohol-related problems. CONCLUSIONS: These null findings, plus some unexpected trends in our data, highlight the importance of carefully evaluating mailed interventions before deploying them on a large scale.

Valores hematologicos en recien nacidos sanos habitantes de altura: 3600 msnm / Haematologic values in normal newborns at 3600 meters above sea level

Pregunta de investigación. ¿Cuáles son los valores normales hematológicos de sangre de cordón umbilical de recien nacidos sanos de altura habitantes a 3600 m.s.n.m. cuyas madres son atendidas en el Hospital de la mujer de la ciudad de La Paz durante la gestión 2002?. Objetivo general. Conocer los valores normales hematológicos de sangre de cordón umbilical (serie roja y serie blanca) de los recien nacidos sanos habitantes de 3600 msnm antendidos en el hospital de la Mujer durante la gestión 2002. Diseño. Para responder la pregunta de investigación y cumplir con los objetivos, se diseño un estudio de corte transversal. Contexto o lugar. el estudio fue realizado en un centro de referencia como es el Hospital de la Mujer y se procesaron las muestras en el laboratorio del Instituto de Genética. Pacientes. Recien nacidos atendidos en el Hospital de la Mujer, según tamaño de muestra calculado tomando encuesta un nivel de confianza de 95 porciento, poder del 80 porciento, factor de revalencia para recien nacidos sanos de 65 porciento, dando un total de 297 pacientes; estos niños fieron ejegidos najo los criterios de inclusión y exclusión descritos. Intervención. Los criterios de inclusión fueron los RN sanos de altura (3600 m.s.n.m.) de ambos sexos. Los criterios de exclusión están referidos a Hipertensión materna, ruptura de membranas fetales por mas de 24 horas, fiebre materna, trabajo de arto mayor de 18 horas, presentaciones anormales. apgar menor a 5, etc. Una vez seleccionados los pacientes, se realizó la toma de muestra de angre de cordón umbilical (lado del niño) a libre caida, en el momento del nacimiento, vetiendo una cantidad de 3 ml. Aproximadamente en un tubo colector que contiene EDTA En laboratorio se mide la serie roja a tavés del hematócrito, hemoglobina y características morfológicas de klos eritrocitos en una placa de tinción utilizando la tinción de May Grunwald-Giensa, que al mismo tiempo nos permite analizar la fórmula Leucocitaria y os agregados plaquetarios. Se realizó el recuento de glóbulos blancos y plaquetas con la técnica UnoPett. Mediciones. Todo el equipo humano que realizó la recolección y el procesamiento de las muestras fue entrenado previamente. Se llenó un cuestionario de antecedentes generales para la identificación del niño recien nacido. En laboratorio se utilizó técnicas y equipos validados para realziar el Hto., Hb y el recuento de las células blancas según normas internacionales.