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Background: Perinatal depression is often underdiagnosed; consequently, many women suffer perinatal depression without follow-up care. Screening for depressive symptoms during the perinatal period has been recommended in Australia to increase detection and follow-up of women suffering from depressive symptoms. Screening rates have gradually increased over the last decades in Australia. Objective: To explore trends in referrals of women to community mental health services during the perinatal period, and prenatal and postnatal admissions to psychiatric units, among those who gave birth in Queensland between 2009 and 2015. Method: Retrospective analyses of data from three linked state-wide administrative data collections. Trend analyses using adjusted Poisson regression models examined 426,242 births. Outcome variables included referrals to specialised mental health services; women admitted with a mood disorder during the second half of their pregnancy and during the first 3 months of the postnatal period; and women admitted with non-affective psychosis disorders during the second half of their pregnancy and during the first 3 months of the postnatal period. Results: We found an increase in mental health referrals during the perinatal period over time (adjusted incidence rate ratio, 1.07; 95% confidence interval, [1.06, 1.08]) and a decrease in admissions with mood disorders during the first 3 months of the postnatal period (adjusted incidence rate ratio, 0.95; 95% confidence interval, [0.94, 0.98]). We did not find any changes in rates of admission for other outcomes. Conclusion: Since the introduction of universal screening in Queensland, referrals for mental health care during the perinatal period have increased, while admissions for mood disorders in the first 3 months after delivery decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in neonates requiring cardiac surgery. Feeding practices vary significantly across institutions and remain controversial. We conducted a systematic review of the literature and a meta-analysis to identify associations between feeding practices and necrotising enterocolitis. Methods: This study was carried out in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. A literature search was performed in November 2022 using the Cochrane Central Register, Embase, and Pubmed. Two investigators then independently retrieved eligible manuscripts considered suitable for inclusion. Data extracted included gestational age, birth weight, sex, nature of congenital heart lesion, type of operation performed, time on ventilator, ICU stay, hospital stay, post-operative feeding strategy, and complications. The methodological quality was assessed using the Downs and Black score for all randomised control trials and observational studies. Results: The initial search yielded 92 studies. After removing duplicates, there were 85 abstracts remaining. After excluding ineligible studies, 8 studies were included for the meta-analysis. There was no significant risk of NEC associated with pre-operative feeding [OR = 1.22 (95% CI 0.77,1.92)] or umbilical artery catheter placement [OR = 0.91 (95% CI 0.44, 1.89)] and neither outcome exhibited heterogeneity [I2 = 8% and 0%, respectively]. There was a significant association between HLHS and NEC [OR = 2.56 (95% CI 1.56, 4.19)] as well as prematurity and NEC [OR 3.34 (95% CI 1.94, 5.75)] and neither outcome exhibited heterogeneity [I2 = 0% and 0%, respectively]. Conclusions: There was no association between NEC and pre-operative feeding status in neonates awaiting cardiac surgery. Pre-operative feeding status was not associated with prolonged hospital stay or need for tube assisted feeding at discharge. HLHS and prematurity were associated with increased incidence of NEC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Cannabis use is increasing among women of reproductive age, warranting a greater understanding of the impact of prenatal cannabis use on offspring developmental outcomes. We tested for a potential relationship between prenatal cannabis use disorders (CUD) and offspring educational outcomes across primary and secondary school. Design Data were drawn from the New South Wales (NSW) Perinatal Data Collection, which included all live births in the Australian state of NSW between January 2003 and December 2005. These were linked with the NSW Admitted Patient Data collection for mothers and offspring, and the NSW National Assessment Program—Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN). Setting: New South Wales, Australia. Participants: A total of 189 558 offspring who completed the NAPLAN in grades 3, 5 and 7 (resulting in 568 674 examination periods). Measurements The exposure variable was ICD‐10 cannabis use disorders (CUD = F13.0–F13.9). The study included five outcome variables measured at three time‐points as not meeting the minimum national standards for: (i) numeracy, (ii) reading, (iii) spelling, (iv) writing and (v) grammar and punctuation. Findings In unadjusted analyses, prenatal CUD was associated with an increased risk for not meeting the national minimum standard of all outcomes [odds ratios (OR) ranging from 3.42 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.94, 3.99) to 4.17 (95% CI = 3.55, 4.91)], with no evidence for an interaction across time. However, the associations attenuated greatly after exact matching by covariates, with reading and numeracy no longer associated with prenatal CUD, while the increased risk of the other outcomes ranged from OR = 1.31 (95% CI = 1.09, 1.57) to OR = 1.40 (95% CI = 1.17, 1.68). Conclusion: Socio‐economic status appears to confound the association between prenatal cannabis use disorder and poor educational performance in offspring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We assessed the impact of caesarean delivery on offspring respiratory and intestinal infection. Methods: Data were extracted from all live births (n = 429,058) occurring in the Australian state of Queensland between January 2009 and December 2015, and followed for 12 months. Births were categorised as either non-medically indicated caesarean or vaginal delivery and each offspring had a record (present/absent) of respiratory and intestinal infection hospitalisation for each month from birth to 12 months. Results: Infants delivered by non-medically indicated caesarean were more likely to experience respiratory infection [OR = 1.51 (1.15, 1.99)] and intestinal infection [OR = 1.74 (1.19, 2.55)] than those born by vaginal delivery. In the propensity score weighted analyses the estimate for respiratory infection was similar but non-significant [OR = 1.52 (0.99, 2.31)], while the association with intestinal infection strengthened [OR = 2.21 (1.25, 3.89)]. Conclusions for Pratice: Our findings provide strong evidence for a specific and clinically meaningful link between non-medically indicated caesarean delivery and infant intestinal infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the growing interest in investigating social harms from drinking, little is known about drinkers' reports of these harms and their gender differences among Australian young adults at age 30. We aimed to examine gender differences of social harms from drinking as reported by drinkers. Methods: 2,200 young adults at age 30 with complete data on social harms from drinking were drawn from the 30-year follow-up of the Mater-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy. Measures included percentages of 11 past-year drinkers' self-reported social harms stratified by gender. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between gender and each social harm, accounting for relevant confounding. Results: More than one in five young adults (22%) reported at least one social harm in the past year. Among binge drinkers, 44% reported at least one social harm. After adjustments for social roles and binge drinking, we found no gender differences on several self-reported social harms: friendship problems, people criticizing drinking, non-marital family problems, employment problems, and alcohol-fuelled fights. However, men were more likely to report spousal threats to leave, drink-driving legal problems and financial problems. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that young adults are still vulnerable to risky drinking at age 30 and the social harm resulting from drinking. Thus, alcohol prevention campaigns should target this age group and include women in their focus. Strategies aiming to reduce alcohol-related harms, such as screening in clinical settings for risky drinking and alcohol-related harms, followed by motivational behavior interventions, could be beneficial among these vulnerable groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Knowledge of the factors which influence repeat pregnancy can inform much needed evidence-based prevention programs. This study aims to identify correlates of repeat pregnancy in the Philippines. Methods We used data from five Philippine Demographic and Health Surveys (1993–2013). A total of 4757 women 15–24 years old who had experienced ≥ 1 pregnancy were included. Individual and partner-related factors were fitted into a series of logistic regression stepwise models with deformalized survey weights. Stratified analyses using two age groups (15–19, 20–24) were also conducted. Interaction terms were included to test for statistical differences between the groups. Results Lower wealth quintiles [odds ratio (OR) 1.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.17–2.49] and partner characteristics such as age of ≥ 30 years (OR = 1.99, CI = 1.41–2.82), multiple partners (OR = 4.19, CI = 1.57–11.19) and live-in status (OR = 1.38, CI = 1.02–1.87) were found to be highly correlated with repeat pregnancy in fully adjusted analysis. Receiving prenatal care from traditional healers (OR = 1.93, CI = 1.02–3.63) during the first pregnancy and giving birth for the first time before 18 years of age (OR = 1.12, CI = 1.04–1.20) showed increased risks among 15–19 years old compared to 20–24 years old in stratified analysis. Conclusions for practice In general, partner characteristics were associated with repeat pregnancy among young women suggesting male involvement, especially older partners, in family planning. High risks for repeat pregnancy were observed among adolescent women who reported younger age at first birth and received prenatal care from a traditional healer which entail promotion of trained prenatal care. Further analysis is needed to validate these findings in other developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]