Maternal Migration Background and Mortality Among Infants Born Extremely Preterm

IMPORTANCE: Extremely preterm infants require care provided in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) to survive. In the Netherlands, a decision is made regarding active treatment between 24 weeks 0 days and 25 weeks 6 days after consultation with the parents.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between maternal migration background and admissions to NICUs and mortality within the first year among extremely preterm infants.DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cross-sectional study linked data of registered births in the Netherlands with household-level income tax records and municipality and mortality registers. Eligible participants were households with live births at 24 weeks 0 days to 25 weeks 6 days gestation between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2017. Data linkage and analysis was performed from March 1, 2020, to June 30, 2023.EXPOSURE: Maternal migration background, defined as no migration background vs first- or second-generation migrant mother.MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Admissions to NICUs and mortality within the first week, month, and year of life. Logistic regressions were estimated adjusted for year of birth, maternal age, parity, household income, sex, gestational age, multiple births, and small for gestational age. NICU-specific fixed effects were also included.RESULTS: Among 1405 live births (768 male [54.7%], 546 [38.9%] with maternal migration background), 1243 (88.5%) were admitted to the NICU; 490 of 546 infants (89.7%) born to mothers with a migration background vs 753 of 859 infants (87.7%) born to mothers with no migration background were admitted to NICU (fully adjusted RR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.99-1.08). A total of 652 live-born infants (46.4%) died within the first year of life. In the fully adjusted model, infants born to mothers with a migration background had lower risk of mortality within the first week (RR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.66-0.99), month (RR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.72-0.97), and year of life (RR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.75-0.96) compared with infants born to mothers with no migration background.CONCLUSIONS:In this nationally representative cross-sectional study, infants born to mothers with a migration background at 24 weeks 0 days to 25 weeks 6 days of gestation in the Netherlands had lower risk of mortality within the first year of life than those born to mothers with no migration background, a result that was unlikely to be explained by mothers from different migration backgrounds attending different NICUs or differential preferences for active obstetric management across migration backgrounds. Further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms driving these disparities, including parental preferences for active care of extremely preterm infants.</p

European progress in working towards a tobacco-free generation

Children have the right to grow up free from the hazards associated with tobacco smoking. Tobacco smoke exposure can have detrimental effects on children's health and development, from before birth and beyond. As a result of effective tobacco control policies, European smoking rates are steadily decreasing among adults, as is the proportion of adolescents taking up smoking. Substantial variation however exists between countries, both in terms of smoking rates and regarding implementation, comprehensiveness and enforcement of policies to address smoking and second-hand smoke exposure. This is important because comprehensive tobacco control policies such as smoke-free legislation and tobacco taxation have extensively been shown to carry clear health benefits for both adults and children. Additional policies such as increasing the legal age to buy tobacco, reducing the number of outlets selling tobacco, banning tobacco display and advertising at the point-of-sale, and introducing plain packaging for tobacco products can help reduce smoking initiation by youth. At societal level, health professionals can play an important role in advocating for stronger policy measures, whereas they also clearly have a duty to address smoking and tobacco smoke exposure at the patient level. This includes providing cessation advise and referring to effective cessation services.Conclusion: Framing of tobacco exposure as a child right's issue and of comprehensive tobacco control as a tool to work towards the ultimate goal of reaching a tobacco-free generation can help accelerate European progress to curb the tobacco epidemic. What is Known: • Tobacco exposure is associated with a range of adverse health effects among babies and children. • Comprehensive tobacco control policies helped bring down smoking rates in Europe and benefit child health. What is New: • Protecting the rights and health of children provides a strong starting point for tobacco control advocacy. • The tobacco-free generation concept helps policy-makers set clear goals for protecting future generations from tobacco-associated harms

Expansion of Smoke-Free Policies:Stepping Up FCTC’s Game

The Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC) is undoubtedly the most efficient international instrument for tobacco control. Article 8 FCTC shapes many smoke-free policies worldwide and in doing so it is usually associated with smoke-free regulation in enclosed public spaces. Our paper highlights that the FCTC contains a sound foundation for smoke-free policies that stretch beyond enclosed public places, such as open public spaces and (quasi-)private spaces. We demonstrate, in particular, that such wide smoke-free regulation, which is gaining momentum around the globe, is versatile and compatible with human rights standards. As such, these expanded smoke-free policies contribute to a wider culture of smoking denormalisation that scales up FCTC’s aspiration for tobacco control and subsequently to a smoke-free global society

The impact of smoke-free legislation on fetal, infant and child health: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

INTRODUCTION: Second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure is estimated to kill 600 000 people worldwide annually. The WHO recommends that smoke-free indoor public environments are enforced through national legislation. Such regulations have been shown to reduce SHS exposure and, consequently, respiratory and cardiovascular morbidity. Evidence of particular health benefit in children is now emerging, including reductions in low birthweight deliveries, preterm birth and asthma exacerbations. We aim to comprehensively assess the impact of smoke-free legislation on fetal, infant and childhood outcomes. This can inform further development and implementation of global policy and strategies to reduce early life SHS exposure. METHODS: Two authors will search online databases (1975–present; no language restrictions) of published and unpublished/in-progress studies, and references and citations to articles of interest. We will consult experts in the field to identify additional studies. Studies should describe associations between comprehensive or partial smoking bans in public places and health outcomes among children (0–12 years): stillbirth, preterm birth, low birth weight, small for gestational age, perinatal mortality, congenital anomalies, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, upper and lower respiratory infections and wheezing disorders including asthma. The Cochrane Effectiveness Practice and Organisational Care (EPOC)-defined study designs are eligible. Study quality will be assessed using the Cochrane 7-domain-based evaluation for randomised and clinical trials, and EPOC criteria for quasiexperimental studies. Data will be extracted by two reviewers and presented in tabular and narrative form. Meta-analysis will be undertaken using random-effects models, and generic inverse variance analysis for adjusted effect estimates. We will report sensitivity analyses according to study quality and design characteristics, and subgroup analyses according to coverage of ban, age group and parental/maternal smoking status. Publication bias will be assessed. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics assessment is not required. RESULTS: Will be presented in one manuscript. The protocol is registered with PROSPERO, registration number CRD42013003522