Maternal anthropometry for prediction of pregnancy outcomes: Memorandum from a USAID/WHO/PAHO/MotherCare meeting

The meeting discussed two main areas concerning maternal anthropometry in developing countries: (1) how various anthropometric indicators can be best utilized for assessing and monitoring the nutritional status of women at different times in their reproductive lives, and (2) the predictive value of various anthropometric indicators for identifying benefit or risk for maternal and perinatal/neonatal health and nutritional outcomes of pregnancy. The indicators discussed were prepregnancy weight, height, weight gain in pregnancy, arm circumference, weight-for-height and body mass index (weight (kg)/height (m)2). Some 50 experts reached consensus on the tools for assessing maternal nutritional status for widespread field application in developing countries, and on priority research needs. This Memorandum summarizes the general recommendations which have important and immediate field applications, as well as priority research issues related to specific indicators

Is the APLS formula used to calculate weight-for-age applicable to a Trinidadian population?

In paediatric emergency medicine, estimation of weight in ill children can be performed in a variety of ways. Calculation using the 'APLS' formula (weight = [age + 4] × 2) is one very common method. Studies on its validity in developed countries suggest that it tends to under-estimate the weight of children, potentially leading to errors in drug and fluid administration. The formula is not validated in Trinidad and Tobago, where it is routinely used to calculate weight in paediatric resuscitation

Pacific island regional preparedness for El Niño

The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle is often blamed for disasters in Pacific island communities. From a disaster risk reduction (DRR) perspective, the challenges with the El Niño part of the ENSO cycle, in particular, are more related to inadequate vulnerability reduction within development than to ENSO-induced hazard influences. This paper analyses this situation, filling in a conceptual and geographic gap in El Niño-related research, by reviewing El Niño-related preparedness (the conceptual gap) for Pacific islands (the geographic gap). Through exploring El Niño impacts on Pacific island communities alongside their vulnerabilities, resiliences, and preparedness with respect to El Niño, El Niño is seen as a constructed discourse rather than as a damaging phenomenon, leading to suggestions for El Niño preparedness as DRR as part of development. Yet the attention which El Niño garners might bring resources to the Pacific region and its development needs, albeit in the short term while El Niño lasts. Conversely, the attention given to El Niño could shift blame from underlying causes of vulnerability to a hazard-centric viewpoint. Instead of focusing on one hazard-influencing phenomenon, opportunities should be created for the Pacific region to tackle wider DRR and development concerns