Mother's education and offspring asthma risk in 10 European cohort studies

Highly prevalent and typically beginning in childhood, asthma is a burdensome disease, yet the risk factors for this condition are not clarified. To enhance understanding, this study assessed the cohort-specific and pooled risk of maternal education on asthma in children aged 3-8 across 10 European countries. Data on 47,099 children were obtained from prospective birth cohort studies across 10 European countries. We calculated cohort-specific prevalence difference in asthma outcomes using the relative index of inequality (RII) and slope index of inequality (SII). Results from all countries were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis procedures to obtain mean RII and SII scores at the European level. Final models were adjusted for child sex, smoking during pregnancy, parity, mother's age and ethnicity. The higher the score the greater the magnitude of relative (RII, reference 1) and absolute (SII, reference 0) inequity. The pooled RII estimate for asthma risk across all cohorts was 1.46 (95% CI 1.26, 1.71) and the pooled SII estimate was 1.90 (95% CI 0.26, 3.54). Of the countries examined, France, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands had the highest prevalence's of childhood asthma and the largest inequity in asthma risk. Smaller inverse associations were noted for all other countries except Italy, which presented contradictory scores, but with small effect sizes. Tests for heterogeneity yielded significant results for SII scores. Overall, offspring of mothers with a low level of education had an increased relative and absolute risk of asthma compared to offspring of high-educated mothers

Factors associated with breastfeeding initiation:A comparison between France and French-speaking Canada

Background: Breastfeeding is associated with multiple domains of health for both mothers and children. Nevertheless, breastfeeding initiation is low within certain developed countries. Furthermore, comparative studies of initiation rates using harmonised data across multiple regions is scarce. Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate and compare individual-level determinants of breastfeeding initiation using two French-speaking cohorts. Methods: Participants included ~ 3,900 mothers enrolled in two cohort studies in Canada and France. Interviews, questionnaires, and medical records were utilised to collect information on maternal, family, and medical factors associated with breastfeeding initiation. Results: Rates of breastfeeding initiation were similar across cohorts, slightly above 70%. Women in both Canada and France who had higher levels of maternal education, were born outside of their respective countries and who did not smoke during pregnancy were more likely to initiate breastfeeding with the cohort infant. Notably, cohort effects of maternal education at the university level were found, whereby having 'some university' was not statistically significant for mothers in France. Further, younger mothers in Canada, who delivered by caesarean section and who had previous children had reduced odds of breastfeeding initiation. These results were not found for mothers in France. Conclusions and Implications for Practice: While some similar determinants were observed, programming efforts to increase breastfeeding initiation should be tailored to the characteristics of specific geographical regions which may be heavily impacted by the social, cultural and political climate of the region, in addition to individual and family level factors.European Commission - Seventh Framework Programme (FP7

Mothers' Health After the Birth of the First Child

While the number of mothers resuming employment soon after the birth of a child is growing, knowledge about the effect that having both a baby and a job has on mental and physical health is still scarce. In this paper, we studied the health of 141 Italian first-time mothers, who were all employed during pregnancy. When their child was 15 months old, 84% were back at work; 24-36% suffered from lack of sleep, extreme tiredness and backache; more than half had experienced some feelings of depression since the birth. Considering the whole sample, poorly educated and unmarried mothers reported more physical health problems. Being employed per se showed no influence, but poorly educated mothers and those with a less qualified job reported more problems. On the basis of our results, we suggest that future research on new mothers, work and health should systematically include ''domestic'' variables and the characteristics of the paid job; and should analyze more thoroughly the influence of marriage status and educational level on health

Women's health after childbirth: a longitudinal study in France and Italy

Objective To describe the prevalence of various symptoms five months and twelve months after childbirth in two European countries, according to employment, financial difficulties and relationship with partner. Design Longitudinal multicentre survey with a similar design in France and Italy. Women were interviewed three times: at birth and twice after childbirth. At 12 months after childbirth, the survey was postal in both countries. Population Women who had been delivered of their first or second baby in three maternity units in France and five units in Italy. Women who had multiple pregnancies, a stillbirth or known neonatal death were excluded. Results The response rates were 83% in France and 88% in Italy. Fifteen symptoms were considered. The results were similar in the two countries and showed that the prevalence of most symptoms was higher at 12 months than at five months after childbirth. When their baby was one year old, more than half of the women reported backache, anxiety and extreme tiredness. Around one-third of women reported headache, lack of sexual desire, sleep disorders and depression. Piles, constipation and painful intercourse were also common. One year postpartum women with financial problems or a difficult relationship reported poor psychological health more frequently. Conclusion Physical and emotional problems are common after birth, and they tend to increase over time. Backache, headache and piles can seriously interfere with day-to-day Life. Sexual problems also may be a source of unhappiness for the woman and her partner. Extreme tiredness, anxiety and depression may make a woman feel guilty for not corresponding to the image of a healthy, happy and well-coping mother. There is a link between financial problems or a difficult relationship with her partner and her own wellbeing. Health professionals should be aware of the high prevalence of health problems among new mothers, and of the social context of women who are more likely to suffer from them. They should counsel the women in their care, in order to help them to find the best solution, be it medical or social in nature

Determinants of infant formula use and relation with growth in the first 4 months.

International audienceThe wide variety of infant formula available on the market can be confusing for parents and physicians. We aimed to determine associations between predominant type of formula used from birth to 4 months and parental and child characteristics and type of physician consulted, and then to describe relations between type of formula used and growth. Our analyses included 1349 infants from the EDEN mother-child cohort. Infant's feeding mode and type of formula used were assessed at 4 months by maternal self-report. Infant's weight and height from birth to 4 months, measured in routine follow-up, were documented by health professionals in the infant's personal health record. Anthropometric z-scores were calculated by using World Health Organization growth standards. Multinomial logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with the type of formula predominantly used; relations with growth were analysed by linear regressions. Partially hydrolysed formulas were more likely to be used by primiparous women (P  0.20). Infants breastfed shorter showed higher weight-for-age (P < 0.001) and length-for-age (P = 0.001) z-score changes between birth and 4 months. The use of a specific type of infant formula seems to be mainly related to parental characteristics. Infant's growth in the first 4 months is related to other factors than to the type of formula used

Maternal employment and socio‐economic status of families raising children born very preterm with motor or cognitive impairments: the EPIPAGE cohort study

International audienceAim To describe maternal employment and the socio-economic status of the household up to 8 years after the very preterm birth of a child, according to the presence and type of motor or cognitive impairment. Method A total of 1885 families from the French EPIPAGE cohort of children who were born very preterm between 1997 and 1998 were included. Motor and cognitive impairments were identified in children between the ages of 2 and 8 years in 770 families and were classified according to type. The 1115 families with children born very preterm without these impairments were considered the reference group. Results Mothers of children with severe motor or cognitive impairments were less often working at 5 years after the birth than the reference mothers (21% and 30% vs 57%;p<0.001). Those working before birth returned to work less often and those not working started to work less often after the birth than did reference mothers. At 8 years, mothers of children with severe impairments reported financial difficulties more often than mothers of children without impairments. Interpretation Despite a fairly protective regulatory framework in France, families of infants born very preterm with severe motor or cognitive impairments are socially underprivileged. Measures to maintain an acceptable standard of living for these families and their children are needed

La santé des enfants en France: un enjeu négligé?

International audiencehttps://www.cairn.info/article.php?ID_ARTICLE=SPUB_204_0329As part of the National Health Strategy, the High Council for Public Health (HCSP) was tasked with leading a reflection on a “comprehensive and concerted child health policy”. Policy-making requires relevant knowledge and statistical benchmarks. It therefore seemed useful to examine the French statistical system and active research topics. This assessment is expected to provide a current portrait of the priorities and implicit health choices for the children. It also aims to reveal insufficiently explored aspects of children’s health. Methods: The inventory of this system was carried out on the basis of several methods, hearings, work of two documentalists, and analysis of the published and grey literature. Results: The emphasis is on pathologies, medical prevention and behaviors conceived primarily as individual. The idea that the health of tomorrow’s adults is built up behind this apparent good health and its inequalities does not appear, or only marginally. The elements on affective, cognitive or relational development are not sufficiently analyzed, for lack of data. The living conditions of children, especially poverty and violence in all its forms, are not sufficiently considered as health issues. Research is developing today with a hospital-centric vision, without a real strategy of research on children’s health. Discussion: Given the dispersion of data, publishing a summary report on children’s health on a regular basis is essential, as enriching the system with data on the environment, poverty and psychomotor, psychosocial and cognitive development. There is an urgent need to develop research on children’s health and to define a research strategy that does not exist todayhttps://www.cairn.info/article.php?ID_ARTICLE=SPUB_204_0329Le Haut Conseil de la santé publique (HCSP) a été chargé de conduire une réflexion sur une « politique de santéglobale et concertée de l’enfant ». Conduire des politiques suppose notamment de disposer de connaissances pertinentes et de repères statistiques. Le dispositif statistique français et les thèmes de recherche actifs ont donc été examinés. De ce bilan est attendu un portrait actuel des priorités et des choix implicites de santé et des aspects insuffisamment explorés de la santé et du développement des enfants. Méthode : L’état des lieux de ce dispositif a été réalisé sur la base de plusieurs méthodes, auditions, travail de deux documentalistes, analyse de la littérature publiée et grise. Résultats : Le dispositif actuel privilégie les pathologies, une prévention médicalisée et des comportements conçus avant tout comme individuels. L’idée que derrière cette bonne santé apparente se construit la santé des adultes de demain avec son cortège d’inégalités n’apparaît que de façon marginale. Le développement affectif, cognitif ou relationnel n’est pas suffisamment analysé. Les conditions de vie, notamment la pauvreté et la violence ne sont pas suffisamment considérées comme enjeux de santé. La recherche se développe aujourd’hui avec une vision hospitalo-centrée, sans véritable stratégie de recherche sur la santé des enfants.Discussion : Devant la dispersion des données, éditer un bilan de synthèse sur la santé des enfants de façon régulière est essentiel, comme enrichir le dispositif par des données sur l’environnement, la pauvreté et le développement psychomoteur, psychosocial et cognitif. Il est urgent de développer la recherche sur la santé des enfants et de définir une stratégie de recherch