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PubMed2025

Effects of Different Feeding Patterns on the Gut Virome of 6-Month-Old Infants.

The gut microbiome is essential for infant health, and in recent years, the impact of enteroviruses on infant health and disease has received increasing attention. The transmission of breast milk phages to the infant gastrointestinal tract contributes to the shaping of the infant gut virome, while breastfeeding regulates the colonization of the infant gut virome. In this study, we collected fecal samples from healthy infants and analyzed the distribution characteristics of infant viral communities by viral metagenomic analysis, and analyzed the differences in infant viral communities under different feeding practices. Our results indicate that the infant intestinal virome consists of phages and eukaryotic viruses. Caudovirales and Microviridae dominated the phage composition, and except for Siphoviridae, which was more predominant in the intestines of formula-fed infants, there were no significant differences in the overall abundance of other Caudovirales and Microviridae in the intestines of infants with different feeding patterns. Breastfeeding can lead to a higher diversity of infant gut viruses through vertical transmission, and a highly diverse gut virome helps maintain the maturation of the gut microbiome. This study informs the shaping of gut virome in healthy infants by breastfeeding and contributes to further research on infant gut virome characteristics and formation processes.

Humans↗
PubMed1978

Jejunal microbial flora of southern indian infants in health and with acute gastroenteritis.

The microbial flora of the jejunal lumen of 28 infants with acute gastroenteritis was compared with that of a group of 10 normal infants. The jejunum of control subjects harboured an "oral" type of flora and in a few instances enterobacteria in small numbers. The concentrations of all but one of the groups of organism were higher in the patients than in controls, and the differences were of statistical significance for enterobacteria and lactobacilli. In eight subjects, the same pathogen was identified in the jejunum and the stool. In six subjects with rotavirus infection, there were almost no Gram-negative aerobic rods in the jejunum. The possible role of other Gram-negative aerobic rods in producing gastroenteritis is discussed. It is suggested that studies of jejunal flora are of considerable importance in assigning an aetiological role to bacteria in the causation of acute gastroenteritis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1979

Sudden infant death in Copenhagen 1956--1971. II. Social factors and morbidity.

131 cases of the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) among infants born in the Municipality of Copenhagen during 1956--1971 were analysed on the basis of data collected prospectively by the infant health visitors and abstracted from police reports. Compared with controls, a significantly larger number of SIDS infants had been born out of wedlock, were living only with their mother, had parents in a less secure occupation, lived in more crowded, poor-quality dwellings and districts. The "home standard" was lower among the SIDS families, including a lower standard of infant care, a higher percentage of not keeping the appointments with the infant health visitors and a lower mental capacity in the mothers; there was no difference with respect to the mother's physical capacity. More congenital malformations and more cases of asphyxia were found among the SIDS infants, and a significantly larger number of the SIDS infants had been admitted to hospital, with a tendency to being kept there longer. It is concluded that a relationships exists between poor social conditions, increased morbidity, and SIDS. At the same time, it is pointed out that during recent years the differences between cases and controls as regards certain of the social parameters studied have decreased.

Congenital Abnormalities↗
PubMed1976

Maternal nutrition and lactation.

The present recommended dietary interpretation of the effects of both maternal nutritional status and diet on the yield and composition of milk is complicated by disparities between the methods of sampling, collection of samples and analysis in these studies. The effect of breast-feeding on the growth of the neonate and the desirable period during which unsupplemented breast-feeding can be safely given are discussed. Well coordinated studies worldwide on the effect of lactation on maternal and infant health and on the nutrient requirements of infants are urgently needed in view of recent developments regarding the true protein value of breast milk. The let-down reflex must be considered. Three main strategies, including supplementary feeding of the mother, for improving breast-feeding potential among mothers who want to suckle their infants are outlined.

Breast Feeding↗
PubMed1979

Perinatal care and cost effectiveness: changes in health expenditures and birth outcome following the establishment of a nurse-midwife program.

Estimates of infant health status and expenditures for perinatal care are presented for periods of time before and after implementation of a nurse-midwife program in rural Georgia. As the program developed, the infant mortality rate of the four counties served by the program showed a decrease. Similarly, the target population (pregnant women of low to moderate income who had no private physician) experienced decreases in the rate of neonatal mortality, low birthweight, and short gestational age. Estimated expenditures for perinatal care in the four counties decreased as well. These results are examined from the perspective of the National Health Planning and Resources Development Act of 1974 and the utility of using an epidemiologic approach for estimating the output of health services in terms of health status is emphasized.

Cost-Benefit Analysis↗
PubMed1979

Impact of income maintenance on low birth weight: evidence from the Gary Experiment.

Birth weight is a useful index of infant health. Low birth weight (5.5 pounds or less) is associated with high rates of infant mortality and morbidity. Low birth weight is also associated with low socioeconomic status. The question arises, therefore, whether income transfers can affect the incidence of low birth weight among the poor. The impact of an expanded income support plan on low birth weight was analyzed using data on 404 infants born to participants in the Gary Income Maintenance Experiment. A significant health response was observed for children of women who face high-risk pregnancies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Infant morbidity and mortality.

The steady decline in the infant mortality rate among Jews showed a temporary, distressing reversal during the years immediately following the establishment of the State of Israel, but thereafter the rate again declined and the reduction was maintained. The rate fell to 13.9/1,000 live births in 1977. During recent years, there has been a significant parallel fall in the number of deaths during the first six days of life, reaching 8.0/1,000 live births in 1977. Hospital admissions, as an indicator of morbidity, now show less children with infantile diarrhea, formerly a major cause of hospitalization. Although Israel has reached reasonably satisfactory standards of infant health, there remains much room for improvement.

Humans↗
PubMed1979

Sudden infant death in Copenhagen 1956--1971. III. Perinatal and perimortal factors.

139 cases of the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) among infants born in the Municipality of Copenhagen during the period 1956--1971 were analysed on the basis of data collected from police reports and (for 131 cases) from the infant health visitors' records. In the SIDS group there was a greater male preponderance than among others dying in the same age range. Compared with the living controls, the SIDS mothers had attended less prenatal examinations, more often delivered their babies at home; the SIDS parents were younger, and yet the SIDS infants were less often firstborns. There was no difference with respect to history of abortions, maternal state of health during pregnancy, or events at delivery. The age at death for the SIDS infants is of a distribution similar to that for fatal respiratory infections. Prematures died later than matures, but this difference is not statistically significant. It is concluded that perinatal factors and SIDS are correlated, but owing to changes in predisposing factors and decreasing differences between cases and controls in recent years as well as interdependence of the factors, it seems doubtful whether the incidence of SIDS can be reduced by alleviating the above-mentioned unfavourable factors.

Abortion, Induced↗
PubMed1978

Dietary cravings and aversions during pregnancy.

Interviews of 250 women concerning dietary changes during pregnancy were undertaken immediately after delivery. With regard to beverages, of women who regularly drank coffee or alcoholic items prior to conception, almost 30% reported a significant drop in ingestion during pregnancy. For coffee this change was attributed primarily to "endogenous" factors e.g., provocation of nausea or a loss of taste for the beverage. Concern regarding maternal or infant health was the most frequent reason for decrease in alcoholic beverages, although endogenous factors were also mentioned. Soda beverages were also ingested less frequently, predominantly because of dieting. The main increase was in milk consumption, primarily attributed to concern for the infant, but many mothers cited only a craving for the beverage. Other foods for which specific cravings were frequently cited were ice cream, sweets, and candy (particularly chocolate), fruits, and fish. Foods for which aversions outnumbered cravings were meats, poultry, and sauces flavored with oregano. Possible explanations for these changes associated with pregnancy are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Economic importance of breastfeeding.

While an increasing body of research has documented the importance of breastfeeding for infant health, very little research has been done on its economic implications. From an economic perspective, breast milk can in many respects be regarded like any other food commodity. For example, it could be stored in milk banks, and redistributed from areas of surplus to areas of scarcity. But breast milk is inique in that many of its benefits are associated more with its method of delivery than with its physical or nutritional properties per se. In this study based on field work in West Africa, the authors evaluate the economics of breast-feeding versus artificial feeding, but point out that the major impact of breastfeeding at national level is associated with its health-promoting and birth-spacing effects, neither of which are quantifiable at present.

Africa, Western↗
PubMed1978

Liberalized abortion in Oregon: effects on fertility, prematurity, fetal death, and infant death.

An analysis of Oregon Vital Statistics data from 1965 to 1975 was conducted to assess the impact of Oregon's 1969 abortion legislation, which substantially increased the number of reported medically induced abortions. This increase was associated with a slight increase in the age-adjusted 1970 fertility rate and there was no decrease in births to women in the age groups obtaining proportionately the most abortions. A significant and persistent 11 per cent reduction in premature births to women over age 20 (p less than .001) and a 22 per cent reduction in spontaneous fetal deaths (p less than .05) were associated with liberalized abortion. Decreases in neonatal and postneonatal infant mortality were observed, but were indistinguishable from an ongoing trend toward improved infant health. A gradual 25 per cent decline in the age-adjusted fertility rate occurred between 1969 and 1975, but the increase in the number of reported abortions could account for only one-fourth of this decrease. A seven-fold increase in the use of family planning clinics between 1970 and 1973 and more liberalized laws regarding provision of family planning service appeared to account for a much higher proportion of the decreased fertility than did liberalized abortion.

Abortion, Legal↗
PubMed1978

Sudden infant death in Copenhagen 1956--1971. I. Infant feeding.

131 cases of the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in the municipality of Copenhagen 1956--71 (incidence 0.92 SIDS cases per 1 000 live births) were investigated on the basis of police reports and infant health visitor's records. Fewer SIDS cases were breast-fed than controls from the second week of life to four months of age. No significant differences were found with respect to the concentrations of fresh cow's milk dilutions, age at introduction of solid food, or number of meals per day. From 1956 to 1971 breast-feeding was declining and solids introduced earlier, while the incidence of SIDS remained constant. The lifespan for SIDS cases who had never been breast-fed was equal to that of cases who had. There is no evidence that SIDS victims had their first solid food during the last days of life. The results are discussed in the light of the hypersensitivity, immuno-incompetence, and high solute feeding hypotheses. It is concluded that feeding does not seem to be responsible for the occurrence of SIDS. The lower frequency of breast-feeding among SIDS cases is ascribed to various factors known to be associated with SIDS.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1978

Elective induction and stimulation of labor and the health of the infant.

This study examines a large heterogeneous sample to determine whether elective induction and stimulation of labor have a beneficial or deleterious effect on the health of the infant. Previous studies have reached contradictory results, partly because of the small sample sizes employed. This study uses a multiple regression analysis of New York City birth certificate data from 1968. We find a small, but significant, negative effect on the newborn of both elective induction of labor and elective stimulation of labor. When hospital care context is allowed to vary, much larger negative effects were found within municipal hospitals and to a lesser extent on service wards of voluntary hospitals. Although 1968 findings cannot be applied to 1978, the implications are clear.

Apgar Score↗