1.
Vitamin D status in women with dichorionic twin pregnancies and their neonates: a pilot study in China.
Li, X, Yu, J, Wen, L, Li, Q, Yan, J, Tian, J, Tong, C, Tong, Q, Qi, H, Saffery, R, et al
BMC pregnancy and childbirth. 2021;(1):279
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vitamin D deficiency is a global public health issue in women and children and is associated with adverse impacts on child growth, such as rickets. However, prior studies have mainly focused on measuring vitamin D levels in singleton pregnant women and their offspring, and very limited studies have revealed the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in twin pregnant women and their offspring. The aim of this study was to investigate vitamin D levels in twin-pregnant women and their neonates. We also explored the correlation of maternal vitamin D levels with neonatal outcomes and infant growth. METHODS A prospective subcohort investigation was carried out among 72 dichorionic, diamniotic twin-pregnant mothers and their twin offspring from the Longitudinal Twin Study. Peripheral blood was collected from the mothers in the third trimester, and cord blood was collected from neonates at birth to identify 25[OH]D levels. Data on the characteristics of the mothers and neonates were collected. Infant growth data and food sensitivities were also collected. RESULTS The average maternal 25[OH]D level was 31.78 ng/mL, with 19.4% being deficient and 20.8% insufficient, while the average neonatal 25[OH]D level was 15.37 ng/mL, with 99.3% being deficiency or insufficient. A positive correlation was found between maternal and neonatal 25[OH]D levels (beta-value: 0.43, 95% CI: 0.37, 0.49). Interestingly, the higher the maternal 25[OH]D level was, the smaller the cotwin birthweight discordance (beta-value: -2.67, 95% CI: - 5.11, - 0.23). In addition, the infants of mothers with vitamin D deficiency were more likely to be allergic to foods at 6 months than those of mothers with vitamin D sufficiency. CONCLUSIONS Twin neonates were at high risk of vitamin D deficiency, although their mothers' vitamin D deficiency partially improved. Higher maternal vitamin D levels were associated with smaller discordance of cotwin birthweight. TRIAL REGISTRATION Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR-OOC-16008203 , 1st April 2016.
2.
Greater analgesic effects of sucrose in the neonate predict greater weight gain to age 18 months.
Lumeng, JC, Li, X, He, Y, Gearhardt, A, Sturza, J, Kaciroti, NA, Li, M, Asta, K, Lozoff, B
Appetite. 2020;:104508
-
-
Free full text
-
Abstract
Intraoral sucrose has analgesic effects in the newborn period. The hedonic and analgesic effects of sucrose overlap and hedonic response to sweet food is associated with adiposity. The potential association between the analgesic effects of intraoral sucrose in the newborn period and subsequent weight gain has not been examined. Healthy, term newborns received 25% intraoral sucrose or water prior to metabolic screen heel stick. Negative affect, quiet alert behavior, and sleepiness were coded during heel stick. Weight and length were measured and z-score (WLZ) calculated at birth, 9, and 18 months. Mixed models tested associations of behavioral response to heel stick with WLZ trajectory among infants receiving sucrose (n = 154) versus water (n = 117). Among infants receiving sucrose prior to heel stick with birth WLZ ≥ the median, less negative affect and more sleepiness during heel stick were each associated with greater increases in WLZ. These associations were not present among infants receiving water only prior to heel stick. Greater analgesic effects of sucrose in the neonate were associated with greater future increases in WLZ, especially among infants with higher birth WLZ. Greater opioid-mediated newborn behavioral response to intraoral sucrose may be a marker for future obesity risk. CLINICAL TRIALS NUMBER NCT02728141.