Epigenetic signature of exposure to maternal infection in cord blood cells from uninfected newborns.

To assess the epigenetic effects of exposure to maternal infection. We performed an epigenome-wide association study to compare the DNA methylation patterns of umbilical cord blood cells from uninfected babies from chagasic and uninfected mothers. DNA methylation was measured using Infinium EPIC arrays.

Preconception Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Birth Outcomes in Adolescent Girls.

Study Objective: Recommendations for preconception care usually include optimal nutrition and physical activity, but these have not been tested extensively for their relationship with birth outcomes such as low birth weight and preterm birth.

Design: Data from Waves I, II, and IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) contractual dataset were used.

Methods: In Wave I in-home interview, participants were asked to recall their frequency of having 5 types of food on the previous day, including milk, fruit, vegetables, grains, and sweets.

Academic performance, educational aspiration and birth outcomes among adolescent mothers: a national longitudinal study.

Background: Maternal educational attainment has been associated with birth outcomes among adult mothers. However, limited research explores whether academic performance and educational aspiration influence birth outcomes among adolescent mothers.

Methods: Data from Waves I and IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) were used.

Neighborhood disadvantage, racial concentration and the birthweight of infants born to adolescent mothers.

To study the relationship between neighborhood demographic characteristics (disadvantage, racial concentration) and the birthweight of infants born to adolescent mothers, potentially as mediated by smoking, prenatal care use, or perceptions of neighborhood safety. Data from Waves I and IV of the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health were analyzed. Birthweight (continuous) and low birthweight (<2.