Choosing for a Homebirth during COVID-19 Lockdown in The Netherlands, who and why: A national prospective questionnaire study.

Objective: During the first COVID-19 lockdown in the Netherlands (9 March-1 June 2020), the homebirth rate increased from 27 % to 37 % among women with low-risk pregnancies starting labour in primary midwife-led care (overall population: 15 % in 2020). We explored characteristics and motivations of women who change their preference from a hospital birth to a home birth.

Design: A nationwide prospective online questionnaire.

Stillbirth rate trends across 25 European countries between 2010 and 2021: the contribution of maternal age and multiplicity.

Stillbirth rates have stalled or increased in some European countries during the last decade. We investigate to what extent time-trends and between-country differences in stillbirth rates are explained by the changing prevalence of advanced maternal age and teenage pregnancies or multiple births. We analysed data on stillbirths and live births by maternal age and multiplicity from 2010 to 2021 in 25 European countries using Kitagawa decomposition to separate rate differences into compositional and rate components.

Impact of COVID-19 mitigation measures on perinatal outcomes in the Netherlands.

Objective: Investigate the acute impact of COVID-19 mitigation measures implemented in March 2020 on a comprehensive range of perinatal outcomes.

Study Design: National registry-based quasi-experimental study.

Methods: We obtained data from the Dutch Perinatal Registry (2010-2020) which was linked to multiple population registries containing sociodemographic variables.

Impact of the EURO-PERISTAT Reports on obstetric management: a difference-in-regression-discontinuity analysis.

Background: Population health monitoring, such as perinatal mortality and morbidity rankings published by the European Perinatal Health (EURO-PERISTAT) reports may influence obstetric care providers' decision-making and professional behaviour. We investigated short-term changes in the obstetric management of singleton term deliveries in the Netherlands following publication of the EURO-PERISTAT reports in 2003, 2008 and 2013.

Methods: We used a quasi-experimental difference-in-regression-discontinuity approach.

Does Neighborhood Crime Mediate the Relationship Between Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status and Birth Outcomes? An Application of the Mediational G-Formula.

While the link between living in a low-socioeconomic status (SES) neighborhood and higher risk of adverse birth outcomes has been well established, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Using the parametric g-formula, we assessed the role of neighborhood crime as a potential mediator of the relationship between neighborhood SES and birth outcomes using data on singleton births occurring in the Netherlands between 2010 and 2017 (n = 1,219,470). We estimated total and mediated effects of neighborhood SES on small-for-gestational-age (SGA) birth, low birth weight (LBW), and preterm birth (PTB) for 3 types of crime (violent crimes, crimes against property, and crimes against public order).

Neighbourhood-related socioeconomic perinatal health inequalities: An illustration of the mediational g-formula and considerations for the big data context.

Background: Advances in computing power have enabled the collection, linkage and processing of big data. Big data in conjunction with robust causal inference methods can be used to answer research questions regarding the mechanisms underlying an exposure-outcome relationship. The g-formula is a flexible approach to perform causal mediation analysis that is suited for the big data context.

Early Maternal Caregiving Capacities in Highly Vulnerable, Multi-Problem Families.

Caregiving capacities may be an important link between multi-problem circumstances and adverse child development. This study aims to assess caregiving capacities and their correlations in highly vulnerable, multi-problem families in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Caregiving capacity (overall, emotional and instrumental) was prospectively assessed in 83 highly vulnerable women using video-observations of daily caregiving tasks, six week postpartum.

Creating a sense of urgency and provoking action - An example on the use of heat maps to address perinatal health inequalities.

Health outcomes of mothers and their (unborn) children in the perinatal period, i.e., during pregnancy and shortly after birth, can vary by geographical location.

Perinatal mortality and neonatal and maternal outcome per gestational week in term pregnancies: A registry-based study.

Introduction: Human pregnancy is considered term from 37+0/7 to 41+6/7 weeks. Within this range, both maternal, fetal and neonatal risks may vary considerably. This study investigates how gestational age per week is related to the components of perinatal mortality and parameters of adverse neonatal and maternal outcome at term.

Assessment, management, and incidence of neonatal jaundice in healthy neonates cared for in primary care: a prospective cohort study.

Jaundice caused by hyperbilirubinaemia is a common phenomenon during the neonatal period. Population-based studies evaluating assessment, management, and incidence of jaundice and need for phototherapy among otherwise healthy neonates are scarce. We prospectively explored these aspects in a primary care setting via assessing care as usual during the control phase of a stepped wedge cluster randomised controlled trial.

Social determinants of vulnerability in the population of reproductive age: a systematic review.

Background: The health of an (unborn) child is largely determined by the health and social determinants of its parents. The extent to which social determinants of parents or prospective parents affect their own health depends partly on their coping or resilience abilities. Inadequate abilities allow negative effects of unfavourable social determinants to prevail, rendering them vulnerable to adverse health outcomes.

Socio-economic determinants of healthcare costs in early life: a register-based study in the Netherlands.

Background: Children with low socioeconomic status (SES) have an increased risk of a suboptimal start in life with ensuing higher healthcare costs. This study aims to investigate the effects of individual- (monthly household income) and contextual-level SES (household income and neighborhood deprivation), and perinatal morbidity (preterm birth and small for gestational age ((<10th percentile), SGA)) on healthcare costs in early life (0-3 years of age).

Methods: Individual-linked data from three national registries (Perinatal Registry Netherlands, Statistics Netherlands, and Healthcare Vektis) were obtained of all children born between 2011 and 2014 (N = 480,471) in the Netherlands.

Associations between Socio-Economic Status and Unfavorable Social Indicators of Child Wellbeing; a Neighbourhood Level Data Design.

Background: Living in deprivation is related to ill health. Differences in health outcomes between neighbourhoods may be attributed to neighbourhood socio-economic status (SES). Additional to differences in health, neighbourhood differences in child wellbeing could also be attributed to neighbourhood SES.

Association of neighbourhood socioeconomic trajectories with preterm birth and small-for-gestational-age in the Netherlands: a nationwide population-based study.

Background: Adverse birth outcomes have serious health consequences, not only during infancy but throughout the entire life course. Most evidence linking neighbourhood socioeconomic status (SES) to birth outcomes is based on cross-sectional SES measures, which do not reflect neighbourhoods' dynamic nature. We investigated the association between neighbourhood SES trajectories and adverse birth outcomes, i.

Reliability of Dutch Obstetric Telephone Triage.

Background: Safety and efficiency of emergency care can be optimized with a triage system which uses urgency to prioritize care. The Dutch Obstetric Telephone Triage System (DOTTS) was developed to provide a basis for assessing urgency of unplanned obstetric care requests by telephone. Reliability and validity are important components in evaluating such (obstetric) triage systems.

Addressing perinatal health inequities in Dutch municipalities: Protocol for the Healthy Pregnancy 4 All-3 programme.

Background: Health inequities are already present at birth and affect individuals' health and socioeconomic outcomes across the life course. Addressing these inequities requires a cross-sectoral approach, covering the first 1,000 days of life. We believe that - in the Dutch context - municipal governments can be the main responsible actor to drive such an approach, since they are primarily responsible for organising adequate public health.

Impact of COVID-19 mitigation measures on the incidence of preterm birth: a national quasi-experimental study.

Background: Preterm birth is the leading cause of child mortality globally, with many survivors experiencing long-term adverse consequences. Preliminary evidence suggests that numbers of preterm births greatly reduced following implementation of policy measures aimed at mitigating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to study the impact of the COVID-19 mitigation measures implemented in the Netherlands in a stepwise fashion on March 9, March 15, and March 23, 2020, on the incidence of preterm birth.

An unwanted pregnancy and language proficiency level are associated with first antenatal visit after the first trimester: Results from a prospective cohort study.

Objective: To study the association between the reasons for a 'late' first antenatal visit and the influence of several maternal determinants and practical limitations on the timing of the first antenatal visit.

Design: A prospective cohort study.

Setting: Southwest region of The Netherlands, mainly characterised by large urban and suburban areas.

Change in Lifestyle Behaviors After Preconception Care: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of preconception care (PCC) consultations by change in lifestyle behaviors.

Setting And Intervention: Women in deprived neighborhoods of 14 Dutch municipalities were encouraged to visit a general practitioner or midwife for PCC.

Sample: The study included women aged 18 to 41 years who had a PCC consultation.

Clinical research study implementation of case-finding strategies for heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the elderly with reduced exercise tolerance or dyspnea: A cluster randomized trial.

Background: Heart failure (HF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often remain undiagnosed in older individuals, although both disorders inhibit functionality and impair health. The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of a case-finding strategy of these disorders.

Methods: This is a clustered randomized trial; 18 general practices from the vicinity of Utrecht, the Netherlands, were randomly allocated to a case-finding strategy or usual care.

Integrating interconception care in preventive child health care services: The Healthy Pregnancy 4 All program.

Background: Most parents with young children pay routine visits to Well-Baby Clinics, or so-called Preventive Child Health Care (PCHC) services. This offers a unique opportunity to promote and deliver interconception care. This study aimed to integrate such care and perform an implementation evaluation.

Persisting inequalities in birth outcomes related to neighbourhood deprivation.

Introduction: Health inequalities can be observed in early life as unfavourable birth outcomes. Evidence indicates that neighbourhood socioeconomic circumstances influence health. However, studies looking into temporal trends in inequalities in birth outcomes including neighbourhood socioeconomic conditions are scarce.

Non-medical determinants of perinatal health: protocol for a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Introduction: Research focusing on the associations between non-medical determinants and unfavourable perinatal health outcomes is increasing. Despite increasing knowledge on this theme, it still remains unclear to what extent social, environmental and lifestyle factors contribute to these unfavourable outcomes. Therefore, we aim to provide a systematic review, preferably with meta-analysis, in order to provide insight into the associations between non-medical determinants and perinatal mortality, preterm birth and being small for gestational age (SGA).

Screening and treatment to reduce severe hyperbilirubinaemia in infants in primary care (STARSHIP): a factorial stepped-wedge cluster randomised controlled trial protocol.

Introduction: Jaundice caused by hyperbilirubinaemia is a physiological phenomenon in the neonatal period. However, severe hyperbilirubinaemia, when left untreated, may cause kernicterus, a severe condition resulting in lifelong neurological disabilities. Although commonly applied, visual inspection is ineffective in identifying severe hyperbilirubinaemia.