This organism should be recognized as an emerging pathogen in the United States.

Disparities in adverse birth outcomes for Black women continue. Research suggests that societal factors such as structural racism explain more variation in adverse birth outcomes than individual-level factors and societal poverty alone. The Index of Concentration at the Extremes (ICE) measures spatial social polarization by quantifying extremes of deprived and privileged social groups using a single metric and has been shown to partially explain racial disparities in black carbon exposures, mortality, fatal and non-fatal assaults, and adverse birth outcomes such as preterm birth and infant mortality. The objective of this analysis was to assess if local measures of racial and economic segregation as proxies for structural racism are associated and preterm birth and infant mortality experienced by Black women residing in California. California birth cohort files were merged with the American Community Survey by zip code (2011-2012). The ICE was used to quantify privileged and deprived groups (i.e., Black vs. White; high income vs. low income; Black low income vs. White high income) by zip code. ICE scores range from - 1 (deprived) to 1 (privileged). ICE scores were categorized into five quintiles based on sample distributions of these measures: quintile 1 (least privileged)-quintile 5 (most privileged). Generalized linear mixed models were used to test the likelihood that ICE measures were associated with preterm birth or with infant mortality experienced by Black women residing in California. Black women were most likely to reside in zip codes with greater extreme income concentrations, and moderate extreme race and race + income concentrations. Bivariate analysis revealed that greater extreme income, race, and race + income concentrations increased the odds of preterm birth and infant mortality. For example, women residing in least privileged zip codes (quintile 1) were significantly more likely to experience preterm birth (race + income ICE OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.72-1.46) and infant mortality (race + income ICE OR = 1.70, 95% CI = 1.17-2.47) compared to women living in the most privileged zip codes (quintile 5). Adjusting for maternal characteristics, income, race, and race + income concentrations remained negatively associated with preterm birth. However, only race and race + income concentrations remained associated with infant mortality. Findings support that ICE is a promising measure of structural racism that can be used to address racial disparities in preterm birth and infant mortality experienced by Black women in California.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:There are limited epidemiologic data on persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). We sought to describe the incidence and 1-year mortality of PPHN by its underlying cause, and to identify risk factors for PPHN in a contemporary population-based dataset.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the rates of mortality and major morbidity among extremely preterm infants born in California and to examine the rates of neonatal interventions and timing of death at each gestational age. METHODS:A retrospective cohort study of all California live births from 2007 through 2011 linked to vital statistics and hospital discharge records, whose best-estimated gestational age at birth was 22 through 28 weeks. Major morbidities were based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes. Survival beyond the first calendar day of life and procedure codes were used to assess attempted resuscitation after birth. RESULTS:A total of 6009 infants born at 22 through 28 weeks' gestation were included. Survival to 1 year for all live births ranged from 6% at 22 weeks to 94% at 28 weeks. Seventy-three percent of deaths occurred within the first week of life. Major morbidity was present in 80% of all infants, and multiple major morbidities were present in 66% of 22-and 23-week infants. Rates of resuscitation at 22, 23, and 24 weeks were 21%, 64%, and 93%, respectively. Survival after resuscitation was 31%, 42%, and 64% among 22-, 23-, and 24-week infants, respectively. Improved survival was associated with increased birth weight, female sex, and cesarean delivery (P < .01) for resuscitated 22-, 23-, and 24-week infants. CONCLUSIONS:In a population-based study of extreme prematurity, infants ≤24 weeks' gestation are at highest risk of death or major morbidity. These data can help inform recommendations and decision-making for extremely preterm births.

Background Racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities exist in outcomes for children with congenital heart disease. We sought to determine the influence of race/ethnicity and mediating socioeconomic factors on 1‐year outcomes for live‐born infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and dextro‐Transposition of the great arteries. Methods and Results The authors performed a population‐based cohort study using the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development database. Live‐born infants without chromosomal anomalies were included. The outcome was a composite measure of mortality or unexpected hospital readmissions within the first year of life defined as >3 (hypoplastic left heart syndrome) or >1 readmissions (dextro‐Transposition of the great arteries). Hispanic ethnicity was compared with non‐Hispanic white ethnicity. Mediation analyses determined the percent contribution to outcome for each mediator on the pathway between race/ethnicity and outcome. A total of 1796 patients comprised the cohort (n=964 [hypoplastic left heart syndrome], n=832 [dextro‐Transposition of the great arteries]) and 1315 were included in the analysis (n=477 non‐Hispanic white, n=838 Hispanic). Hispanic ethnicity was associated with a poor outcome (crude odds ratio, 1.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.37–2.17). Higher maternal education (crude odds ratio 0.5; 95% CI , 0.38–0.65) and private insurance (crude odds ratio, 0.65; 95% CI , 0.45–0.71) were protective. In the mediation analysis, maternal education and insurance status explained 33.2% (95% CI , 7–66.4) and 27.6% (95% CI , 6.5–63.1) of the relationship between race/ethnicity and poor outcome, while infant characteristics played a minimal role. Conclusions Socioeconomic factors explain a significant portion of the association between Hispanic ethnicity and poor outcome in neonates with critical congenital heart disease. These findings identify vulnerable populations that would benefit from resources to lessen health disparities.

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We sought to identify age group specific maternal risk factors for gastroschisis. Maternal characteristics and prenatal factors were compared for 1,279 live born infants with gastroschisis and 3,069,678 without. Data were obtained using the California database containing linked hospital discharge, birth certificate and death records from 1 year prior to the birth to 1 year after the birth. Backwards-stepwise logistic regression models were used with maternal factors where initial inclusion was determined by a threshold of p < 0.10 on initial crude analyses. Due to the strong association of gastroschisis with young maternal age, models were stratified by age groups and odds ratios were calculated. These final models identified maternal infection as the only risk factor common to all age groups and a protective effect of obesity and gestational hypertension. In addition, age specific risk factors were identified. Although gestation at the time of infection was not available, a sexually transmitted disease complicating pregnancy was associated with increased risk in the less than 20 years of age grouping whereas viral infection was associated with increased risk only in the 20-24 and more than 24 years of age groupings. Urinary tract infection remained in the final logistic model for women less than 20 years. Short interpregnancy interval was not found to be a risk factor for any age group. Our findings support the need to explore maternal infection by type and gestational timing.

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