Objective: To investigate the association of sociodemographic characteristics, gestational factors, and birth outcomes with developmental delay from the second year of life in late preterm (LPT) infants. Method: This study included 327 LPT infants from a cohort started in 2010. Developmental performance was assessed using the Bayley-III screening test. The covariates were obtained with questionnaires and from the maternity records. Hierarchical multiple logistic regression was used for analysis. Results: Smoking during pregnancy was associated with fine motor and cognitive delays (OR = 2.27, 95 %CI 1.05–4.93 and OR = 2.22, 95 %CI 1.05–4.68, respectively). Living without a partner (OR = 2.98, 95 %CI 1.36–6.52) and intrauterine growth restriction of the child (OR = 2.63, 95 %CI 1.32–5.24) were associated with fine motor delay and neonatal intensive care unit admission with cognitive delay (OR = 2.11, 95 %CI 1.01–4.44). Conclusions: These factors must be considered when implementing strategies for the diagnosis of possible developmental delays and when designing interventions for LPT children.

Rationale & Objective:Diabetes mellitus and hypertension are the main risk factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD), but factors affecting fetal development also contribute to later kidney loss. Various birth-related factors and definitions, including low birth weight (LBW), intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), and prematurity, complicate the understanding of this relationship. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of these fetal conditions on the risk of CKD by the end of the third decade of life. Study Design:A single-center, birth cohort study. Setting & Participants:The cohort was established between 1978 and 1979 in Brazil, which included 6,827 newborns (98% of births). The follow-up visit occurred in 2016/2017, and 1,564 participants were included in the study. Exposure:Prematurity (gestational age < 37 weeks), LBW (<2,500 g), and IUGR defined as body weight ratio ≤0.85. Outcomes:The primary outcome was the presence of CKD. Secondary outcomes were the values of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urinary albumin-creatinine ratio (UACR). Analytical Approach:eGFR was modeled using multivariable linear regression. UACR was analyzed using a quantile regression (median) model. CKD risk was estimated using a logistic regression model to calculate the odds ratio (95% CI). Results:Prematurity was associated with a lower eGFR (105.9 ± 13.1 vs 108.8 ± 13.0 mL/min/1.73 m2, P < 0.05), while IUGR was linked to a higher prevalence of CKD (25.3% vs 18.1%, P < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, factors such as body mass index, homocysteine level, C-reactive protein level, and UACR were associated with lower eGFR. Female sex, high blood pressure, glycated hemoglobin levels, C-reactive protein levels, and pulse wave velocity were associated with increased UACR. None of the birth exposure factors impacted eGFR or UACR. IUGR (1.50 [1.10-2.21], P = 0.047), diabetes mellitus (1.60 [1.05-2.46], P = 0.03), and female sex (2.18 [1.62-2.90]) were associated with an increased risk of CKD. Neither LBW nor prematurity shows significant associations with CKD risk. Limitations:The cohort design, with participant loss because of dropouts during the follow-up visits. Conclusions:IUGR was associated with a higher risk of CKD, particularly in women.

Abstract This study aimed to report the incidence of chronic pelvic pain in women 12 to 24 months postpartum, to identify the independently associated factors, and to conduct a causal inference with C-section as the exposure. This was a cross-sectional study nested within 2 distinct prospective cohorts from 2 Brazilian cities. Chronic pelvic pain was the dependent variable. Independent variables were collected. Fisher exact test or Pearson χ2 test and t test or Wilcoxon rank-sum test were performed as appropriate, with P-values adjusted. Data were assumed to be missing at random, and multivariate imputation by chained equations was performed. Sensitivity analysis was conducted using complete cases. Multicollinearity was assessed by computing the variance inflation factor. Binomial logistic regression was used to obtain an interpretable model. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were used as measurements. A directed acyclic graph was used for causal inference. A total of 2160 women were included. The incidence of chronic pelvic pain was 12.7%. C-sections doubled the odds of developing chronic pelvic pain (CPP). Additional factors associated with increased odds included city of birth, feelings of discrimination, severe symptoms of anxiety, dissatisfaction with the care received during childbirth, and mental suffering. Women who underwent C-sections had a 6.1% higher incidence of CPP compared to those who did not undergo the procedure. The incidence of CPP postpartum is high, and there is a potential causal effect of C-sections. City of birth, discrimination, anxiety, dissatisfaction with the care, and mental suffering were also associated with an increased odds.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease with a high socioeconomic burden for the global population. Identifying those individuals with a higher potential to develop the disease is essential for reducing its incidence. This is an observational, longitudinal study that uses data from the 1978/1979 Ribeirão Preto City birth cohort (São Paulo State, Brazil). The study included 895 individuals who participated at the age of 23–25 and 37–38 years. Asthmatics were diagnosed by methacholine bronchial challenge test and were excluded from the analysis. A multiple linear regression was performed to evaluate the association of active smoking, passive smoking, body mass index (BMI), C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, and respiratory symptoms with FEV1 variation between ages. The analysis showed an association between BMI, CRP levels, and active smoking with FEV1 fall. Active smoking increased FEV1 decline by 1.95

Background Dental eruption is part of a set of children´s somatic growth phenomena. The worldwide accepted human dental eruption chronology is still based on a small sample of European children. However, evidence points to some population variations with the eruption at least two months later in low-income countries, and local standards may be useful. So, this study aimed to predict deciduous teeth eruption from 12 months of age in a Brazilian infant population. Methods We developed a cross-sectional study nested in four prospective cohorts – the Brazilian Ribeirão Preto and São Luís Cohort Study (BRISA) – in a sample of 3,733 children aged 12 to 36 months old, corrected by gestational age. We made a reference curve with the number of teeth erupted by age using the Generalized Additive Models for location, scale, and shape (GAMLSS) technique. The explanatory variable was the corrected children´s age. The dependent variable was the number of erupted teeth, by gender, evaluated according to some different outcome distributional forms. The generalized Akaike information criterion (GAIC) and the model residuals were used as the model selection criterion. Results The Box-Cox Power Exponential method was the GAMLSS model with better-fit indexes. Our estimation curve was able to predict the number of erupted deciduous teeth by age, similar to the real values, in addition to describing the evolution of children’s development, with comparative patterns. There was no difference in the mean number of erupted teeth between the sexes. According to the reference curve, at 12 months old, 25% of children had four erupted teeth or less, while 75% had seven or fewer and 95% had 11 or fewer. At 24 months old, 5% had less than 12, and 75% had 18 or more. At 36 months old, around 50% of the population had deciduous dentition completed (20 teeth). Conclusion The adjusted age was an important predictor of the number of erupted deciduous teeth. This outcome can be a variable incorporated into children’s growth and development curves, such as weight and height curves for age to help dentists and physicians in the monitoring the children’s health.

Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) may contribute to the risk of Arterial Hypertension (AH) in adulthood, but its impact after the 3rd decade of life, where environmental factors are prevalent, is still uncertain. Methods: 1,594 individuals with 38 and 39 years-old were evaluated from an original cohort of 6,824 newborns between 1978 and 1979. Biochemical tests, office BP, and anthropometric measurements were done. Also, questionnaires regarding data on income, habits, education, and information about birth were recorded. Krammer's criteria defined IURG. Subclinical vascular damage was investigated using Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV). Results: The IURG group has higher BP [Systolic BP: 123.3±15.6 vs. 121.2±13.4 (p=0.049); Diastolic BP: 79.1 ± 10.6 mmHg vs. 76.8 ± 9.9 mmHg (p=0.002)] and higher prevalence of HA [56 vs. 49%; OR=1.30 (1.1-1.8), p=0.04] than the control group. There were no differences in PWV and prevalence of early vascular aging (PWV > 2SD of the mean of normal age value) between groups. Conclusion: IURG was associated with an increase in BP and with a higher risk of hypertension at the end of the third decade of life.### Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.### Funding StatementCNPQ grant number 422504/2016-5 The authors, at no time, received payment or services from third parties for any aspect of the submitted work### Author DeclarationsI confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.YesThe details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:The volunteers were evaluated and interviewed by a trained group at the Clinical Research Centre of the Teaching Hospital of the School of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo. Standardized questionnaires regarding socioeconomic status were applied. All the participants signed a free informed consent form. The study was approved by the institutional review board (protocol 1.282.710) following the Declaration of Helsinki.I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals.YesI understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance).YesI have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable.YesWe declare that the data mentioned in the manuscript is open for consultation.

This article aims to evaluate the association between birth weight and asthma in adulthood, estimated by employing structural equation modeling. Cohort study with 1,958 participants aged 23-25 years from Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. Standardized questionnaires were applied and pulmonary function evaluated, including bronchial reactivity with methacholine. A theoretical model was proposed to explore the effects of birth weight and asthma in adulthood. Asthma, socioeconomic status at birth (Birth SES), and current socioeconomic status (Adult SES) were obtained by constructs. Maternal age, sex, skin color, body mass index (BMI), smoking, parental asthma history, history of respiratory infection before five years old, history of hospitalization for lung disease before two years old, and atopy were the studied variables. 14.1% of participants were diagnosed with asthma. Birth weight was associated with asthma (Standardized Coefficient - SCtotal=-0.110; p=0.030), and an indirect effect was also observed (SCindirect=-0.220; p=0.037), mediated by hospitalization before two years and respiratory infection before five years. Lower birth weight showed an increased risk of asthma in adulthood and the SES Birth and Adult SES variables underlie this association.

In Brazil, the prevalence of mental disorders is heterogeneous, with most studies conducted in large cities with high population density. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of mental disorders and psychiatric comorbidities among young adults (22–23 years old) and adults (37–38 years old) from Ribeirão Preto, a city located in the Northeast of the São Paulo state, with approximately 700,000 inhabitants, and to explore associations with sociodemographic variables, suicide risk, and health service usage. Second, we aimed to evaluate the performance of the Self-Report Questionnaire (SRQ-20) as a screening tool for mental disorders to be applied to the local population. Participants from the 1978/1979 and 1994 Ribeirão Preto birth cohorts were evaluated using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) and the SRQ-20 at mean ages of 22–23, and 37–38 years, respectively. Our sample comprised 1,769 individuals from the 1978/1979 cohort and 1,037 from the 1994 cohort. The prevalence of mental disorders ranged from 28.6

IntroductionPsychosocial stress during pregnancy has long-lasting and important consequences in the following generations, as it can affect intrauterine development. The impact on the developing immune system is notoriously important due to the associated morbidity and mortality in the first years of life. Little attention has been given to the role of violence during pregnancy (VDP), especially its impact on infant infectious morbidity.MethodsWe analyzed data from two Brazilian birth cohorts (n = 2,847) in two distinct cities (Ribeirão Preto and São Luís), collected during pregnancy and at the beginning of the second year of life. The association between VDP and infection in infancy was analyzed with structural equation modeling, using the WHO-VAW questionnaire as exposure and a latent variable for infection as the outcome.ResultsVDP was reported by 2.48% (sexual), 11.56% (physical), and 45.90% (psychological) of the mothers. The models presented an adequate fit. In the city of São Luís, VDP was significantly associated with the latent construct for infection (standardized beta = 0.182; p = 0.022), while that was not the case for the Ribeirão Preto sample (standardized beta = 0.113; p = 0.113). Further analyses showed a gradient effect for the different dimensions of the exposure, from psychological to physical and sexual violence.ConclusionOur results suggest an association of VDP with infant morbidity in a poorer socioeconomic setting, and highlight the importance of considering the different dimensions of intimate partner violence. These findings may have important implications for the comprehension of global health inequalities and of the effects of gender-based violence.

Problem: Preterm birth is the leading cause of death and can result in significant long-term loss of physical and psychological capacity among survivors.Background: An estimated 15 million babies are born preterm every year. Prediction models based on machine learning methods have reported promising results.Aims: To identify risk factors associated with preterm birth and to develop and validate a prediction model for this outcome in a Brazilian birth cohort.Methods: Cross-sectional study of all births that occurred in Ribeirão Preto-SP and of one in three births that occurred in São Luís-MA, Brazil, in 2010. Questionnaires were applied to obtain pregnancy-related data. Multivariate adaptive regression splines were used to determine the independent variables. Preterm birth, defined as birth before 37 weeks gestational age, was the dependent variable. A random forest model was developed and its performance was evaluated by ROC analysis.Findings: The preterm birth rates were 12.7% (RP) and 14.1% (SL). The prediction and validation accuracies of the RF-based model were 91.3% and 85.5% respectively. The model can be applied starting in the third month of gestation and is more effective in identifying preterm infants with GA<31 weeks and 6 days (AUC=0.98).Discussion: It was possible to build a prediction model based on easily accessible low-cost data, without the need for complementary tests, providing results similar to those of other studies.Conclusions: Previous preterm birth and prenatal care were determinants. The use of an application for individualized patient monitoring an early stage can have positive effects on the quality of life of mother and child.

The aim of this study was to assess the trend in cesarean section rates in three birth cohorts conducted in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil, in different years (1978/79, 1994, and 2010), and to investigate the sociodemographic and economic factors associated with cesarean delivery in these cohorts. Data were obtained from the database of the cohorts. Women were interviewed shortly after delivery and information was collected from their medical records. The chi-square test was used to compare the proportion of covariates between modes of delivery. Unadjusted and adjusted Poisson regression models were applied to evaluate the association between cesarean section and the covariates studied in the three cohorts, with the significance level set at α < 0.05. There was a marked upward trend in cesarean delivery across the cohorts. The increase was more pronounced among women with higher educational levels, older age, and better socioeconomic conditions. In adjusted analyses, sociodemographic and economic variables remained significantly associated with a higher likelihood of cesarean delivery in all cohorts.

ABSTRACT Objective: To describe changes in sociodemographic, economic and variables related to the characterization of family, health and education during the COVID-19 pandemic in a birth cohort evaluated at 10–11 years of age. Methods: Cross-sectional study involving 1,033 children from a cohort of children born in 2010/2011, in the city of Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. Data were collected from July to October 2021 by telephone or video interview held with the person responsible for the child. The questionnaires discussed family organization, child behavior and health, school attendance, socioeconomic assessment and occurrence of COVID-19 during the period of social isolation due to the pandemic. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the data. The chi-square test was used to verify group differences by minimum wages (MW). Results: Of the respondents, 47.6% reported worsening of their financial situation during the pandemic, which was more frequent in the group with a household income <3 MW compared to the group with >6 MW (59.1 vs. 15.7%; p<0.001). According to the respondents, 62% of the children exhibited behavioral changes during the period and anxiety was the most frequently reported condition. In addition, 61.4% of the children had learning difficulties and these problems were more prevalent among children from households with lower incomes compared to those with higher incomes (74.7 vs. 45.1%; p<0.001). Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has changed different economic aspects of families, as well as educational, health and behavioral indicators of children. Lower-income families were the most affected both economically and in terms of other indicators.

O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar a associação entre a cesariana e o quociente de inteligência (QI) em adolescentes do Município de São Luís, Maranhão, Brasil. Trata-se de um estudo longitudinal utilizando dados da coorte de nascimento em São Luís, iniciado no ano de 1997. A abordagem ocorreu na terceira fase da coorte, em 2016, com adolescente aos 18 e 19 anos de idade. A variável de exposição foi a via de nascimento e a variável de desfecho foi o QI, mensurada a partir da aplicação da terceira versão da Escala de Inteligência Wechsler para Adultos (WAIS-III). Na análise dos dados verificou-se a média do QI segundo as covariáveis e utilizou-se a regressão linear multivariada. Para controlar os fatores de confundimento foi elaborado um modelo teórico utilizando o gráfico acíclico dirigido. As variáveis confundidoras foram as socioeconômicas no momento do nascimento e as variáveis perinatais. A média do QI dos adolescentes foi 101,4. Na análise bruta, o QI dos adolescentes nascidos de cesariana foi 5,8 pontos maior em relação aos nascidos de parto vaginal (IC95%: 3,8; 7,7, p ≤ 0,001), com significância estatística. Na análise multivariada, o valor reduziu para 1,9 (IC95%: -0,5; 3,6, p = 0,141), sem significância estatística. O resultado do estudo mostrou que a cesariana não está associada ao QI dos adolescentes nessa amostra e reflete que as diferenças encontradas podem ser explicadas por outros fatores, como aspectos socioeconômicos e perinatais.

ABSTRACT Objective: To validate a food frequency questionnaire used to assess food consumption among adults in a Brazilian cohort. Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted on 100 adults. Food intake was assessed by the food frequency questionnaire and by two 24-hour recalls. Validation was performed for nutrients (n=19) and food groups (n=21). Results: Moderate deattenuated Pearson’s correlation coefficients (>0.4) were observed for the consumption of dairy products, breads and crackers, rice, pasta and tubers, leafy vegetables, other vegetables, fats, sweetened drinks, sandwiches and savory snacks, and nuts, and for the following nutrients (deattenuated and adjusted for energy intake): fiber, calcium, and vitamins A, B2, and C. Based on almost all food groups and nutrients assessed, ≥70% of the individuals were classified into the same or adjacent quartile for both methods, except for red and pork meat, snacks, nuts, phosphorus, potassium, and vitamin B3. The food groups and nutrients with fair kappa agreement (>0.2) were: dairy products, other vegetables, sweetened drinks, breakfast cereals, energy, carbohydrate, iron, and vitamin A. Conclusion: The food frequency questionnaire has proven useful for estimating the intake of some nutrients and food groups of the subjects evaluated. Only the intake of red and pork meat, snacks, nuts, vitamin B3, phosphorus and potassium were estimated with less accuracy.

Sugar-Sweetened Beverage (SSBs) consumption has risen in early life and it is plausible that it might increase children’s risk of allergies. In this paper, we analyzed the association of SSB consumption with allergies in children’s second year of life. This study analyzed data from a São Luís BRISA prenatal cohort in the follow-up of children (n = 1144) in their second year of life. Allergy Traits were a latent variable deduced from medical diagnoses of allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and food allergies. SSBs were investigated as a percentage of daily calories based on 24 h recalls, including industrialized fruit juices, soft drinks, and ready-made chocolate milk. Other variables analyzed were socioeconomic status, age, body mass index z-score, episodes of diarrhea, and breastfeeding. Our finds were that higher consumption of daily calories from SSBs was associated with higher Allergy Trait values (SC = 0.174; p = 0.025); older age (SC = −0.181; p = 0.030) was associated with lower Allergy Trait values; and episodes of diarrhea were correlated with Allergy Traits (SC = 0.287; p = 0.015). SSB exposure was associated with Allergy Traits in children’s second year of life; thus, abstaining from these beverages may also confer additional advantages in curtailing allergic diseases during early childhood.

Abstract Aim To analyze the association between neonatal near miss and infant development at two years. Methods Data from two birth cohorts, one conducted in Ribeirão Preto (RP)/São Paulo and the other in São Luís (SL)/Maranhão, were used. The cognitive, motor and communication development of children was evaluated using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley-III). The following criteria were used for the definition of NNM: birth weight < 1,500 g, 5-min Apgar score < 7, gestational age < 32 weeks, and report of congenital malformations. The relationship between neonatal near miss and development was assessed using the weighted propensity score from the Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting (IPTW). A directed acyclic graph was built to select the adjustment variables. Results A total of 1,050 mother-newborn dyads were evaluated in SL and 1,840 in RP. Regarding outcomes in SL and RP, respectively, 2.4% and 17.3% of the children were not competent in the cognitive domain, 12.1% and 13.3% in the receptive communication domain, 39.2% and 47.1% in the expressive communication domain, 20.7% and 12.6% in the fine motor domain, and 14.3% and 13.8% in the gross motor domain. The prevalence of neonatal near miss was 5.4% in SL and 4.3% in RP. Unadjusted analysis showed an association of neonatal near miss with fine motor development in SL and RP and with the cognitive, receptive communication, expressive communication, and gross motor domains only in RP. These associations remained after adjusted analysis. Conclusion Neonatal near miss is a risk factor for developmental delays.

Background Preterm birth is a leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality; its multifactorial causes are an obstacle to understanding etiology and pathogenesis. The importance of cytokines and inflammation in its etiology and association with the short cervix is nowadays well-proven. To date, there are no reliable biological or biochemical markers to predict preterm birth; even though the length of the cervix has high specificity, its sensitivity with the cervix below 2.5 cm is low. Objective We study the association of plasma cytokine levels and cervical length in search of predictors of preterm birth. Study design We evaluated a total of 1400 pregnant women carrying a single fetus between 20 and 25 weeks of gestation, and 1370 of them after childbirth in a nested case–control study of a prenatal cohort. Eligible pregnant women were interviewed and submitted to obstetric morphological and transvaginal ultrasound with cervical length measurement, gynecological examination, and blood collection. Preterm birth occurred in 133 women, 129 included in the study, and a control group randomly selected at a 2:1 ratio. A total of 41 cytokines with a higher probability of being associated with preterm birth or being of significance during labor were determined. Results Cytokine and cervical length analysis by multivariate analysis of the conditional interference tree revealed that growth-related oncogene values of less than 2293 pg/mL were significantly associated with a cervical length of less than 2.5 cm. Conclusions As well as a cervical length shorter than 2.5 cm, growth-related oncogene levels of less than 2293 pg/ml may be associated with an increased risk of PB. Analysis based on the association of biomarkers and of the interaction between cytokines is a promising pathway in search of a predictor of preterm birth.

This study aimed to evaluate the association be-tween cesarean section and intelligence quotient (IQ) in adolescents from the Municipality of Sao Luis, Maranhao State, Brazil. This is a longitudi-nal study using data from the Sao Luis birth co-hort, started in 1997. The approach occurred in the third phase of the cohort, in 2016, with adolescents aged 18 and 19 years. The exposure variable was mode of delivery and the outcome variable was IQ, measured by applying the third version of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-III). In the data analysis, the average IQ was verified according to the covariates and multivariate lin-ear regression was used. To control confounding factors, a theoretical model was elaborated using the directed acyclic graph. The confounding vari-ables were socioeconomic variables at birth and perinatal variables. Their average IQ was 101.4. In the crude analysis, the IQ of adolescents born by cesarean section was 5.8 points higher than those born by vaginal delivery (95%CI: 3.8; 7.7, p <= 0.001), with statistical significance. In the multivariate analysis, the value decreased to 1.9 (95%CI:-0.5; 3.6, p = 0.141), without statistical significance. The result of the study showed that cesarean section is not associated with the IQ of adolescents in this sample and reflects that the dif-ferences can be explained by other factors, such as socioeconomic and perinatal aspects.

Objective: Emergency contraception (EC) is an effective and safe method for preventing unplanned pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse among adolescents but is infrequently prescribed by pediatricians. Because of the scarcity of data on the discomfort with EC prescription among physicians in Brazil, this study aimed to identify associated factors with discomfort with EC prescription among pediatricians in the state of Amazonas. Methods: A web-based, cross-sectional study including sociodemographic data, knowledge, attitudes, and discomfort with EC prescription was used. Multivariate logistic regression and artificial intelligence methods such as decision tree and random forest analysis were used to identify factors associated with discomfort with EC prescriptions. Results: Among 151 physicians who responded to the survey, 53.0% were uncomfortable with prescribing EC, whereas only 33.1% had already prescribed it. Inexperience was significantly associated with discomfort with EC prescription (odds ratio 4.47, 95% confidence interval 1.71-11.66). Previous EC prescription was protective against discomfort with EC prescription in the three models. Conclusions: EC is still infrequently prescribed by pediatricians because of inexperience and misconceptions. Training these professionals needs to be implemented as part of public health policies to reduce unplanned adolescent pregnancy.

Objective Little is known about the effect of maternal immunological factors on the etiology of developmental defects of enamel (DDE). RANTES (Regulated on Activation Normal T Cell Expressed and Secreted) is a chemokine produced by fibroblasts, lymphoid and epithelial mucosa cells in response to various external stimuli. Despite its importance for embryogenesis, RANTES expression has been demonstrated in multiple diseases characterized by inflammation, tumor and immune response, and wound healing. We hypothesized that altered levels of RANTES during pregnancy are associated with the immune and inflammatory response in women, which could lead to the occurrence of DDE in utero (DDE-iu), directly or mediated by preterm birth. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the direct and indirect effects of serum levels of RANTES in pregnant women in the occurrence of DDE-iu in children. Methods This is a longitudinal case-control study. The mothers and their children (327) were evaluated in three moments: prenatal care, post childbirth, and when the child was between 12.3 and 36 months of age. The analysis was performed with structural equation modeling, estimating the standardized coefficient (SC), adopting α = 5%. Results There was a direct and negative effect of RANTES on the outcome (SC = -0.137; p = 0.022). This association was not mediated by preterm birth (SC = 0.007; P = 0.551). When considering the specific types of DDE-iu, RANTES had a direct effect on hypoplasia (SC = -0.190; p = 0.007), but not on opacity (SC = 0.343; p = 0.074). Conclusion Lower serum levels of RANTES may contribute to a higher number of teeth with DDE-iu, specifically hypoplasia. However, more evidence supported by clinical, laboratory and epidemiological studies is still needed.