Newsmay00

May 2000

Society for Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiologic Research

We are getting increasingly excited as the time approaches for the annual meeting of SPER, June 13-14 in Seattle. Some of the reasons for our excitement are:

1. The Keynote Speaker: Dr. Robert Goldenberg, of the University of Alabama, Birmingham, is an excellent speaker and a world authority on the epidemiology of preterm labor and birth. His talk will present his thoughts on this important and enigmatic problem.

2. The Student Prize presentation: A number of excellent manuscripts were received. The winner is: "Plasma concentrations of carotenoids, retinol and tocopherols in pre-eclamptic and normotensive pregnant women" presented by Cuilin Zhang, Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington. The second- and third-place candidates for the prize will present in poster format.

3. The Heinz Berendes International Travel Award: Five manuscripts were received for consideration of this award. The winner is Dr. Siyan Zhan, of Beijing University, who will present her work on homocysteine metabolism, MTHFR polymorphisms and neural tube defects in China.

4. Abstracts: We received a record number of abstracts–136. Thanks to the able work of Mark Klebanoff and Mary Hediger, and their group of reviewers, we were able to perform the challenging job of ranking these abstracts. We accepted a record number, 105, all of excellent quality. Of these, the top 13 will be presented as platform talks.

5. Poster Sessions: The evening poster session, June 13, will feature the topics Birth Defects, Pregnancy, and Infancy and Childhood. The noontime poster session, June 14, will feature Conception, Pregnancy, Prematurity, and Epidemiologic Methods.

6. Seminar Discussion: We will introduce a new attraction at the evening poster session, June 13. We will have a seminar-discussion of a selected group of topical posters at the end of the session. This will be organized by Michael Kramer.

We are considering possible changes in the format of the meeting for the future. With the increase in the quantity and quality of the abstracts submitted, it is difficult to find time and space at the annual meeting for all of the quality work submitted. One response to this problem would be to increase the length of the meeting to one and one-half days. This issue will be discussed at the meeting of the executive board and at the business meeting.

If you haven’t put this meeting on your travel schedule yet, do it now! You will not be disappointed with the meeting or the locale. Be there or be square!

See you in Seattle.

—Paul Meis

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine

Society for Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology

May 2000 Page 2

Abstract Reviewers

SPER thanks the following people for reviewing the record number of abstracts we received this year:

Cande Ananth
Germaine Buck
Pierre Buekens
Elena Fuentes-Afflick
Mary Hediger
Wendy Hellerstedt
Claudia Holzman
Russell Kirby
Mark Klebanoff
Michael Kramer
Samuel Lesko
Pauline Mendola
Michael O’Shea
Kenneth Schoendorf
Patricia Shiono
Anna Maria Siega-Riz
Jim Zhang

Officers for 2000-2001

Congratulations to the winners of the recent SPER elections:

President–Elect
Germaine Buck, PhD, Professor, Department of Social & Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, State of New York.

Member-at-Large
Russell S. Kirby, PhD, MS, Associate Professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin Medical School.

SPER would like to thank all the candidates for volunteering to run for office. And we thank the outgoing officers, Paul Meis (President) and Martha Werler (Member–at–Large) for their invaluable contributions.

About Seattle

Pike Place Market, then and now

Founded in 1869, the City of Seattle is located on Puget Sound, 113 miles from the US–Canadian border. Surrounded by mountains and water, the Greater Seattle area features picture-perfect views and abundant recreational opportunities year-round. Check out these sites for more information about Seattle:

http://www.pan.ci.seattle.wa.us/
http://www.seattle.net/
http://seattle.citysearch.com/

Historic Pioneer Squaret Meeting

Next Meeting

Our 2001 meeting will take place at the Holiday Inn on King in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, June 12–13.

CME Credits

For the first time, SPER will be offering CME credits for attendance at the Annual Meeting. Meeting objectives and accreditation information are available on our website. You can register for credits on the meeting registration form.

Contact Information

For general information about SPER, contact Suzan Carmichael, PhD, Secretary, at sca@cdbmp.org or
(510) 597–2342.

For membership information, including subscriptions to Pćdiatric and Perinatal Epidemiology, contact Cande Ananth, PhD, Treasurer, at ananthcv@epi.umdnj.edu or
(732) 235–7940.


SPER Annual Meeting, June 13–14, 2000 Registration Form

Name____________________________________ Organization______________________________ ________________________________________ Address__________________________________ City_____________________________________ State/Zip Code____________________________ Country__________________________________ Telephone________________________________ Fax_____________________________________ E-mail___________________________________ Special Requirements______________________ ________________________________________ ________________________________________			Registration Information Registration fees include an opening reception during Poster Session I, conference sessions, conference materials, continental breakfast, lunch during Poster Session II, and refreshment breaks. You may complete registration by mail, fax, or the online form, and you may pay registration fees (listed on the registration form) by check, purchase order, VISA, or MasterCard. The conference organizers will send you a letter of confirmation upon receipt of the completed registration form. Please note that early registration ends on May 17. Cancellation Policy If cancellation of your registration is necessary, you must send written notice to Conferences & Institutes or call (801) 581-5809 to complete the cancellation process. Cancellations made by May 17 will be subject to a service charge of $35. Confirmed registrants who do not attend the conference or who cancel after May 17 are responsible for the entire registration fee. You may, however, make a substitution at any time. When calling to cancel, ask for and retain your cancellation number. Special Requirements The University of Utah Conferences & Institutes seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services and activities for people with special needs. Please note any dietary or any other special requirements when submitting your registration, or direct your requests to Jacqueline Brakey by e-mail (jbrakey@admin.dce.utah.edu) or by phone (801- 581-5809). You may either mail or fax this form to: Conferences & Institutes University of Utah 1901 E. South Campus Drive Room 1215 Salt Lake City, UT 84112-9359 ATTN: Peggy Christensen FAX: (801) 581-3165 You may also register online at: www.conferences.utah.edu/sper/
Registration Fees (US Dollars)
	Before May 17	After May 17
q SPER Member q SPER Non-Member q Student q CME credits Total	$155 $185 $ 55 $ 25 $_____	$195 $225 $ 65 $ 25 $____
Payment Method qCheck Enclosed (payable to the University of Utah--Tax ID 87-6000525) q Bill my organization, ATTN:______________ Purchase Order________________________ Charge my credit card: q Master Card q VISA Card #___________________________________ Expiration Date____________________________ Signature_________________________________

SPER Annual Meeting
Westin Hotel, Seattle
June 13–14, 2000

Program

*All events will take place in the Fifth Avenue Room on the Grand Ballroom Level*

Tuesday, June 13
4:00–8:00 pm	Registration
6:00–8:00 pm	President’s Reception and Poster Session A
Wednesday, June 14
7:00–11:00 am	Registration
7:00–8:00 am	Continental Breakfast
8:00–5:00 pm	Scientific Meeting
8:00–8:05 am	Welcome and Introductory Remarks — Paul Meis, President, SPER
Session One	Abortion, Birth Defects, Maternal Health
8:05–8:25 am	Do abortion policies affect state level variations in the birth prevalence of Down Syndrome? — Babak Khoshnood
8:25–8:45 am	Racial disparities in legal induced abortion–related mortality in the United States, 1988–1992 — Linda Bartlett
8:45–9:05 am	Exposure to magnetic fields (MF) during pregnancy and the risk of spontaneous abortion (SAB) — De-Kun Li
9:05–9:25 am	Trends in blood folate levels among pregnant women living in North Carolina: is food fortification making a difference? — Anna Maria Siega-Riz
9:25–9:45 am	Maternal weight, multivitamins, and congenital heart defects: is there a link? — Margaret Watkins
9:45–10:05 am	Maternal health problems after childbirth: a prospective study — Jane Thompson
10:05–10:40 am	Coffee Break
Session Two	Trends, Methods, Breastfeeding
10:40–11:00 am	Population-based uterine rupture rates, 1990-1997 — Judith Weiss
11:00–11:20 am	Maturity, growth, and infant mortality: a new approach — Robert Platt
11:20–11:40 am	Promotion of breastfeeding intervention trial (PROBIT): a cluster-randomized trial in the Republic of Belarus — Michael Kramer
11:40–12:00 pm	Breastfeeding and overweight in 9-10 year old German children — Angela Liese
12:00–2:00 pm	Lunch (provided) and Poster Session B
2:00–3:00 pm	Keynote Speaker: Preterm Birth — Robert Goldenberg
3:00–3:20 pm	Heinz Berendes International Travel Award: Homocysteine metabolism and neural tube defects — Siyan Zhan
3:20–3:40 pm	Coffee Break
3:40–4:00 pm	Student Prize Paper: Plasma concentrations of carotenoids, retinol and tocopherols in pre-eclamptic and normotensive pregnant women — Cuilin Zhang
Session Three	Randomized Trials
4:00–4:20 pm	Metronidazole treatment increased the risk of preterm birth in asymptomatic women with trichomonas — Mark Klebanoff
4:20–4:40 pm	Randomised controlled trial of community-based speech and language therapy for pre-school children — Tim Peters
4:40–5:00 pm	Randomized trial of dexamethasone in very low birth weight neonates: outcome of study participants at 5 years of age — Michael O'Shea
5:00–6:00 pm	SPER Business Meeting