Birth Defects Prevention Study (birth + defects_prevention_study)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Kinds of Birth Defects Prevention Study

  • national birth defects prevention study


  • Selected Abstracts


    Hypospadias and maternal exposures to cigarette smoke

    PAEDIATRIC & PERINATAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 6 2005
    Suzan L. Carmichael
    Summary The few previous studies of hypospadias and smoking have suggested either no association or a reduced risk. This study, which uses data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, a multi-state, population-based case,control study, includes data on males born with severe hypospadias (i.e. the urethra opens at the penile shaft, scrotum or perineum) from 1997 to 2000. Non-malformed, liveborn male controls were selected randomly from birth certificates or from birth hospitals. Maternal interviews were completed by telephone with 453 case mothers and 1267 control mothers. Maternal smoking was not associated with hypospadias risk. For example, during the third month of pregnancy, smoking < 0.5 pack/day had an odds ratio (OR) of 1.1 [95% CI 0.6, 1.9]; 0.5 pack/day, 0.6 [0.4, 1.1]; and ,,1 pack/day, 0.8 [0.4, 1.6]. Exposure to any secondhand smoke at home during the third month of pregnancy showed an OR of 0.6 [95% CI 0.4, 1.0], and exposure at work or school, an OR of 0.7 [0.5, 1.1]. Similar risks were observed for other months during the periconceptional period, and adjustment for several potential confounders did not substantially alter results. This analysis does not confirm a recent report suggesting that maternal smoking is associated with a reduced risk of having offspring with hypospadias. [source]


    Risk factors for non-syndromic holoprosencephaly in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study,,§

    AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS, Issue 1 2010
    Eric A. Miller¶
    Abstract Holoprosencephaly (HPE) is a complex structural brain anomaly that results from incomplete cleavage of the forebrain. The prevalence of HPE at birth is low, and risk factors have been difficult to identify. Using data from a large multi-state population-based case-control study, we examined risk factors for non-syndromic HPE. Data from maternal telephone interviews were available for 74 infants with HPE and 5871 controls born between 1997 and 2004. Several characteristics and exposures were examined, including pregnancy history, medical history, maternal diet and use of nutritional supplements, medications, tobacco, alcohol, and illegal substances. We used ,2 -tests and logistic regression (excluding women with pre-existing diabetes) to examine associations with HPE. Except for diet (year before pregnancy) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) (throughout pregnancy), most exposures were examined for the time period from the month before to the third month of pregnancy. HPE was found to be associated with pre-existing diabetes (,2,=,6.0; P,=,0.01), aspirin use [adjusted odds ratio (aOR),=,3.4; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.6,6.9], lower education level (aOR,=,2.5; 95%CI 1.1,5.6), and use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) (crude OR,=,4.2; 95%CI 1.3,13.7). Consistent maternal folic acid use appeared to be protective (aOR,=,0.4; 95%CI 0.2,1.0), but the association was of borderline statistical significance. While some of these findings support previous observations, other potential risk factors identified warrant further study. Published 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


    Prenatal diagnosis of orofacial clefts, National Birth Defects Prevention Study, 1998,2004,

    PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS, Issue 9 2009
    Candice Y. Johnson
    Abstract Objective The aims of this study were to determine how frequently orofacial clefts were diagnosed prenatally and to investigate factors associated with prenatal diagnosis. Methods We included 2298 mothers from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, each of whom gave birth to a child with an orofacial cleft, and assessed associated factors using logistic regression. Results The frequencies of prenatal diagnosis for cleft lip and palate, cleft lip only, and cleft palate only were 33.3%, 20.3%, and 0.3%, respectively. Among cases with cleft lip with or without cleft palate, cleft type, geographic location, maternal body mass index, household income, year of infant's birth, and presence of multiple birth defects were significantly associated with receiving a prenatal diagnosis. Conclusion In the majority of infants with orofacial clefts, a prenatal diagnosis was not made. Receiving a prenatal diagnosis was significantly associated with several infant and maternal characteristics. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Are birth defects among Hispanics related to maternal nativity or number of years lived in the United States?,,

    BIRTH DEFECTS RESEARCH, Issue 9 2009
    Tunu Ramadhani
    Abstract BACKGROUND: Literature on the risk of birth defects among foreign- versus U.S.,born Hispanics is limited or inconsistent. We examined the association between country of birth, immigration patterns, and birth defects among Hispanic mothers. METHODS: We used data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study and calculated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals and assessed the relationship between mothers' country of birth, years lived in the United States, and birth defects among 575 foreign-born compared to 539 U.S.,born Hispanic mothers. RESULTS: Hispanic mothers born in Mexico/Central America were more likely to deliver babies with spina bifida (OR = 1.53) than their U.S.,born counterparts. Also, mothers born in Mexico/Central America or who were recent United States immigrants (,5 years) were less likely to deliver babies with all atrial septal defects combined, all septal defects combined, or atrial septal defect, secundum type. However, Hispanic foreign-born mothers who lived in the United States for >5 years were more likely to deliver babies with all neural tube defects combined (OR = 1.42), spina bifida (OR = 1.89), and longitudinal limb defects (OR = 2.34). Foreign-born mothers, regardless of their number of years lived in the United States, were more likely to deliver babies with anotia or microtia. CONCLUSIONS: Depending on the type of birth defect, foreign-born Hispanic mothers might be at higher or lower risk of delivering babies with the defects. The differences might reflect variations in predisposition, cultural norms, behavioral characteristics, and/or ascertainment of the birth defects. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


    Clinical geneticists in birth defects surveillance and epidemiology research programs: Past, present and future roles,

    BIRTH DEFECTS RESEARCH, Issue 1 2009
    Angela E. Lin
    Abstract Clinical geneticists have contributed to the creation and operation of birth defects surveillance systems and epidemiology research programs. Over the years, many continue to assist the multidisciplinary staff at state-based and regional programs, national networks, and international databases. Currently, all centers participating in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study include a clinical geneticist, which has increased awareness of this role. It is generally assumed that the medical skills and expertise acquired from clinical practice of a clinical geneticist can assist in the tasks of record review, case classification, coding, staff education, peer networking, and research, but these activities have not been formally reviewed. To increase the general knowledge base, this article used the framework of an historical descriptive review focusing on a sample of birth defects surveillance systems presented as illustrative case studies. We examined the contribution of clinical geneticists to a sample of epidemiologic research studies from each program. Looking to the future, we discuss the education of other clinical geneticists, the need to evaluate performance, and the geneticist's participation with other public health colleagues in the shared goal of birth defects prevention. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


    Periconceptional use of weight loss products including ephedra and the association with birth defects,,§

    BIRTH DEFECTS RESEARCH, Issue 8 2008
    Rebecca H. Bitsko
    Abstract BACKGROUND: Weight loss products are frequently used by reproductive-aged women and these products may be taken (inadvertently or intentionally) during pregnancy. This study assessed the association between periconceptional use of weight loss products and major structural birth defects. METHODS: Mothers of infants with birth defects (case infants) and a random sample of livebirths (control infants) born during the period 1998,2003 in 10 states participated in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study. Adjusted ORs (aORs) for the association between self-reported use of weight loss products and 23 categories of birth defects were calculated. RESULTS: Mothers of control infants (2.4%) and 2.6% of mothers of case infants reported periconceptional use of weight loss products; 1.2% of mothers of control infants and 1.3% of mothers of case infants reported using an ephedra-containing product. Use of any weight loss product was associated with anencephaly (aOR 2.6; 95% CI: 1.3,5.3), dextro-transposition of the great arteries (aOR 2.1; 95% CI: 1.1,4.3), and aortic stenosis (aOR 3.4; 95% CI: 1.5,7.9). Use of products containing ephedra showed an increased aOR with anencephaly (aOR 2.8; 95% CI: 1.0,7.3), while other weight loss products were associated with dextro-transposition of the great arteries (aOR 1.8; 95% CI: 1.2,2.7), and aortic stenosis (aOR 2.1; 95% CI: 1.3,3.5). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest an association between periconceptional use of weight loss products and certain birth defects but the possible mechanism is not clear. This is the first finding of such an association and, because we examined a large number of exposure-outcome associations in a hypothesis-generating analysis, these results might have been due to chance. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


    Nutrient intakes in women and congenital diaphragmatic hernia in their offspring,

    BIRTH DEFECTS RESEARCH, Issue 3 2008
    Wei Yang
    Abstract BACKGROUND: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a severe birth defect where there is an opening in the diaphragm through which a portion of the abdominal contents protrudes into the thoracic cavity. The etiologies of CDH remain unknown, although experimental animal data suggest dietary factors might play a role. This study examined whether maternal nutrient intakes were associated with delivering infants with CDH. METHODS: We analyzed infants with isolated CDH who were born from 1997 to 2003 and recruited into the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS), a multisite, population-based case-control study. Exposure data were obtained from telephone interviews, which were completed within 24 months after delivery, and were available for 377 case mothers and 5,008 control mothers. A food frequency questionnaire was used to derive nutrient intakes during the year before pregnancy. RESULTS: A crude OR of 0.6 (95% CI: 0.3,1.0) was observed for higher intake of choline. Elevated ORs (1.4 to 1.7) were found for lower intakes of choline, cysteine, methionine, and protein. Among women who took vitamin supplements, higher intakes of B vitamins (i.e., folate, vitamin B1, B2, B6, and B12), minerals (i.e., calcium, iron, magnesium, and zinc), and vitamin E were inversely associated with CDH (ORs from 0.7,0.3). Moreover, among women who did not take vitamin supplements, lower intakes of calcium, retinol, selenium, vitamin B12, and vitamin E had positive associations with CDH (ORs from 1.4 to 2.1). CONCLUSIONS: Our observations contribute to a limited body of evidence suggesting a woman's periconceptional diet might be associated with CDH in her offspring. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


    Craniosynostosis and maternal smoking,

    BIRTH DEFECTS RESEARCH, Issue 2 2008
    Suzan L. Carmichael
    Abstract BACKGROUND: Several previous studies suggested increased risk of craniosynostosis among infants born to women who smoked. METHODS: This study used data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, a multi-state, population-based case-control study of infants delivered from 1997,2003. Nonmalformed, liveborn controls were selected randomly from birth certificates or birth hospitals. Data from maternal telephone interviews were available for 531 cases and 5008 controls. RESULTS: Smoking during the first month of pregnancy was not associated with craniosynostosis. Smoking later in pregnancy was associated with increased risk, but only among mothers who smoked at least one pack/day. For example, during the second trimester, the odds ratio for smoking <5 cigarettes/day was 1.0 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.6, 1.8), but the odds ratio (OR) for smoking 15 or more cigarettes/day was 1.6 (95% CI 0.9, 2.8), after adjustment for maternal age, education, race-ethnicity, sub-fertility, parity, folic acid supplement intake, body mass index, and study center. Among women who did not smoke, adjusted odds ratios suggested that secondhand smoke exposure at home, but not at work/school, was associated with modestly increased risk; the OR for home exposure was 1.3 (95% CI 0.9, 1.9). Results followed a similar pattern for some, but not all, specific suture types, but numbers for some groupings were small. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest moderately increased risk of craniosynostosis among mothers who were the heaviest smokers and who continued to smoke after the first trimester. Results are somewhat equivocal, given that most confidence intervals included one. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


    Maternal caffeine consumption and risk of cardiovascular malformations,,

    BIRTH DEFECTS RESEARCH, Issue 7 2007
    Marilyn L. Browne
    Abstract BACKGROUND: The physiologic effects and common use of caffeine during pregnancy call for examination of maternal caffeine consumption and risk of birth defects. Epidemiologic studies have yielded mixed results, but such studies have grouped etiologically different defects and have not evaluated effect modification. METHODS: The large sample size and precise case classification of the National Birth Defects Prevention Study allowed us to examine caffeine consumption and specific cardiovascular malformation (CVM) case groups. We studied consumption of caffeinated coffee, tea, soda, and chocolate to estimate total caffeine intake and separately examined exposure to each caffeinated beverage. Smoking, alcohol, vasoactive medications, folic acid supplement use, and infant gender were evaluated for effect modification. Maternal interview reports for 4,196 CVM case infants overall and 3,957 control infants were analyzed. RESULTS: We did not identify any significant positive associations between maternal caffeine consumption and CVMs. For tetralogy of Fallot, nonsignificant elevations in risk were observed for moderate (but not high) caffeine intake overall and among nonsmokers (ORs of 1.3 to 1.5). Risk estimates for both smoking and consuming caffeine were less than the sum of the excess risks for each exposure. We observed an inverse trend between coffee intake and risk of atrial septal defect; however, this single significant pattern of association might have been a chance finding. CONCLUSIONS: Our study found no evidence for an appreciable teratogenic effect of caffeine with regard to CVMs. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]