Journal article
Maternal exposure to methotrexate and birth defects: A population‐based study
American journal of medical genetics. Part A, Vol.164(9), pp.2212-2216
09/2014
DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.36625
PMCID: PMC4617640
PMID: 24898111
Abstract
Methotrexate is an anti‐folate medication that is associated with increased risk of multiple birth defects. Using data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, a case‐control study of major birth defects in the United States, we examined mothers exposed to methotrexate. The study population included mothers of live‐born infants without major birth defects (controls) and mothers of fetuses or infants with a major birth defect (cases), with expected dates of delivery between October 1997 and December 2009. Mothers of cases and controls were asked detailed questions concerning pregnancy history, demographic information, and exposures in a telephone interview. Approximately 0.06% (n = 16/27,623) of case and 0.04% (n = 4/10,113) of control mothers reported exposure to methotrexate between 3 months prior to conception through the end of pregnancy. Of the 16 case infants, 11 (68.8%) had a congenital heart defect (CHD). The observed CHDs included atrial septal defects, tetralogy of Fallot, valvar pulmonary stenosis, ventricular septal defects (VSDs), and total anomalous pulmonary venous return. One case infant had microtia in addition to a VSD and another had VACTER association. Exposed cases without a CHD had one of the following birth defects: cleft palate, hypospadias, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, or craniosynostosis. Based on a limited number of methotrexate‐exposed mothers, our findings support recent case reports suggesting an association between early pregnancy exposure to methotrexate and CHDs. Because of the rarity of maternal periconceptional exposure to methotrexate, long‐term, population‐based case‐control studies are needed to confirm these findings and better evaluate the association between methotrexate and birth defects. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Maternal exposure to methotrexate and birth defects: A population‐based study
- Creators
- April L Dawson - Centers for Disease Control and PreventionTiffany Riehle‐Colarusso - Centers for Disease Control and PreventionJennita Reefhuis - Centers for Disease Control and PreventionJ. Fernando Arena - Centers for Disease Control and PreventionNational Birth Defects Prevention Study
- Contributors
- Paul A Romitti (Contributor) - University of Iowa, Epidemiology
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- American journal of medical genetics. Part A, Vol.164(9), pp.2212-2216
- DOI
- 10.1002/ajmg.a.36625
- PMID
- 24898111
- PMCID
- PMC4617640
- ISSN
- 1552-4825
- eISSN
- 1552-4833
- Number of pages
- 5
- Grant note
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to the Centers for Birth Defects Research and Prevention (PA96043; PA02081; FOA DD09‐001)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 09/2014
- Academic Unit
- Epidemiology; Biostatistics
- Record Identifier
- 9984214817202771
Metrics
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