Maternal self-reported genital tract infections during pregnancy and the risk of selected birth defects

Tonia C Carter; Richard S Olney; Allen A Mitchell; Paul A Romitti; Erin M Bell; Charlotte M Druschel; National Birth Defects Prevention Study

doi:10.1002/bdra.20749

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Maternal self-reported genital tract infections during pregnancy and the risk of selected birth defects

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Maternal self-reported genital tract infections during pregnancy and the risk of selected birth defects

Tonia C Carter, Richard S Olney, Allen A Mitchell, Paul A Romitti, Erin M Bell, Charlotte M Druschel and National Birth Defects Prevention Study

Birth defects research. A Clinical and molecular teratology, Vol.91(2), pp.108-116

02/2011

DOI: 10.1002/bdra.20749

PMCID: PMC6042848

PMID: 21319278

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/6042848View

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Abstract

Genital tract infections are common during pregnancy and can result in adverse outcomes including preterm birth and neonatal infection. This hypothesis-generating study examined whether these infections are associated with selected birth defects. We conducted a case-control study of 5913 children identified as controls and 12,158 cases with birth defects from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (1997-2004). Maternal interviews provided data on genital tract infections that occurred from one month before pregnancy through the end of the first trimester. Infections were either grouped together as a single overall exposure or were considered as a subgroup that included chlamydia/gonorrhea/pelvic inflammatory disease. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using unconditional logistic regression with adjustment for potential confounders. Genital tract infections were associated with bilateral renal agenesis/hypoplasia (OR, 2.89; 95% CI, 1.11-7.50), cleft lip with or without cleft palate (OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.03-2.06), and transverse limb deficiency (OR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.04-3.26). Chlamydia/gonorrhea/pelvic inflammatory disease was associated with cleft lip only (OR, 2.81; 95% CI, 1.39-5.69). These findings were not statistically significant after adjustment for multiple comparisons. Caution is needed in interpreting these findings due to the possible misclassification of infection, the limited sample size that constrained consideration of the effects of treatment, and the possibility of chance associations. Although these data do not provide strong evidence for an association between genital tract infections and birth defects, additional research on the possible effects of these relatively common infections is needed.

Pregnancy

Congenital Abnormalities - epidemiology

Cleft Lip - epidemiology

Kidney Diseases - congenital

Humans

Self Report

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Risk

Pregnancy Complications, Infectious

Gonorrhea

Pregnancy Trimester, First

Genital Diseases, Female

Kidney - abnormalities

Limb Deformities, Congenital - epidemiology

Chlamydia Infections

Adolescent

Adult

Female

Cleft Palate - epidemiology

Odds Ratio

Infant, Newborn

Details

Title: Subtitle: Maternal self-reported genital tract infections during pregnancy and the risk of selected birth defects
Creators: Tonia C Carter - Division of Epidemiology, Statistics, and Prevention Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health/DHHS, 6100 Executive Blvd., Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. carterto@mail.nih.gov
Richard S Olney
Allen A Mitchell
Paul A Romitti
Erin M Bell
Charlotte M Druschel
National Birth Defects Prevention Study
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Birth defects research. A Clinical and molecular teratology, Vol.91(2), pp.108-116
DOI: 10.1002/bdra.20749
PMID: 21319278
PMCID: PMC6042848
NLM abbreviation: Birth Defects Res A Clin Mol Teratol
ISSN: 1542-0752
eISSN: 1542-0760
Publisher: Wiley; United States
Grant note: U01 DD000492 / NCBDD CDC HHS Intramural NIH HHS U50 DD223184 / NCBDD CDC HHS U50/CCU223184 / PHS HHS
Language: English
Date published: 02/2011
Academic Unit: Epidemiology; Biostatistics
Record Identifier: 9983995173802771

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