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Role of structural birth defects in preterm delivery
G M Shaw1, D A Savitz, V Nelson
1March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, California Birth Defects Monitoring Program, Oakland 94606, USA. gsh@cbdmp.org
Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology
|June 1, 2001
Summary
Structural birth defects are linked to preterm births, with higher prevalence in earlier gestations. This study quantifies the association, finding over 8% of very preterm infants have defects, decreasing with gestational age.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal epidemiology
- Birth defect surveillance
- Neonatal health
Background:
- The association between preterm birth and structural birth defects requires precise quantification.
- Understanding the specific phenotypes of birth defects in preterm infants is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the proportion of preterm infants diagnosed with structural birth defects within their first year of life.
- To identify specific birth defect phenotypes prevalent among preterm infants.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the California Birth Defects Monitoring Program, a population-based registry.
- Incorporated California vital records for births and fetal deaths from 1984-1996.
- Analyzed prevalence of structural birth defects across different gestational age groups.
Main Results:
- Prevalence of structural birth defects was over 8% for infants born at or before 30 weeks gestation.
- Prevalence decreased to 2% for infants born at or after 37 weeks gestation.
- This decreasing prevalence pattern was consistent across various birth defect groups, maternal demographics, and study years.
Conclusions:
- Structural birth defects significantly contribute to the incidence of preterm births.
- The prevalence of birth defects in preterm infants demonstrates a clear inverse relationship with increasing gestational age.
- These findings underscore the importance of considering birth defects in the management and understanding of preterm delivery.