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

Tonia C Carter1, Richard S Olney, Allen A Mitchell

  • 1Division 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

Birth Defects Research. Part A, Clinical and Molecular Teratology
|February 15, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Genital tract infections during pregnancy may be linked to certain birth defects, including kidney and cleft lip conditions. Further research is needed to confirm these potential associations.

Area of Science:

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Pediatrics
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Genital tract infections are prevalent during pregnancy and linked to adverse outcomes like preterm birth and neonatal infections.
  • This study investigates a potential association between maternal genital tract infections and specific birth defects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine if genital tract infections in early pregnancy are associated with selected birth defects.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study utilized data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (1997-2004).
  • Maternal interviews collected data on genital tract infections in early pregnancy.
  • Unconditional logistic regression analyzed associations, adjusting for confounders.

Main Results:

  • Genital tract infections showed associations with bilateral renal agenesis/hypoplasia, cleft lip, and transverse limb deficiency.
  • Chlamydia/gonorrhea/pelvic inflammatory disease was specifically associated with cleft lip.
  • Statistical significance was not achieved after adjusting for multiple comparisons.

Conclusions:

  • Findings suggest a possible link but require cautious interpretation due to potential misclassification and limited sample size.
  • Further research is recommended to explore the relationship between genital tract infections and birth defects.
  • Current data do not provide strong evidence but highlight the need for continued investigation.
Abstract

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