Maternal risk factors for congenital urinary anomalies: results of a population-based case-control study

Epidemiologic data addressing maternal risk factors for congenital urinary tract anomalies (CUTA) are limited, with conflicting results for preexisting diabetes mellitus, gestational diabetes, and tobacco and alcohol use. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between maternal risk factors and CUTA in a population-based case-control study.

A case-control analysis was performed using linked birth-hospital discharge records from Washington state for 1987-2007 to evaluate the association between maternal risk factors and CUTA. Cases were children with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes for urinary anomalies. Controls without urinary tract anomalies were selected from Washington State birth records and matched by birth year in a ratio of 4:1. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate the association between maternal factors and CUTA.

A total of 4673 cases and 18,692 controls were studied. In the multivariate analysis, gestational diabetes (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.09-1.85), preexisting diabetes (OR 3.46, 95% CI 2.17-5.54), and maternal renal disease (OR 5.31, 95% CI 2.40-11.72) were all associated with an increased risk of kidney anomalies. Advanced maternal age (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.06-1.35), gestational diabetes (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.01-1.56), maternal renal disease (OR 4.06, 95% CI 1.95-8.46), and non-Caucasian race (OR 0.82, 95% CI .74-.91) were all associated with the risk of ureter, bladder, and urethra anomalies in multivariate analysis.

Several maternal factors are associated with the risk of CUTA, including diabetes mellitus and maternal renal disease. This information can be used for prenatal counseling and management of women with these risk factors.