Acculturation and selected birth defects among non-Hispanic Blacks in a population-based case-control study

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Public Health
• Genetics

Background:

• Birth defect prevalence varies across racial and ethnic groups.
• Non-Hispanic (NH) Black mothers show higher rates of encephalocele but lower rates of anotia/microtia compared to NH White mothers.
• Nativity and duration of U.S. residence further influence these disparities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate birth defect prevalence differences among non-Hispanic (NH) Black mothers based on nativity and years lived in the United States.
• To analyze associations between maternal nativity, duration of U.S. residence, and specific birth defects.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study.
• Calculated descriptive statistics and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for NH Black mothers with major defects versus controls.
• Stratified analyses by nativity (U.S.-born vs. foreign-born) and years lived in the U.S. (≤5 vs. 6+ years).

Main Results:

• Foreign-born NH Black mothers had lower adjusted odds ratios for limb deficiencies (aORs/95%CIs = 0.44 [0.20-0.97]) and septal defects (0.69 [0.48-0.99]) compared to U.S.-born controls.
• An increased risk for hydrocephaly (2.43 [1.03-5.74]) was observed among foreign-born NH Black mothers residing in the U.S. for 6+ years.
• No statistically significant findings were noted when restricting analyses to African-born mothers.

Conclusions:

• Foreign-born NH Black mothers demonstrated a reduced risk for specific birth defects.
• These observed risks remained consistent when analyses were limited to African-born mothers and showed minimal changes with stratification by U.S. residency duration.