Top

Published in:

01-03-2009

The Association Between Major Birth Defects and Preterm Birth

Authors: Margaret A. Honein, Russell S. Kirby, Robert E. Meyer, Jian Xing, Nyasha I. Skerrette, Nataliya Yuskiv, Lisa Marengo, Joann R. Petrini, Michael J. Davidoff, Cara T. Mai, Charlotte M. Druschel, Samara Viner-Brown, Lowell E. Sever, for the National Birth Defects Prevention Network

Published in: Maternal and Child Health Journal | Issue 2/2009

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the association between preterm birth and major birth defects by maternal and infant characteristics and specific types of birth defects. Study Design We pooled data for 1995–2000 from 13 states with population-based birth defects surveillance systems, representing about 30% of all U.S. births. Analyses were limited to singleton, live births from 24–44 weeks gestational age. Results Overall, birth defects were more than twice as common among preterm births (24–36 weeks) compared with term births (37–41 weeks gestation) (prevalence ratio [PR] = 2.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.62–2.68), and approximately 8% of preterm births had a birth defect. Birth defects were over five times more likely among very preterm births (24–31 weeks gestation) compared with term births (PR = 5.25, 95% CI 5.15–5.35), with about 16% of very preterm births having a birth defect. Defects most strongly associated with very preterm birth included central nervous system defects (PR = 16.23, 95% CI 15.49–17.00) and cardiovascular defects (PR = 9.29, 95% CI 9.03–9.56). Conclusions Birth defects contribute to the occurrence of preterm birth. Research to identify shared causal pathways and risk factors could suggest appropriate interventions to reduce both preterm birth and birth defects.

Petrini, J., Damus, K., Russell, R., Poschman, K., Davidoff, M. J., & Mattison, D. (2002). Contribution of birth defects to infant mortality in the United States. Teratology, 66(Suppl 1), S3–S6. doi:10.1002/tera.90002.PubMedCrossRef

Rasmussen, S. A., Moore, C. A., Paulozzi, L. J., & Rhodenhiser, E. P. (2001). Risk for birth defects among premature infants: A population-based study. The Journal of Pediatrics, 138(5), 668–673. doi:10.1067/mpd.2001.112249.PubMedCrossRef

Hoyert, D. L., Mathews, T. J., Menacker, F., Strobino, D. M., & Guyer, B. (2006). Annual summary of vital statistics: 2004. Pediatrics, 117(1), 168–183. doi:10.1542/peds.2005-2587.PubMedCrossRef

Institute of Medicine. (2006). Preterm birth: Causes, consequences, and prevention. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.

Grandi, C., Luchtenberg, G., & Rittler, M. (2007). The contribution of birth defects to spontaneous preterm birth. American Journal of Perinatology, 24(8), 487–492. doi:10.1055/s-2007-986682.PubMedCrossRef

Mili, F., Edmonds, L. D., Khoury, M. J., & McClearn, A. B. (1991). Prevalence of birth defects among low-birth-weight infants. A population study. American Journal of Diseases of Children, 145(11), 1313–1318.PubMed

Shaw, G. M., Savitz, D. A., Nelson, V., & Thorp, J. M. Jr. (2001). Role of structural birth defects in preterm delivery. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology, 15(2), 106–109. doi:10.1046/j.1365-3016.2001.00334.x.PubMedCrossRef

National Birth Defects Prevention Network (NBDPN). (2005). 2005 congenital malformations surveillance report. Birth Defects Research. Part A, Clinical and Molecular Teratology, 73(10), 758–853. doi:10.1002/bdra.20214.CrossRef

Martin, J. A., Hamilton, B. E., Ventura, S. J., Menacker, F., & Park, M. M. (2002). Births: Final data for 2000. National Vital Statistics Reports, 50(5), 1–101.

10.

Alexander, G. R., Himes, J. H., Kaufman, R. B., Mor, J., & Kogan, M. (1996). A United States national reference for fetal growth. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 87(2), 163–168. doi:10.1016/0029-7844(95)00386-X.PubMedCrossRef

11.

Rothman, K. J., & Greenland, S. (1998). Modern epidemiology (2nd ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott-Raven Publishers.

12.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Division of Vital Statistics, Natality public-use data on CDC WONDER On-line Database, 1995–2002, published November 2005. Accessed at: http://wonder.cdc.gov/wonder/help/Natality.html#.

13.

Kyrklund-Blomberg, N. B., Granath, F., & Cnattingius, S. (2005). Maternal smoking and causes of very preterm birth. Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, 84(6), 572–577. doi:10.1111/j.0001-6349.2005.00848.x.PubMedCrossRef

14.

Rosenberg, T. J., Garbers, S., Lipkind, H., & Chiasson, M. A. (2005). Maternal obesity and diabetes as risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes: Differences among 4 racial/ethnic groups. American Journal of Public Health, 95(9), 1545–1551. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2005.065680.PubMedCrossRef

15.

Lynberg, M., & Edmonds, L. (1992). Surveillance of birth defects. In E. W. Halperin & E. L. Baker Jr. (Eds.), Public health surveillance (pp. 157–172). New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.

16.

Dolan, S. M., Gross, S. J., Merkatz, I. R., et al. (2007). The contribution of birth defects to preterm birth and low birth weight. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 110(2 Pt 1), 318–324.PubMed

17.

Tanner, K., Sabrine, N., & Wren, C. (2005). Cardiovascular malformations among preterm infants. Pediatrics, 116(6), e833–e838. doi:10.1542/peds.2005-0397.PubMedCrossRef

18.

Resnik, R. (2002). Intrauterine growth restriction. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 99(3), 490–496. doi:10.1016/S0029-7844(01)01780-X.PubMedCrossRef

19.

Group, M. V. S. R. (1991). Prevention of neural tube defects: Results of the medical research council vitamin study. MRC vitamin study research group. Lancet, 338(8760), 131–137. doi:10.1016/0140-6736(91)90133-A.CrossRef

20.

Czeizel, A. E., & Dudas, I. (1992). Prevention of the first occurrence of neural-tube defects by periconceptional vitamin supplementation. The New England Journal of Medicine, 327(26), 1832–1835.PubMed

21.

Berry, R. J., Li, Z., Erickson, J. D., et al. (1999). Prevention of neural-tube defects with folic acid in China. China-U.S. collaborative project for neural tube defect prevention. The New England Journal of Medicine, 341(20), 1485–1490. doi:10.1056/NEJM199911113412001.PubMedCrossRef

22.

Honein, M. A., Paulozzi, L. J., Mathews, T. J., Erickson, J. D., & Wong, L. Y. (2001). Impact of folic acid fortification of the US food supply on the occurrence of neural tube defects. Journal of the American Medical Association, 285(23), 2981–2986. doi:10.1001/jama.285.23.2981.PubMedCrossRef

23.

Williams, L. J., Mai, C. T., Edmonds, L. D., et al. (2002). Prevalence of spina bifida and anencephaly during the transition to mandatory folic acid fortification in the United States. Teratology, 66(1), 33–39. doi:10.1002/tera.10060.PubMedCrossRef

24.

Botto, L. D., Olney, R. S., & Erickson, J. D. (2004). Vitamin supplements and the risk for congenital anomalies other than neural tube defects. American Journal of Medical Genetics. Part C, Seminars in Medical Genetics, 125(1), 12–21. doi:10.1002/ajmg.c.30004.

25.

Canfield, M. A., Collins, J. S., Botto, L. D. et al. (2005). Changes in the birth prevalence of selected birth defects after grain fortification with folic acid in the United States: Findings from a multi-state population-based study. Birth defects Research. Part A, Clinical and Molecular Teratology, 73(10), 679–689. doi:10.1002/bdra.20210.PubMedCrossRef

26.

Relton, C. L., Pearce, M. S., & Parker, L. (2005). The influence of erythrocyte folate and serum vitamin B12 status on birth weight. The British Journal of Nutrition, 93(5), 593–599. doi:10.1079/BJN20041395.PubMedCrossRef

27.

Siega-Riz, A. M., Savitz, D. A., Zeisel, S. H., Thorp, J. M., & Herring, A. (2004). Second trimester folate status and preterm birth. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 191(6), 1851–1857. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2004.07.076.PubMedCrossRef

28.

Honein, M. A., Paulozzi, L. J., & Watkins, M. L. (2001). Maternal smoking and birth defects: validity of birth certificate data for effect estimation. Public Health Reports, 116(4), 327–335.PubMedCrossRef

29.

Shah, N. R., & Bracken, M. B. (2000). A systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies on the association between maternal cigarette smoking and preterm delivery. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 182(2), 465–472. doi:10.1016/S0002-9378(00)70240-7.PubMedCrossRef

30.

Waller, D. K., Mills, J. L., Simpson, J. L., et al. (1994). Are obese women at higher risk for producing malformed offspring? American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 170(2), 541–548.PubMed

31.

Watkins, M. L., Rasmussen, S. A., Honein, M. A., Botto, L. D., & Moore, C. A. (2003). Maternal obesity and risk for birth defects. Pediatrics, 111(5 Part 2), 1152–1158.PubMed

32.

Anderson, J. L., Waller, D. K., Canfield, M. A., Shaw, G. M., Watkins, M. L., & Werler, M. M. (2005). Maternal obesity, gestational diabetes, and central nervous system birth defects. Epidemiology, 16(1), 87–92. doi:10.1097/01.ede.0000147122.97061.bb.PubMedCrossRef

33.

Castro, L. C., & Avina, R. L. (2002). Maternal obesity and pregnancy outcomes. Current Opinion in Obstetrics & Gynecology, 14(6), 601–606. doi:10.1097/00001703-200212000-00005.CrossRef

34.

Davidoff, M. J., Petrini, J., Damus, K., Russell, R. B., & Mattison, D. (2002). Neural tube defect-specific infant mortality in the United States. Teratology, 66(Suppl 1), S17–S22. doi:10.1002/tera.90005.PubMedCrossRef

35.

Cannon, C., Dildy, G. A., Ward, R., Varner, M. W., & Dudley, D. J. (1996). A population-based study of congenital diaphragmatic hernia in Utah: 1988–1994. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 87(6), 959–963. doi:10.1016/0029-7844(96)00052-X.PubMedCrossRef

36.

Dees, E., Lin, H., Cotton, R. B., Graham, T. P., & Dodd, D. A. (2000). Outcome of preterm infants with congenital heart disease. The Journal of Pediatrics, 137(5), 653–659. doi:10.1067/mpd.2000.108568.PubMedCrossRef

37.

McMahon, C. J., Penny, D. J., Nelson, D. P., et al. (2005). Preterm infants with congenital heart disease and bronchopulmonary dysplasia: postoperative course and outcome after cardiac surgery. Pediatrics, 116(2), 423–430. doi:10.1542/peds.2004-2168.PubMedCrossRef

38.

Moir, C. R., Ramsey, P. S., Ogburn, P. L., Johnson, R. V., & Ramin, K. D. (2004). A prospective trial of elective preterm delivery for fetal gastroschisis. American Journal of Perinatology, 21(5), 289–294. doi:10.1055/s-2004-829864.PubMedCrossRef

39.

Ergun, O., Barksdale, E., Ergun, F. S., et al. (2005). The timing of delivery of infants with gastroschisis influences outcome. Journal of Pediatric Surgery, 40(2), 424–428. doi:10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2004.10.013.PubMedCrossRef

40.

Brantberg, A., Blaas, H. G., Salvesen, K. A., Haugen, S. E., & Eik-Nes, S. H. (2004). Surveillance and outcome of fetuses with gastroschisis. Ultrasound Obstetrics and Gynecology, 23(1), 4–13. doi:10.1002/uog.950.CrossRef

41.

Alexander, G. R., & Allen, M. C. (1996). Conceptualization, measurement, and use of gestational age. I. Clinical and public health practice. Journal of Perinatology, 16(1), 53–59.PubMed

42.

Lumley, J. (2003). Defining the problem: the epidemiology of preterm birth. British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 110(20), 3–7.PubMed

43.

Goldenberg, R. L., Davis, R. O., Cutter, G. R., Hoffman, H. J., Brumfield, C. G., & Foster, J. M. (1989). Prematurity, postdates, and growth retardation: The influence of use of ultrasonography on reported gestational age. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 160(2), 462–470.PubMed

44.

Liu, S., Joseph, K. S., Kramer, M. S., et al. (2002). Relationship of prenatal diagnosis and pregnancy termination to overall infant mortality in Canada. Journal of the American Medical Association, 287(12), 1561–1567. doi:10.1001/jama.287.12.1561.PubMedCrossRef

45.

Hassed, S. J., Miller, C. H., Pope, S. K., Murphy, P., Quirk, J. G., Jr., & Cunniff, C. (1993). Perinatal lethal conditions: the effect of diagnosis on decision making. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 82(1), 37–42.PubMed

46.

Cassell, C., Mai, C., & Rickard, R. (2007). Birth defects interstate data exchange: A battle worth fighting?. Birth Defects Research. Part A, Clinical and Molecular Teratology, 79(11), 806–810. doi:10.1002/bdra.20413.PubMedCrossRef

Title: The Association Between Major Birth Defects and Preterm Birth
Authors: Margaret A. Honein
Russell S. Kirby
Robert E. Meyer
Jian Xing
Nyasha I. Skerrette
Nataliya Yuskiv
Lisa Marengo
Joann R. Petrini
Michael J. Davidoff
Cara T. Mai
Charlotte M. Druschel
Samara Viner-Brown
Lowell E. Sever
for the National Birth Defects Prevention Network
Publication date: 01-03-2009
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Maternal and Child Health Journal / Issue 2/2009
Print ISSN: 1092-7875
Electronic ISSN: 1573-6628
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-008-0348-y

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

The Association Between Major Birth Defects and Preterm Birth

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 2/2009

Socioeconomic Differences in Weight Retention, Weight-related Attitudes and Practices in Postpartum Women

Alcohol Consumption by Women Before and During Pregnancy

Trying to Lose or Maintain Weight During Pregnancy—United States, 2003

Differentiating Subgroups of Children with Special Health Care Needs by Health Status and Complexity of Health Care Needs

Issues and Biases in Matching Medicaid Pregnancy Episodes to Vital Records Data: The Arkansas Experience

Individual Net-Benefit Maximization: A Model for Understanding Breastfeeding Cessation among Low-Income Women