Abstract
BackgroundThe main objective was to investigate the burden of birth defects among alive infants and explore the impact of maternal lifestyle during pregnancy on the burden of birth defects in Northwest China.MethodsA stratified multi-stage sampling method was used to study infants born during 2010–2013 (and their mothers) in Shaanxi province of Northwest China. Socio-demographic information was collected using a structured questionnaire, and medical records from the local hospitals were used to determine the final diagnosis of birth defects. Poisson regression analysis was performed to assess the association between maternal lifestyles during pregnancy and the burden of birth defects, while adjusting for potential confounders.ResultsWe sampled 29098 infants, of whom 629 (i.e. 216.17 per 10000) were observed to have congenital defects. Cardiovascular system defects (77.32 per 10000) were found to be the most common. Mothers who had ever consumed alcohol during pregnancy were found to have infants with a higher prevalence of some categories of birth defects, including nervous system (Prevalence Rate Ratio, PRR:14.67, 95%CI:1.94, 110.92), cardiovascular system (PRR:3.22, 95%CI: 1.02, 10.16) and oral clefts (PRR:9.02, 95%CI: 2.08, 39.10) in contrast to infants of mothers without any alcohol consumption. Maternal passive smoking during pregnancy lead to the increased burden of malformations of eye, ear, face and neck (PRR:1.95, 95%CI:1.15, 3.33), cardiovascular system (PRR:1.70, 95%CI: 1.25, 2.31) and respiratory system (PRR:9.94, 95%CI: 2.37, 41.76) in their newborns. Further, tea or coffee consumption during pregnancy was positively correlated with the burden of specific birth defects, such as cardiovascular system (PRR: 2.44, 95%CI: 1.33, 4.46) and genital organs (PRR:14.72, 95%CI: 1.87, 116.11) among infants.ConclusionsThe prevalence of birth defects was high in Shaanxi province of Northwest China. The unhealthy lifestyles of mothers during pregnancy may increase the prevalence of congenital malformations. These findings in future may have some important implications for prevention of birth defects in Northwest China.
Highlights
Birth defects (BD), defined as a constellation of structural, functional and metabolic disorders, represent a significant global public health problem owing to their substantial contribution to infant and child mortality and morbidity
Tea or coffee consumption during pregnancy was positively correlated with the burden of specific birth defects, such as cardiovascular system (PRR: 2.44, 95%CI: 1.33, 4.46) and genital organs (PRR:14.72, 95%CI: 1.87, 116.11) among infants
The prevalence of birth defects was high in Shaanxi province of Northwest China
Summary
Birth defects (BD), defined as a constellation of structural, functional and metabolic disorders, represent a significant global public health problem owing to their substantial contribution to infant and child mortality and morbidity. The impact of maternal lifestyles during pregnancy on the burden of birth defects among infants in Northwest China has not been adequately researched. In 2013, a large cross-sectional population-based epidemiological survey of birth defects among infants was conducted in Shaanxi province, Northwest China. We assessed the burden of birth defects among alive infants, and investigated the impact of maternal lifestyle during pregnancy on the burden of BDs in Northwest China. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic investigation into the relationship between maternal lifestyle during pregnancy and birth defects based on a large population survey.
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