Birth Defects In Children Research Articles

Health effects of military service lessons learned from the Vietnam experience

This article examines the methodologic difficulties encountered in studies of the long-term effects of the Vietnam War on the psychological and physical health of veterans. Alternate study designs and exposure and outcome measurements are examined in relation to psychological (post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol use or abuse) and physical (mortality and birth defects in children) health outcomes. All major epidemiologic studies of post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol use or abuse utilize cross-sectional research designs. Mortality and birth defect studies use cohort, case-control, or proportionate mortality strategies. Exposure is measured using either definitive dichotomous indicators of service in Southeast Asia or more complex indicators of the Vietnam experience (i.e., combat, herbicide exposure, atrocities, abusive violence) that are of suspect validity. In studies of psychological health, outcomes are based exclusively on self-reported symptoms, while investigations of mortality and birth defects use death certificates and hospital records. Epidemiologic research on the effects of the Vietnam conflict has been hampered by problems in research design and the inherent difficulties of measuring wartime exposures and long-term health outcomes.

Health Status of Vietnam Veterans

The Vietnam Experience Study was a multidimensional assessment of the health of Vietnam veterans. From a random sample of enlisted men who entered the US Army from 1965 through 1971, 7924 Vietnam and 7364 non-Vietnam veterans participated in a telephone interview; a random subsample of 2490 Vietnam and 1972 non-Vietnam veterans also underwent a comprehensive medical examination. During the telephone interview, Vietnam veterans reported more adverse reproductive and child health outcomes than did non-Vietnam veterans. However, children of Vietnam veterans were not more likely to have birth defects recorded on hospital birth records than were children of non-Vietnam veterans. The rates of total, major, minor, and suspected defects were similar among children of Vietnam and non-Vietnam veterans (odds ratios, 1.0, 1.1, 1.0, and 0.9, respectively). These results are consistent with the findings of three epidemiologic studies conducted since 1981 on the relationship of Vietnam service and birth defects in children of male veterans. ( JAMA 1988;259:2715-2719)

Health status of Vietnam veterans. III. Reproductive outcomes and child health. The Centers for Disease Control Vietnam Experience Study

The Vietnam Experience Study was a multidimensional assessment of the health of Vietnam veterans. From a random sample of enlisted men who entered the US Army from 1965 through 1971, 7924 Vietnam and 7364 non-Vietnam veterans participated in a telephone interview; a random subsample of 2490 Vietnam and 1972 non-Vietnam veterans also underwent a comprehensive medical examination. During the telephone interview, Vietnam veterans reported more adverse reproductive and child health outcomes than did non-Vietnam veterans. However, children of Vietnam veterans were not more likely to have birth defects recorded on hospital birth records than were children of non-Vietnam veterans. The rates of total, major, minor, and suspected defects were similar among children of Vietnam and non-Vietnam veterans (odds ratios, 1.0, 1.1, 1.0, and 0.9, respectively). These results are consistent with the findings of three epidemiologic studies conducted since 1981 on the relationship of Vietnam service and birth defects in children of male veterans.

Low Birth Weight, Prematurity and Birth Defects in Children Living Near the Hazardous Waste Site, Love Canal

ABSTRACT Birth weight, prematurity, gestational age, and birth defects were assessed in 239 children exposed during gestational life to the Love Canal neighborhood and in 707 control children. The population living in Love Canal was composed of two groups; those referred to as homeowners who lived in single family homes and were predominantly white, and those referred to as renters who lived in a low income apartment complex and were predominantly black. These two groups were matched with comparable groups in the same city and a questionnaire was administered by trained interviewers at a neighborhood site or in the home. Mothers of exposed and control children were similar in socioeconomic status, smoking, alcohol consumption and medication use during pregnancy. There was no significant difference in prematurity, but the prevalence of low birth weight babies (<2500 g) was increased in exposed compared to control children, and multiple regression analysis showed that for the homeowner group the adjusted od...

On genetic screening of donors for artificial insemination

Reliable information on the frequency of birth defects in children conceived by artificial insemination is lacking and should be collected. Genetic screening of donors for artificial insemination is recommended, and guidelines are proposed. These consider the kinds of disorder in the presumptive donor, or his relatives, that would preclude his use as a donor, and the steps to be taken with relatives, that would preclude his use as a donor, and the steps to be taken with respect to genetic counseling if a defective baby is born following the procedure.

Large study of teratogenic potential of anticonvulsants

ABSTRACT Because of clinical observations regarding birth defects in children born to mothers who receive anticonvulsant therapy during pregnancy, several antiseizure agents have been implicated as human teratogens. This in turn has raised questions about the possible teratogenicity of other antiseizure agents.At the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (Research Triangle, Raleigh, NC), some members of the Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology have been evaluating the embryopathic potential of three classes of anticonvulsants: oxazolidones, hydantoins, and succinimides.To date, according to John Kao, PhD, Gary Shill, PhD, and Sergio Fabro, MD, PhD, 20 compounds have been tested in 4,000 different mice of one strain. Embryopathic effects have been detected for all three classes of agents.In the first of a series of reports expected on this research project, the investigators said that oxazolidone, hydantoin, and succinimide anticonvulsants were given to the mice between the eighth and tenth days of pregnancy. Estimated