Periconceptional factors affect the risk of neural tube defects in offspring: a hospital-based case-control study in China

Abstract

Objective: To explore the periconceptional factors affecting the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs), we carried out a hospital-based case-control study in China.

Methods: A 1:1 matched case-control study was conducted. With self-designed questionnaires, we solicited relevant information from 459 case mothers and 459 control mothers selected in two provinces of China through face-to-face interviews. Univariate and multivariate conditional logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the effect values by odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) with SAS9.1.3.software.

Results: Daily passive tobacco smoke exposure was a risk factor for total NTDs (OR = 8.688, 95%CI = 2.329–32.404). Diet adjustment in the first trimester (OR = 0.061, 95%CI = 0.014–0.274), periconceptional folic acid intake (OR = 0.059, 95%CI = 0.011–0.321) and health education (OR = 0.251, 95%CI = 0.081–0.781) were protective factors for total NTDs. Differences in factors and their effects on NTDs were found for the three subtypes of NTDs: anencephaly, spina bifida and encephalocele.

Conclusions: Daily passive tobacco smoke exposure, diet adjustment in the first trimester, periconceptional folic acid intake and health education were associated with NTDs.

• Diet adjustment
• folic acid intake
• health education
• passive tobacco smoke
• neural tube defects

Notes

*Meng Wang planned the study and collected, analyzed the data with Li-Jie Gao, Rui Gong, Meng Zhang and Qing-Bin Lu. Professors Zhong-Tang Zhao and Zhi-Ping Wang gave much advice and directions in both study design and preparing of the manuscript. All the authors have read and approved the final submitted version.