chds and the environment

Birth Defect Research for Children (www.birthdefects.org) has started a new network for heart defect support groups and families who have children with Congenital Heart Defects (CHDs). to provide information about the latest research on the connections between CHDs and environmental exposures. Briefs for new studies will be posted on this site each month. Families and support groups for CHDs are also invited to post their comments.

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

chds and the environment

Risk of CHDs increased in offspring of women with diabetes.

To evaluate the effect of pre-gestational diabetes on pregnancy outcome, cases with congenital abnormalities were identified in the population-based Hungarian Congenital Abnormality Registry from 1980 to 1996 with two newborn children without congenital abnormality selected from the National Birth Registry as controls.
Pre-gestational maternal diabetes was associated with strong teratogenic effects on the kidney, urinary tract, and heart, and strongly associated with multiple congenital abnormalities.
The association was strongest for the following congenital abnormalities: renal agenesis (POR: 14.8; 95% CI, 3.5-62.1), obstructive congenital abnormalities of the urinary tract (POR: 4.3; 95% CI, 1.3-13.9), cardiovascular congenital abnormalities (POR: 3.4; 95% CI, 2.0-5.7), and multiple congenital abnormalities (POR: 5.0; 95% CI, 2.4-10.2).

Diabet Med. 2005 Jun;22(6):693-6.