Maternal smoking during pregnancy and neural tube defects in offspring: a meta-analysis

Childs Nerv Syst. 2014 Jan;30(1):83-9. doi: 10.1007/s00381-013-2194-5. Epub 2013 Jun 13.

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to examine the association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and neural tube defects (NTDs) in offspring.

Methods: We retrieved published studies on the association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and NTDs risk in offspring. Meta-analysis was applied to calculate the overall odds ratios (ORs) and their 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). The publication bias was assessed by the Egger's regression asymmetry test and Begg's rank correlation test.

Results: The overall effect of maternal smoking during pregnancy on NTDs was 1.03 (OR = 1.03, 95 % CI = 0.80-1.33). When subgroup analysis was conducted by geographic regions, the overall effects were 1.39 (OR = 1.39, 95 % CI = 1.18-1.64), 0.88 (OR = 0.88, 95 % CI = 0.66-1.17) in Europe and USA; when subgroup analysis was conducted by NTDs types, the overall effect was 1.55 (OR = 1.55, 95 % CI = 1.06-2.26) for spina bifida.

Conclusions: Women who smoked during pregnancy had mildly elevated risk of having infants with NTDs.

Publication types

  • Meta-Analysis
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Case-Control Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Neural Tube Defects / diagnosis
  • Neural Tube Defects / epidemiology*
  • Pregnancy
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / diagnosis
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / epidemiology*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Smoking / adverse effects*
  • Smoking / epidemiology*