Are birth defects among Hispanics related to maternal nativity or number of years lived in the United States?

Autor: Angela E. Scheuerle, Mark A. Canfield, Adolfo Correa, D. Kim Waller, Marjorie H. Royle, Tunu A. Ramadhani, Vanessa L. Short
Rok vydání: 2009
Předmět:
Zdroj: Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular Teratology. 85:755-763
ISSN: 1542-0760
1542-0752
DOI: 10.1002/bdra.20584
Popis: BACKGROUND: Literature on the risk of birth defects among foreign- versus U.S.–born Hispanics is limited or inconsistent. We examined the association between country of birth, immigration patterns, and birth defects among Hispanic mothers. METHODS: We used data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study and calculated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals and assessed the relationship between mothers' country of birth, years lived in the United States, and birth defects among 575 foreign-born compared to 539 U.S.–born Hispanic mothers. RESULTS: Hispanic mothers born in Mexico/Central America were more likely to deliver babies with spina bifida (OR = 1.53) than their U.S.–born counterparts. Also, mothers born in Mexico/Central America or who were recent United States immigrants (≤5 years) were less likely to deliver babies with all atrial septal defects combined, all septal defects combined, or atrial septal defect, secundum type. However, Hispanic foreign-born mothers who lived in the United States for >5 years were more likely to deliver babies with all neural tube defects combined (OR = 1.42), spina bifida (OR = 1.89), and longitudinal limb defects (OR = 2.34). Foreign-born mothers, regardless of their number of years lived in the United States, were more likely to deliver babies with anotia or microtia. CONCLUSIONS: Depending on the type of birth defect, foreign-born Hispanic mothers might be at higher or lower risk of delivering babies with the defects. The differences might reflect variations in predisposition, cultural norms, behavioral characteristics, and/or ascertainment of the birth defects. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Databáze: OpenAIRE