Analgesic Use During Pregnancy and Infant Leukaemia Risk
Author Information
Author(s): Ognjanovic S, Blair C, Spector L G, Robison L L, Roesler M, Ross J A
Primary Institution: University of Minnesota
Hypothesis
Is there an association between analgesic use during pregnancy and the risk of infant leukaemia?
Conclusion
Overall, analgesic use during pregnancy was not significantly associated with the risk of infant leukaemia.
Supporting Evidence
- Infant leukaemia is likely initiated in utero.
- Regular use of aspirin or NSAIDs has been associated with reduced risk of many adult cancers.
- Two studies of adult leukaemia suggested a protective effect with aspirin.
- Few women reported using analgesics more than 25 times before pregnancy knowledge.
Takeaway
The study looked at whether taking pain relievers while pregnant could lead to babies getting leukaemia, and found no strong link.
Methodology
Telephone interviews were conducted with mothers of 441 infant leukaemia cases and 323 controls, using unconditional logistic regression.
Potential Biases
There is a concern regarding selection bias and residual confounding.
Limitations
The small sample size for some subgroup analyses and potential recall bias may affect the results.
Participant Demographics
Mothers of cases were more likely to be younger, of Hispanic ethnicity, of lower income, and to report morning sickness compared to controls.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
0.37–0.97
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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