Parental risk factors and anorectal malformations: systematic review and meta-analysis
2011

Parental Risk Factors and Anorectal Malformations

Sample size: 22 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Zwink Nadine, Jenetzky Ekkehart, Brenner Hermann

Primary Institution: German Cancer Research Center

Hypothesis

What are the associations between parental prenatal exposures and the risk of anorectal malformations in infants?

Conclusion

Paternal smoking and maternal overweight, obesity, and diabetes are associated with increased risks of anorectal malformations, although evidence is still limited.

Supporting Evidence

  • Paternal smoking was associated with an odds ratio of 1.53 (95% CI, 1.04-2.26).
  • Maternal obesity showed an odds ratio of 1.64 (95% CI, 1.35-2.00).
  • Maternal diabetes was associated with an odds ratio of 4.51 (95% CI, 2.55-7.97).
  • Maternal overweight had an odds ratio of 1.25 (95% CI, 1.07-1.47).

Takeaway

This study looked at how things like smoking and being overweight can affect babies' chances of being born with problems in their bottom area. It found that dads smoking and moms being overweight or having diabetes can make these problems more likely.

Methodology

The study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 22 epidemiological studies published until August 2010, assessing various parental prenatal exposures.

Potential Biases

Potential biases include the use of affected controls and the retrospective nature of some studies.

Limitations

The evidence is limited due to the small number of studies and variability in study design and control groups.

Participant Demographics

Studies included participants from various countries, primarily the USA, with a mix of population-based and hospital-based recruitment.

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.01

Confidence Interval

1.04-2.26

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1750-1172-6-25

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