Asthma Medication Use and Risk of Birth Defects: National Birth Defects Prevention Study, 1997-2011.

Background: Evidence regarding associations between maternal asthma medication use and birth defects is mixed.

Objective: Estimate associations between asthma medciation use and 52 birth defects using National Birth Defects Prevention Study data from 1997 to 2011.

Methods: We compared self-reported maternal asthma medication use for 28,481 birth defect cases and 10,894 nonmalformed controls.

Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis vaccine (Tdap) in pregnancy and risk of major birth defects in the offspring.

Background: The tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine is recommended during pregnancy to protect newborns against pertussis infection in the months prior to their primary pertussis vaccination. Although research on the safety of the vaccine has been reassuring, most previous studies have considered major malformations as a single outcome, and have not examined potential risks for specific malformations.

Methods: Using data from the Slone Epidemiology Center Birth Defects Study collected between 2006 and 2015, we identified exposures to Tdap vaccine in both early and late pregnancy and examined potential risks for specific malformations.

Risk of Stillbirth for Fetuses With Specific Birth Defects.

Objective: To estimate the risk of stillbirth (fetal death at 20 weeks of gestation or more) associated with specific birth defects.

Methods: We identified a population-based retrospective cohort of neonates and fetuses with selected major birth defects and without known or strongly suspected chromosomal or single-gene disorders from active birth defects surveillance programs in nine states. Abstracted medical records were reviewed by clinical geneticists to confirm and classify all birth defects and birth defect patterns.

Oseltamivir exposure in pregnancy and the risk of specific birth defects.

Background: Influenza during pregnancy contributes to maternal morbidity and mortality. Neuraminidase inhibitors, including oseltamivir, are recommended for treating women with influenza during pregnancy.

Methods: Data from the Slone Birth Defects Study from 2009 to 2015 were used to investigate associations between oseltamivir and specific birth defects.

Risk factors for congenital microcephaly in the pre-Zika era.

Background: The Zika epidemic has brought increased attention to congenital microcephaly as a birth outcome. However, little is known about risks for microcephaly unrelated to Zika.

Methods: Using data from the Slone Epidemiology Center Birth Defects Study from 1993 to 2015, we identified 57 cases of microcephaly alone ("isolated") and 109 cases of microcephaly that included other major birth defects ("non-isolated"), and considered a large number of potential risk factors including demographic characteristics, illnesses, and medications used during pregnancy.

An application of data mining to identify potential risk factors for anophthalmia and microphthalmia.

Background: We examined a large number of variables to generate new hypotheses regarding a wider range of risk factors for anophthalmia/microphthalmia using data mining.

Methods: Data were from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, a multicentre, case-control study from 10 centres in the United States. There were 134 cases of "isolated" and 87 "nonisolated" (with other major birth defects) of anophthalmia/microphthalmia and 11 052 nonmalformed controls with delivery dates October 1997-December 2011.

Metformin in the first trimester and risks for specific birth defects in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study.

Background: We assessed associations between first-trimester metformin use for pregestational diabetes and specific major birth defects.

Methods: We compared risks associated with first-trimester metformin use by diabetic women to nondiabetic women on no diabetes medication; we calculated crude odds ratios by exact logistic regression and adjusted by inverse probability weighting. Confounding by diabetes was assessed by comparing risks for metformin-exposed diabetic women to those for insulin-exposed diabetics and nondiabetics treated with metformin for subfertililty.

Tdap Vaccination Coverage During Pregnancy - Selected Sites, United States, 2006-2015.

Tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine is recommended during the third trimester of each pregnancy to provide protection to newborns, who are at risk for pertussis-related morbidity and mortality (1). As part of its case-control surveillance study of medications and birth defects, the Birth Defects Study of the Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University (the Birth Defects Study) has recorded data on vaccinations received during pregnancy since 2006. Among 5,606 mothers of infants without structural birth defects in this population (control group), <1% had received Tdap vaccine before 2009.

Influenza Vaccination Coverage During Pregnancy - Selected Sites, United States, 2005-06 Through 2013-14 Influenza Vaccine Seasons.

Seasonal influenza vaccine is recommended for all pregnant women because of their increased risk for influenza-associated complications. In addition, receipt of influenza vaccine by women during pregnancy has been shown to protect their infants for several months after birth (1). As part of its case-control surveillance study of medications and birth defects, the Birth Defects Study of the Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University has recorded data on vaccinations received during pregnancy since the 2005-06 influenza vaccination season.

Safety of the 2011-12, 2012-13, and 2013-14 seasonal influenza vaccines in pregnancy: Preterm delivery and specific malformations, a study from the case-control arm of VAMPSS.

Background: Pregnant women have higher risks of influenza complications, but vaccine coverage is incomplete. Because concern about fetal harm limits uptake, we investigated risks for preterm delivery (PTD) and specific birth defects following vaccination in the 2011-12 through 2013-14 influenza seasons.

Methods: We used data from the Slone Epidemiology Center's Birth Defects Study.

Vasoactive exposures during pregnancy and risk of microtia.

Background: Little is known about the etiology of nonsyndromic microtia. This study investigated the hypothesis that microtia is caused by vascular disruption.

Methods: The study analyzed data from the population-based National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS) for deliveries between 1997 and 2005.

Classification of the myelodysplastic syndrome in a national registry of recently diagnosed patients.

Background: It is not known to what extent the WHO classification scheme for MDS has been adopted in clinical practice.

Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 200 newly diagnosed MDS patients enrolled in our national registry during the years 2006-2008 to determine the scheme used.

Results: Clear WHO subtypes were recorded for 45.