Malformations reported in chorionic villus sampling exposed children: a review and analytic synthesis of the literature

Could fetal reduction induce facial cleft? Report of a case

We describe a paramedian cleft of the lower lip that cannot be explained by embryological development in a child with only one predisposing factor, which was fetal reduction for a multiple pregnancy. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no report of a cleft that has been induced by the reduction of a multifetal pregnancy.

Para commissural cleft of the lower lip: A first case described in the literature

We described the first case of para-commissural cleft of the lower lip in a 2 year-old child. He is from a trichorionic triamniotic triplet pregnancy after ovarian stimulation. He has no history except a selective fetal reduction of the mother. We correct this cleft of the lower lip with a double plasty of Malek. The functional and aesthetic result is satisfactory. This particular cleft cannot be explained by the embryological theory. We favor two hypothesis to explain this anomaly: a vascular origin with the stapedial artery and the selective fetal reduction.

Use of selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors during pregnancy and the risk of clubfoot

BACKGROUND

Selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most commonly prescribed antidepressants. Previous studies have suggested that SSRIs may increase the risk of birth defects, including clubfoot. Using data from a population-based case-control study, we evaluated whether SSRI use increased the risk of clubfoot.

METHODS

Mothers were interviewed within 1 year after delivery about sociodemographic factors, pregnancy events, and exposures. They were specifically asked if they experienced depression or anxiety or if they took any of the following SSRIs: citalopram, escitalopram, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline, or fluoxetine. We used logistic regression models to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

We included a total of 622 clubfoot cases and 2002 nonmalformed controls born between 2006 and 2011 in Massachusetts, New York, and North Carolina. For the 2nd or 3rd lunar month of pregnancy (the relevant gestational period), SSRI use for a period of more than 30 days was higher in case mothers (5%) than control mothers (3%). After adjustment for maternal smoking and body mass index, the OR for any SSRI use and clubfoot was 1.8 (95% CI = 1.1-2.8). When individual SSRIs were examined, ORs were elevated for sertraline (1.6 [0.8-3.2]), paroxetine (9.2 [0.7-484.6]), and escitalopram (2.9 [1.1-7.2]).

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest an increased risk of clubfoot occurrence in relation to SSRI use. Drug-specific risks varied widely, and some estimates were unstable.

Vascular limb defects and maternal age

BACKGROUND

The prenatal diagnosis procedure chorionic villus sampling is associated with increased risk of vascular disruption limb defects. Some studies have suggested that these defects are more common among infants born to women 35 years and older while other studies have shown a correlation with younger mothers.

METHODS

All infants with vascular disruption defects were identified in the Active Malformations Surveillance Program at Brigham and Women's Hospital in the years 1972-1974, 1979-2011. We compared the rate of occurrence of infants with vascular limb defects among women in theses age groups: ≤19, 20 to 34, and ≥35 years to the rate of occurrence of infants with preaxial polydactyly, adjusting for race. Infants with an identifiable cause of their defects were excluded.

RESULTS

106 infants with vascular disruption defects and 67 with preaxial polydactyly were identified. Seventeen percent of the infants with vascular disruption defects and 25% of the infants with preaxial polydactyly were born to women 35 and older (p = 0.23). In contrast, 16% of the infants with vascular disruption defects were born to young mothers (≤19 years) compared with 6.0% of the mothers of infants with preaxial polydactyly (adjusted odds ratio vs. 35+ years = 5.3, 95% confidence interval 1.4-21, p = 0.017).

CONCLUSION

Women 35 years old or older did not have increased risk for having a child with vascular disruption defects, but these defects were more common among infants of young (≤19) mothers, compared with the preaxial polydactyly group.

Amyoplasia involving only the upper limbs or only involving the lower limbs with review of the relevant differential diagnoses

Of individuals with Amyoplasia, 16.8% (94/560) involve only the upper limbs (Upper Limb Amyoplasia-ULA) and 15.2% (85/560) involve only the lower limbs (Lower Limb Amyoplasia-LLA). The accompanying paper deals with other forms of Amyoplasia [Hall et al., 2013] and discusses etiology. An excess of one of monozygotic (MZ) twins is seen in both groups (ULA 4/94 (4.3%), LLA 5/85 (5.9%)), gastrointestinal (GI) abnormalities thought to be of vascular origin (bowel atresia and gastroschisis) (ULA 16/94 (17%), LLA 4/85 (4.7%)), small or partial absence of digits (ULA 6/94 (6.2%), LLA 8/85 (9.4%)), and umbilical cord wrapping around the limbs at birth (ULA 3/94 (3.2%), LLA 7/85 (8.2%)) (severe enough to leave a permanent groove). Pregnancy complications occurred in 42/60 (70%) of ULA and 36/54 (67%) of LLA. Prenatal diagnosis, after ultrasound usage became routine, occurred in only 7/25 (28%) of ULA and 5/12 (12%) of LLA. This series may represent an over estimate of the complications and associations occurring in ULA and LLA. Differential diagnoses separating LLA from the genetic forms of "lower limb only" arthrogryposis and ULA from "upper limb only" genetic forms of arthrogryposis and Erb's palsy is provided.

Maternal vasoactive exposures, amniotic bands, and terminal transverse limb defects

BACKGROUND

Limb reduction deficiencies that are accompanied by amniotic bands (AB-Ls) and terminal transverse limb deficiencies (TLDs) have each been attributed to vascular disruption; for the former, however, it is not clear if amniotic bands are the primary cause of or are secondary to vascular disruption. If amniotic bands are secondary to vascular disruption, then a shared pathogenesis for each case group might be exhibited by similar risk factors.

METHODS

We evaluated maternal age, education, race/ethnicity, parity, pregnancy wantedness, and vasoactive exposures among 139 AB-L and 373 TLD cases, using interview data collected from mothers in 10 states by the National Birth Defects Prevention Study. Vasoactive exposures included maternal cigarette smoking and use of decongestants, nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs, and antihypertensive drugs in the periconceptional period.

RESULTS

Increased risk estimates were observed for Black mothers (OR 2.5; 95% CI: 1.5-4.1) and nulliparous mothers (2.1; 1.4-3.0) in relation to AB-L, while neither was associated with TLD. Hispanic women (1.4; 1.0-1.9) and those not wanting the pregnancy (1.5; 1.1-2.1) had increased risks of TLD, but not AB-L. Maternal cigarette smoking and aspirin use each increased the risk of AB-L, but not TLD; while decongestants and possibly antihypertensive medications increased the risk of TLD, but not AB-L.

CONCLUSIONS

The lack of consistent findings for the two case groups suggests that AB-L and TLD may be distinct entities. The inconsistencies also suggest that these vasoactive exposures may not be markers for vascular disruption or that vascular disruption may not play a major role in the pathogenesis of these two types of limb deficiencies.

Chorionic villus sampling significantly affects fetal cardiovascular function

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effects of chorionic villus sampling (CVS) on fetal heart rate (FHR).

METHODS

A prospective longitudinal study was conducted among 300 patients undergoing transabdominal CVS between 8 and 13 weeks of gestation. Duration of the procedure, number of needle passes, sample weight, maternal age, fetal gender, and FHR response to CVS were recorded.

RESULTS

The FHR before but not after CVS was inversely correlated with gestational age (r = -0.406, p < 0.001). Conversely, following CVS, no correlation was observed between FHR and gestational age (r = -0.06, p = 0.27). The difference between FHR after CVS and that obtained before CVS (delta FHR) increased with increasing gestational age at sampling (r = 0.372, p < 0.0001), decreased with increasing specimen weight (r = -0.16, p = 0.01) and increased with increasing maternal age (r = 0.22, p < 0.0001). Duration of the procedure, fetal gender and number of needle passes did not affect delta FHR. Multiple logistic regression indicated that gestational age at CVS and maternal age but not the other variables significantly affected delta FHR and together they accounted for over 22% of the variance (R(2) = 0.224, p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, our results suggest that acute fetal hemodynamic changes accompany CVS and that these changes vary with gestational age.

Maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of having a child with a congenital digital anomaly

BACKGROUND

The U.S. Natality database from 2001 and 2002 was used to investigate the relationship between maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy and the risk of having a child with polydactyly, syndactyly, or adactyly.

METHODS

The records of 6,839,854 live births were examined to identify 5171 newborns with isolated polydactyly, syndactyly, or adactyly and 10,342 controls with no congenital anomalies.

RESULTS

Maternal cigarette use during pregnancy was associated with a significantly elevated risk of having a child with a congenital digital anomaly (unadjusted odds ratio, 1.33; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.21 to 1.47; p < 0.0001). Univariate analysis indicated that maternal marital status and medical risk factors (anemia, cardiac disease, lung disease, diabetes, hydramnios/oligohydramnios, pregnancy-associated hypertension, incompetent cervix, previous preterm or small-for-gestational-age infant, and rhesus factor sensitization) were potential confounding factors. After adjustment for these variables, the odds ratio remained significant (adjusted odds ratio, 1.31; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.18 to 1.45; p < 0.0001). Cigarette consumption per day was divided into four groups: no smoking, 1 to 10 cigarettes per day, 11 to 20 cigarettes per day, and 21 or more cigarettes per day. A statistically significant dose-response relationship was found when comparing each smoking category with the no-smoking reference group: 1.29 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.15 to 1.46), 1.38 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.12 to 1.71), and 1.78 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.97 to 3.26), respectively. Increased cigarette smoking during pregnancy resulted in an elevated risk of having a child with polydactyly, syndactyly, or adactyly.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the largest study to date to investigate specifically the association between maternal cigarette smoking and the risk of having a newborn with a congenital digital anomaly. The elevated odds ratio for tobacco use and the significant trend in the dose-response relationship suggests smoking during pregnancy may be an important preventable risk factor for these common congenital differences.

Prenatal diagnostic procedures used in pregnancies with congenital malformations in 14 regions of Europe

OBJECTIVE

To investigate outcomes of ultrasound investigations (US) and invasive diagnostic procedures in cases of congenital malformations (CM), and to compare the use of invasive prenatal test techniques (amniocentesis (AC) versus chorionic villus sampling (CVS)) among European populations.

DESIGN

Analysis of data from population-based registries of CM.

SUBJECTS

25 400 cases of CM recorded by 14 EUROCAT registries covering a total population of 1,013,352 births 1995-99.

RESULTS

US were performed in 91% of cases, and positively detected CM in 35% of cases. AC was performed in 24% of the cases and CVS in 3% of cases. Thirty-eight percent of invasive tests gave positive results. Fifty-two percent of cases with maternal age > or = 35 years had an invasive test performed compared to 20% of cases with younger mothers. Considerable variation was found between registries in the uptake rate of invasive tests in cases with older maternal age and on the use of invasive tests with only four regions employing CVS techniques in at least a third of the cases having invasive tests. For chromosomal anomalies US gave positive results in 46% of cases with maternal age < 35 years with US performed and in 36% of cases with maternal age > or = 35 years with US performed.

CONCLUSION

Prenatal US was performed in 91% of all pregnancies with CM but the test was only positive in a third of the cases. There was large regional variation in the uptake rate of invasive tests with maternal age of 35 years or more. For every CVS carried out there were nine AC tests. US is an important tool in the prenatal diagnosis of chromosomal anomalies in Europe.

Chorionic villus sampling: A distinctive teratogenic effect on fingers?

BACKGROUND

An increased frequency of major limb malformations, especially terminal transverse limb defects, have been described in several studies of birth defects in children who had been exposed to the prenatal diagnosis procedure known as chorionic villus sampling (CVS). Vascular disruption has been proposed as the mechanism behind the fetal effect. We postulate that this mechanism is more likely to affect one or two middle fingers, rather than all five fingers. A recent report of the frequency of defects in any or all fingers in an unexposed control population enabled us to assess whether CVS is associated with an increased frequency of defects involving one or two fingers, as well as terminal transverse limb defects.

METHODS

The frequency of limb-reduction defects affecting one or more fingers or toes, including those with constriction rings and tissue loss, in published studies of 20,236 children who had been exposed to CVS was compared with the frequency in 161,252 newborn infants who had not been exposed to CVS. Children with recognized genetic disorders were excluded.

RESULTS

Several aspects of the limb deficiencies were more common in the CVS-exposed infants than in unexposed controls. The former were more likely to have: 1) any type of limb deficiency involving one or more fingers (p < .001); 2) absence/ hypoplasia of two fingers (p < .001); and 3) absence/hypoplasia of all five fingers (p = .015). The absence of the distal portion of the third finger was a distinctive type of limb-reduction defect in CVS-exposed infants.

CONCLUSIONS

The occurrence of deficiencies in one or two fingers, including those designated as "amniotic band deformities," are as common as terminal transverse limb defects in CVS-exposed infants, and both are much more common than in unexposed infants. The absence of the distal portion of the third finger, with tapering and stiff joints, appears to be a distinctive effect of exposure to CVS.

Omphalocele-exstrophy-imperforate anus-spinal defects (OEIS) in triplet pregnancy after IVF and CVS

BACKGROUND

Omphalocele-exstrophy-imperforate anus-spinal defects (OEIS) complex is a rare sporadic condition.

CASE

We identified an infant with major malformations resembling OEIS. He was the product of a 30-week triplet pregnancy conceived by in vitro fertilization (IVF) and evaluated by chorionic villi sampling (CVS). In this article, we review the possible pathogenetic mechanisms in this case, including IVF, multiple gestation, trauma to the uterus or uterine vessels following CVS, and placenta accreta.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that the cumulative effects of all or some of these factors may have resulted in uteroplacental insufficiency adequate to produce this phenotype. This case provides additional evidence for the uterine vascular pathogenesis of OEIS complex in humans.

Teratogen-induced limb defects

Limb abnormalities are one of the most common and visible phenotypic effects of several human teratogens. The specific effects are different for most teratogens and include effects on limb morphogenesis (thalidomide, warfarin, phenytoin, valproic acid) and the effect of vascular disruption on a limb that had formed normally (misoprostol, chorionic villus sampling, and phenytoin). Either duplication (preaxial polydactyly of hands and feet) or deficiency (absence of thumb) is a common effect of thalidomide; no other human teratogen identified to date has this effect on the developing limb. Procedures during pregnancy, including chorionic villus sampling and dilation and curettage, produce defects of vascular disruption. For common exposures, such as alcohol and cocaine, it has been difficult to confirm objectively the exposure during embryogenesis and to ascribe specific limb defects that are produced. The molecular basis for the limb defects produced by the recognized human teratogens remains unknown.

Talipes equinovarus and maternal smoking: a population-based case-control study in Washington state

BACKGROUND

Talipes equinovarus (TEV), also called congenital idiopathic clubfoot, true clubfoot and common clubfoot, is one of the most common major birth defects. Its correction is often difficult and expensive. Its etiology is poorly understood and few analytic epidemiological studies have been devoted to exploring specific risk factors for TEV.

METHODS

Our population-based study consists of 239 documented cases of idiopathic TEV obtained from hospital and outpatient sources and 365 controls identified via random digit dialing from five Western Washington counties. Structured maternal interviews were conducted by trained interviewers and multiple logistic regression used to evaluate associations between maternal smoking and birth of a child with TEV.

RESULTS

Our study shows strong associations between maternal smoking and idiopathic TEV. Case mothers were more likely to have smoked during pregnancy (OR = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.5, 3.3). Increased TEV risk was seen with increased smoking and estimates ranged from 1.5 for the lightest smokers to 3.9 for the heaviest smokers. Gender specific differences in risk were also noted with risk estimates of 1.8 (95% CI = 1.2, 3.0) for boys whose mothers smoked during pregnancy and 2.8 (95% CI = 1.4, 5.4) for girls. Trends for increased risk with higher numbers of cigarettes were noted for both genders. For isolated TEV, the overall odds ratio (OR) for smoking was 2.4 (95% CI = 1.6, 3.6) with a range from 1.4-4.6. No confounders were noted.

CONCLUSIONS

As postulated, maternal smoking during pregnancy appears to increase the risk of having a child with idiopathic clubfoot and the number of cigarettes smoked influence that risk. Further delineation of dose-response is warranted as are continued efforts to decrease maternal smoking during pregnancy.