title: Ovulation induction and risk of neural tube defects.
abstract: The relation between use of ovulation-inducing drugs and risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) was studied in a case-control surveillance programme. The frequency of any use of such drugs during the 6 months before the last menstrual period or during pregnancy was 3.0% for 1034 mothers of infants and fetuses with NTDs (cases) and 2.8% for 4081 mothers of those with other major congenital malformations (controls) (relative risk 1.1, 95% CI 0.8-1.7). Relative risks for clomiphene and for hormones were 0.8 (0.5-1.3) and 1.5 (0.7-3.4), respectively. These data suggest that use of ovulation-inducing drugs before conception does not increase the risk of NTDs.
authors.affiliation: Slone Epidemiology Unit, Boston University School of Public Health, Brookline, MA 02146.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Werler
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Louik
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shapiro
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D008423:Maternal Age; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors