title: Maternal obesity predict isolated birth defects in live births in Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is no research on the predictors of birth defects in Al Ahsa Governorate in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The aim of this research was to detect the predictors of isolated structural birth defects in live births.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted this study from April 2006 to 2010. Live births with isolated birth defects represented our sample for this retrospective case control study. Univariate analysis was done for all possible risk factors. Logistic regression analysis was done for all predictors in relation to different birth defects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 37168 live births, isolated structural birth defects were found in 318 cases. Obesity ( body mass index > 30) was a significant predictor for increased nervous system anomalies ( odds ratio (OR): 7.83, CI: 3.9-15.4), facial defects (OR: 5.92, CI: 2.8-12.4), genitourinary anomalies (OR: 4.6 CI: 1.9-11.1), and cardiac malformations (OR: 2.7 CI: 1.3-5.7). Consanguinity increased the risk for cardiac malformations (OR: 3.32, CI: 1.54-7.17). Low socio-economic status increased the risk for nervous system anomalies (OR: 2.09, CI: 1.18-3.7), facial defects (OR: 2.33, CI: 1.25-4.33) and musculoskeletal anomalies (OR: 2.3, CI: 1.29-4.09).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal obesity represented the most common predictor for certain categories of isolated structural birth defects including nervous system, facial, genitourinary and cardiac.
authors.affiliation: Al Ahsa College of Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia. magdy_balaha@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Magdy Hassan
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Balaha
authors.forename: Waleed Hamad Al Bu
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Latifa H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Al Aswad
authors.forename: Mohammed Saleh
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Al Moghannum
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hashim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult