title: Maternal smoking during pregnancy and neural tube defects in offspring: a meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to examine the association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and neural tube defects (NTDs) in offspring.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrieved published studies on the association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and NTDs risk in offspring. Meta-analysis was applied to calculate the overall odds ratios (ORs) and their 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). The publication bias was assessed by the Egger's regression asymmetry test and Begg's rank correlation test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall effect of maternal smoking during pregnancy on NTDs was 1.03 (OR = 1.03, 95 % CI = 0.80-1.33). When subgroup analysis was conducted by geographic regions, the overall effects were 1.39 (OR = 1.39, 95 % CI = 1.18-1.64), 0.88 (OR = 0.88, 95 % CI = 0.66-1.17) in Europe and USA; when subgroup analysis was conducted by NTDs types, the overall effect was 1.55 (OR = 1.55, 95 % CI = 1.06-2.26) for spina bifida.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women who smoked during pregnancy had mildly elevated risk of having infants with NTDs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Shandong University, 44 Wenhua Xilu Road, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China, wm198817@163.com.
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhi-Ping
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Zhong-Tang
authors.initials: ZT
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology*