title: Congenital heart defects and maternal fever: systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To systematically review and meta-analyze the relation between maternal fever in the first trimester and congenital heart defect (CHD) in offspring.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched PubMed (1977-2012), Embase (1974-2012) and the Cochrane Library (2012) databases to identify relevant articles. Random effects model were performed, with the conduction of subgroup analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Meta-analysis yielded a pooled odds ratio of 1.53 (95% confidence interval=1.36 to 1.73) for the magnitude of the relation between maternal fever in the first trimester and CHD in offspring. As to subgroup analysis, it is associated with ventricular septal defects (VSDs) and right obstructive defects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our analysis suggests that maternal fever in the first trimester is the risk factor of congenital heart diseases in offspring. Through the subgroup analysis, we find that exposure to maternal fever is the risk factor of VSD and right obstructive defects.
authors.affiliation: Tianjin Second People's Hospital, School of Graduate, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Q Y
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Tianjin Teda International Cardiovascular Disease Hospital, Clinical College of Cardiovascular, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Depanment of Chinese Integrative Medicine, Tianjin Second People's Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Y Q
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Mi
authors.affiliation: Coronary Care Unit, Tianjin Teda International Cardiovascular Disease Hospital, Clinical College of Cardiovascular, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Statistics, College of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: 1] Institute of Reproductive and Child Health/Ministry of Health Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China [2] Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Y L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000150:complications*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000209:etiology*; D006345:Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D012307:Risk Factors