Maternal obesity predict isolated birth defects in live births in Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia

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). Conclusion: Maternal obesity represented the most common predictor for certain categories of isolated structural birth defects including nervous system, facial, genitourinary and cardiac.