Hospital discharges (HD) provide population data that can be used to define specific epidemiological profiles.

Exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs) has increased with technological development. Environmental factors are known to influence the K-Cl cotransporter 2 (KCC2), which regulates neuronal chloride homeostasis and is essential for brain development through its role in the GABAergic shift. In this study, we investigated the effects of ELF-MF exposure on KCC2 expression and related behavioral and biochemical outcomes in Wistar rat pups.

To analyze temporal trends and geographic variations in infant mortality rate associated with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH-IMR) in the United States.

Evidence guiding the management of pregnancies fathered by men exposed to methotrexate (MTX) remains limited. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated whether paternal MTX exposure before or at conception is associated with major congenital malformations or other adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV) or idiopathic clubfoot, is a common yet complex congenital musculoskeletal deformity characterized by cavus, adductus, varus and equinus components. Despite advances in conservative and surgical management, recurrence and long-term functional limitations remain unresolved challenges. This review aims to provide an integrative synthesis of the historical evolution, embryological basis, etiological theories and clinical implications of idiopathic clubfoot.

Stress is one of the causes of fertility weakness in both females and males and herbal approaches may reduce this harmful effect. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Dracocephalum moldavica (DM) on the reproductive system in parental pre-pregnancy stress.

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are developmental malformations affecting 1300 newborns in the United States each year. Valproic acid (VA), a drug to treat seizures and mood disorders, can cause NTDs. Apoptosis is increased in the developing neural tubes (NTs) of embryos exposed to VA thereby identifying a possible mechanism for NTD formation. Numerous studies show that maternal immune stimulation (MIS) in the periconceptual period reduces birth defects including VA-induced NTDs. It is hypothesized that immunoregulatory cytokines may normalize the dysregulated apoptosis. This study examined maternal cytokine production and embryonic apoptotic gene expression following prebreeding stimulation with interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and gestational VA exposure.

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are common chemicals used for their antimicrobial, antistatic, and surfactant properties. Two common QACs, alkyldimethylbenzyl ammonium chloride (ADBAC or BAC) and didecyldimethyl ammonium chloride (DDAC), cause neural tube defects (NTDs) in mice and are proinflammatory in both mice and humans. The maternal immune system plays an integral role in normal fetal development with cytokine mediators in the placenta directing both placental and fetal development. This study was conducted to determine whether maternal systemic or placental inflammation was involved in QAC-induced NTDs.

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are complex congenital malformations with both environmental and genetic contributions. Monogenic causes of NTDs are increasingly recognized, particularly those involving genes that regulate key morphogenetic pathways. FGFR1, a receptor tyrosine kinase, is crucial for axial and neural development; however, its role in caudal dysraphism remains unclear.

TNRC6B encodes a protein crucial for RNA silencing, and heterozygous variants of TNRC6B have been associated with developmental delay/intellectual disability, speech and language delay, fine and motor delay, and a range of neurobehavioral phenotypes, including autism and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Rett syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental disorder primarily affecting girls, characterized by loss of acquired speech and motor skills, repetitive hand movements, breathing irregularities, seizures, and is a prevalent cause of intellectual disability in females. Most RTT cases are due to pathogenic variants in the MECP2 gene located at Xq28, encoding methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2). The phenotypic spectrum of heterozygous TNRC6B variants combined with MECP2 gene deletion has not been well described.

Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are a leading cause of perinatal mortality, and maternal cigarette smoking is a well-established risk factor. In recent years, electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use has surged, yet its safety during pregnancy remains poorly defined. Human epidemiologic studies have yielded inconsistent results, underscoring the need for complementary approaches. Developmental vertebrate models provide a cost-effective first-line strategy to identify potential risks. Here, we used the Xenopus laevis model to investigate the effects of e-cigarette aerosol extracts on cardiovascular development during embryogenesis.

Teratogens and other environmental factors influence human birth defect risk, but our understanding of how they reach the developing conceptus is surprisingly limited. The placenta is often invoked as a key mediator of teratogenicity by acting as a physical barrier that can block or regulate the transfer of harmful substances to the embryo or fetus.

Congenital neurosurgical anomalies, such as neural tube defects (NTDs) and hydrocephalus, are prevalent central nervous system disorders. This study investigates their prevalence and factors statistically associated with their occurrence.

Haloacetic acids (HAAs) are water disinfection byproducts (DBPs) regulated as a mixture of five species (HAA5) in the United States and Canada. To date, two brominated HAAs (BrHAAs) in HAA5 (monobromoacetic acid [MBAA], dibromoacetic acid [DBAA]) have been associated with birth defects in some epidemiologic studies, but the other four unregulated BrHAAs remain understudied.

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of electrotherapy techniques in the treatment of neurogenic bladder in children with spina bifida.

The TMPRSS6 gene encodes matriptase-2, a serine protease that negatively regulates hepcidin and thus governs systemic iron homeostasis. Common polymorphisms have been implicated in altered iron indices in normal populations. To date, no systematic review has comprehensively assessed the impact of TMPRSS6 on maternal iron status and pregnancy outcomes. This review aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms and clinical impact of TMPRSS6 variants on maternal iron status and obstetric complications.

Spina bifida (SB), a common neural tube defects (NTDs), has a complex genetic architecture that remains incompletely understood. Although prior studies have identified rare, deleterious single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in SB, broader contributions to risk remain unclear. Here, we investigated shared genetic risk among 256 SB probands compared with 395 ancestry-matched controls using an unbiased sequencing approach.

N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is an organic xenobiotic compound and a well-established mutagen and carcinogen. Its potential to cause reproductive and developmental toxicity at low, relevant doses is unclear. This study evaluated the effects of combined maternal and paternal NDMA exposure, both preconceptionally and during gestation, on maternal health and embryotoxicity in rats.

Certain medications, when used during pregnancy, are known to impact human prenatal development. Historically, little attention has been given to the impact of in utero exposure on the developing brain, despite the significance of known teratogen-induced neurodevelopmental difficulties. This scoping review systematically identified and extracted neurodevelopmental outcome data for medications with established physical teratogenic effects and synthesized the key study characteristics. Medications with evidence of physical teratogenicity (n = 24) were defined by a panel of experts. Eligible studies reporting any neurodevelopmental outcomes following pregnancy exposure to the defined list of human structural teratogens were identified through electronic searches of MEDLINE and EMBASE. We identified 207 studies (254 publications) for inclusion, comprising 81 empirical cohorts and 126 case series. Concerningly, only 13 of 24 (54%) confirmed structural teratogens have been subject to any empirical investigation of neurodevelopmental outcomes. The mean time between authorization of known structural teratogens and the first empirical study investigating neurodevelopmental outcomes using a comparison group and formal data analysis is 33 years (Range: 11-64 years). When neurodevelopmental outcomes are investigated for medication exposures with physical teratogenic signatures, there are high levels of neurodevelopmental alterations (77%). These findings do not speak to a pharmacovigilance system that is functioning efficiently to identify and ameliorate neurodevelopmental risk, even for the medications with identified structural teratogenic risk. Given the high proportion of known physical teratogens exhibiting additional altered neurodevelopmental outcomes and the substantial lifetime burden of such alterations, to the individual and society, the timelines remain too long.

Epidemiologic evidence on extreme ambient temperature exposures and gastroschisis is limited and conflicting.

Corn (Zea mays L., Poaceae) stigmas, popularly known as corn silk, have been traditionally used for their diuretic properties and to treat urinary tract disorders and hypertension. Although several studies have reported beneficial effects, such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, data on their safety during pregnancy remain limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of prenatal treatment with a standardized dry corn silk extract on maternal and fetal toxicity parameters in Wistar rats.