Risk of recurrence of birth defects in Washington State

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Abstract
A population-based study was conducted using maternally-linked birth certificate records from Washington State for 1980-93 to evaluate the risk of birth defect occurrence among infants with previously affected siblings, relative to infants whose siblings did not have birth defects. The risks of recurrence of similar and dissimilar defects were estimated, and the effects of change in paternity and/or city of residence were evaluated as proxies of genetic and environmental effects. At the first birth on record, 3322 women were identified in the linked certificates as giving birth to a child with a birth defect; 6620 women whose first birth did not result in an infant with a defect were randomly selected for comparison. Women with a malformed infant had an increased risk of having a malformed infant at the subsequent birth (Relative Risk = 1.9, [95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.5-2.4]), which did not vary by intervening changes in partner or residence. The risk of recurrence of the same general type of defect [RR = 11.7, 95% CI = 9.7-19.50] was much greater than that of occurrence of a dissimilar defect [RR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.1-1.9]. This was consistent for all defect categories, and did not vary markedly by changes in partner or residence.

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