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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Wendy N. Nembhard, PhD¹, Kimberlea W. Hauser, MBA², and Jason L. Salemi, MPH². (1) College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, MDC 56, Tampa, FL 33543, 813-974-6861, wnembha@hsc.usf.edu, (2) Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida Birth Defects Surveillance Program, 17 Davis Blvd, Suite 200, Tampa, FL 33606

Black infants are at increased risk of preterm birth (PTB) and infants with birth defects are at increased risk of being born preterm or small-for-gestational-age (SGA). Little is known about ethnic differences in the association between fetal growth (FG) and PTB among infants with birth defects. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using 1998–2002 data from the Florida Birth Defects Registry to determine fetal growth and risk of PTB among 2,035 live-born, non-Hispanic (NH) black, white and Hispanic, singleton infants with major congenital heart defects in combination with other major defects. Fetal growth was categorized as SGA and appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA); gestational age was categorized as preterm (<37) or term (37+ weeks). Maternal age and education, smoking, parity, and infant sex were obtained from birth records. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed using logistic regression. No increased risk of PTB was observed for NH-black or Hispanic SGA infants (ORa=1.10, 95% CI: 0.71, 1.70 and ORa=0.62, 95% CI: 0.37, 1.04, respectively). Only NH-black AGA infants had increased risk of PTB compared to NH-white AGA infants (ORa= 1.76, 95% CI: 1.30, 2.40; Hispanics: ORa=1.08, 95% CI: 0.79, 1.47). These results indicate that risk of PTB is only present for AGA black infants. More studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to

• Describe the risk of preterm birth for non-Hispanic Black infants with congenital heart defects.
• Discuss the role of fetal growth in the risk of preterm birth for non-Hispanic Black infants with congenital heart defects.

Keywords: Birth Defects, African American

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No