Maternal life event stress and congenital anomalies

We used data from a population-based case control study to explore the rela tion between certain life events during the periconceptional period and sev eral types of congenital anomalies. We ascertained cases from pregnancies e nding in 1987-1989 and randomly selected controls from eligible liveborn in fants. In telephone interviews, women reported deaths of anyone close to th em. They also reported job losses or separations/divorces, for themselves o r anyone close to them. Experiencing at least one stressful event during th e periconceptional period was associated with a prevalence odds ratio of 1. 4-1.5 for the delivery of infants with conotruncal heart defects, neural tu be defects, and isolated cleft lip with or without palate. These associatio ns tended to be restricted to women who were not obese and women with less than or equal to a high school education. This study suggests that women wh o experience stressful life events around the time of conception or early g estation may be at increased risk of delivering infants with certain congen ital anomalies.