Table 5

Prevalences and prevalence odds ratios of the most common birth defects according to exposure to trihalomethanes in Taiwan 2001–2003.
Outcomes
TTHM
 TTHM
 TTHM
 TTHM


0–4 μg/L
 5–9 μg/L
 10–19 μg/L
 20+ μg/L


Reference
 Low
 Medium
 High
Any birth defect




     N
 2,148
 978
 368
 421
 381
     P (%)
 0.540
 0.540
 0.660
 0.510
 0.510
     OR
1.00
 1.23
 0.95
 0.94
     aOR (95% CI)
1.00
 1.21 (1.07–1.36)
 0.97 (0.86–1.08)
 1.00 (0.89–1.13)
Anencephalus




     N
 43
 19
 9
 2
 13
     P (%)
 0.011
 0.010
 0.016
 0.002
 0.017
     OR
1.00
 1.54
 0.23
 1.65
     aOR (95% CI)
1.00
 1.59 (0.72–3.52)
 0.23 (0.05–1.01)
 1.96 (0.94–4.07)
Hydrocephalus




     N
 118
 58
 24
 19
 17
     P (%)
 0.030
 0.032
 0.043
 0.023
 0.023
     OR
1.00
 1.35
 0.72
 0.71
     aOR (95% CI)
1.00
 1.36 (0.85–2.20)
 0.71 (0.42–1.20)
 0.74 (0.43–1.28)
Ventricular septal defects




     N
 59
 27
 6
 8
 18
     P (%)
 0.015
 0.015
 0.011
 0.010
 0.024
     OR
1.00
 0.72
 0.65
 1.61
     aOR (95% CI)
1.00
 0.74 (0.31–1.80)
 0.65 (0.29–1.43)
 1.81 (0.98–3.35)
Atrial septal defects




     N
 19
 8
 5
 2
 4
     P (%)
 0.005
 0.004
 0.009
 0.002
 0.005
     OR
1.00
 2.03
 0.55
 1.21
     aOR (95% CI)
1.00
 2.15 (0.70–6.60)
 0.53 (0.11–2.49)
 1.33 (0.39–4.58)
Tetralogy of Fallot




     N
 24
 13
 6
 3
 2
     P (%)
 0.006
 0.007
 0.011
 0.004
 0.003
     OR
1.00
 1.50
 0.51
 0.37
     aOR (95% CI)
1.00
 1.60 (0.61–4.23)
 0.46 (0.13–1.61)
 0.32 (0.07–1.47)
Cleft lip with/without palate




     N
 358
 155
 55
 84
 64
     P (%)
 0.090
 0.085
 0.098
 0.101
 0.085
     OR
1.00
 1.15
 1.19
 1.00
     aOR (95% CI)
1.00
 1.15 (0.84–1.56)
 1.20 (0.91–1.55)
 0.98 (0.73–1.32)
Cleft palate




     N
 129
 52
 15
 28
 34
     P (%)
 0.033
 0.029
 0.027
 0.034
 0.045
     OR
1.00
 0.94
 1.18
 1.58
     aOR (95% CI)
1.00
 0.94 (0.53–1.68)
 1.17 (0.74–1.86)
 1.56 (1.00–2.41)
Renal agenesis & dysgenesis




     N
 76
 33
 14
 13
 16
     P (%)
 0.019
 0.018
 0.025
 0.016
 0.021
     OR
1.00
 1.38
 0.87
 1.17
     aOR (95% CI)
1.00
 1.33 (0.71–2.48)
 0.92 (0.48–1.75)
 1.27 (0.69–2.33)
Obstructive urinary tract defects




     N
 49
 19
 10
 10
 10
     P (%)
 0.012
 0.010
 0.018
 0.012
 0.013
     OR
1.00
 1.71
 1.16
 1.27
     aOR (95% CI)
1.00
 1.65 (0.77–3.56)
 1.24 (0.57–2.67)
 1.44 (0.66–3.14)
Hypospadias




     N
 72
 43
 8
 14
 7
     P (%)
 0.018
 0.024
 0.014
 0.017
 0.009
     OR
1.00
 0.61
 0.72
 0.39
     aOR (95% CI)
1.00
 0.59 (0.28–1.26)
 0.76 (0.41–1.38)
 0.47 (0.21–1.04)
Chromosome anomalies




     N
 364
 174
 72
 67
 51
     P (%)
 0.092
 0.096
 0.129
 0.081
 0.068
     OR
1.00
 1.35
 0.85
 0.71
     aOR (95% CI)
1.00
 1.25 (0.95–1.65)
 0.93 (0.70–1.24)
 0.90 (0.66–1.24)
Down syndrome




     N
 166
 73
 36
 30
 27
     P (%)
 0.042
 0.040
 0.064
 0.036
 0.036
     OR
1.00
 1.60
 0.90
 0.89
     aOR (95% CI)
1.00
 1.48 (0.99–2.21)
 1.00 (0.65–1.54)
 1.17 (0.74–1.83)
Trisomy 13




     N
 14
 4
 2
 6
 2
     P (%)
 0.004
 0.002
 0.004
 0.007
 0.003
     OR
1.00
 1.63
 3.30
 1.21
     aOR (95% CI)
1.00
 1.56 (0.28–8.55)
 3.36 (0.94–12.0)
 1.12 (0.20–6.29)
Trisomy 18




     N
 54
 23
 12
 13
 6
     P (%)
 0.014
 0.013
 0.021
 0.016
 0.008
     OR
1.00
 1.70
 1.24
 0.63
     aOR (95% CI)
1.00
 1.64 (0.81–3.30)
 1.31 (0.66–2.59)
 0.81 (0.33–2.02)

*cOR: crude odds ratio; aOR: adjusted odds ratio. Logistic regression analysis adjusting for maternal age, plurality, and population density.*Estimates not given for the following rare outcomes: spinal bifida (n = 14) microcephalus (n = 9); endocardial cushion defects (n = 7); transposition of great vessels (n = 12); choanal atresia (n = 2); dysplasia of lung (n = 9); congenital cystic kidney (n = 24).

Hwang et al. Environmental Health 2008 7:23   doi:10.1186/1476-069X-7-23

Open Data