Infant TGF-alpha genotype, orofacial clefts, and maternal periconceptional multivitamin use

We previously demonstrated a strong association between periconceptional maternal cigarette smoking, infant transforming growth factor-alpha (TGFa) genotype, and risk of orofacial clefts. Because serum folate may be decreased by cigarette smoking and because maternal periconceptional use of multivitamins containing folic acid has been associated with a reduced risk of clefting, we explored whether a potential relation existed between infant TGFa genotype, maternal multivitamin use, and risk of orofacial cleft phenotypes. Data were derived from a population-based case-control study of fetuses and live-born infants among a cohort of 1987 to 1989 California births (n = 548,844). Information concerning periconceptional multivitamin use was obtained via telephone interviews with mothers of 731 (84.7% of eligible) orofacial cleft case infants, and of 734 (78.2%) nonmalformed control infants. DNA was obtained from newborn screening bloodspots and genotyped for the Taql polymorphism of TGFa. Among infants of interviewed mothers, genotypes were available for 571 (78.1%) case infants and 640 (87.2%) control infants. The study encompassed all hospitals in selected California counties. The main outcome measures were the risks of specific c...Continue Reading