Recent Studies from Emory University Add New Data to Neural Tube Defects (Associations Between Exposure To Extreme Ambient Heat and Neural Tube Defects In Georgia, Usa: a Population-based Case-control Study).

A recent study from Emory University in Georgia, USA, explored the potential association between exposure to extreme ambient heat during pregnancy and neural tube defects (NTDs) in offspring. The population-based case-control study included 825 isolated NTD cases and 3,300 controls, showing elevated odds of NTDs with increasing exposure to extreme heat during the periconception period. The research suggests that increasing global temperatures may pose health threats to pregnant individuals, potentially increasing the risk of NTDs in their offspring, particularly spina bifida cases. [Extracted from the article]