Maternal Fever and Neural Tube Defects

Expectant mothers need to keep their cool -- high temperatures can pose a risk to the developing fetus.

Maternal hyperthermia during the first trimester seems to contribute to an increased risk for neural tube defects (NTDs). Animal studies in the 1980s suggested that fever might lead to NTDs; in humans, however, this association was harder to confirm. A case-control study was undertaken to investigate an epidemic of NTDs near the Mexican border in Texas.

Mexican-American mothers of infants born with NTDs in 14 Texas counties during 1995-2000 were compared with randomly selected control mothers, matched by hospital and year, who gave birth to live children without NTDs. About 6 weeks postpartum, the investigators interviewed mothers concerning their prenatal experiences with fevers, febrile illnesses, exposure to heat from external sources, an…

Reviewing Author

Judith G. Hall, OC, MD