A systematic review and meta-analysis examined the link between maternal infections during pregnancy and the risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Researchers analyzed data from 26 studies found in major medical databases including PubMed and Embase. The analysis focused on offspring of mothers who experienced various infections while pregnant.
The study found a pooled adjusted odds ratio of 1.18 for any infection, indicating an increased risk. The association was most robust for influenza, which showed a 95% confidence interval of 1.27 to 2.83. Other infections like Epstein-Barr virus and respiratory tract infections also showed borderline significance for increased risk.
The authors noted that a signal for combined genitourinary infections was likely artifactual and not replicated in more detailed syntheses. The evidence suggests the clinical importance of influenza prevention and the timely management of prenatal infections. Readers should understand these findings show an association rather than proving a direct cause.