Association Between Maternal Infection During Pregnancy and the Risk of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Offspring: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis

Key Points

• This research investigates the relationship between maternal infections during pregnancy and the risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in children.
• Conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing studies.
• Focused on maternal infections, particularly influenza, EBV, and respiratory infections.
• Assessed confounding factors related to genitourinary infections.
• Found a significant association between maternal influenza infection and increased childhood ALL risk.
• Identified borderline associations for EBV and respiratory infections.
• Indicated potential confounding factors for genitourinary infections.

Abstract