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Meta-Analysis
. 2024 Sep 26;19(9):e0310405.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0310405. eCollection 2024.

The association between mode of childbirth delivery and early childhood caries: A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis

Li Xiang  1 , Iuliia A Kozlitina  1 , Mahdi Mohammadian  2 , Roya Choopani  3 , Abdollah Mohammadian-Hafshejani  4
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

The association between mode of childbirth delivery and early childhood caries: A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis

Li Xiang et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Background: Early childhood caries (ECC), also known as dental caries, poses a significant challenge to the oral health and overall well-being of young children. This study aims to investigate the potential relationship between the mode of delivery and the odds of ECC.

Methods: We conducted a meticulous systematic review and meta-analysis, gathering studies from reputable databases, including Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Cochrane, Google Scholar, and Embase. The selected studies underwent rigorous evaluation for heterogeneity, utilizing statistical tests such as the Chi-square test, I2, meta-regression analysis, sensitivity analysis, and subgroup analysis. We assessed the presence of publication bias using Begg's and Egger's tests, while the quality of the articles was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale checklist.

Results: Our analysis included a robust dataset of 24 studies conducted between 1997 and 2024, involving a total of 71,732 participants. The meta-analysis revealed an odds ratio of 1.05 (95% CI: 0.86-1.30; P-value = 0.610) for dental caries in children born via cesarean section. Importantly, we found no evidence of publication bias, as indicated by non-significant results from Begg's test (P-value = 0.568) and Egger's test (P-value = 0.807). Meta-regression analysis did not identify any significant associations between the study variables and the observed heterogeneity (P > 0.10). Sensitivity analysis further confirmed the stability of the study results, with no significant changes detected.

Conclusion: In conclusion, our comprehensive meta-analysis provides compelling evidence that there is no significant association between the mode of delivery and the odds of ECC. These findings enhance our understanding of this important topic and have implications for clinical practice and public health interventions.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Diagram of selected studies for meta-analysis.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Forest plot of the relationship between the mode of delivery and ECC.
Fig 3
Fig 3. Funnel plot for evaluation of publication bias.
Fig 4
Fig 4. Sensitivity analysis plot for evaluation the relationship between the mode of delivery and ECC.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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