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Low birthweight and prematurity in relation to paternal factors: a study of recurrence
O Basso1, J Olsen, K Christensen
1The Danish Epidemiology Science Centre at the Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Aarhus. OB@soci.au.dk
Insights
Paternal factors do not significantly influence the risk of low birthweight (LBW) or preterm birth (PTB). Changing partners reduced recurrence risk, but other paternal characteristics showed no impact on these adverse birth outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Pediatrics
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Paternal influences on low birthweight (LBW) and preterm birth (PTB) are not well understood.
- Investigating paternal determinants in sibling and half-sibling pairs is crucial for understanding recurrence risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the role of paternal factors in the occurrence of LBW and PTB.
- To assess how changes in paternal external determinants between births affect recurrence risk.
Main Methods:
- Study included 14,147 Danish sibling pairs born between 1980-1992.
- Recurrence risks for PTB/LBW were analyzed based on changes in female partner, occupation, and social status.
- Sub-cohorts were defined by index child outcomes: PTB only, PTB/LBW, and LBW only.
Main Results:
- Overall recurrence risk for PTB was 16.7% and for LBW was 16.8%.
- Changing female partner significantly reduced recurrence risk for both PTB (RR=0.40) and LBW (RR=0.38).
- No other paternal factors (occupation, social status) were associated with changes in recurrence risk.
Conclusions:
- No significant paternal factors were identified that influence the occurrence of LBW and PTB.
- Partner change appears to be the only paternal-associated factor impacting recurrence risk.
Background:
The importance of paternal determinants in the occurrence of low birthweight and prematurity is not well known. We investigated these outcomes in siblings and paternal half siblings as a function of changes in putative external determinants between two births in fathers who had experienced the birth of a premature and/or low birthweight (PTB/LBW) infant.
Methods:
All fathers who, between 1980 and 1992, had an infant born before 37 completed weeks' gestation or weighing <2500 g and a following child were studied. We identified 14 147 pairs of siblings from Danish national registers. The recurrence risk was studied in three sub-cohorts defined by the outcome in the index child (PTB only, PTB/LBW, LBW only). We estimated the recurrence risk in the younger sibling according to changes of female partner, municipality type, occupation, and father's social status.
Results:
The overall recurrence risk was 16.7% for preterm delivery and 16.8% for LBW. Changing female partner was, as expected, associated with a reduction in the recurrence risk for both outcomes (RR = 0.40; 95% CI: 0.27-0.60 for preterm delivery and RR = 0.38; 95% CI : 0.26-0.56 for LBW). None of the other studied factors was associated with changes in the recurrence risk. Fathers who changed partner had offspring with similar birthweight and gestational length between the three sub-cohorts, while a difference was evident in offspring to fathers whose female partner was unchanged.
Conclusions:
We did not identify any paternal factor of importance in the occurrence of LBW and preterm delivery.