Paternal race is a risk factor for preterm birth.

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Genetics
• Perinatal Epidemiology

Background:

• Preterm birth remains a significant concern in maternal and infant health.
• Existing research often focuses on maternal factors, with less attention paid to paternal influences.
• Understanding all contributing factors is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the hypothesis that a father's race is associated with an increased risk of preterm birth.
• To analyze the relationship between paternal race and adverse birth outcomes in a large population-based cohort.

Main Methods:

• A population-based cohort study was conducted using Missouri birth registry data from 1989-1997.
• Birth outcomes were categorized based on the racial combination of parents: white/white, white/Black, Black/white, and Black/Black.
• Statistical analysis included calculating adjusted odds ratios to assess the risk of preterm birth.

Main Results:

• Analysis of 527,845 birth records revealed a higher risk of preterm birth (<35 weeks gestation) when either parent was Black.
• Specifically, the adjusted odds ratios for preterm birth were 1.28 (white mother/Black father), 2.10 (Black mother/white father), and 2.28 (Black mother/Black father).
• The risk for extreme preterm birth (<28 weeks gestation) was notably higher in pregnancies involving a non-white parent.

Conclusions:

• Paternal Black race is significantly associated with an elevated risk of preterm birth in white mothers.
• These findings suggest a potential paternal genetic contribution to fetal genotype that influences the timing of delivery.
• Further research into paternal genetic factors is warranted to fully understand preterm birth etiology.