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Do parental heights influence pregnancy length?: A population-based prospective study, HUNT 2
Kirsti Myklestad1, Lars Johan Vatten, Elisabeth Balstad Magnussen
1Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim N-7489, Norway. kirsti.myklestad@ntnu.no
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
|February 7, 2013
Summary
Maternal height influences pregnancy length and birth timing. Shorter women tend to have shorter pregnancies and a lower risk of post-term births, but a higher risk of pre-term births when estimated by ultrasound. Paternal height showed no association.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Reproductive Health
- Perinatal Epidemiology
Background:
- Maternal and paternal height are potential factors influencing pregnancy duration and birth outcomes.
- Cardiovascular risk factors may mediate the relationship between parental height and pregnancy length.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between maternal and paternal height and pregnancy length.
- To determine the impact of parental height on the risk of pre-term and post-term birth.
- To explore whether cardiovascular risk factors explain these associations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT 2) linked with the Medical Birth Registry of Norway.
- Included 3497 mothers and 2005 fathers in the primary analyses.
- Employed linear and logistic regression models to assess associations between parental height and pregnancy outcomes.
Main Results:
- Increased maternal height correlated with longer pregnancy length, independent of cardiovascular risk factors and other covariates.
- Mothers in the tallest height quintile (≥173 cm) had pregnancies 2.8-4.3 days longer than those in the shortest quintile (<163 cm).
- Shorter maternal stature was linked to a lower risk of post-term birth and a higher risk of pre-term birth (ultrasound-dated). Paternal height was not associated with pregnancy length or birth timing.
Conclusions:
- Maternal height is a significant determinant of pregnancy length and influences pre-term and post-term birth risks.
- The association between maternal height and pregnancy length is not explained by cardiovascular risk factors.
- Paternal height does not appear to influence pregnancy length or the risk of pre- or post-term birth.
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