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Birth order and birth weight reexamined
D S Seidman1, P Ever-Hadani, D K Stevenson
1Bikur Cholim Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
Obstetrics and Gynecology
|August 1, 1988
Summary
Birth order and birth weight show a positive association. Higher birth order correlates with increased birth weight in large family studies and population data, even after accounting for confounding factors.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Pediatrics
- Human Biology
Background:
- Understanding factors influencing birth weight is crucial for infant health.
- Birth order is a demographic factor that may impact fetal growth.
- Previous studies on birth order and birth weight have yielded mixed results.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the longitudinal association between birth order and birth weight.
- To compare longitudinal findings with cross-sectional data from a large population survey.
- To identify potential confounding factors in the relationship between birth order and birth weight.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of two large sibships with at least seven children each.
- Comparison with cross-sectional data from the Jerusalem Perinatal Study.
- Multiple linear regression to adjust birth weights for confounders (maternal age, education, smoking, etc.).
Main Results:
- Birth weight demonstrated an increasing trend with higher birth order.
- This association was observed in both adjusted cross-sectional data and socioeconomically homogeneous longitudinal data.
- The findings remained consistent across different study designs.
Conclusions:
- Birth order is positively associated with birth weight.
- This relationship is robust and observable in both longitudinal and cross-sectional population studies.
- Further research may explore the biological and environmental mechanisms underlying this association.