Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 31, 2025

A Neonatal Imaging Model of Gram-Negative Bacterial Sepsis
08:46

A Neonatal Imaging Model of Gram-Negative Bacterial Sepsis

Published on: August 12, 2020

6.5K

Male infants are at higher risk of neonatal mortality and severe morbidity

Cynthia Wong1,2, Veronika Schreiber2,3, Kylie Crawford2,3

  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Mater Mother's Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

The Australian & New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
|May 5, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Male infants face higher risks of neonatal mortality and morbidity compared to females. This study highlights significant sex-based disparities in adverse perinatal outcomes, with males experiencing worse results.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal Medicine
  • Neonatology
  • Obstetrics

Background:

  • Females generally have a survival advantage over males throughout life.
  • The reasons for sex disparities in perinatal outcomes are not fully understood.
  • Male infants are typically born with higher birthweights but face increased risks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine obstetric and perinatal outcomes based on infant sex.
  • To analyze data from a large, contemporary Australian birth cohort.
  • To investigate sex differences from 28 weeks gestation.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective cohort study.
  • 14-year data collection from 130,133 births.
  • Analysis of births over 28 weeks gestation at a tertiary center.

Main Results:

  • Male infants had higher rates of neonatal mortality (0.12% vs 0.06%) and severe neonatal morbidity (12% vs 9.1%).
  • The odds of overall perinatal mortality were higher for male infants (aOR 1.30).
  • Higher rates of preterm and operative births were observed in male infants.

Conclusions:

  • Significant clinical outcome disparities exist between infant sexes.
  • Male infants are at a disadvantage regarding perinatal outcomes.
  • Outcomes were poorest at extreme preterm gestations, and optimal at 39 weeks.
Abstract

Keywords:
adverse perinatal outcomesinfant sexneonatal morbidityperinatal mortalitypreterm birth

More Related Videos

Modeling Encephalopathy of Prematurity Using Prenatal Hypoxia-ischemia with Intra-amniotic Lipopolysaccharide in Rats07:36

Modeling Encephalopathy of Prematurity Using Prenatal Hypoxia-ischemia with Intra-amniotic Lipopolysaccharide in Rats

Published on: November 20, 2015

11.4K
Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

86.2K

Related Concept Videos

Development of Immunocompetence01:22

Development of Immunocompetence

The initiation of cell-mediated immunity can be observed as early as the third month of fetal growth, with active antibody-mediated immunity following approximately one month later.
The initial cells that migrate from the fetal thymus settle within the skin and epithelial tissues lining the mouth, digestive tract, and in females, the uterus and vagina. These cells, including skin-based dendritic cells, serve as antigen-presenting cells, playing a key role in T cell activation.
Subsequent T...
379
Teratogenicity01:07

Teratogenicity

The ability of a drug to produce structural deformations and functional abnormalities in the developing embryo or the fetus is called teratogenicity, and the drug producing this effect is known as a teratogen. Teratogenic effects include stillbirth, miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction, and neurocognitive delay. A teratogen may affect the embryo at different stages of development, which is important in determining the type and extent of the damage. During blastocyst formation, the early...
2.6K