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Fetal gender and gestational-age-related incidence of pre-eclampsia.

Elsmén, Emma LU ; Källén, Karin LU ; Marsal, Karel LU and Hellström-Westas, Lena LU (2006) In Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica 85(11). p.1285-1291
Abstract
Background. Male fetal gender is associated with an overall increased risk of pre-eclampsia. However, it was recently shown that the male: female birth ratio was decreased in pre-eclampsia associated with preterm delivery. The reason for this discrepancy is not known. Objective. To investigate whether the fetal and newborn gender is associated with the incidence of antenatal maternal pregnancy complications, and to investigate if gender-associated risk changes with gestational age at delivery. Methods. Population-based study including 1,158,276 infants born in Sweden 1990-2001. Five maternal diagnosis groups (pre-eclampsia, infection, preterm premature rupture of membranes, abruptio placentae, and polyhydramnios) were explored in relation... (More)
Background. Male fetal gender is associated with an overall increased risk of pre-eclampsia. However, it was recently shown that the male: female birth ratio was decreased in pre-eclampsia associated with preterm delivery. The reason for this discrepancy is not known. Objective. To investigate whether the fetal and newborn gender is associated with the incidence of antenatal maternal pregnancy complications, and to investigate if gender-associated risk changes with gestational age at delivery. Methods. Population-based study including 1,158,276 infants born in Sweden 1990-2001. Five maternal diagnosis groups (pre-eclampsia, infection, preterm premature rupture of membranes, abruptio placentae, and polyhydramnios) were explored in relation to newborn infant gender and gestational age at delivery. Results. When all gestational ages were evaluated, male newborn gender was associated with increased odds ratios for all five diagnosis groups, and for preterm birth before 37 weeks gestation, M/F ratio 1.17. In very preterm births (gestational age below 32 weeks), male newborn gender was associated with a significantly lower risk for pre-eclampsia (OR 0.88, 95%CI 0.80-0.97), and a marginally lower risk for polyhydramnios (OR 0.74, 95%CI 0.54-1.01). Conclusion. The fetal gender seems to affect the occurrence of pre-eclampsia, and possibly also polyhydramnios. The finding could be due to an increased risk for spontaneous abortions in pregnancies with male fetuses, but could also be associated with the etiology of these conditions. Evaluation of antenatal pregnancy complications from a fetal/newborn gender perspective may contribute to new insights regarding their pathophysiological mechanisms. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Fetus, gender, newborn, pre-eclampsia, pregnancy
in
Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica
volume
85
issue
11
pages
1285 - 1291
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • wos:000242214200001
  • scopus:33750155884
  • pmid:17091404
ISSN
1600-0412
DOI
10.1080/00016340600578274
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
bde5ee3e-82d3-4593-a2f4-5f6fee283b66 (old id 163366)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 15:51:47
date last changed
2022-03-22 06:44:08
@article{bde5ee3e-82d3-4593-a2f4-5f6fee283b66,
  abstract     = {{Background. Male fetal gender is associated with an overall increased risk of pre-eclampsia. However, it was recently shown that the male: female birth ratio was decreased in pre-eclampsia associated with preterm delivery. The reason for this discrepancy is not known. Objective. To investigate whether the fetal and newborn gender is associated with the incidence of antenatal maternal pregnancy complications, and to investigate if gender-associated risk changes with gestational age at delivery. Methods. Population-based study including 1,158,276 infants born in Sweden 1990-2001. Five maternal diagnosis groups (pre-eclampsia, infection, preterm premature rupture of membranes, abruptio placentae, and polyhydramnios) were explored in relation to newborn infant gender and gestational age at delivery. Results. When all gestational ages were evaluated, male newborn gender was associated with increased odds ratios for all five diagnosis groups, and for preterm birth before 37 weeks gestation, M/F ratio 1.17. In very preterm births (gestational age below 32 weeks), male newborn gender was associated with a significantly lower risk for pre-eclampsia (OR 0.88, 95%CI 0.80-0.97), and a marginally lower risk for polyhydramnios (OR 0.74, 95%CI 0.54-1.01). Conclusion. The fetal gender seems to affect the occurrence of pre-eclampsia, and possibly also polyhydramnios. The finding could be due to an increased risk for spontaneous abortions in pregnancies with male fetuses, but could also be associated with the etiology of these conditions. Evaluation of antenatal pregnancy complications from a fetal/newborn gender perspective may contribute to new insights regarding their pathophysiological mechanisms.}},
  author       = {{Elsmén, Emma and Källén, Karin and Marsal, Karel and Hellström-Westas, Lena}},
  issn         = {{1600-0412}},
  keywords     = {{Fetus; gender; newborn; pre-eclampsia; pregnancy}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{11}},
  pages        = {{1285--1291}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica}},
  title        = {{Fetal gender and gestational-age-related incidence of pre-eclampsia.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00016340600578274}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/00016340600578274}},
  volume       = {{85}},
  year         = {{2006}},
}