Skewed fetal gender distribution in prolonged pregnancy: a fallacy with consequences
(2003) In Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology 21(3). p.262-266- Abstract
- Objective Skewed gender distribution and falsely assigned gestational age lead to unnecessary or late obstetric intervention in prolonged pregnancy. The aim of this study was to examine the consequences of a fetal gender-dependent systematic 1.5-day dating error at ultrasound fetometry. Material and methods A total of 82484 singleton deliveries greater than or equal to 37 weeks at 11 hospitals in southern Sweden from 1995 to 2000 were included. Frequencies of labor induction and Apgar scores < 7 at 5 min were compared with regard to fetal gender, both before and after correction of gestational age by adding 0.75 days to female-fetus pregnancies and subtracting 0.75 days from male-fetus pregnancies. Results The uncorrected odds ratio for... (More)
- Objective Skewed gender distribution and falsely assigned gestational age lead to unnecessary or late obstetric intervention in prolonged pregnancy. The aim of this study was to examine the consequences of a fetal gender-dependent systematic 1.5-day dating error at ultrasound fetometry. Material and methods A total of 82484 singleton deliveries greater than or equal to 37 weeks at 11 hospitals in southern Sweden from 1995 to 2000 were included. Frequencies of labor induction and Apgar scores < 7 at 5 min were compared with regard to fetal gender, both before and after correction of gestational age by adding 0.75 days to female-fetus pregnancies and subtracting 0.75 days from male-fetus pregnancies. Results The uncorrected odds ratio for having a male baby at greater than or equal to 42 weeks was 1.41 (95% confidence interval, 1.33-1.49). After adjusting gestational age by +/- 0.75 days, the odds ratio reduced to 0.90 (95% confidence interval, 0.84-0.95). The risk for labor induction was significantly above unity in male-fetus pregnancies delivered after 41 weeks when gestational age was corrected for fetal gender, while the risk for female fetuses having a low Apgar score was not significantly increased compared to male fetuses (P = 0.087). Conclusion Skewed gender distribution in prolonged pregnancy results in a higher rate of labor induction in pregnancies with male fetuses at greater than or equal to 41 weeks, and the risk for newborn females having a low Apgar score in prolonged pregnancy is not significantly increased compared to boys. Copyright (C) 2003 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley Sons, Ltd. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/313880
- author
- Kitlinski, Margareta LU ; Källén, Karin LU ; Marsal, Karel LU and Olofsson, Per LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2003
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- prolonged, pregnancy, post-term, gender, dating, fetus, ultrasound
- in
- Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology
- volume
- 21
- issue
- 3
- pages
- 262 - 266
- publisher
- John Wiley & Sons Inc.
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000182050500011
- pmid:12666221
- scopus:0345073676
- ISSN
- 1469-0705
- DOI
- 10.1002/uog.67
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 21c491bc-97b6-4cb8-bb6a-ba7192e76ff0 (old id 313880)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 17:00:19
- date last changed
- 2022-04-07 20:10:03
@article{21c491bc-97b6-4cb8-bb6a-ba7192e76ff0,
abstract = {{Objective Skewed gender distribution and falsely assigned gestational age lead to unnecessary or late obstetric intervention in prolonged pregnancy. The aim of this study was to examine the consequences of a fetal gender-dependent systematic 1.5-day dating error at ultrasound fetometry. Material and methods A total of 82484 singleton deliveries greater than or equal to 37 weeks at 11 hospitals in southern Sweden from 1995 to 2000 were included. Frequencies of labor induction and Apgar scores < 7 at 5 min were compared with regard to fetal gender, both before and after correction of gestational age by adding 0.75 days to female-fetus pregnancies and subtracting 0.75 days from male-fetus pregnancies. Results The uncorrected odds ratio for having a male baby at greater than or equal to 42 weeks was 1.41 (95% confidence interval, 1.33-1.49). After adjusting gestational age by +/- 0.75 days, the odds ratio reduced to 0.90 (95% confidence interval, 0.84-0.95). The risk for labor induction was significantly above unity in male-fetus pregnancies delivered after 41 weeks when gestational age was corrected for fetal gender, while the risk for female fetuses having a low Apgar score was not significantly increased compared to male fetuses (P = 0.087). Conclusion Skewed gender distribution in prolonged pregnancy results in a higher rate of labor induction in pregnancies with male fetuses at greater than or equal to 41 weeks, and the risk for newborn females having a low Apgar score in prolonged pregnancy is not significantly increased compared to boys. Copyright (C) 2003 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley Sons, Ltd.}},
author = {{Kitlinski, Margareta and Källén, Karin and Marsal, Karel and Olofsson, Per}},
issn = {{1469-0705}},
keywords = {{prolonged; pregnancy; post-term; gender; dating; fetus; ultrasound}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{3}},
pages = {{262--266}},
publisher = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
series = {{Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology}},
title = {{Skewed fetal gender distribution in prolonged pregnancy: a fallacy with consequences}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/uog.67}},
doi = {{10.1002/uog.67}},
volume = {{21}},
year = {{2003}},
}