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Fetal sex-specific differences in gestational age at delivery in pre-eclampsia : A meta-analysis

Schalekamp-Timmermans, Sarah ; Arends, Lidia R. ; Alsaker, Elin ; Chappell, Lucy ; Hansson, Stefan LU orcid ; Harsem, Nina K. ; Jälmby, Maya LU ; Jeyabalan, Arundhathi ; Laivuori, Hannele and Lawlor, Debbie A. , et al. (2017) In International Journal of Epidemiology 46(2). p.632-642
Abstract

Background: Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a major pregnancy disorder complicating up to 8% of pregnancies. Increasing evidence indicates a sex-specific interplay between the mother, placenta and fetus. This may lead to different adaptive mechanisms during pregnancy. Methods: We performed an individual participant data meta-analysis to determine associations of fetal sex and PE, with specific focus on gestational age at delivery in PE. This was done on 219 575 independent live-born singleton pregnancies, with a gestational age at birth between 22.0 and 43.0 weeks of gestation, from 11 studies participating in a worldwide consortium of international research groups focusing on pregnancy. Results: Of the women, 9033 (4.1%) experienced PE in their... (More)

Background: Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a major pregnancy disorder complicating up to 8% of pregnancies. Increasing evidence indicates a sex-specific interplay between the mother, placenta and fetus. This may lead to different adaptive mechanisms during pregnancy. Methods: We performed an individual participant data meta-analysis to determine associations of fetal sex and PE, with specific focus on gestational age at delivery in PE. This was done on 219 575 independent live-born singleton pregnancies, with a gestational age at birth between 22.0 and 43.0 weeks of gestation, from 11 studies participating in a worldwide consortium of international research groups focusing on pregnancy. Results: Of the women, 9033 (4.1%) experienced PE in their pregnancy and 48.8% of the fetuses were feMale versus 51.2% Male. No differences in the feMale/Male distribution were observed with respect to term PE (delivered > 37 weeks). Preterm PE (delivered < 37 weeks) was slightly more prevalent among pregnancies with a feMale fetus than in pregnancies with a Male fetus [odds ratio (OR) 1.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02-1.21]. Very preterm PE (delivered < 34 weeks) was even more prevalent among pregnancies with a feMale fetus as compared with pregnancies with a Male fetus (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.17-1.59). Conclusions: Sexual dimorphic differences in the occurrence of PE exist, with preterm PE being more prevalent among pregnancies with a feMale fetus as compared with pregnancies with a Male fetus and with no differences with respect to term PE.

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type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
ALSPAC, Placenta, Pre-eclampsia, Sex ratio, Sexual dimorphism
in
International Journal of Epidemiology
volume
46
issue
2
pages
11 pages
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:85034051369
  • pmid:27605586
ISSN
0300-5771
DOI
10.1093/ije/dyw178
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d51b7659-1421-4714-a3a5-d123c830f164
date added to LUP
2021-02-12 10:34:24
date last changed
2024-04-04 01:42:35
@article{d51b7659-1421-4714-a3a5-d123c830f164,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a major pregnancy disorder complicating up to 8% of pregnancies. Increasing evidence indicates a sex-specific interplay between the mother, placenta and fetus. This may lead to different adaptive mechanisms during pregnancy. Methods: We performed an individual participant data meta-analysis to determine associations of fetal sex and PE, with specific focus on gestational age at delivery in PE. This was done on 219 575 independent live-born singleton pregnancies, with a gestational age at birth between 22.0 and 43.0 weeks of gestation, from 11 studies participating in a worldwide consortium of international research groups focusing on pregnancy. Results: Of the women, 9033 (4.1%) experienced PE in their pregnancy and 48.8% of the fetuses were feMale versus 51.2% Male. No differences in the feMale/Male distribution were observed with respect to term PE (delivered &gt; 37 weeks). Preterm PE (delivered &lt; 37 weeks) was slightly more prevalent among pregnancies with a feMale fetus than in pregnancies with a Male fetus [odds ratio (OR) 1.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02-1.21]. Very preterm PE (delivered &lt; 34 weeks) was even more prevalent among pregnancies with a feMale fetus as compared with pregnancies with a Male fetus (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.17-1.59). Conclusions: Sexual dimorphic differences in the occurrence of PE exist, with preterm PE being more prevalent among pregnancies with a feMale fetus as compared with pregnancies with a Male fetus and with no differences with respect to term PE.</p>}},
  author       = {{Schalekamp-Timmermans, Sarah and Arends, Lidia R. and Alsaker, Elin and Chappell, Lucy and Hansson, Stefan and Harsem, Nina K. and Jälmby, Maya and Jeyabalan, Arundhathi and Laivuori, Hannele and Lawlor, Debbie A. and Macdonald-Wallis, Corrie and Magnus, Per and Myers, Jenny and Olsen, Jørn and Poston, Lucilla and Redman, Christopher W. and Staff, Anne C. and Villa, Pia and Roberts, James M. and Steegers, Eric A.}},
  issn         = {{0300-5771}},
  keywords     = {{ALSPAC; Placenta; Pre-eclampsia; Sex ratio; Sexual dimorphism}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{632--642}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Epidemiology}},
  title        = {{Fetal sex-specific differences in gestational age at delivery in pre-eclampsia : A meta-analysis}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyw178}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/ije/dyw178}},
  volume       = {{46}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}