Abstract
Objective We evaluated the association between subfertility and low birth weight infants.
Design Women in this analysis participated in a cross-sectional investigation of maternal risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Setting Medical and obstetric history and life style information were obtained from women who delivered at the Boston Hospital for Women, 1977 to 1980.
PATIENTS,
Participants Our analysis was restricted to nondiabetic married women who planned their pregnancies and subsequently delivered viable singletons (3,622). The 644 "subfertile" women (no conception during a year of unprotected intercourse) were compared with 2,978 "fertile" women (conception within 1 year).
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The relative risk of low birth weight was estimated using the cumulative incidence risk ratio.
Results After adjusting for confounding, the relative risk of delivering a low birth weight infant (less than 2,500 g) for subfertile women versus fertile women was 1.9 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3 to 2.8). The adjusted relative risk of delivering a term low birth weight (intrauterine growth retarded) infant was 2.3 (95% CI, 1.2 to 4.4).
Conclusions In these data, subfertility is a predictor for low birth weight. The association may result from endocrinological, immunological, cervical, or other factors that interfere with optimal fetal growth.
subfertility low birth weight risk, infertility and intrauterine growth restriction, time to pregnancy and fetal growth, subfertile women pregnancy outcomes, low birth weight infertility association, delayed conception and birth weight, intrauterine growth retardation subfertility, endocrine factors fetal growth restriction, subfertility as predictor adverse outcomes, infertility and small for gestational age
Keywords
Coffee/adverse Effects, Female, Humans, Infant, Low Birth Weight, Infant, Newborn, Infertility, Female/complications, Pregnancy, Regression Analysis, Risk Factors, Coffee,