Sex differences in the association between parity and risk of preterm birth
A retrospective study from Vienna
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52905/hbph2026.120Keywords:
parity, preterm birth, sex differences, male disadvantageAbstract
Background Preterm births not only increase the immediate morbidity and mortality of newborns but also have long-term consequences. An analysis of the risk factors is therefore of great interest from a public health perspective.
Objectives The aim of this study was to analyze sex-specific differences in the association between parity and the risk of preterm birth in singleton births.
Methods 6,109 female and 6,505 male neonates born at the Donaustadt Clinic in Vienna between 2010 and 2020 were included in the study. The association between sex and preterm birth in the different parity groups was analyzed using binary logistic regressions, corrected for maternal parameters and the type of conception. Within each sex, the preterm birth rates for first, third and at least fourth births were compared with those for second births (reference group).
Results Only in first-born children biological sex appears to be a significant predictor of the risk of preterm birth, with biological males showing a 36.4% higher risk than biological females. When comparing within each sex, firstborn girls had a 1.844 times higher risk of preterm birth than second-born ones, and firstborn boys had a 1.740 times higher risk than second-born ones. Girls who were at least the fourth child had a 2.438 times higher risk than second-born girls.
Conclusion There are sex-specific differences in the association between preterm birth and parity.
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