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Broere-Brown ZA, Adank MC, Benschop L, Tielemans M, Muka T, Gonçalves R, Bramer WM, Schoufour JD, Voortman T, Steegers EAP, Franco OH, Schalekamp-Timmermans S. Fetal sex and maternal pregnancy outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Biol Sex Differ 2020; 11:26. [PMID: 32393396 PMCID: PMC7216628 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-020-00299-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Since the placenta also has a sex, fetal sex–specific differences in the occurrence of placenta-mediated complications could exist. Objective To determine the association of fetal sex with multiple maternal pregnancy complications. Search strategy Six electronic databases Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central, Web-of-Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar were systematically searched to identify eligible studies. Reference lists of the included studies and contact with experts were also used for identification of studies. Selection criteria Observational studies that assessed fetal sex and the presence of maternal pregnancy complications within singleton pregnancies. Data collection and analyses Data were extracted by 2 independent reviewers using a predesigned data collection form. Main results From 6522 original references, 74 studies were selected, including over 12,5 million women. Male fetal sex was associated with term pre-eclampsia (pooled OR 1.07 [95%CI 1.06 to 1.09]) and gestational diabetes (pooled OR 1.04 [1.02 to 1.07]). All other pregnancy complications (i.e., gestational hypertension, total pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, placental abruption, and post-partum hemorrhage) tended to be associated with male fetal sex, except for preterm pre-eclampsia, which was more associated with female fetal sex. Overall quality of the included studies was good. Between-study heterogeneity was high due to differences in study population and outcome definition. Conclusion This meta-analysis suggests that the occurrence of pregnancy complications differ according to fetal sex with a higher cardiovascular and metabolic load for the mother in the presence of a male fetus. Funding None.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe A Broere-Brown
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Generation R Study Group, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Maria C Adank
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Generation R Study Group, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Laura Benschop
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Generation R Study Group, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Myrte Tielemans
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Department Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Taulant Muka
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Romy Gonçalves
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Generation R Study Group, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Wichor M Bramer
- Medical Library, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Josje D Schoufour
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Hogeschool van Amsterdam (HvA), Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Trudy Voortman
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Eric A P Steegers
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Oscar H Franco
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sarah Schalekamp-Timmermans
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. .,Generation R Study Group, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
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Gerli S, Favilli A, Pericoli S, Di Renzo GC. Re: Moore EK, Irvine LM. 2014. The impact of maternal age over forty years on the caesarean section rate: six year experience at a busy district general hospital. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 34:238-240. J OBSTET GYNAECOL 2015; 35:435. [PMID: 25614995 DOI: 10.3109/01443615.2014.960825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S Gerli
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Perugia , Perugia , Italy
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