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Short interpregnancy interval as a risk factor for preterm birth in non-Hispanic Black and White women in California

Journal of Perinatology volume 39, pages 1175–1181 (2019)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective

Short interpregnancy interval (IPI) is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm birth (PTB < 37 weeks GA). We investigated whether short IPI (< 6 months) contributes to the higher PTB frequency among non-Hispanic Blacks (NHB).

Study design

Using a linked birth cohort > 1.5 million California live births, we examined frequencies of short IPI between racial/ethnic groups and estimated risks by multivariable logistic regression for spontaneous PTB. We expanded the study to births 1991–2012 and utilized a “within-mother” approach to permit methodologic inquiry about residual confounding.

Results

NHB women had higher frequency (7.6%) of short IPI than non-Hispanic White (NHW) women (4.4%). Adjusted odds ratios for PTB and short IPI were 1.64 (95% CI 1.54, 1.76) for NHW and 1.49 (1.34, 1.65) for NHB. Using within-mother analysis did not produce substantially different results.

Conclusions

Short IPI is associated with PTB but does not explain risk disparity between NHWs and NHBs.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the March of Dimes Prematurity Research Center at Stanford University School of Medicine and NIH R03HD090243.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. March of Dimes Prematurity Research Center at Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA

    Julia A. Lonhart, Jonathan A. Mayo, Paul H. Wise, David K. Stevenson & Gary M. Shaw

  2. Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Amy M. Padula

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  1. Julia A. Lonhart
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Correspondence to Gary M. Shaw.

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Lonhart, J.A., Mayo, J.A., Padula, A.M. et al. Short interpregnancy interval as a risk factor for preterm birth in non-Hispanic Black and White women in California. J Perinatol 39, 1175–1181 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-019-0402-1

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