Social Variation in Birth Weight, Gestational Age and Postneonatal Mortality. I. Czech Repub-lic and Sweden
Authors:
I. Koupilová 1,2; J. Holčík 1; M. Bobák 3; H. Pikhart 3; D. Vägerö 4; D. A. Leon 2
Authors‘ workplace:
Ústav sociálního lékařství a veřejného zdravotnictví, Lékařská fakulta Masarykovy univerzity, Brno 1European Centre on Health of Societes in Transition, LondonSchool of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK 2International Cent
4
Published in:
Čes-slov Pediat 1999; (3): 155-161.
Category:
Overview
Aim:
To evaluate the extent of social variation in pregnancy outcome in the Czech Republic, compared toSweden.Material and methods: All live births resulting from singleton pregnancies in 1989 - 1991, reported to the Czechbirth registry (n = 380 633) and to the Swedish birth registry (n = 351 796) were linked to the death register andstudied with respect to social variation in birth weight, preterm delivery (< 37 weeks of gestation) and postneonatalmortality (28 - 365 days). The results are adjusted for maternal age, parity, and other potential confounders.Results: The mean birth weight was significantly lower in the Czech population (3310 g vs 3522 g, p < 0.001).Maternal education and marital status were important determinants of birth weight, preterm birth and postneo-natal mortality in both populations. The extent of social variation in birth weight and preterm birth was greaterin the CR. Adjusted for maternal age, parity, and sex of the infant, the difference in mean birth weight of infantsborn to primary educated compared to university educated mothers was 197 g (95% CI 190 to 205 g) in the Czechpopulation and 138 g (95% CI 131 to 146 g) in the Swedish population. The odds ratio for preterm birth, adjustedfor maternal age, parity and sex of infant, in infants born to primary versus university educated mothers was 2.19(95% CI 2.04 - 2.35) in ČR and 1.53 (95% CI 1.43 - 1.64) in Sweden. The odds ratio for postneonatal death betweenchildren born to mothers with basic compared to secondary education, adjusted for maternal age, parity and sexand birthweight of the infant, was 1.86 (95% CI 1.54 - 2.24) in CR and 1.42 (1.13 - 1.78) in Sweden.Conclusion: The socioeconomic variation in birth weight, frequency of preterm birth and postneonatalmortality is greater in the Czech Republic than in Sweden.
Key words:
birth weight, preterm birth, postneonatal mortality, socioeconomic factors, Czech Republic, Sweden
Labels
Neonatology Paediatrics General practitioner for children and adolescentsArticle was published in
Czech-Slovak Pediatrics
1999 Issue 3
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