Birth Weight and Later Risk for Female Infertility

Women who had low birth weights were more apt to have female infertility; but will this association persist in other studies?

Several studies have suggested that, consistent with Barker's “fetal origins of adult disease hypothesis,” fetal growth restriction and premature birth have health effects that emerge later in life. Investigators hypothesized that one such effect could be excess risk for female infertility. To test this, they conducted a retrospective case-control study of women who sought fertility treatment at a Swedish medical center during a 5-year period.

Among 1206 participants, 37 had been born before 37 weeks' gestation and 39 weighed <2500 g at birth. Forty women were small for gestational age (SGA) at birth, and 30 were large for gestational age (LGA). Women were stratified based on cause of infertility; cases in which the couple's infertility was …

Reviewing Author

Robert W. Rebar, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardMyovant Sciences, Inc.

Editorial BoardsEndoText; Clinical OB/GYN Alert

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society for Reproductive Medicine (Member, Ethics Committee)

Robert W. Rebar, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardMyovant Sciences, Inc.

Editorial BoardsEndoText; Clinical OB/GYN Alert

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society for Reproductive Medicine (Member, Ethics Committee)

Birth Weight and Later Risk for Female Infertility

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Reviewing Author