Maternal Genitourinary Infection and Small for Gestational Age

ABSTRACT

Children who are born small for gestational age (SGA) are at increased risk of adverse neurological outcomes, and there is limited evidence that maternal genitourinary (GU) infections may be associated with SGA. Our objective was to explore the possible relationship between maternal GU infection during pregnancy and SGA. We modeled the association between maternal GU infections and SGA using linked South Carolina Medicaid billing data and birth certificate records for 141,035 women and infants born from 1996 through 2002. Controlling for demographic covariates and maternal medical conditions, GU infection was not significantly associated with SGA (odds ratio = 1.03, p = 0.143). When categorizing GU infections by trimester, second-trimester infection had a statistically significant but weak association with SGA (odds ratio = 1.08, p = 0.005). Young and old maternal age, female sex, maternal alcohol and tobacco use, preeclampsia/eclampsia, and hypertension were significantly associated with increased risk of SGA. White race, maternal education, diabetes mellitus, and more recent year of birth were associated with lower risk. Maternal GU infection generally was not associated with SGA, though there may be an association for second-trimester infections only. Even this association was modest and may not be clinically significant.

KEYWORDS

Small for gestational age - genitourinary infection - intrauterine growth retardation

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