The impacts of parity on spirometric parameters: a systematic review

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The relationship between parity and health outcomes has been debated in the scientific literature in terms of ‘selection-pressure’. However, no previous review has raised the impacts of parity on spirometric parameters. This Systematic Review aimed to review the impacts of parity on spirometric parameters.

Areas covered: PubMed and Scopus were searched on October 1^st, 2020, using the combination of the following two medical subject headings: ‘Parity’ and ‘Respiratory Function Tests’. Only original articles published in English/French were retained. Ten studies investigated the impacts of parity on spirometric parameters: six included healthy females, three involved unhealthy females [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, defect in protease inhibitor, and some other conditions] and one included a mixed population of healthy/unhealthy females. The studies reported conflicting results: no impact, positive impact (multiparity is associated with larger forced-expiratory-volume in one second, forced- and slow- vital-capacity, and inspiratory-capacity), or negative impact (multiparous females has lower bronchial flows, higher static volumes, an accelerated lung-aging, a tendency to an obstructive-ventilatory-defect and/or to lung-hyperinflation, and increased protease inhibitor levels).

Expert opinion: The ten studies presented some limitations that made data interpretation relatively difficult. Future research to identify the ‘real’ impact of parity on spirometric parameters are therefore encouraged.

KEYWORDS:

• Childbearing
• parity
• plethysmography
• spirometry
• methodology

ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS

• The respiratory system could be influenced by multiparity. Above all, the lungs do endure the repercussions of the numerous physio-pathological experiences of the female life.

• A literature search was conducted on studies reporting the impacts of parity on spirometric parameters.

• Ten studies published between 1986 and 2020 were retained.

• The studies reported conflicting results: no impact, positive impact, or negative impact.

• Future epidemiological and clinical studies of spirometric parameters in females would need to include information about their parity status.

Acknowledgments

Authors wish to thank Professors Jameledine ABID and Samir Boukattaya for their invaluable contribution in the improvement of the quality of the writing in the present systematic review.

Declaration of interest

H. Ben Saad has received personal fees from AstraZeneca, Saiph, Teriak, Hikma, Chiesi, and Opalia Recordati. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Data availability statement

All data are included in this Systematic Review

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.