Birth weight, childhood body mass index and height and risks of endometriosis and adenomyosis

Abstract

Background: Body size in adult life is likely associated with risks of endometriosis and adenomyosis, yet little is known about associations with body size earlier in life.

Aim: To examine whether birth weight, childhood body mass index (BMI) and height are associated with risks of endometriosis and adenomyosis.

Subjects and methods: From the Copenhagen School Health Records Register, 171,447 girls born 1930–1996, with measured weights and heights at ages 7–13 were included. Outcomes were obtained from health registers. Cox regressions were performed to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results: During follow-up, 2149 endometriosis cases and 1410 adenomyosis cases were diagnosed. Childhood BMI was inversely associated with endometriosis (HR = 0.92 [95% CI: 0.88–0.96] per z-score at age 7). In contrast, childhood height was positively associated with endometriosis (HR = 1.09 [95% CI: 1.05–1.14] per z-score at age 7). Associations with childhood body size did not differ by endometriosis location. Childhood BMI and height had limited associations with adenomyosis. Birth weight was not associated with endometriosis or adenomyosis.

Conclusion: Lean and tall girls are more often diagnosed with endometriosis, but not adenomyosis. These findings suggest that indicators of endometriosis risk are already apparent at early ages.

Keywords:

• (MeSH) adenomyosis
• birth weight
• body weights and measures
• child
• endometriosis

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data used in this study are based on a combination of data with personal identification numbers from “third parties,” the CSHRR, hosted by the Centre for Clinical Research and Prevention, and data from national health registers. According to Danish law, this information cannot be publicly available. Access to the subset of data included in this study can be gained through submitting a project application to the corresponding author, Jennifer L. Baker, and pending approval by the data steering committee.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Dr. Sofus Carl Emil Friis and wife Olga Doris’ Fund and the intramural research programme of the US National Cancer Institute. The funding sources had no involvement in the study design, collection, analysis, and interpretation of data, writing the article and decision to submit.