Modifiable Risk Factors for Term Large for Gestational Age Births

Abstract

To determine modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors for term large for gestational age (T-LGA) births in Northern and Central Alberta and their public health importance, a retrospective cohort study (n = 115,198) of singleton live births (1996–2003) was conducted using maternal and newborn data from a provincial perinatal database. After adjusting for potential confounders, predictors of T-LGA births included prepregnancy weight 91 kg or greater, multiparity, and previous LGA birth. The strongest modifiable predictor was prepregnancy weight 91 kg or greater (OR = 2.52; CI 2.39, 2.65). The population-attributable risk percentage for prepregnancy weight 91 kg or greater was 10%.

We are grateful for the contributions made by the following individuals in support of this study: Nancy Bott and the Alberta Perinatal Health Program as the source of data for this research; Safina Hassan, RN, MN, for assistance with cleaning the data; and Qi Liu, MSc, for help with our statistical analysis.

Notes

∗Significant p < .001.

^†High parity for age was defined as ≥ 1 birth for mothers ≤ 17 yrs, ≥ previous 3 births for mothers 18–21 yrs, ≥ 4 previous births for mothers 22–24 yrs, ≥ 5 previous births for mothers ≥ 25 yrs.

∗Significant p < .001.

^§By controlling all variables in this table.

^†High parity for age was defined as ≥ 1 birth for mothers ≤ 17 yrs, ≥ previous 3 births for mothers 18–21 yrs, ≥ 4 previous births for mothers 22–24 yrs, ≥ 5 previous births for mothers ≥ 25 yrs.