Ellen Marie Strøm-Roum

Placental weight relative to birthweight in pregnancies with maternal diabetes mellitus

To study the association of maternal diabetes mellitus with placental weight, birthweight and placental weight‐to‐birthweight ratio.

Characteristics of women with repeat termination of pregnancy: a study of all requests for pregnancy termination in Norway during 2007–2011

We studied the proportion of all pregnancy terminations requested by women with a history of pregnancy termination. We also studied risk factors for repeat pregnancy termination.

Paternal age, placental weight and placental to birthweight ratio: a population-based study of 590 835 pregnancies

STUDY QUESTION Is the age of the father associated with placental weight or the ratio of placental weight to birthweight? SUMMARY ANSWER Placental weight and placental to birthweight ratio increased according to increasing paternal age, also after adjustment for maternal age. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY High paternal age and also high placental to birthweight ratio have been associated with adverse pregnancy outcome. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE AND DURATION We performed a population-based study and included all singleton births after 22 weeks of gestation in the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (n = 590,835) during the years 1999-2009. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS We compared mean placental weight and placental to birthweight ratio between paternal age groups. The association of paternal age with placental weight was estimated by linear regression analyses, and adjustments were made for maternal age, birthweight, parity, offspring sex, gestational age at birth, maternal smoking, pre-eclampsia, maternal diabetes mellitus and pregnancy after assisted reproductive technology (ART). MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE In pregnancies with fathers aged 20-24 years old, the mean placental weight was 656.2 g [standard deviation (SD) 142.8], whereas it was 677.8 g (SD 160.0) in pregnancies with fathers aged 50 years or older (P < 0.001). The mean offspring birthweight in pregnancies with fathers aged 20-24 year old was 3465.0 g (SD 583.8), and it was 3498.9 g (SD 621.8) when the father was 50 years or older (P < 0.001). The placental to birthweight ratio in the corresponding paternal age groups were 0.191 (SD 0.039) and 0.196 (SD 0.044) (P < 0.001). In multivariable linear regression analysis the placentas in pregnancies fathered by a man of 50 years or older were estimated to weigh 13.99 g [95% confidence interval (CI) 10.88-17.10] more than in pregnancies with a 20-24-year-old father (P < 0.001) after adjustment for maternal age, birthweight, parity, offspring sex, gestational age at birth, maternal smoking, pre-eclampsia, maternal diabetes mellitus and pregnancy after ART. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Paternal age explains only a small proportion of the total variation in placental weight. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Our findings may increase the understanding of the fathers role in human pregnancy. STUDY FUNDING/ COMPETING INTEREST(S) Norwegian Resource Centre for Womens Health, Norway. No conflict of interest. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.

The associations of maternal body mass index with birthweight and placental weight. Does maternal diabetes matter? A population study of 106 191 pregnancies

The aim of this study was to study whether the associations of maternal body mass index with offspring birthweight and placental weight differ by maternal diabetes status.

Use of contraception among women who request first trimester pregnancy termination in Norway

OBJECTIVES Among women requesting pregnancy termination, we studied the proportion of women who reported having used contraception when they became pregnant and the contraceptive method that they had used. STUDY DESIGN We included all requests for pregnancy termination in Norway during the years 2007-2011 (n=80,346) by obtaining information from the Norwegian Registry of Pregnancy Termination. By using a logistic regression model, we estimated odds ratios for using any contraceptive method associated with the womans age, previous childbirth, previous pregnancy termination, marital status, employment status and educational level. RESULTS In total, 36.5% of the women who requested pregnancy termination (29,305/80,346) reported having used contraception when they became pregnant. Of all women, 16.6% reported having used the combined contraceptive pill/progestin pill, 11.5% the condom and 1.1% long-acting reversible contraceptives (1.0% intrauterine contraception). Overall, 38.9% of women 20-24years old had used contraception, compared to 29.9% of women 40-44years old (odds ratio 0.55, 95% confidence interval 0.51-0.60). Previous childbirth, previous pregnancy termination and high educational level were also associated with contraceptive use. CONCLUSION Among women who requested pregnancy termination in Norway, 36.5% reported having used contraception when they became pregnant. Contraception use was associated with young age and having previously been pregnant. IMPLICATIONS A large proportion of women who request pregnancy termination have experienced contraceptive failure. Women who are fertile and do not wish to become pregnant should be offered a contraceptive method that carries low risk of incorrect use.

Childbirth or termination of pregnancy: does paid employment matter? A population study of women in reproductive age in Norway

We studied whether female paid employment is associated with pregnancy outcome; childbirth or pregnancy termination.

Preeclampsia in pregnancies with and without diabetes: the associations with placental weight. A population study of 655 842 pregnancies

Women with diabetes are at increased risk of preeclampsia, and women with diabetes tend to deliver placentas and offspring that are large‐for‐gestational‐age. We therefore studied placental weight in preeclamptic pregnancies according to maternal diabetes status.