The Effect of Fetal Gender on the Delivery Outcome in Primigravidae Women with Induced Labours for all Indications
Published: December 1, 2016 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2016/22099.9104
Angeliki Antonakou, Dimitrios Papoutsis
1. Assistant Professor, Department of Midwifery, Midwifery School, ‘Alexander’ Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki,
Greece, Thessaloniki, Greece.
2. Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology,
Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust, United Kingdom.
Correspondence Address :
Dr. Angeliki Antonakou,
Assistant Professor, Department of Midwifery, Midwifery School, ‘Alexander’ Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki,
Greece, Thessaloniki-574 00, Greece.
E-mail: angelantonakou@gmail.com
Abstract
Introduction: There is increasing evidence of a gender-related phenomenon where the presence of a male fetus may have an adverse effect on the outcome of pregnancy.
Aim:,, The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of fetal gender on the delivery outcome in primigravidae women with induced labours.
Materials and Methods: This was an observational cohort study of primigravidae women who had Induction Of Labour (IOL) for all indications during a two-year period. Women with breech vaginal deliveries, stillbirths, multiple pregnancies and elective Caesarean Section (CS) were excluded.
Results: Of the 936 eligible patients identified, 493(52.6%) gave birth to male neonates and 443(47.4%) to female neonates. Age, ethnicity, Body Mass Index (BMI) and smoking were similar between women that delivered male and female neonates. More than half of all women were induced for post-date pregnancies. In women who gave birth to male neonates, the CS delivery rate was higher than in those with female neonates (23.7% vs 17.8%; p=0.029). Though emergency admission rates to the neonatal Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and arterial/venous pH from umbilical cord sampling immediately after birth were similar between male and female neonates, nevertheless male neonates had lower Apgar scores of <7 at 1 minute after birth (p=0.02).
Conclusions: This study has shown that, male gender fetuses have a higher CS delivery rate in primigravidae women undergoing IOL and may be more vulnerable to fetal compromise when in labour.
Keywords
Caesarean section, Induction of labour, Male