The intergenerational association of preterm birth: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abdulbasit Seid; Miranda S Cumpston; Kedir Y Ahmed; Habtamu Mellie Bizuayehu; Subash Thapa; Teketo Kassaw Tegegne; Abel F Dadi; Daniel Bogale Odo; Desalegn Markos Shifti; Sewunet Admasu Belachew; Getiye Dejenu Kibret; Daniel Bekele Ketema; Zemenu Yohannes Kassa; Erkihun Amsalu; Meless G Bore; Tahir Ahmed Hassen

doi:10.1111/1471-0528.17924

The intergenerational association of preterm birth: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BJOG. 2025 Jan;132(1):18-26. doi: 10.1111/1471-0528.17924. Epub 2024 Aug 7.

Authors

Abdulbasit Seid¹, Miranda S Cumpston¹, Kedir Y Ahmed², Habtamu Mellie Bizuayehu³, Subash Thapa², Teketo Kassaw Tegegne⁴, Abel F Dadi^{5

6}, Daniel Bogale Odo⁷, Desalegn Markos Shifti⁸, Sewunet Admasu Belachew³, Getiye Dejenu Kibret^{9

10}, Daniel Bekele Ketema^{11

12}, Zemenu Yohannes Kassa^{13

14}, Erkihun Amsalu^{15

16}, Meless G Bore^{14

17}, Tahir Ahmed Hassen¹⁸

Affiliations

¹ School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
² Rural Health Research Institute, Charles Sturt University, Orange, New South Wales, Australia.
³ First Nations Cancer and Wellbeing (FNCW) Research Program, School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia.
⁴ Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
⁵ Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia.
⁶ Addis Continental Institute of Public Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
⁷ National Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Wellbeing Research, National Centre for Epidemiology And Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
⁸ Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
⁹ Faculty of Health, School of Public Health, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia.
¹⁰ Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
¹¹ The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
¹² School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, Ethiopia.
¹³ College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
¹⁴ School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
¹⁵ Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
¹⁶ St. Paul Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
¹⁷ School of Nursing, College of Medicine and Health Science, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
¹⁸ Center for Women's Health Research, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.

Abstract

Background: Around half of preterm births lack identifiable causes, indicating the need for further investigation to understand preterm birth risk factors. Existing studies on the intergenerational association of preterm birth showed inconsistency in effect size and direction.

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to review existing studies and provide comprehensive evidence on the intergenerational association of preterm births.

Search strategy: We searched MEDLINE, Embase and Maternity and Infant Care databases, from the inception of each database to 04 April 2024.

Selection criteria: Eligibility criteria included studies that reported on women who had given birth and had recorded information about a family history of preterm birth in one or both of the child's biological parents.

Data collection and analysis: Data were extracted by two independent reviewers. A random-effects model was used to compute pooled estimates using odds ratios.

Main results: Sixteen eligible studies with a total of 2 271 612 mothers were included. The findings indicated a 1.44 (OR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.34, 1.54) fold increase in odds of giving preterm births among women who were born preterm. Additionally, having a sibling born preterm (OR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.24, 1.87) and having a partner born preterm (OR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.25) were associated with increased likelihood of giving preterm births among women.

Conclusion: The study revealed that women with a family history of preterm birth face an increased risk of giving preterm births. Screening pregnant women for a family history of preterm birth is essential, with those having a positive family history requiring closer follow-up.

Keywords: intergenerational association; meta‐analysis; preterm birth; systematic review.

Publication types

Systematic Review
Meta-Analysis
Review

MeSH terms

Female
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Pregnancy
Premature Birth* / epidemiology
Premature Birth* / genetics
Risk Factors