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American Journal of Epidemiology Vol. 124, No. 2: 234-241
Copyright © 1986 by The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health

research-article

SEASONALITY OF PRETERM BIRTH IN THE COLLABORATIVE PERINATAL PROJECT: DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS

MICHAEL COOPERSTOCK1, and ROBERT A. WOLFE2

1 Departments of Child Health and Microbiology, University of Missouri School of Medicine Columbia, MO
2 Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Michingan Ann Arbor, MI

Reprint requests to Dr. Michael Cooperstock, Department of Child Health, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65212

Marked circannual variation in the incidence of preterm birth, adjusted for the normal seasonal fertility rate, was observed in data from the Collaborative Perinatal Project collected at 12 urban university centers during 1959–1966 (p<10–5). The variation in monthly preterm birth rates ranged from a trough of 64% in May to a peak of 144% in September. This is considerably greater seasonal variation than found in most previous studies, which used differing definitions of prematurity. The seasonal trend was present for maternal age groups 22–26 years (p<0.005) and greater than 26 years (p<0.005), for Bureau of the Census socioeconomic index 3.6–4.9 (p<10–4) and greater than 4.9 (p<0.01), for those living in northern states (p<10–4) for married gravidas (p<10–6) for blacks (p<0.05) and whites (p<0.001), but not for those less than age 22, those with socioeconomic index less than 3.6, those living in southern states, and those not married. Thus, preterm birth was seasonal in the population studied, and the seasonal factor was more evident in demographic groups less predisposed to deliver preterm. These findings may have implications for the pathogenesis of a portion of premature deliveries, and should be considered in the design of studies related to the pathogenesis of preterm birth.

infant; premature; periodicity; pregnancy


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