Association between preterm delivery and subsequent C-reactive protein: a retrospective cohort study.

Abstract

We sought to determine whether giving birth preterm is associated with raised maternal C-reactive protein (CRP) in later life and whether the association is specific to indicated or spontaneous delivery. This was a Scotland-wide retrospective cohort study of 1124 women who had a first pregnancy resulting in a singleton, liveborn infant delivered between 24-43 weeks' gestation. Linear regression analysis was used to examine the association between preterm delivery and subsequent CRP concentration. The difference in CRP between women who delivered term and preterm was nonsignificant on univariate analysis (beta coefficient 0.04, P = .18) but was statistically significant following adjustment for potential confounders (beta coefficient 0.05, P < .05). On subgroup analysis the association was specific to women who had had indicated preterm delivery (unadjusted beta coefficient 0.09, P < .01; adjusted beta coefficient 0.09, P < .01). Women who undergo indicated preterm delivery are at increased risk of raised CRP in later life.