Paternal race and preterm birth.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to describe the contribution of paternal race and parental racial discordance to preterm birth


METHODS
We used a US natality cohort of 2,845,686 singleton births. Race was self-reported. Preterm birth was defined as a birth at <34 weeks of gestation.


RESULTS
In considering white or black parents, black couples demonstrated greater odds of preterm birth (adjusted odds ratio, 2.4; 95% CI, 2.3-2.5) than white couples. Compared with white couples, black-white couples had increased odds of preterm birth. In black-white couples, the odds of preterm birth were greater if the mother was black (adjusted odds ratio, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.5-1.9) than if the father was black (adjusted odds ratio, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1-1.3).


CONCLUSIONS
Regardless of maternal race, paternal black race is associated with increased odds of preterm birth. Additionally, among white-black couples, the odds of preterm birth are greater if the mother is black than if the father is black. These data support the notion of a differential contribution of race on preterm birth depending on the parent of origin.
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. hsimhan@mail.magee.edu
Hyagriv N
HN
Simhan
Marijane A
MA
Krohn
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044383:Black People; D002648:Child; D005220:Fathers; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People; D001741:Black or African American