Paternal Contribution to Small for Gestational Age Babies: a Multicenter Prospective Study

Our aims were to investigate whether men who fathered small for gestational age (SGA) infants themselves had lower birthweight, were more likely to be obese, have central adiposity and elevated blood pressure in adult life compared with men who fathered non-SGA infants. A total of 2,002 couples participating in the Screening for Pregnancy Endpoints (SCOPE) study were enrolled in early pregnancy and pregnancy outcome data collected prospectively. SGA was defined as birthweight <10th customized centile, obesity as BMI ≥30 kg/m(2), central adiposity as waist circumference >102 cm. Logistic regression was used to compare rates of obesity, and central adiposity between men who fathered SGA infants compared with those with non-SGA infants and the final model was adjusted for maternal and paternal confounders. The men who fathered an SGA infant (209 (10.4%)) themselves had lower mean birthweight (3,291 (530) g vs. 3,472 (584) g, P < 0.0001), were more likely to be obese (50 (24.8%) vs. 321 (18.3%), adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.50, 95% confidence interval 1.05-2.16, adjusted for maternal and paternal factors) and to have central adiposity (52 (25.1%) vs. 341 (19.2%), adjusted OR 1.53, 95% confidence interval 1.06-2.20) compared with men who fathered a non-SGA infant. Elevated paternal blood pressure was not associated with SGA. In conclusion, we report a novel relationship between paternal obesity/central adiposity and birth of an SGA infant, which appears to be independent of maternal factors associated with fetal growth restriction.