Coeliac disease in the father and risk of adverse pregnancy outcome: a population-based cohort study.

OBJECTIVE

The risk of adverse foetal outcomes was investigated in offspring to men with coeliac disease (CD) diagnosed prior to infant birth and in offspring to men who did not receive a diagnosis of CD until after the delivery.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

A cohort study was based on national registry data restricted to women aged 15-44 years with singleton live-born infants, with linkage between the Swedish national birth registry (1973-2001) and the national inpatient registry (1964-2001). A total of 1059 offspring to men who had received a diagnosis of CD were included: 554 offspring to men diagnosed prior to birth and 505 offspring to men diagnosed after infant birth.

RESULTS

Undiagnosed CD in the father was associated with an increased risk of caesarean section (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=1.83; 95% confidence interval (CI) for AOR=1.13-2.95; p=0.014) but was otherwise not linked to adverse pregnancy outcome: (intrauterine growth retardation (OR=1.37; 95% CI=0.91-2.07), low birth-weight (OR=1.41; 95% CI=0.93-2.12), very low birth-weight (OR=1.21; 95% CI=0.39-3.77), preterm birth (OR=1.10; 95% CI=0.74-1.62), and very preterm (OR=0.62; 95% CI=0.09-4.40)). A paternal diagnosis of CD made before infant birth was not associated with adverse foetal outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

CD in the father is not a risk factor for unfavourable foetal outcome. The increased risk for caesarean section in offspring to men with undiagnosed CD in this study may be due to multiple comparisons.