Research Article

Influence of Maternal Infection and Pregnancy Complications on Cord Blood Telomere Length

Table 1

Demographics and clinical diagnoses of study participants ().

Number of complication during pregnancy
TOTAL ()None ()One ()Two ()
(%)/mean (SD)

Sex of the baby0.202
 Male392 (52.1%)162 (48.9%)191 (55.7%)39 (49.4%)
 Female360 (47.8%)168 (50.8%)152 (44.3%)40 (50.6%)
Maternal age32.18 (4.51)32.34 (4.49)31.98 (4.54)32.58 (4.53)0.434
Marital status0.904
 Single/divorced58 (7.7%)25 (7.6%)26 (7.6%)7 (8.9%)
 Married676 (89.8%)300 (90.6%)307 (89.5%)69 (87.3%)
Maternal education level0.262
 Junior secondary school or below89 (11.8%)36 (10.9%)44 (12.8%)9 (11.4%)
 Senior secondary school236 (31.3%)97 (29.3%)110 (32.1%)29 (36.7%)
 Tertiary education or above425 (56.4%)198 (59.8%)187 (54.5%)40 (50.6%)
Maternal employment status0.091
 Full-time524 (69.6%)225 (68.0%)248 (72.3%)51 (64.6%)
 Self-employed48 (6.4%)17 (5.1%)27 (7.9%)4 (5.1%)
 Homemaker114 (15.1%)61 (18.4%)37 (10.8%)16 (20.3%)
 Students2 (0.3%)2 (0.6%)0 (0.0%)0 (0.0%)
 Unemployed62 (8.2%)26 (7.9%)29 (8.5%)7 (8.9%)
Family monthly income (USD)4,803 (3,095)4936 (3175)4711 (3024)4690 (3070)0.618
Maternal SF12v2 mental component score48.40 (8.70)48.84 (7.88)48.47 (9.03)46.41 (10.2)0.084
Neonatal telomere length ( ratio)15.04 (6.25)15.31 (6.61)15.05 (6.2)13.53 (4.45)0.049
Gestational age38.73 (1.44)38.67 (1.49)38.78 (1.43)38.75 (1.31)0.735
Maternal history of risk behaviors
 Ever smoked88 (11.7%)38 (11.5%)40 (11.7%)10 (12.7%)0.947
 Ever consumed alcoholic drink226 (30.0%)89 (26.9%)108 (31.5%)29 (36.7%)0.144
 Ever engaged in drug abuse2 (0.3%)1 (0.3%)1 (0.3%)0 (0.0%)0.890
Maternal health complication during pregnancy
 Maternal infection232 (30.8%)
  Group B streptococcus carrier160 (21.2%)
  Other types of infection (e.g. chorioamnionitis, vaginosis)96 (12.7%)
 Anaemia226 (30.0%)
 Hypertension45 (6.0%)
Total number of complications during delivery
 Having one of the above diagnoses343 (45.6%)
 Having two of the above diagnoses79 (10.5%)
  Infection & anaemia59 (7.8%)
  Infection & hypertension11 (1.5%)
  Anaemia & hypertension9 (1.2%)
Complication at delivery
 Unspecific complications381 (50.6%)58 (17.5%)248 (72.3%)75 (94.9%)<0.001
 Low birthweight39 (5.2%)20 (6.0%)16 (4.7%)3 (3.8%)0.608
 Neonatal jaundice91 (12.1%)47 (14.2%)40 (11.7%)4 (5.1%)0.077
Total number of complications at delivery<0.001
 Having one of the above diagnoses411 (54.6%)105 (31.7%)234 (68.2%)72 (91.1%)
 Having two of the above diagnoses50 (6.6%)10 (3.0%)35 (10.2%)5 (6.3%)

; .