Preterm Birth and Multiple Sclerosis Risk
Author Information
Author(s): Ramagopalan Sreeram V, Valdar William, Dyment David A, DeLuca Gabriele C, Orton Sarah-Michelle, Yee Irene M, Criscuoli Maria, Ebers George C, Sadovnick A Dessa
Primary Institution: University of Oxford
Hypothesis
Does preterm birth increase the risk of developing multiple sclerosis?
Conclusion
Preterm birth does not appear to contribute to the risk of developing multiple sclerosis.
Supporting Evidence
- 370 (5.6%) MS index cases were born preterm compared to 130 (5.2%) spousal controls.
- No significant differences in preterm birth rates were found between cases and controls.
- The average gestational age for preterm MS index cases was 34.6 weeks.
Takeaway
Being born early doesn't seem to make you more likely to get multiple sclerosis when you grow up.
Methodology
The study compared rates of preterm births between MS index cases and spousal controls using data from a population-based cohort.
Potential Biases
There may be risks of bias due to reliance on maternal recall for preterm birth classification.
Limitations
Maternal recall of preterm birth data may not be completely accurate, and the study may have missed borderline preterm births.
Participant Demographics
The study included 6585 MS index cases and 2509 spousal controls, with a mean age of 49.0 years for cases and 50.9 years for controls.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.41
Statistical Significance
p = 0.41
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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