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The Influence of Paternal Height and Weight on Birth‐weight
Author(s) -
Morrison J.,
Williams G. M.,
Najman J. M.,
Andersen M. J.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.734
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1479-828X
pISSN - 0004-8666
DOI - 10.1111/j.1479-828x.1991.tb01795.x
Subject(s) - birth weight , demography , body mass index , statistical analysis , body weight , statistical significance , body height , medicine , pregnancy , mathematics , statistics , biology , genetics , sociology
Summary: : Analysis of 5,989 couples, for whom fathers' and mothers' heights and weights were recorded, showed that paternal height had a significant influence (p< 0.0007) on birth‐weight while paternal body mass index (Quetelets Index) had no significant effect (p>0.05). Depending upon mother's height, the average effect of father's height (ranging from 165 cm to 184 cm) on birth‐weight was up to 152 g, with a greater effect where the mother was taller (up to 235 g) and a lesser effect where the mother was shorter (confirming the effect of maternal constraint). The significance of these findings lies more with the need to consider this effect as an important variable in statistical analysis involving birth‐weight than in its immediate obstetrical implications.