Skip to main content

Table 1 Summary of epidemiological studies associating hypospadias with low birth weight

From: Intrauterine growth restriction and hypospadias: is there a connection?

Study (year)

Dataset location (years)

Number of subjects with hypospadias

Definition

Findings

Other positive associations

Chen (1971) [43]

Children’s Hospital of Michigan (1961–1967)

50

NA

Mean birth weight: hypospadias 2.7 kg, expected 3.3 kg

Parity

p < 0.001

Sweet (1974) [2]

Rochester, Minnesota, USA (1940–1970)

113

LBW: <2500 g

Presence of LBW in hypospadias 9%

 

Control 2%

No p value given

Kallen (1982) [44]

Sweden (1965–1979)

1357

LBW: <2500 g

Presence of LBW in hypospadias 8.5%, Expected 4.2%

Prematurity

p < 0.001

Calzolari (1986) [45]

Emilia Romagna, Italy (1978–1983)

168

NA

Mean birth weight: hypospadias 2.97 kg, Controls 3.39 kg

Mother’s age at menarche, threatened abortion, use of progestins in pregnancy, gestational age

p < 0.001

Kallen (1986) [46]

Multiple: Denmark, Hungary, Italy, Mexico, South America, Spain, Sweden (years vary 1967–1982)

7491

LBW: <2500 g

Presence of hypospadias in LBW:

Maternal age, parity, gestational age, twin pregnancy

RR 1.8-2.3 (varied by country)

Khoury (1988) [35]

Atlanta, Georgia, USA (1975–1984)

1111

IUGR: <10 percentile birth weight for gestational age

Presence of IUGR in hypospadias:

Not evaluated

RR (95% CI): 2.7 (2.3-3.1)

Stoll (1990) [47]

Alsace, France (1979–1987)

176

NA

Mean birth weight: hypospadias 3.19 kg, controls 3.3 kg

Placental weight

OR 2.05 (95% CI 0.73-5.74)

Mili (1991) [36]

Atlanta, Georgia, USA (1978–1988)

919

NA

Presence of hypospadias in LBW:

Not evaluated

Adjusted RR:

<1500 g: 3.3

1500-1999 g: 3.3

2000-2499 g: 2.2

Riley (1998) [37]

Victoria, Australia (1983–1995)

2012

LBW <2500 g

Presence of LBW in hypospadias:

 

RR (95% CI): 2.23 (1.88-2.65)

Akre (1999) [48]

Sweden (1983–1993)

1220

NA

Presence of LBW in hypospadias: Adjusted OR (95% CI):

Maternal age, parity, severe pre-eclampsia, other congenital malformations

<1500 g: 6.02 (2.51-14.41)

1500-2500 g: 2.57 (1.71-3.85)

Weidner (1999) [49]

Denmark (1983–1992)

1345

NA

Presence of LBW in hypospadias: Adjusted OR (95% CI):

Sibling with hypospadias, previous maternal history of stillbirth

<2500 g: 3.42 (2.83-4.13)

2500-2599: 1.76 (1.47-2.10)

Carmichael (2003) [4]

California, USA (1984–1997)

5838

NA

Presence of LBW in hypospadias:

White ethnicity, maternal education, maternal age, parity

Adjusted RR (95% CI)

<1500 g: 2.46 (1.65-3.68) to 57.5 (31.8-104) depending on severity and other anomalies

1500-2499 g: 2.16 (1.73-2.69) to 18.8 (12.4-28.5)

Carlson (2009) [58]

Nova Scotia, Canada (1980–2007)

995

NA

Birth weight in different severities of hypospadias:

Maternal age

Adjusted OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.99-1.00

Ghirri (2009) [59]

Italy (2001–2004)

234

SGA: <10 percentile for gestational age

Prevalence of hypospadias in SGA:

None

5.28 per 1000 live births (compared to 2.56 per 1000 in AGA), p < 0.01

Significance only in moderate-severe hypospadias

Nordenvall (2014) [13]

Sweden (1973–2009)

7974

SGA: <2 SD below mean

Presence of SGA in hypospadias:

Parental origin, maternal body mass index, in vitro fertilization, twin pregnancy

Adjusted OR (95% CI):

4.15 (3.87-4.56)