Association of Shorter Height with Increased Risk of Ischaemic Placental Disease

Background: Although adult height is inversely related with the risk of chronic disease, the association between maternal height and ischaemic placental disease remains unclear. Methods: We used the national, multicentre Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology perinatal database to assess the risk of preeclampsia, placental abruption, and small for gestational age (SGA) births (birthweight < 10th percentile), which together constitute the syndrome ‘ischaemic placental disease’, in relation to self-reported height in 218 412 women with no underlying diseases before pregnancy, who delivered singletons in 2005–11. Height was categorised into quartiles as well as considered in linear terms, and its effect on each outcome was estimated using multivariable log binomial regression adjusted for the maternal characteristics. Results: The risk of preeclampsia, placental abruption, and SGA birth was inversely related to maternal height. In the adjusted model, mothers in the lowest quartile for height (<155 cm) were at higher risk of preeclampsia (relative risk (RR) 1.35, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25, 1.45), placental abruption (RR 1.20, 95% CI 1.07, 1.34), and SGA (RR 1.96, 95% CI 1.90, 2.03) compared with mothers in the highest quartile (>162 cm). When the association between height and outcomes was considered in linear terms, each 5 cm decrement in height was associated with an increased risk of preeclampsia (RR 1.11, 95% CI 1.09, 1.14), placental abruption (RR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01, 1.09), and SGA birth (RR 1.30, 95% CI 1.28, 1.31). Conclusion: Shorter height was associated with an increased risk of preeclampsia, placental abruption, and SGA birth.