Table 2

Characteristics of mothers and cohort members before pregnancy, during pregnancy and labour, and at birth in terms of the metabolic syndrome at age 44–46 years (n=7347)

Metabolic syndrome
NoYesp Value
(N=5317)(N=2030)χ2
Variablen (%)n (%)
Mode of delivery0.061
 Vaginal5188 (97.6)1968 (97.0)
 Emergency caesarean66 (1.2)40 (2.0)
 Elective caesarean63 (1.2)22 (1.1)
Cohort member's gender<0.001
 Male2339 (44.0)1350 (66.5)
 Female2978 (56.0)680 (33.5)
Maternal age, years0.166
 <1844 (0.8)25 (1.2)
 18–354743 (89.3)1821 (89.7)
 >35525 (9.9)184 (9.1)
Mother's educational level<0.001
 Low3751 (70.8)1596 (78.8)
 High1549 (29.2)430 (21.2)
Overcrowding0.330
 1–1.5 people/room4573 (88.4)1736 (87.6)
 ≥1.5 people/room599 (11.6)246 (12.4)
Smoking after the fourth month of pregnancy<0.001
 No3606 (3606)1289 (64.2)
 Yes1643 (31.3)718 (35.8)
Maternal BMI before pregnancy<0.001
 Underweight230 (4.6)82 (4.3)
 Normal weight3738 (74.2)1294 (67.9)
 Overweight902 (17.9)425 (22.3)
 Obesity171 (3.4)106 (5.6)
Parity0.089
 Nulliparous1938 (36.5)785 (38.7)
 1 previous pregnancy1716 (32.3)605 (29.8)
 ≥2 previous pregnancies1662 (31.3)640 (31.5)
Problems with previous pregnancies0.771
 No4163 (78.5)1584 (78.2)
 Yes1143 (21.5)443 (21.8)
Hypertensive pathology during pregnancy<0.001
 No3498 (69.2)1256 (64.7)
 Yes1555 (30.8)684 (35.3)
Abnormality during pregnancy0.554
 No3941 (74.2)1490 (73.5)
 Yes1374 (25.9)538 (26.5)
Total number of antenatal visits0.163
 <5230 (4.4)71 (3.5)
 5–9 visits1436 (27.4)531 (26.5)
 >93579 (68.2)1405 (70.0)
Birthweight0.252
 <10th centile374 (8.0)161 (9.3)
 10–90th centile3807 (81.8)1413 (81.2)
 >90th centile472 (10.4)166 (9.5)
Gestational age, weeks0.268
 <38463 (9.6)196 (10.8)
 38383 (7.9)157 (8.6)
 39–413414 (70.7)1246 (68.4)
 >41567 (11.8)224 (12.3)
Whether labour induced0.002
 No4666 (87.8)1725 (85.0)
 Yes651 (12.2)305 (15.0)
PROM> 12 h0.003
 No4203 (85.6)1534 (82.7)
 Yes708 (14.4)321 (17.3)
  • Per cent may not add up exactly to 100 due to rounding.

  • BMI, body mass index; F, Fisher's exact test; PROM, premature rupture of the membranes.