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. 2024 Dec 28;24(1):879.
doi: 10.1186/s12884-024-07084-9.

Association between antinuclear antibodies status and preterm birth in Japanese pregnant women: a prospective cohort study from Adjunct Study of the Japan Environment and Children's Study

Mami Fukushige  1   2 , Xi Lu  3 , Minoru Satoh  4   5 , Masako Oda  6 , Takashi Ohba  6   7 , Takahiko Katoh  6   8
Affiliations

Association between antinuclear antibodies status and preterm birth in Japanese pregnant women: a prospective cohort study from Adjunct Study of the Japan Environment and Children's Study

Mami Fukushige et al. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. .

Abstract

Background: Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are important biomarkers for the diagnosis of autoimmune diseases; however, the general population also tests positive at a low frequency, especially in women. Although the effects of various autoimmune diseases on pregnancy outcomes have been studied, the association of ANA with pregnancy outcomes in healthy individuals is unclear. Preterm birth (PTB), a major cause of neonatal death or long-term health problems, is a complex condition with a multifactorial etiology, and the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The present Adjunct Study aimed to determine the association between ANA and PTB in pregnant Japanese women based on a data analysis of the Japan Environment and Children's Study.

Methods: In a prospective cohort design, we analyzed the demographic and pregnancy outcome data of 1085 pregnant Japanese women who were recruited between January 2011 and March 2014 in the Kumamoto University target area. Demographic data were collected using self-administered questionnaires and physician records. A serum ANA titer of ≥ 1:40 was defined as positive. Statistical analysis was performed by logistic regression analysis with PTB as the objective variable.

Results: The PTB rate was significantly higher in those who were ANA-positive (adjusted odds ratio, 2.06; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-3.87) than in those who were not.

Conclusions: This study suggests that ANA positivity in the first trimester of pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of PTB.

Keywords: Antinuclear antibodies; Japan; Pregnancy outcome; Pregnant women; Preterm Birth; Prospective studies.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study was approved by the Ethics Review Committee for Epidemiological Research of the Ministry of the Environment (approval number: 100910001) and the Ethics Review Committee of the affiliated institutions (approval number: 590). Written informed consent was obtained from all participants. This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and other national regulations and guidelines. To ensure protection of privacy rights, the data were de-linked from personal identifiers and strictly handled. Consent for publication: This study is not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

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Fig. 1
Flowchart depicting the selection of participants in this study
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