Associations between childbirth, hospitalization and disability pension : a cohort study of female twins

• BACKGROUND: As the literature on long-term effects of childbirth on risk of morbidity or permanent work incapacity (DP) is limited, we aimed to study associations of childbirth with hospitalization and DP, adjusting for familial factors.METHODS: This cohort study included female twins, i.e. women with twin sister, born 1959-1990 in Sweden (n = 5 118). At least one in the twin pair had their first childbirth 1994-2009. Women were followed regarding all-cause and cause-specific (mental or musculoskeletal diagnoses) DP during year 2-5 after first delivery or equivalent. Associations between childbirth, hospitalization and DP were calculated as hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).RESULTS: Women who did not give birth had markedly higher number of DP days/year compared to those giving birth. Hospitalization after first childbirth was associated with a higher HR of DP. Those hospitalized at least once after their first childbirth had a three-fold DP risk (HR: 3.2; 95% CI 1.1-9.6), DP due to mental diagnoses (HR: 3.2; 1.2-8.8), and of DP due to musculoskeletal diagnoses (HR: 6.1; 1.6-22.9). Lower HRs in the discordant twin pair analyses indicated that familial factors may influence the studied associations.CONCLUSIONS: Women who did not give birth had a much higher risk for DP than those who did. Among those who gave birth, the risk for DP was markedly higher among those with a previous hospitalization, and especially in women with repeated hospitalizations. The results indicate a health selection into giving birth as well as the importance of morbidity for DP.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Arbetsmedicin och miljömedicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Occupational Health and Environmental Health (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Reproduktionsmedicin och gynekologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine (hsv//eng)

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