149: The association between birth weight at term and long-term endocrine morbidity of the offspring

To investigate whether small for gestational age (SGA) and large for gestational age (LGA) birth weight at term poses an increased risk for long-term endocrine morbidity of the offspring. A population-based cohort study compared the incidence of long-term pediatric hospitalizations due to endocrine morbidity of children born SGA, appropriate for gestational age (AGA) and LGA at term (37-42 weeks gestation). Deliveries occurred between the years 1991-2014 in a tertiary medical center. Congenital malformations as well as multiple pregnancies were excluded. A multivariate generalized estimating equation (GEE) logistic regression model analysis was used to control for confounders and for maternal clusters. During the study period 236,504 deliveries met the inclusion criteria; of which 4.8% were SGA neonates (n=11,319), 90.8% were AGA neonates (n=214,843), and 4.4% were LGA neonates (n=10,342). During the follow-up period, children born SGA or LGA at term had a significantly higher rate of long-term endocrine morbidity (table). Using a multivariable GEE logistic regression model, controlling for the time-to-event, maternal age and maternal diabetes mellitus, being delivered SGA or LGA at term was found to be an independent risk factor for long-term endocrine morbidity (adjusted OR=1.4; 95% CI 1.1-1.8; p=0.015 and adjusted OR=1.4; 95% CI 1.1-1.8; p=0.005, respectively). LGA was an independent risk factor for overweight and obesity (adjusted OR=1.7; 95% CI 1.2-2.5; p=0.001), while SGA was noted as an independent risk factor for childhood hypothyroidism (adjusted OR=3.2; 95% CI 1.8-5.8; p<0.001). Being delivered either SGA or LGA at term is an independent risk factor for long-term endocrine morbidity of the offspring.