Antenatal and neonatal factors and morphology of the optic nerve head in the Northern Finland birth cohort

Purpose The optic nerve head (ONH) is a part of the brain that can be evaluated through the transparent medium of the eye. The purpose of this study was to explore the possible correlations among the properties of the optic nerve head, maternal factors during pregnancy and neonatal parameters in a randomized sample of a birth cohort. Methods The Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort has been prospectively monitored since their antenatal period. Data on pregnancy and neonatal period were collected during gestation and right after birth in 1966. A randomized sample of 3070 subjects underwent an ophthalmic assessment at the age of 46-48 years. The examination protocol included scanning laser ophthalmoscopy with the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph. The ophthalmological parameters assessed were the disc area and the neuroretinal rim volume of the ONH. Results We found that chronic pulmonary disease of the mother (p = 0.007), the number of gestational weeks (p = 0.030) and the mother's highest measured systolic blood pressure (p = 0.035) during pregnancy had a statistically significant effect on the disc area. Smaller disc size was associated with pulmonary disease and early gestation. There was a significant difference in rim volume between genders (p < 0.001). Women had larger neuroretinal rim volumes compared to men. Conclusion In this population-based study, the vast majority of antenatal and neonatal factors showed no correlation with optic disc area or rim volume. Furthermore, even the factors with statistically significant correlation with ONH morphology had limited predictive value.