Table 3

Risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes among types of unemployment as compared to paid employment

Pregnancy outcomesnOR for adverse pregnancy outcome (95% CI)
Employed (n=4408)Housewife (n=859)Job-seeking (n=517)Receiving disability benefit (n=126)Student (n=201)
Pregnancy-induced hypertension5994Reference1.31 (0.81 to 2.11)1.12 (0.64 to 1.99)2.22 (1.00 to 4.91)*1.81 (0.81 to 4.05)
Pre-eclampsia5994Reference0.55 (0.26 to 1.16)1.74 (0.97 to 3.15)0.61 (0.14 to 2.65)1.67 (0.70 to 3.98)
Gestational diabetes5898Reference0.53 (0.24 to 1.15)0.61 (0.21 to 1.82)0.93 (0.21 to 4.24)
Preterm ruptured membranes5891Reference1.03 (0.65 to 1.64)1.54 (0.98 to 2.44)2.62 (1.35 to 5.05)0.70 (0.29 to 1.67)
Poor progress of delivery5888Reference1.01 (0.77 to 1.32)0.98 (0.73 to 1.32)0.71 (0.39 to 1.28)0.79 (0.51 to 1.24)
Mode of delivery5585
 Assisted vaginal deliveryReference0.78 (0.58 to 1.05)0.74 (0.53 to 1.03)1.21 (0.71 to 2.07)0.88 (0.56 to 1.40)
 Elective caesarean deliveryReference0.68 (0.42 to 1.11)0.79 (0.45 to 1.37)1.63 (0.77 to 3.45)1.33 (0.58 to 3.02)
 Emergency caesarean deliveryReference1.18 (0.82 to 1.70)1.18 (0.80 to 1.74)1.36 (0.69 to 2.71)1.14 (0.60 to 2.14)
Preterm birth (<37 weeks)6110Reference0.98 (0.65 to 1.47)1.44 (0.96 to 2.16)2.35 (1.28 to 4.31)*1.17 (0.61 to 2.23)
Meconium-stained amniotic fluid5833Reference1.01 (0.80 to 1.29)1.33 (1.02 to 1.74)1.26 (0.78 to 2.02)1.23 (0.82 to 1.85)
Apgar score at 5 min (<7)5907Reference1.36 (0.58 to 3.20)1.09 (0.39 to 3.02)4.19 (1.48 to 11.9)*3.71 (1.36 to 10.1)*
Small-for-gestational-age (<10th percentile)6089Reference1.01 (0.76 to 1.34)1.07 (0.79 to 1.45)0.76 (0.40 to 1.44)1.07 (0.69 to 1.68)
Difference between types of unemployment (95% CI)
Birth weight (g)6093Reference24 (−16 to 63)−13 (−61 to 35)−77 (−163 to 9)−49 (−120 to 23)
  • * p<0.05.

  • Adjusted for pregnant women's age, parity, educational level, family income, ethnicity, marital status, psychopathological symptoms, smoking and drinking during pregnancy, body mass index (BMI) and offspring's gender. The analyses for birth weight were additionally adjusted for gestational age at birth.

  • Compared to spontaneous vaginal delivery.