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Table 4 Sensitive analyses for relative differences in percentage in semen characteristics by delivery mode, the FEPOS cohort, Denmark, 1998–2019

From: Birth by caesarean section and semen quality in adulthood: a Danish population-based cohort study

Semen parameters

Analysis strategies

Number of observations

Delivery mode

Relative differences in percentage

Unadjusted model

Adjusted model a

%

% (95% CI)

Semen volumeb

Model 1f

806

Overall CS

5.6 (− 6.8 to 18.5)

5.4 (− 5.4 to 17.5)

 

Model 2 g

691

Overall CS

5.5 (− 7.0 to 19.7)

5.2 (− 6.4 to 18.3)

Model 3 h

818

Elective CS (n = 35)

− 4.7 (− 21.8 to 16.0)

− 2.4 (− 16.5 to 14.1)

Emergency CS (n = 52)

10.9 (− 4.8 to 29.2)

10.1 (− 6.7 to 30.0)

Unspecified CS (n = 17)

11.1 (− 14.5 to 44.5)

7.8 (− 9.9 to 29.0)

Total sperm countb

Model 1f

806

Overall CS

0.9 (− 17.4 to 22.3)

− 0.5 (− 14.8 to 16.1)

 

Model 2 g

691

Overall CS

− 0.4 (− 19.7 to 23.5)

0.0 (− 15.9 to 19.0)

Model 3 h

818

Elective CS (n = 35)

− 20.0 (− 41.7 to 9.7)

− 16.4 (− 36.7 to 10.5)

Emergency CS (n = 52)

6.0 (− 18.5 to 37.8)

7.2 (− 12.0 to 31.0)

Unspecified CS (n = 17)

29.4 (− 17.7 to 103.3)

9.5 (− 22.2 to 54.0)

Sperm concentrationc

Model 1f

975

Overall CS

5.4 (− 11.7 to 24.2)

4.6 (− 11.2 to 23.3)

 

Model 2 g

828

Overall CS

3.9 (− 13.4 to 24.4)

2.5 (− 14.0 to 22.3)

Model 3 h

988

Elective CS (n = 41)

− 7.9 (− 29.1 to 21.0)

− 4.5 (− 27.6 to 26.0)

Emergency CS (n = 60)

13.1 (− 9.6 to 41.3)

10.8 (− 11.3 to 38.5)

Unspecified CS (n = 20)

8.7 (− 26.4 to 60.4)

4.1 (− 23.1 to 41.0)

Non− progressive motilityde

Model 1f

952

Overall CS

− 6.0 (− 13.8 to 1.3)

− 7.3 (− 13.0 to 0.0)

 

Model 2 g

812

Overall CS

− 5.4 (− 12.1 to 2.6)

− 6.8 (− 14.3 to 1.2)

Model 3 h

965

Elective CS (n = 38)

− 9.0 (− 19.8 to 3.2)

− 10.8 (− 21.3 to 1.1)

Emergency CS (n = 58)

− 6.7 (− 15.8 to 3.3)

− 7.4 (− 16.0 to 1.2)

Unspecified CS (n = 20)

1.9 (− 14.6 to 21.3)

− 1.1 (− 16.8 to 17.9)

Morphologically normal spermce

Model 1f

953

Overall CS

2.0 (− 11.5 to 17.4)

− 2.1 (− 14.4 to 12.0)

 

Model 2 g

812

Overall CS

1.6 (− 12.8 to 18.3)

− 2.0 (− 15.3 to 13.4)

Model 3 h

966

Elective CS (n = 39)

− 19.4 (− 36.7 to 2.7)

− 20.4 (− 39.8 to 5.3)

Emergency CS (n = 58)

11.4 (− 7.8 to 34.6)

5.6 (− 9.1 to 22.7)

Unspecified CS (n = 20)

15.4 (− 16.5 to 59.4)

14.3 (− 11.9 to 48.4)

  1. CS caesarean section
  2. aBasic set of variables that were adjusted for all semen parameters included maternal age at delivery, highest socioeconomic status of parents, maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, maternal smoking in the 1st trimester, place of semen sample collection and abstinence time
  3. bFor the analyses of semen volume and total sperm count, 180 samples were excluded due to spillage
  4. cFor the analysis of sperm concentration and morphologically normal sperm, spillage was further adjusted for
  5. dNon-progressive motility was modeled as (non-progressive + immotile spermatozoa) %, and a negative estimate indicated a relatively lower non-progressive motility (ie. higher progressive motility). In the analysis, spillage and internal from ejaculation to analysis were further adjusted for
  6. eFor non-progressive motility and morphology, 17 samples were not available for analyses due to azoospermia
  7. fModel 1: Birth weight z-scores were further adjusted for
  8. gModel 2: Restricted to women without labor induction and pregnancy complications
  9. hModel 3: CS was further classified into elective CS, emergency CS and unspecified CS, and percentage differences were obtained by comparing with the sons born of vaginal delivery
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Reproductive Health

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