The impacts of parity on lung function data (LFD) of healthy females aged 40 years and more issued from an upper middle income country (Algeria): A comparative study.

Background: Studies evaluating the impacts of parity on LFD of healthy females presented controversial conclusions.

Aim: To compare the LFD of healthy females broken down according to their parities.

Methods: A medical questionnaire was administered and anthropometric data were determined. Two groups [G1 (n = 34): ≤ 6; G2 (n = 32): > 6] and three classes [C1 (n = 15): 1-4; C2 (n = 28): 5-8; C3 (n = 23): 9-14] of parities were identified. LFD (plethysmography, specific airway resistance (sRaw)] were determined. Student's t-test and ANOVA test with post-Hoc test were used to compare the two groups' and the three classes' data.

Results: G1 and G2 were age and height matched; however, compared to G1, G2 had a lower body mass index (BMI). C1, C2 and C3 were height, weight and BMI matched; however, compared to C2, C3 was older. G1 and G2 had similar values of FEV1, forced- and slow- vital capacities (FVC, SVC), maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMEF), forced expiratory flow at x% of FVC (FEFx%), peak expiratory flow (PEF), expiratory and inspiratory reserve volumes (ERV, IRV, respectively), inspiratory capacity (IC), sRaw, FEV1/FVC, FEV1/SVC, and residual volume/total lung capacity (RV/TLC). The three classes had similar values of MMEF, FEFx%, PEF, thoracic gas volume (TGV), ERV, IRV, FEV1/FVC, FEV1/SVC and RV/TLC. Compared to G1, G2 had higher TGV (2.68±0.43 vs. 3.00±0.47 L), RV (1.80±0.29 vs. 2.04±0.33 L) and TLC (4.77±0.62 vs. 5.11±0.67 L). Compared to C1, C2 had higher FEV1 (2.14±0.56 vs. 2.47±0.33 L), FVC (2.72±0.65 vs. 3.19±0.41 L), SVC (2.74±0.61 vs. 3.24±0.41 L), TLC (4.47±0.59 vs. 5.10±0.58 L), IC (1.92±0.41 vs. 2.34±0.39 L) and sRaw (4.70±1.32 vs. 5.75±1.18 kPa*s). Compared to C1, C3 had higher TLC (4.47±0.59 vs. 5.05±0.68 L) and RV (1.75±0.29 vs. 2.04±0.30 L).

Conclusion: Increasing parity induced a tendency towards lung-hyperinflation.