A recent study published in The BMJ sheds new light on the long-term developmental risks faced by children born preterm. The research, which analyzed data from over 1 million children, found that those born moderately preterm (32-33 weeks) or late preterm (34-36 weeks) have a higher likelihood of experiencing neurodevelopmental difficulties that can impact their behavior and ability to learn.
The study’s findings highlight the importance of recognizing and addressing these risks, as children born moderately and late preterm make up approximately 80% of all preterm births. The results may aid healthcare professionals and families in conducting better risk assessments and providing appropriate follow-up care for these children.
Prior studies have already established that children born prematurely face higher risks of neurodevelopmental and behavioral disabilities during the early years of life and throughout childhood and adolescence. However, few population-based studies have specifically examined the long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm children compared to those born at full term.
In order to bridge this knowledge gap, the researchers utilized data from the Swedish national registry to evaluate the long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes of children born at various gestational ages, with a specific focus on those born at 32-33 weeks (moderately preterm) and 34-36 weeks (late preterm), in comparison to those born at 39-40 weeks (full term).
The study included a total of 1,281,690 singleton children without birth defects, born in Sweden between 1998 and 2012, within the gestational age range of 32 to 41 weeks. Additionally, a subgroup of 349,108 full siblings was included to control for unmeasured shared genetic and environmental factors.
The researchers assessed various neurodevelopmental outcomes, such as motor, cognitive, epileptic, hearing, and visual impairments, as well as a combination of any neurodevelopmental impairment, diagnosed up to 16 years of age.
To account for potential influential factors, the researchers considered variables such as the mother’s age, parity, country of birth, cohabiting status, body mass index during early pregnancy, smoking during pregnancy, presence of diabetic and hypertensive diseases, calendar period of delivery, parents’ educational level, history of neurological and psychiatric disorders, and the infant’s sex and birth weight for gestational age.
Over an average follow-up period of 13 years, approximately 48 out of every 10,000 children had been diagnosed with some form of neurodevelopmental impairment. This included 4 per 10,000 children with motor impairment, 17 per 10,000 with cognitive impairment, 7 per 10,000 with epileptic impairment, 12 per 10,000 with visual impairment, and 13 per 10,000 with hearing impairment.
Overall, the study revealed that compared to children born at full term, those born moderately or late preterm exhibited higher risks for any neurodevelopmental impairment. For instance, by the age of 16, there were an additional 475 cases per 10,000 population of children born moderately preterm compared to those born at full term.
These findings underscore the importance of addressing the long-term neurodevelopmental risks faced by children born preterm. Health professionals and families should take into account these heightened risks and ensure that proper assessments and support are provided to these children as they grow.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
