(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Premature birth is the leading cause of infant
mortality in the United States; but for babies who do survive, health
implications may last further into adulthood than previously thought.
Researchers at Duke University in Durham, N.C., and the Norwegian Institute of
Public Health in Oslo, Norway, studied more than a million men and women born
prematurely, between 22 and 37 weeks after gestation. According to the Mayo
Clinic, most pregnancies last 38 to 42 weeks; preterm births are defined as
births earlier than 37 weeks.
The study identified several long-term quality of health issues for people born
premature, including lower educational success, lower reproduction rates and an
increased chance of their babies being born premature and with complications.
The study also found boys born between 22 and 27 weeks had the highest rate of
early childhood death.
“When a baby is born preterm, we tend to focus on the short-term risk of
complications,” Geeta Swamy, M.D., lead author and a maternal-fetal medicine
specialist at Duke University, was quoted as saying. “While it is true that the
risk of complications is highest in the immediate time period, including
hospitalization and the first year of life, that risk continues into
adolescence. And the earlier you’re born, the higher the risk.”
In addition, she says the study brings to light an important issue concerning
advances in prenatal and neonatal care. “Preterm survival is improving now
because of interventions we have in pregnancy and neonatal care. However, it may
be that we’re improving survival while adversely affecting the overall health
and quality of life in the long run,” Dr. Swamy explained.
SOURCE: The Journal of the American Medical Association, published online
March 25, 2008
