Pre-term birth linked to lifelong health effects
Categories: Babies, Pregnancy & birth, Development, In the news
A study published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association provides the most information so far about the long-term outcomes of babies born prematurely. Researchers found that babies born preterm are at an increased risk of death not only during the neonatal periods, but also during early childhood. Further, adults who were born prematurely were less likely to finish high school and less likely to marry than their full-term peers. An effect on future generations was also found: women born prematurely were more likely to deliver premature babies themselves.The review, which followed 1.2 million births in Norway over decades, provides an important long-term perspective of the effects of prematurity. While the study notes increased risks, it doesn't provide a complete explanation for WHY these effects are seen well into adulthood. Follow-up research will be needed to help flesh out specific causes, though scientists hypothesize that higher risk of death may be linked to genetic differences, birth defects, and socioeconomic factors.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Michelle 3-27-2008 @ 12:43PM
Just a guess from this Mother to a 25 weeker: Because they are born with highly underdeveloped lungs, they spend days, weeks, even months on artificial oxygen, which can cause a myriad of problems, they are poked, jabbed and exposed to light, noise and strangers on a daily basis. They are often unable to be touched and cuddled for weeks or months, they undergo more than most of us have to endure in our entire lifetimes even before they come home from NICU. Then they are isolated from family and friends because they are so vulnerable. They only go out to be schleped to their many doctor's appointments. Everyone is measuring and checking and worrying, meanwhile the preemie is experiencing something akin to Vietnam flashbacks everytime the nurse tries to take his blood pressure. (This may be a little fresh to me since we just went to his Developmental Clinic yesterday)
Prematurity doesn't end at the NICU doors, or even when they turn 2, as most neonatolgists will try to tell you. We had a diagnosis of CP at 2, we discovered Sensory Processing Disorder at 3, and now, at 3.5, we are thinking he may have Epilepsy. I can only wonder what is in the future. I know for a fact he has a heart defect that, while it doesn't affect him now, it will affect him when he is an old man, long after I'm gone, when I can no longer advocate for him.
I say it is about time people realize prematurity is a life-long diagnosis. I know, when my son was discharged from NICU, I fully expected him to "catch up" by age 2 and that would be that. Because that was what I was lead to believe by the media, the doctors, the MOD. That's just not the way it works, and parents need to be prepared for the reality.
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