Premature Babies May Face Long-Term Health Problems

Premature birth is the leading cause of infant mortality in developed countries, but far less is known about what long-term impact -- if any -- being born before 37 weeks can have on a person's health.

Now, a new study suggests that preterm babies have a higher risk of mortality in their late teens, 20s and into their 30s than their full-term counterparts. And the earlier a baby is born, the greater his or her risk of death in early adulthood.

Researchers writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association looked at records from more than 600,000 individuals born in Sweden in the 1970s -- 5 percent of whom were born preterm -- and followed them up to 2008.

They found that premature babies who made it through their first year of life had a higher risk of dying in early childhood, up to age 5. As they aged, that risk waned: from age 6 to 17, the risk of mortality was on par with that of full-term babies. However, by young adulthood, age 18 to 36, the increased risk of death reappeared.

"This was due to several different causes, including congenital anomalies and respiratory, endocrine and heart disease," Dr. Casey Crump, a clinical professor of medicine at Stanford University and one of the study's lead authors, wrote in an email to HuffPost. "Some of these causes may have long latency ... or may have cumulative effects that don't manifest until early adulthood."

Outside expert Dr. Arthur D'Harlingue, a neonatologist at Children's Hospital and Research Center Oakland, said that brain development can play a crucial role in the short- and long-term health of premature babies -- a role that is not yet fully understood. For many years, experts assumed that 10 weeks after birth, a baby born 10 weeks early would have a brain similar to that of a full-term newborn.

"But the brain develops differently when it's exposed to different nutrition, to a different environment and to different stresses after birth," he said. "Brain MRIs of premature infants are finding all kinds of differences, which are not always necessarily bad, but they are there."

According to the authors of the new study, premature births are up in the U.S., increasing to 12 percent of all births over the past three decades.

D'Harlingue cited multiple medical factors as the cause, including increased obesity and diabetes among mothers, as well as lifestyle issues like drug abuse and lack of prenatal care. Elective cesarean sections play a role, he explained.

The March of Dimes, an organization that works to combat premature birth, has questioned the role medically unjustified C-sections may play in the risk for prematurity. "Women should wait until at least 39 weeks to schedule an induced labor or C-section, unless there are medical problems that make it necessary to deliver earlier," its website states.

But the new study's authors say that premature birth should not be a source of fear for would-be parents.

"Most young adults who were born preterm have a high level of function and quality of life," Crump told HuffPost. "Although we found that preterm birth was linked with increased mortality in young adulthood, the absolute risk of dying was still low -- less than 1 per 1,000 people per year."

As for parents of premature babies, and those individuals born prematurely, understanding the possible risks, he said, is beneficial:

"It's even more important for survivors of preterm birth to avoid other risk factors for disease such as smoking and obesity to offset the increased risks that we found."

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Comments

[justjasowitz]

01:24 PM on 09/26/2011

Very interesting. I am a 26 wk preemie-

[ddanimal]

05:48 PM on 09/25/2011

The corrupt FDA changes rules to enrich drug company selling natural hormone that prevents pre-term inflants:

Premature labor drug spikes from $10 to $1,500

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41994697/ns/health-pregnancy/t/premature-labor-drug-spikes/

ATLANTA — The price of preventing preterm labor is about to go through the roof.

A drug for high-risk pregnant women has cost about $10 to $20 per injection. Next week, the price shoots up to $1,500 a dose, meaning the total cost during a pregnancy could be as much as $30,000.

That's because the drug, a form of progesterone given as a weekly shot, has been made cheaply for years, mixed in special pharmacies that custom-compound treatments that are not federally approved.

[ddanimal]

05:43 PM on 09/25/2011

It would be best if preemies before about 28 weeks are left to die. Aspiring parents can then learn about proper nutrition and try again.

[p---]

10:18 PM on 09/21/2011

my first pregnancy ended at 23.5 weeks. it was naturally-occurring triplets. two of the three lived 18 and 22 days. the third is next to me as i type. he is 13. he has severe respiratory allergies and is extremely nearsighted in one eye; he might also suffer from a learning disability, but that might be more genetic than related to his prematurity. but he is here, having survived all of that as well as my parenting. and i am grateful.

[Jolimont]

01:48 AM on 09/22/2011

You are very lucky my 22 week twins both died. Give your extreme preemie an extra hug from me. I also have a 28 weeker who is healthy as a horse at age 13 also, so it wasn't all disaster for me.

[ladyjoker7413123]

05:32 AM on 09/22/2011

My twin sister and i were born prematurely. We both have digestive problems, deformed nails (fingers and toes), and in my teens i developed a problem were certain foods just make me sick. (When i say sick, i mean that i would be incapable of swallowing because i would gag, or i would feel bad after eating.) We both have problems with anxiety and depression.

I don't know if any of these things are linked to us being premature or not (I realized that i forgot to mention that my mom smoked while pregnant), but I am starting to wonder more and more.

[NiaBush]

08:22 PM on 09/21/2011

I am the mother of a baby girl that was born at 24 weeks. She was given a 60% chance of survival, and my husband and I were told about all the potential issues she may have. She spent 75 days in the NICU, and went home a month earlier than first anticipated. All NICU are not the same, she got exceptional care at North Shore University Hosptial in Long Island New York, and I spent every waking moment with her while she was in the hospital. She is five years old, she loves to read, it's hard for me to believe that she had such a tramatic beginning.

[p---]

10:14 PM on 09/21/2011

thank you, my 13 year old born at 23.5 weeks is next to me reading this article. his chance of survival was >5%.

[Kiaxpz]

07:30 PM on 09/21/2011

I was premature, about eight months and I almost died a few days after brought home from hospital.I got a transfusion.I never had any real serious health issues after that.I have made it to age seventy,got college and law school ok with no more problems than any one else.My mother smoked and that may have caused the premature deal.

[LorraineLMcC]

07:10 PM on 09/21/2011

The difference is the term the Preemie is born, Micro- Preemie, Macro-Preemie & Preemie
How the child is developed in the womb, and factors are how well the child and if the mother had prenatal care =) upon birth other health concerns range from bleeding, or heart, you name it. The Micro normally called Bottom of the Barrel, have more issues and only up to 5% of them have little issues We are Blessed we are in that category. I know this first hand because I have a MIRACLE Baby born at 25 weeks 1 Lbs 8 oz, and if you could see that baby today You would never guess. We have some Health issues, mostly Lung Issue and minor heart issues, (I do not let anyone smoke near us)

Now, with everything that We have been through, we are the parents of a Tall, Healthy Intelligent does not wear glasses child, just like any or even taller for the most part than a full term Kid/baby. Truth is it is all in the genes; and how one takes care of the child from the 1st day the child is sent home from the NICU. Faith full with all follow ups too. In our case we were sent home almost 4 months after birth, and had a lot of health issues the first 6 years, Pneumonia's and bad colds even RSP; so far it is getting better.

[caspiansails]

05:15 PM on 09/21/2011

Bunch of nonsense. I was a premie and was born in the seventh month and had to be fed with an eyedropper. I am in my fifties and have no health issues and never did. My mother in law was born in the seventh month and is 83 years old with minimal issues. I know plenty of premies who have not had any health issues in their long lives. The differences must be minimal.

[SeriouslyNowConsiderThis]

07:59 PM on 09/21/2011

...as in all who smoke tobacco get cancer? All in an auto accident die? Be thankful that you are without health issues .... have you at all given consideration to those born prematurely who have dealt with health issues? Nonsense? Accept you are fortunate and be thankful for that, but the chances of health issues increase due to the circumstances of premature birth ......

[ddanimal]

05:46 PM on 09/25/2011

You=sample size of 1, which doesnt count for a lot. Your personal experience absolutely does not mean its a "bunch of nonsense".

[bn366]

02:47 PM on 09/21/2011

I was a premature baby, doing fine now. And I have witnessed two other births, also premature. One,32 weeks, and one 29 weeks. Both are healthy little girls, thank God, But they didn't get that way over night.

Watching a baby fight for their life, and not knowing if their going to make it through the night is the worst experience anyone can have.
Mommy's out there, PLEASE let your baby arrive when they are ready.

Preemie babies need much more attention, and they stay sick almost constantly. They require more medical attention then other kids, and they grow at a slower rate.

Would you choose that life for your baby?

[LorraineLMcC]

07:17 PM on 09/21/2011

No one CHOOSES This Life for our Child sometimes things happen! It is By far a Choice, Unless the Mom was warned & she did not take care....

[vlynnieg]

01:59 PM on 09/21/2011

Sad but true, y'all, but I have mommies come in all the time with their third, fourth, or fifth babies, at about 30-35 weeks just plain TIRED of being pregnant and all but demanding the doctor induce them. We explain to them 'til we're blue in the face why this is such a collossally BAD idea, but they only know what they want and refuse to listen. Especially if they've delivered early before and that baby was 'fine' (but they don't acknowledge that the baby was 'fine' only after how much time, etc in NICU) There's some selfish people out there, folks.

[getarman]

06:25 PM on 09/21/2011

remember these studys were in new zealand

[vlynnieg]

07:09 PM on 09/21/2011

Regardless of the location of the study, there is much to be learned from the results. The more they learn about long-term issues related to prematurity, the more reason we have for trying to prevent it if at all possible. If there is a medical reason that would justify delivering before 39 weeks, such as severe preecclampsia, etc, or if the labor cannot be stopped, well, you deal with it and thank goodness we have the technology that allows us great success that was once not possible. The more common issues pertain to the respiratory system, as the lungs are the last to develop.

[lawlibrarian]

01:57 PM on 09/21/2011

My daughter was born at 28 weeks, 12 weeks premature. Doctors sent me home from the hospital the day before she was born, saying the pain I was experiencing was not labor. 24 hours later, I was in the hospital, having an emergency C Section. My daughter has mild Cerebral Palsy, which has affected her physcially over the years, but not mentally...she is an honor student. Just a warning to anyone pregnant who feels that something is "wrong"....YOU are the one who is pregnant....fight to make sure you get the care you need. When a doctor makes a "mistake" it isn't HIS child who is at risk, it is YOURS.

[powermfm]

12:52 PM on 09/21/2011

Well, that was almost interesting. Have had experience with a pre-term baby. Touch little thing. Punched the doctor in the nose upon delivery. She developed normally faster than anticipated in certain ways but was a bit behind on others. Or so the experts thought. She was just hiding certain developments. Currently in kindergarten and romping through life. Small for her age but her appetite is improving hourly and very likely by the time she is 7, she will match any full term kid.

[OregonCitizen]

12:42 PM on 09/21/2011

I understand where they are coming from & it is true that a preterm person needs to have extra awareness as they age. But shouldn't we all? No smoking (obviously due to under developed portions of their lungs, etc.) This study went back to the 1970's so let's jump forward to basing the data out of the US & from the 80's. My guess is there is a huge difference of data from those two eras. I would like to see the comparison of their original group of patients to those that received cutting edge care from the US based neonatal intensive care units from the 80's. It would be more informative to break those apart so people can see how modern medicine changed the long term outcomes for those born in the 80's. My child was born at 26 weeks (less than 2 lbs.) in 1987 and was due to a cervix issue with myself and not due to poverty/obesity/smoking, etc. as is typically assumed whenever a preterm child is mentioned. We were lucky that we were near one of the best neonatal intensive care units on the West Coast. Happy, healthy & smart 24 year old. Can't ask for more than that.

[vlynnieg]

01:48 PM on 09/21/2011

Life-saving technology for those little guys has advanced in leaps and bounds! The technological advances I've seen in our NICU just in the past seven years AMAZE me to no end. We have an awesome success rate at our hospital, and it is my sincere hope and belief that one day in the not-so-distant future, we will be able to save some of the ones that we don't currently have the equipment/technology to save at this date. Nothing grieves me more than to not be able to stop a severely preterm delivery that the baby is too small, too early to save and all we can do is comfort care.

[getarman]

06:31 PM on 09/21/2011

we have 2w sons and they were both premature and stayed in the neo-natal unit at nississippi medical uneiversity for 3 months before they gained up to four pounds, now one of our boys is 25 years old and weigh 255 pounds. our other son will be 31 on june ist. and he weigh 215 pounds anf lettered 6 years in football. no one will never know the pain we went through while they struggled to survive

[playsindirt]

11:46 AM on 09/21/2011

The NYT reported that "premature infants in the United States are more likely to survive than those elsewhere. Yet they are still more likely to die than full-term babies, and the sheer numbers born prematurely in the United States — more than 540,000 per year — drive up infant mortality." The article went on to blame poverty and our overuse of fertility treatments and c-sections. We are our own worst enemy. Again.

[Radarman]

11:30 AM on 09/21/2011

This is really an article about increased obesity and diabetes among mothers followed by survivors of preterm birth needing to avoid other risk factors for disease such as smoking and obesity. It seems to me that as an average, families that have life styles that cause premature birth may lead to children from those families having the same habits which will effect them as they get older.