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Intellectual and psychological performance in males born small for gestational age with and without catch-up growth
E M Lundgren1, S Cnattingius, B Jonsson
1Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Insights
Infants born small for gestational age (SGA) face higher risks of intellectual dysfunction. Catch-up growth in length significantly benefits these males
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Developmental Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Infants born small for gestational age (SGA) exhibit an elevated risk for neurological and intellectual impairments.
- While many SGA infants achieve normal growth, the impact of catch-up growth on cognitive outcomes remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between birth size, catch-up growth, and intellectual/psychological performance in early adulthood among males.
Main Methods:
- A population-based cohort study utilized Swedish birth and conscript registers, linking data for male singletons born between 1973-1978.
- Included 276,033 males alive at 18 years; intellectual and psychological performance data were analyzed for 254,426 conscripted males.
Main Results:
- Low birth weight, short birth length, small head circumference, and preterm birth were linked to poorer intellectual and psychological performance.
- For SGA males, the absence of catch-up growth was the most significant predictor of subnormal performance.
Conclusions:
- Being born SGA increases the risk of suboptimal intellectual and psychological outcomes.
- Catch-up growth in length is advantageous for males born SGA, mitigating risks associated with small size at birth.
Abstract:
Infants born small for gestational age (SGA) have an increased risk of neurologic and intellectual dysfunction. Most of these infants catch up in growth and attain normal height, although some do not. Whether catch-up growth influences intellectual function is not known. To analyze whether intellectual and psychological performance of males in early adulthood are associated with body size at birth or by catch-up growth in height among boys, a population-based cohort was studied. This cohort included all male singletons born without congenital malformations in Sweden from 1973 to 1978 and alive at 18 y (n = 276,033). Information from the Swedish Birth Register was individually linked to the Swedish Conscript Register. Of 254,426 conscripted males, information on intellectual and psychological performance was available for 97% and 91%, respectively. Low birth weight, short birth length, small head circumference at birth, and preterm birth increased the risk of subnormal intellectual and psychological performance. Among SGA-born males, the most important predictor was the absence of catch-up growth. Being born SGA is associated with increased risk of subnormal intellectual and psychological performance. The data strongly support the view that, for males born SGA, it is an advantage to have catch-up growth in length.