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Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

Infant sex, obstetric risk factors, and 2-year neurodevelopmental outcome among preterm infants

Arsenio Spinillo1, Laura Montanari, Barbara Gardella

  • 1University of Pavia, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico San Matteo, P le Golgi, 25, Pavia 27100, Italy. spinillo@smatteo.pv.it

Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology
|May 7, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Male preterm infants face higher neurodevelopmental impairment risks, especially with certain obstetric complications. These risks are influenced by factors like preeclampsia and delivery type, highlighting the impact of maternal health on infant outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal neurology
  • Perinatal medicine
  • Developmental pediatrics

Background:

  • Preterm birth is a major risk factor for neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI).
  • Fetal sex is increasingly recognized as a potential modulator of infant health outcomes.
  • The interplay between fetal sex and obstetric factors in NDI risk is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the interaction between fetal sex and obstetric variables.
  • To determine their combined effect on the risk of neurodevelopmental impairment in preterm infants.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort study included 754 surviving infants born between 24 and 33 weeks of gestational age.
  • Neurological examinations and cognitive assessments (Bayley Scales of Infant Development) were conducted at 2 years corrected age.
  • Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between male sex, obstetric variables, and NDI.

Main Results:

  • Male infants had a significantly increased risk of neurodevelopmental impairment (OR 1.8) compared to females.
  • The excess risk for males was amplified in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia.
  • Male sex interaction with small-for-gestational-age status and iatrogenic preterm birth also increased NDI risk.

Conclusions:

  • Fetal sex is a significant factor influencing neurodevelopmental impairment risk in preterm infants.
  • Obstetric risk factors, including preeclampsia and delivery type, modulate this sex-based risk.
  • These findings underscore the importance of considering both fetal sex and maternal/pregnancy factors in managing preterm infants.
Abstract

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