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Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
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A systematic review and meta-analysis of long-term development of early term infants

Ying Dong1, Shao-jie Chen, Jia-lin Yu

  • 1Department of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Key Laboratory of Pediatrics in Chongqing and Chongqing International Science and Technology Cooperation Center for Child Development and Disroders, Chongqing, China.

Neonatology
|July 21, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Infants born early term (37-38 weeks) face higher risks for long-term developmental issues, including cerebral palsy and learning difficulties. Further research is needed to fully understand these risks.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Development
  • Neonatal Outcomes
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Early term infants (ETIs) born between 37 0/7 and 38 6/7 weeks gestation are a growing focus.
  • ETIs are increasingly recognized as potentially higher risk for adverse outcomes compared to full-term infants.
  • Long-term developmental trajectories of ETIs have not been systematically reviewed.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically assess the impact of early term birth on long-term developmental outcomes.
  • To synthesize existing evidence on the developmental risks associated with early term birth.

Main Methods:

  • Comprehensive literature search across major databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane) and conference abstracts.
  • Meta-analysis conducted using RevMan 5 for studies with comparable outcomes.
  • Sensitivity analysis performed to evaluate heterogeneity and its sources.

Main Results:

  • Eleven studies covering four developmental categories were analyzed.
  • ETIs demonstrated poorer outcomes in school performance, neurodevelopment, behavior, emotional status, and social outcomes.
  • Meta-analysis revealed significantly increased risks for cerebral palsy (RR 1.75) and mathematical difficulties (RR 1.13) in ETIs.

Conclusions:

  • Emerging evidence indicates that early term birth is associated with adverse long-term developmental risks.
  • Paucity and heterogeneity in current data necessitate further research.
  • Clarifying the long-term risks for early term infants requires more robust investigation.
Abstract

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