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Developmental characteristics of late preterm infants at six and twelve months: a prospective study

Iris Morag1, Orit Bart, Raanan Raz

  • 1Department of Neonatology, The Edmond and Lily Safra Children's Hospital, Sheba, Tel Hashomer, Israel.

Infant Behavior & Development
|May 7, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Late preterm infants (LPI) show developmental delays in the first year, but catch up when adjusted for post-conception age. Male gender and emergent cesarean section increase risk for lower scores in LPI.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal development
  • Neurodevelopmental outcomes
  • Perinatal research

Background:

  • Late preterm infants (LPI) represent a significant proportion of births.
  • Neurodevelopmental outcomes in LPI require longitudinal assessment.
  • Perinatal factors may influence infant development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To longitudinally assess neurodevelopmental outcomes of LPI up to one year of age.
  • To identify perinatal conditions associated with developmental outcomes in LPI.
  • To compare LPI neurodevelopment with term infants (TI).

Main Methods:

  • 124 LPI and 33 TI were recruited.
  • Gross motor skills assessed using Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) at 6 months.
  • Mental development assessed using Griffiths Mental Development Scales (GMDS) at 12 months.
  • Multivariate logistic regression analyzed maternal and neonatal covariates.

Main Results:

  • LPI demonstrated significantly lower scores than TI at 6 and 12 months chronological age.
  • Developmental scores were similar between LPI and TI when corrected for post-conception age.
  • Male gender, emergent cesarean section, and higher maternal education (>14 years) were associated with increased risk for lower developmental scores in LPI at 12 months.

Conclusions:

  • LPI neurodevelopmental maturation extends beyond the first year.
  • Male infants and those born via emergent cesarean section are at higher risk for suboptimal developmental scores.
  • Age correction to term birth remains relevant for LPI assessment at one year.
Abstract

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