[Development deficit risks in the late premature newborn: Evaluation at 48 months using the Ages & Stages...

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Developmental Psychology
• Neonatology

Background:

• Late prematurity (born between 34-36 weeks gestation) lacks specific developmental monitoring protocols.
• Understanding the long-term psychomotor development impact of late prematurity is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate psychomotor development at 48 months in late preterm (PT) children.
• To compare developmental outcomes between PT and full-term (AT) children.
• To identify risk factors associated with developmental deficits in PT children.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of 90 PT and 89 AT children assessed at 48 months using Ages & Stages Questionnaires® (ASQ-3).
• Statistical analysis included t-tests, Chi-square tests, ROC analysis, and logistic regression.
• ASQ-3 total scores were analyzed to identify risk of developmental deficit.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in mean ASQ-3 scores between PT and AT groups.
• However, 16.6% of PT children (vs. 4.5% of AT children) showed a risk of psychomotor deficits (ASQ-3 total score ≤251).
• Late prematurity and lack of breastfeeding were significantly associated with increased risk.

Conclusions:

• Late preterm infants exhibit a higher prevalence of risk for developmental deficits at 48 months.
• This finding supports classifying late preterm infants as a high-risk group requiring tailored monitoring.
• Further research is needed to explore underlying biological or perinatal factors contributing to this vulnerability.