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Early developmental trajectories of preterm infants
Maya Yaari1, David Mankuta2, Ayelet Harel-Gadassi1
1Department of Psychology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.
Research in Developmental Disabilities
|November 9, 2017
Summary
Extremely and very preterm infants show developmental disadvantages compared to full-term infants, with gaps widening over time. Moderate preterm infants have better outcomes but still face vulnerabilities.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Neonatal Medicine
- Pediatric Neurology
Background:
- Preterm infants face heightened risks for neurodevelopmental impairments.
- Understanding early developmental trajectories is crucial for timely interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To delineate and compare early developmental trajectories of preterm and full-term infants.
- To identify factors influencing these trajectories.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal evaluation of cognitive, language, and motor development using Mullen Scales.
- Inclusion of extremely preterm (EPT), very preterm (VPT), moderately preterm (MPT), and full-term (FT) infants.
- Statistical analysis using mixed models with covariates for gender, maternal education, and neurobehavior.
Main Results:
- EPT and VPT infants demonstrated significantly lower scores across all domains compared to FT infants, with an increasing disparity over time.
- MPT infants showed more favorable trajectories than EPT/VPT but lagged behind FT infants in specific subscales.
- Male gender, lower maternal education, and abnormal neonatal neurobehavior were associated with poorer and less stable developmental outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Preterm birth, particularly extreme and very preterm, is linked to significant developmental disadvantages.
- Moderately preterm infants exhibit improved but still vulnerable developmental paths.
- Predictive factors like gender, socioeconomic status, and neonatal health significantly impact developmental trajectories.
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