Adult outcomes of being born late preterm or early term - What do we know?

Area of Science:

• Perinatal Medicine
• Public Health
• Developmental Pediatrics

Background:

• Late preterm (LPT, 34-36 weeks) and early term (ET, 37-38 weeks) births are common.
• Understanding long-term adult outcomes for these groups is crucial for public health.
• Previous research often groups LPT/ET infants with full-term infants, obscuring specific risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and synthesize the existing literature on adult outcomes for individuals born LPT or ET.
• To identify specific health, cognitive, and socioeconomic risks associated with LPT and ET births.
• To provide recommendations for reporting future research findings.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, identifying 9547 articles.
• 53 articles met the eligibility criteria, including clinical cohorts, medical birth register linkages, and historical birth cohorts.
• The majority of studies (48/53) were from Nordic countries, with 50/53 reporting on LPT and 8/53 on ET outcomes.

Main Results:

• LPT and ET births are associated with increased early adult all-cause mortality.
• Individuals born LPT/ET exhibit increased cardiometabolic risk factors, higher incidence of type 2 diabetes and asthma, and lower cardiorespiratory fitness.
• Cognitive abilities, mental health, education, occupational status, and income are generally lower in LPT/ET adults compared to term-born individuals.

Conclusions:

• Late preterm and early term birth are linked to a range of adverse adult outcomes across physical, mental, and socioeconomic domains.
• Specific reporting of LPT and ET outcomes is recommended to better understand and address associated risks.
• These findings highlight the need for continued monitoring and targeted interventions for individuals born during the late preterm and early term periods.