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Preterm birth and subsequent intelligence and academic performance in youth: A cohort study
Emilie Pi Fogtmann Sejer1, Agnes Kielgast Ladelund1, Frederik Jager Bruun1
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Herlev, Denmark.
Acta Obstetricia Et Gynecologica Scandinavica
|February 13, 2024
Summary
Preterm birth is linked to poorer academic outcomes and lower intelligence in youth. Children born extremely preterm had the lowest chances of graduating and lower intelligence scores.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Increasing survival rates of preterm infants globally.
- Preterm birth poses risks to long-term cognitive development.
- Need to understand the impact of preterm birth on academic and intellectual trajectories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between preterm birth and academic performance.
- To examine the relationship between preterm birth and intelligence in youth.
Main Methods:
- Large cohort study of liveborn children in Denmark (1978-2000).
- Used logistic and linear regressions to analyze gestational age effects.
- Adjusted for potential confounding factors.
Main Results:
- Preterm birth associated with lower academic performance and graduation rates.
- Extremely preterm infants had significantly lower odds of secondary education completion.
- Lower intelligence scores observed in preterm individuals compared to term-born peers.
Conclusions:
- Low gestational age is linked to challenges in completing secondary education.
- Preterm birth is associated with lower grade point averages and intelligence scores.
- Findings highlight the long-term impact of preterm birth on educational and cognitive outcomes.
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