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Gestational Age and Neurodevelopmental Delay in Term Births at 6 and 12 Months: The Japan Environment and Children's
Kentaro Haneda1, Mitsuaki Hosoya2,3, Keiya Fujimori3,4
1Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikariga-oka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan. haneken@fmu.ac.jp.
Insights
Early term infants (37-38 weeks) in Japan show a higher risk of developmental delays at 12 months. This study highlights the need for closer monitoring of these infants to ensure healthy neurodevelopment.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Public Health
Background:
- Recent reports indicate increased developmental delay risks in early term infants (37-38 weeks gestation).
- Limited research exists on developmental delays in early term infants specifically within Japan.
- Very low birth weight and late preterm infants also face heightened risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the risk of neurodevelopmental delays in early term infants in Japan.
- To compare developmental outcomes at 6 and 12 months for early term infants versus full-term infants.
- To establish a baseline for early intervention strategies in Japan.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS), a large birth cohort.
- Analyzed records of 104,065 infants, comparing gestational ages against a 40-week reference.
- Assessed neurodevelopment using the Ages and Stages Questionnaires, Japanese translation (J-ASQ-3) at 6 and 12 months.
Main Results:
- Infants born at 37-38 weeks showed significantly higher rates of not meeting J-ASQ-3 score cutoffs across all areas at both 6 and 12 months.
- The risk (odds ratio) for developmental delay was elevated in early term infants compared to those born at 40 weeks.
- The odds ratio for developmental delay decreased at 12 months compared to 6 months, suggesting potential for catch-up but persistent risk.
Conclusions:
- Early term infants born in Japan face a statistically significant increased risk of neurodevelopmental delay.
- The findings underscore the importance of monitoring neurodevelopment in early term infants up to 12 months of age.
- This research provides crucial data for public health initiatives and clinical practice in Japan regarding infant development.
Background:
In the recent years, a high risk of developmental delay not only in very low birth weight infants and late preterm infants but also in early term infants (37-38 weeks) have increasingly been reported. However, in Japan, there are virtually no studies regarding the development delays in early term infants.
Methods:
This study used the data from the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS), a birth cohort study conducted in Japan. Data were selected for analysis from the records of 104,065 fetal records. The risk of neurodevelopmental delays at 6 months and 12 months after birth was evaluated using multivariate analysis for infants of various gestational ages, using the 40th week of pregnancy as a reference value. Neurodevelopment was evaluated at 6 months and 12 months after birth using the Ages and Stages Questionnaires, Japanese translation (J-ASQ-3).
Results:
The proportion of infants born at a gestational age of 37 to 38 weeks who did not reach the J-ASQ-3 score cutoff value was significantly higher in all areas at both 6 months and 12 months after birth, when compared to that of infants born at 40 weeks. The odds ratio decreased at 12 months after birth compared to that at 6 months after birth.
Conclusion:
Early term infants in Japan are at an increased risk of neurodevelopmental delay at 12 months after birth.
