Psychomotor development, emotional regulation, and executive functions in 2-years-old children after threatened...

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Developmental Psychology
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Threatened preterm labor (TPL) is linked to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in offspring.
• These consequences may occur irrespective of the gestational age at delivery.
• Understanding TPL's specific impact on psychomotor and socioemotional development is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of threatened preterm labor (TPL) on children's psychomotor and socioemotional development at two years of age.
• To compare outcomes across different gestational age groups following TPL: full-term, late preterm, and very preterm.
• To differentiate the effects of TPL from those solely attributable to prematurity.

Main Methods:

• A cohort study followed mother-infant pairs diagnosed with TPL until 30 months corrected age.
• Participants were grouped into Full-term TPL, Late Preterm TPL, Very Preterm TPL, and a Control group.
• Children's development was assessed using standardized tools: Ages & Stages Questionnaires, Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire-Very Short Form, and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool Version.

Main Results:

• Children exposed to TPL, irrespective of gestational age, demonstrated poorer emotional regulation and increased inhibition problems compared to controls.
• Very preterm TPL infants showed significantly lower psychomotor development.
• Difficulties in working memory and planning/organization were also noted in the very preterm TPL group.

Conclusions:

• Threatened preterm labor (TPL) itself is a risk factor for neurodevelopmental disturbances in children.
• These disturbances manifest as challenges in emotional regulation and inhibitory control, even when birth occurs at full term.
• The findings underscore the importance of addressing TPL as a distinct risk factor beyond prematurity.