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Fertility of young adults born very preterm/very low birth weight: An individual participant data meta-analysis

Miranda Kit-Yi Wong1, Marina Mendonça1, Nicole Tsalacopoulos2

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom.

Annals of Epidemiology
|April 11, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Adults born very preterm or at very low birth weight (VP/VLBW) do not have significantly different fertility rates compared to term-born individuals. Sociodemographic factors, not sex, influence fertility in VP/VLBW adults.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Health
  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Developmental Pediatrics

Background:

  • Preterm birth and low birth weight can impact long-term health outcomes.
  • Fertility in adults born very preterm or at very low birth weight (VP/VLBW) requires further investigation.
  • Understanding factors influencing fertility in this population is crucial for reproductive health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare fertility rates between adults born VP/VLBW and term-born controls.
  • To determine if sex moderates the association between VP/VLBW and fertility.
  • To identify individual factors associated with fertility among VP/VLBW adults.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized prospective longitudinal cohort data from international consortia (RECAP-Preterm, APIC).
  • Included 931 VP/VLBW and 1363 term-born young adults (ages 23-30).
  • Analyzed individual participant data on neonatal, medical, sociodemographic, and fertility variables.

Main Results:

  • No significant difference in fertility (having children) was observed between VP/VLBW and term-born young adults (OR 1.48).
  • Sex did not significantly moderate the association between VP/VLBW and fertility (OR 0.87).
  • Among VP/VLBW adults, higher fertility was linked to female sex, older age, partnering, absence of neurosensory impairment, and lower education levels.

Conclusions:

  • VP/VLBW is not associated with reduced fertility in young adulthood.
  • Fertility in VP/VLBW adults is influenced by sociodemographic factors and neurosensory impairment, not sex.
  • Further long-term follow-up is needed to confirm fertility outcomes into established adulthood.
Abstract

Keywords:
FertilityIndividual participant data (IPD)Life history theoryVery low birth weight (VLBW)Very preterm (VP)

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