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Family social risks on neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants without severe brain injury

Li-Wen Chen1, Min-Lan Tsai2,3, Yung-Chieh Lin1

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.

Pediatric Research
|December 8, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Family social risks and male sex are linked to neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) in preterm infants without severe brain injury (SBI). Oxygen exposure further increases NDI risk, highlighting the need for targeted support for vulnerable infants.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Preterm infants without severe brain injury (SBI) are still at risk for neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI).
  • Family and social factors are increasingly recognized as significant contributors to infant development.
  • Understanding these risks is crucial for early intervention and improved outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between family-social risks and neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) in preterm infants without SBI.
  • To identify specific family-social factors that impact NDI outcomes.
  • To analyze the combined effects of clinical factors like oxygen exposure on NDI.

Main Methods:

  • Assessed infants born <29 weeks gestation without high-grade brain injury using Bayley Scales of Infant Development.
  • Defined NDI as cognitive/motor delay, cerebral palsy, or bilateral blindness/deafness.
  • Utilized logistic and linear regression to analyze family-social (maternal age, education, ethnicity, SES, single-parent status) and clinical risks for NDI severity at 24 months.

Main Results:

  • 82% of infants had no/mild NDI, 14% moderate, and 4% severe NDI.
  • Each additional family-social risk factor increased severe NDI odds by 1.6 times.
  • Family-social risks and male sex were associated with lower cognitive, language, and motor scores; each extra day of oxygen therapy worsened scores by 0.1 points.

Conclusions:

  • Family social risks, male sex, and oxygen exposure are significant predictors of NDI in preterm infants without SBI.
  • These factors are associated with increased NDI severity and lower developmental scores.
  • High-risk preterm infants require enhanced surveillance and early intervention services to improve neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Abstract

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