Premature birth increases the risk of premature death for decades

Risk persists into your 30s

Children born before they are fully developed have a persistent risk of premature death, and the risk persists into their third and fourth decades of life, researchers say.

Worldwide, 10 percent of babies are born prematurely, before 37 weeks of gestation.

New research from researchers at Wake Forest University suggests that premature babies not only face serious, immediate health consequences, they are also at increased risk of premature death, a risk that persists into their 30s.

Long-term effects

“Understanding the long-term effects of preterm birth can help us develop prevention strategies and identify interventions to improve the health of individuals born prematurely,” said lead researcher Dr. Asma Ahmed.

According to HealthDay, worldwide, preterm birth is the leading cause of infant death and the second leading cause of death among children under five.

While the majority of preterm babies survive to adulthood, Ahmed said there is growing evidence that they have an increased risk of premature death that persists for decades.

The researchers analyzed data on nearly 5 million births in Canada between 1983 and 1996, 6.9% of whom were preterm.

The researchers followed the participants through 2019, a follow-up period of 23 to 36 years.

The greatest risks

The greatest risks occurred in childhood, from birth to infancy, from 0 to 11 months, and from 1 to 5 years of age.

“We also found that the risk of premature death was higher with decreasing gestational age at birth, with those born before 28 weeks at the highest risk,” Ahmed said.

This was due to several causes, including respiratory, circulatory and gastrointestinal disorders, neurological and endocrine diseases, infections, cancers and birth defects.

“These findings suggest that preterm birth should be recognized as a major risk factor for death. The risk persists into the third and fourth decades of life,” Ahmed said. “Not only is clinical care during the delivery period important, but long-term care and monitoring are essential to help reduce these risks.”