Being Born Preterm Tied to Lifelong Harms in Employment, Education

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Nov 8, 2024.

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Nov. 8, 2024 -- Babies born preterm face a life of lowered prospects, a new study warns.

Adults who were preemies are less likely to achieve higher education or snag a high-paying job, researchers reported Nov. 6 in the journal PLOS One.

What’s more, the earlier preterm a baby is born, the worse his or her future prospects appear to be.

“Our findings suggest that the development of long-term supports [including psychological, education and vocational resources] that go beyond clinical care may help mitigate the longer-term effects of preterm birth,” said researcher Petros Pechlivanoglou, with The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

Preterm birth is known to increase a baby’s risk of intellectual and developmental difficulties, according to the March of Dimes. About 10% of all babies worldwide are born preterm.

For the study, researchers analyzed health, education and employment data on all live births that occurred in Canada between 1990 and 1996, a pool of about 2.4 million people.

Results showed that babies born before 37 weeks of gestation are 17% less likely to go to college, 16% less likely to graduate with a college degree and 2% less likely to be employed.

The average income of adults who were born preterm is 6% lower than those born at term, researchers said.

For individuals born at the earliest gestation, 24 to 27 weeks, those associations were even stronger, with a 17% lower annual income and a 45% decrease in rates of university enrollment and graduation.

“Policymakers and society as a whole must recognize that the socioeconomic impact of preterm birth may extend into early adulthood and that considerations for ongoing support could be vital to ensuring this population has equal opportunity to thrive,” Pechlivanoglou added in a journal news release.

Sources

  • PLOS, news release, Nov. 6, 2024
  • Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

    Source: HealthDay

    Read more

    Disclaimer

    Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

    The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

    Popular Keywords