THE ESSENTIAL
- Researchers took records of all live births in Canada over a six-year period and followed these children until age 28.
- Data analysis shows that prematurity and its consequences are linked to lower income and lower college graduation rates.
- For researchers, it is essential to recognize that the socioeconomic impact of prematurity can extend into early adulthood. They also recommend taking measures to reduce these gaps.
Approximately one in 10 births occurs before 37 weeks of gestation. Furthermore, prematurity accounts for 1 in 5 deaths among children. If the consequences and complications of arriving into the world too early are well known in the short term, the effect of prematurity in adulthood is less well understood.
Canadian researchers followed premature children over more than two decades to get a complete picture of the impact. Their findings were published in the journal Plos OneNovember 6, 2024.
Prematurity: it still has an impact after childhood
For this study, the team recorded all live births that occurred in Canada between 1990 and 1996. This represents more than 2.4 million children. They followed them until 2018. Their study showed that people born prematurely were 17% less likely to enroll in college and 16% less likely to graduate from college. Prematurity as well as its cognitive, developmental and physical effects were also linked to lower income (- 6% compared to others) as well as an increased risk of not having a job (+ 2.13%) at the end. adulthood (28 years old at the end of the study).
For those born at 6 months gestation (24 to 27 weeks), these associations were even stronger. College enrollment and graduation rates fell by 45%. Annual income was 5,463 Canadian dollars lower, or 17% less than the others.
Prematurity: monitoring beyond the neonatal department
For the researchers, their work shows that it is essential to continue to monitor and help premature babies well after they leave the neonatal unit.
“While clinical care during the neonatal period is essential, our findings suggest that developing long-term supports (including psychological, educational, and professional resources) that extend beyond clinical care may help mitigate the effects at longest term of premature birth”analyzes the author of the study Petros Pechlivanoglou in a press release.
“Policy makers and society at large must recognize that the socio-economic impact of premature birth can extend into early adulthood and that ongoing support considerations could be key to ensuring that this population has equal opportunities to flourish.they conclude.
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