how do they live in adulthood
how do they live in adulthood
Between 50,000 and 60,000 children are born prematurely each year in France, or nearly 7.5% of births. Is this prematurity prejudicial to their health in adulthood? A study, the results of which appeared in JAMA, is rather reassuring.
Preterm birth is defined as any birth before 37 complete weeks of pregnancy. Today, thanks to neonatal and pediatric care carried out on premature newborns, 95% survive to adulthood, at least in the industrialized countries. However, prematurity is known to increase cardio-metabolic, respiratory and neuropsychiatric disorders in adulthood.
A good health trajectory
A cohort study that looked at more than 2.5 million people shows that 54.6% of premature babies live without major health problems (asthma, hypertension, diabetes, epilepsy ...) between the age of 18 and 43. years against 63% of those born to term. However, very premature babies, those born between 22 and 27 weeks of pregnancy, are only 22.3% to be free of health problem.